Seductive Lies

by Colleen Connally

  “You are afraid of what you don’t understand. There will come a time when you will have to trust the unknown. Face your fear. It is a gift I have given you. Accept what is yours...”

  Then, just as suddenly as her surroundings vanished, they appeared again. She sat across from the old gypsy, whose smile had not changed. Startled, Harriet jerked her hand back and stumbled out of the chair, out of the booth into the bright day.

  Composing herself, she didn’t notice Mr. Padgett standing beside her, staring at her strangely.

  "Are you well? You look as though you have seen a ghost."

  “No, I am fine,” Harriet said. She still felt her heart beating rapidly. Calm. She had to calm herself. She glanced around the green. All was as it had been. “It was silly. She said I would meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger. Not quite original. It was only… dark. It was so dark inside. I’m afraid of the dark.”

  “You should have told me. I would have gone in with you,” Mr. Padgett said. He took her elbow and led her to a chair under the large shade tree. “I thought for a moment she said something to cause you worry. Some do take offense to those people. It’s said that gypsies aren’t to be trusted.”

  “It was not that way at all. The woman…seemed quite nice,” Harriet assured him, thankful, though, she could sit. Her legs still trembled. “I believe she only wanted to make me happy. It is not her fault I do not do well in the dark.”

  “Then I will think no more of it,” he declared. “It is too beautiful of a day. I would much rather convey my news to you.”

  “News?”

  “More of a confession, I fear. I had a purpose besides business for my trip to London. I made it a point to call upon Mr. James Carlisle.”

  “You saw James? I would have not thought you would have had the opportunity, not with the Season ongoing.”

  “Most times, I would not.” He paused and gave her a slight smile. “I realize I have not broached the subject with you, but had a desire to do things properly. You have told me that your father died years ago as well as your mother, but I needed to know whether there was anyone else I should approach…

  “I hope you do not think me presumptuous. I believe we have had an understanding between us for a time now. Am I wrong to think that you would not be averse to the thought of a union between the two of us?”

  She had not expected him to talk of such matters during the festival. She forgot the vision for a moment. Her full attention turned to the man across from her. Her eyes softened. She was touched. No, it was not the love she felt for Arthur, but she saw well she could be content with the life Benjamin offered to her. She pictured her daughter growing up in the comfort and warmth of a loving home. “I would not be averse at the possibility if it existed.”

  “It is what I hoped,” he said, shuffling his position with a nervousness that Harriet had never seen. “There is an age difference, but it does not seem an obstacle. I would care for Victoria as she was my own…”

  Harriet reached over and squeezed his hand to stop his ramblings. “I do believe we could be quite suited. Although I don’t know what you asked James… Mr. Carlisle… if this indeed is the path you want to endeavor.”

  Mr. Padgett nodded. Relief etched in his voice. “It is, I assure you. Mr. Carlisle was indeed most gracious. He gave me an audience. Although when I sought the audience, I had no knowledge he suffered his loss before I arrived in London.”

  “Loss? He is in mourning? He did not mention it in his last letter.”

  “I do not know the reason for his lapse. I suppose he did not want you to worry. It was his cousin. The Duke of Torridge’s daughter. From what I have heard, truly a tragedy. Did you know the lady?”

  “Lady Sophia? Sophia died…” Harriet’s voice trailed off. A sickening feeling gripped her. “How? When?”

  “I fear the cause of her death may well be the reason Mr. Carlisle is not prone to talk of the incident. It was rumored a suicide. I learned after our meeting, the lady in question had been quite despondent after losing a child. It is whispered she leaped from the cliffs outside her husband’s home.

  “It is said that her husband, Lord Daneford, took the news hard, but from what I understand, there was nothing he or anyone could have done,” he leaned over to Harriet and whispered. “Rumors had it that she had not been right after the accident… I heard she fell down the stairs and lost the baby. Blamed herself. But I did not mean to talk of such matters. I didn’t want to upset you.”

  Harriet was speechless. She did not know. She uttered in a low voice, “When? When did this happen?”

