by Claudy Conn
“I … I …” she said, faltering.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that both Jimmy and Arthur had been turned to stone as they watched them.
He sighed heavily and said, “Very well, my dear, for now I must speak with your brother … and his friend in private—will you give us a few moments?”
She was surprised but inclined her head and left them at her back. She did trust him. She told herself she had reason not to, but in spite of that, and without knowing or understanding why—she trusted him.
She should have told him so. Instinct told her to tell him that she trusted and loved him. Why hadn’t she told him so?
Well, for one thing, they had an audience with her brother and his friend interestedly watching. That was part of the reason; the other was the fear of losing him once he knew she had been in a gaming house, playing the part of Babette!
*
Jewelene left them but stopped outside the closed door because as she started to move off she heard Jimmy within exclaim, “By Jove! Never say so …” She was curious to know what it was all about. What was Ryker telling them?
“Wait … I don’t understand,” Arthur stuck in.
“Noddy!” Jimmy laughed. “But then, I must ask you to explain …”
Stanton came out of the back room and down the hallway towards the front door. She realized suddenly that someone had been at the doorknocker and turned to find Stanton opening the door wide for Aunt Dora, with Omsbury at her side.
Jewel’s eyes opened wide with surprise, and she said, “Stanton, Lord Omsbury may not be admitted.”
Her aunt, who had a basket of cut flowers in one hand, put her free hand to her mouth before exclaiming in shocked accents, “Jewelene! I have invited his lordship in for tea.”
“Aunt Dora, please forgive me, but I have good reason to deny his lordship admittance.”
“I am here to help, nothing more …” his lordship offered gently. “I was in town and noticed that your brother had returned, and I simply wanted you to know that you can turn to me when this all goes wrong—and it will all go wrong.”
“Were I to be captured and dragged off to hell, I would not put out a hand to you to help me!” Jewels snapped sharply, noticing that her aunt had closed her eyes and leaned against the wall table.
The library door opened at that juncture, and Ryker stood towering over them all as he scanned the scene. Purposely he came up and touched Jewelene’s chin lightly before he glanced at Omsbury, who appeared to be suffering a seizure.
Ryker’s voice was soft and yet authoritative as he said, “Take your dear aunt and go in the library with your brother, and do keep him there, lest he feel the need to face Omsbury himself …”
She looked up at him and thought for a moment that he was the God of Thunder. He looked as though he could take Omsbury down easily and without effort, and yet he was so very much in control. She smiled sweetly at him. “Yes, thank you—yes.”
Apparently Aunt Dora’s shock waves swept through her, leaving her unable to speak as Jewelene took her basket of cut flowers from her, took her hand, and led her to the library.
It was obvious she was shocked at her niece’s rudeness to his lordship, who was wealthy beyond imagination and wished to marry her; however, she willingly followed her niece away and out of what had been a mortifying experience for her.
“You are not welcome in this house, Lord Omsbury. Your advances towards Miss Jewelene Henshaw are not acceptable, and further to that, if I hear you’ve glanced her way a moment longer than seemly, I shall have your blood. Are we clear?”
“Who do you think you are? How dare you?” Omsbury’s face was nearly maroon, and his fists moved at his side.
For answer, the Marquis of Lyndhurst took out his calling card and flung it at him, waiting for him to grab it from the air, read it, and respond.
“Upon my word … you? You are the Marquis of Lyndhurst?”
“At your service.” The marquis inclined his head. This game was over.
“So be it, my lord—but know this: I don’t give a rap who you are. I will do what I want, when I want, and with whom I decide to do it. Don’t try and stand in my way.”
“Try? But you mistake—I am in your way,” the marquis returned with a sneer.
Omsbury turned sharply and stomped off. The marquis watched him take his horse from the hitching post, fling himself onto his saddle, and ride off at a heady pace. Then the marquis turned to go back to the library, where he meant to calm the ladies.
Fifteen
THEY HAD MOVED Lightning to the back pasture with a makeshift ‘lean-to’, as it was closest to the house and no one would be able to get to him without putting themselves in full view of the household. In addition to that, two tall torches were set in place by the only gate to the paddock.
Jewelene smiled as she watched their trusted groom Jonas breeze him. He was absolutely the fastest horse she had ever come across, and there was no doubt in her mind that they would win at Derby.
The problem was getting him there without mishap. She had quite made up her mind that she would accompany her brother and Arthur on the trip, even though her aunt had put up some strong objections.
A voice at her ear made her shiver, and she turned to find Ryker’s bent near, so near. “Your brother tells me that you are determined to accompany us to Derby.”
“Oh … are you coming?”
“Yes, both Robby and I have decided to join your little party, for I intend to put a great deal of blunt on Lightning.”
She smiled. “Ah, you will make a great deal of money—or at least, I hope you do. I hope we all do …” A sigh escaped with the words as they trailed into the breeze.
“Jewelene … I know you are worried. Won’t you let me help?”
“No, how can I?”
He took her shoulders. “By marrying me,” he said softly.
She couldn’t believe her ears and scanned his face. He put a finger to her lips and said, “I have already spoken with your aunt and your brother … you have only to say yes.”
