She entered the room to find her lovely sisters waiting for her.
“I would dearly love to tell your in-laws what I think of them,” said Rose. “It was everything Ava and Irene could do to keep me in here.”
“I appreciate your righteous anger, dear,” said Win as she put her arm around Rose’s waist, “but it is in everyone’s best interest to get them out of the house as soon as possible.”
“And are Mr. Lewis and Mr. Olson on their way to Grayson’s?” asked Ava.
“Yes. Mr. Olson said he would go on his own, but Alex – Mr. Lewis – and I thought it might be dangerous. I’m also worried about Grayson’s safety. Are we certain he’ll be protected?”
Rose nodded. “I was assured that with Stemple hiding at Grayson’s, and Sergeant Fisk and his men outside the building, he’ll be safe. I’m more concerned about you. Are you certain we cannot stay here with you?”
“Rose, you know our brothers would never allow it. It was hard enough to convince them to allow Mr. Lewis to sneak back into the house through the tunnels.” And she hated thinking of him doing that, knowing how much it would bother him. “No, as soon as the others have gone, I’m afraid you’ll have to leave me alone here. I don’t even know if they’ll come after me, now that everyone knows the ledger will be at Grayson’s. But we must make it appear that I’m unguarded, just in case the killer wishes to make a move.”
“Are you scared, Win?” asked Irene.
“I am. But, more than that, I’m anxious to start my life over in Wiltshire.”
“And we cannot wait to have you and Mr. Lewis join us there,” said Ava.
“Who said anything about Mr. Lewis?” asked Win, as her face flooded with color.
“Irene, Rose and I,” said Ava. “I’m afraid your brothers married gossips.”
“Oh, Win, you must marry Mr. Lewis,” said Rose. “It’s all quite romantical, other than the murders, which were rather grisly. But let us conclude this horrid affair quickly. I would love to attend a double wedding.”
“You’ll get no argument from me,” said Irene with a smile.
And they’d get no argument from her, thought Win. If only Alex would agree.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“I do wish you wouldn’t stare at me like that,” the Marquess of Grayson said to Victor Stemple. “It makes me wonder if you’re going to cosh me over the head with the nearest heavy object.”
“You needn’t worry about being coshed, my lord,” said Stemple, as he smiled just the slightest. “I’d be much more likely to use my knife.”
They were sitting in Grayson’s bachelor flat, awaiting the ledgers that would soon be delivered. Nate didn’t think he needed a bodyguard, but the Emersons and Kellingtons had insisted. “Did you volunteer for this duty, Mr. Stemple?”
“I did, my lord.”
“Was it to emphasize the importance of leaving Lady Rose alone?”
“No. Though if such a lesson still needs to be learned, I wouldn’t find it a hardship to teach you. In truth, I’d like to know what you’re about. You were engrossed in the ledger when you saw it originally and I daresay you’re looking forward to studying it again. The Emerson brothers wouldn’t be friends with a dishonorable man, which makes me wonder who you’re working for and what you hope to find.”
Stemple was asking too many good questions. Questions Nate couldn’t answer. He could end this conversation by reminding Stemple that he was a marquess and didn’t have to answer to a butler. But he wouldn’t do that to this good man. He sighed. “I wish I could tell you, but I cannot. However, you are correct. I’m not exactly what I seem.”
“A man in love with Lady Rose?”
“All right, in some ways I’m exactly what I seem. Just trust me when I say I’m working for the good of England. As for Rose – Lady Rose – I cannot even begin to straighten that out until I’m no longer involved in my task. Now, I ask you as a gentleman to please keep all of that confidential.”
“I’m not a gentleman, my lord.”
“Of course you’re a gentleman, Stemple. Otherwise you wouldn’t care so much. Do I have your word?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Thank you. Now please avail yourself of my library. The wait may be long.”
A quarter of an hour later, Olson and Lewis arrived with the two ledgers.
“How did it go?” Nate asked Olson.
“As well as could be expected. The family was disturbed to find they’d been cut out of the will.”
“How did Win hold up?”
“Quite well,” said Lewis. “Pierce’s relations are insufferable, but I believe she enjoyed standing up to them and ordering them from her house. I hate thinking of her there, though the Emerson ladies will keep her company until I return.”
“But they will return home, won’t they?” asked Nate. “It would be just like Rose to sneak out to aid her sister. It’s bad enough that one of them is risking everything. It’d be intolerable for anyone else to risk it, as well.”
“His grace is taking no risks with the ladies’ safety,” said Stemple. “He has issued an order that all doors and windows should be guarded and that no female is to leave Lynwood House. The order cannot be countermanded even by her grace – a most unusual move I am told.”
“Good. Now all we have to worry about is Win,” said Nate.
“And you and Mr. Stemple,” said Lewis.
“You need not fear for me,” said Nate. “I’m confident I can take this villain. No, if you find me dead tomorrow, the likely killer is Mr. Stemple.”
Lewis frowned. “Why would Mr. Stemple wish to harm you?”
“That is a story for another time. Now go protect your Winifred.”
“She is not ‘my Winifred.’”
“Codswallop. Go now.”
