Lord Kane's Keepsake

by Sandra Heath

  “Lord Kane, please let me speak with you. Please, I beg of you,” she cried.

  Raine whirled about, and Dolly was startled to see that her face was pale and tearstained. Tears or not, however, Raine’s temper or venom had not been diluted. Her lips curled as she recognized Emma’s maid, and she turned back to Gerald.

  “Have her ejected immediately, for it is hardly the thing for a mere servant to demand things of you!”

  “Your carriage is here, Raine,” he replied, ignoring her advice.

  “Gerald—”

  “I have said all there is to say,” he interrupted. “Please leave now, without further embarrassment.”

  Her lips moved, and her magnificent lilac eyes beseeched him to relent, but he remained adamant. “Good-bye, Raine,” he said gently but firmly.

  Without another word she turned and walked out of the house, followed by her maid, and then by some footmen with her luggage.

  Gerald then turned to Dolly. “I cannot imagine that I wish to hear anything your mistress wishes to convey to me.”

  “Miss Emma doesn’t know that I am here, my lord.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” he replied dryly.

  “It’s true, my lord. I have come here because I think you should know exactly why Miss Emma went to Avenley House, and what happened when she was there.”

  “I am not interested in what happened when she was there, because she is no longer of interest to me.”

  “If you are not interested in Miss Emma, then I think you will be interested in the Keepsake, my lord,’’ said Dolly quickly, seeing that he was about to instruct the butler to show her out.

  He hesitated, his eyes becoming more sharp. “The Keepsake? What of it?”

  “It has been stolen from Miss Emma, my lord.”

  Dolly felt rather than saw the butler’s shocked reaction. Gerald remained very still, but then he nodded. “Very well, you have my undivided attention.”

  Dolly looked earnestly at him. “I … I think we should be more private, my lord.”

  “As you wish. Will the drawing room suffice?” He indicated the staircase. “Please come this way.”

  She followed him up to the next floor, and then he stood aside for her to enter the drawing room first. It was sunlit now, the bright morning light reflected in mirror-clad walls and gleaming on gilded wood and plasterwork.

  Gerald took up a position by the fireplace, resting an arm along the mantelpiece as he faced her. “Very well, we are alone, er, Dolly, is it not?”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “I am all ears to hear this tale of the Keepsake being stolen, Dolly,” he murmured, his tone indicating that he did not believe she would be telling the truth.

  “It isn’t a tale, my lord, it is what has indeed happened. Someone came to Miss Emma’s room and took the Keepsake from its case.”

  “Someone?” He raised an eyebrow. “Come now, Dolly, why don’t you simply admit that you’ve been dispatched here with this cock-and-bull story so that your mistress can attempt to save the match?”

  Dolly stared at him in dismay. “That isn’t true, my lord! Miss Emma doesn’t know I’m here, and everything I’ve said is the truth. It was Lord Avenley who had the Keepsake taken, and he has it now at Avenley House.”

  Gerald’s eyes grew colder. “Dolly, if this is indeed a stratagem on Miss Rutherford’s part—”

  “It isn’t, my lord! I swear it!” cried the maid. “Miss Emma is entirely innocent, she has done nothing wrong at all—”

  “Except lie to me in order to go to Avenley House,” he interrupted quietly.

  “She had to do it, my lord, for if she had not done that, then Lord Avenley threatened to ruin her and Master Stephen. He sent an anonymous note to her just as she was preparing to accompany you and Lady Castlereagh to Manchester House, and in the note he warned her that if she wished to recover the Keepsake and Master Stephen’s lOU’s, and if she also wished to save the match with you, then she was to go immediately to Avenley House. Until then she hadn’t even realized that the Keepsake was gone, and when she saw that it was, she was afraid to do anything but obey him.”

  Gerald straightened slowly, his eyes steel-bright. “If this is your notion of—”

  “It is the truth, my lord!” cried Dolly.

  He studied her for a long moment. “Why did Avenley do it? Did he give a reason?”

  Dolly hesitated. “Yes, my lord, but I’d rather not—”

  “Tell me everything, or nothing at all,” he interrupted sharply.

