“Are you intending to elope?”
She arched an eyebrow. “You are not here to prevent us, are you?”
“No, certainly not. My cousin’s business is his own.”
She smiled again. “Then…yes, we have plans to do so.”
“He was due to meet with you at Woolford Grange, was he not?”
She nodded. “Yes, but he told me our plan had been discovered, and urged me to come here instead. It is rather perplexing, but I am certain I shall feel much better once we are wed, and I no longer have to worry. My brother does not care for the match, and I have reason to believe he is looking for me. Goodness, when you grasped at my arm, I thought he had found me, at last.”
You talk a little too much. Still, that worked in his favor. She was a pleasant enough young lady, with a kind face and a sweet demeanor. Oh, Edward…how could you have abandoned her so? This was most unlike him, but at least Adrian was closer to the real truth now. He could pay for Miss Simpkins’ silence, and resolve all of this, once and for all.
“When did you say you had last heard from my cousin?” Adrian pressed.
“It must be three days’ ago now.”
“And how did you meet him, if you do not mind my asking?”
Miss Simpkins grinned. “It was a rather unexpected meeting, actually. I was attending a soirée with a pleasant selection of gentlemen, when they urged him to speak with me. He was reluctant, at first, but we had a very lovely conversation. And then…well, it would not do for a lady to say so, but as you are soon to be family, I can see no harm in it.”
“Go on, Miss Simpkins. I am not easily shocked.”
“Well, we found ourselves in Southwark together, and he and I spent a joyous evening in one another’s arms. He promised that he would make me his bride, otherwise I should never have done so,” she said, with a girlish giggle.
“Miss Simpkins, I am sorry to tell you this, but Edward is not coming,” Adrian began, feeling sorry for the poor girl. “I will recompense you for your time and troubles, but I must insist that you mention this to nobody.”
She laughed merrily, taking Adrian by surprise. “But I am not waiting for Edward, Sir. No, indeed, he would not speak with me the entire evening, though I made it evident that I admired him.”
“I thought you said you were waiting for the Duke of Summerhill?”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir, I am. James Godwin, the Duke of Summerhill.”
Adrian gaped at her in abject horror. Understanding hit him like a hefty punch to the face, as the pieces slotted into their rightful place. Edward was never supposed to survive his encounter with the hooded rider. Edward was never supposed to escape. Edward was supposed to die on the road and leave the dukedom open to the second-born son of Summerhill.
Their search for Edward had been a wild goose chase, after all. The letters in Edward’s room, the pin found at the boarding house, the pin found in Miss Simpkin’s jewelry box, the poisoned brandy that had knocked him out and prevented him from going straight to Woolford Grange. Miss Simpkin’s abrupt departure from that place. Goodness, Miss Simpkin’s entire part in all of this. All of it—every bit—had been constructed to send Adrian down a fabricated path.
James had masterminded the whole thing. Which meant one thing…Edward was in danger.
Chapter 35
Lydia blinked awake in an unfamiliar room. Sunlight streamed in through the nearby window, and blackbirds chirped on the sill. Her neck throbbed insistently, and her mouth felt dry. But she was alive…somehow, she was alive.
“Lydia?” a familiar voice spoke.
She stirred at the sound. “Edward?”
“I am here, my love.” He appeared at her side, leaning over to brush the hair from her face.
“Where am I?” she rasped, her throat sore.
“Do not try to sit,” he urged, putting his hand upon hers. “You are safe now. You are at Summerhill Hall.”
“What happened? I do not remember much.”
“Phillip had sent for men, as I had asked. He brought a doctor with him,” he replied. “Had it not been for Phillip’s swift thinking, I do not know what might have happened. I owe him a vast debt of gratitude.”
“And Silas? Is he alive?”
Edward nodded. “He is to be put before the magistrate tomorrow morning and will be duly sentenced for his crimes against you, and against me. But enough of that, I am merely glad to see you awake.” He paused breathlessly, tears shining in his eyes. “I thought I had lost you, Lydia.”
“You will never lose me,” she murmured. A sudden thought struck her, marring the peaceful serenity of her awakening. “Does my father know of my whereabouts?”
Edward smiled. “He is downstairs in the drawing room, partaking in tea with my mother. Your mother is here too. She has not left your bedside, though I urged her to take some refreshment.”
“How long have I been asleep?”
“Two days, thereabouts.”
“Is my father very cross? Does he intend to take me away, once I am healed?” She could not bear the thought of surviving Silas, only to find herself in a nunnery.
He shook his head. “Matters have taken a somewhat remarkable turn. I have spoken with your father at length, gentleman to gentleman, and I believe I have managed to persuade him of my worth as a potential son-in-law. He is grateful for my actions at the farmhouse. I think the idea of losing you showed him that there are far worse possibilities than two quarreling families finding peace, at last.”
