by Pearl Wolf
To his surprise, the earl opened it at once. “Afternoon, Waverley,” he said genially, as if they had met on a country lane. Waverley’s pistol remained aimed at the earl’s head.
“Game’s up, Martin. You’re finished.”
“On the contrary. You’re merely delaying our nuptials. Lady Helena has consented to be my bride, haven’t you, my dear?” He nodded to Helena, who stood next to her sister, near enough to witness this melodrama. She raised her head at the sound of a cart lumbering toward them. Captain Le Clair, young Jess and Amy sat on the front seat with the driver of the large open cart. And behind them sat more crusaders come to help slay the dragons.
Lemuel spotted Casper’s love and whispered in his ear, “It’s Amy, Cas. Here’s your chance. Play dead.” Casper promptly closed his eyes and rolled his head to one side.
Amy spied Casper at once. She leaped down from the moving wagon and ran to his side. “Casper! Is he…?”
Lem’s lips twitched. “Not yet, lass, but he’s wounded severe.”
Amy fell to her knees, took Casper’s large face in her small hands and kissed his eyes, his nose, his mouth. “They’ve shot you, me darlin’, but you ain’t killed. Don’t you worry, love. Your Amy’s here to take care o’ you. I love you, Cas. With all my heart.” The sight of his bloody shirtsleeve caused her to burst into tears and bury her head on his chest.
Casper lay still, enjoying this triumphant moment. He opened one eye, winked his gratitude to Lemuel, and closed it again.
Helena looked up in surprise. “Desmond! It’s Captain Le Clair. But he’s not well. Why is he here?”
“He’s determined to bear witness, my love. Let us greet him. Come along, Olivia. You’re about to meet our fine French friend.” The marquis looked around him for someone to stand guard over Glynhaven.
“I’ll see he don’t move an inch, milord,” said Jess, eager to take part in the fray.
Amused, Waverley asked, “Do you know how to shoot?”
“Born to it,” the boy bragged.
“Don’t, Desmond,” protested Helena. “Jess is too young to…”
“I ain’t, milady. Trust me to do this for the two kindest people I ever met.” His soulful brown eyes, too large for such a small face, won the day.
Waverley ruffled his hair and handed him his pistol. “Show me you can cock it, and the task is yours, young soldier.”
The boy did so at once and aimed it at the astonished earl.
“Have pity, Waverley. I’m a dead man if you leave that nasty little sod in charge.”
Waverley grinned and said to Jess, “Guard the earl well. If you have to shoot him, aim for his leg. I’d rather see him hang, wouldn’t you?”
The lad’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “It be m’pleasure, milord.” He saluted the marquis with one finger, and aimed the pistol at his lordship’s leg, with the power of his responsibility writ large on his freckled face. “You heard ’im, mister earl. Move an inch and you’ll be limpin’ to yer hangin’.”
Sebastian joined them as Olivia, Helena and Waverley hurried to the captain’s side. “You shouldn’t be here, René. You’re not well,” Helena said.
“I had to come, my dear. There may never be a better opportunity to find the murderers and bear witness.”
“Do you recognize any of the smugglers among these men, sir?”
“I do indeed. That large man standing next to the older woman is the ringleader.” He pointed to Harry, sentencing him, in effect, to the gallows. “I saw him murder two of my crew with my own eyes.”
The captain’s eyes swept over the earl’s goons, now disarmed and tied securely. He pointed and said, “That fellow is another murderer and the man next to him. Those six tied up over there as well.” Pointing to Belinda, Rose, and Eliza, he said, “Those three young maids dragged cargo to the shore.” He continued, “This band of blackguards caused Le Coq d’Or, as seaworthy a sailing vessel as you’ll ever find, to crash on the rocky shoreline. They silenced the buoy bells and rang a false bell, luring us to disaster in the fog. Determined to go down with my ship, I watched helplessly from the top deck as they murdered my crew and my passengers, women and children among them, for I was the last to leave my beloved vessel.” The captain, a devout man, added, “The Good Lord chose to save my life.” He nodded to Helena and Waverley. “For good reason. I’m determined to remain in England long enough to bear witness. These men must hang for their terrible deeds,” he said bitterly.
