August grimaced and gave a huff of irritation. “Well, do you know, that had never crossed my mind,” he muttered, tutting, and paced up and down the pavement. “Was that all?” he demanded, more nervous than ever now. “Or are you actually out here for a reason?”
“Oh!” Nibley exclaimed, suddenly remembering his part in the debacle. “Caro just wanted me to check you were ready.”
“Of course we’re ready!” August exclaimed in fury. Before he could say anything further, however, an anxious cry drifted towards them.
“Percy!”
As one, the three men turned to see the diminutive and lovely figure of Caro rushing towards them. “Percy,” she said, again, clutching at her heaving bosom and gasping for breath. “The wretch won’t come out.”
“What?” they all exclaimed in horror.
“I know!” Caro wailed, throwing up her hands in exasperation. “She’s in a foul mood, I tell you now,” she continued as August’s fondness for this plan hit an all-time low. “She said I’d been fidgeting and fretting her to death all evening and it was my own fault I had a headache, so I could dashed well put up with it!”
“No!” Percy said, looking horrified that anyone could speak to his beloved in such a callous manner.
Caro nodded, giving Percy an imploring look that seemed to make Percy swell from the inside out. He frowned hard, apparently bringing his rather forcible brain power to bear on the problem. A moment later, he stood a little taller, which was remarkable in itself, and then said, rather inexplicably, “Footpads.”
“What?” All of them stared at him, perplexed.
“I took you out for air, Caro,” he said with the most decisive air that August had ever heard. “Set upon by footpads. Not serious mind, no doctors,” he warned, wagging a stern finger at her. “Don’t want a fuss now. But you want her smelling salts or some such.”
“Oh, Percy, you’re a genius!” Caro was so overcome by Nibley’s plan that she did no less than throw her arms about his neck - some achievement considering the height difference between them - and kissed him on the lips.
The two of them froze, staring at each other in shock and bewildered ecstasy, if their rather shy but delighted expressions were anything to go on.
“Caro,” Percy whispered, sounding utterly dumbstruck as he touched his fingers to his mouth with a look of such awe that August doubted they’d get a lick of sense from him for days.
“Yes, yes,” August said with impatience, breaking the moment for them. “Percy, for heaven’s sake, hurry up and ask the girl to marry you, but not now! It’s all very lovely, I’m sure, but this is my romantic adventure, if you don’t mind,” he added, sounding rather terse now.
Caro blushed, and gave a nervous laugh. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Of course … I … I’ll go and fetch Patience at once.” She began to back away, still staring at Percy with a dazed expression before finally turning and running back down the street.
***
Patience stared at her step-sister, wide-eyed. “Footpads?” she repeated, incredulous. Caro blinked and nodded, tugging at her sleeve.
“Yes, Patience, I said so, didn’t I? Please hurry.”
Patience narrowed her eyes at Caro. The girl had been jittery and downright peculiar all day. She was most certainly up to something, though Patience couldn’t fathom what it might be. In all honesty, she was far too depressed and frightened about her own future to care. This party had been a terrible mistake, for starters. If not for Caro going on and on about her coming, she’d be at home, trying to figure out what in the blue blazes she was supposed to be doing with her life.
“Patience, please,” Caro whined as Patience returned to the matter at hand and nodded.
“Shouldn’t we fetch a doctor or something?” Patience said as they eased their way through the crush of people.
“No!” Caro replied, sounding alarmed and shaking her head so vigorously that her dark curls danced around her face. “Percy is dreadfully embarrassed and … and he’s not badly hurt, j-just shaken up.”
“Oh, very well,” Patience said, feeling guilty for not caring more about poor Lord Nibley, who was really a very nice fellow. If only he would get up the courage to ask her feather-brained sister to marry him. Life would be a great deal easier to deal with. She wondered how often she would see Caro and Cilly in the future, though, if Stephen couldn’t be persuaded to change his mind. Her heart grew cold at the idea. She must make him see sense. If they sat down and discussed it sensibly, surely she would be able to make him understand that Cilly was not the kind of overbearing and interfering woman he perhaps feared she was? Far from it. If not, however … if not, she may really have to reconsider marrying him. At least it was for a reason that had nothing whatsoever to do with August Bright. Oh good heavens, could she not keep the wretched man from her thoughts for more than two minutes at a time?