“Have I awoken in a different world, Edward?” She smiled wearily. It did not seem possible that her father had changed his mind. Indeed, she wondered if she might still be dreaming.
“It would appear so, my love.” He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. She raised her hand to his face and held it, chuckling at the graze of the rough stubble that had grown about his jaw. It made him look rather roguish.
“Are we to be happy, then, you and I?”
Edward kissed her more deeply. “Eternally so.”
“Have you spoken to your brother about the misfortune that befell Silas?” She pulled away from him and settled back into the pillows, feeling oddly content. Somehow, everything had turned out well, and she was struggling to fathom it. After so much upset, the sun was shining, and her love was by her side, with her father’s permission. It seemed like madness.
He shook his head. “I have confined him to his chambers for the time being. There is much that he and I need to discuss, for he attempted to shoot me prior to my departure to reach you. Given your state of health, I have decided to let him stew awhile. Besides, I must think of a suitable punishment, and I am not one for discipline.”
She gasped. “He tried to shoot you?”
“He discovered your identity and wished to prevent me from leaving on the night I sent the carriage to you. He threatened me with a pistol, but I managed to overwhelm him.” He looked sad, as though he wished matters were different.
“Do not be too harsh on him, Edward. He has been indoctrinated from birth—it is difficult to shake off the shackles of so many years. I think with a fresh perspective,” she said, holding tight to his hand, “if what you say is true, it has taken my brush with death to make my father see things with new eyes. There has been no such catalyst for your brother.”
He smiled. “How can you be so generous, after all you have been through?”
“You have a peculiar effect on me, Edward.” She laughed, thrilled to be back beside him.
“I love you, my sweet Lydia,” he murmured, kissing her hand.
“And I love you.”
“Might I get you something to drink? Some tea, perhaps?”
She nodded. “That would be very pleasant, my love. My throat is rather dry.”
“I will be back in but a moment. Rest awhile, and dream of only good things.” He grinned at her, a wave of relief and happiness washing over his face.
“I will dream only of you,” she promised, as he stood to le
ave. Now, if only she could chase away the nightmares of Silas Manners, and the knife slicing into her throat. And the terrible darkness that had followed, and the hollow void that had brought her so near to death.
* * *
Edward had barely reached the entrance hall, when a figure burst through the door, panting wildly.
“Adrian?” He had not expected to see his cousin for a long while. “My goodness, is something the matter?” He rushed to help the fellow, who was clawing breath into his lungs at that very moment.
Adrian looked up at him with wide, scared eyes. “Where is James?”
“He is confined to his chambers. Why?”
Adrian frowned. “So, you know?”
“Know what?”
“About James?”
Edward did not understand. “He is confined to his chambers because he threatened me with a pistol, when I was on my way to retrieve Lydia. I have yet to think of a suitable punishment.”
“Lady Lydia is here?”
Edward nodded. “I brought her here two days’ ago, after a rather unpleasant incident regarding one of my former serfs. He was the one who made those attempts on my life, and he kidnapped Lydia to try and kill me again. It is a very long story—might you prefer to discuss it over some tea? You look terrible, Cousin.”
“There is no time, Edward. Who is the man who tried to kill you? Do you know his name?” Adrian sounded desperate, grasping at Edward’s shoulders like a madman.
“Silas Manners.”
Adrian’s face twisted up in a scowl. “That devil. That wretched, wretched devil!”
“Have you taken leave of your senses? What is the matter, Cousin? Speak, or I shall be forced to send you to an asylum.” He meant it as a joke, but his words came out tremulous. He had never seen his cousin in this state before, and it troubled him deeply.
“James has orchestrated all of this, Edward.” His breathing slowed. “I did not return to Scotland, as I promised. Instead, I went to Chester. I owe you an apology, Cousin, for I did not believe your tale. I was certain you had attempted to elope and had changed your mind. I wished only to insure that word of it did not escape to the gossipmongers of England.”
Edward frowned. “I do not understand. What are you saying?”
“I found Miss Simpkins—the young lady we followed hither and thither about the blasted country,” Adrian muttered. “She was awaiting James in Chester, not you. He laid a false trail for us to follow, presumably to give this Manners fellow the chance to finish you off.”
“What?”
“You were never supposed to survive the rider who chased you, Edward. I am certain that, if you were to go to Silas Manners this instant, he would tell you that a gentleman named Lord Chamberlain gave him the information he needed to hunt you down and kill you. He would say that Lord Chamberlain told him when you would be returning from London that night, before he pursued you.” Adrian heaved in a gulp of air. “Lord Chamberlain is James. I met Silas Manners myself, in a private interview with James. They seemed to know one another already, though I thought nothing of it, at the time.”