“What about that woman next to the ringleader, René?” asked Helena.
“Never saw her before, milady.”
The captain turned to the young man supporting him. “Take me back to the wagon, young man. I must rest.” But he halted when he heard Harry shout out.
“I ain’t the ringleader, Cap’n!” Harry pointed to the Earl of Glynhaven. “I know I’ll hang for it, but he’s the ringleader. He done all the plannin’ and tol’ us what to do. Ain’t that right, Ma? Me Ma’s right smart. She gets the men we need and we do it, is all. ‘My Lord,’ we calls him, takes half of what we find. It’s him that makes us murder. ‘No witnesses,’ he allus says. Ain’t that right, Ma?”
Mrs. Trasker turned white. “Oh, Harry. You stupid fool,” she said softly. “You just signed your ma’s death sentence. Now I’ll hang, too.”
“Take me to the earl, son,” the captain said to the lad on whose arm he leaned.
“Well, Captain?” asked Waverley, who followed him. “Do you recognize the earl as one of the smugglers?”
“I’m afraid not, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t guilty as charged.”
“You are mistaken, sir,” interrupted the earl. “I never saw that man in my life.”
“You planned it,” screeched Mrs. Trasker, pointing her finger at the earl. “Yes you did, and you want me and me Harry to hang for it!”
“I don’t know who you are, madam. The wages of sin must always end in retribution, they say. My regrets.” He turned away from her.
Waverley leaned into the carriage and said, “Glynhaven, you are guilty of attempted abduction and I’ll see you hang for that, if for nothing else.”
“But I am guilty of no such thing, my good man. Lady Fairchild readily consented to marry me.” He looked at her with doleful eyes. “Have you changed your mind again, ma’am? Tsk, tsk. First you spurn Darlington, and now you spurn me. You seem to take pleasure in agreeing to be wed and then jilting your suitors. Unkind in you, ma’am. Most unkind.”
“Why, you…” Waverley lunged for his throat.
“Let him go, Waverley,” Sebastian said, yanking the marquis out of the carriage.
His rage abated, but it turned to puzzlement. “Why did you stop me?” he asked.
“Will you grant me a moment to discuss what’s to be done? In private, if you please,” said Sebastian.
“As you wish,” he said reluctantly.
“We’ll join you,” Olivia said to her husband. He nodded and offered his arm. Waverley did the same for Helena, but when they mounted the steps, Amy stopped them. “Casper’s wounded bad, milady. They’re takin’ him to town. May I go?”
“Of course, dear. With my blessings,” said Helena. Their eyes met and a look of sympathetic understanding passed between them.
Waverley led the way into the library. He shut the door behind him. “What do you have in mind, Brooks?”
“You can’t press charges, Waverley.”
“But he’s guilty. I’ve no doubt he is the ringleader. He certainly needed the money. I know for a fact that his father died leaving him with an estate mortgaged to the hilt.”
“That may well be, but his role in this horrid business cannot become known.”
Waverley’s eyes narrowed. “Why not? We have proof that he is guilty of attempted abduction.”
“Be reasonable, Waverley. Do you really want Helena to have to testify against the earl in a London courtroom? It’s not a good idea. The publicity would be another disaster for her. She doesn’t nee
d any more notoriety, does she?”
Helena was thunderstruck by this. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“My sister isn’t the only one who would suffer if this gets out. Father holds a lot of power in Parliament. Think what such a scandal would do to him. Think what it would mean for your future as well, my lord. Anyone can see that you’re in love with Helena. You cannot begin your lives together under a cloud of scandal.”
Waverley recalled his disastrous meeting with the duke, but he said nothing. “What do you suggest? We can’t let Glynhaven walk away free from all his dirty deeds.”
Sebastian turned to Helena. “Where was it the earl meant to take you?”