  “He gave two reasons, my lord. First of all, it was on account of your previous wife.”

  “Margot?”

  “Yes, my lord. He said that she had really been his and that you had stolen her from him.”

  Gerald turned away, gazing down into the heart of the fire. “So, the old hatred is as strong as ever, is it?” he murmured. Then he glanced at her again. “You said there were two reasons?”

  “Yes, my lord. The second is because he desires Miss Emma.”

  Gerald met her eyes. “Go on,” he said softly.

  “He said that originally his only purpose was to be avenged for the first Lady Kane, and that was why he decided to deliberately lure Master Stephen into debt, so that he could ruin him and make things very difficult for Miss Emma and her family. Then he saw Miss Emma, and found her so attractive that he decided to make her do as he wished.”

  Dolly had to lower her eyes as she spoke, for she found it almost impossible to say such things, especially to a gentleman of his rank.

  “Go on, Dolly,” prompted Gerald. “I want to hear it all.”

  “Lord Avenley threatened Miss Emma that if she did not do as he wished, then he would not only call Master Stephen’s debts in all at once but also deny all knowledge of the Keepsake. He also said that he would tell you she was infatuated with him, a fact that would be apparently proved because Mr. Warburton recognized me at Avenley House.”

  A nerve flickered at Gerald’s temple. “And he said all this in front of you?”

  “Oh, no, my lord. I was outside, but I looked through the keyhole, and I saw and heard everything.”

  “What did Miss Rutherford say to Avenley’s demands?”

  “That she would rather die than give in to him,” replied the maid, raising her chin proudly. “She told him she despised him, and that she would tell you what he had done. That was when he made the threats I’ve just told you about. She left then, and she was almost crying. We went back to Grosvenor Square, and when she reached her room she broke down. She sobbed into her pillow, Lord Kane, and it wasn’t her fault that any of it had happened. She is innocent in all this, but she has suffered dreadfully.

  “I managed to persuade her that she had to tell you, and she at last agreed that she would. I left her then, but I was so upset that I was crying as well, and that was when Master Stephen’s valet saw me, and so did Master Stephen. They made me tell them why I was crying, and I couldn’t help telling them absolutely everything. That was why Master Stephen left the house tonight, he was on his way to confront Lord Avenley, but something happened to him, and he was brought here to you after being found in the street.”

  Gerald closed his eyes for a moment. He could hear Emma’s accusing voice. You will not hear me out? You don’t want to know why my brother left the house tonight, or why… ? No, he had refused to listen to her, because his own damned pride had apparently been wounded by what he believed her to have done. May God forgive him. May Emma herself forgive him….

  Dolly looked at him. “She meant to tell you everything when she came here to see Master Stephen, but she found the countess here, and then you were so cold.”

  “You have no need to lecture me, Dolly, for I am more than aware of being at grave fault in this.”

  “What will you do, my lord?”

  “Do? I will call Avenley out for what he has done, even though I will find it damnably difficult to prove anything against him. He isn’t a fool, a
nd has planned this so that he can hide his own part of it. The anonymous note will not point to him, of that I am sure.”

  “No, my lord.”

  “And if he has Stephen’s lOU’s, there is no proof that he intends to call them in at once. Nor is there proof that he has the Keepsake or that he has attempted to blackmail Miss Rutherford into submitting to him.”

  Dolly’s eyes brightened suddenly. “But, my lord, I know where he hides the Keepsake. I saw him through the keyhole.’’

  Gerald held her gaze. “Where?”

  “When Miss Emma wasn’t looking, he took it from a place at the back of a clock on the mantelpiece in the drawing room at Avenley House. When her attention was distracted again, he put it back there.”

  “You’re quite sure?”

  “Positive, my lord.”

  “Then I will confront him armed with that secret knowledge. I trust that he denies all connection with the Keepsake, for then I will be able to issue a challenge that is demonstrably justified. I will take a witness with me,” he added, thinking of Lord Castlereagh.

