Hareton Hall: Richard and Rose, Book 6

by Lynne Connolly

  “So he lied to Smith,” I said. “Will you tell him?”

  “I thought of it.” Richard released my hands and leaned back, keeping his regard on my face. “But I think not, at least for the time being. The Cawntons will discover that I know, and if Smith finds out, they’ll work out where the information came from without breaking a sweat. Then there’ll be hell to pay.” He grimaced. “It won’t be forgiven. Oh, I’m not afraid of them, but if I can bring our aims about it another way, it will probably cause less trouble.”

  I sighed. “Then can we tell John?”

  He had perfect control of himself now and his face didn’t change at all when I mentioned his son’s name. “I don’t know. If he knows what I know, he’ll create more mischief. My love, the Cawntons aren’t just staying away from the encounter—they’ve organised another run farther up the coast.”

  “What?”

  “It makes sense. While the military, Customs and Excise are busy fighting Kneller’s men, the Cawntons will peacefully land a cargo a few bays farther on. What is more, they’ll be doing it with the authorities watching, and they won’t be able to do a thing about it. One in the eye for Kneller, as well. The ship will be moored in the Bay, but the rowboats will come from a small inlet farther up the coast.”

  “Oh Lord.” My mind raced while I took in the implications of this new shift in the pattern. The Cawntons would be busy landing and hiding a cargo, Kneller’s men and Smith’s muster busy fighting each other and Thompson’s—what should we do?

  The carriage went over a pothole and I grabbed the strap next to me for support.

  “So—Thompson’s?”

  “Yes,” said Richard thoughtfully.

  “What do you think, Carier?”

  He frowned, his craggy face gaining even more creases. “A ticklish situation, my lady. We would prefer to discourage Kneller from dangerous activity, but he has his own mind, and we may not be able to dissuade him. Furthermore, if he is deterred from attending, it would leave the authorities clear to pursue the Cawntons, and they would certainly take that amiss.”

  “Do we mind if the Cawntons are pursued? They might be broken, no further threat.”

  Richard crossed one elegant leg over the other. “Yes, but if they’re broken, what will take their place? Ruffians like the Hawkhursts?” I bit my lip, remembering the Essex smuggling gang that had devastated the country with violence. “We should beware before we help to break that gang. There will always be smugglers in this part of the world, so long as duty is as high as it is now, and considering how prominent your family is in the district, it might be difficult for them.”

  James would hate that. “More violence, more disturbances?”

  “Highly likely. Or, if he comes out of this, Kneller. I don’t want to encourage his activities in that direction.”

  Another thought occurred to me. “Do you think he knows about Thompson’s? His sister knows, and they have been in correspondence.”

  “I don’t think so. Susan keeps her own counsel, and she doesn’t trust anyone easily. Besides, she doesn’t realise the extent of our activities.”

  I looked out of the window at the familiar green land outside. The climate was so temperate here, it was always green, even now, with October fading into November and winter fast approaching.

  “I want to stop Kneller here,” Richard said. “I may not stop him completely. I can just hope that now he has this inheritance from his mentor, it will encourage him to stop his illegal activities. It’s not that he would expose me. Who would believe him? I just feel responsible, that’s all.”

  “He’ll make his own way very well.” I glanced at Carier and received a nod of agreement for my pains. “He might take his sister away from her present life, as well—if she’ll agree.”

  Richard pursed his lips doubtfully. “She too is very independent. And it seems I can’t influence her, either. She’ll make her own decision.” After a moment’s reflection, he went on. “And Hyvern House? It seems that was done by Kneller.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because it wasn’t done by Cawnton and we know it was set deliberately. It’s a pity Smith knows as well.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “My guess is to remove possible witnesses,” Richard said. “Hyvern overlooks the bay, and when an old man and a few dependants lived there, they could tolerate it, but with a young couple and a much expanded household…” He shrugged eloquently.

  I nodded in understanding. “They’d see too much, know too much.”

  “It appears so.”

  Smith rode over from Exeter an hour later. We saw him together, with Carier waiting quietly behind us. “I’ve been successful in calling the muster,” Smith told us.

  “With the evidence you had I didn’t doubt it,” Richard replied.

  “You’re very good, my lord. Did you have any influence at the barracks?”

  “I? I have no influence with the military,” Richard replied truthfully, but Smith chose to take his refusal as modesty.

  “Nevertheless, thank you, my lord. I have sent the Cawntons’ man away.”

  “Oh? Is he perhaps an impediment of some sort?”

  Smith shook his head, his jowls echoing his movement. “He has been badly beaten.” Richard raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. “He was cleverly beaten too,” Smith went on heavily. “The turnkey swears it was a fellow prisoner, but the marks are indicative of someone who knew what they were doing.”

  “Will he live?”

  “Oh yes, my lord. Not one major bone broken, just a few fingers, not one item of permanent damage, but a great deal of bruising in the most sensitive areas of the body.” I flinched. “I beg your pardon, my lady. I shouldn’t mention such things.”

