Chester nodded. “Can you remember anything else about it?”
She shrugged, looking quite helpless, and Geoffrey joined her on the settee. He placed his hand on hers. “Try, Becca.”
She closed her eyes for a long moment. “There was a coat of arms on the carriage.”
The gentlemen exchanged curious looks.
“Can you picture it, love?” Geoffrey asked.
“Yes,” she said, her eyes still closed. “It was of an odd shape, one I haven’t seen before.”
“What was its shape, Lady Kanewood?” Chester asked.
She held up her finger and traced a shape in the air. “It was slightly elongated, almost diamond-shaped.”
“Like a lozenge?” Roberts offered.
“Yes!” she said, her eyes flying open.
Roberts blinked. “Was there anything on the lozenge?”
Her brow furrowed for a moment. Her frown suddenly cleared. “There was a bird on it. At least I think it was a bird.”
Geoffrey looked at Chester, who in turn shrugged his shoulders.
“An eagle, or perhaps a hawk?” the blond-haired man asked.
Becca shook her head. “No, much smaller. It was in profile. Sitting, I think.” She turned to Geoffrey. “Is this important?”
“It could be, love. We just want to know everything.”
“Don’t you remember anything, Geoffrey?”
“I’m afraid not. Other than the sight of those horses coming toward us, I draw a complete blank.”
“I hate to see you worried.” She gently stroked his cheek.
He stood and urged her to her feet. “Why don’t you go upstairs and rest, Becca? I’ll entertain these two rogues.”
Geoffrey escorted her to the door.
“She’s enchanting, is she not?” Roberts asked Chester.
“Yes. And very happily married, Roberts.”
Roberts turned with a devilish grin. “But does Kane know how to keep her happy?”
Geoffrey stilled as the man’s words penetrated his thoughts, then closed the door sealing Becca out of the parlor. He turned back to his friends. “Would you care to clarifty that statement, Roberts?”
The man grinned in answer.
“Don’t give a thought to charming her, friend,” Chester said. “Kane has a jealous streak as wide as the Thames where Rebecca is concerned.”
“As you say, Chester,” Roberts agreed.
“Damn right,” Geoffrey gritted between his teeth. She’s mine.
“Easy, Kane,” Chester said wryly. “I don’t want to watch my two friends duel.”
“And whose second would you be, Chester?” Roberts asked.
“The only second I’ll take on is a second apple tart that my cook makes,” Chester quipped.
The men shared a laugh and Geoffrey put aside Roberts’s apparent infatuation with his wife as they set about the business of deciphering what Becca had told them.
Roberts again mentioned the lozenge on the carriage. “It was a lady’s carriage, Kane. That much is clear.”
“True,” Geoffrey said.
“But what of the bird?” Chester asked. “Do either of you recognize it?”
“I don’t,” Roberts said. “Perhaps there was more on the coat of arms besides the bird.”
“That’s precisely what I was thinking,” Geoffrey added. “But I’m still confused. Why a lady’s carriage?”
“Perhaps someone is jealous of your lovely wife.”
“The carriage may have been borrowed,” Chester offered.
Roberts scratched his chin. “Hmm. Perhaps I’ll pay a call on a certain lady whose acquaintance has proven helpful in the past. She’s an insufferable gossip, and I’d wager she’d know on whose crest sits a small bird.”
The other two knew of whom he spoke. She was a married woman, and quite taken with the very handsome viscount.
“This goes beyond the call of duty, Roberts,” Geoffrey jested.
“Yes.” The viscount rolled his eyes. “What I won’t do for a friend.”
“Come, Roberts.” Chester grabbed his arm. “I say we leave Geoffrey to the care of his wife.”
“Thank you both,” Geoffrey said.
“We’ll let you know if we learn anything,” Chester said.
Geoffrey sat down behind his desk, feeling much better for having brought his two friends into the mess, Roberts’s infatuation aside. He only hoped that nothing untoward would happen before they could get to the bottom of it. As long as he was in danger, so was Becca.