Apparently not.
Turning the corner onto a darkened street, however, her thoughts were overtaken as she saw the long and rather angular figure of Lord Nibley sitting in the street with his head in his hands and groaning in a rather dramatic fashion.
“I thought you said he wasn’t hurt!” she exclaimed to Caro, who was looking quite entertained and not at all as horrified as Patience might have expected. For some reason, the street lamps here were not lit, and only the moon cast a silvery light over the gloomy street.
“Lord Nibley,” she cried, running towards him. To her consternation, Lord Nibley looked up at her and gave her a rather awkward smile as he got to his feet.
“Forgive us, Patience,” he said. “We did it for the best.”
What Patience may have to forgive him for, she wasn’t at all aware, and more pressing matters stole her attention as a large hand covered her mouth and she was grabbed and lifted bodily from the ground.
With a muffled squeal of alarm, Patience struggled and kicked as she was hauled towards a waiting carriage. The last sight she caught in the dim moonlight was of her step-sister watching, her hand covering her mouth. For a moment, Patience could only think that the daft creature would be better off not smothering her screams but shrieking for help. Then, it occurred to her to consider that Caro didn’t look the least bit alarmed. In fact, she looked much more like she was smothering an extremely inappropriate laugh.
What the devil was going on?
All became clear as she was dropped unceremoniously onto the seat of the carriage and the conveyance lurched forward at such speed that her attacker was thrown to the floor. Patience struggled away from him, her heart beating in terror, and then a glimmer of moonlight illuminated his handsome face like an angel on a stained glass window.
“You!”
Chapter 16
“Wherein our hero is destined to be the butcher’s dog.”
“N-now, Patience, love,” August said, holding out a hand to placate her and staring at the glittering fury in her eyes with trepidation. “Don’t do anything rash now.”
“Rash?” she repeated, her voice dangerously quiet. “You mean like kidnapping me?” she shrieked, staring at him in outrage.
“I know, love,” August said, not taking his eyes from her. He didn’t think there were any blunt instruments to hand, but going on her expression right at this moment, she’d improvise if she had to. “But I was desperate. I really didn’t have a choice and …”
“Didn’t have a choice?” she repeated, sounding really rather hysterical now. “You didn’t have a choice but to abduct me from a party where half of the bloody ton were in attendance?”
Goodness, swearing, he noted with a sinking heart. She really was angry. August eased himself from his rather vulnerable position on the floor to the seat opposite her with care, taking pains to make no sudden moves. “Ah, but they’ll be none the wiser,” he said with a hopeful smile, praying he could placate her. “Nibley will inform them that you and Caro have gone home, as you’re both unwell. Then you’ll be in quarantine for several days, you see. By the time anyon
e figures it out, we’ll be married.”
He watched her, apprehension growing as her eyes widened, but she said nothing. A second later and she lunged for the door. August moved, too, grasping her hand before she could reach the handle and then hauling her into his lap as she struggled and fought.
“Damn you! Damn you, August,” she cried as the fight went out of her. “Oh, what have you done, you fool!” To his alarm, she began to cry, which he soon discovered was infinitely worse than her fury.
“Don’t cry, love,” he said, trying to put his arms about her and finding her rigid with tension. “Please, Patience, I can’t bear it.” He stroked her hair as her sobs only increased and he felt like an utter bastard. “I know you’re angry with me,” he said, his voice low. “But you don’t understand why I did it, not yet, but when you do …”
“Oh, I understand,” she replied, her voice furious and cold as the tears stopped abruptly. “For once in your life, you wanted something you couldn’t have, so you decided to take it. You’re spoiled and selfish, August Bright, and I wish to God I’d never laid eyes on you!” She forced her way out of his arms and sat with a thud in the seat opposite him as the carriage lurched. Here she wrapped her arms about herself and stared out of the window, her face the picture of misery.