“I … I … oh, you are too good … too good, and I am not worthy.” She hung her head.
“You were made for me, as I was for you. Don’t you see that …?” he countered.
“You don’t know what I have done,” she cried, holding his hands. “I cannot marry you until I have extricated myself from a situation that has grown out of proportions.” She shook her head. “How can I dump all my financial worries onto you?”
“Is that because you believe me a second son without a substantial income?” He looked into her eyes. “If I were titled and wealthy … would it make a difference?”
“No, it would make no difference. What has title or wealth to do with it? You deserve better than I.” She tried pulling away from him and rushing off, but he had her by the arm.
“Stay … confess to me … let me make it better,” he said softly.
“No—you will hate me,” she said in a hushed tone.
“Hate you? I adore you. Don’t think I don’t see who you are. Don’t think I don’t know you.” He shook his head. “Would it help to tell you that I am not whom you think? Would it help to tell you that I have my own secrets to confess?”
“What mean you?” she asked in surprise.
“Oh, there you are …” said Ben Clay, coming around the corner of the house. “Good—we need to talk, because we have trouble brewing.”
*
Jewelene was forced to wield her cob horse and wagon to the back of the supply store because of the inordinate amount of traffic in town. The pugilism match had brought in a great number of gentlemen to the White Stag and the one other inn at the other end of town.
She sighed and, with the list her aunt had given her, tethered the sweet old cob to the hitching post and made her way towards the front of the store. As she rounded the corner, she saw Ryker and Robby just across the street. Her eyebrows rose with surprise—Ben was with them. She had bee
n startled to see that a genuine friendship had been struck up between her old friend and Ryker.
Ryker saw her at once and started towards her when another gentleman, a stranger, put up his hand and shouted, “Ryker … egad, Ryker! You here too?” The gentleman turned to a group of his friends who were nearby and shouted out, “Now we are in for a devil of time … look who is here! The marquis himself!”
Ryker frowned at them, and as Jewelene looked at him and then at the group coming towards him to take his hand, she knew—Ryker, Ryker was the Marquis of Lyndhurst. He had led her to believe he was but a second son … he had tricked not only her, but her entire family … why? For a prank? Was it all just a prank? Was everything just a joke to while away his ennui?
She backed away from the sight of him as though she had been slammed bodily. She reached out and held the wooden two-by-four post at her side. She went into the supply store and, still in a daze, handed the storeowner the list, not really hearing his greeting and subsequent remarks, unable to respond.
The storefront door squeaked open again, and Ryker was there filling the entrance like a mountain, stiff and unmoving and infinitely magical, but she saw past it all to the lie. “Let me explain …” he said softly.
“No … there can be no explanation that would satisfy,” she answered as she tried to sort it all out in her head. Her words were scarcely a whisper as she said, “It was all sport for you—wasn’t it? Your mama tried telling you what to do, so you did what you wanted … if only to show her that you wouldn’t be led …” She backed away from him, from the sound of her own words.
“You are wrong. Is that what you think of me? You think at my age I have to prove anything to m’mother? Jewels … you are not thinking …”
“I was not thinking … I am now …”
The storeowner was already loading up her wagon in the back with the flour and other items on the list. Why was she here—why had she come to Yarmouth today? Why couldn’t she be home and ignorant?
She was here only because the livery boy who usually came for supplies was busy guarding Lightning. They were all taking turns guarding the stallion. And now, her entire world was falling apart …
Ryker moved in to reach for her, and Jewelene jumped back as though she saw a hot poker coming at her. “Do not dare … to touch me …” She shook her head as tears filled her eyes. “To think that I was worried because I thought my misdeeds … would offend you, do a disservice to your name, and all the while you were only playing with me … and my family—treating us like fools …” She shook her head.
“I have already confessed to your aunt Dora and your brother … and had Ben not interrupted us earlier, I would have confessed it all to you. Do you not remember that I tried to tell you something? Jewels … wait …”
She had already started to run towards the back door and the protection of the storeowner’s company. She knew that Ryker wouldn’t follow her and make a scene. She had to get away from him and think …
*
Omsbury wasn’t sitting on his laurels. When Jenkins did not return, he settled it in his mind that he had been taken in this instance by a thief and an incompetent. It irritated him and made him swear to himself to see to it when he was done with the business to find the blackguard and deal with him. However, there was no point dwelling on the matter now; he had to act quickly and decisively.
What he needed was a couple of stout individuals who would be only too happy to earn a bit of blunt and not ask any questions—and this time, he wouldn’t give them a sou until they had done some damage to the Henshaw stallion. That would make it impossible for the horse to race, and it would deliver Jewelene into his hands.
Omsbury was prepared. He had a marriage license in his possession, he had a minister willing for a hefty sum to ignore a reluctant bride’s protests, and he had the drugs to keep her sedated during the process!
As it happened, he was across the busy avenue when he saw Jewelene leaving the supply store. She appeared to be in a bit of a hurry, but he didn’t have time to chase after her at that moment. What he needed to do was visit the Black Bull again and seal the deal with the fellows he had interviewed the previous evening. Everything was finally falling into place.