  Dolly’s eyes stung with tears again. “Oh, my lord—”

  “Please go back to Miss Rutherford and tell her that I beg her forgiveness, Dolly. Tell her that I am very conscious of having failed her, but that I will endeavor to put things right.’’

  “Yes, my lord. But, my lord … ?”

  “What is it?”

  “I do not know that it will be enough that you believe her now, for the countess was—”

  “The countess has now departed,” he interrupted.

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “I will explain to Miss Rutherford when I see her.”

  “You may not be admitted, my lord.”

  Gerald was startled. “Not admitted?”

  “When I left, Miss Rutherford was preparing to tell Mr. Rutherford everything, including about the countess.”

  “I see. Well, that is a bridge I will cross when I come to it. You go home now, Dolly, and tell Miss Rutherford what I’ve told you.”

  “Yes, my lord.” Dolly turned to go to the door; then she paused, looking back at him. “Maybe I should not tell you this, Lord Kane, for I have already been very indiscreet today, but I think it is something you should know. Miss Rutherford loves you very much. At least, she did until last night. Now I don’t know what she feels, except that she is bitterly hurt.”

  “As well she might be,” he murmured. Oh, Emma … He looked at the maid again. “Just go to her and tell her that Avenley will not escape retribution and that she will never have to yield to his demands.”

  The maid bobbed a curtsy and went out.

  As the door closed behind her, Gerald suddenly seized a silver-gilt candelabrum from the mantelpiece and hurled it furiously across the room. “May God forgive you, Avenley,” he breathed, “and may he damn you to hell and back for what you’ve done!”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Dolly returned to Grosvenor Square, and after telling Mr. Rutherford where she had been, and what she had done, she went up to tell Emma. She found her mistress seated quietly by the fire in her bedroom in a simple leaf-green woolen gown. Her hair was not pinned up, but tied back with a matching green satin ribbon.

  The gown had a pretty frilled neckline, long tight sleeves, and a gilt belt that fastened immediately beneath her breasts. There was a fringed white shawl around her shoulders, and the book she had bought at Hatchard’s lay unopened on her lap.

  She looked up swiftly as the maid entered. “Where have you been, Dolly?”

  Dolly lowered her eyes uncomfortably. “To see Lord Kane, Miss Emma.”

  “You’ve what?” Emma gasped, rising to her feet so abruptly that the book tumbled to the floor. “I gave you no permission to do that!”

  “No, Miss Emma, but I was determined that he should know the truth.”

  Emma pressed her hands agitatedly to her cheeks. “He must think that I sent you!”

  “He did at first, Miss Emma,” the maid admitted, “but in the end he believed me. He told me to tell you that he will see to it that Lord Avenley does not do any more harm, and that he wishes you to forgive him for having spoken to you as he did. He says he knows he has been gravely at fault.”

  Emma turned away. Forgive him? How could she forgive him for the Countess of Purbeck? She looked quickly at the maid. “He said he means to see to it that Lord Avenley does not do any more harm?”

  “Yes, Miss Emma. Lord Kane is going to call Lord Avenley out.”

  Emma’s heart almost stopped within her. Another duel? Oh, please, no.

  “He said he will call on you to speak with you, Miss Emma.”

  “How can I receive him when the countess is there?”

  “The countess has gone, Miss Emma. She was in tears, and I think that Lord Kane had told her to leave.”

  “But she was there in the first place,” Emma pointed out quietly.

  Dolly lowered her eyes. “Yes, Miss Emma,” she conceded.

  “He may now believe in my innocence, but I cannot believe in his, not when his guilt is so very obvious. If he calls here I will not receive him. I intend to tell my father that I have no wish to see or speak to Lord Kane again and that I would like to go home to Foxley Hall as quickly as possible.”

  “But, Miss …”

  “My mind is made up,” Emma interrupted firmly.

  “What will you do if he and Lord Avenley fight a duel?” the maid asked hesitantly.

  “Lord Kane will be fighting for the Keepsake, not for me.”

  “Please, Miss Emma …”

  “That will be all.”

  “But …”

  “That will be all, Dolly. You may go.” Emma’s tone was emphatic and brooked no further argument.

