The Viscount Meets his Match: A Regency Romance

by Raven McAllan

  “Mama.”

  “Answer and say just a second. Damn, you’re dressed. You can’t pretend you were asleep.”

  “Never mind, I’ll think of something. Shoo.”

  Gaia chose that moment to yip. David rolled his eyes. Josephine grinned. “Perfect, give her to me and go. Now.” The dog changed hands, and, although she wriggled as David walked swiftly and silently into the next room, Gaia chose not to complain too much but lick Josephine’s cheek instead.

  Josephine took a deep breath and walked to her bedchamber door. She’d checked that the key could move silently and had just turned it when the handle moved and the door opened. She took a hasty step back and stared at the intruder.

  “Mama? What on earth are you doing here at this hour?”

  “Why aren’t you asleep?” her mother countered as she peered around the room. What did she think was going on? That David was in the wardrobe? As he could well have been. Josephine bit back her smile and stared stonily ahead.

  “At this hour,” her mama added. “It is late.”

  It was going to be attack, was it? Josephine was well versed in counterattack where her parents were concerned. “Well, if I had been, I wouldn’t be now, would I? What do you want? I’m ready to go to bed.”

  “You’re dressed,” her mama pointed out.

  “So are you.”

  “Do not speak to me in that tone,” her mother said icily. “Do I not deserve respect?”

  Dare she say no, respect had to be earned, not expected?

  Gaia took objection to her mother’s tone of voice and growled.

  Josephine bit back a grin as Lady Bowie took a hasty step back. “What is that?”

  “That is a she. The viscount’s pup, he found today. She was crying. As I came upstairs, his lordship’s valet was about to go in search of his lordship.” Good lord, how much more pompous could she be? “As I believe his lordship is playing billiards, I offered to have her here with me. She’s no trouble except for needing out. Which I was about to do.”

  “You can’t go wandering through the house at this time of night,” her mama said in an outraged voice. “It’s not right. Where is your maid?”

  “She’s in bed, where I told her to go. I can undress myself. And why can I not take the pup to do her business?”

  “Well, because,” her mama said lamely, “you’d be alone.”

  “You came to my room alone.”

  “I am married. It’s different once you are a wife.”

  Josephine couldn’t fathom out the sense in that statement. “So come with me.”

  “What?”

  If Josephine had suggested they go for a swim in the ornamental lake, her mama could not have sounded more scandalized.

  “Come down to the garden door with me. Make sure of the proprieties.”

  Her mother gawped at her. “Do not talk nonsense. Ring for a servant to do it.”

  “No, Mama, it’s late and I’m perfectly capable of doing this,” Josephine said in a voice that she hoped dared her parent to argue. “Now did you come for anything particular or can it wait until the morning?” She opened the door and took a step into the corridor. Her mama perforce had to follow. “For if there is nothing more, I will do what is necessary and then get that sleep you insist I need.”

  Her mother hovered, and opened her hands in a ‘well, if you insist’ gesture. “I wondered how you and the viscount were getting on.”

  Aha, so now they were getting to the crux of the matter. “Fine. Why? He is most amiable to everyone, don’t you think? He looks after his godmama so well, and is punctilious in his attentions to her.” Josephine began to walk to the stairs. Her mama trailed behind. She would have to walk past them to get back to the room she shared with her husband.

  “Ah yes, but… Oh.” Her mama squeaked the last word as David came up the stairs, saw them and bowed. Josephine hoped her mama hadn’t seen the brief wink he’d shot in Josephine’s direction.

  “Ladies.”

  Gaia, on hearing his voice, yipped joyfully and squirmed in Josephine’s arms. She passed her to David. “She needs to go outside.”

  “As ever,” David said wryly as Gaia tried to clean his ear. “Enough, you monster.” He held the pup firmly and turned slightly to face Josephine. “My thanks, my lady, but why are you inconvenienced like this?” The mirth he strove to contain was almost her undoing, and enough for Josephine to firm her lips.

