by Anne Herries
‘I thought you rather partial to his company?’ Paul’s eyes narrowed as he looked at her. ‘At one time I thought you might marry him, Lucy?’
‘I did not then know all I know now.’ Her cheeks were warm as she looked up at him. ‘I considered it when...because I thought...’ She was flustered and could not continue. ‘Judith warned me at the start that he was a rake, but I did not believe her. I did not know then that he once broke her heart.’
‘Then you are not in love with him?’
‘No, not at all,’ Lucy assured him. ‘How could I be when...?’ Once again she faltered and could not go on. ‘Oh, I think they are going into the gallery to dance. Shall we go...?’
Paul inclined his head, offering her his arm. She glanced at Daventry, but saw that he was not looking at her, his eyes intent on Judith who was speaking to some ladies and gentlemen. From the air of excitement about them, she guessed they were talking of the race and her cousin was enjoying herself.
Perhaps Paul was right, she thought, Judith seemed to attract attention without even trying. She would have thought it better to forget that infamous race, but perhaps her cousin had no choice. Besides, it would be forgotten within a few days, for there was sure to be some other amusing scandal to divert the minds of the society gossips before long.
* * *
Lucy had forgot her cousin as she allowed Paul to lead her into the small but merry group of dancers. They went through the first set of country dances together and then became part of a little group of young people who exchanged partners between dances and kept themselves amused.
Once or twice Lucy had looked for her cousin to join them, but she did not come into the gallery and she thought that perhaps Judith did not care to dance since her fiancé was not present that evening. After the supper dance, Paul took her into the room where a delicious buffet was laid out for the guests. She saw Judith with Lady Dawlish and they went up to them as they chose their meal from the various trays and dishes.
‘You do not dance this evening?’ Lucy asked, spearing a tiny morsel of chicken. ‘Those peas look nice—shall you try them?’
‘No, just this lobster tart,’ Judith said, ‘and perhaps a syllabub.’
‘Oh, yes, they are very good.’ Lucy took one of the tarts herself. ‘Why don’t you join us for supper, dearest?’
‘I should like that, but I am promised to some friends. I have been playing piquet and must continue after supper.’
Judith looked a little distracted and Lucy sensed that something was bothering her. ‘Is anything the matter?’
‘No...at least...’ Judith shook her head. ‘No, I am sure he did not mean it.’
Lucy saw an anxious look in her eyes. ‘Did Daventry say something to upset you earlier? I saw him come in.’
‘Yes, it was most unpleasant,’ Judith replied. ‘He threatened me, Lucy...but I told him that I would not be cowed by him and left him standing. I joined the friends I told you of and have been with them since. I have not seen him since so I believe he left.’
‘What did he say to you?’ Lucy asked indignantly, but her cousin gave a little shake of her head.
‘I cannot tell you here, dearest, but I shall tell you when we are home. I am so glad that you did not care for him...you would have been very unhappy—’
She broke off as Lady Dawlish came up to them. ‘Dear Captain Ravenscar has arranged for a waiter to bring champagne to our table—that one by the window,’ she said. ‘Do you have all you want, Lucy? Judith, you are joining us?’
‘I am engaged to friends.’ Judith smiled regretfully. ‘I shall see you both later.’
She went off to join a little group of ladies and gentlemen. Lucy and her mother sat down at the table by the window and were soon joined by Paul, who had prevailed upon a waiter to bring them not only champagne, but more of the delicious food.
‘It is always so comfortable to have a gentleman looking after one,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘The Earl of Daventry was here earlier, but he did not stay. I think he came only to speak to Judith, for he went off after she spoke to him. I thought it a little odd in him, for he did not even come to greet me. Do you imagine something has happened to upset him? He did not even nod to me.’
‘Did he not, Mama?’ Lucy sipped her champagne. ‘I should not be surprised if we were all mistaken in him. He has charming manners, to be sure, but I am not certain he is to be trusted.’