  I managed to shake my head. Loyalty was everything now. “That doesn’t matter, Mr. Smith. I’ve seen worse. Why would someone do such a thing?”

  “I have no doubt to warn him off. He’s got his information through to us, though. Had we left it another day he would have been as tight as a clam.” Smith smiled grimly. “But we’ll be there, waiting.” Which is more than the Cawntons will, I thought. “But I thought I’d better tell you, my lord, especially since I was in the district.”

  “You have more business here?”

  “Yes. I’m going to visit that bay, to look over the territory, reconnoitre, as they say in the army.”

  “I see. A very wise move.”

  “Do you know it, my lord?”

  “Not well,” he lied. He’d had occasion to familiarise himself with that part of the coast two years ago. I wished we didn’t have to lie to Smith, and I hoped he got his prize money. Just not Richard’s son.

  Smith left shortly after that, and so did Carier. Richard and I sat on the sofa in the small sitting room. He took my hands in his. “What’s troubling you, my love?” he asked gently.

  I looked up, met his gaze. “You hurt that man.”

  “But not permanently. If we—I—hadn’t caused him some hurt, Cawnton would have tracked him down and killed him once he realised his secret. The Cawntons aren’t violent men, but they know how to keep their troops in line.” He paused. “Besides—I needed to know.”

  “And you needed to hurt someone, after John had hurt you so much.”

  Silence, heavy, oppressive silence. He kept my hands imprisoned, but looked down, away. “Maybe.” He sighed. “But I never lost control. Before I met you, I might well have killed him.” He looked back up at me again, and he told me the truth. “You’ve mitigated that part of me. I don’t know if I’ll ever have my temper completely under my control, but I can regulate it better than my father does. It seems to be a family failing.”

  “Without it, you wouldn’t be you. I accepted it when we met, when you nearly killed Steven, but I can’t be wholly comfortable with it. I’m afraid—” I cut the thought off.

  “Afraid? Of what?”

  “I’m sorry, Richard, I never wanted you to know it, but
I’m afraid one day you’ll be angry with me.”

  “I might, but never like that. I can’t promise I won’t be angry with you sometimes. We have a long time ahead of us, and no one can foresee it all. But I will never lose control, and I will never lay a finger on you in anger.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  Without a pause he gave me his answer. “Because I have too much to lose. Trust is a large part of what we have. If I hurt you, you would never trust me again. I can’t bear the thought of losing that. It overrides everything.” He gazed at me for a minute or two. “And in any case, striking a woman is the epitome of cowardice. Don’t you think?”

  “One of them. And striking a child.”

  A shudder passed through his hands. “That too.” He raised my hand to his lips, but as I was about to move closer to him, to take comfort from him who had caused my distress, a knock fell on the door. He didn’t drop my hand but called out, “Yes?”

  Gervase and Ian came in. They bowed to me, and when I indicated they should, sat together on the other sofa. But for the conventions, they might be holding hands too. They had an air of togetherness I’d never seen before in either Gervase or my brother, completeness, even, and I knew matters were going well between them.

  “We’ve decided what we will do.” Gervase glanced at Ian who smiled back at him. Why should this frighten people or anger them? They were so happy. Who could take this as a threat? But the fact remained, people could and did see this kind of happiness as somehow wrong, people I liked and respected.

  “Ian will be my parliamentary secretary,” Gervase said. “I take my seat in the House next month. I shall need a secretary, and Ian is more than qualified to do it.”

  “Isn’t he too qualified?” I asked. “Would someone like Ian take such a position?”

  “He might,” Richard said, “if he wanted to learn about Parliament, with a view to taking it up himself in years to come. An excellent idea. You know I’d support you whatever you did, but I’m glad you’ve decided to do it this way.”

  “People can draw their own conclusions,” Gervase went on, “but I won’t force them to acknowledge it, not this time. I won’t hurt Ian and I won’t hurt you if I can help it.”

  Richard smiled. “Discretion was never a family failing, but I applaud your attempts at it. It must be hard to hide, though. When I fell in love with Rose, I wanted to show everyone that she was mine, that I was—am—hers. You’ll never be able to do that.”

  They exchanged a glance of perfect understanding. If they did that in public, everyone would know soon enough.

  “No.” Gervase reluctantly turned his gaze to us again. “But those who care for us will know.”

  “Even our parents?”

  “I’ll tell them if they ask.” Gervase smiled. “But I don’t think they’ll ask. They’ll prefer to let things be.”

  “They still hope you’ll marry.”

  “I might, if I can find a woman who won’t ask for the impossible, and who can accept Ian. A political hostess, someone content to be with me in public, but lead her own life in private.” Gervase’s hand strayed to Ian’s but then moved away quickly. I pretended to ignore it. It had taken some time for me to accustom myself to Richard’s occasional demonstrations of affection in front of other people. It must be so much harder when the love was not one that society would easily accept.

  I rejoiced in Ian’s blissful smile. I couldn’t remember when I’d seen him so much at ease with himself, so happy.

