“Nate,” she said, from the comfort of his arms. “Have you ever seen something odd in this house?”
He snorted his laughter. “All the time, love. Especially now that we have a duchess who is young enough to be a sister to me.”
Rose pulled back, instantly suspicious. “She may be young, but I assure you Mirabelle does not think of you as a brother. What has she done now?”
“Nothing I cannot handle, love,” said Nate as he tried to pull her back into his arms.
She kept him at a distance because it was ever so hard to think when she was that close to him. “Have you ever seen something you cannot explain?”
“What do you mean?”
There was nothing to it but to continue. “Well, I think I saw a ghost.”
Nate went very still and Rose wondered if this was the moment he would say something about her head wound. Instead, he asked, “Was it a woman?”
“Yes! You’ve seen her as well?”
“I believe so. At least, I hope there is only the one. It was Charlotte, who was married to the Mad Duke.”
“Yes! When did you see her?”
“Mostly when I was a child. Mother and Father were often in London, so I was here alone, where I would wander the old sections of the castle. I did not see her often, but I could…feel her.”
“It was a very cold feeling, was it not?”
“Exactly. When did you see her?”
Rose recounted seeing the duchess on her wedding night, in her dream, in the portrait gallery and that afternoon.
“Why did you not tell me any of this before?” asked Nate, sounding a bit hurt.
“Because you always thought of me as a child as I was growing up. I did not want you to think I was some silly girl.”
“I assure you it has been quite some time since I thought of you as a child, thank God. And I have never thought of you as remotely silly. But I feel bad that you have been shouldering this burden alone. I would have liked to have relieved your worries, as much as it was in my power to do so.”
“Tell me the circumstances of when you saw her.”
“The first time, I must have been about eight years old. I was lost in the old wing of the castle after dark. You see, I had been expressly warned not to go there and had heard all the stories of people seeing ghosts. So what else was an eight-year-old boy to do but go exploring where he was forbidden to venture?”
“I hope any son of ours is much more sensible.”
“Any son of ours will likely plunge head first into danger if you and I are any indication. You have not forgotten your foolhardy adventures with Win to find her husband’s killer, have you?”
“That was not at all foolhardy. There was a purpose to it.”
“We shall compromise and call it purposeful foolhardiness. Why will you not let me hold you?”
“Because I need to concentrate on your words, not your warmth and strength.”
That chuffed him up just a bit. “I became lost in the dark when my candle blew out. I was beginning to panic, when I noticed a glow lighting my way back. At first I thought it was moonlight, until I looked out at the sky, only to see there was no moon. I followed the light down the corridors as it became brighter and brighter. When I turned the corner into a hallway which was finally familiar, I looked up to see this glowing woman. I recognized her from her portrait since a year earlier I had, of course, insisted on seeing it so that I would recognize the ghost when I saw her.
“I was stunned into silence, yet I was not afraid. There was just a sense of calm. I could tell she meant me no harm. She had, in fact, helped me find my way out of the dark. She just hovered there for a while, then faded away.”
Rose held his hand. “Did you tell anyone?”
“I told everyone. I was an eight-year-old boy who had just seen a ghost. Your brothers were suitably impressed, of course. They were terribly disappointed they never saw her, no matter how many times we roamed these halls. They would be quite envious to know you’ve seen her so many times.”
“Why do you think I saw her? Was she trying to warn me about your father? I saw the Mad Duke run a man through, then woke up to find the current duke near me. Does she think he means me harm?”
“I do not know.”
“But you do believe me?”
“Love, I will always believe you. Which is yet another reason why there should be no secrets between us. I do not know why you saw her or had those specific visions. I do know there are many things we cannot explain, but that doesn’t mean they do not exist. We should be cautious around the duke and the current duchess and hope Charlotte is more specific the next time she appears.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Colin sat cooling his heels in the grand foyer of Ridgeway Manor. He had been summoned to the manor by his tenant, Mr. Babcock, and had been waiting for the man – in the foyer – for a quarter of an hour. He used the time to think about the dilemma his family was in. He had never faced a greater challenge than entrusting Rose to another man’s care when her life might be in danger. But he knew that Bancroft would grow too suspicious if the entire Emerson family moved into the castle. So, he had to do what he was worst at – sit back and let others go into danger.
He had been quietly doing what he could to get information. He had written to Arthur and Vanessa Kellington at the Home Office every few days, keeping them informed. And earlier in the week, he and his brothers had all combed through the attics of the manor house hoping to find something which would implicate Bancroft in the blackmailing scheme of Colin’s father. They had even searched once again for any sign of a long-ago Emerson fortune. He certainly knew there wasn’t one at the present time.
But their very thorough search had turned up nothing. And here he was again in the foyer of the house he had grown up in. He had so many bad memories of this house that it was just as well he did not live there now. He would have liked to have given Ava a beautiful home to go with the title of Countess of Ridgeway. But for now the dower house would have to do.
