by Joan Smith
“Teaching your grandma to suck eggs, Nicholas? You forget I have helped Doctor Tom treat hundreds of wounds, and I don’t mean little scratches like this. The bandage is in place underneath the ribbon. Rather a neat idea, n’est-ce pas? I hope to start a new fashion.”
He just shook his head, not sure whether he was more impressed with her courage and ingenuity or frustrated at her stubbornness. There was no doubt in his mind, however, that she meant to stay, with or without him. If she felt well enough to waltz, he would like to stand up with her.
He had never waltzed with Elizabeth. Debutantes were not allowed to waltz until given permission by the patronesses of Almacks. They had parted ways before that. He was in no doubt that she had mastered the waltz, as she seemed to have mastered everything else. Well of course she had. He had seen her any time these past years dancing the waltz with various gentlemen.
“I’ll find us a private parlour,” he said, and left. In a moment he was back with a footman carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses on a tray.
They followed him to a small private parlour furnished in the inferior style reserved for unwelcome callers forced to cool their heels while waiting to be granted an audience. When they were seated on a pair of unpadded chairs with the door closed, Nick said, “Now, tell me all about it. How the devil did you end up getting shot, and by that prude of a Sara Westlake, of all people?”
She took a deep, restorative drink, then said, “She lacks a spine, but she’s no prude, Nicholas. She’s just in love. It makes ladies do foolish things, and gentlemen too, no doubt. The important thing is that I found the rubies.”
“Where were they? Let me see them.”
She drew them out and they both examined the elaborate piece. Red fire glowed in the large pendant cabochon ruby the size of a cherry as she held it up to the lamp. “A trifle gaudy for my taste, but valuable of course,” she said, before she returned the necklace to her reticule.
He listened with bated breath while she told him what had happened, then she demanded to hear why he had let Sara come chasing after her. Elizabeth was thirsty, and while they talked, she emptied her glass and held it out for a refill.
“She said she was feeling ill,” he explained. “How could I force her to keep dancing? But I could see she was nervous as a broody hen, and I knew she had been watching you closely.”
“She was feeling guilty about letting Tommy take the blame. She knows he and I are good friends.”
“Yes, well when I took her out to the hall, the way she darted up those stairs told me she was no more ill than I was, but she was very frightened. So I followed her, in case you needed help. That’s why I’m here. It would probably be better if I hadn’t gone up.”
“No, it was well done. You were a great help in distracting Lady Belmont’s wrath.”
“When I heard a sound that I took for a gunshot, though it wasn’t very loud, I had to see what had happened. So she did steal her aunt’s necklace. What was her excuse?”
“Hanson has her love notes, as we thought. The wretch demanded a thousand pounds or he’d show them to Buckner. She hadn’t the money. She has none of her own and Lady Belmont keeps her on a short leash. He suggested her aunt had valuable jewels and said he’d accept the ruby necklace. I wonder he didn’t suggest that long string of pearls Lady Belmont often wears to the theatre. It would be easy to take apart and sell. Anyway, Sara saw her chance at Galveston’s rout, and snatched the rubies.”
“But surely when Tommy was accused —”
“Yes, I find that hard to forgive, though it didn’t seem to occur to her that some innocent person would be accused.”
“She knew very well everyone suspects Tommy.”
“She’s a peagoose, Nicholas. She thought a man like Tommy could handle it, as he is often in scrapes. I don’t think she appreciates the difference between a scrape and a major crime, though she was certainly frightened to death of going to gaol herself.”
“She is either an idiot or an immoral hussy, or both. So, let us call Lady Belmont and give her the necklace.”
“Oh we can’t do that!” Elizabeth said at once.
He stared in disbelief. “Why not? Isn’t that why we came to this ball, to find the necklace and clear Tommy’s reputation?”
“Of course, but now that we have found it, we must get all the good out of it we can. Hanson is the real culprit. Sara confirmed that, and he still has her letters.”
“That’s nothing to do with us. We have proved Tommy is innocent.”
