“State your purpose. I have a pressing engagement to attend.”
“Stay away from my son.”
Samantha’s head reared back. Was she that undesirable of a match because she played the part of Sam for a few months? Was the dowry she would bring to Berwick so inconsequential? Or did his mother reject her for other reasons?
“That is not easily done seeing as the choice doesn’t solely rest on me.”
“Wrong. Women have the upper hand when it comes to men. Our manipulative skills are unparalleled and our wiles plentiful.”
Shaking her head, Samantha tried to hide her disgust. “You give me too much credit. I have neither one in abundance.”
“You have it. You were born with it. Women who don’t use their inherent talents are either ignorant or stupid.”
“How long do you request I stay away?”
“For however long you want me to keep your secret.”
Samantha locked her gaze with the baroness’s. Victory shone in the woman’s face as did her determination. Although Samantha would have loved nothing more than to tell the woman exactly how she felt, the price remained too high.
Resigned, Samantha stood and glared down at the woman. “Your business is concluded here. You are not welcome back.”
The baroness’s eyes widened as she scrambled to her feet. “How dare-”
“Unless your blackmail includes forcing me to extend cordiality toward you that I don’t feel, you have nothing more to say to me.”
To her surprise, Lady Berwick left without uttering another word. At the sound of footsteps marching away, Samantha dropped into a chair. The one conversation not only ruined her day, but her taste for London Society.
Her stolen moments with Kenneth had been the only thing she looked forward to. The thought of losing him again made her throat close. Her happy vision of them married and living in Berwick vanished. The bleakness creeping into her mind forced a cry past her lips as tears slid down her cheeks. Burying her face in her hands, she remained there until the time arrived for her to leave.
The journey to Hyde Park took twice as long as it should have. She didn’t anticipate or relish the idea of what she had to do, especially in such a public setting. As she passed by smiling couples who would witness her pain, she wished she’d had enough foresight to send Kenneth another missive. It was too late now.
Her eyes blurred to see how many people remained about enjoying the pleasant day with someone special. Because of her poor decisions, she would never be able to spend a lazy afternoon in such a way.
Depression settled around her and bowed her head. Kenneth would marry Miss Doutree now, and she’d be forced to watch them join the ranks of joyous people. Bitterness rose in her throat.
“Watch out.”
Strong male hands gripped her shoulders and steadied her. She hadn’t realized Kenneth had been standing in the path. Her mind had been miles away.
“I’m sorry.”
He chuckled as he put her arm around his and led her through the park. “When you suggested we run into each other, I hadn’t realized you meant it literally.”
Heat stung her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to. My thoughts were preoccupied.”
“Don’t apologize. I’ll take any excuse I can to put my hands on you.”
His low, gravelly voice made her shiver. She couldn’t accept or react to his words. After all, she had to convince him she no longer wanted him.
She took a deep breath. “I asked you out here today because we must talk.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” The playful mood in his voice had vanished.
She mourned the loss.
After stopping a fair distance away from earshot of the other patrons, she faced Kenneth. He looked wary, and she hated that this was the discussion she had to bring him. If she changed her course and begged him to take her to Gretna Green, her secret coming to light would hurt him as well. She couldn’t risk that.
“After our extended time together, I believe we should part company now.”
He took a step back. “You have tired of me? I don’t accept that. Not yet.”
“We have an agreement, and I expect you to uphold your end.”
“Our arrangement was to cease when both of us tired of one another. I’m far from satisfied on that account.”
She blew out of breath, attempting to make it sound frustrated. “Don’t make this unnecessarily difficult. We had an enjoyable time together, as evidenced by your reluctance to end our relationship.”
“Then tell me why. The truth now, not this ridiculous story you concocted for me.”
The fight in him tore at her as much as it bolstered her soul. She didn’t want him to give up. But she couldn’t keep him. Not any longer. She had to stop this now.
Drawing her shoulders back, she faced him head-on. “I don’t want to end this on a bad note. Parting ways while we are still happy means we can look back with fond memories, not resentments.”
“What about regrets?” he demanded.
“How can I regret when I look back and smile?” His face darkened, so she rushed to add, “Please, Kenneth. This is the last thing I shall ask you to do for me.”
His jaw tightened as he glared down at her. She knew he didn’t understand. How could he? Even if he knew the truth, she had no guarantee he wouldn’t laugh off his mother’s threat. However, the baroness had made herself very clear.
He closed his eyes for a brief second, then turned his searing brown gaze upon her. “If that is what you desire, I can end our physical relationship, but you’ll not rid yourself of me.”
With that, he turned and marched away. She called his name, but other than his shoulders stiffening, he made no acknowledgment she spoke.
Fear welled up inside her breast. She had to dissuade his pursuit of her. Not only did it jeopardize her reputation, but she couldn’t handle his hope. Had his mother not intervened, they could have been betrothed this very moment.