He’d die before letting anything ever happen to her again.
Chapter 18
For the next week, Geoffrey held several meetings with Lords Chester and Roberts. The latter had an interesting bit of news to share one afternoon after his visit to the enamored gossip.
It seemed that a certain young widow was in a bad way financially. Lady Joan Balsam, the married woman so fond of Roberts, told him that Priscilla Brooks was in dire straits. Her late husband, the Earl of Brookdale, had amassed gambling debts before his untimely demise. Lady Joan was only too happy to add the fact that Lady Brookdale had practically nothing left except her pretty face.
“Does a bird figure prominently on Brooks’s coat?” Geoffrey asked.
“Yes,” Roberts answered. “A quail.”
“Were you able to learn if Lady Brookdale is involved with anyone?” Chester asked.
“No.” Roberts shook his head, a crooked smile on his face. “It seems that Lady Joan was quite jealous of my interest in the lovely widow.”
Geoffrey nodded, returning the man’s smile. “It’s a wonder you got out of their with your virtue intact, Roberts.”
“I thought that I’d pay a call on the poor, lonely widow,” Roberts volunteered.
“That could prove interesting,” Chester added. “Do you think she’d be involved in this?”
Roberts shook his head. “From what I remember of the late earl’s wife, she’s quiet and shy.”
“The earl died only a few months past, I believe?” Chester asked Roberts.
“Seven months, according to Lady Joan. Why?”
Chester stood and paced as the other two men watched expectantly. After a while, he spoke. “It seems to me that she wouldn’t be openly involved with anyone. Could she have let someone use her carriage that day?”
“It’s possible.” Geoffrey looked at the clock on the desk. “Gentlemen, if you will excuse me, I promised my wife that I’d change and be ready to escort her to dinner this evening.”
His friends stood then, crossing to the door.
Chester pulled the door open and turned. “Are you going to any of the parties tonight, Kane?”
“Rebecca and I plan to make the rounds, yes. Though with the possibility of someone wishing me harm, I’m tempted to keep her out of the line of fire.”
“You don’t know if this was deliberate,” Chester said. “It seems your wife isn’t the type to let you wrap her in silk and keep her at home.”
Geoffrey smiled. “Hardly.”
“How is she feeling?” Roberts asked.
“She’s feeling just fine, thank you,” Becca said from the doorway.
The men turned to her. She was dressed for dinner, wearing a gown of deep violet. She smiled at them in greeting.
“Rebecca.” Roberts grinned. “You look marvelous. You must be feeling better.”
“It’s a pleasure to see you so well,” Chester said.
Geoffrey joined his friends at the door. “Hello, love.” He took her hand and drew her to his side.
“Geoffrey, it seems I was left to find my own way to dinner.”
“Put the blame squarely on us, Lady Kanewood.” Chester smiled. “We kept your husband from you.”
“Yes.” Roberts bowed. “We beg your pardon, Rebecca.”
They took their leave and Geoffrey pulled her into his arms.
“I’m sorry, Becca,” he said softly. “I’ve been closed in with those two for too long.
”
“I forgive you, Geoffrey.”
“Come upstairs and help me get dressed for dinner?”
“I daresay were I to assist you, we’d both go hungry.”
“Hmm. I see the truth in your statement.” He kissed her. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, love.”
She nodded and left the room, bound for the parlor. She found John and Patricia within, and froze. After their confrontation in the hallway the other day, she was still very uncomfortable in John’s company.
“Good evening, John,” she said stiffly. “Hello, Patricia.”
“Rebecca,” Patricia responded cooly.
John stared “How are you this evening, Bec— Rebecca?”
“Very well, thank you.” She took a seat on the settee.
“Good evening, everyone,” Lady Margaret said as she joined them. “And where is my eldest son, Rebecca?”
“He was detained by Lords Chester and Roberts, Lady Margaret. He should be down in a few moments.”
