The Shadow of Sin (Bantam Series No. 19)

by Barbara Cartland

  At least he had a roof over his head, though it was difficult not to keep remembering that, except for his wild gaming, the Priory would still be theirs.

  She found herself thinking how it might have been possible to sell the Cottage or a few acres of land instead of losing the whole Estate.

  She heard the sound of wheels outside and walking to the window saw a carriage drawn by two horses with two liveried attendants on the box pull up outside the Cottage.

  She thought it might be the Earl and felt a sudden leap of excitement in her heart.

  Then as the footmen jumped down to open the door she saw inside the carriage the dissipated lined face of Lord Crawthorne.

  She turned hastily towards Giles, who was sunk in an arm-chair, his feet stretched out in front of him.

  “Lord Crawthorne is here!”

  “Here?” Giles asked in surprise.

  Then he said harshly with an unpleasant twist of his lips:

  “I wonder why he could not keep away?”

  “I do not want to see him,” Celesta cried.

  She ran across the room and up the narrow staircase just as Nana crossed the small Hall to answer the rat-tat of His Lordship’s footman, which echoed round the Cottage.

  Celesta had not told her brother how the Earl had ordered Lord Crawthorne from the Ball last night.

  Neither had she related to him the way in which Lord Crawthorne had tried to kiss her.

  She was not certain what Giles’s reaction might have been.

  Admittedly he had walked away rudely when Lord Crawthorne appeared, but it was hard to believe that what had amounted almost to an adoration of his friend could have changed so quickly into what appeared to be dislike.

  “One never knows with Giles,” Celesta told herself. “His feelings change from one minute to the next!”

  It was true that since he had been home Giles’s attitude towards herself and Nana had been one of disagreeableness.

  Yet they both knew him well enough to know that he could alter in the flicker of an eye-lid and exude a charm which would make them run round only too willing to wait on him.

  From the top of the stairs Celesta heard the front door open and then Lord Crawthorne’s suave voice say:

  “I am Lord Crawthorne. I have called to see Miss Celesta Wroxley!”

  “I’ll tell her, M’Lord. Will you come in?”

  “Thank you.”

  “I think Sir Giles and Miss Celesta are in the Sitting-Room, M’Lord.”

  Nana led the way and opened the door which Celesta had shut behind her, but when Lord Crawthorne entered the room Nana left it ajar.

  “Well, Giles “ Celesta heard Lord Crawthorne say in his most affable tone, “I hope you are pleased to see me.”

  “What do you want?”

  “As it happens,” Lord Crawthorne replied, “I come bearing gifts.”

  Giles did not answer and he went on:

  “A gift which you will certainly appreciate, my dear boy, unless I am very much mistaken.”

  “What is it?”

  Giles’s tone sounded surly but Celesta could hear the curiosity in it.

  “A dozen bottles of a really fine French Brandy and another dozen of a superlative claret!”

  There was silence for a moment, then Giles said in a very different tone:

  “You are a Trojan! If you only knew how I have been thirsting for a decent drink!”

  “Then there is no need, my dear boy, for you to thirst any longer! Tell my footman to bring it in.”

  Giles pulled open the Sitting-Room door.

  “Nana!” he shouted. “Bring me some glasses!”

  Then he crossed the Hall.

  The footman was already carrying a case of brandy up the small flagged path.

  Giles waited while it was set down in the Hall, then he picked up a bottle and carried it back to the Sitting-Room.

  “This is the real stuff!” Celesta heard him say. “I can’t describe the muck I had to drink in the Fleet!”

  “I must tell you how much I regret the misunderstanding which caused you to be so long in that unpleasant place,” Lord Crawthorne said.

  Giles did not answer and Celesta was sure he was busy opening the bottle.

  Nana carried two cut-crystal glasses into the Sitting-Room on a silver salver. She re-crossed the Hall with a disapproving expression on her face.