Her feet remained rooted to the spot until she could see him no longer. Tears pricked at her eyes as she forced her stiff limbs to move. Her vision blurred, she stumbled along until reaching her grandmother’s townhouse.
This time leaving London couldn’t save her from her misery. Nothing could.
From the darkened corner of the ballroom, Kenneth’s eyes followed Samantha. He couldn’t stop himself from seeking her out any more than he could stop breathing. Why didn’t she want him any longer? Something had happened to alter her opinion of him just five days ago.
She’d arranged their meeting at Hyde Park with too much excitement to account for her rejection. What could the trouble have been?
“Why are you brooding over here? Come join the party,” Catherine suggested, intertwining her arm with his.
“I’m not feeling up to company right now.”
“What is going on with you recently? Your mother has only been gone for a few days. Surely you don’t miss her too greatly.”
The absurdity made Kenneth want to laugh, but he couldn’t find it within him to do so. Everything seemed to take too much effort.
“My current mood has nothing to do with her.” His gaze instinctively sought out the woman who had brought this torment upon him.
Catherine, obviously noticing his preoccupation with the dance floor, rubbed his arm. “I see. You have a broken heart. She wasn’t one of the ladies I selected, was she? I would hate to think I caused this.”
Unable to stand his cousin carrying guilt over his own stupidity, he glanced back at her. Worry marred her brow. Why couldn’t Samantha be sensitive to his feelings like Catherine?
“Don’t waste a second thought on that. I made this mistake long before you brought introductions.”
She nodded but didn’t comment further. What more could she say? At this point, marriage to anyone brought a sour taste to his mouth. He didn’t want to end up like Braiden. That only left one ridiculous option. Could there really be a treasure hidden on his property?
“Lord Berwick,” Miss Doutree said, appearing in front of them. “May I have a word with you?”
“Catherine, please excuse us.”
He took Miss Doutree’s arm and led her out on the terrace. What did she want? He had spent a lot of time with her over the past year, and she’d never sought him out like this.
She faced him after they stopped at the corner railing. “I wasn’t going to tell you this, but Grace said you have a right to know, and I agree.”
Grabbing onto the railing, he surveyed the garden. This didn’t sound like something he cared to hear. He shouldn’t be surprised. The women in his life were apparently adopting a pattern.
“I’m listening.”
“Lady Berwick paid a call to me almost a week ago. She was cordial and exchanged pleasantries as if we were old acquaintances. However, the strangest part occurred when she mentioned you. She wanted to know if I intended to marry you.”
Kenneth tightened his grip. Anger and embarrassment seared his flesh. How dare his mother go after his friends? She should have asked him.
“What did you say?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“I explained you and I are only friends and had no intention of changing our relationship.”
With a smile, he relaxed a little. Miss Doutree was a sturdy woman. His mother couldn’t disarm or upset her. He also suspected her answer was exactly what his mother wanted to hear.
“I can only imagine how pleased she was upon your confession. She doesn’t want me to marry.”
“She did seem to perk up after that. Also, she warned me against spending time with you. She claimed my reputation would suffer if, after all our outings together, we didn’t marry.”
“Then you risk yourself to tell me this.”
“Don’t be absurd. I have no use for my reputation. You are my friend, and nothing can change that.”
Too many emotions fought for supremacy within him as he led Miss Doutree back to the ballroom. Pride for her loyalty. Fury at his mother. Frustration at life for a putting him in the position he remained in now.
Hours later as he sat in Ravenhurst with Braiden and Thomas, he didn’t feel any better about his situation. He felt displaced, and he couldn’t do anything to better himself.
“So, why did you invite us here?” Braiden asked. “As we have constantly proved, we are not the best companions right now.”
Kenneth threw back the remainder of his brandy and poured himself another from the decanter on the table.
“I suppose I wanted to spend the evening with people who understood the truth about women.”
“Ah, Linwood is too sweet with his wife.” Thomas nodded in immediate understanding.
“I don’t begrudge them that,” Kenneth explained. “It’s the knowing glances and pitiful eyes I loathe.”
“This Season seems to be as detrimental to you as it is to me. Perhaps you need a change of scenery,” Braiden suggested.
The thought appealed to Kenneth. In London, he was forced to witness the love growing between his cousin and Jonathan every day. In his current state of mind, the very thought made him ill. However, the country could offer no better escape. Being stuck in the manor with his mother held no appeal.
“I’ll offer no complaints toward that. London has lost its luster.” Kenneth stared past his friends.
“We plan to leave for Donetic in the next few days. You should join us,” Thomas offered, while Braiden nodded.
“No women. No troubles,” Braiden added.
Their solution was perfect. The escape was exactly what he needed right now. A holiday from life for as long as he required it. But where would that leave his chance of finding an heiress? The thought of marrying for a dowry made his stomach turn. He couldn’t do it. Not now. If he had to, he would sell pieces of Berwick to preserve as much as he could.
Like Braiden, Kenneth couldn’t stomach the thought of marriage looming in his future.
