“Feeling better, I hope?” asked Wynbrook.
“Feel like I was shot,” said Dare. “I expect you’ve come to talk about Kate.”
The man certainly did not waste time with pleasantries. “Yes, I thought we should have a discussion.”
“Help me up, will you? What I have to say can’t be said rightly when I’m not even wearing my trousers.”
“Is the invalid allowed to leave his bed?”
“If the invalid can do so without being caught in the act.” Darington attempted to stand up and grimaced in pain.
Wynbrook was about to ask if it was a good idea but held his tongue. From the determined look on the man’s face, he would not be dissuaded, and Wynbrook did not wish to irritate him.
Wynbrook called for a footman to play the office of valet and, once his friend was dressed, helped Dare downstairs. On the way, Dare asked the butler to call for the local magistrate, a different man in that part of the country from the man Miss St. James had tried to approach, so they could report the incident of the robbers.
“That should be an interesting conversation,” Wynbrook commented.
Dare merely nodded as he made his way slowly into the main drawing room, where he practically collapsed onto the settee. The drawing room was sparely furnished, with nothing more than two chairs, a settee, and a few side tables. There were no decorations of any sort or personalized touches that made a house a home.
“Now tell me what you wish to say about my sister,” said Dare grimly.
“You are aware she asked me to help find you and we have been on the road together for some two days in the process,” said Wynbrook with some anxiety as to how this conversation would progress.
“Yes, and I also know how you met with her in the study the night before we left Arlington Hall.” Dare met his gaze evenly, his tone and facial expression revealing nothing.
Wynbrook felt his blood run cold. How much did Dare know? “Kate told you?”
“No. But it is my responsibility to look out for her. I am wondering what you think your responsibility is to my sister.”
“An offer of marriage will be forthcoming, if you approve.”
“It is not my approval you need concern yourself with. Kate won’t like it. There are things you ought to know about her, but they are not for me to tell.”
Wynbrook waited for a moment, hoping Dare would continue, but the grim man said no more, leaving Wynbrook to wonder what secrets Kate hid.
“Things about her past?” asked Wynbrook, hoping he could prompt Dare to be a bit more forthcoming.
“Yes, things in her past that still affect her. Kate is unlike any other lady you will ever meet.”
“I am well aware,” said Wynbrook.
“I understand there may be some attraction between you. I also understand that you have performed admirably in protecting my sister and the lives of Miss St. James and myself. I want you to know that I do not hold you obliged to make an offer of marriage. If you wish to walk away, please do so with my thanks for services rendered to my family.”
“Thank you, but I do not choose to walk away. In truth, my wish to marry your sister goes far beyond any sense of obligation.”
“In that case, I need your word as a peer of the realm that if you make such an offer to Kate, you will not rescind the offer once you know her history more fully.”
A sense of foreboding hung heavy in the stark drawing room. Wynbrook wondered what horrible secrets lay in Kate’s past that would cause her brother to make such a statement. Wynbrook paused a moment to consider if there was anything about Kate that would change the way he felt about her.
“You have my word, my offer of marriage will stand firm. There is nothing about her past that would dissuade me.”
“I hope you have the fortitude to match your words with action.” Dare gave him a look so severe and so solemn, Wynbrook had to fight the urge to stand to his feet and snap the man a smart salute.
Wynbrook was saved from one difficult conversation by the arrival of the magistrate, which was fraught with its own difficulties. Darington began relating a version of the tale told by Lady Kate to the servants, while Wynbrook called on the butler to bring some tea and biscuits, noting in a friendly manner that it was cold outside and the magistrate must have come in a great hurry to arrive so soon.
The magistrate informed them he had been on his way to visit friends in Brighton and the messenger had caught up with him on the road. It seemed prudent to come at once, so as to know whether or not his planned visit needed to be postponed. Dare soon related the facts such as he felt fit to be shared, and Wynbrook regaled the man with cheerful banter.
If the man began to ask questions down a dangerous line of reasoning, Wynbrook made sure the man was offered more food and artfully changed the subject. He found the man was an avid fisherman, and they talked of hooks and baits and the best places to ply one’s craft.
As the magistrate prepared to leave, he reassured Wynbrook and Darington that he would set his fellow magistrate straight regarding the true nature of the crimes and begin to look for the men responsible. The magistrate was in quite good humor and felt confident enough that the highwaymen would soon be apprehended.
“Well played,” said Dare after the man left.
“And you as well,” said Wynbrook. “Do you think the magistrate’s men will be able to apprehend them?”
Dare slowly shook his head. “They seemed too crafty to stay in one place long. I guessed they had tried to hold Kate for ransom, but they never asked me for money or even took my watch.”
“Did you ask them why they had abducted you?”
“No. I was either unconscious or pretending to be, waiting to escape. I hoped they would talk freely and I would learn more that way, but other than going to meet a captain, I learned nothing more.”
A mystery to solve and a marriage to propose. Wynbrook had quite the full schedule ahead of him.
Twenty-eight
Kate woke with one thought.
He would leave.