“Mr. Babcock will see you now, my lord,” said the butler, Marvins.
“Thank you,” said Colin as he was led into the study.
“The Earl of Ridgeway,” announced Marvins, who then bowed himself out and shut the door.
Babcock was at the desk writing. Colin knew the man was deliberately keeping him waiting as punishment for not marrying his harridan of an older daughter. But it was a small price to pay for not having to tolerate that woman as his wife.
“Have a seat,” said Babcock without looking up.
Colin dutifully took a seat in a chair opposite the desk. Since Babcock was still writing, Colin looked around at the room he had hated as a boy. No other room in the house reminded him so much of his father.
Colin and James had been struck countless times while standing in front of the desk, only inches from where Colin was now seated. It made him physically ill to think of it. As a man who might have a son in a few months, he could not imagine striking the child for any reason. As for a daughter, he would never consider selling her into marriage, especially to a brute of a man like Pierce had been.
Colin looked up at the painting that was in front of the wall safe. When his father died, Colin had gone through the safe to see if there was anything remaining to pay off the substantial debts he had inherited. There had been little of value and Rose had removed all the personal papers before leasing the manor to the Babcocks.
Rose. Clever, sweet, brave Rose.
“I have a business proposition for you, Ridgeway,” said Babcock, as he finally put away his pen and ledger. “It is quite a place you have here, this estate, even if you should have refunded our money when we left for London.”
“It was your choice to leave, Babcock and, as you can see, it was waiting for you when you came back. Do you wish to renew the lease?” Colin could use the rent, but that would mean having the Babcocks about.
“No. We are leaving for Boston as soon as the lease end
s in a few weeks. I have left my businesses for too long as it is. And the London marriage mart was not what I had been led to expect. Too many indolent aristocrats who wouldn’t dream of getting a job, yet they are too proud of their lineage to wish to mix it with American ingenuity and know how.”
Or, mused Colin, too many peers who decided they could not put up with being married to Miss Babcock for any price. “So what is this business proposition you would like to discuss?”
“This house, though drafty and primitive, does have a certain appeal. There are any number of men I know back home who might like to come and rent it for a few months at a time. You see, they have daughters with lower standards than mine.”
Colin wasn’t sure what the appropriate response was to that. “What is the business proposal?”
“I could refer my friends to your estate – for a simple finders’ fee, of course – and you could help matters along by compiling a list of aristocrats who need rich wives.”
“I see. However, my part sounds a bit too much like what the madame of a brothel does.”
“I am certain these men will pay you for it, in addition to the rent.”
“Now it sounds even more like what a madame does.”
“This is why you’re broke, Ridgeway. You must separate pride from business. And to show you what I mean, I already have a list of men and how much you can expect to get from them.”
Before Colin could tell Babcock the list would not help, the man was opening the safe. He pulled a thick stack of papers from it, then put them on the desk.
“That’s a nice safe,” said Babcock as he started going through his papers. “I had one at home just like it. I got a great deal of use out of the hidden compartment.”
“The what?”
“You know. The safe behind the safe.”
Everything in Colin stilled. Then he hurried to the safe and ran his hands to the back of the steel structure. “How do I open the back?”
“Don’t get your hopes up. There is nothing of value back there. No money or jewels to get you out of dun territory. Just a bunch of old papers which didn’t make sense. Some were even written in French, if you can imagine.”
“Open it for me,” said Colin, not caring how rude he was being. He had to see what was in there.
Babcock picked up a letter opener then went to the safe. “You have to slide the letter opener into the crevice in the back corner, then press down.” He slid the metal blade back and forth several times until there was a satisfying click. “There it is.”
Colin looked at the hidden compartment which was about a foot deep and just as wide. It was filled with documents. He couldn’t breathe as he prayed he would find the answers he needed.
“Ridgeway! Are we going to discuss this deal or not?” asked Babcock.
“Not today,” said Colin, as he quickly gathered up everything in the hidden safe. “But I promise to call on you again in the next few days.”
With that, he was off. A silent prayer on his lips.
* * *
Mirabelle did the best she could to keep her revulsion from showing. Bancroft had almost finished with his rutting and it was just as well that she was facing away from him for she would not have to disguise her true feelings for him. She’d already had to school her features when he had disrobed in front of her. Even imagining her young London lover’s body in place of Bancroft’s old sagging one had not helped make the interlude any more pleasant. But it was her fault for coming to him in the middle of the day.
She never initiated relations and hoped he would not discern her true purpose for having asked to meet him in his suite. No doubt the old fool’s pride would never let him even consider the possibility that passion had not been foremost in her mind. Fortunately, she hadn’t had to feign a climax since Bancroft never seemed to care if she had one.
When he finally finished with a groan, which did not, unfortunately, bring on the apoplexy she wished for, he went to the wash basin. She knew he would return directly to his study, and while she normally looked forward to his departure, she still had to address the business she had in mind.