“I can be ready to leave tomorrow.”
Chapter 15
Kenneth wiped dirt and sweat from his brow. Although the fall weather brought a cooling breeze, the hard labor tired him out. Balancing his shovel on the ground, he leaned on it and pinned Jonathan with an incredulous look.
“You mean to say you had a theory this whole time and didn’t tell me?” Kenneth demanded.
Jonathan held up his hands. “I only thought it fair for you to explore your guess first.”
“I don’t care where we search. After a week of seeking this bloody treasure, I’m ready to give up. I would have already, but . . .”
“I know. Anyway, Catherine is the one who suggested we begin at the river. If you let me help you out of that hole, I’ll show you the exact location.”
Anxious to be free and feel the cooling breeze, Kenneth took his friend’s hand. Once on horseback, Kenneth allowed the wind to remove the last bit of moisture from his body. He had no proof the treasure still remained in its hiding place, but he held on to the hope.
To his surprise, locating the map had been the easiest part of the endeavor. The previous Viscount Linwood had come across it and tucked it away in a book Jonathan found two years ago. The trouble they faced now was discovering where to begin.
When they dismounted at the river, Kenneth recognized the place. The ownership of the land had been disputed between Berwick and Linwood for more years than Kenneth had been alive.
“I recall Catherine spending much of her time here,” Kenneth said, easily remembering how predictable his cousin had been.
“Yes, and it satisfies the ‘neutral ground’ mentioned as a starting point.”
With a nod, Kenneth stroked a hand along his jaw. “I can see that. Neutral to both Berwick and Linwood. But what about the ‘oak with entwining hands’?”
Both men walked around and examined each tree. Nothing unusual stood out among the group, until he reached the largest. The shape of the tree seemed odd in comparison to the others.
Taking a closer look, Kenneth determined it could actually have been two oaks fused together. Could these have been the entwining hands when the map had been created decades ago?
“I think I found it,” Kenneth called.
Jonathan hurried over and touched the tree along the roots. “You’re right. This began as two trees.”
Excitement sprung in Kenneth’s chest. He pulled the map from his saddlebags and checked the sun. As they mounted their horses, took direction, and marked what could be the other vague clues, he tried to temper down his reaction. Although this was the first location seeming to meet the criteria, he couldn’t allow himself to overreact. After all, the treasure could have already been reclaimed.
Passing by the nondescript trees and rocks indicated on the map, he hoped they were not following a false trail again. But something about this felt right. That is, it did until they arrived at the abandoned street with Samantha’s house. A well-populated area wouldn’t make a good place to hide anything. Could the structures have been built after the treasure had been placed? Surveying their poor state, Kenneth didn’t think that likely.
With a sinking heart, he dismounted and continued the ritual, following directions and counting paces. He already dreaded digging yet another worthless hole. A twinge of pain shot through his back as if it understood the tiring chore lying ahead.
“Hand me the marker,” Kenneth called when he reached the number of paces.
They continued on, counting paces, changing direction, and marking edges until they reached a location against the back of Samantha’s house. He took in the structure with new eyes. The other houses were not as solidly built. Could that be why this location was chosen? Did the old baron reinforce this house on purpose? If so, why did he need to put up the pretense of the map?
“This can’t be right.” Jonathan rubbed a hand over his face. “I had such hope for this one.”
“Don’t completely rule it out yet. Notice how this house is of a better quality than the rest?”
“Yes, but how could they bury the treasure while people slept in their beds?”
Looking around at the houses, Kenneth sought a possible explanation. He, too, didn’t want to put in the effort of digging in another wrong location. However, each second passing struck him in the chest. They were losing daylight. Again.
“Could they have buried the treasure while the houses were being built? That would cover up the dirt and avoid suspicion,” Kenneth offered.
“Then why the map?”
“Perhaps they never intended to collect it. Selling stolen goods immediately after the crime wouldn’t be a wise idea for the lord of the manor.”
Jonathan nodded and gave him a slow grin. “And they split them up to ensure their descendants worked together. We have fulfilled their wishes, and I have no doubt our efforts will not go unrewarded.”
After raising his shovel in salute, Jonathan began digging. Needing no further encouragement, Kenneth joined in. Could the solution to his financial problems have been here, so close to him, the entire time?
Sweat burned his eyes, but he wouldn’t give up. They had been digging for this long, nothing could stop him now. His breath hitched as a loud thud rang against his shovel as he drove it into the ground.
Samantha peered at the door of the ballroom again before returning her attention to Monsieur Gerard, who sighed.
She ignored his reaction as she turned away. Part of her desperately wished Kenneth would appear in the doorway, but no matter how many times she checked, he never arrived.
“After these six weeks, I thought your feelings would have shifted.” Monsieur Gerard crossed his hands over his chest.
“I’m sorry,” she answered, although her words held no meaning. She’d grown weary of apologizing for something beyond her control. And she owed him nothing.
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