  “She wouldn’t settle. I heard the commotion and came out to see what was going on. F—your valet was setting out with her to find you.” She’d almost called his valet by name until she remembered she wouldn’t generally know it. “As she seemed happy to see me, I offered to take her into my chambers. He was to leave you a note. No doubt you will find it on your mantel.”

  “Such a thoughtful girl,” her mama interjected.

  Josephine rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut.

  “Just so,” David murmured. “My thanks, my lady. I’ll take it from here.” He bowed to them both and turned on his heels to retrace his steps downstairs.

  “Now, Mama, as it is well past the time either of us would normally retire, and you have seen for yourself how his lordship sees me—as nothing other than a fellow guest—I suggest you go to your bed and I to mine,” Josephine said in as even a tone as she could. “Papa will be waiting for you.”

  “Well, really, you could at least try to hold his interest,” Lady Bowie replied crossly. “You must make an effort.”

  “Could I? Must I? If you say so, but I choose not to. Good night.” Josephine made her way back to her room before her mama had a chance to remonstrate any more. Once inside, she leaned back on the wooden panels with a sigh.

  What next?

  Next was a commotion in the corridor that made her sit up, push her hair out of her eyes and wonder what was going on. Someone shouted and there was the sound of running feet. Weak moonlight showed behind the curtains. She always chose not to close the curtains if possible. Josephine hated total darkness. It might have something to do with the thick curtains that had been used at her school, where they’d helped to keep in the warmth but had made everyone feel they’d slept underground.

  Not a pleasant experience.

  She found her robe and slippers and, with an enormous yawn, fumbled with the door handle to open the door and peer into the corridor.

  David strode by in buckskins and a thick thorn-proof jacket with an anxious expression on his face, Gaia running as fast as her legs would let her to keep up with him. He checked when he saw Josephine and for a brief second let his desire for her, and his admiration for her attire, show. Then, just as James caught up with him, David’s face was a blank canvas and he was all business once more. He scooped up Gaia and thrust her at Josephine. “Here, look after her.”

  Josephine took the dog from him without a second thought, and held the wriggling pup firmly. “Why? What’s all the commotion about?”

  “Two young lads went out late yesterday afternoon and have not been home since.” He grimaced. “They were last seen heading for the crag.”

  Josephine stared at his closed expression. His words sank in and her heart sank with them. “To go caving?”

  He shrugged, the action at odds with his manner “We don’t know. It’s too late for birds’ eggs, too early for foraging. All I know is they finished their chores and went off with fishing nets. Allegedly to go to the river. A search found their rods.”

  “Oh lord, where?”

  “Not near the river.”

  That was one positive thing, Josephine thought. “So at least you don’t need to search around water?”

  He shook his head. “But as it’s young Sam Bonsall and Freddie Killer, I’d wager somehow they’ve heard of our exploits as youths and thought if their fathers did it so can they. But we were older, if not a lot wiser, and we went equipped. We’ve no idea what they have with them. Look, we must go. We’re meeting the others in the stable yard as soon as it’s possi
ble to see clearly. That’s not long.”

  “No, then you must away.” She hesitated, then, unheeding of James, stood on tiptoe and kissed David’s cheek. “Take care.”

  “If there’s more where that came from, I will indeed,” he said as his concerned expression lightened for a second. “I’ll see you anon. With two young boys in tow, I hope. Why the hell I wasn’t called out earlier I do not know.” He shook his head. “Ah well, too late to change that.” He and James clattered down the stairs two at a time.

  Josephine watched them go thoughtfully. She wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep, and would wager the staff were up and about. Maybe there was something she could do, even if it was just to walk Gaia.

  It seemed strange no one else had heard the commotion. She walked to the top of the stairs and looked down them and along the corridor to the other wing. Not a soul.

  She turned around and almost collided with Lydia, who was dressed similarly to herself.

  “What’s going on?” Lydia asked in a sleep-filled voice. “I heard noises.”

  “Two boys missing. David and James have gone to help find them.” It was not the time to worry about formality. “I’m about to get dressed, take Gaia out and see if I can help anywhere.”

