by Anne Herries
A little smile touched her mouth. ‘I knew how I felt,’ she told him truthfully. ‘I wanted you to go on kissing me and never stop. I wanted…so much more…’ Her cheeks were pink as she met his hot, teasing gaze. ‘I think it is very immodest of me to say so, Jared, but had you asked, I might have been yours before this.’
‘Did you imagine I wanted you as my mistress? Oh, Hester, you shock me, you really do. There was I thinking you a perfect example of a well-behaved English lady, and you—’
‘Don’t!’ she implored him, putting her hands to her face. ‘I know it was shameless, quite shameless…’
‘It was adorable and exactly what I had hoped for,’ he replied. ‘I would have asked you to marry me even if you had not responded so delightfully, my dearest love—but to know that you have such passion in you makes me think that we shall be very happy together.’
‘Jared…you really do want to marry me?’
‘Yes, of course.’ He took her face between his hands, gazing down at her. ‘You may have thought I was interested in certain other ladies, Hester, but I was trying to lead Knighton astray. I thought that if he believed I was going to marry the mother of my bastard son and make him legitimate, it would force him out into the open. I needed him to attack me himself so that I could bring the force of the law to bear. Unfortunately, my plan misfired for it made him realise his could never work—so he attacked you instead.’ A shudder went through him. ‘I cannot believe that you came so close to death.’
‘Mrs Mills and her candlestick saved me,’ Hester replied, a hint of mischief in her eyes now. ‘I think I am safe for the moment for he will have fled, but we must take care, Jared. Until he is caught and arrested he remains a danger to all of us. I believe that he would not hesitate to kill any member of this family.’ She stared at him as a thought came to her. ‘Grandfather! We believed he must have fled…but it must be his Grace he hates the most.’
She began to run along the landing, fear catching at her heart. When Knighton ran away after the housekeeper attacked him, she had thought he would leave the house immediately, but intuition was telling her that he would take one last chance to be revenged on the family he hated.
‘Hester, come back,’ Jared said, catching up with her. ‘Leave this to me. If he is there, he will be dangerous.’
‘Grandfather may be hurt,’ Hester said, refusing to falter. ‘You cannot stop me, Jared. I must be there.’
‘Let me handle him if he is there,’ Jared said, taking a small pistol from his coat pocket. ‘Just keep out of his way. I do not want him using you as cover to make his escape if…’
Hester threw him a desperate look and ran faster. She was terrified that they would be too late. The duke was an old man and vulnerable! He would be no match for a man who was eaten up by bitterness and the desire for revenge.
Jared caught up with her again as they reached the door of the duke’s apartments. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back and thrusting her behind him as he went into the duke’s private parlour, then gave a muffled curse at what he saw. The duke was sitting in his bathchair, a small pistol in his hand, and it was pointing straight at the chest of the man in front of him.
Knighton’s head turned as Jared entered, followed by Hester. His eyes sparked fanatically as they centred on her. ‘Now you are here, you can ask him for the truth, Hester. Make him tell you what he knows before he kills me. I know that is what he wants…what the family has always wanted…to be rid of the evidence of their scandal.’
She moved closer to her grandfather for she had seen that his hand was trembling. Facing Knighton, she gave him a scornful look. ‘I do not need to ask,’ she said. ‘I know that his Grace would never have cheated your father of his birthright if he had had a legitimate claim to the title and the estate.’
‘Thank you, Hester,’ the duke replied. He looked grey and very tired. ‘Yes, I knew that my elder brother had a son. The story went that the child had died at birth, but my father discovered the truth before he died, and when Jack died, he told me. I had extensive inquiries made, but there was no record of a marriage ever having taken place. If one took place, it must have been a sham, to pacify my brother’s lover. Jack was capable of that, but he never spoke of it to his family. Your father changed his name when he was thrown out of the army in disgrace, Knighton. I knew who you were when you first came here, but for Hester’s sake, and her mother’s, I received you and said nothing.’