  “A little more than eight months ago, from what I understand. I mentioned this only to explain my invitation.”

  “Invitation?”

  “I could not well leave without extending an invitation for Mr. Carlisle to visit.”

  “I would hope James would know he is always welcome. My heart goes out to him. I know how close he was to his cousin. It is quite shocking. She did not seem the sort. She had so much to live for…”

  “You should talk with Mr. Carlisle, for he accepted the invitation, as well as his cousin’s husband.”

  Harriet regarded him with unconcealed shock. Out of all the words she thought he would utter, those were not considered. She swallowed hard. “Lord Daneford… you invited Lord Daneford?”

  “It seemed the best course of action. He visited while I was engaged in conversation with Mr. Carlisle. Lord Daneford indicated that he was an old acquaintance of Mrs. Stuart. I thought it would be appropriate to settle our matters and allow you to enjoy yourself with a semblance of acquaintances.”

  Harriet tried desperately to quell her pounding heart. “James agreed?”

  Benjamin Padgett shrugged his shoulders. “I will admit, at first Mr. Carlisle protested that it would be imposing, but I assured both gentlemen that it would be an honor to offer a sanctuary from their grief. I know that Mr. Carlisle showed you kindness in yours.”

  Pressing her lips together tightly, Harriet nodded. Her mind raced in a million different directions. “Yes, yes, of course. It was kind of you to offer. We will need to prepare. Is James staying with you or coming to Bagden Manor?”

  “That depends upon your goodness, as they returned with me. They are here at the festival.”

  * * * *

  Lord Arthur Daneford gazed out over the crowded green. Harriet had to be here somewhere. After all this time, it was not how he had planned to see her again, not in the middle of a public festival. Then again, she would not be able to publicly rebuke him.

  “I only want to reiterate how bad an idea this is.”

  Arthur glanced over at his companion and shrugged him off. He had heard all Carlisle’s reservations a thousand times. It mattered little. He had made up his mind. He had waited long enough. If he waited any longer, she would be married to that… that man. Among all the worries he had upon him, he had hopes. Hopes rekindled in the darkness of the last months and those hopes did not hold to Harriet marrying, no matter how respected and liked that man was.

  Carlisle began no sooner than the door closed behind that man… that Mr. Benjamin Padgett.

  “I cannot believe you accepted his invitation. Dammit, Arthur, what could you possibly be thinking? Are you delusional? You think that Harriet will fall back into your arms because you are free. You forget how you betrayed her. She will not likely forgive you easily. I tell you, Arthur, she will not be happy with your appearance. She has a new life, which has nothing to do with yours. Let her be. She is happy.”

  “Pray do not forget our concerns. We are talking about the safety of my child… a child whom I have not been able to acknowledge.”

  “I, too, worry and never forget. Sophia was my cousin. It weighs heavily upon me, but we have no evidence that either Harriet or Victoria is in danger,” Carlisle said plainly. “I would suggest that this marriage might in fact be an answer to our concerns…”

  “The bloody hell it is!” Arthur hurled the words
at Carlisle. “You have not had your life played like a pawn in chess. Tell me that! For God’s sake, do I need to remind you of how I was tricked into marrying your cousin?”

  “It was an honorable arrangement, Arthur, no more,” Carlisle said in a strident tone. “It was to your liking at the time…”

  “Until I discovered the treachery!”

  “Granted, it was underhanded, but I seriously doubt the conspiracy you have contended. It seems quite unlikely. To what purpose?”

  “I have listened to you, Carlisle. I kept to our agreement and have behaved as a gentleman should, but now I can keep back no longer. I can’t… not after finding the letters in Sophia’s possession.”

  Four years ago, Arthur had reacted to his anger and rage impulsively and recklessly. He had paid the price for his arrogance and selfishness. It had cost him dearly. Only then had he faced up to his responsibilities, even though the years had not been kind.

  He, too, had thought like Carlisle. He had long assumed the underhanded techniques that led to his marriage to Sophia were nothing more than his grandfather reacting in his usual presumptuous manner. That was before Sophia lost the baby… before her death.