“We cannot let Hanson go free, Nicholas,” she objected. The look she gave him was part astonishment, part disappointment. When he could think of nothing to say, she continued, “And really I cannot like to see Sara go to gaol for making one mistake. She’s a ninny, totally incapable of surviving there. We must think of a better plan than just returning the necklace to Lady Belmont, preferably without her knowing Sara snitched it, or she might just decide to alter her will and cut Sara out. I fancy that would send Buckner running. We must get Hanson. I feel quite sure he is the one who has been pocketing small valuables at parties. I expect you have heard about that?”
“Oh yes, that was a while ago, was it not?”
“That’s right. Nothing has been stolen since he has become persona non grata in society.”
“That is post hoc reasoning.”
“So it is, but it is just the low, cowardly sort of thing he would do. And that means he is responsible for —” She came to a stop. Nick didn’t know about Prissy’s beating, and Czar Peter’s snuffbox. And she was suddenly too dizzy to explain it all. “For other things.”
“You have a way of complicating the simplest things, Lizzie.”
“Life is not simple.”
“I assume you are counting on me to do the dirty work. Very well, I’ll go to meet Hanson in Sara’s place and beat the letters out of him.”
How odd to hear him call her Lizzie again so naturally he didn’t even seem aware of it. “You, sir, have a way of trying to simplify the most complicated things. He’d never mistake you for Sara, even at night. He’ll take off like a hare the minute he sees you. I, on the other hand, another lady, might fool him long enough to get —”
He rolled his eyes in frustration. “Close enough to get shot again. Yes, that’s a clever notion.”
“Perhaps you’re right. I said it was complicated. I’ll need a while to think about it. I am feeling much better now. Shall we return to the ballroom? I’ll just finish this glass of wine.”
“I think I should take you home.”
When she stood up, the room began whirling in circles around her. The wine glass fell from her fingers and shattered on the table. Nick caught her as she toppled forward. He held her while the dizzy spell passed. It felt strange to see capable Elizabeth helpless in his arms. She wasn’t so strong and capable as she thought she was, poor girl. Always thinking of others. What she needed was someone to look after her. But it would take a strong-willed gentleman to tame her. In less than a minute she looked up at him, giggled and said, “Oh dear! I’ve broken one of Lady Belmont’s glasses!”
“I am taking you home now, Lizzie. No arguments. And I am calling a doctor.”
She frowned at the nearly empty wine bottle. “No, don’t. I drank too quickly, that’s all. It was the excitement, you know. Let us just sit down a moment till I recover.”
She drew a handkerchief from her reticule and wiped up the spilt dregs of wine. “We ought to sneak this broken glass into the refreshment parlour. I told Lady Belmont I had broken a glass. She’s just the type who will check up on it.” She picked up the pieces and put them on the tray for the footman to return to the refreshment parlour.
She was back in charge, but this time he insisted that he would take her home. “I’ll tell Lady Belmont we’re leaving and order my carriage and ask her to tell Lady Gertrude,” he said very firmly.
“Very well. How happy Tommy will be to hear of our success.”
“Now
you won’t have to marry him,” he said, and studied her while she considered this.
“No, I won’t have to,” she agreed. The emphasis on ‘have’ made him curious. Was the whole ruby affair just a way to get Tommy to marry her? Surely he’d jump at the chance of marrying such a well-dowered, attractive lady. She was worlds too good for that scamp.
She waited in the little room until he had made the arrangements, then he accompanied her to the carriage. When Tommy hopped down to open the door for her, she said, “We got them.”
“Of course you did. You are up to anything, Lizzie. I’d kiss you, if we didn’t have an audience.”
“It’s not over yet, Tommy. Come into the house with us when we get home. We have to make plans,” she said as they entered the carriage. As the carriage bowled along, she said to Nicholas, “You won’t have to beat up Hanson, if it comes to that. Tommy will do it. He is an excellent bruiser.”
This, for some reason, annoyed him more than the rest.
Chapter Twelve
When they reached Hanover Square, Elizabeth ordered wine for the gentlemen and tea for herself. “Are you not joining us in the celebration, Lizzie?” Tommy asked. Nicholas thought he looked incongruous in the postboy’s costume, but it didn’t seem to bother him or Elizabeth. Or the servants for that matter.
