by Jo Beverley
“Harriet, how do we get from here to Hanover Square? It can’t be very far.”
“I don’t know, milady.”
“Ask that man.”
Harriet rolled her eyes, but she asked a respectable middle-aged man, who gave directions. Thea set off briskly.
“Where are we going, milady?”
“To Lord Darien’s.”
Harriet grabbed her arm. “Not tothat house, milady! It were covered in blood!”
Thea didn’t know if Harriet was referring to the murder or to other events, but she said, “I doubt it still is. Come or not. I’m going because I need some information.” She marched on and Harriet kept up, muttering.
When they entered the square, however, Thea paused to bolster her nerve. What would he think? How would he react? She couldn’t turn back now.
The square looked so calm and elegant, the central garden orderly, and the four terraces of well-maintained houses promised prosperous, decent inhabitants. She didn’t know the number of Darien’s house, but knew it had an escutcheon over the door featuring a snarling black dog. People had talked of that with disapproval.
She found it. Other than the dog, it looked un-alarming. There definitely was no sign of blood. Yet as Thea climbed the shallow steps and rapped the knocker she felt as if every window in the square held a staring witness to this witless female entering the mad dog’s lair.
No one responded, so she rapped again. The house couldn’t be deserted. She plied the knocker a third time, vigorously.
The door opened a crack and a round-faced girl stared out at her. “Yes, mum?”
The maid looked ready to shut the door in her face so Thea pushed hard and marched in. The girl gave way, gaping.
“I wish to see Lord Darien.”
The bug-eyed girl scuttled off, but not to a nearby room or upstairs. She ran toward the back of the house, doubtless to the servants’ area. What sort of establishment was this? Would a body of servants arrive to force her out?
There was no spacious hall here, but rather a wide corridor that shortly narrowed where the staircase rose. Open doors on either side of her showed a reception room and a parlor. Another door was visible farther down the corridor.
She could search room to room. Instead, she went to the bottom of the stairs and called: “Darien! It’s Lady Thea. Where are you?”
He came out of the closed door on this floor, in waistcoat and shirtsleeves, frowning. “What the devil are you doing here?”
So cold. So angry. That answered one question.
“Dealing with devilish matters,” Thea snapped to hide a spear of pain. She turned back and pointed to a wooden chair in the hall. “Harriet, stay there.” Then she marched into his room, using anger to fight tears.
It was an office of sorts, with a desk and empty bookshelves. He appeared to have been poring over densely printed books.
She turned to face him. “Where does Captain Foxstall lodge?”
“Why?”
“None of your business.”
“You’re in my house.”
Their eyes locked. Perhaps he wasn’t angry, or not in that way. Or indifferent.
He was half dressed, without cravat and with his shirt open. A vee of chest showed, making her have to swallow. His hair was disordered, as if he’d run his hand through it again and again. She wanted to smooth it.
She pulled herself together. “Maddy is with Captain Foxstall. She expects me to provide her with an alibi, but I can’t. She could be making a terrible mistake.”
“What mistake do you think she’s making?”
In his presence it was hard to think. “Perhaps only a dalliance, but I have to stop her. What if she’s eloping?”
“Is the case as desperate as that?” he asked.
“My family is strongly against Foxstall. He’s been investigated.”
“Poor old Fox. But yes, it must be stopped. It will serve neither of them well.” He took his coat off the back of his chair and shrugged into it. His hat and gloves were on a small table by the door. “I’ll go and find out what’s going on.”
“You know where he’s lodging?”
“Yes.”
“I’m coming, too.”
“No.”
He turned to leave so she grabbed his arm. “I need to.”
I need to be with you.
His muscles turned rigid and sensations rippled from there through her body. She snatched her hand free and stepped back.
His face twitched, but his voice was steady. “Let me handle this, Thea. It could be unpleasant.”
“That’s the point. Maddy’s capable of making an awful scene.”
“You can stop her?”
“Probably. And what if”—she bit her lip—“if she’s in distress?”
“If he’s raped her?” he said bluntly. “That wouldn’t serve his purpose, and he’s never had need to. He has a way with women.”
“They’re moved by his war wound, I assume,” she said bitterly.
“Often, but it’s not a war wound. He tells them a touching story, but the scar is superficial. He was born with the wry face.”
“A liar? Even more reason to save Maddy. Why aren’t we already on our way?”
He sighed, then gestured toward the door, but neither of them moved.
“Why haven’t you come to see me?” she asked.
“Our bargain was for late in the year.”
“Or for when I was next in London.”
A brow rose. “I don’t remember that.”
“Then perhaps your memory is weak.”
His lips twitched, they did. Hope unfurled.
