‘You don’t mind, surely?’
She reddened, gripped the door handle, hesitated, then said in strangled tones, ‘’Twere Lady Chesterfield wot said I must take the pieces. I never asked for nuffink only she said she’d slice me throat if I didn’t do what she said and I’d be well rewarded if I did. Wot could I do, sir?’
Felix sounded disarmingly sympathetic as he encouraged Beth to elaborate on what else Lady Chesterfield had instructed her to do until his brother cut in.
‘You could have informed Lady Rampton of the evil intended her. She’d have rewarded you for seeing to her best interests.’ Drily, he added, ‘I wonder what else you may have done to further her best interests. Delivered an important letter from me, perhaps?’ His tone was at odds with the churning in his breast: the beginnings of a tremendous tide of self recrimination. For the moment, though, he had to remain calm and discover everything he could.
Beth clearly decided she’d had enough. Clasping the bag to her chest she thrust her small frame through the door and bolted down the passageway.
She collided with Whibble, who was bringing refreshment, so it wasn’t long before she was back in the library and facing a far less sympathetic hearing.
‘I think the most pressing questions we need answered are Lady Rampton’s whereabouts and Miss Helena’s motive in soliciting your help, Beth.’ Rampton looked up from studying the instep of his shoe. ‘If you’ve stolen Lady Rampton’s jewellery, Beth,’ he went on, acidly, ‘you could be looking at the end of a noose. However if you were coerced by somebody you could expect a great deal of leniency.’
Beth dropped the bag, which made a dull thud as it landed at her feet. She looked terrified. ‘When Lady Chesterfield told me there were things that she was happy to pay me to keep an eye out for, there seemed no harm in it,’ she whispered, staring at the bag. ‘Lady Chesterfield wanted to know Lady Rampton’s habits and where she liked to go, so what ’arm was there in tellin’ her that? ’Twere only at the end when that other gennulman got involved that me nerves started to jitter.’
With a triumphant look at his brother, Felix asked, ‘Which gentleman was that?’
‘Only met ’im once, and it were enough, handsome and nice though he seemed at first. Don’t rightly know ’is real name except that maybe Lady Chesterfield called him Geoffrey Allnight once, if I recall rightly. It were ’im wot said if I failed to do me job right and see that Lady Rampton got the letter an’ if I didn’t get the jewels he’d slice me neck from the rest o’ me.’ Beth took a step back from the bag and said on a dramatic sob, ‘So there you ’ave the truth, me lord. If you don’t send me to Newgate it’ll be just the same if I meet this other feller.’
Rampton scratched his chin in an attempt to cover the extent of his agitation. How could he have been so blind? God, how utterly he had failed Rose by believing all these manufactured lies about her. Overlaying his remorse was his desperation to find her and hold her as he begged her forgiveness. She must feel utterly abandoned by him.
But where was she? This was his most pressing question, but when he asked it, Beth’s answer was terrifying.
‘Gone to Mr Alnight’s to find Lady Chesterfield and try and make her ’splain to you that it were Lady Chesterfield wot wrote that letter.’
Rampton leapt to his feet and raked his fingers through his hair. ‘Does she not know the danger? Why did she not come here first?’ he asked, though uncomfortably aware he’d hardly behaved in a manner conducive to Rose believing she’d receive a sympathetic hearing since he’d sent her away.
‘Her ladyship don’t know about any of them jewels that were stole or that it were her name put about as being in on it.’ Beth sounded as though she was recounting nothing more than a matter of fact. ‘I s’pose she thought it safe enough to visit Lady Chesterfield and her gennelmun.’
Felix rephrased Beth’s words slowly, as if his brother were an imbecile. ‘Rose has no idea of the lengths Helena and Geoffrey have gone to in order to blacken her name?’
‘Or to what lengths they are likely to go in order to keep her quiet and the rest of the world ignorant,’ muttered Rampton, struck with fresh horror as he contemplated the peril his wife faced.
Chapter Twenty-two
AUNT ALICE PUT her hands to the lace trimming of her voluminous gown and repeated in accents of horror, ‘Helena…? Eloping with Geoffrey Albright? Oh my! Poor Charles!’