“Bancroft,” she said, as she languidly rose without any clothes on.
“Yes?” said the duke, who looked up then stared at her naked form.
“I had a rather disturbing experience, though I do not wish to bother you with my problems.”
“You can always tell Westfield. He is most capable.” He began dressing.
“Unfortunately, this is not the type of thing Westfield should be privy to.”
“You can trust him. He has been with me for years and would not dare refuse an order.”
“Well, this is a family matter.”
“How so?” asked Bancroft without much interest, as he began to fasten his cravat.
“It is about Grayson.” She looked away, as if the topic were too traumatic to discuss.
“Mirabelle, I am too busy for theatrics. If you have something to say, tell me.”
The man was too frustrating by half. “He is not a gentleman.”
Bancroft’s hands slowed as he worked on the cravat. “He has a reputation as a rake and a gamester. I have heard the stories before.”
“But not this one. You see, I am still trying to get over the fright of it, but he made an advance.”
Bancroft’s hands stilled. “What do you mean?”
“The other day, when you were out riding and were almost killed. I happened upon him in the cellar – I was looking for that special port you favor and wanted to have a bottle waiting for you upon your return. I happened upon him and he tried to kiss me, but I held him off. There was a look in his eyes. Had I not left, I am not certain what would have transpired.”
She had Bancroft’s full attention. “Why did you not tell me this before?” he asked.
“You had nearly been killed. I was overset with concern for you. I did not want to add to your worries by laying your son’s perfidy at your feet.”
Bancroft completed tying his cravat, studying his reflection in the mirror by the bed. A mirror which Mirabelle noticed only now could have shown her expression while they were having relations.
“You are a beautiful woman, Mirabelle. It does not surprise me that Grayson would attempt to kiss you. But as I said before, he is a rake. He likely tries to kiss every woman he sees. I daresay Rose will have a difficult time trying to keep him from humiliating her at every turn.”
“It was more than that!” said Mirabelle, trying to keep her voice calm. “I think there is a possibility Grayson was behind the attempt on your life. For all he knew, you were lying dead in a field when he came upon me in the cellar. And I think that wife of his is with child.” That got a reaction from Bancroft, though he kept himself guarded. “He has a child on the way and her family to support. I think he means to become duke to gain access to your fortune. And while his wife grows fat, he wants to have his father’s widow as his mistress. I would never in a million years consent to such a thing, of course. But he is a man who will stop at nothing. Who else could have shot at you, if not him? Who else knows the estate so well? I did not want to tell you when I have only my suspicions. But I could not live with myself if I stayed silent, then something happened. Please, Bancroft, I beg of you. Make sure Grayson can never do either of us any harm ever again.”
Grayson studied her for another moment. He was a hard man to read. But when she saw his jaw clench, she knew she had won. He slowly nodded. “You have nothing to fear. Leave everything to me.” As he turned to leave, he faltered for a moment and clutched his chest.
“Bancroft, are you well?”
“Yes!” he barked at her. Then he strode out of the room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Rose had not realized just how much she missed her family until Nate helped her and Win disembark from their carriage. Ava had sent a message inviting the four of them to dinner that night. They were happy to see that Nick and Kate had also made the trip.
L
etty and Anna had run out of the house as soon as their carriage had arrived, followed by the rest of the family. Rose hugged everyone twice and happily entered the house with Letty on one arm and Colin on the other, while Win was escorted by Anna and James.
“How do you feel, Ava?” Rose asked, as if her sister-in-law’s broad smile wasn’t answer enough.
“I am doing better, though still tired.”
“Yes,” said Rose carefully, “I understand being tired is a common effect of being with child.” She looked at her sister.
“Very well,” said Win with a grin. “Alex and I have wonderful news. We are expecting a child.” The two of them were immediately enveloped in hugs as they all went into the dining room for dinner.
“I see Alex didn’t waste any time, though I am happy to be an uncle once again,” said Colin. “And I will be glad when we can get this other business behind us. Fortunately, I may have narrowed our search.” He explained about finding the hidden safe at the manor. “We spent the day poring over the papers and it appears our suspicions were right in one regard. Father was definitely being blackmailed and paying a substantial amount for the privilege, though I do not know where he was getting the money.”
“Perhaps he was more talented at gaming than we suspected,” said James.
“That would explain some of the wealth, but not all of it,” said Colin. “I am beginning to think there really was a Ridgeway fortune.”
“And my father took it,” said Nate. “I am more ashamed than words can convey.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” said Rose, as she kissed him. “We do not even know for certain if the duke is behind it. Did Father indicate he knew who it was?”
“No,” said Colin. “And it frustrated him to no end. There are papers which indicated he hired Bow Street to try to find out who was behind it, though no one ever succeeded. He even went to Bancroft asking him to investigate on his behalf.”
Always Forever (Emerson Book 5) Page 16