  “And we’ve discussed what should happen if scandal does lift its ugly head. We’ll go away and probably never return. We won’t see you and Lord Strang compromised. If even a hint should start, we’ll retire.”

  “Running into exile created a scandal that lasted for many years,” Richard pointed out. “For myself, I have faced scandal before and I can face it again. I’m older, and I don’t care so much about the wicked world, now I’ve seen some of it for myself. What did the damage was the open way in which you did it, Gervase. So long as you conform to society’s mores, most people will accept you. If anything happens, you would be better retiring quietly to the country, not storming off to India in a purple passion.” His face lost its smile. “At the same time, I hope you understand that I won’t have Rose distressed. Not for you, dear brother, nor anyone else. I will denounce you if that’s what it takes. I will detest my action, hate it, but this time I will do it.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Gervase said. “We know the truth. Anything you say in public won’t harm us, so long as we know that.”

  “Good. I’m sorry to say it, but I had to. It’s all so damned unfair, isn’t it?”

  Gervase smiled again. “It is, but it can’t be helped. I have more than I ever imagined. I’ll buy somewhere in the country and a house in town. More suited to a political career than my present lodgings.”

  “Very wise. So you intend to make this a career, do you?”

  Gervase stretched his arms and laced his fingers behind his head. “I think so. I became interested because of my concern in John Company, but now I may broaden that interest. It intrigues me, the conspiracies, the alliances, and some of the men involved are the most vital I’ve ever met.”

  “Pitt is it?” Richard’s quick intelligence worked out who Gervase would most likely find himself drawn to.

  “I don’t intend to ally myself too firmly to any camp. You rise and fall with someone else that way. I want to see them all working, study them, before I make any definite moves.”

  “It’s an interesting time to get involved,” Richard admitted. “Pelham’s dead and his brother’s failing without him. New alliances are coming, and new crises. Another war in Europe, maybe. A new King before long, I shouldn’t wonder.”

  Gervase grimaced. “I draw the line at Bute.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Richard said dryly. “Nobody approves of him except the Princess of Wales and her son. Unfortunately, that might be enough.”

  I looked at Ian. “I never knew this interested you, Ian.”

  He smiled. “When Gervase describes it all, it does. I wouldn’t care to do it on my own.”

  “Left to yourself you’d probably immure yourself in Oxford or the library here for the rest of your life.” I met his soft stare with one of my own.

  “Not now,” he said. “Not for either of us.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Although she’d written to tell me she was coming, the commotion in the hall alerted me to the fact that Martha and the children had returned home. It was noon, and I was helping Lizzie organise her trousseau for packing up when I heard it and discerned what was going on.

  I flung out of the room and down the stairs, the great Lady Strang forgotten, down the new stairs and came to a halt in front of my sister-in-law. She held out her arms, but after a quick embrace and a polite enquiry about her journey, she let me go.

  Potter brought Helen to me. She settled into my arms as though she’d never been away, although she felt a little heavier. I wouldn’t allow anyone to take her but bore her up to the nursery myself, followed by the nursery procession.

  I sent someone to inform Richard, and he arrived promptly. I sat on the floor with Helen, holding her hands to help her to sit upright. I glanced at him as he came in, saw his smile of welcome for his daughter.

  He didn’t join us on the floor, but watched us for a while before he sat in a low chair close to us. “So things are just as they should be again.”

  “Yes.” I dropped Helen’s hands and watched her with pride as she reached for a toy. She nearly overbalanced, but regained her equilibrium. “Look, she’s more confident now.”

  “So she is. And she seems a little plumper too.”

  “She’ll need it when she starts to walk.”

  “Will she?”

  “All that extra leg muscle she’ll need.”

  We played with her until she grew tired, and then her nurse took her away. Richard helped me to my f
eet, drawing me close for a soft kiss. “Hoyden. A woman of your standing shouldn’t be romping on the nursery floor.”

  I grinned at him. “If you say so.”

  “But you feel happier?”

  “Very much so.”

  “I can see that. I missed her too.” He released me and turned to the maid, who was clearing up the toys and cushions where Helen had lately sat. “Did she behave for you?”

  “Oh, my lord, she’s a very good baby. Not a minute’s worry, except when she cut a new tooth. She has her teether at night now, and she seems happier for it.”

  “Good.” He turned back to me. “I’ll go and see Tom this afternoon. Would you like to come?”

  “I’d rather not, if you don’t mind. Barbara’s past danger now, and I’d like to stay with Helen. Tell them I’ll visit them tomorrow, if you please.”

  He nodded. “Of course. I won’t stay long. Tom asked my advice about something. I’d like to explain it to him in person, in case he has anything more he needs to know.”

  As I headed for the nursery that afternoon, Julia approached me in a state of deep concern. She walked without the trace of a limp, hurried even, and although she carried a cane, she didn’t seem to need it. “Rose, please may I speak with you?”

  Startled, I stopped in my tracks. She was never so familiar with me. The wide eyes and lines about her mouth told me she was worried about something. I put up my guard, convinced she was about to try something underhanded.