‘It’s Rose I’m worried about.’ Arabella strove for calmness, clinging to the newel post in her aunt’s lobby and wishing she didn’t have to raise her voice about such a sensitive matter since her aunt appeared dumbstruck on the landing a few steps above her. ‘Helena has done some very wicked things in Rose’s name and is no doubt attempting to flee the country as we speak, but we have no idea where to find Rose.’
‘Geoffrey Albright?’
Arabella turned as Oswald sloped into the room. ‘Geoffrey Albright?’ He repeated the name in disgusted tones.
Arabella was about to make some dismissive remark in the hopes he’d go away when she was struck by his growing fury as he muttered, ‘God in Heaven, so she’s planned everything in order to elope with Geoffrey Albright!’
Arabella stepped back, frightened, as in a blinding flash, it all made sense. How often had she seen her cousin conversing with Helena, usually in dark corners? She’d thought nothing of it at the time but… She drew in a sharp breath. Dear Lord, if Oswald had something to do with the plot in which her sister was mired, he needed to tell them now.
‘Cousin Rose is not the only one in danger,’ Oswald snarled as he headed towards the door, reluctantly turning as his step-mother cried out, ineffectually, and Arabella pushed in front of him, saying urgently, ‘Wait for me! You’ll have a much greater chance of getting Geoffrey to talk to you if you take me!’
***
There was nothing Rose could do, if she did have second thoughts. Pushed out of the door by Helena, Geoffrey quickly hustled her into the hackney and it didn’t take long to see he was in a black mood.
Squeezing herself into the corner, she told herself she was in no danger. What could Geoffrey do when he found he’d been duped? He’d hardly hurl Rose through the door to risk death beneath the wheels in the middle of a London street?
‘Still angry with me?’ Moving forward, he touched her face through the veil. ‘Vanity, Helena. Or is this your silent reproach?’ His sigh was not feigned as he leant back into the squabs, his breathing heavy and his voice filled with emotion. ‘Ironic, isn’t it?’ he went on when he received no response, ‘Now that we are on the point of fulfilling our childish dreams we find that the love we once pledged would last forever has leg-shackled us to one another until death. I’m sorry for your accident but you deceived me, Helena. Certainly, your cunning has achieved the wealth that’s now to set us up. But,’ his voice grew harsher and he leaned forward and gripped her knee, ‘had I known that your confidence sprang from the fact you knew there would be no issue from our congress, I’d not have considered it a fair bargain.’
Rose knew the danger in answering, but she croaked, ‘Your wife—’
He snorted with derision. ‘I’ve been trying to sire an heir on Daisy for six years! But you, Helena, are so clever. Stupidly, I assumed you had avoided producing an heir by that milksop husband through intent.’
Rose felt the anger rise on her brother’s behalf and prayed for some opportunity she could seize for flight, as Beth had done hours earlier. Helena had not been lying when she said she feared Geoffrey. Oh, dear Lord, how had she allowed herself to be here and what good would it achieve?
‘For God’s sake, Helena, answer me!’ Lunging forward, he grasped her forearms. ‘Don’t you realize we’re tied to one another, more surely than if we were married? We have thieved and deceived … you have blackened your sister-in-law in the eyes of her husband to achieve all this. If we are caught we face the noose for our misdemeanours.’
Rose gasped, struggling in his grip as his hands fe
lt their way insinuatingly over her body.
‘My God,’ he whispered, drawing back in shock before reaching over and wrenching the hat and veil from her head. ‘Lady Rampton!’ Cupping her chin he dragged her face to within an inch of his, which was black with rage.
Rose flinched, fearing he was going to strike her.
‘What the devil? Where’s Helena?’ His voice was a terrifying whisper. Before she could reply he pounced on the bag at her feet and snatched it up, fumbling with the drawstring.
The discovery of its contents did nothing to improve his temper. With a blood-curdling howl he dashed it against the window and turned on Rose.
‘Rocks, by God!’ he screamed. ‘So you were a party to Helena’s deception all the time!’ He shook her so hard her brain rattled. ‘Where is she? Are you both so stupid you thought you could hoodwink me? Did you plan to jump out of the carriage before I discovered?’