“He has a ship waiting to take us to Cherbourg and then to the chateau of his odious friend Lord Saltash. We were to be married at sea by the captain.”
“Where is this ship moored?”
“It’s moored off the beach in Sennen Cove. It might still be awaiting our arrival, for all I know.”
“Very likely,” murmured Waverley, his eyes dark with fury.
Olivia and Sebastian exchanged significant glances.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, my darling?” Sebastian grinned at his wife.
“You two are too much in love to see the forest for the trees. Sebastian…we have a better idea,” said Olivia.
Waverley looked doubtful. “The villagers may tolerate smuggling, but never murder. They’ll want his blood as much as Captain Le Clair does.”
“What are you two thinking?” asked Helena.
“Glynhaven’s smart enough to know he can make trouble for you,” said her sister. “Let Sebastian explain the solution we have in mind.”
“Let’s offer the earl an alternative. To save his worthless skin, we’ll allow him to think he’s free to take up permanent residence in France. We’ll escort him to his ship and send him off with our blessings.”
“What kind of punishment is that?” Waverley asked petulantly.
“You forget the French authorities. They don’t take kindly to having their merchant ship destroyed along with passengers and crew, and their cargo stolen as well. Glynhaven will be arrested when the ship lands in Cherbourg, but the French won’t bother with a public trial. He’ll never leave France alive, I promise you. With Le Clair’s testimony, the French will see to it that the Earl of Glynhaven meets his just rewards.”
Helena nodded in approval. “A sad, but necessary ending for a vile monster.”
“What about the townsfolk?” Waverley objected. “They want his blood. How should I explain your plan, Sebastian?”
“You needn’t tell them the whole of it. It’s enough to say that our government has stepped in to negotiate a delicate international affair that threatened a crisis. That should satisfy them, don’t you think? I leave it to you to deal with the town fathers as you see fit, but swear them to secrecy.”
“How do you propose we get the earl on board without creating a stir?”
“I shall send an order to the local militia to detain his ship. It will sail for France only after you and I deliver him to the captain. As for Le Clair, he’ll be escorted to London. Someone in the home office will take his deposition and send him home to France. His written statement will be enough to convict the Traskers and their accomplices.”
The marquis felt as if Sebastian had taken a heavy burden from him. “I can rest easy now, thanks to your excellent strategies.”
Sebastian laughed. “You can’t rest easy just yet, my lord. You have a role to play in this drama. Will you come with me and tell Glynhaven that you have agreed to my plan to allow him to travel to France?”
Waverley’s eyes lit up. “That would be my greatest pleasure, sir.”
“Why don’t you see to your sister while we tend to this, Livy? She’s been through enough today. She needs to rest. We’ll see to the business at hand. Care to join me, Waverley?”
The marquis grinned. “With pleasure.” He kissed Helena on the forehead and followed Sebastian out.
Chapter 24
That Evening…
Helena shut the door, relieved to be in the privacy of her chamber. “Help me out of this horrid gown, Livy. I’ll never wear it again so long as I live.”
“Right. We’ll burn it to rid the evidence of today’s near disaster.” She turned Helena around and began to unbutton the offensive garment. “Who would have believed it?” she murmured, warming to her task with such enthusiasm, she tore off some of the buttons.
“Believed what?”
“Father agreed to send you here until the ton forgets your broken betrothal to Darlington. And what does my demure sister do, but roil the pot.”
Helena stepped out of her gown and turned to Olivia. “What do you mean?”
“If you think news of Glynhaven’s disastrous ball did not reach the ears of London gossips, think again. Didn’t you guess? It was in all the scandal sheets.”
“I hadn’t thought…. Father knows?”
“Of course, you ninny. The whole family knows.” Olivia reached into her portmanteau and pulled out a letter. “Father asked me to give you this. For your eyes alone, he said.”
She tore off the seal with trembling hands, smoothed the single sheet open, and read it.
