The Wicked Wager

by Anya Wylde

  “Now, drink up, and then off to bed with you.”

  Some of the colour was returning to her face, and Prudence quickly swallowed her tea and escaped to her room.

  Emma got up as well, “I think I am coming down with whatever bug Prudence has picked up. I am going back to bed to sleep until dinner.” She paused, and before leaving said to Catherine, “Take care of the earl, will you? I cannot possibly keep my eyes open.”

  Catherine gaped at her departing cousin. The last thing she wanted was to entertain that man. She wanted to avoid him, especially after last night’s kiss.

  She had also wanted to use the excuse of feeling under the weather to hide in her room. She could hardly pretend now, as the other two had beaten her to it. Unlike Emma, she had not even had the foresight to throw in a few yawns during breakfast.

  “You look pale, my dear. Perhaps something was wrong with the food yesterday. Would you like to rest as well?” Lady Babbage enquired.

  She wanted to jump at the ready excuse, but perhaps it was better to get it over with as soon as possible. She would have to face him sometime, and better to see him alone first and get herself under control than make a spectacle of herself in front of everyone at dinner.

  “No, I am truly fine, Aunt,” she replied, pushing aside her chocolate. She left them alone to go hunting for the earl. Now that she had decided to face him, there was no point in dawdling.

  Lord Raikes, meanwhile, strolled out of the library, unaware that the object of his thoughts was looking for him in the garden. He went to the breakfast room to fortify himself with a cup of coffee. He sat chatting with Mr Barker and the duchess while he wondered where the young ladies had disappeared to.

  Catherine was quickly losing her nerve. She reluctantly took a turn outside, and then sighing with relief went back indoors. Perhaps the earl was occupied with the duke. Latching onto the excuse, she ran for the library. She, too, would hide out in her room until dinner, she decided. Why should she be the only one forced to entertain the man when she had got no more sleep than the other two? She would see him at dinner, and then take it from there.

  She cautiously opened the door to the library and peeked inside. It was empty. Grinning at her foolishness, she strolled over to the books.

  She chose five titles at random because she wasn’t sure what she wanted to read. Balancing the books one on top of another, she nudged the door open with her hip and found the earl staring down at her.

  She dropped her books in confusion. This was the first time she had seen him since the kiss, and her addled brain vaguely registered him bending and picking up the novels.

  “Here”

  Absently she reached out for them, and her hands brushed against his. Neither of them wore gloves. She felt as if she had been burned, and she snatched her hands back.

  The heavy books fell to the ground, one of them landing on her toe. She looked at him with eyes filled with pain and accusation.

  He reached out for her, and Catherine panicked. She ducked under his arm and ran towards the stairs.

  He leaned his head against the door post as he watched her departing back. A low growl of frustration escaped him.

  ***

  The dinner that night was subdued. Prudence picked at her meal and barely contributed to the conversation. Catherine’s colour was high, though she managed to go through the entire meal without a single mishap. Emma was the only one in good spirits; her long nap had done her wonders.

  The women retired to the salon soon after dessert, while the men passed the port.

  Lord Raikes sat swirling the ruby liquid in his glass. The duke had excused himself soon after the ladies departed, for he had an urgent business to see to. That left him alone with Mr Barker. He would have excused himself as well, for Mr Barker was dreadfully dull, but good manners forced him to sit until his glass was empty.

  “Do you speculate, My Lord?” Mr Barker asked, eagerly leaning forward in his chair. It was clear the man had been waiting to catch Lord Raikes alone. He drummed the table with his fingertips as he continued, “I ask only because I have two excellent business opportunities. The duke is very keen on one of them, and he as good as signed the document to invest in that scheme. Now, I would have kept this to myself, but you are, after all, going to be part of the family. So I am willing to share the details with you.”

  Lord Raikes frowned at the tapping finger. The man was sweating, he noted. His reasons for sharing a grand business opportunity with him just because he would be a part of the duke’s family soon sounded unconvincing.

  Mr Barker was not the duke’s family, and even if he had been, he doubted the man felt any familial duties. He ignored his daughter and his wife and barely spoke to Emma. He kept his face expressionless as he nodded politely.

  Mr Barker took this as an encouraging sign; his fingers drummed faster as he said,

  “There is a gold mine in central Africa. We need finances to send experts to find the area and buy it off the current owner. You can imagine the returns on such an expedition.”

  “Why doesn’t the current owner sell the gold himself? Why do you need experts to find the area? Is it lost?”

  Mr Barker looked annoyed, and his fingers stilled. Lord Raikes heaved a silent sigh of relief as he waited for the reply.

  “We know of it. I heard from a retired colonel of impeccable reputation that one such mine exists. Due to unfortunate circumstances a number of workers died in the blast the last time it was worked on. The locals believe it to be cursed; hence, they have neglected it and choose not to speak of it. I am sure the owner will be willing to sell it at a reasonable price.”

  Lord Raikes frowned. He did not believe for one moment the duke would indulge in speculation. It was too risky, and too many peoples livelihood depended on him.

  This gold mine sounded vague, and he had the feeling Mr Barker was lying when he said the duke was willing to invest in any such venture. Still, he could not outright deny any interest, and politeness bid him to hear the man out.