Rose cowered into the corner while the old carriage rocked and lumbered over the uneven cobblestones. She whispered, ‘I knew nothing until I arrived at the house less than an hour ago and Helena pushed me out of the front door so that she could escape because you’d hit her.’
‘Innocent Rose,’ he sneered. ‘Doing what was best to help Helena. Why come to my house if you were looking for an ally?’
‘Beth said you and Helena were eloping.’ Rose clasped her hands to stop them trembling. ‘That’s all I knew. I was suspicious about the letter and wanted the truth from Helena.’
‘Where is Beth?’
‘She jumped out of the carriage before I reached your house.’
Geoffrey let out a crack of laughter. Shaking his head at Rose he muttered, ‘Aren’t we the fools in this madcap charade for allowing Helena to manipulate us into achieving exactly what she wants, while we wear the consequences? It’s a good thing you’re not Helena at this moment for I can’t answer for what I’d do to you.’
Rose drew in her breath on a sob. Slowly she tried to reach for the door handle but Geoffrey dashed it away.
‘Not so fast, Lady Rampton. You’ve not yet paid your dues.’ He chuckled. ‘You’re going to help me find some valuable trinkets that are going to fund my escape – and retirement – and hopefully my revenge.’
Rose bit her lip. In the last couple of minutes she’d realised there was far more going on than she’d understood before she’d blithely confronted Helena. Clearly Helena and Geoffrey were complicit in some dangerous game involving thievery and who knows what other skulduggery. And now she was alone in a carriage with a vengeful Geoffrey Albright who had never liked her.
‘What have you done?’ she whispered.
After a considered look, he said, ‘You do know that Beth stole a quantity of jewellery from Rampton’s mother’s dressing-room to coincide with your departure?’
Rose stifled the gasp that would only amuse Geoffrey as he went on, ‘And that she sewed Lady Chawdrey’s missing diamond necklace into the lining of the gown you obligingly pawned on her behalf so that when Rampton redeemed it he had overwhelming proof of your thievery and deception?’
This time Rose did gasp. ‘Helena cannot get away with this! I went to your house to find her so she’d confess to Rampton that she’d written that letter.’
‘Actually, I wrote that letter, and the one he received purportedly from you, but I confess, I was not happy about doing it.’
‘A letter from me? Why did you do it?’ Rose challenged.
Geoffrey pushed back his carefully coiffed curls. His nostrils flared. ‘To make Helena happy. She was determined to have her little revenge upon you for wrecking her liaison with Sir Hector after I’d sailed out of her life not weeks before.’
Rose, who had been slumped against the window, jerked upright in anger. ‘Would she see me hang?’ she hissed. Shaking her head, she added, ‘Sir Hector saw through her from the start. It’s a pity Charles never did.’
‘Or you,’ Geoffrey added. ‘Come to that, neither did I.’ He seemed to rally. ‘It’s time to find Helena and I think I know where she’s headed for all she was so cunning in trying to keep her own little insurance policy secret from me.’
‘I want to find my husband first.’
Geoffrey shook his head. ‘Rampton can wait. We must reach Hampstead Heath before Helena slips out of the country, laughing, while you and I contemplate the hangman’s noose.’
***
Rampton balked at the unappetizing smell of boiled cabbage though it wasn’t that which accounted for the nausea which made him clap his handkerchief to his nose.
Droplets of blood beneath the mantelpiece attested to the violence perpetrated in Geoffrey’s house, as did a damp, blood-stained handkerchief, not yet dry.
‘Where would they have taken her?’ Felix asked, looking blankly at his brother.
‘God only knows,’ snapped Rampton, crouching to pick up Rose’s bonnet, squashed and battered, from the floor by the sofa. What a fool he’d been. Rose’s guilt had seemed incontrovertible, yet he had been duped. And not just once. He considered himself an intelligent man yet he’d blindly accepted what was presented to him. Now, as he took in the dank, gloomy house he gathered Geoffrey had leased for his romantic trysts with Helena, he cursed himself for a fool. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he put the blood-stained handkerchief to his cheek. Rose’s blood? Had she been injured? Remorse and pain tore through him. If Rose had been harmed he would never forgive himself.
He opened his mouth to speak then stilled as Felix raised his hand for silence. A stealthy tread sounded in the passageway. Rampton straightened and slid into the shadows as the doorknob turned, and the door opened slowly.