  Lydia nodded. “Good idea. Give me five minutes and I’ll join you back here. If you have stout shoes and a thick walking dress, it might help. After all, I don’t suppose you are any more likely than I to sit meekly in the morning room and wait?”

  “Indeed not.”

  * * * *

  “Why didn’t you call me earlier?” David asked as he stood in the middle of a circle of Lady Foster’s staff just outside the tack room of the stables. It was just about light enough to see the outline of each man, well muffled up and with stout sticks in their hands. What did they intend to do with those? Beat the bushes or the boys?

  He would love to rant. Ask if they didn’t trust him, or thought him too lofty to be called upon to help before then. However, it wasn’t the time or the place. Instead, he counted to ten under his breath. “How long have you known they were missing?” After all, he could be doing them a disservice by thinking they hadn’t thought of him at once.

  “A bit now, but not over concerned until now. Not really. Our Sam said he was going to have supper with young Freddie, and Freddie said he were comin’ t’ours,” Will Bonsall said in a voice of doom and gloom. “This time ut year they often fish after supper. Well, you do, don’t you? We did, eh? So, wasn’t ’til well on and we wondered why Sam weren’t ’ome. Me and Bert met halfway atween the ’ouses. Light nights and we wondered if they’d not realized the time and were still fishin’. Nowt a sign at ’t river. So we went home and checked barns and so on. Then”—he drew a deep breath—“then we got some of the others, and Jem Walker said his youngster heard them talkin’ about Wylane. So we spread out, found the rods and decided we needed to ask you if you’d come to the caves. You were allus the one who kept us right.”

  David didn’t have the heart to remind him just how many years it was since they’d ventured underground. Instead he nodded. “Do you have everything we need? Food and water?” He had to say it. “Rags for bandages?”

  Will went white and shook his head.

  “Someone go and ask Lady F. for some, then follow us,” David said. “She’s in the kitchen. Lanterns, candles, ropes? A tinderbox?”

  Will nodded. “Tommy, off you go, eh? Rest of stuff we should be right, and her ladyship said to make free with the cattle so we’ve saddled up as many ’osses as we might need.”

  “Can everyone ride?” Every man nodded. “Then let’s be off.”

  David set a sensible pace. The last thing they wanted was the horses to stumble and be injured. Until it was full light, no one could see all the rabbit holes and boggy areas that occurred. Bert rode up beside him and James dropped back to facilitate the man’s move forward.

  “I’d like to skelp the young buggers, but are they any worse than we were?” Bert asked as the sun slowly began to make itself known and lighten the predawn sky to something more friendly. “Exploring and mischief is in a boy’s nature. Well, one with any spunk anyhow.”

  “We never stopped out later than we were told,” David said grimly, even though he accepted the words. “And we went equipped. However, I daresay you are right. Let’s hope we have some way of discovering which cave they might have chosen to explore.”

  “Ah, not gonna be easy, is it.” Bert sighed. “His mam is worried sick. He’s our only lad.”

  David didn’t know what to say. He was under no illusion as to how difficult it could be to find the boys. Wylane was riddled with caves and potholes, some they had explored as youths, but a lot more they had not. It was going to be as difficult as trying to discover the proverbial needle in a haystack.

  “Let’s see what we can find,” he suggested as they came to the end of the bridleway, near to where he’d found Gaia. Had it only been the previous day? It seemed like much more than twenty-four hours had passed. He waited until everyone had arrived. “So, now we have goodness knows how many caves to cover. I suggest we start with the more obvious ones.” He named half a dozen or so, with the nicknames they’d been given by him, Will and Bert all those years ago. “Any more?”

  Will shook his head. “After that you have to walk a fair way to get to the next crop.”

  David thought rapidly. “Then we’ll split up. James, it is a lot to ask, but can you stay here so there is a central point and be a man to report to?”

  James sighed. “It makes sense, but it galls I can’t be in the thick of things. Very well. I’m the point of contact and reference.”