  Without another word, the maid left the room.

  Alone, Emma hid her face in her hands.

  *

  The carriage drove swiftly out of St. James’s Square toward Pall Mall and Avenley House. It conveyed Gerald and Lord Castlereagh, the latter having been requested to witness everything that transpired at the intended confrontation with Emma’s tormentor.

  Lord Castlereagh looked thoughtfully at his friend. “On whose account are you doing this, Gerald? Your own, because of the Keepsake? Miss Rutherford’s, because Avenley has wronged her? Or does it reach back to Margot?”

  “Certainly not Margot. On that you have my word. As to your other two reasons, well, there you touch upon more important points.”

  “So, Miss Rutherford means something to you, if not everything. I am not referring to the Keepsake, but rather to a certain countess.”

  “Raine is of no consequence.”

  “No? I wonder if Miss Rutherford sees as you do,” Lord Castlereagh murmured dryly. “I happened to be looking out of my window this morning, and I saw La Purbeck departing, bag and baggage, having obviously been with you overnight. And I happen to know not only that Miss Rutherford came to see her sick brother at about dawn but also that her maid arrived just as the countess was leaving, from all of which I deduce that Miss Rutherford must be aware of the Paragon of Purbeck’s sojourn beneath your hospitable roof.”

  “Your deductions are correct, Robert, but your suppositions are not. I promise you that the countess does not occupy a place in my heart, and that I most certainly did not invite her to enter my house.”

  “Nor did you turn her away,” Lord Castlereagh pointed out succinctly.

  “You have a talent for stating the obvious. Robert, I have no desire to talk about the Countess of Purbeck, for she has not played any part in Avenley’s plot, and all I wish to do now is nail his hide to the wall.” Gerald leaned forward to open the carriage door, and men alighted to the pavement.

  Lord Castlereagh sighed and tapped on his hat before stepping down as well.

  The noise of Pall Mall was all around, a cacophony of voices, footsteps, hooves, wheels, and street calls, to say nothing of the sudden clamor of church bells. A flock of sea gulls was
startled into flight, rising from a nearby roof.

  Gerald looked at the porch of Avenley House and the glittering entrance hall, where the chandeliers were still lit. “Let’s get to it, then,” he murmured, stepping purposefully inside.

  A liveried footman appeared immediately they entered. He came from the gaming club, where chairs had been upturned on green baize tables and maids were brushing the costly carpets.

  The footman bowed, hastily doing up his braided coat as he did so. “Good morning, my lords. I fear that the club is not open this early in the day, but will be—”

  “Is Lord Avenley at home?” Gerald interrupted.

  “His lordship is resting, my lord, and left strict instructions that he was not to be disturbed.”

  “A plague on his instructions,” Gerald muttered, pushing past him toward the staircase.

  “My lord!” began the startled footman, making to pursue him, but Lord Castlereagh tapped his shoulder.

  “If you know what’s good for you, fellow, you’ll toddle off elsewhere,” he murmured.

  The footman stared at him, but then discretion got the better part of valor, and with a quick bow he withdrew into the gaming club.

  “How very wise,” Lord Castlereagh said softly, following Gerald up the staircase.

  At the top, Gerald thrust open the drawing-room doors and strode in. A maid was kneeling by the fireplace, attending to the fire, and she gave a squeak of alarm, scrambling to her feet, Gerald glanced swiftly around, but there was no sign of Lord Avenley. He nodded at the maid. “Please inform Lord Avenley that he has visitors.”

  With a rather inelegant curtsy she scurried past them both, and Lord Castlereagh closed the doors behind her. Then he looked toward the mantelpiece. “The clock awaits, my friend,” he said to Gerald.

  Gerald went to it, turning it carefully on the mantelpiece and then opening the back. There, lying on the bottom beneath the mechanism, was the Keepsake. A smile played on his lips, and he turned to look at Lord Castlereagh. “It’s here, just as Emma’s maid said it would be.”

  “So it’s ‘Emma,’ is it? How very forward,” Lord Castlereagh murmured.