The butler had given him a waggish grin. When had he become such a pet of the family? Why was he not only tolerated but made much of? Was it because he was a scamp, always in trouble? That would appeal to Lizzie, but surely she was too wise to marry for that reason.
“Lizzie has had enough wine,” he said, purposely using the nickname to show Tommy he, too, was on close terms with her.
“Pay no attention to him,” Tommy said. “Tonight we are celebrating.” Then he turned to Elizabeth. “Though I am surprised you started the party without me, Lizzie.”
“We were not celebrating,” Nicholas said. “She got shot in her effort to save your reputation, and required wine to overcome a fit of the vapours.”
Tommy was aghast. “Lizzie, what happened? Shot where? I don’t see any blood or bandage. Are you all right? Sit down. Let me get you a cushion. Oh lord, this is all my fault.”
“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch on my arm,” she said, indicating the blue ribbon. “And it is not your fault,” she said, making light of it. “It’s Sara’s and Hanson’s fault. He’s kept her love letters, as we thought.”
“But you got the necklace?”
She opened her reticule, drew it out and passed it to Tommy. He dangled it from his fingers, then examined some of the individual stones, holding them up to the lamp and rubbing his fingers over them. “It looks like glass to me,” he said with a shrug. “It’s because the stones are so big, I expect. How the deuce did Hanson think he’d sell this? He’d have to take the piece apart and sell individual stones.”
“The rubies may be more valuable, but Lady Belmont’s pearls would have been a wiser choice. But then Hanson is not wise,” she replied.
Tommy handed the necklace back to her. “Now tell me all about your evening. Where did you find the rubies, and how did you come to get shot, and why are you not berating me for causing all this?”
The arrival of the refreshments caused an interruption in the conversation. Tommy leapt up to pour tea for Elizabeth. He added a touch of milk and two spoons of sugar. “I know you don’t take sugar, Lizzie, but it’s supposed to be good for you when you’ve had a shock. Now drink it up. You do look a little peaky.”
When she was settled in with her tea, she told him about her evening. He was by turns impressed and amused, he praised her ingenuity, he thanked her and asked her dozens of questions. “What did Sara say? Since you haven’t given the rubies to her aunt, I daresay you have some plan to rescue her letters, the wretch.”
“I think we must help Sara,” she replied. “She was at her wits’ end, Tommy, and had no idea you would be accused.”
“She didn’t own up when she did learn it.”
“True, but it’s Hanson who has to be called to account.”
“Do you know when and where she’s to meet him?”
“Tomorrow night — well two o’clock in the morning, at the corner of Grosvenor Square and Duke Street. He made it easy for her to get there, not far from her home. Probably afraid she’d back out if he made it too difficult.”
“I’ll be there and get the necklace from him after Sara gets her letters,” Tommy said at once.
“Yes, that’s what I was thinking. The only question is who is to take Sara’s place?”
“Damme, why should anyone take her place? I know what you’re thinking, Lizzie. You want to do it for her, but with that wounded arm it ain’t safe.”
“I’m afraid you’re right. I shan’t do that, but I definitely intend to be there to see it,” she said.
“Of course you do. I wouldn’t dream of trying to deprive you of that. You can hide in the bushes or some such thing. Let Sara do the delivering herself. She’s the one got us in this muddle in the first place. Hanson won’t hurt her, and she’s the only one who’d know if the letters are really hers, and not copies.”
“That’s true,” she said, nodding. “I wouldn’t put it a pace past him to make copies and keep the originals.”
“Neither would I. Just the sort of low trick he would pull. Pity we don’t have a paste necklace to fool him, in case he gets away from me. If he brings some other fellow with him, I mean.”
Nick, who had been watching and listening and feeling left out again, said, “The two of us can handle him and anyone he cares to bring along.” When they both looked at him in surprise, he said with an air of injury, “I hope you didn’t plan to leave me out of it.”
“He might have thugs with him,” Tommy warned.