  David flashed him a grateful smile. “I appreciate it. For the rest? Three teams, and each one of us leads a team.” He noticed the worried look that passed between Will and Bert. “What?”

  “The thing is, m’lord, we’re not that sure we’d be able to remember what to do, like. We’re happy to go a few yards but then?”

  David sighed. “Fair enough. Then let’s start with the nearest one. I’ll need at least one of you to come down with me and two of you to stay by the entrance. Do you think we can have someone at least shout down each cave? Just in case they can hear us and shout back?” He didn’t add his worry that perhaps they were in no fit state to reply.

  “Aye.” Will split the men up and, once they had set out, turned back to David. “I’ll go down and Bert and Jem will stop up top.”

  “Then let’s get what we need and start.”

  * * * *

  Josephine and Lydia walked into organized chaos in the kitchen. At one table, Lady Foster was calmly kneading bread, while by the stove the under chef was stirring a large pot of something aromatic. In one corner, several young children sat in a circle, sandwiches in their hands as an older child told them stories. Servants dashed hither and thither, filling water containers, asking for advice and showing rags rolled up—presumably for bandages.

  It was no surprise to Josephine that her mama was nowhere to be seen.

  Lady Foster looked up and smiled. “I didn’t think you two would be long. I’ve sent the Hansons back to bed and told them they’d be better to get some sleep so they can be of help tomorrow if need be. Freddie is supervising the footmen, who are up in the storerooms to find anything I imagine we might need.” She didn’t mention Josephine’s parents. “Can you relieve young Winnie over there for a while? She needs to eat, and the youngsters need entertaining. All their elders are busy, either here or out with David. Once she’s eaten, you two can. I think her need is greater.”

  “Of course.” Josephine, followed by Lydia, made her way across the enormous room. “Half each?” she asked. “Surely it will be easier that way?”

  “I’d say so.”

  Winnie stood up as they approached. “I’m mighty glad to see you, my ladies. ’Cos not only am I famished, I need, well, you know…”

  Josephine nodded. “I know. Well, we’re here now.” She wa
s ‘mighty glad’ she’d had the foresight to use the commode before she ventured downstairs.

  Within a few minutes both she and Lydia were answering questions from children to whom shyness meant nothing. Josephine realized that even though she had had very little interaction with youngsters before, it was no hardship to hold their interest with a good story. Except for one little girl of around seven or eight years of age. She sat silent and brooding, and didn’t meet anyone’s curious glances.

  “Lydia, can you keep an eye on them all, please?” Josephine asked her new friend in a low voice. “I think that little one might be worrying about something. I’ll try to get her to talk.” Lydia nodded and Josephine made her way to the child and sat down on the floor next to her. The child stared and gulped.

  “Miss, your dress’ll get dirty.”

  “My dress will dust down,” Josephine said. “That’s the best thing about a thick material like this.”

  The little girl fingered the woollen skirt and nodded. “Me ma has a dress like this. Not as fine, but she says it’s good and thick to use for work.”

  “Your mama is a wise lady. And therefore, I have no doubt, so are you. What’s wrong, sweetness?”

  The little girl bit her lip. “I think me brother’s gone to get Boy John’s treasure, and it’s guarded by a dragon near a castle.”

  “John? Your brother?”

  “Nah, Sam, me brother. I heard him and Freddie Killer saying if they got it then we’d all be rich.”

  “Did they say where it was?” Josephine asked in a gentle voice. “Or who John is? The dragon’s castle?”

  The child bit her lip and looked ready to cry. “Not really, miss, and I dunt think it’s the dragon’s castle just near him. I dunno who Boy John is. I follered ’em a week or so ago, and I reckons I could finds it.” She nodded. “Once I see the dragon.”

  She sounded more certain by the second. Josephine made her mind up. “Then would you come with me and we’ll see if we can find the dragon together?” Something niggled her about dragons but for the life of her Josephine couldn’t remember what. No doubt it would come to her when she wasn’t thinking about it.