“We’re here for the duration of Parliament,” she told him.
“And our bargain?” he asked softly. “We haven’t had enough time, Thea. You know it.”
“Do I?” She stepped closer, she had to, and raised her hand to cradle his strong neck. A pulse beat rapidly against her palm. “I haven’t changed. Have you?”
“No.”
She moved her fingers to his lips. He kissed them, but then he took her hand. “Come. Let’s rescue your cousin, though I confess I have some sympathy for those driven mad by…by desire.”
Had he almost said “by love”?
He was tugging her out of the room, but she held back. “Wait. I must tell you something. Darien, Maddy threatened me.”
“Threatened you? With what?”
“With exposure. She implied that she knew. About what we did.” She dug the letter out of her reticule. “Here, read it.”
He scanned it quickly, lips tightening. “It could be cunning guesswork.”
“But what if it’strue ? Mama told me Foxstall’s been…That Lady Harroving has been his mistress, even while he’s been wooing Maddy. Another reason Maddy mustn’t marry him, but that must be how he knows about the feathers. But how could he tell Maddy without revealing…?”
He took her into his arms. “Calm down. If there were feathers there, the story hasn’t spread. Lady Harroving might not have made the connection, but if she has she would hesitate to offend your family. In any case there are probably many similar incidents at her masquerades. If they became the tattle of the Town, she’d soon have no guests.”
Thea rested against him, where she’d so longed to be, but she felt like weeping. “I hate her knowing. Despite everything….”
“You wish you hadn’t done it. I know.”
She looked up at him. “I don’t regret you. I will never regret you.”
He kissed her gently. “I hope that’s true. But come, we should ride to the rescue.”
They parted reluctantly and walked to the door.
“If we find them, leave him to me,” Darien said. “He’s not a good enemy.”
“He’d be less likely to strike back at me than you,” she said.
“I place no reliance on that. He’s capable of anything he thinks he can get away with.”
Thea shuddered. “We have to free Maddy from him.” She
walked out into the hall. “Harriet, Lord Darien’s taking me to retrieve Maddy. You’d best stay here.”
Harriet bounced to her feet. “You’re not leaving me in this house, milady!”
“I’m taking the monster with me,” Thea snapped, then wished to heaven she’d not. She looked at him in horror, but he seemed to be fighting laughter. She smiled back—and wished Maddy to the devil. But without Maddy’s mischief she wouldn’t be here.
What should she do now? She didn’t want to take Harriet because they might find Maddy alone with Foxstall, which would be a scandal if known. But if she sent the maid back to Yeovil House, there’d be questions.
“Is there anywhere you’d like to spend an hour, Harriet?”
“And leave you alone withhim , milady?”
“I am perfectly safe with Lord Darien,” Thea said icily. “Where would you like to wait for me?”
“In Westminster Abbey, milady,” Harriet said, with a silent,Where I can pray for you to come to your senses.
“Very well. I think.” Thea looked at Darien. “How do we get there from here?”
“A hackney,” he said, smiling, but she knew he was noting her ignorance of all the practicalities of life.
Chapter 34
They left Cave House and walked out of the square. Again, Thea thought of how many people were watching and wondering. She didn’t mind now, however. His feelings hadn’t changed, so she wanted to be seen with him, to be connected to him in the mind of her world.
It wasn’t very far to the nearest hackney stand. She’d seen the lines of battered carriages in certain places and understood that they were for hire, but she’d never thought about exactly how. Darien stopped by the first in line and handed Harriet into it, then spoke to the driver and gave him money. Harriet was carried away, but not without a strong look at Thea saying,Be careful!
Darien assisted Thea into the next one, which was a much sorrier affair. The seat sagged so badly Thea worried she’d fall through, and the straw on the floor was dirty.
“I’m sorry,” Darien said, taking the opposite seat as it lurched off, “but if one doesn’t take the next in line, there’ll be a riot.”
“It’s all right,” she said. “And if it’s not, this is my problem, not yours.”
“Any problem of yours is mine,” he said simply.
Their situation was uncertain and Maddy was being a pest, but here in this unpleasant vehicle Thea felt in a perfect moment, simply because she was alone with Darien. Of course being alone with him was a scandal on its own, though she’d never understood why closed carriages were supposed to be such dens of wickedness. It would take acrobatics to even kiss in this one, especially with it rattling her bones over cobbles and swaying madly when going around corners.
She suddenly giggled.
“What’s amusing?” he asked, clutching a leather strap, but his eyes gleamed with humor.
“Oh, everything. Why the gilding?” There were traces of gold paint on the inside panels.
“Most hacks are retired gentlemen’s carriages. This one must have been grand once—a very long time ago.”
