by Lucy Adams
“We must,” Lady Harrogate answered, stopping in her tracks and turning back around to face the townhouse. “Daisy, my dear, you know very well that I would have your father join us, but he would not listen to me. He refused to come to Lord Northgate’s home, and if my words would not convince him, then I fear that—”
“I do not understand,” Daisy said, as the two footmen looked at each other in concern. “Mama, whatever Papa is involved with, it does not mean that he cannot join us? I am sure that…”
Her words died away as something huge, something furious, blew out from what Daisy knew to be her father’s study window. The glass shattered all over the ground as flames of orange and red began to lick at the sides of the window. Beside her, Daisy heard her mother scream, saw how the footman caught her arm and prevented Lady Harrogate from running back to the house. She could hear the crackle of the fire and could smell the smoke, but her mind could not quite believe it, could not quite take it in.
Their townhouse was on fire. The place she had come to love here in London was now being eaten away by the flames.
And her father was still inside.
Chapter One
Two Years Later
Daisy’s heart sank low as she walked into the cemetery. It was early enough in the morning for her to see her way clearly, but to also ensure that there were very few others about. Tears began to pool in her eyes as she approached her father’s grave, remembering with great clarity exactly what had happened that night.
“Papa.”
Sinking down onto her haunches, Daisy reached out and traced the letters of her father’s name on his headstone. Nearly two years later, the pain had not yet gone from her. She had no peace, no easy sense of reconciliation. There were still too many questions, too many answers not yet given.
Closing her eyes, Daisy let out a long, heavy sigh. The night of the fire remained firmly fixed in her memory. She and her mother had stared at it, aghast, whilst the footman had held back Lady Harrogate from rushing back towards the house. Daisy had been horror-struck, wanting to save her father but knowing full well that there was far too much danger for both herself and her mother should they return inside.
From all around her, people had suddenly appeared, emerging out of the darkness. They had begun to muster enough people to throw buckets of water on the flames, although Daisy had feared it would be much too late. She had tried to help, had tried to join in, only for the footmen to insist that they continue on their path.
Lady Harrogate had been almost too overcome to put one foot in front of the other and, indeed, had needed to be supported by the footman as they had walked. Daisy had not wanted to leave, had not wanted to move from the sight of their burning townhouse, but the footmen had insisted. Lord Harrogate had put them in charge of both Lady Harrogate and Daisy’s safety, and they fully intended to fulfil what had been asked of them.
By the time they had reached Lord Northgate’s townhouse, Daisy had been so overcome with shock and fright that she had barely been able to climb the steps. Her sister and Lord Northgate had been roused at once and had come to Lady Harrogate and Daisy’s side almost immediately. Daisy could still recall just how frightened her sister had been and how she had clung to her, too afraid to tell her just what she had seen.
Lord Northgate had ridden away almost at once, only to return some hours later, weary to the bone and streaked with dirt and soot. It seemed he had given all he could to the effort to save the townhouse and that, thankfully, it seemed to have been successful. The study had been almost completely destroyed, with the drawing room next to it being badly damaged also, but the rest of the house had been saved from the fire. Her heart had leapt with hope, her hands clasping together tightly as she looked at her brother-in-law’s face, only to hear the words that she had dreaded coming from his lips.
Her father was gone. Caught by the fire, Lord Northgate had said – but there had been something in his eyes that she could not quite understand. It had only been a day or so later, when she had demanded to know precisely what Lord Northgate had seen, that he had told her the truth.
Her father had been burned badly, yes, but there had been a dagger found close to his body. When she had pried even further, desperate to find out the truth, Lord Northgate had reluctantly told her that it seemed as though her father had been stabbed first, dying from that injury rather than from the fire itself. Whether or not he had been overcome by smoke beforehand, no one could tell – but Daisy almost prayed that it had been so, in the hope that her father had been spared some pain.
“I will find the truth, Papa,” she murmured, closing her eyes and pushing her tears back. “I will not fail you in my search for justice.” Her heart ached with sadness as she thought back to her last two years of struggle. After her mourning period, she had gone back to London and stayed with her sister and Lord Northgate. Her sole intention had been to speak to Lord Templeton, to find a way to convince him to tell her the truth about the League and her father’s role within it. She had done all she could, only to find herself turned away again and again by Lord Templeton.
The first time she had met the Earl of Templeton, she had been filled with such grief and pain that she had barely been able to speak one word to him. The Earl of Templeton had been very surprised that a young lady had appeared on his doorstep some days after the fire and was insisting on seeing him just as soon as she could, but he had allowed her in and had given her time to express herself carefully and, in time, had listened to what she had needed to say. He had expressed sympathy, had thanked her for her diligence in doing what her father had asked, and had then attempted to turn her away – but Daisy had refused to do so. She had refused to even remove herself from his chair until he told her precisely what her father had been involved with.