August stared back at her, deeply wounded by her words. The idea that she regretted ever meeting him was one that made his throat tight. Deciding that perhaps now was not the time for explanations, he reached for the blanket he’d brought and held it out to her. Patience turned and glared at him, and for a moment he thought she’d refuse to take it, despite the fact she was shivering. Not that it was a cold night, but she was dressed only in a lovely evening gown, her arms bare, and the shock of events must have taken its toll. She snatched the blanket from him, before turning away and huddling into it.
August sighed, and settled himself in for what looked like being a very long journey.
***
They arrived at Lord Lancaster’s hunting lodge just after four PM. Patience hadn’t so much as glanced at him in the six miserable hours since they’d left Bath. August had agreed with Ben that they’d rest here, and get a fresh start first thing in the morning. His own carriage and horses were here, waiting and well-rested. They were good, strong beasts, well capable of doing the arduous journey to Gretna Green if they took things easy. There ought to be no mad panic. If Percy and Caro had done their job, then no one would suspect anything for days yet. Only Patience’s step-mother was an unknown quantity, but Caro had assured August that she’d rather have him for a son-in-law than stuffy Mr St John. Once she’d explained everything to her, Caro was certain that she’d fall in line with their plans.
There would naturally be a scandal. It was unavoidable, but August had arranged it so that the blame would fall squarely on his shoulders. He had abducted Patience against her will. She’d had no choice but to marry him. It was true enough, and he was well used to facing down scandal. The idea that Patience might forever hold it against him, however, was one he could not accept with such equanimity.
August jumped down from the carriage and held his hand out to assist Patience, who ignored it with an imperious glance, stepping down from the carriage unassisted.
“Where are we?” she demanded, looking around, no doubt, for a suitable weapon to beat him about the head with.
“Just outside Cheltenham,” August replied. “It’s Lord Lancaster’s hunting lodge.”
“Oh,” she said, her voice tart as she hugged the blanket tighter to her. “Lord Lancaster was also involved in your little scheme. So that’s how many? Caro, Lord Nibley, and Lord Lancaster?” she said, her tone bitter with fury. “Anyone else?”
“No, love, that’s all,” August replied, feeling exhausted all at once.
Patience snorted, shaking her head in disgust. “Good to know,” she muttered.
“Dammit all, Patience!” August shouted, his temper finally getting the better of him. “These people love you, they care about you. Do you seriously think I could have persuaded them to do something so bloody reckless if I didn’t have a damn good reason?”
“I have no idea what you are capable of, August,” she flung back at him, though she looked more frightened than furious now, her eyes glinting with tears in the moonlight. “You seem to be able to twist the entire world about your little finger.”
August gave a bark of laughter, astonished that she could think so. “That’s so far from the truth, love, and it certainly doesn’t include you,” he retorted. “But if you’d just listen to me, you’d understand why I did it. I was trying to keep you safe, you see.”
She stilled at that, staring at him in the darkness.
“What do you mean?”
August sighed and became aware of the men removing the baggage from the carriage, and gestured for her to move to the house.
“Come inside, Patience,” he said, the anger gone from his voice now. “I’ll explain if you’ll let me, and then you can decide if you still want to kill me.”
“Oh, I still want to kill you,” she muttered, walking off in the direction of the house.
August snorted, shaking his head. “I didn’t doubt it.”
***
Patience took the glass of brandy from August and stared into the fire that was blazing in a cheerful manner in the hearth. She suspected the room was too warm, as it was a pleasant summer’s night, but she was shivering all the same. She didn’t seem to be able to make herself stop. Sipping at the brandy, she felt the liquor uncoil in her stomach, a little patch of warmth radiating outwards, though it seemed to stop short at the chill in her bones.