  The beautiful, vibrant, spirited woman he had married transformed to a recluse. Something changed his wife after she lost the baby. He had assured her many times that falling down the stairs wasn’t her fault. They would have another, but that hadn’t happened.

  Withdrawn and depressed, his wife began a slow descent into an abyss. He was unable to break through the barrier she placed against him. He had known it was that damn laudanum. It had been a slow process, but he believed the problem had been dealt with… it was behind them. They had begun to talk of a future… of more children.

  During the Season, Arthur had tried to bring her back to London to reclaim a portion of her life, but he quickly withdrew her back to Ayercombe Manor. Sophia’s manner calmed for a time. He had begun to hope she would recover and they could start anew. Then he had been called to London. Shortly after, news arrived of her demise. The official inquest had called it an accidental death—she walked too close to the edge of the cliffs—but the whispers and rumors held to a more heartbreaking conclusion.

  Bessie had witnessed the fall and spoke of the tragedy in vivid detail, leaving little doubt that his wife jumped from the cliffs. Bessie told she had followed Sophia as she raced from the manor, calling frantically to Sophia, but to no avail. Refusing to stop, Sophia ran to the cliffs and leaped off, falling to her death.

  Tragic… devastating… shattering. After all that was endured, nothing prepared him when he discovered Sophia’s journal. He had already discerned his wife had an addiction to laudanum. He had thought she had been weaned from the medicine… he thought her better, but discovered sadly that was not the case. She wrote of it often…this need… It disturbed him to read the extent she hid the need she had developed. Reading the journal, he learned she hid more than the need for laudanum.

  Somehow… someway, Sophia had discovered his love affair with Harriet and its result… Victoria. Sophia seemed to have become obsessed, mentioning Harriet over and over. He’ll never love me while she lives! The Gracious One says the harlot must die! The Gracious One says the imp must die! Then good fortune will shine down upon me. I will never have my baby while it lives! The Gracious One says…

  The irrational ramblings greatly concerned Arthur, as they only got worse the more he read. It became clear to him that his wife was greatly disturbed. Moreover, he had the distinct impression that someone continually taunted Sophia with the information about Harriet and Victoria. The doctor denied supplying Sophia with an overabundance of laudanum. If the doctor did not, someone had… this Gracious One.

  Carlisle dismissed the possibility that there was someone behind Sophia’s death. It was sad… tragic, but no more… that was until Arthur reminded Carlisle that someone deliberately told Sophia about Harriet and their child. Someone had malicious intent. Arthur didn’t believe that intent died with Sophia.

  Given Sophia’s journal…Sophia’s maid’s disappearance after her death…given that the Gracious One was also another name for Nemesis—the name of a Greek goddess for vengeance. It was not lost upon Arthur…

  Arthur could not simply ignore the gnawing feeling that someone had it out for him. The magistrate listened in a sympathetic manner to Arthur’s concerns, but Arthur comprehended quickly the magistrate did so only as a polite courtesy for a man who lost his wife from suicide.

  Carlisle’s suspicions were raised, but Arthur realized that Carlisle wasn’t fully completely convinced of his theory. Taking no chances, two men were hired to go to Bagden Manor under the guise of groundsmen to watch for any suspicious activity. Nothing had been noted.

  Arthur had been content to wait the year of mourning before reuniting with Harriet. Although he denied it vehemently to Carlisle, Arthur realized he wanted—needed—Harriet back in his life.

  "Did the thought occur to you that Harriet and Victoria are safer without you in their lives? If it is as you suspect, why in God's name would you consider reentering her life?"

  "Because I believe her life is already endangered..."

  "And I believe you are using this as an excuse. Nothing, absolutely nothing has been suspicious around her or the child. The only thing that has been noteworthy has been this gentleman...a quite acceptable gentleman, I might add, seeking her hand."

  "I will say this only once more. I will not stand in Harriet's way. If she indeed wants this man, I will do nothing to interfere. I want only to make sure she and my child are safe."