That had been some two years ago. Lord Templeton had said he could not say much, but if she returned after her year of mourning, he might be in a position to say more. With no other choice, she had endured her mourning period alongside her mother back at their father’s estate, which had been then occupied by Daisy’s much-elder half-brother from her father’s first marriage. Charles was not a bad sort, for he had never expressed any wish for either Daisy or Lady Harrogate to depart from the house and find a new situation but had rather encouraged them to remain for as long as they needed. That year had given Daisy all the time she had required to consider her future. The idea of returning to London for the next Season and to put herself back into glittering society had turned her stomach. She could not do such a thing when there was so much grief and so much pain over her father’s death.
And so, she had determined that a life of a debutante was no longer something she wished to pursue.
“I have tried my best to find out what happened to you,” she whispered, miserably. “But Lord Templeton is determined to keep it all from me. I returned after a year as he asked, but he could give me very little information.” She sighed heavily, reaching out and pressing against the cold headstone, as though she might be able to find some answers simply by touching it. “He told me of The King’s League and your role within it, and I am truly in awe of your courage and your fortitude – but Lord Templeton will tell me nothing more. He will not state who he believes brought you to your death, nor will he state why such a thing occurred. Any request I have made has been firmly denied. The League does not include young ladies, it seems.” A wry smile touched the corner of her lips, but she shook her head and closed her eyes again, tears still coursing down her cheeks. “But I will not give up.”
Lifting her head, she took in three long breaths and forced herself to steady her composure. She would be returning to London within the hour, and her mother would, no doubt, do all she could to convince Daisy to behave as a proper young lady should, even though she knew very well that Daisy had no intention of attending any balls or the like. Daisy had made it quite clear to her mother, her half-brother, and to her sisters, Susanna and Rachel, that she was not to be pushed to
wards such a thing. Even Lord Northgate, who was very strict and not to be trifled with, had been unable to stand against Daisy’s determination. She would not allow anyone to tell her what to do. The only thing she wanted was to find the truth about what had happened to her father and to seek out justice for it.
Rising to her feet, she turned and, with her head held high, moved out of the cemetery. The carriage would be ready by now, waiting for her. She did not much like taking the carriage, but it was necessary, she supposed. Traveling back to London was difficult and arduous enough without worrying about comfort. Besides which, she would have the time to ensure that her plans were fully formed, without even a flicker of uncertainty or confusion.
“Daisy, there you are!”
Daisy looked to her left, astonished to see her mother hurrying towards her, a note in her hand.
“Mama!” Daisy exclaimed, catching her mother’s hand. “It is much too early for you to have risen. Whatever is wrong?”
Lady Harrogate swallowed hard, her eyes filled with tears. “I could not sleep, knowing that you intend to return to London again,” she answered, sending a jolt of guilt through Daisy’s heart. “And I have only just now received a letter from your sister, telling me that, now that the ton have returned to London, there are questions and rumors about you spreading throughout the city!”
Daisy frowned, finding that she cared very little what the ton thought of her. “That is not something to concern me, Mama.”
“It should be!” Lady Harrogate exclaimed, waving the letter in front of Daisy’s face. “There are whispers that you are no longer of this earth, that the grief and the pain was too much for you to bear! Susanna thinks it is entirely her fault, since she made some remark about you being lost in darkness – due to your grief, of course, but it seems that some of the beau monde believe that you are dead, Daisy! They think that since you have not been seen since that day two years ago, that you have been taken to heaven and we have buried you quietly, without pomp or ceremony.” She shook her head, her eyes still glistening with tears. “You must return to Society, Daisy. You must quash this rumor at once.”
Daisy sighed, took the letter from her mother’s hand, and read it quickly. It was precisely as her mother had said. Susanna was greatly concerned about this rumor and, whilst she had done her best to state that it was not so, she could not find the strength to overcome it completely.
Daisy felt no anxiety whatsoever. She had been in London the previous year, but not in an attempt to rejoin the ton, so it was quite understandable that so many had not seen her since the death of her father. When she had gone to London, it had been solely to meet with Lord Templeton and to do as he asked, so that she might join The King’s League and find out the truth about her father. In fact, she mused, considering things quickly, it might do her very well if people thought she was also gone from this earth. She might be able to convince Lord Templeton that she was more capable than he thought her, more willing than he imagined, and more determined than ever to find out the truth.
Looking back at her mother, Daisy felt her heart squash down hard against her chest, feeling such a sense of guilt that she was forced to take in some long breaths before she answered. Lady Harrogate had endured a great deal these last two years and, whilst Daisy did not want to upset her mother in any way, she could not allow such a sense to keep her from doing what she must.
“Thank you, Mama,” she said carefully. “I will consider what this letter contains on my way to London.” She smiled as warmly as she could and handed Lady Harrogate back the letter. “You need not worry.”
Lady Harrogate did not smile back in return. “You might then allow this rumor to continue to circulate?” she asked hoarsely, as Daisy took her hand. “Why would you do such a thing, Daisy? Have I not had enough trouble?”
