by Joyce Alec
The man was not overly tall but was rather stocky in appearance, with broad shoulders and a jacket that seemed to strain over his chest as he greeted Felix. With greying hair and a thick moustache, lines around his eyes and across his forehead, he gave the appearance of being a gentleman of severe character, which, Felix considered, boded rather well for what would soon follow.
“Capital to meet you,” Lord Haydock said, his voice low and gruff. “You are betrothed to Lady Prudence, I understand.” His eyes turned to Lady Prudence, who was now deep in conversation with Lady Josephine and Lady Haydock. Her maid stood only a few steps behind.
“I am, yes,” Felix answered, a sense of pride filling his chest. “And very happy indeed.”
Lord Haydock did not immediately answer but studied Felix carefully, as though he did not believe such a sentiment to be true. After a moment, however, he gave a small shrug and then turned his attention back toward his daughter.
“Lady Josephine is also engaged,” he said, rather importantly. “I did not think she would ever marry, for whilst she has a good nature, she is rather plain and does not make excellent conversation, as I would wish.” He heaved a great sigh as though his daughter was nothing more than a disappointment to him. “But then we were fortunate to meet with Lord Brunswick—I am certain you are acquainted with him—and the match was made very quickly indeed.”
Felix nodded, feeling a tightness in his lungs but refusing to give in to it. “I am well acquainted with Lord Brunswick,” he replied honestly. “As for the engagement—yes, I have heard of it.” He eyed Lord Haydock for a long moment, wondering what to say and how best to say it. “In fact, tomorrow evening, there is to be a game of cards between myself, Lord Brunswick, and Lord Claverhouse, as well as one or two others. I should be honored if you would join us.”
Lord Haydock lifted one thick eyebrow. “You mean to say there will be a card room during the ball?” he said, sounding rather pleased. “Capital! I should be very glad to join you.”
“Then I shall make sure someone is sent to bring you to the game when we are ready to play,” Felix replied, his heart swelling with relief. “I should return to Lady Prudence now, Lord Haydock. If you will excuse me.”
Lord Haydock nodded and bade Felix farewell—although whether or not the man was smiling, Felix could not tell given that the great, grey moustache hid most of the man’s mouth. With a quick word of farewell to Lady Josephine and Lady Haydock, he offered Lady Prudence his arm and together, they continued along their path.
“Well?” Lady Prudence asked, her voice quiet and her eyes filled with hope. “Did you achieve what you wished?”
He nodded, looking down into her eyes and wishing desperately that he might take her into his arms and hold her tight against him, such was his relief.
“I have,” he said, and she let out a soft exclamation of gladness. “All we need do now is wait for tomorrow evening.” Patting her hand, he felt anticipation grow steadily within his heart. “And then, finally, all will become clear.”
13
Prudence had to admit that she was a little anxious. Lord Claverhouse’s ball was in full swing and she had behaved just as normal, knowing that to do anything else would draw the attention of either her mother or others around her. Thus, she had accepted dances from many gentlemen, already danced a good many, and had found herself laughing and smiling, even though she felt like doing no such thing. All the while, she had been looking out for Lord Stoneleigh, worrying what would happen when they finally all met together and whether or not Lord Brunswick would actually admit to what he had done. Lord Claverhouse, Lady Claverhouse, Lord Stoneleigh, and she had met together last evening for a short time to discuss what would occur this evening and, whilst Prudence was certain as to what was expected of her, she still felt a good deal of apprehension.
“Lady Prudence.”
Turning her head, she felt her tight chest relax just a fraction. “Lord Claverhouse.”
She curtsied as the gentleman approached her, his eyes warm as Lady Claverhouse walked alongside him.
“My dear Lady Prudence,” Lady Claverhouse said, reaching out to take Lady Prudence’s hands. “How very good to see you again.” Her eyes were gentle, as though she knew what Prudence was struggling with. “After Lord Claverhouse explained all to me last evening, I have felt a great burden for you. How much you have endured! You must forgive my absence from society of late. I have been quite unwell, you see…although it is all for a good reason.” She shot a glance toward Lord Claverhouse, who puffed out his chest and beamed with delight.
At once, Prudence realized what was being said. “My congratulations, Lady Claverhouse,” she said as Lady Claverhouse flushed a little with delight. “I am very happy for you both.”
“I thank you,” Lady Claverhouse replied, just as Prudence caught sight of her mother approaching. “Now, shall we perhaps go to prepare?”
Prudence took in a deep breath, giving a quick nod to Lady Claverhouse before turning to her mother.
“Mama,” she said, smiling at Lady Devonshire. “Lady Claverhouse has asked me to take a turn with her about the room. Might I go?”
Lady Devonshire did not hesitate but beamed with evident delight and practically shooed Prudence toward Lady Claverhouse.
“That is very kind of you, Lady Claverhouse,” Lady Devonshire said, leaving Prudence solely in Lady Claverhouse’s care. “I am certain Prudence would be glad to be in your company for as long as you wish to have her within it.”
Lady Claverhouse laughed and assured Lady Devonshire that she would safely return Lady Prudence to her later in the evening and it was with this reassurance that Prudence turned away from her mother and began to walk alongside the lady.
“The parlor is ready and waiting,” Lord Claverhouse murmured quietly. “I believe Lord Stoneleigh is speaking to Lord Haydock at the moment. It will not be long now.”
“I can take Lady Prudence to the parlor, my dear,” Lady Claverhouse said, looking at her husband. “Are you not to go in search of Lord Brunswick?”