‘Why, what can you mean?’ her mother asked, looking shocked.
‘Oh, nothing, just that I have discovered I do not think him quite the man we all believed him.’
‘Well, perhaps you may be right,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘It was certainly not polite of him to go away without at least speaking to me. If he continues in this way, I may have to write to your papa and ask him to escort us home at the end of the week.’
‘There is not the least need,’ Paul said. ‘Please do not put Lord Dawlish to the trouble when I am here to escort you anywhere you need to go. I know there is a ball tomorrow evening, but I had thought we might take a box at the theatre the following evening.’
‘Yes, that would be nice,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘It is our only free evening, for we hold a small dinner the following day and there is another card party the following...and then of course we leave for home at the end of the week.’
‘Shall you be pleased to be home, Miss Lucy?’ Paul asked.
‘Yes, I think I shall, though I have enjoyed my stay here. Judith will not return with us, for Elver is to escort her to London to buy her bride clothes. She is writing to her mother’s Aunt Susan and expects to stay with her until the wedding...which I believe will be held at Elver in six weeks’ time. She has asked me to be her bridesmaid, which I should like very much, and so I think we shall all come down for the wedding—Papa, too, would you not think, Mama?’
‘Certainly we shall all come for your cousin’s wedding,’ Lady Dawlish replied. ‘Are you certain you are able to stay until the end of the week, Captain Ravenscar? What of your dear father?’
‘Father is as well as he can be for the moment. He insisted that I stay as long as I wished.’
‘Well, I dare say we might cut our stay short...though we could not leave until after our dinner, of course.’
‘I should not dream of asking you to cut short your stay,’ Paul said and smiled. ‘I believe they are dancing again, Lucy. Do you care to dance again?’
‘Oh, I think not,’ Lady Dawlish said and smiled at him graciously. ‘We have monopolised your time too much this evening, Captain. Lucy may bear me company in a rubber of whist, if she will, and perhaps you would care to join us. Mr Henderson will make our fourth. Here he comes now.’
Lucy made a little face behind her mama’s back as she got up to greet her friend. She would have liked to go on dancing with Paul all night, but they had already danced three times, which, she knew, was enough to start the tabbies gossiping.
‘Mama is only trying to protect me,’ she whispered to Paul as they followed her mother to the card room. ‘I do not wish to dance if I may not dance with you.’
Paul laughed softly and took her hand to press it. ‘I shall call for you in the morning,’ he said. ‘You will allow me to take you driving?’
‘Yes, if you will let me drive for a little,’ she said, giving him a sparkling look.
‘Of course...’
They had entered the card room. Lucy saw that there were ten tables set up, and once they sat down all the tables were fully occupied. However, she could not see Judith anywhere. She continued to look for her until the first hand was played, then spoke directly to her mama.
‘Judith said she would not dance because she was engaged to play piquet with friends, but she is not here—and there are no empty seats.’
‘Perhaps she is still in the supper room,’ Lady Dawl
ish said. ‘Pay attention to your cards, my dear. Your cousin is well able to take care of herself.’
Lucy glanced down at her cards and played a small club. However, she could not concentrate on her cards and she and Paul lost the next few tricks because she did not follow the trumps. Her mother remonstrated with her and she forced herself to concentrate on her cards, succeeding in taking the next two tricks.
‘That is better, Lucy,’ her mother said and placed a ten on the table, which Lucy trumped with her Jack.
She looked about the room constantly, hoping to see Judith, but grew anxious as the evening drew to a close and spoke to Paul as they rose from the tables.
‘I am concerned for Judith,’ she said in a low voice. ‘She told me that Daventry threatened her earlier. She said she intended to play cards and I think something has happened to her.’
‘Surely not?’ he said, arching his left eyebrow. ‘He could not snatch her from under the noses of so many people.’
‘No, I suppose not,’ Lucy replied. ‘Yet where is she?’
‘She was perhaps tempted to dance or caught up with some friends...’