  “You will join me?” Celesta heard Giles say.

  There was the sound of liquid being poured into a glass.

  “Of course!” Lord Crawthorne answered. “I wish to drink your health, dear boy, and when you are feeling a little more amenable I have something of great import to tell you.”

  “What is that?” Giles asked.

  “I think I have discovered a way in which you can get back the Priory and your Estate.”

  “Are you still suggesting I should buy it?” Giles asked. “I have exactly five pounds in my pocket, which is all that stands between me and starvation!”

  “I have a much better plan,” Lord Crawthorne said. “But before we talk of such serious matters, let me enquire as to the health of your most entrancing sister.”

  “Celesta is all right!” Giles said impatiently.

  “Although I was of course anxious to see you,” Lord Crawthorne continued, “I was also consumed by a most urgent desire to continue my conversation with your sister where it left off last night.”

  “What happened?” Giles asked.

  “I was threatened by our host and turned out of his house!”

  “Good God! And you allowed him to behave like that to you?”

  “I had little choice at the time, but I promise you, Giles, that I do not accept insults such as that easily.” Lord Crawthorne’s voice was sinister as he went on: “Nor do I allow the same man to trick me, as Meltham has tricked me, or insult me, as Meltham has insulted me not once but twice!”

  “What will you do about it?” Giles asked. “As you can well suppose, when I think of him sitting in my house and riding over my land, I loathe the swine!”

  “That is just what I hoped you would say,” Lord Crawthorne answered. “So, Giles, let us put out heads together. I have a plan which I feel sure will meet with your approval.”

  “Tell me what it is,” Giles said eagerly, “but first let me get you another drink.”

  “I want no more,” Lord Crawthorne replied. “It is too early in the morning, but you go ahead, dear boy, I brought it for you.”

  There was a pause while Celesta was certain that Giles was re-filling his glass. Then Lord Crawthorne said:

  “I suggest you shut the door. It would be a mistake for anyone to over-hear what I have to tell you.”

  The door was closed.

  Celesta went into her bed-room.

  What plan did Lord Crawthorne have which could possibly restore the Priory to Giles and give him back the Estates which were now legally owned by the Earl?

  Whatever the idea was, she was certain it was wrong, if not wicked.

  There had been something horrible in the slimy notes of Lord Crawthorne’s voice as he spoke.

  She could understand his being incensed and insulted by the way the Earl had spoken to him last night.

  At the same time he was entirely in the wrong in appearing uninvited at Meltham House. He should have known quite well that the Earl was not the sort of person who would tolerate an intruder.

  “He is plotting some terrible mischief!” Celesta told herself, “and Giles will be involved in it.”

  She put her fingers to her forehead trying to think.

  She must find out what he was suggesting, because she was certain that he intended to harm the Earl.

  It seemed impossible that he could do him serious damage. Yet she knew that she would light-in every way in her power to prevent a man so evil and so degraded as Lord Crawthorne from injuring the Earl, even if it only affected his pocket.

  However, only to think of the Earl was to know his strength, hi
s impregnable position in Society, and to remember he was a very close friend of the King.

  How could anyone as debauched as Lord Crawthorne attempt anything that would not make him a laughing-stock in the social world?

  At the same time Celesta felt apprehensive.

  She could not bear to think that Giles, who had been a recipient of the Earl’s generosity, should be ready to intrigue against him with a man who had proven himself completely indifferent to his sufferings in prison.

  “How can Giles be such a fool as to trust him again?” Celesta asked.

  She was ashamed that her brother could change his attitude so easily simply because Lord Crawthorne had supplied him with the drink he craved.

  “What am I to do?” Celesta asked, and could find no answer to her own question.

  It was getting near luncheon-time and Nana came up the stairs.

  “Do you think His Lordship’ll be staying for a meal?” she asked anxiously.

  “I cannot imagine he wishes to eat with us,” Celesta answered. “What have we for luncheon today?”