A figure appeared upon the threshold. Seizing his arm and twisting it up behind his back, Rampton thrust him into the room while Felix leapt from behind.
Arabella, following in the wake of the now apprehended Oswald, screamed before letting out her breath in a relieved gasp. ‘Rampton! Have you found Rose?’
‘I’m more interested in whether you’ve found Helena,’ growled Oswald, casting a black look at Rampton as he rubbed his mauled arm.
Rampton regard him contemptuously while waiting for his heart rate to steady. He’d been ready to give Geoffrey Albright everything he deserved. ‘Helena seems to have acquired a multitude of enemies for good reason, but at this moment my wife’s safety is of greatest concern.’
Oswald exhaled on a hiss. ‘Arabella tells me Helena formed an inappropriate alliance with your neighbour, Albright, six years ago in the West Indies. Now they have vanished with more than four thousand pounds worth of the baubles I was foolish enough to be inveigled into procuring for Helena. Do you think I’m more concerned for your wife, or for my neck?’
Rampton contemplated the slimy character. ‘So your role was in the thefts and placing the evidence so it implicated Rose. What else are you guilty of? Forging those letters?’
The righteous anger in Oswald’s eyes pierced the gloom. ‘I know nothing of any letters,’ he muttered as his gaze traversed the room. With quivering nostrils, he suggested, ‘Forged letters are a useful device for facilitating a lovers’ flight, are they not? Well, Helena’s not going to get away with her evil deeds. I have as much to charge her with as you do, my lord.’ He laughed, a bitter sound though tinged with pride. ‘Ah, but it was devious. She was devious. Helena, that is. A woman after my own heart and now she’s gone. Gone with that scoundrel, Geoffrey who just sat back, waiting to reap the rewards of my labour.’
How Rampton wished he did not have to ask the question, for it painted him as the credulous fool he so keenly felt himself at that moment. Ah, but when he was reunited with his darling girl he’d make it clear he’d spend the rest of his days atoning for his lack of faith. Fear sliced through these thoughts. He had to find her first.
‘Tell me what Helena did for her ill-gotten gains. It might help piece together where Rose actually is.’
Oswald chuckled. ‘The clothes Rose pawned on Helena’s behalf…? Ros
e did not know Lady Chawdrey’s necklace was sewn into the lining. The pawnbroker was paid handsomely for his well-rehearsed act.’
Arabella gasped and rushed forward to shake Oswald, crying, ‘How have you the effrontery to confess such crimes which could send you to Newgate, Cousin Oswald?’
He put her away from him and Felix moved in, smoothly, to hold her against his side.
Oswald glared. ‘Only Helena could send me there for only she knows the energies I expended on her behalf.’ His cocky banter was replaced by a menacing energy. ‘She has all the fruits of my labours and my only reward is telling you just how black her heart really is.’
Impatiently, Rampton moved to the door. His guilt and shame were compounding by the minute. ‘I’m more concerned with Rose’s safety than Helena’s black heart. Where in God’s name could she be?’
‘Have you asked that little maid of hers?’
‘Beth is locked up at Bruton Street,’ muttered Rampton, shoving the tell-tale blood-stained handkerchief into his pocket. ‘She’d have told us anything to lessen the sentence she’s facing.’ He opened the door but Felix blocked his way, saying with sudden excitement, ‘Not if she knows other secrets and there were any chance of escape. Remember, Beth was in league with Helena. Helena used many avenues to gain the funds she needed—’
‘Poor Charles doesn’t even know she’s gone!’ interrupted Arabella. ‘We must return to the house to tell him, gently.’
‘We must return to the house,’ said Rampton, pursuing his brother’s line of thought, ‘to discover from Beth what it is she has neglected to tell us.’
***
Rose struggled to keep up the relentless pace Geoffrey had set. The length of cord that attached her wrist to his waist chafed painfully.
Her energy was flagging and her slippers were wet through and torn. ‘You can’t have trusted each other very much,’ she managed between gasps as they toiled through a thicket of gorse, ‘if Helena hid from you the ill-gotten gains that were supposed to buy your freedom.’
A Little Deception Page 28