Daisy swallowed the lump in her throat, hating that she was making her mother cry. “I must find out the truth about Papa,” she answered, having explained this to her mother many times before but finding that she did not seem to understand. “I cannot return to society or even consider my own future happiness without having all my questions answered.”
Her mother’s cheeks paled just a little. “And ensure that those who killed your father are brought to justice?” she asked hesitantly, as though she did not want to consider what such a thing might mean. “Is that what your intentions are, Daisy?”
Daisy paused, searching her mother’s expression and seeing the fear held in her eyes. She did not want to admit such a thing to her mother, having never done so before, but that was the truth. She not only wanted to discover who had taken her father’s life, but she also wanted to ensure that they were meted out their punishment in return. Lord Templeton had admitted that much to her, at least. He had vaguely spoke to her of those who might have killed her dearly loved father, but he had been forced to admit that no consequences, as yet, had been brought on anyone.
“I will find the answer to our questions, and thereafter, I will consider what to do,” Daisy answered quietly, seeing how her mother let out a sigh of relief. “But you know that I have every intention of finding the truth, Mama. I will not be dissuaded from it, not even by the rumors and whispers of the ton.” She smiled at her mother, who only pressed her hand tightly. “They may think me dead and gone, but you and I know very differently indeed.”
“You will be careful,” her mother stated, as though Daisy had every intention of behaving foolishly. “And you will ensure that these rumors do not become truth.”
Daisy reached forward and hugged her mother tightly, feeling her sob and finding her own heart breaking also. “You will not have to bury me too, Mama,” she promised, well aware that she could not say such a thing with definite confidence. “I will return home again very soon. You need have no doubt.”
It took some days for Daisy to return back to London. The hours sitting stiffly in the carriage, the overnight rests at various inns, and the constant jarring of the carriage on the road had left her in a very dark frame of mind, which was not at all helped by the sight and sound of the ton as the carriage drove towards Lord Northgate’s home. Her sister, Susanna, who was married to an earl, had written to say that they had intended to come to London for the Season, only for them to discover that she was now expecting their first child. Daisy had been very happy for her sister, glad that she had found some happiness still, but the pain and the sorrow had not lessened within her own soul.
“My dear sister.”
Daisy managed a small smile as her sister hurried towards her, arms outstretched. Opening her arms, she hugged Susanna tightly, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes but refusing to allow them to fall.
“How was your journey?” Susanna asked, looking keenly into Daisy’s face. “You are not too fatigued, I hope?”
“I am glad to have arrived,” Daisy said honestly. “Thank you for allowing me to stay with you again.”
Susanna did not quite manage to smile. “Of course,” she said, a little unsteadily. “I presume that, similar to last Season, you have no intention of going out into society?” It had taken some time for Susanna and Lord Northgate to become used to Daisy’s refusal to go out into society or to be seen by almost anyone, but in time, they had accepted it. Mostly because Daisy herself had refused to change her intentions and had done precisely what she wished, when she wanted to do so.
“No, I have no intention of going into the beau monde’s arms,” Daisy answered firmly. “I have come, as I did last Season, simply to try and find out more about our father’s death.”
Susanna sighed heavily and shook her head. “I do not think that such a thing is wise,” she said gently. “You know that you had very little success last Season. Why should you have any change in circumstances this year?”
Daisy lifted her chin and looked her sister straight in the eyes. “I have every intention of being successful,” she said, firmly. “I will return to Lord Templeton and insist that he divulge more.”
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br /> Susanna, who knew of Lord Templeton but not about The King’s League, sighed but nodded. “You are determined, that is for sure,” she admitted softly. “Very well. Do come in, Daisy, and let us have something to eat. You will need to rest, of course.”
Grateful that her sister was not about to start haranguing her in an attempt to get her to change her mind, Daisy smiled appreciatively and then continued to make her way through the house, towards the drawing room.
“Lord Northgate is gone into town,” her sister called over her shoulder. “He will be back this evening, and I am sure he will be very glad to see you.”
Daisy smiled, feeling more and more relieved with every step. “I shall be glad to see him also,” she said, hoping that Susanna’s easy demeanor and willingness to accept Daisy’s intentions would pass on to her husband also. “I hope his estate fares well?”
Lord Northgate had endured some difficulties with his estate over the last couple of years, what with fields flooding and crops being entirely ruined, but thankfully now all seemed to be improving. She listened to her sister talk animatedly about the new methods that were being tried out with the crops, thinking to herself that it would be very lovely indeed to have so few cares.
Whilst she knew that her sisters, mother, and elder brother missed and mourned for Lord Harrogate, none had the same drive as she did in her determination to find out the truth. They merely accepted the explanation from Lord Northgate that it appeared as though someone had broken into the house and had taken Lord Harrogate’s life.
Even her mother, Daisy considered, as she sat down, had decided to leave the matter alone. It seemed that it was too painful for her to consider any further, and Daisy knew she could not criticize that. But as much as Lady Harrogate wanted Daisy to leave things as they stood, Daisy knew she could not.