They walked through into the main salon, which was by now thin of company. Everyone was taking their leave of the hostess and Lucy’s feeling of foreboding had begun to grow. Her cousin could not simply have disappeared—so where was she?
‘Where is that girl?’ Lady Dawlish asked, a note of irritation in her voice. ‘She must know that we are ready to leave.’
‘I shall look in the gallery.’ Lucy walked swiftly from the room before her mother could stop her. She looked inside the long gallery, which had been cleared of furniture for the evening; it was empty apart from a little group of four, who were still talking and laughing.
‘Have you seen Lady Sparrow?’ Lucy asked and was met with shakes of the head and denials. They had not seen her since supper.
Lucy returned to her mother and Paul. She was feeling very anxious now. ‘She is not here,’ she said, her eyes flying to Paul’s. ‘No one has seen her. I am frightened. I think she has been abducted.’
‘Do not be foolish, Lucy,’ her mama told her. ‘How could she be abducted?’
‘She is not here. I’ve asked and no one has seen her since supper.’
‘Then she must have called for a cab and gone home. I am sure it was most impolite of her to leave without telling us, but she is a law unto herself.’
‘No, Mama, I am sure she would not,’ Lucy said, beginning to feel very anxious. ‘My cousin is independent, but not thoughtless.’
‘Are you looking for Lady Sparrow?’ a voice asked and she whirled round to see a young woman looking at her. ‘I saw her go out to the garden after supper, but I did not see her return.’
‘Was she wearing her cloak?’ Lucy asked, her fear for Judith mounting.
‘No, merely a light stole, which she had worn all evening,’ Miss Lemon said. ‘I thought it odd that she did not return, for she was promised to us for cards. When she did not join us we found another to take her place.’
‘Now will you believe me, Mama?’ Lucy asked.
‘I dare say she called for a cab and went home,’ Lady Dawlish said, but she was frowning, a little cross. ‘She is a thoughtless girl to cause you so much worry, Lucy. Come along, I imagine she will be in her room resting, for I must suppose she felt unwell—after the excitement of the day I dare say she should never have come out this evening.’
Lucy turned to Paul, her look beseeching him. ‘Will you come with us, sir? I do not believe Judith went off alone.’
‘I shall follow you,’ Paul replied with a slight frown. ‘I shall make some enquiries and discover what I can.’
Lucy was forced to follow her mother to their carriage. Once inside, Lady Dawlish began to complain bitterly.
‘I cannot think why I agreed to have the girl to stay with us,’ she said. ‘She has been nothing but a trouble to us both...flirting with Captain Ravenscar the way she did. I know that hurt you, Lucy. I wonder you will stand up for her the way you do.’
‘Judith did not mean to hurt me, Mama. I told her that I did not care for P—Captain Ravenscar. I thought he had forgot me and...’ She caught her breath in her throat. ‘Judith told me at supper—the earl threatened her earlier in the evening. She told him to leave her alone and that is why he went off in a temper.’
‘Threatened her?’ Lady Dawlish looked uncertain for the first time. ‘In what way did he threaten her?’
‘She promised to tell me later, Mama. It was something serious, for she could not speak of it in company for fear of being overheard. I think he was angry because she became engaged to Elver this morning. I think he wants her for himself.’
‘Then why did he dance attendance on you?’ Lady Dawlish demanded. ‘Oh, it is all of a piece, I dare say. If the wretched girl wanted him, why did she flirt so with Captain Ravenscar? I cannot understand the ways of the young these days.’
‘I am not sure, Mama, but I think at first she flirted with Paul Ravenscar to punish him for scolding us for driving on the road, and then...then I think she was not sure how she felt about the earl. You see...they were once in love.’
‘Then you may depend upon it that the wretched girl has gone off with him.’
‘No, she would not,’ Lucy said. ‘She told me she cared for Elver and was happy with her engagement. She had thought she might care for the earl, but his behaviour towards me gave her a disgust of him.’