Edward shook his head. “This is not possible.”
“I wish it were not so, but it is. James sought to design your demise. He has always wanted the dukedom for himself, and he needed to make it look like an accident,” Adrian went on. “Presumably, when you went missing, and I showed up, he had to take alternative measures. He fabricated the letters, he planted the pins, and he fooled Miss Simpkins. He had to purchase more time for himself, so you could be dealt with.”
“No…”
“When James spoke with Silas Manners, masquerading as Lord Chamberlain, that fellow seemed to know where you had gone to. He knew the direction you had ridden in, at any rate. I would not be surprised if James gave him instruction to have you killed, no matter what.”
Silas’ words echoed in Edward’s head: “It is too late. It cannot be changed. I must do this. I must ruin you. I must kill you both.” Edward had offered reparation on a silver platter, but Silas had not taken it. It had seemed like the behavior of a lunatic, whilst it was happening, but now…now, Edward wondered if Silas had been fulfilling the orders of another.
“Why would he do this to me?” Edward gasped, his heart sinking. Realization was a cruel, cold barb in his side. If Adrian were not sure of what he said, he would not say it. That was the truth, plain and simple.
“He has always envied your position. He needed to remove you, before he could take what he deems to be his rightful place, as Duke of Summerhill.”
Edward leaned against the doorway, struggling to breathe. “My own brother?”
“I am sorry, Edward.”
“And what of Miss Simpkins?”
Adrian smiled sadly. “I recompensed her for her silence and sent her back to London. She is upset and furious, but she will not say a word of it to anyone. I pity the poor creature.”
“As do I,” Edward muttered. “I am grateful to you for coming here and telling me this. Indeed, I am grateful that you pursued the trail, otherwise…I do not wish to contemplate what James might have done, if left free to continue his mission.” He shuddered at the prospect.
“I felt dutybound to come to you right away.”
“You did the right thing, Cousin. I would likely wind up dead, someday soon, if you did not come to me.” Edward paused. “But I must ask one last thing of you, if you are able?”
Adrian nodded. “Name it.”
“Will you ride to gaol in Greater Merton and have Silas Manners transported here? Request two constables to join him, also, for I will need to have my brother taken into custody,” he said solemnly, the words sounding alien upon his lips.
“I will do as you have asked, Cousin.” Adrian put his hand on Edward’s shoulder. “And I am sorry again that this has come to pass. It has taken me two days of riding to come to terms with it. I can only imagine how long it will be until you can fathom it.”
“Be safe, Cousin,” Edward replied. “For soon, you will be reunited with your wife, and you may forget all of this unpleasantness. In time, it will seem like a dream, I am sure.”
“I will return this very day, if I am able.”
“I will watch for you.”
With a brief, almost-brotherly embrace, Adrian took off out of the door and leapt into the saddle of his horse. He turned the beast around in one swift motion and thundered away towards the gates. Only then did Edward let the tears come.
Did you hate me so much, James?
Needing answers, he marched up the stairs to his brother’s bedchamber, and unlocked the door. He stepped inside and locked it behind himself, slipping the key into his pocket. James glanced at him with thinly-veiled anger, from the chair of his bureau.
“Have you decided upon your punishment for me, yet? You always did lack the ability to discipline,” he muttered bitterly.
Edward fought to rein in his pain. “I do not know, Brother. What is the due punishment for attempted murder? Multiple attempts, in fact?”
James frowned. “What are you talking about? You have clearly lost your mind.”
“Do not play the fool with me, Brother. I know everything.” Edward shook his head. “I know that you tried to have me killed on the road, by Silas Manners. I know that you colluded with him. I know that you instructed him to have me killed, at all costs. I know you constructed a trail for Adrian to follow, so that Silas might have more time to murder me. I know it all, James.”
“Nonsense.” James’ face remained blank, utterly devoid of emotion.
“It would appear you are a rather competent actor.” Edward laughed coldly. “I underestimated you, and I underestimated your hunger for the dukedom. But you must tell me one thing, James—do you really hate me that much, that you would see me murdered?”
“Without question.” Those two words cut right to the heart of Edward. He felt them keenly, like a dagger twisting in his gut.
“Why?”
“Because you
are unworthy,” he replied simply. “Father ought to have done the job himself, after Amy died. He should have rid us all of your disappointing future. You know, I almost regretted my actions, when you told me what Father had said to you. And then, I discovered you intended to marry the Duke of Greenwick’s daughter. If I had not already orchestrated your death, I would have forged a plan to have you killed, right then.”
Edward stared at his brother. “You will hang for this, you realize?”
Wicked Temptations For The Seduced Duchess (Steamy Historical Regency) Page 26