  "You have not listened to a word I have said. It is useless. You are going to do what you please. I go only to minimize the damage," Carlisle said under his breath, but Arthur heard it readily enough.

  Suddenly, Carlisle caught Arthur’s arm and nodded toward a group of children dancing excitedly around the maypole. Arthur looked outward. He recognized his daughter instantly. Quite an adorable child. He watched her dance around and fall into the grass, laughing. He could not help but smile. If nothing else, he would meet his daughter. The trip would not have been for naught.

  Harriet straightened as she walked back to the common, unable to contain her racing heart. Shock inundated her. She had prepared herself never to see him again. Of all the bad luck for Arthur to have been at Carlisle’s residence when Mr. Padgett called! How like him to think he could waltz back into her life!

  Mr. Padgett strolled beside her while they returned to the green, but she had no awareness of his presence. The whole of her being was gripped with apprehension. The moment she walked around the corner, she caught sight of Arthur.

  He had changed little. Handsome… ever so handsome. There was no mistaking that he commanded attention with his presence and he was walking straight towards them. She drew in a deep breath and prayed Mr. Padgett took no note of her trembling hands.

  Impeccably uniformed, Arthur courteously tipped his hat to her.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Whitmore. Mr. Padgett. Beautiful day.”

  “Good afternoon,” Mr. Padgett greeted the men with warmth. He glanced back at Harriett, who was certain her face betrayed her prior knowledge of the gentleman. “Why, Lord Daneford, I wasn’t aware you were acquainted with Mrs. Whitmore.”

  “But, of course, Mr. Padgett. How remiss of me to have neglected to mention the fact. I had knowledge of Mrs. Whitmore with my connection to Mr. Carlisle. I, too, went to school with Lieutenant Whitmore and was fortunate enough to have made her acquaintance before his death.”

  “I beg your pardon, Lord Daneford.” Mr. Padgett smiled cordially. Tilting his head to the side toward Harriet, he continued. “I should have made the connection. I’m certain that Mrs. Whitmore is thrilled to welcome old friends.”

  Harriet managed a slight smile, but her stomach knotted up. Foolishly, she had convinced herself she would no longer be affected by his presence. But the hurt… the pain… flashed before her as if having been freshl
y stabbed in the heart.

  “Ah, Mrs. Whitmore, it is good to see you again.” Arthur touched the brim of his hat politely. “I have to say how grateful we are for your offer of hospitality. I am looking forward to relaxing for the next few weeks. Why, I have found myself enjoying myself already, watching the children play.”

  Harriet stared at him for a long, unsettling moment. Victoria. Good Lord, he had come for her daughter. Her heart faltered. She would never allow it. She wasn’t a young naïve girl anymore. Pressing her lips tightly together, she said, “I have found a certain peace here I have never known.”

  “I can well understand,” he began. “Carlisle has talked about this place for a while. I’m glad I’m finally able to see it for myself.”

  “I doubt anything I might have said influenced your decision to visit,” Carlisle interrupted, making his presence known. “But I will confess after the last few months, peace and quiet would be welcome. Mrs. Stuart is most hospitable and her lake holds the best fishing in the area.”

  “I’m certain Mr. Padgett enjoys the pursuit as well. Am I wrong?” Arthur spoke as if he had known the man for years. He turned his attention back to Harriet. “I believe it will be best to leave these two to their conversation. I know Carlisle well enough to know that he will bore us with details of his fishing adventures for a time. I wish to express my appreciation to Mrs. Stuart for her kind invitation. Allow me to escort you to Mrs. Stuart side.”

  “So you are to stay at Bagden Manor?” Harriet hoped her voice didn’t betray her alarm.

  “Without doubt. I have no desire to disappoint Mrs. Stuart . I dare say she would be offended if I did not. My mother and she were the best of friends.”

  “I didn’t realize you had a connection to Aunt Eleanor. She has not mentioned—” She halted abruptly. She lowered her gaze as his eyebrow raised inquisitively.