“I wonder what stories it could tell.”
They fell silent, but it was a good silence. The coach lurched to a halt, springs groaning, and Darien handed Thea out in front of a timbered inn. The sign above the door readTHE CROWN AND MAGPIE and held a picture of a magpie with a crown in its beak. A thieving bird, but it seemed a solid, respectable hostelry.
Thea had never entered a London inn before, but when she did so, it seemed little different to the ones she’d stayed at on a journey. A frock-coated man came forward to welcome them.
“Captain Foxstall,” Darien said. “Which room?”
The stocky, red-faced man pursed his lips. “Perhaps I may have your card sent up, sir?”
“No.” A guinea changed hands.
“Number six, sir. Upstairs and to the right.”
They went up, but at the top of the stairs Darien touched Thea’s arm. “Are you sure you want to be there? If your cousin’s with Foxstall, she might not welcome interference.”
“She probably won’t, but I have to be there. In case…”
“If he’s harmed her I’ll kill him for you.”
She gripped his arm. “No. No violence.”
“There are times for violence.”
It was still an issue between them, but this wasn’t the time or place to attempt to deal with it. “Then with the minimum of violence. Please.”
“It will always be as you command.”
He turned and approached the door painted with a six and she hurried after. She didn’t hear any voices beyond it. Surely the innkeeper had implied Foxstall was in. If Maddy wasn’t here with him, where was she?
Darien raised his hand to knock, but then instead he turned the handle and walked in.
Thea swallowed a protest, but in any case they entered a comfortable but empty private parlor. Thea heard voices now, from beyond an adjoining door. This was hers to do, so she walked forward and opened it—to freeze, gaping.
In a big, rumpled bed, Maddy and Foxstall were lounging and laughing. As best Thea could see, both were naked. Laughter froze as she had frozen, and Maddy pulled the sheet up over her breasts, red-faced. Then her brows rose, and she smirked.
Darien grasped Thea’s arm and pulled her back, but she twisted free and surged forward. “Maddy! Are youmad ?”
Her cousin’s laugh peeled out. “Puns, Thea? At a time like this? Oh, wipe that sanctimonious horror off your face. If you’d done as I asked, you’d not be here to be upset.”
Thea swayed. An arm came around her, a strong body supported her. She couldn’t stop staring at Maddy, and at Foxstall’s knobby, muscled shoulders and chest heavy with hair. He grinned, looking demonic with that twisted jaw. Which wasn’t a noble war wound….
“You needn’t look so very shocked, coz,” Maddy said, turning slightly to snuggle against Foxstall’s bare shoulder. “You must have guessed or why rush over here?”
“I thought you might be eloping…Maddy, I won’t let you do this to yourself.”
“It’s already done.”
Thea feared she might be sick. “I mean marry him,” she said.
“And how are you going to stop me? Tell the world?”
“Tell your father and mine.”
“Who’ll insist we marry, if not immediately, as soon as I get with child. That’s what I want. What a fool you are, Thea.”
She was. She’d never imagined that Maddy would cold-bloodedly plan something like this, but it was disastrous. She was sure of it. The man himself proved it. There was no tenderness in his expression, only sneering triumph. He showed not a trace of protective concern for the young woman he’d just despoiled.
“I won’t let you do this,” Thea cried, to him as much as to Maddy. “If you wed, I’ll make sure Uncle Arthur ties up your dowry with strings so tight that Foxstall never has free use of it. Never.”
“Bitch,” Foxstall spat.
Darien stiffened, but he said, “Come away, Thea. There’s nothing to be done here.”
But Thea couldn’t. “Look at him, Maddy. Look at him. He doesn’t want you on those terms.”
Maddy turned, but Thea rushed on.
“He’ll be a horrible husband. He’s all lies and cheats. Even his noble war wound’s a lie, and he’s been sleeping with dozens of other women in London while pretending to woo you. He won’t change. He’s rotten, and will always be so.”
“Fox?” Maddy said, her voice small.
Foxstall, however, was looking at Thea with flat malice in his eyes.
“Fox, don’t worry. I don’t believe her.”
He looked down and then pushed Maddy away. “The game’s up, Maddy, so on your way. With your cousin stirring up your family, we’ll never have a feather to fly with.”
“That’s not true! My portion’s large—”
“Not large enough for me.”
“Once we’re ma
rried, my parents will come around. Don’t listen to her!”
“Are you going to be boring?” he asked. “She’s right about the other women, the sanctimonious prig. I’m not a man to be satisfied by a virgin’s teasing for weeks.”
Maddy gasped and then scrambled off the bed, clutching the counterpane around her. “You cur, you lout!”