An Unexpected Title (Suspicious Circumstance Book 1)

by Jackie Williams

  Mrs. Grenfell broke the ensuing silence that filled the hallway.

  “Yes, my apologies. My nerves are all asunder.” She turned to Lady Madeleine. “The doctor was making enquiries. I thought to come and see. His Lordship also asked as to when you might be available for an interview.”

  Ash stepped further forward, the housekeeper’s words startling him into action.

  “Mrs. Grenfell, I hardly think meeting Lady Madeleine for the first time in such distressing circumstances should be called an interview.” He turned back to the younger woman. “Please accept my deepest condolences on your loss. I am Asher Derwent. Let me assure you that we will leave no stone unturned in our quest to discover your father’s assailant.” He bowed over Madeleine’s hand.

  Madeleine drew in a much needed breath. Warmth flooded her as his fingers took hers and his lips brushed her wrist. She lowered her gaze and gave a small curtsey.

  “Thank you for your kind words, my Lord.”

  Ash straightened and looked down at her. Something thudded hard inside his chest as he noticed a tearstain on her cheek.

  “Asher or Ash. As we will be living here together for the immediate future, I insist that you do away with formality and call me by my chosen name. Besides, I’ll feel an idiot if you of all people go about calling me, my Lord. We can leave that kind of deference to others.”

  Madeleine felt her cheeks flush as she gave a small nod. Could this man really be so affable, so amenable?

  “Again I thank you. But I would not like to presume upon your kindness or upon your charity... Asher. I can pack my bags as soon as you would wish.” His name left her lips on a breath as the panic swelled in her chest. Now she had made the offer she racked her brains as to where she could stay.

  Ash held back a groan of desire as apprehension filled her eyes. They glittered with emotions that were easy to read. She was making the offer when she had nowhere to go. Her father’s death had happened so suddenly she had no time to plan for such an event. But she didn’t flinch from her statement. Her chin became even more resolute and he admired her bravery even as a glimmer of something he couldn’t name filled his chest. Good for you! Don’t back down! Tell me what you want! He silently cheered her determination on as the glimmer began to burn even more brightly. Damn! But she was magnificent even in her hour of despair.

  A beam of sunlight came through her bedroom doorway and caught the rich tones in her hair. Abundant curls sprang free around her face. What would she look like, pins abandoned and those curls spread across his pillow while she whispered all manner of things that she would like him to do to her naked flesh? Every drop of his blood ran south faster than he had ever thought possible. Damn near caused him to see spots before his eyes! It took every ounce of his self-control to not scoop her into his arms and find the nearest available bed. Never had a woman affected him so with such little effort.

  But this was hardly the time or place. He forced himself to think of the body in the study. Unpleasant, but at least he felt assured that he wouldn’t now embarrass himself. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

  “There is no question of presumption or charity. Claiborne is your home. And I wish it continue to be so for as long as you desire. Certainly for the next few weeks at the very least. Your father’s passing was so sudden, so dreadful, that no decisions should be made with haste.” He wouldn’t hear of her leaving, would do anything to prevent it. His whole body railed against the very thought of it.

  She blinked up at him with sadness in her beautiful eyes.

  “Thank you. You can imagine the shock I have suffered, but however upsetting the events I do need to talk to you. Quite urgently.” She glanced at Mrs. Grenfell and the doctor. “And privately.”

  Mrs. Grenfell spoke quietly as she glanced up at Ash.

  “Is that quite seemly, Lady Madeleine? I am happy to accompany you as your chaperone.” She took another fleeting look at him. A sideways peek, the corner of her mouth lifting a fraction before pressing back into a hard line.

  Ash nearly choked. Good Lord! Had the woman fluttered her eyelashes at him? Flirted with him? He had seen such looks before, usually from widowed ladies or those with far older husbands, but this was impossible, surely? The woman’s face had regained its customary dour appearance. A mistake on his part, clearly. Ash put the thought aside as Madeleine turned to the woman and answered.