Now that Robert had been found, there was no need for Wynbrook to stay and every reason for him to go. She should have been pleased at the outcome, and of course she was. Robert had been found alive and it appeared he would make a full recovery. Only a few days ago, she’d feared her brother was lying dead in a hedgerow, so this was the best possible outcome.
Looking out her window at the sparkling reflection of the sun on the ocean, she was strangely disappointed to see the adventure end and wondered at her own reaction. Was she so used to excitement and danger that living without left her strangely flat? It was odd that she had never felt this way when Robert had left her in Gibraltar. On the contrary, she had enjoyed the quiet time to herself, even when Robert had been gone for months.
Even in her isolation, she had never felt this sense of disappointment. Perhaps it was because her time with Wynbrook was finally coming to a close. The truth rattled, unwanted, around in her brain. She fought against it, but even she had to acknowledge that she had enjoyed his company and had come to trust him.
Kate sighed and rang for help getting dressed. She chose a simple but becoming white muslin and allowed the maid to dress her hair a bit more around her face than her usual severe bun. She could not possibly be dressing for Wynbrook. No, not possible.
Kate took a moment to wander through the house, taking stock of its condition. The rooms were barely furnished with the basic necessities. No knickknacks or personal touches decorated the rooms. Not even a throw rug on the floor cheered the spaces. Kate disliked clutter, but even she found the space sterile and uninviting. The house had a rather vacant and forlorn feel.
Kate entered the sitting room and found Wynbrook and her brother already there. Wynbrook and her brother had each taken one of the chairs, her brother ensconced with a stack of newspapers. With her entrance
, they both rose briefly until she settled herself on the settee, but only Wynbrook spoke. “Good morn to you, Lady Kate. You look well this morning.”
“Thank you,” she replied, trying very hard not to be delighted in his compliment. She thought she was looking quite tolerable until Miss St. James waltzed into the room.
Emma entered the room looking as fresh as a daisy. Kate had heard the expression before, but until she met Miss St. James, she had not known what it meant. With blond ringlets framing her face, sparkling blue eyes, and a perfect peaches-and-cream complexion, Emma did in truth remind Kate something of a daisy. She had a quaint little rosebud mouth with rose-colored lips to match. Her simple muslin frock was fresh and snowy white. She was several inches shorter than Kate and decidedly plumper, with a generous bosom and rounded hips. Overall, she looked like a girl who had stepped out of a portrait, more perfection than an actual real human being.
Her brother had barely glanced at her when Kate entered, but for Miss St. James, the paper was laid aside and he vaulted to his feet, though it clearly pained him to do so. Kate glanced at Wynbrook to see if he also had fallen under the spell of the deliciously ripe Emma St. James, but he was looking at Robert with amusement in his eye. Kate turned back to Miss St. James with more charity in her heart.
“Miss St. James, so good to see you this morning. I trust you had a pleasant night. Here, please sit.” Robert motioned for her to take his own seat and then, without dropping his eyes from her face, sat in the seat across from her without realizing that he had just usurped Wynbrook’s chair.
Wynbrook only smiled at this and joined Kate on the settee. Kate scooted herself all the way over to the side in order to prevent any of her touching any of him, yet still his thigh brushed up against the fabric of her gown. Of course it was not inappropriate but she could not help but glance more than once at that strip of fabric that rested along his thigh.
“What brings you on your journey, Miss St. James?” Kate asked Emma to distract herself from sitting so close to Wynbrook.
“Oh, I have embarked on a remarkable journey,” said Emma with a wide-eyed smile. “My stepmother has arranged for me to marry a man in America. I know it seems a bit unusual to wed someone you’ve never met, but he and his family were close friends with my stepmother’s family and he is quite a respectable man. I also confess an interest in seeing parts of the world that are foreign to me and cannot wait to see what the American shores might look like. It all seems a very great adventure, though my journey has already been so exciting, I am not sure if America will be any more thrilling than this.”
“I have sailed to the Americas and other territories many times for trade,” said Dare.
“Oh! You must tell me everything you know, so I can be prepared for all the fun I will have on my arrival.”
“But what if you don’t like this man you are supposed to marry?” Kate was never one to avoid pointing out the obvious even if it was an unwelcome grounding from flights of fancy.
“I am sure that will not be a problem. If we decide we are not compatible, then I will simply return home with my maid.”
Kate said nothing more, and the line in Robert’s brow deepened significantly. Kate feared Emma may be in more trouble than she imagined if she decided against the marriage. Kate was not sure how to broach the subject with her though, and in the end, it was really none of her concern. It was only that Kate felt a sense of obligation to Miss St. James since she had helped to save her brother’s life.
There was a slight pause while everyone in the room shared concerned glances for Miss St. James’s well-being, save the lady herself, who seemed quite at ease and unaccountably happy.
“I do not suppose I could trouble you for a look at one of your newspapers?” she asked Robert, who immediately handed her the entire stack, including the one he was reading.
“Thank you! I am so glad to catch up with my reading. I have not been able to get the Times for several days since I began my travels.” She donned gloves to keep the ink from staining her hands.