‘You are a liar!’ Knighton cried and made a lunge towards him. The duke raised his arm, but he hesitated, and before he could fire his pistol, Jared had tackled Knighton from behind, bringing him down to the floor.
A short but fierce struggle took place, ending with Jared straddling the other man’s body as he lay face down on the floor. A footman hurried to give him the cord from a window curtain and he trussed Knighton’s hands behind his back. Getting to his feet, Jared dragged Knighton up with him, still struggling and cursing, shouting that he had been cheated of his rights. Two burly footmen had now joined the first and they took hold of his arms, looking at Jared as they waited for orders.
Jared looked at the duke. ‘What do you want done with him, sir?’
‘You tell me what you would do with him, for I’m damned if I know.’
‘It will cause a scandal, but I think he should be made to stand trial for his crimes, sir. He has tried to have me killed twice, but, more importantly, he attempted to strangle Hester not half an hour ago.’
‘Curse him!’ the duke cried. ‘Had I known, I would have shot him.’ His eyes moved over her anxiously. ‘Are you all right, girl?’
‘Yes, Grandfather.’ She bent down to kiss his cheek, feeling the papery softness of his skin beneath her lips. He looked so frail and anxious that her heart caught. ‘Please do not worry, dearest. But I agree with Jared. I do not see what else we can do but have him arrested and tried for his crimes.’
‘Take him away,’ the duke said wearily. ‘Do what you wish with him. I do not want to set eyes on him again.’
‘Stay with Grandfather,’ Jared said to Hester. ‘I think we should ask for his Grace’s doctor to call.’ He was so clearly in charge that one of the footmen immediately went off to do his bidding. ‘Henderson, Briggs, take him down the backstairs, if you please. We will have him confined in one of the outbuildings until the constable comes to take him away. I shall join you in a moment.’
He waited until they had left, and then looked at the duke’s valet, who nodded in answer to his unspoken question. ‘You can leave him to Miss Hester and me, sir. His Grace has had a bit of a shock and he will do better in his bed for a while.’
‘I shall see you later,’ Jared said, glancing at Hester. ‘Excuse me, I must see what is going on.’
They all heard the shouting at that moment and Hester threw him an urgent look. ‘Go quickly. Something is happening.’
Jared nodded and strode from the room. He was in time to see the two footmen beginning to run up the stairs at the far end of the landing. Immediately, he understood that Knighton had somehow broken free from them and was heading for the stairs that led out to the roof. Something told him what the man was intending and he ran up the stairs, reaching the top seconds after the footmen, who were standing watching as Knighton walked precariously along the ridge between the west wing and the main part of the building. With his hands tied behind his back he had no balance, and he swayed precariously, in danger of falling.
‘Stop,’ Jared said as he saw that one of them was preparing to follow Knighton. ‘You are too heavy, Briggs. Some of this stonework is still unstable. The builders told me the problem was much bigger than they first suspected. Let me try. I have more idea of the danger spots than you.’
‘Be careful, my lord,’ Briggs said. ‘It’s unstable and cracking. Best to let him go. We’ll get him if he makes it down to the ground.’
‘But he may fall,’ Jared said. ‘He may not be aware of the danger here.’
The look the
footman gave him spoke volumes. He obviously thought it would be the best for all concerned, but Jared knew he must at least try to save Knighton from his folly. He put one foot out on to the ridge, walking slowly and carefully towards Knighton, who seemed to have come to a standstill just ahead of him. He appeared dazed, as if he were unsure of what he was doing up on the roof.
‘Come back,’ Jared called. ‘It isn’t safe to go any further. Those slabs are loose. The builders are coming back next week to finish repairing the roof. If you go any further, they may give way and take you with them.’
Knighton looked back at him, his eyes glittering wildly. ‘Stay away from me,’ he said. ‘You want me dead. You’re like all the others—liars, cheats, refusing me what was rightfully mine.’
‘You know that is a lie,’ Jared said. ‘For God’s sake, man, I never wanted all this. I had a life of my own. If you were the rightful heir, Shelbourne would have told you. He’s a hard man, but fair.’