*
Colin and Nick were on the top floor of the mews in the alley behind Win’s house. They were cold, but at least they had shelter, which was more than James had, who was watching the front of the house. But he’d assured them that years spent outside in the frigid American winters had prepared him for just such an occasion.
“Who do you reckon it is?” Nick asked.
“I don’t know,” said Colin. “But I’d like to send the bloody lot of them straight to hell. They knew what was happening to Win all those years, but did nothing. For that matter, I’d like to punish myself.”
“We all should have seen it. We’re each just as culpable. And we have a lifetime to make it up to her. You cannot take the blame. You’ve enough to worry about as it is.”
Colin continued looking out the dirty window. Nick’s words meant more than he could say. Literally. The two brothers weren’t the best at communicating with each other. They were men, after all. “What are you going to do about that arse Simon?”
Nick shrugged. “Maybe I’ll simply give him the title. He’s actually right. I’m not a Chilcott.”
“In the eyes of the law you are. And the late earl never contested it.”
“But he hated the very fact that I’d one day inherit.” He laughed mirthlessly. “Which is one of the reasons I’m thinking of keeping it. He was almost as big of a bastard as our father.”
“Perhaps all earls are arses – excluding us, of course. If Simon took the title, it wouldn’t affect just you. You have tenants and responsibilities. Do you really think Simon would give a damn about them? You’ve also been a dedicated member of Lords. You can do tremendous good if you remain the earl. Besides, every time I see the prat, I want to plant him a facer. That could be inconvenient in Parliament. If you really want to hang on to the title, perhaps you should marry and get yourself an heir.”
“I think I’d rather hand over the title.”
“Marriage isn’t that bad.”
“Says the man who only a year ago had to force himself to begin the search for a bride.”
“That’s because I was looking for the wrong type of wife. In the end, I got exactly what I needed and I’l
l be forever thankful. So get a wife like Ava. You’ll note I said ‘like Ava.’ If you come within a hundred yards of Ava with romantic intent, I’ll be the next Emerson charged with murder.”
“As tempting as the lady is, she’s as besotted with you as you are with her. You and James both chose extremely well, but I rather doubt there’s a third lady out there as wonderful as your wives. Though I believe I’ve just spotted our future brother.”
They looked out the window to where Alex Lewis was striding up the alley. It was clear he wanted to be inside as quickly as possible.
“I wonder if he knows what it means that we’re trusting him with our sister,” said Colin.
“Let’s just hope he’s worthy of the faith we have in him.”
They watched Lewis disappear into the house.
“Are you still a praying man, Nick?”
“Yes. And I’ve been putting my prayers to good use for Win. I suggest we do so for both her and Lewis. They may need the help.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rose, Ava and Irene had left not half an hour before, in the company of two Lynwood House footmen. Win had spent the time since then exactly as she’d been instructed. She was in the study with two loaded pistols. She was to shoot anyone who entered the room, other than those she knew she could trust.
And there weren’t many of them.
She’d been calmer than she would have thought possible. Perhaps returning to this house under her own terms had started the healing process she needed to move forward. It also didn’t hurt to know Alexander Lewis was on his way back to her.
There was a click at the door to the opening of the tunnel. Win picked up a pistol. Her hand trembled slightly, but she supposed that was to be expected. It wouldn’t be easy to shoot someone. It shouldn’t be. She just wanted to make sure she didn’t shoot the wrong person.
The door opened slightly and a voice from the passageway called out, “It’s Alex Lewis.”
Win carefully placed the loaded pistol on the desk. “Please come out of the darkness.” She quickly crossed to the door to swing it open. Alex was holding a large candle and looked quite relieved to emerge into the light.
He had a strand of a cobweb on his head. Win wiped it away, surprised to find his hair was so soft. She wanted to run her fingers through it, but didn’t want to appear to be a ninny. “Please have a seat. May I pour you a brandy?”
“I should probably keep a clear head about me,” he said, as he set his candle on the table.
“But you bravely traversed those tunnels. I have to think at least a small brandy is in order.”
“I’m not certain the word brave applies to what I just did, but I suppose a small brandy wouldn’t hurt.”
“You faced your fears to help me,” said Win. “That is the very definition of brave.” Her back was turned to him as she poured the drink. She hoped he couldn’t tell how much his sacrifice meant to her. There was a chance she might even start crying from the beauty of it.
She poured a small drink for both of them, then let their fingers touch as she gave him his glass. She was being unbelievably forward, but she didn’t know how many more opportunities she would have to be with him.
“Is it difficult for you, being in this room?” he asked, as they both drank.
“Not with you here,” she whispered. “I feel like my life is beginning anew.”
“It is, Win. You have a world of opportunities ahead of you. You can now see your family as much as you want. You’ll no longer be a prisoner in your own home. And you’ll have no shortage of suitors.”
“I love my family and have missed them dearly. And, yes, I like being a free woman once again. But I have no interest in suitors.” The brandy was really going to her head, for it was giving her courage she didn’t know she had. “Except for one.”