‘Then she will be at home,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘Do not look so anxious, my love. I am sure your cousin is laid down on her bed with a headache.’
* * *
Lucy followed her mother into the house and ran upstairs without waiting to take off her velvet evening cloak. She burst into her cousin’s bedroom, hoping that perhaps her mother was right, but the room was empty. Judith had not returned to the house. Lucy was checking her cousin’s clothes and possessions when Lady Dawlish entered the room.
‘She has taken nothing with her, Mama,’ Lucy said, her face pale. ‘Had she planned to leave us, she would have had her maid pack her things...’ Judith’s maid, Anna, entered the room at that moment. ‘You have not seen Lady Sparrow since we left this evening?’
‘No, Miss Dawlish,’ the girl said, clearly puzzled. ‘She went to a party with you.’
‘This is beyond me,’ Lady Dawlish said, finally struck with anxiety. ‘What can have happened to her? My brother would never forgive me if anything should happen to her while she was in my care.’
‘She has been abducted,’ Lucy said and the maid gave a little scream. ‘No, do not cry, Anna. I am sure he means her no harm... At least. I think he means to compromise her so that she is forced to wed him.’
‘Surely not?’ Lady Dawlish was now truly concerned. ‘He is a wicked rogue. He must not be allowed to get away with this—but what can we do?’
Lucy heard the knocker downstairs. ‘That will be Paul,’ she cried. ‘He will tell us what we must do.’
She ran out of the room, leaving her mother to deal with the maid and to warn her to be discreet. Reaching the hall just as Paul was admitted, she went to him at once. He raised his brows and she shook her head at him, holding out her hand.
‘Please come into the parlour, sir. We must talk.’
Paul followed her inside. As soon as the door was closed, Lucy turned to him, taking urgent hold of his arm. She gazed up at him imploringly.
‘It is as I thought, she is not here. Her room has not been touched—all her clothes are still here.’
‘So she did not plan to run off with him.’
‘No, indeed, she did not,’ Lucy said. ‘I knew it from the start. Judith opened her heart to me earlier this evening. She was happy, looking forward to buying her bride clothes and to her marriage. I do not say that she is head over hee
ls in love with Elver, but she respects him and she likes him very well. She had got over any feelings she’d had for Daventry. I think because he did not behave well to me, the scales fell from her eyes and she saw him for what he truly is—a heartless flirt who cares not how many hearts he breaks.’
‘Yes, I think you are correct in your estimation of Daventry,’ Paul said, looking thoughtful. ‘He is a rake. I know something to his discredit, for it happened in Vienna, and it was whispered that he had behaved shamefully to a young widow. The scandal was hushed up for her sake, but he was asked to leave. I ought to have spoken out before, and indeed, I did try to warn you, but your cousin seemed in no danger. What can have made him abduct Lady Sparrow from beneath our very noses?’
‘She thinks he wants her fortune,’ Lucy said. ‘He was angry when she became engaged to Elver. I can see no other reason for it.’
‘There are men who like to make mischief for the sake of it,’ Paul said thoughtfully. ‘He might have felt himself ill used if she had encouraged him to think... You will admit that your cousin has a wayward streak in her. I think she cannot resist making men fall a little in love with her.’
‘I know she has a mischievous manner at times,’ Lucy said. ‘She is headstrong and cannot bear to be told what she must or must not do—but she is not heartless. I do not think she encouraged the earl. Indeed, I heard her quarrelling with him once.’
‘Then perhaps he means to force her into marriage...’
‘She would be so miserable. It must not be.’
‘I am not sure what we can do about it. It may already be too late. Her disappearance this evening will already be talked off in Bath—she has been careless of her reputation, Lucy, and people will be quick to censure.’
‘It is so unfair. She is merely a little thoughtless and does not deserve this. We have to find her, Paul. We have to get her back before he...’ She caught back a sob. ‘Can you not try to find her...before Elver knows what has happened?’