  “Africa is a dangerous country with an alien terrain. It would be hard to coerce the locals to speak to you, even if you do manage to communicate with them. The country is vast with a variety of languages, and finding a translator would be a task in itself.” He continued in a kinder tone, “What about the other venture?”

  Mr Barker brightened visibly as he spoke,

  “I have a crew ready to go across to India and bring back a ship filled with exotic spices and silks.”

  “The risks seem high, do they not? I know the returns are good as I know of people who returned with enough wealth to live comfortably for years. But how will they reach their destination, with pirates plaguing the waters? An inexperienced crew would never be able to handle such a long and dangerous journey, even if they do manage to stay afloat through ocean storms.”

  “But the crew is experienced, My Lord. Why, they have made the trip five times in the last five years and have always been successful.”

  He frowned at the reply, disliking the man for outright lying to him. He spoke coldly now,

  “If, as you say, they have travelled to India and been successful five times, then they must have amassed enough treasure to have no need for financial assistance. Why then are they asking for money?”

  “You know how expensive England is getting, and these men only know sails and spars. They have squandered their money, and unlike us, they have no business head,” Mr Barker replied comfortably.

  “I find it hard to believe that in one year they spent an entire fortune that a ship filled with Indian spices brings. Why, it is as coveted as gems and jewels, and the earnings would have kept each crew member in comfort for a long time. I fear you have been deceived, Mr Barker, and I have my doubts if the duke would invest in such a scheme. I implore you to stay away from such speculations. They are risky and the returns rare.”

  Mr Barker clenched his hands around the glass, and Lord Raikes hesitated momentarily. Yet the man had
lied to him, and his conscience did not allow him to extend his assistance.

  If Mr Barker had conducted himself well and treated his wife and daughter as a man should, then he would have, without a question, offered some financial aid to the man. But he had his doubts about what Mr Barker would do even if he did give him the money. The man was foolish, and he would probably throw the entire sum away in some ridiculous venture or a gambling hall.

  He tossed his drink down and politely excused himself to join the woman in the other room.

  Catherine spent the entire evening cleverly avoiding him. She sat talking to Lady Babbage until the older lady decided to retire for the night. She decided to follow her aunt’s example and quickly made her excuses and departed for bed.

  Lord Raikes lost interest in the company soon after her departure, and seeing his downcast mood, the others too became bored and turned in for the night.

  ***

  It was cold and muddy the next day. Catherine happily refused to accompany Emma on her walk.

  Prudence still looked unwell, and finally it was just Lord Raikes, Emma, and Lady Babbage, who chose to take a stroll in the garden.

  The earl watched Lady Babbage and Emma approach with Lord Raikes in tow. He quickly sat up so that the party had a clear view of him with his shears. They would not have a chance of a whispered conversation, as Lady Babbage seemed to be glued to Emma’s side today. He nodded to them as they passed by.

  His eyes followed Emma’s departing back, but it was Lady Babbage who grabbed his attention by halting a few feet in front of him. He forced himself to focus on the old lady instead of Emma’s appealing behind.

  Lady Babbage was rummaging around in her sewing basket. She waited until Lord Raikes and Emma had walked a few feet away from where she stood, before turning her head and giving the earl a piercing look. Satisfied that he was watching her intently, she dropped a piece of paper on the ground. She glanced back at him to ensure he had seen the paper. She surreptitiously inclined her head towards it, and then walked briskly to catch up with Emma.

  She had just made his job easier by seeking him out it seemed. He got up as soon as the party turned the corner and snatched up the paper.

  A single line was scrawled on it in an untidy, cramped script,

  Weeping Willow Pond, Eight P.M

  The earl frowned and crumpled the note in his fist. He had wanted to find out what she required of him, but now that he had the chance he hesitated. Did he really want to enmesh himself in such a tangle? He already had his work cut out; did he truly wish to go courting something far more dangerous?

  It was just the matter of speaking to the woman. He would listen to her, and he may be able to warn the duke of some impending danger.

  He did not have to heed her wishes, since she had no great hold over him. The worse she could do was to inform the duke and his best friend. That was not a drastic situation. Besides, his curiosity was too great for him to let go of such an opportunity.

  Chapter 21

  Lord Raikes and Emma walked quickly, trying to outpace their chaperone. Lady Babbage strode just as fast, looking not the least bit out of breath.

  They eyed the old woman irritably, increasing their speed. Their race was halted when they crossed the orangery.

  “Isn’t that the duchess?” Lord Raikes inquired, staring at a figure standing in the distance.

  “I wonder what she is doing here? She seems to speaking be to a man. Who is he do you think?” Emma asked.

  “Perhaps a worker? She must deal with any number of people on the estate,” he mused.

  “No, she does not. Catherine is the one in charge, since her grace is normally indisposed,” Lady Babbage remarked blandly.

  “She seems to giving him something. I cannot see what it is … looks like a package of some sort,” Emma said, shading her eyes to see against the glare of the sun.

  “The duke may have requested her assistance. Catherine may have been busy,” he replied, unconcerned.