‘Stay away from me!’ Knighton was standing right at the edge of the ridge. ‘You’re just like all the others. You’re cursed…cursed…do you hear me?’
‘Come back, you fool!’ Jared shouted but already he could see what Knighton meant to do. He stood helplessly as the other man took a step forward into space, letting himself fall from the edge of the roof straight down like a stone to the ground. As he did so, a chunk of masonry went tumbling after him and smashed into pieces only inches from where his body lay. It was obvious that no one could have survived such a fall, and the angle of Knighton’s neck indicated that it had broken on impact.
Jared stood staring down at him, an expression of horror in his eyes. The man’s mind had clearly cracked under the strain of his delusions, but even so, it was a violent and desperate act to take his own life in that way. Surely there had been another way to solve this mess? Jared felt sickened by the waste of life. Why had Knighton not listened to him? He would have saved him if he could.
‘Come back, my lord,’ Briggs called, breaking his train of thought. ‘Don’t go any further, sir. It’s all cracking up there. You must come back now! It could give way at any minute.’
Jared turned. He could feel that more of the stonework had cracked beneath his feet and he had to edge his way back carefully. The masonry was unstable, splintering as he stepped on it. He knew that at any minute it could fall and take him down with it to certain death. He slowly inched his way back to the door where the footmen waited helplessly, watching him, knowing that they could not do more, for any further weight could cause the structure to collapse. Two strong hands reached out to hold him as he reached them, drawing him back into the safety of the stairwell.
‘We saw what happened, sir. Mr Knighton took his own life deliberately.’
‘Damned fool,’ Jared said. ‘He killed no one and might have served his sentence in the colonies if he had stood trial. He could have made another life for himself.’
‘Perhaps he preferred death,’ Briggs suggested. ‘Seemed a little unwell, if you ask me, sir. Something turned his mind, perhaps? It was a tragic accident, my lord, wouldn’t you say so? Poor Mr Knighton was obviously not himself. He must have come up to look at the stonework and turned dizzy.’
‘Are you implying we hush it up and hide it under the carpet?’ Jared asked, looking doubtful. ‘If someone had brought all this business out into the open years ago this might never have happened…but perhaps you are right. Knighton was obviously ill.’
‘Yes, sir, exactly what all of us was thinking.’
Jared looked him in the eyes. ‘You are a good man. What makes you—all of you—so devoted to a family like this?’
‘We are part of the family, my lord. You have your place and we have ours, but it is all the same family.’
‘Yes, yes, it is.’ Jared smiled, because suddenly he understood what the lawyer had been trying to tell him when they first met. He did have a duty here, not just to his blood relations, but to the extended family that relied on the estate. ‘Thank you, Briggs. I think his Grace is lucky to have people like you about him.’
‘It is a pleasure to serve this family, sir. I’ve been here since I was a lad and I hope to stay until you pension me off.’
‘You do, do you?’ Jared grinned. ‘Well, that means I shall have to stay around to see that your loyalty is rewarded, doesn’t it?’
‘Just so, sir. I think it is what Miss Hester would like, sir.’
‘Yes, I dare say you are right,’ Jared said. ‘Well, we had better get this mess cleared up, don’t you think?’
‘Exactly so, sir. If you don’t mind my saying, you were very brave risking your life for Mr Knighton, sir. I am sure everyone will think so.’
‘The fewer who know about it, the better,’ Jared said. ‘I had better go and reassure the ladies.’
Chapter Eleven
‘Hester, dearest,’ Lady Ireland said as Hester came downstairs later that afternoon. ‘Your mama has gone to lie down for a while—this is a terrible business. I always knew that Mr Knighton was a little intense, especially where you were concerned, but he must have been dreadfully ill to go up on the roof like that. Mrs Mills told me that the viscount went after him, tried to save him, but it was no use. He was determined to jump. The poor man must have been out of his mind.’