  “His Lordship has already shown that he is a gentleman, and after the events of this morning I hardly think I am going to worry about a question of propriety. I will talk to whom I please when and where I please, without the benefit of anyone sitting with me. If you would have tea brought to the garden room, Mrs. Grenfell, that will be sufficient.” She then turned to Doctor Finch. “And I thank you for your concern over my wellbeing, but I can assure you that I am not about to fade away. If I feel the need for any medical assistance, I will send a note. All I care about is that my father is given the attention and respect he deserves.”

  Finch nodded quickly.

  “Of course, my dear. You can have no doubt of my continued support.” He eyed Ash and took a pace or two away. “I will leave Lady Madeleine in your care, but will call again tomorrow.” He lowered his voice further. “The body can be removed to a more suitable location as soon as the constable has finished his enquiries. The rigor should have faded completely by then.”

  Ash gave a short nod and said a vague farewell to the doctor as his mind went back to the ghastly scene in the study. Mrs. Grenfell followed the man, insisting that she show the doctor out before taking tea to the garden room. A light footstep behind Ash brought him out of his reverie and had him turning back to Lady Madeleine.

  She stood silently waiting for him, assessing him. He wondered what she thought. A friendly giant? An enemy in disguise? She had apparently argued with her father over the marriage plans. Was she still averse to them now she had so many less choices in her life? He wouldn’t find out unless they talked.

  “If you are up to the conversation, I think we should take the opportunity of some peace while the rest of the household are being questioned by Mathews. Perhaps you would like to show me to the garden room?” He held out an elbow.

  Madeleine let her eyes wander over him one last time. If he was a fiend he hid it well. She touched the sleeve of his jacket, instantly feeling the hardness of his arm beneath the fabric. So his build was muscle, not fat. She might have guessed by the angularity of his jaw. No flabby chin hanging over his cravat. She glanced up at his face. A dusting of stubble gave him a rakish air. There was a narrow line of several longer whiskers just beneath his chin. Had he shaved himself and missed a patch? Did he not have a valet? She hadn’t seen anyone accompany him along the drive, but then he hadn’t known that he might be staying permanently.

  His rooms for the duration of his stay had been set up in the east wing, but perhaps he would want the master suite now that he had inherited the title. She blinked away the tears that formed on her lashes as they passed her father’s rooms, but she must have given her emotions away for Asher squeezed his elbow, and her hand along with it, closer into his side.

  “You are allowed to shed a tear or two. No one would expect any different.” His voice was barely a whisper.

  She swallowed the lump that instantly formed in her throat.

  “Thank you, but I would prefer to remain strong, especially in front of the staff.” She slowed her steps as the muttered chatter of gathering staff reached her ears, and she made a sudden decision. If she trusted him, then perhaps he would trust her. She might be able to use such trust to her advantage. “In fact, I have decided that avoidance might be the best option at the moment.” She inclined her head towards the noise. Ash raised a curious eyebrow as he listened to the servants as they gathered in the hall below. Madeleine held him back and turned to face the panelled wall. A quick glance over her shoulder informed her that they were indeed alone in the corridor. Now was as good a time as any to reveal one of th
e house’s secrets. She twisted a notch on a panel on the wall and Asher gasped as the dark wood slid sideways to reveal a hidden staircase.

  “The workmanship on the door is incredible,” he commented quietly as they stepped into the narrow passage. “I would never have known it was there.” Madeleine took a tinderbox from an alcove in the wall and lit a lamp.

  “I would hope not as it was never meant to be found. There are several such passages throughout the house. The servants use some, but this one and two others remain a family secret. There is a hidden room too, but that will have to wait.” Shadows swallowed her as she disappeared down into the darkness.

  Ash took a step, felt the floor dip beneath his foot just an inch, and then spun back as the door closed behind him.

  “A secret spring to close the door too. How ingenious.”

  Madeleine’s voice filled the space around him.