“Then you won’t want to go alone,” Nick replied.
“It’s a good idea, Liz,” Tommy said, looking to her for her opinion.
“From what you said in the carriage I thought you didn’t want to do it, Nicholas,” Elizabeth said.
“I don’t know where you got that idea. Naturally I want to make sure Tommy is exonerated.”
It was perfectly clear to Elizabeth that Tommy was already exonerated, since Sara had been found with the necklace in her possession. What she wasn’t sure of was whether Nick was beginning to enjoy the game, or was offering to help to impress her. He had seemed rather grouchy about her marrying Tommy. And he had called her Lizzie. Either way, she was glad for his offer to help. It saved her from having to ask another favour of him, for naturally Tommy must not go alone.
When they had talked the plan over for half an hour, Lizzie began yawning. Nick wanted a few moments alone with her. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, but he was unhappy that she and Tommy seemed so close. Perhaps he’d ask her more about this plan of marrying Tommy. It wasn’t necessary, now that they had proof he was innocent of the theft, but really they behaved almost like an engaged couple already, with him fixing her tea the way she liked it.
Tommy turned to him and said, “Lizzie’s bushed, Nick. We’d best go home and let her rest.”
As Tommy was staying with him, Nick could see no plausible way of outstaying him. Tommy’s next statement offered a new possibility of meeting her in private. “Since the police are probably still looking for me, you’d best come and make the final plans with Lizzie tomorrow, Nick. You won’t be going to Seven Dials tomorrow with that arm, Liz?”
“No, I’ve arranged for Sara to call on me to see how I’m doing after my accident. I’ll tell her the plan then.”
“Don’t let her back out of doing her part,” Tommy said.
“She won’t.” She turned to Nick before they left. “How can I thank you for your help, Nicholas?”
“I’ll think of something,” he said with a smile, pleased at the question.
“I owe you a big favour, Cousin,” Tommy said, hitting his arm in a friendly fashion. “In the unlikely case that you ever fall into a scrape, you
may rely on me to rescue you.”
“Naturally you are the first person I would turn to,” Nicholas replied with a sardonic grin.
Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t know which is the more unlikely,” she said. Tommy took this as an excellent jest, but Nicholas felt somehow offended, as if she thought him too boring to ever fall into a scrape.
Tommy chattered as they drove to Nick’s house, asking a dozen little details about how Lizzie got the necklace, laughing at her hiding in the clothespress and quick thinking at telling Lady Belmont she’d broken a glass.
“What a lady,” he said, shaking his head in admiration. “Pretty as can stare, not always preaching at a fellow, and she has a fat dot along with it. If I weren’t half engaged to Miss Cousens, I’d be tempted to ask her to marry me.”
Darkness in the carriage concealed Nick’s shocked expression. “Engaged to Miss Cousens?” he asked, in as normal a voice as he could manage. “Do you mean the brewer’s daughter?”
“That’s the one. The elder daughter, the good looking one.”
“I’ve heard nothing of this. When did it happen?”
“We’re not formally engaged, but she’d like to have me all right. Mad for me, and vice versa. We just have to convince her papa I’m worthy, which I’m not, of course. Are you surprised that I’ve fallen for a Cit’s daughter?”
“Not at all. It’s all the crack this season.”
“Especially for us younger sons. It’s not the papa’s blunt I’m after, if that’s what you think, though of course it would be lovely to be rich. Laura, Miss Cousens, is beautiful, and not at all spoiled. She went to a ladies’ academy and has much better manners than I have. That’s not saying a good deal, but I really do love her, Nick, which is why this demmed affair of the necklace has bothered me so much.”
“Does Elizabeth know about Miss Cousens?” Nick asked.
“I haven’t told anyone yet, but Liz won’t mind about old Cousens being a brewer, and she’ll love Laura. I mean to settle down, earn my keep. I know more than a little about ale, so he should be able to find a spot for me in his company. Liz won’t mind my working for a living. She isn’t a bit toplofty. She’ll be happy to have a new patron for her charities. You don’t think it infra-dig of me, do you?”