Licking her lips, she glanced over at August. He looked as pale and drawn as she did, and a spiteful part of her was glad about it. Let the devil suffer. How could he do such a thing to her? The idea of the scandal that would erupt when this got out made her sick to her stomach - and it would get out. No scheme as hare-brained as this one could possibly go unnoticed. She wondered what she would say when she had to face Stephen again, as face him she must. Would he believe she’d chosen this, rather than marry him?
Patience closed her eyes in misery. How could she have believed in August when he was capable of such reckless behaviour? She’d known he was capable of it, too, and yet she’d refused to see the danger signs, or at least, she’d seem them, and stupidly believed they didn’t apply to her. She should have heeded her own advice and stayed well away from him.
“Will you listen to me now, love?” August asked her, his voice soft.
Patience glared at him. Did he actually think she had a choice?
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and Patience looked away before she could notice how the firelight glinted in the soft gold, like the sun on ripe barley.
“I wasn’t the only one concerned for you, Patience,” he began. “You were right, perhaps. I thought only of myself, at first, at least. I love you, you see,” he said, and there was a hopelessness to his voice that made her glance over at him. “I’ve never loved anyone before and … and it scares me to death, if you must know.” He gave her a rueful grin and she looked away before the beautiful face could make her forgive him for being such a devil. “Anyway, Percy said there was something about your Mr St John that he didn’t like. He didn’t trust him.”
She frowned, refusing to admit Lord Nibley had said the same thing to her. It seemed strange when the man was friends with August. She knew from Caro that Percy was often impatient and annoyed by August’s frivolity and the way he thumbed his nose at convention. Surely Stephen would be the kind of man he would approve of? She didn’t understand it.
August smiled a little at her perplexed expression. “I know. I’ll admit I’d have welcomed the words from anyone, I hate that bastard so much,” he admitted, turning his own glass of brandy in his hands. “But coming from Percy …” He paused and took a breath. “Then Ben, Lord Lancaster, said that he’d heard a rumour about the fellow, and so … well, the day
that I came to your house, to tell you …” He broke off and cleared his throat, looking unsettled. “Well, Ben went to Bristol to investigate and came away with the name of a young woman, a Miss Trencher.”
Patience felt a rush of cold water in her veins and shivered harder. August perhaps sensed her anxiety as he set his drink aside and got to his knees before her.
“Drink your brandy,” he said, giving her a soft smile. “It will help.”
Patience took an obedient sip. “Go on,” she said, the words faint as she took a larger swallow and then grimaced as the liquor stole her breath. She set the glass on the table beside her and August reached for her hands.
“God, Patience, you’re freezing,” he exclaimed, chaffing her hands between his.
Patience allowed it, reassured by his warmth and his presence, which was just ridiculous in the circumstances, but she was too tired to do anything but accept it.
“Ben and I went to see Miss Trencher,” he began, a cautious glint to his eyes. “She used to work for him, as a chambermaid …”
Patience listened as August’s words washed over her, horror and disgust and real fear growing in her heart as he continued with this sordid story, sparing her no detail.
“He hit her, Patience,” August continued, his voice inexorable as he continued the loathsome tale to the end. “That’s when she finally ran from him and … and how she ended up where she is now.”
Patience blinked away tears, too numb to move to wipe them away. She closed her eyes as August did it for her.
“I’m so sorry, love,” he said, sounding as though he really meant it. “I panicked when I heard and … the thought of you being in the hands of such a man …”
He broke off and Patience remembered what he’d said, the words Miss Trencher had given him. He gets in your head. Makes you believe you’re the one in the wrong, like you’re hurting him by being difficult. She swallowed, remembering how she’d tried to delay the wedding a little, to have a bit more time to get to know him, and the way he’d made her feel guilty for it, as though she’d been unreasonable in her demands when she knew in truth she’d been nothing of the sort. August had indeed saved her from the man, but, oh Lord, in such a manner.
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