  “I suppose so.”

  “Come, let us turn back,” Lady Babbage said, pulling Emma’s arm.

  With a last look at the duchess she complied, and they turned back to the house.

  ***

  Emma returned to her room to change out of her muddy clothes. The entire beastly walk had been a waste of time.

  Lady Babbage had not left her alone for even a minute, which had made it difficult for them to have a meaningful conversation.

  Lord Raikes quickly changed with the help of his valet. He decided to go the morning room hoping to run into Catherine. He hated the way she had been avoiding him since he had kissed her.

  He strode towards the room and opened the door to find the duchess and Lady Babbage having a heated argument.

  “I am warning you …”the duchess snapped, before she registered Lord Raikes’ presence.

  Lady Babbage pushed her chair back and walked out without a word of greeting. He stared at the duchess in surprise, which quickly turned into alarm. Her face was almost white, and she was shaking with suppressed rage.

  He rushed towards a pitcher on the side table and poured a glass of lemonade. He handed it to her and then knelt down to hold her hand, “Drink some, it will help.”

  She complied. Her trembling stopped, but her colour did not improve. He worriedly soothed her, all the while wondering if he should run for the duke, when the door opened, and Catherine walked in.

  She took in the scene of Lord Raikes stroking the beautiful duchess’s hand and jumped to the wrong conclusion. Her face flushed in anger and embarrassment. Her prejudiced mind barely registered her stepmother’s pallor, her eyes full of accusations.

  Lord Raikes guessed her thoughts and sighed. He spoke irritably,

  “Your mother is ill. Perhaps you can help her?”

  Catherine looked back at her stepmother and noticed how pale she truly was. Contrite and concerned, she rushed to her side. Kneeling beside Lord Raikes, she asked, “What is it?”

  “Nothing, it will pass. Don’t worry, just call for some coffee. That should revive me.” Her voice sounded stronger.

  The coffee was called for, and she took her place next to her stepmother.

  “Did you argue with aunt?” Catherine inquired.

  “How did you know?”

  “I saw her face outside in the hallway. I tried to speak to her, but she brushed me aside.”

  “We just had a small disagreement,” the duchess replied weakly.

  “Mother, you have never liked her. Why don’t you say something to the duke?”

  The duchess looked at her in surprise, “We had tried to keep it between ourselves. How did you guess?”

  “You avoid her, and every time I walk into the room and the two of you are alone, I can feel the tension. You have lived with her for years yet never developed a bond. I know she is difficult, but I still wonder why you never hinted your concerns to the duke?”

  “We are both adults and can solve our own problems. You cannot get along with everyone, and living under the same roof is bound to bring out some differences. Besides, I did not think it was my place to request the duke to move her some place else. It is his decision as to who is a suitable chaperone for you. Even if I do not agree, I cannot do anything about it. She is, after all, my sister-in-law.”

  Catherine stayed silent, pondering her words.

  “Are you happy with her being your chaperone?” Lord Raikes asked, turning to look at Catherine.

  “I did not mind her a few years ago. She was kind, yet over the years she has changed. She cares about me, but she refuses to venture out further than this house. She is barely civil to the young ladies in the village who I grew up with. She refuses to acknowledge anyone who is not high born. My friends are respectable, and they feel insulted by her barely veiled disdain. She has succeeded in alienating me from everyone, and I wish I could have some other chaperone for a change.”

  He was surprised by the vehemence in her voice. He had faile
d to detect the depth of her bitterness. She maintained such a calm and civil demeanour in front of her aunt.

  He had noticed everyone giving into some irritation in her presence, including the duke, but Catherine had always appeared to accept her chaperone without complaint.

  The coffee arrived at that moment, and further talk was postponed. The duchess seemed to have revived after her first cup.

  Catherine set out to cheer her stepmother up, refusing to bring up the topic of Lady Babbage again.

  Lord Raikes told them a few humorous stories of his childhood and soon the two women were laughing.

  “… and then I sat on the horse without a stitch on. My father watched me from the window as I rode towards the stables in the dead of winter …”.

  “Oh, a moment, I have a message, can you hear it, My Lord,” the duchess interrupted.

  He paused, taken aback by the sudden intervention. He politely left his story off and strained his ears. He could hear nothing.

  “What am I supposed to be listening for?” he asked cautiously.

  “My dear child, your departed mother wishes to speak to you.”

  The earl’s mother was dead, but his was very much alive. If he had ever felt that her grace was a genuine psychic, it was dispelled now.

  “Hear her!” she suddenly screamed at him.

  Alarmed, Lord Raikes pushed his chair back. Catherine started giggling. This was the first time he was being subjected to one of her stepmother’s odd readings.

  The duchess banged her hands on the table rattling the spoons in the cups. She suddenly leapt up and pointed accusingly at him, “You have a message … hear her! She speaks to you from beyond the grave …”

  Lord Raikes leaned back in his chair, casting beseeching glances towards Catherine, who ignored him.

  The duchess now came around the table, her eyes wild as she approached her prey.

  “Listen!” she screamed as she stretched out her hand.

  He panicked, leaning further back, until the chair tipped over and sent him sprawling to the ground.