  “I believe it was made to hide the passage as quickly as possible. And so that you cannot forget to close the door.” A low light from a shaded lamp suddenly revealed her shadowed features a couple of steps below him. “Come, we can reach the garden room in half the time by going this way. We can also avoid anyone who might still be about.” She led him down several more steps before hurrying along a corridor.

  Ash felt the walls touch his shoulders on either side and something brushed the hair on the top of his head. He lifted a hand, his knuckles almost immediately striking the rough ceiling.

  “Our ancestors must have been a lot shorter in stature than I.” He grumbled as he sucked his grazed fingers and ducked.

  Madeleine’s voice echoed back at him.

  “I don’t think that was hard. Most people are a lot smaller in stature than you. Do you take after your father?” Her enquiry sounded polite, not mocking as so many found easy to do.

  Ash grunted as the passage narrowed further.

  “Yes, though both my younger brother and I grew taller than him in the end. Our father always blamed our size on the sea air.”

  Madeleine’s light footsteps pattered on the passage floor.

  “It is apparently good for the lungs. Take care now, there is another set of stairs and a sharp turn to the left at the bottom. You may need to duck your head further if you want to retain your scalp.” Her voice sounded further away and Ash took some long steps to catch up. The light bounced off the walls, casting more long shadows as she held the lamp as high as possible.

  The stairs were even narrower than the passage. Ash felt the walls pressing in. He had to turn his shoulders at an angle if he was to avoid becoming wedged between the brickwork.

  “Your father must have enjoyed this when he was a growing lad. Not sure that I am comfortable in here though. I feel as if I might never get out.” His voice sounded somewhat strangled, as if the narrow space was squeezing his lungs.

  Madeleine let out a low laugh. It echoed past him, ringing away up the stairwell.

  “It seems that you and my father had something in common. He never used these passages, though one leads directly from his bedroom. Appalling claustrophobia caused by becoming lost in them when he was young. Apparently he was trapped for hours. His father had taken too much port after his dinner and forgot about his adventurous son. A whole night had passed before my father was missed. On discovering his empty bed, his nursemaid had the whole household in uproar before the old earl had opened his eyes. And to keep the unknown passages a secret he couldn’t immediately go to rescue his son. I believe it was gone lunchtime before they were reunited over a game pie and apple dumplings, but my father had thought he would die before being discovered and swore he would never set foot in the passages again.” Her voice caught in her throat but Ash’s curiosity had been aroused.

  “So how did you discover your way through them if your father refused to show you the secret?” He stopped abruptly as he bumped into a curving back. His hands landed briefly on her slender waist before quickly falling to his sides again. “I beg your pardon. I did not know you were about to stop.” He took a step away from the tempting scent of her body, which suddenly invaded his senses.

  Madeleine turned in the tiny space. She held the lamp high again, her hand pressed against the lapel of his jacket as she forced him back another inch. Her eyes glowed with mischief in the flickering light.

  “Sorry, I was caught up in my tale and forgot to warn you. But going back to your question. I do not suffer from claustrophobia, and as all women, I am dreadfully curious. I think I knew every one of the secret routes by the time I was six or seven, but even then I wasn’t quite so foolish as to enter them without marking my way. My mother became quite fed up with her embroidery threads going missing.” She whispered as she turned back to the panelling in front of them and craned her neck as she lifted onto her tiptoes. “The only problem with them is that the spy holes in the panels are inconveniently high. Made for a man rather than a lady I suspect. Ah, Mrs. Grenfell is just leaving the room.” She pressed something on the inside of the panel and the thick wood slid sideways leaving Ash blinking in the bright daylight.

  Chapter Five

  Alternative Arrangements

  Madeleine sat and poured the tea. She passed a cup to Ash.

  “Would you like cake?” She tilted her head to look at him in the brighter light. His eyes still reminded her of the summer sky, such was their intensity.

  Ash shook his head and pressed his free hand to his flat stomach.