*
It had been a sign of just how much Alex cared for Win that he’d gladly traversed the underground tunnels to avoid being seen by her staff. He’d had to fight his hysteria as he carefully made his way through them, holding a candle and a pistol. There had been no way of knowing if he was alone down there. But all he wanted was to get to Win and hear her voice, see her lovely face and, in his wildest dreams, perhaps steal a kiss.
He hated thinking of her many suitors, but could it be true that she wasn’t interested in them? That she was, just possibly, interested in him? Alexander Lewis, the soon-to-be-sacked barrister. Alexander Lewis, the bastard.
But the way she was looking at him made him believe it might just be possible. Or she was foxed from a small glass of brandy. He was feeling a bit giddy, himself. But he didn’t think it was the effects of the drink as much the effects of being in love.
And love is what gave him the strength to find his voice.
“Which suitor do you fancy, Win?”
“Well, he hasn’t exactly declared himself as a suitor, so I hesitate to name him.”
“Yet, I am asking you to, nonetheless.” He had a brief moment of panic that perhaps she was speaking of Grayson or any number of men he knew nothing about. That would be terrible. Perhaps love had made him an imbecile.
She smiled at him. “He is extremely clever. Yet, I hope he is not so clever as to realize he could do much better than I.”
“If he thought that, he wouldn’t be clever at all. More of a nincompoop. What else can you tell me about him?”
“He saved my life. He’s inordinately brave and terribly handsome.”
Here she blushed so much, it was all Alex could do to keep from hauling her into his arms and kissing her senseless. The only thing that prevented him from doing so was he wanted to hear what she’d say next.
She took a deep breath. “I think about kissing him. And I dream about finally finding out what I’ve been missing.” She began walking toward him.
“What’s his name, Win?” he asked. He had to hear it from those delicious lips
“Alexander Lewis,” she said.
She was walking toward him slowly like a seductress, her hips swaying side to side. He moved toward her as if in a dream. Then he realized it wasn’t just her hips that were swaying. All of her was.
Then she looked behind him and her eyes went wide with fear. She started to collapse and he reached out to catch her. Then a strong blow to the back of his head caught him and they both fell to the floor.
As he was losing consciousness he realized he’d failed her. The woman he’d sworn to protect. The woman he loved. And now they were both going to die.
*
Win awakened to find herself bound and gagged, lying on an unfamiliar bed. She tried to sit up, which is when she realized her head was throbbing. Once again, she felt the telltale signs of having been drugged. But she must have been given a much smaller dose this time. As she tried to loosen the silk material tied around her wrists, she wondered how she’d been drugged this time.
Then she remembered. The brandy.
She tried unsuccessfully not to think of Alex dead on the study floor in a grim echo of what had happened to Pierce. She wanted to cry at the very thought, but she couldn’t give in to tears now. She had to figure out how to free herself, then how to escape from wherever it was she’d been taken.
She was tied to a tester bed in a rather elegant room. She didn’t recognize it, but there was something familiar about it. The curtains were closed but she was certain it was night. There were few noises coming from outside. She might still be in Mayfair, though not at her house. She might be at a country estate, which would be unfortunate, since there’d be no one to help her even if she did escape. But she didn’t think she’d travelled out of London. She didn’t feel like she’d been unconscious that long. The last time she’d been drugged she’d been in a stupor for well over a day. The effects were already wearing off.
Though much was unclear, she was certain about one thing. She had too much to live for to die now. She would see her family again. And, God willing, she would see Alex.
She heard
the jingle of keys, then the turn of a lock. She knew a moment of panic. She’d never wanted to be in a man’s control again. She fought down the bile in her throat then used her inner strength to lift her chin and face her enemy.
Horace Warren entered the room looking a little disheveled. “You’ve caused me a great deal of trouble,” he said. “I would’ve thought years of beatings would have taken the spirit out of you.”
“Never,” said Win. “Especially when I have so many things to live for now.”
He looked amused. “I suppose you mean your family. Pierce used to brag about how he kept you in line through threats to your beloved sisters. I never knew whether to scorn you or admire you for staying just for their sake. I would have left, then found a way to kill the bloody bastard. Your brothers would have done it for you, I suspect, and saved both of us a great deal of trouble.”
“My brothers are honorable men. I could not have risked having them learn of Pierce’s treatment of me because they would have done exactly that. Their lives would have been ruined.”
“Yes, but it would have been easier for me.”
“You will understand if I don’t apologize for the inconvenience.”
“You have a delightfully dry sense of humor. And you’re quite beautiful, though your pert tongue makes you a less than an ideal companion. Fortunately, I shan’t have to listen to you much longer.”
It was only through long years of practice that Win was able to control her emotions. She wouldn’t give Warren the satisfaction of seeing she was afraid.
“Bravo,” he said. “You are more in control of your emotions than any woman I’ve ever seen. Certainly much more than your former husband. Would you like to hear about the fear in his eyes when he realized I was about to kill him? I caught him from behind unawares, but purposely turned him toward the mirror so I could see his face as I sliced him open. You should get a certain amount of satisfaction in knowing the man died terrified.”
“I get no satisfaction from any of it. Pierce was an animal. But no one should die that way.”
“Don’t you want to know why I did it?”
Always Have Hope (Emerson Book 3) Page 22