  “Only a brace of pigeons,” Nana answered. “Mr. Copple brought them for me this morning when he delivered your newspaper. And very grateful I was to him.”

  Celesta laughed.

  “I think, Nana, Mr. Copple is courting you!”

  “Get along with you!” Nana replied. “It’s just that he enjoys a gossip about old times and there’s no-one else in the village as has the time to waste on him.”

  “Whatever his motives,” Celesta said, “we are delighted with the pigeons. That will be one for Giles and one for His Lordship, if he stays. And you can give me an egg.”

  “It’s not right that someone who can have everything should eat the little we’ve got,” Nana said crossly. “And bringing Master Giles all that spirit! You know it’s bad for him!”

  “I do indeed, Nana,” Celesta agreed. “Let us hope that Lord Crawthorne goes back to London quickly. I cannot bear to know he is here in the Cottage.”

  Even as she spoke she felt it was a forlorn hope and sure enough a few minutes later she heard Giles shouting to Nana that His Lordship was staying to luncheon.

  Then he was calling her name.

  “Celesta! Come downstairs! I want you!”

  There was nothing Celesta could do but obey.

  Slowly, wishing she could make some excuse to stay in her room, she descended the stairs and walked into the Sitting-Room.

  It seemed to her that Lord Crawthorne was looking more repulsive than he had the night before.

  There were dark bags under his eyes and the deep lines running from his nose to his chin made him seem more than usually sardonic, or perhaps it was because in the bright sunlight he seemed to have an unnatural pallor.

  “I am at your feet, Celesta!” he said and lifted her hand to his lips.

  Once again she felt herself repelled by the touch of his mouth on her skin.

  Without looking at him directly she was aware that his eyes were flickering over her, making her feel as if he mentally undressed her.

  “I have brought you a present,” he went on.

  “I have read that one should beware of the Greeks when they come bearing gifts!” Celesta replied. “And that goes for Londoners.”

  Lord Crawthorne merely laughed as if she had said something witty and drawing a case from his pocket he placed it in her hands.

  It was a velvet case and when she opened it she saw to her astonishment that inside was a diamond bracelet.

  She looked at it for a moment, then shut the case and handed it back to him.

  “It is kind of Your Lordship,” she said, but I never accept presents of that sort from anyone but my immediate family.”

  “I am a very old friend of your brother’s,” Lord Crawthorne said.

  “But still no relation,” Celesta insisted, “and therefore, My Lord, I must refuse your gift.”

  Lord Crawthorne turned to Giles.

  “Help me, Giles!” he said. “Your sister is refusing what is only a small tribute to her beauty.”

  Celesta glanced sharply at her brother.

  She was afraid that he might try to force her to accept Lord Crawthorne’s present simply because it was valuable.

  She saw that Giles was looking at Lord Crawthorne with a strange expression on his face and one which appeared to her to be calculating.

  Then he said slowly as if he deliberated the words: “My sister is right, My Lord. A young lady in her position could not possibly accept anything so valuable, whatever the reason for it being offered.”

  Giles accentuated the last words and Celesta knew that Lord Crawthorne glanced at him in surprise.

  Then before anything more could be said Nana announced luncheon.

  Lord Crawthorne ate the pigeon which was tender and well cooked.

  Celesta had the feeling that it was of no particular concern to him what he consumed.

  Giles sat at the top of the table with Lord Crawthorne on his right and Celesta on his left, and she was aware that all through the meal His Lordship’s eyes hardly left her face.

  It was difficult for her to appear unconcerned when she knew that every nerve in her body shrank from the expression with which he regarded her.

  Celesta was very innocent.

  At the same time her experience with Lord Crawthorne both at his house and at the Ball had made her aware that the lust he had for her emanated from him like some poison from which she must escape. Giles, who had been drinking glass after glass of brandy, made the meal an opportunity for a long harangue against the Earl because he now owned the Priory.