‘Yes, I am certain he was unwell,’ Hester said. She knew of the story that was to be given officially to the remaining guests, though of course every one of the servants would know the truth, because it was already being talked of downstairs. ‘I think he must have been under a strain for some time.’
‘It is as well you did not marry him,’ Lady Ireland said, shaking her head over it. ‘This is a terrible upset for everyone. And the ball was such a success. I am afraid all your guests have gone, my love. They were told his Grace was unwell and I think they did not wish to be in the way.’ She raised her brows. ‘How is Shelbourne?’
‘His doctor says it was merely a little turn. He is no better and no worse than he was before.’
‘I dare say it was all the excitement of the ball,’ Lady Ireland said, for she had been told nothing of the attack on Hester or the scene in the duke’s chambers. ‘He will be better once he has rested for a day or so.’
‘That is exactly what he told me,’ Hester replied with a smile. ‘So everyone has gone?’
‘Except me, of course. I stayed on to see if I could be of help to you, my love—and your poor mama. She is rather distressed over this, as you may imagine.’
‘Yes, she must be,’ Hester agreed. ‘Thank you for staying on, but you are one of the family, of course. I think I shall go and see how Mama is, and then we must change for dinner. I hardly know where the day went.’
‘Yes, you do that, Hester,’ Lady Ireland said. She was about to kiss Hester’s cheek when the door opened and a man entered. She frowned at him, lifting her lorgnette to peer at him in disapproval. ‘Mr Grant…we expected you yesterday for the ball.’
‘And I should have been here, ma’am,’ Mr Grant said, looking indignant. ‘Except that I had an urgent message that took me to London three days ago.’ His eyes snapped with temper. ‘I was told that my lawyer wished to see me on a matter of business—something of life-and-death importance!—and when I arrived it was no such thing. I had the whole journey for nothing! I was never so put out in my life. The letter was a forgery and had never come from him at all!’
‘Oh…’ Seeing his expression of outrage, Hester felt an urge to laugh as she realised what Jared had done to keep him out of the way for a few days. ‘That was most unfortunate, sir.’
‘Indeed it was,’ Mr Grant replied. ‘Someone sent me that letter deliberately and I think I know who it was.’ He glared at her. ‘Is Knighton still here? I want a word with him!’
Hester’s desire to smile left her at once. ‘Mr Knighton had a terrible accident, sir. He was unwell…suffering from anxiety, we think. He went up on the roof for some reason and fell to his death.’
‘Fe
ll from the roof?’ Mr Grant’s face was a picture of astonishment. ‘Good gracious! What on earth was the fellow doing there?’
‘That is the question,’ Jared’s voice said. He stood in the doorway, looking at Mr Grant, his expression registering nothing but polite concern. ‘I am glad to see you here again, sir. We were sorry you did not come for the ball. Hester, your mother is asking for you. Grant, come and have a drink with me in the library. There are some things you should be told…something that would be distressing for the ladies.’
‘Oh, right.’ Mr Grant looked surprised and then pleased that he had been invited to share a confidence. ‘Yes, of course. I shall see you at dinner, ladies. Please excuse us now. I am at your service, my lord.’
Hester met Jared’s eyes for a moment and smiled. He was showing his true colours now, his air of command one that even Mr Grant was bound to respect. She realised that he would very soon have them all hanging on his every word, and the thought made her want to giggle. It was so very different from what they had all expected.
‘I shall go up to Mama. Gentlemen, I shall see you both this evening,’ she said and went out, followed by Lady Ireland.
Hester spent half an hour with her mother. Lady Sheldon was a little tearful, for, not knowing the whole story she regretted the loss of her cousin. She was propped up against a pile of pillows, a lace kerchief in her hand. However, she recovered her spirits after Hester took her one of the housekeeper’s tisanes and smiled wanly at her daughter.
‘Jared was something of a hero, you know, my dear. Mrs Mills told me that he didn’t want it spoken of, but apparently he went after Mr Knighton and tried to bring him back. The poor man, he must have been quite ill to do such a foolish thing. I had noticed he was a little off colour these last few days.’