  “The landlady at the Crown and Horses seemed to think I needed fattening up. I know I have a good appetite, but she must have put half a smoked pig on my breakfast plate, along with four poached eggs, and the best part of a loaf of bread.”

  Madeleine wasn’t sure if he was serious or not.

  “Heavens! That does sound a lot. It is no wonder you have grown so tall if that is the sort of meal you usually eat. I will have to ask cook to increase the order from our butcher.”

  Ash let out a snort of laughter.

  “Please don’t. I was about to leave half of it, but you should have seen the look on the landlady’s face. It was as if I had insulted her personally. Thought I had better up my efforts and ate until her expression became a lot friendlier. It has given me the most terrible indigestion all morning. Titan, my horse, was quite bored with my grumblings.” He rubbed his chest as if alleviating a pain. “But don’t let my early gorging stop you from having something. I doubt you have eaten a thing yet today.”

  Madeleine swallowed the lump that remained stuck in her throat.

  “No, but I am not hungry even now. The very thought of eating while my father remains...” Her voice trailed away.

  Ash put down his cup and leaned forwards.

  “It is hard, I know. My own father died in tragic circumstances.” Memories of the shocking day crowded in.

  Her eyes widened. He sounded full of genuine sympathy and sincerity. Could he really know how she felt?

  “He did?” This man wasn’t at all what she had expected. He seemed far too normal and polite. Shouldn’t he be bossing her about now he was master of the house, not concerned over her lack of food and erratic feelings, or telling her of his own grief.

  Ash nodded sorrowfully.

  “Yes, he fell from his horse and broke his neck. It was an accident, though I swear the pain was no less because of it. Everyone will tell you the same thing about eating something when you don’t feel like it, and eventually it becomes annoying, but their words are kindly meant. And in your case are probably true. Unless Mathews makes a quick arrest, I can foresee this being a troubling time. You must keep your strength up.”

  Her gaze dropped to her teacup. She knew he was right.

  “I know, especially as we are unsure as to who has done this.” She looked up at Asher again. “The staff believe Mr. Leyman the stable master to be the culprit, but I know that Thomas could not have done it, even if he had just suffered a disappointment...” She stopped speaking as her cheeks flushed.

  Ash’s brows dipped
in curiosity.

  “You know he didn’t do it? How? You were with him during the evening?” He couldn’t say why the thought of her being in any man’s presence infuriated him.

  “No!” Shock at his outrageous suggestion had her voice rising several octaves. She quickly lowered her tone again. “I simply mean that it wasn’t in his nature to do such a thing.”

  The red haze left Ash’s vision as abruptly as it appeared.

  “I see, so he was a caring man. But the disappointment... Disappointment of what? You mean the mare being so unwell and him not being able to help her?” The blush rising in her cheeks made him doubt that the horse had anything to do with the man’s discontent, and Madeleine quickly confirmed his suspicions.

  “No, though that also adds to my grief. Milady was my mother’s horse. I didn’t know that she was in trouble. When I had called in at the stables earlier in the day, everything was progressing well. I saw Thomas only briefly as I left my father’s study. I fear he overheard my father and I arguing. About my fears and my hopes.” She added quietly, too embarrassed to admit the precise reason for their argument.

  Ash swallowed. Her fears, and hopes? He had to know more.

  “And Mr. Leyman took offense because...?” He left the sentence hanging though he already knew the answer to his question. What man could look at Madeleine and not want her?

  Madeleine didn’t feel inclined to answer him. The whole thing was too embarrassing for words, but Ash’s eyes were on her, demanding answers. She had to say something.

  “I think he had hopes of his own.” Her voice had become a mere whisper as her cheeks turned from pink to scarlet.

  Ash tried not to scowl but it was a tall ask now that his temper had been piqued again. Something rose up in him unbidden.

  “Ah! I see. And those hopes were reciprocated?” He hadn’t meant to sound so blunt but if they were, he would have to kill the man. Wipe him from the face of the earth and from her mind for all eternity. There was no other way.