My Dear Helena,
The Marquis of Waverley paid me a visit to ask my permission to wed you. I regret that I cannot give him my consent, for I am convinced he is not the right man for you. His tainted reputation, I’m afraid, is beyond redemption, especially after the Earl of Glynhaven’s ball, when his bordello friends from Paris appeared to renew their acquaintance with him. You have been forced to suffer too much notoriety in your short lifetime, my child. Believe that I have made this decision thinking only of your happiness. I shall give your hand in marriage only to a man worthy of my sweet Helena.
Yours,
Father
The blood in Helena’s veins turned to ice. When she finished reading the letter, she handed it to Olivia.
Olivia read it and said, “I’m so sorry, love. Sebastian told me that Waverley came to London to see Father, but I never guessed this would be the outcome.”
“So that was why he went to London,” Helena said in a flat voice. “‘Just business,’ he told me, and I thought no more of it. I can’t say I’m surprised. Ironic, isn’t it? Father turned him down because of his reputation as a rake.” Helena’s laugh skirted the edge of hysteria.
“The pot calling the kettle black, you mean. Our dear father was no saint, was he?”
“No matter, Livy. I’m in love with Waverley and we’ll marry with or without Father’s blessing.”
About to respond, Olivia changed her mind and kept her thoughts to herself.
“What are you thinking? Don’t hold out on me, Livy.”
“Father’s dug his heels in.”
Helena’s eyes held the fire of determination. “I’ll never give Waverley up. Never.”
London
“Come in,” said the duke at a knock on his bedchamber door.
“This just came from the home office, your grace. I know it’s late, but I thought…”
“I’ll have it, please.” He dismissed Dunston with a wave of his hand and broke the seal. He rose from his chair by the fireside, left his chamber and strode through the connecting door without bothering to knock.
“Your grace! You startled me,” said the duchess. With the slightest of nods, she dismissed her abigail, who put the hairbrush down at once and disappeared. “What’s the matter?”
He thrust the note at her. “Read this.”
The duchess smoothed it on her dressing table and read it quickly, while her husband paced back and forth. “Abduction! Thank God Helena was saved from that fate. We have the Marquis of Waverley to thank for rescuing her.”
“Helena fancies herself in love with him but she’s wrong. It’s nothing but a case of hero worship. She’ll get over it.”
But the duchess thought otherwise. “I think not, Tony
. The marquis saved our daughter’s life. Doesn’t this change anything for you? I must admit, it gives me food for thought.”
“It changes nothing. The whole world knows that this man’s an infernal rake, I tell you. I won’t allow Helena to marry him. He may have saved her life, but hero worship is not love, my dear. Why can’t she fall in love with the right man? First it’s Darlington and now it’s Waverley. Has she no sense at all?”
The duchess knew better than to interrupt his tirade.
“Two suitors in one year! Our daughter Helena has an uncanny knack for picking the wrong man.”
The duchess turned her head to hide her grin.
“Well, Ellen! What ought we to do?”
“You already know the answer, my dear.”
He stopped pacing and raised his quizzing glass. “And that is?”
“You must find it in your heart to consent to the marriage. It’s not your choice to make, you know.”
Land’s End
“Walk with me in the garden, Desmond. I want to talk to you.”
“Of course, love.” He offered his arm and she took it. “How are you feeling?”
Helena didn’t speak until they were too far away to be heard. “Bloody angry with you. That’s how I feel. Why didn’t you tell me you went to London to ask my father for my hand in marriage?”
“He rejected my suit for your hand. I didn’t know how to break the news to you.”
She couldn’t hide her grin. “Coward.”
“I suppose I am, but I haven’t given up. I’ll win you somehow, lovely lady. I promise you that.”
The paths had at last been cleared of much of the undergrowth. Spring bulbs poked through, some in full bloom. Daffodils waved their yellow heads at them, but Helena was so lost in thought, she took no notice of their beauty.
When they came to the newly rebuilt gazebo, Waverley said, “Sit with me beloved, and I’ll tell all.”
When she took her seat, she said, “Go on.”
“I did everything but grovel at your father’s feet, but an anonymous letter reached him before I did.”
“Glynhaven?”