Geoffrey strode into the parlor just then, barely acknowledging his brother and sister-in-law. He kissed his mother on the cheek and took Becca’s hand. “Sorry to keep you waiting, love.”
They went in to dinner and, afterward, went upstairs to ready themselves for the round of parties.
* * * *
By the time they reached the third party, Becca was growing tired. It was a large affair, and the rooms were quite crowded and noisy. After greeting their hostess, Geoffrey grasped Becca’s elbow and led her to the main ball room. He bent his head to hers. “Would you care to dance?”
“Actually, I’d like to rest for a moment.”
“Certainly, love.”
He led her over to a row of chairs and sat beside her. They were almost immediately surrounded by Geoffrey’s friends.
“Kane!” Viscount Leed exclaimed. “Where have you been all evening?”
“Rebecca and I have been making the rounds, Leed.”
“Lady Kanewood, how are you?” Chester asked.
“Very well, thank you. We’ve been having a splendid time.”
“Good evening, Kane,” Lord Roberts intoned, shouldering his way between Chester and Leed. He took Becca’s gloved hand in his. “Rebecca.”
“Good evening, Lord Roberts,” she said.
“Kane,” Chester began, his tone light. “Leed and I would like a word with you when you get a chance.”
Geoffrey looked uncertain.
“Go on, Kane,” Roberts said. “I’ll keep Rebecca entertained.”
After a brief hesitation, Geoffrey agreed to speak with the other gentlemen.
Becca arched a brow. “Is anything wrong?”
He shook his head. “Don’t fret, love. I won’t be long.”
He kissed her lightly and followed Leed and Chester to the other side of the room.
Roberts took the chair her husband had vacated, his leg brushing lightly against hers. She barely noticed his closeness, her eyes still on Geoffrey. He turned his back to her then, deep in conversation with the other two gentlemen. With a sigh, she turned back to the man seated beside her.
His eyes sparkled as they ran over her. “May I say, Rebecca, that you look splendid this evening. Like a goddess.”
She smiled at his choice of words. “It’s the gown, I daresay.”
Roberts shook his head at her. “No, though it’s quite beautiful.”
She nodded at his compliment. “Thank you.”
Roberts began to amuse her with stories about the other party-goers. Each time one passed by, he’d tell her something of them. Most of the stories were from when they were all young and foolish. She smiled to learn that even members of such high society had their mistakes and foibles.
* * * *
Across the room, Geoffrey listened intently to Leed. The man had worked with them many times over the years, and was very trustworthy in Geoffrey’s opinion.
“Kane,” Leed began. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but someone has been passing notes in your name.”
“We were aware of that, Leed.”
Leed’s piercing blue eyes bore into Geoffrey’s. “No, you don’t understand. Someone is pretending to be you.”
Geoffrey looked from one man to the other. Chester nodded solemnly.
“But who would do such a thing? I’m surely not the wealthiest peer, not by many standards.” Geoffrey sucked in a breath. “Who held these notes, Leed?”
Leed shrugged. “Therein lies our problem. The notes passed through a few hands before ending up on your solicitor’s desk for payment.”
“I was afraid of that,” Geoffrey said. “When they informed me of the notes, I had no notion of their origin. I daresay they poured over the ledgers with a fine-tooth comb to discover any errors, though now we know the notes were forged.”
“The notes were paid, then?” Leed asked.
“Of course,” Geoffrey said. “They had no way of knowing I hadn’t written them myself. Can they be traced, Chester?”
“That’s what Roberts is looking into now. He and Leed here will try to find out who held them originally.”
Geoffrey nodded and opened his mouth to comment. He heard Becca’s laugh then, a sweet sound that carried from across the room. He turned and watched Roberts with his wife. Their dark heads were nearly touching. The viscount was obviously using all of his charm on her. Becca laughed again, placing her hand on Roberts’s arm.
Geoffrey’s eyes narrowed. “Gentlemen, if you will excuse me. I think my wife needs my attention just now.”
He reached Becca’s side, drawing Roberts’s attention as the man leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Telling tales, Roberts?”