  “What does it matter to someone like that that the whole history of our family lies within its walls?” he asked. “The rich crush those who are weaker, stamp on the faces of ordinary people, and when it comes to a War, expect other men to fight so that they can save their own skins!”

  As Giles had never been in the Army, nor had he ever fought for anyone save himself, Celesta could not help thinking that this was unfair.

  However she knew by now that when Giles had reached the state of being voluble any opposition to what he was saying merely antagonised him to fury and he was past listening to logic.

  She therefore remained silent and so did Lord Crawthorne.

  He appeared quite uninterested in Giles and what he was saying.

  Nana had made a peach tart which Lord Crawthorne ate without comment. Giles refused it.

  When Celesta had finished she rose to her feet.

  “I am afraid there is no port, My Lord,” she said, “perhaps you would like a glass of your own claret, in which case I will leave you and Giles alone.”

  “There is no need for you to go,” he said quickly.

  “I must behave with propriety,” Celesta replied with a faint smile.

  “In which case,” Lord Crawthorne answered, “I will drink my claret in the Sitting-Room with you.”

  Celesta glanced nervously at her brother.

  “Will you come with us, Giles?” she asked.

  “Yes, of course.”

  Giles rose from the table to follow Celesta into the Sitting-Room.

  “I am sure, dear boy,” Lord Crawthorne said, “you will understand if I tell you that I would like to talk with your sister alone?”

  “No! No!” Celesta said quickly.

  To her utter astonishment Giles replied:

  “Celesta must be chaperoned. I am sure my father, had he been alive, would not have left her alone with you, or with any other man.”

  Celesta was so surprised that she could only stare at Giles.

  He threw himself down in an arm-chair in a manner which made it quite obvious that he had no intention of complying with Lord Crawthorne’s request.

  For a moment she thought with amusement that His Lordship was disconcerted and there was an expression of anger on his face.

  Before he could say anything Celesta interposed: “I am sure that you and Giles, My Lord, have a g
reat many things to discuss and you will therefore excuse me if I bid you good-bye.”

  She curtsied and before Lord Crawthorne could touch her hand she slipped from the room, closing the door behind her.

  She went into the kitchen to find Nana washing up the dishes they had used at luncheon.

  “Has he gone?” Nana asked.

  “No, unfortunately,” Celesta replied. “Nana, you will never believe it, but he wanted to speak to me alone and Giles refused to allow it, saying that Papa would have wanted me to be chaperoned!”

  Nana put down the plate she was drying with a murmur of satisfaction.

  “There!” she said. “I knew there was still good in Master Giles. It’s just that he’s been led astray by his smart London friends.”

  “I have never known Giles to do anything like that before,” Celesta said. “Perhaps, after all, Nana, he does care for me a little?”

  “I’m sure he does!” Nana said, “and let’s hope those so-called friends of his will leave him alone. Bringing down all that drink! It’s the last thing he should have!”

  “He has drunk over half a bottle already!” Celesta said. “If only we could hide the rest!”

  They both sighed, knowing that they dare not interfere with Giles’s drinking when it meant so much to him.

  Celesta helped Nana with the washing-up, then went upstairs to her bed-room.

  She would have liked to go for a walk in the sunshine, but she was afraid lest Lord Crawthorne should see her go and follow so that he would be alone with her.

  She suddenly felt so much happier and less afraid than she had been since Lord Crawthorne’s arrival.

  If Giles was going to behave towards her in the way he should, then it was obvious things would be far better than they had been in the past.

  The Earl said she should be chaperoned and he had been right!

  Celesta felt how unpleasant it would have been if Lord Crawthorne had visited the Cottage when she was there alone.

  What defence would she and Nana have had against a man like that?

  Even now she had the feeling that he would not give up so easily.

  He had wanted to kiss her last night and his desire had been unmistakable. As she thought of it she remembered his arms pulling her against him.