“You enjoy reading the paper? Capital,” praised Wynbrook. Kate also thought it admirable for her to read the paper, though was not pleased to have Wynbrook point it out.
“Not really,” said Emma with a smile. “I mainly read for the society pages.”
“I also enjoy glancing at them from time to time,” said Wynbrook with a playful banter. “Mostly, of course, to see if I am listed.”
Kate rolled her eyes at such an abominably arrogant thing to say, though she suspected that the words were only spoken to tease. Determined not to rise to such easy bait, Kate addressed Emma instead. “You enjoy the gossip columns?” Once again, Kate was surprised that a woman who had clearly been trained in medicine and could keep a cool head in times of crisis would be amused by such trivial societal pursuits.
“Oh yes, I confess I do. I’ve never been to London, and so I enjoy reading about the intrigues of the society ladies and gentlemen,” said Emma with infectious excitement. “Of course, it’s the closest I will ever come to London. In truth, it reads like one of my stepmother’s novels. I cannot wait to open the page and find out what happened next. With all this excitement, I am a few days behind in my reading. I believe I shall begin three days ago.”
“That was the day of my sister’s wedding. Lady Jane to Sir Gareth. I hope it was mentioned. It would please my other sister, Anne,” said Wynbrook.
“Let me see.” Emma bowed her golden head before the newspaper, her eyes gleaming. “Oh yes, here it is, the wedding of Lady Jane. They say the bride looked radiant and the wedding attracted all the notables of society.”
“Ah, my sister will like that,” said Wynbrook.
“Since Lord Wynbrook is eager to make an appearance in the pages, do tell us if he has been identified.” Kate gave Wynbrook one of her biggest smiles.
“Let me see,” said Miss St. James from behind her newspaper, missing the sarcasm in Kate’s tone. “Why yes, I do believe he may be. All may not be entirely well for Lord W in his own quest for matrimony, for Lord D has refused Lord W’s offer, saying he would never relinquish his sister to him. Will Lord W ever find a bride? We know many a matron who would be happy to supply her daughter for such a prize!”
Miss St. James looked up over her paper, her smile fading as she noted the look of confusion on the faces of her new friends. “Oh!” Emma turned to Kate, her mouth a perfect oval. “Were they speaking of you?”
“I hope not,” grumbled Kate. “But what is this nonsense of you talking to Wynbrook about me?” she demanded of Robert. Had he truly tried to scare Wynbrook away from her?
Wynbrook and her brother exchanged equally blank faces. Finally, Wynbrook blinked in sudden recognition. “I know. The conversation we had about sailing away from society when we were speaking of your ship. You said you would never relinquish her to my hands.”
“Oh, the Lady Kate.” Robert shook his head.
“Your ship is called the Lady Kate?” asked Miss St. James. “That is unfortunate.”
Kate, Robert, and Wynbrook all exchanged a similar glance. It was indeed most unfortunate.
“Shall I continue reading?” Emma asked.
“There won’t be any mention of us the next day,” said Wynbrook with confidence.
“But I believe there is,” said Emma, her head behind the newsprint. “On the return to London, Lord W was seen riding away from Town with the sister of Lord D. No one has seen either of them since. Could the two lovebirds be making a run for Scotland with the brother in pursuit? We leave it to your fertile minds.”
Kate’s heart stopped beating for a moment. Someone had seen them. She’d been so worried about her brother, she had not thought for one instant about the repercussions of being seen leaving in a coach with Lord Wynbrook. Robert’s mouth was a thin, firm line. The humor had drained from Wynbrook’s face. Silence pervaded the si
tting room.
Miss St. James took up the next paper and they all waited for her to read it. Later, Kate would wonder why Emma had to be the one to read the column, but somehow it was she, the only one whose life did not depend on the few sentences written, who was the neutral party to read out their fate.
Miss St. James cleared her throat. “Lord W, along with Lord D and his sister, remain missing. Though a shocking elopement can be the only explanation, Lord W’s family remain strangely silent. Of course, who can blame them?”
Emma gave Kate a sympathetic smile. She was a kind executioner.
“Anne will ring a peal over my head,” muttered Wynbrook, putting his head in his hands.
“This is nonsense,” said Kate in a voice that did not quite seem her own. “We simply need to tell people that…” She paused but could not quite think of what story they could tell. The truth was the stuff of those ridiculous lurid novels, even without the peg leg. Who would possibly believe them?
“We shall tell people we planned to meet Darington on our journey,” said Wynbrook, straightening his spine. “We then traveled together to your home, where we were married.”
“Married?” Kate glanced around the room, silently pleading her case to all present. “Surely there can be no cause for anything so extreme.”
Silence once again reigned in the sitting room. Miss St. James sat pretty as a picture, her hands clasped demurely in her lap.
“Robert?” Kate barely mouthed the word.
Robert’s face was grim. He directed his comments to Wynbrook. “I should not wish to entrap you into any arrangement you would not otherwise choose. You have done us a great service. More from you is not required or expected.”
“Thank you, my friend, but there is nothing else that can be done. We shall be married as soon as may be.”
If the Earl Only Knew (The Daring Marriages) Page 22