Damn, but he could almost taste her, and what she wouldn’t give freely, he would take, and take, and take!
*
Jewelene felt as though her heart was bursting from within. The only thing that kept her together was her anger. How dare he! Why had he done such a thing? And, she told herself, the answer to that question didn’t really matter. He had played them for fools—little country bumpkins …
He had stayed in their home, eaten meals with them, advised them regarding Lightning, pretended to care … made love to her—all under a false name. He had even asked her to marry him—he couldn’t have meant it! What had it all been? A game, a wager? Had that been a tease?
What deep, horrible game did he play?
The thought came back that London beaux liked to bet on how quickly they could get a woman to fall in love with them. A wager? Had he entered into a wager—and with whom, Robby? She had heard her brother and his friends jest about certain friends of theirs that would bet they could kiss this girl or that within a given time period. Was that what he had done? It didn’t make sense, because he had asked her to marry him. If she had said, yes, how would he have gotten out of it? And why would he ask her to marry him? He had already bedded her. This was upside down and made no sense.
She drove up the back courtyard and parked the cob and wagon outside the kitchen entrance, went inside, and told Cook to have one of the lads bring in the supplies. She could hardly speak. Her voice cracked on the words as she tried to hold back the tears, and then she was flying up the stairs to her room.
However, the sound of a sob from Elizabeth’s room caught her attention. She went there and, without bothering to knock, cracked the door open and saw her cousin lying in a fetal poison on her bed sobbing away.
She went to her and exclaimed worriedly, “Lizzie … Lizzie, what is it?”
“B … Be … Ben …” Lizzie responded.
“Sit up, do, and talk to me. What do you mean, Ben? Ben is fine—I just saw him in town. What do you think has occurred?”
“Omsbury told me all about it.” She sniffed. “And Arthur and Jimmy say ’tis true—Ben is taken with a French faro dealer … Babette!”
Jewels snorted; had she not been so despondent herself, she would have actually laughed. She touched her cousin’s shoulder and said, “There, go and clean up, you foolish chit. Ben has never betrayed you.”
“You don’t know that …”
“I know that very well, Lizzie, for I am Babette!” There—it was out, and it was as though she had stepped out of a burning house and into the fresh air..
“What … what are you saying?” A dam held back the tears, and Elizabeth sniffed as she studied Jewel’s face.
Words burst from Jewelene in quick succession then, which at first left her cousin looking dazed, but she took a breath and started to repeat the important parts slowly and finally sighed. “So you see … one can never believe what one is told … for the devil is in the details, and I am not sure what that means, but it seems to fit here … don’t you think?”
“But, Jewels … does no one know?”
“Only Ben …”
“And did you make enough money to meet the note Omsbury holds over Ben?”
“Yes, well … no, but Ben has been able to make up the difference … and now, now we have our own debts to pay, hopefully when Lightning wins.”
“And what of Ryker?”
“Oh, you mean, the Marquis of Lyndhurst?” Jewels made a face.
“No … not Robby, I mean—”
“Yes, I heard you, but Ryker is the marquis, and they have been playing a horrible game of ‘switch and bait’ … for reasons I have yet to understand.”
“But … why?”
“As I said, Lizzie …
I don’t know …” and this time it was Jewels who burst into tears, and it was her cousin who held her fast!
*
The Marquis of Lyndhurst mounted his gelding and took to the open road. He was angry with himself, with the world, and with Jewelene for not hearing him out. He felt that the fates had used him harshly, or so he told his horse.
“Fiend seize it all!” he shouted. “If anything was ever so ill-timed. I was going to tell her, but then Ben showed up with news … and then what must she do but come to town … and what must my friends do but say hello! Damn it all. What do I do next?”
His worthy animal appeared to have no suggestions on the subject, so he sighed and searched his mind for a solution. By the time he had arrived at the Henshaw stables, made his way to the house, got indoors, and stomped up the stairs to his bedroom where he proceeded to pace, he still hadn’t come up with an answer.
He undid his cravat and threw it to the bed. He dropped off his superfine, and then he paced some more. He would not make any attempt to speak with her just yet. Better let her cool off …
He would wait until she was calmer and her anger had abated. Then he would approach her and try to reason with her …
At any rate, he had the first shift guarding Lightning that evening. He would take his dinner early in the kitchen and then set himself up in the tool shed to watch for intruders. Robby would relieve him, and then Jimmy would relieve Robby … and … did she not know? Did she not realize he would lay down his life to see her safe and happy? How could she not have realized that by now?
*
What he did not know—what he had failed to see—was that letting her go and then not storming her door to declare his undying love had made things worse, so much worse.
Jewels wanted him to scream his love for her and make the hurt go away. She wanted him to get past her tantrum and save the day. She was one and twenty and still had her head full with tales of knights in shining armor storming the castle to get their women and ride off into the sunset. She wanted him to storm into her room and explain the situation no matter how badly she treated him, no matter how she tried to stop him. She wanted him to save her from her misery by forcing an explanation on her that made sense of it all. Instead she got nothing, and when it finally dawned on her that he wasn’t going to knock at her door or send her a message, she cried herself into the wee hours and finally fell asleep.