Becca looked up at him, tears of laughter in her eyes. “Geoffrey.” She giggled. “He knows the silliest stories.”
Geoffrey nodded, smiling at the delight on her face.
Roberts sat back. “And all of them true, God help us all.”
She laughed again. Geoffrey stood over the other man, waiting for his intentions to become clear. Roberts, however, didn’t catch his meaning quickly enough.
“If you will excuse us, Roberts,” he said, taking Becca’s hand. “My wife has promised me a dance.”
She stood up and smoothed her dress. She happily let her husband lead her out onto the dance floor.
“Did you enjoy Roberts’s stories, love?”
“Yes, very much so. Only he wouldn’t tell me any about you.”
He arched a brow at that. “What is it you would like to know?”
She shrugged. “Just a bit about you when you were young and mischievous.”
“I never got into the slightest bit of trouble, I assure you,” he answered in mock-severity.
“I don’t believe that for a moment, husband.”
He smiled at her, drawing her closer. “Never mind.”
“Hmm,” she said, a playful look in her eye. “Perhaps I can persuade Lord Roberts to tell me all your secrets.”
He stiffened for a moment, not liking the idea of her being alone with the man. He also didn’t want her to know about his government work years ago, when he’d been embroiled in heated debates regarding Parliament’s insistence that England have no standing army.
He and Roberts, along with others, had worked furiously in the background to bring changes to the system, finding nothing but frustration at every bend. He saw his efforts as a failure, and preferred to keep the matter from Becca’s observance.
“Geoffrey, what is it?”
He shook his head and flashed her a smile. “Nothing, love.” He lowered his voice. “And we already share the most delicious secrets.”
A faint blush covered her cheeks as he brought his lips to her ear and whispered all the intimacies he wanted to share with her that very evening.
* * * *
With the Season nearly at an end, Geoffrey and Becca returned to Kanewood. Geoffrey was eager to get out of London and the danger it presented. Becca and Lady Margaret would be invol
ved with preparations for the ball they would host in just two weeks. Many of the friends they had seen in town would come up to Kanewood for the bash to celebrate their nuptials. Of course, with the estate being so far flung from London, they would all stay for a time. It promised to be a lengthy affair, with the men hunting and the women gossiping for at least a week. A true house party set in one of the loveliest parts of England.
Becca and Lady Margaret wrote out the invitations while still in London, making sure all were delivered. The replies began to arrive at the townhouse the day after the invitations were sent. It seemed that all of the earl’s acquaintances were looking forward to celebrating their union, as well as spending a week in the country on the beautiful Kanewood estate.
They stopped at the Raven’s Inn on the way back home to invite Thomas to the affair. His chest puffed out with pride to be included in the festivities.
Once back at Kanewood, Lady Margaret began her tutelage. Becca listened intently to the woman, for Kanewood had hosted many an affair when Geoffrey’s father was alive. The older woman went over such matters as planning the menu, and selecting what types of flowers with which to dress the ballroom. The men would undoubtedly entertain themselves during the days as the hunting was quite good. And Lady Margaret was looking forward to spending unhurried afternoons in good company and pleasant conversation.
The day before the guests began to arrive, their preparations were long-finished. The staff readied the guest rooms and the kitchen was prepared. That morning after breakfast, Becca took herself up to the nursery to visit with Ann. The little girl squealed happily to see her aunt. Becca told her that she’d missed her very much when they were all in London. She played with the little girl, even sharing her snack of milk and biscuits. Ann seemed to crave the attention and it was a shame that the child’s mother didn’t show such affection to the girl.
Geoffrey found Becca in the nursery later. Ann seemed shy around him and stayed close to Becca’s side.
“Hello, Ann.” He smiled down at her. “How are you this fine day?”
“Hello, Uncle Geoffrey,” she said softly.
He turned his attention to his wife. “I wished to see you, love. Before I went out.”
“Where are you going?” Becca asked him.
“I need to see to those repairs we spoke of.”
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