“I am,” Lord Claverhouse admitted, looking over his shoulder. “Ah, there is Lord Stoneleigh now.” He smiled at his wife and then at Prudence, but Prudence saw the hint of steel in his eyes. “Excuse me for a moment, if you would. And be bold, Lady Prudence. The end is within sight.”
“You are nervous?”
Prudence reached across and took Lord Stoneleigh’s hand. “I am,” she admitted softly as Lady Claverhouse took her seat at the back of the room. “I know what I must say and what I must do, but what if Lord Brunswick does not admit to what we know is the truth?”
“We must believe that he will,” Lord Stoneleigh told her calmly. “And if he will not admit it to us, then I am certain he will do so when Lord Haydock arrives.” He glanced at the door. “I have already spoken to Lord Haydock and informed him that Lord Claverhouse will come to bring him to the supposed card game within a few minutes. When he arrives, I am sure that Lord Brunswick will have no other choice but to speak the truth.”
Prudence made to say more, only to stop as she heard two voices approaching them. Her heart began to pound but she forced herself to rise, her hands now held in front of her, her fingers twining together as she lifted her chin while taking in a deep breath to steady herself.
“Ah, good evening, Lord Stoneleigh, Lady Prudence,” Lord Brunswick said, entering the room with a broad smile spreading across his face. “How very good to see you. Thank you, Lord Stoneleigh, for arranging this meeting. I am truly grateful.” He bowed toward Lord Stoneleigh, who merely smiled and gestured to a chair.
Prudence sat down quickly, feeling her legs begin to shake beneath her. Taking steadying breaths, she sat with a straight back and her shoulders down, trying to appear calm and prepared for what was about to take place.
“You will excuse Lady Claverhouse’s presence, Lord Brunswick,” Lord Claverhouse said, smiling at his wife before sitting down in a chair near to the door of the pa
rlor. “For propriety, you understand.”
Lord Brunswick nodded. “Of course. We would not want anything untoward to be said of Lady Prudence.”
Trying to smile, Prudence inclined her head. “I thank you for your understanding, Lord Brunswick, and for your consideration, Lord Claverhouse.”
Silence followed her answer and Prudence’s heart began to beat a little more quickly. It felt as though someone was tying a band across her chest and was slowly pulling it tighter and tighter, until Prudence feared that her anxiety would become quite obvious to all who were in the room.
“Lady Prudence,” Lord Brunswick began, leaning forward in his chair and placing his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together just below his chin. “I think Lord Stoneleigh has spoken to you about what Lord Yardley entrusted you with?”
Prudence took in a deep breath. “Yes,” she said, glancing at Lord Stoneleigh, who gave her a small nod of encouragement. “He has spoken to me about the fact that what Lord Yardley gave to me was not his to give.” She tilted her head just a fraction and narrowed her eyes. “I might ask, however, why he had it and why he then gave it to me?”
Lord Brunswick sighed heavily and shook his head. “The latter, I cannot say,” he said with evident sorrow. “However, as to the former, I can tell you that I allowed Lord Yardley to borrow the items within the box that he gave you, so that he might impress a particular young lady.”
Prudence frowned. “That makes very little sense,” she said, drawing strength from Lord Stoneleigh’s presence beside her. “Why should he show the lady diamonds that she would never own? That would not be much of an impression, given that he would have to take them away from her and then return them to you.”
Again, Lord Brunswick let out a long sigh. “I cannot tell you precisely what it was that he wanted with them, Lady Prudence. I was, as I hope you understand, simply trying to be gentlemanly.”
Saying nothing, Prudence continued to consider Lord Brunswick’s profile. He appeared quite at his ease, speaking calmly and with evident honesty, even though she knew all too well that he spoke nothing but mistruths.
“You opened the box, then?” Lord Brunswick murmured, breaking the silence. “Lord Stoneleigh thought that you had not done so.”
The explanation she had prepared the evening before came to her lips without hesitation. “When Lord Stoneleigh spoke to me about your claim of owning whatever was within, I confess that curiosity took a hold of me and I could not help but look within.” She frowned hard. “Although, Lord Brunswick, can I be certain that the diamonds are yours, as you claim?”
Lord Brunswick did not appear to be in the least bit ruffled at her question. “There was a key within the box, was there not?” he said with confidence. “That key bears my symbol.”
“And why was such a key with the diamonds?” Lord Stoneleigh asked as Lord Claverhouse quietly slipped from the room. Lord Brunswick glanced at the door but did not appear to be in any way disturbed by this. Instead, he turned back to Lord Stoneleigh and answered his question.
“I placed it there simply to remind Lord Yardley that the diamonds were to be returned to me,” he answered quietly. “The key itself bears no significance.”
Prudence and Lord Stoneleigh exchanged a glance.
“I can assure you that those diamonds belong to me,” Lord Brunswick said, a little more forcefully. “I thought you said, Lord Stoneleigh, that Lady Prudence would be willing to return them to me?”
Lord Stoneleigh took a long breath, rose to his feet, and wandered around to stand behind Prudence. She felt his presence behind her, warm and comforting, and felt some of the tension disappear from her. Lord Claverhouse would be back in only a few minutes and that was when the crux of the matter would come to the fore.
“That is what I said, yes,” Lord Stoneleigh said, one hand now settling on Prudence’s shoulder. “But perhaps I should not have spoken with such haste.” Seeing Lord Brunswick frown, the calm expression beginning to fade from his face, Prudence tightened her fingers, forcing herself to take steadying breaths. Soon, everything would be said and Lord Brunswick would have to choose between speaking the truth and clinging to his lies. Either way, Prudence was certain that Lord Haydock would no longer allow his daughter to wed Lord Brunswick and that, at least, would be a relief.
“I do not understand what you mean,” Lord Brunswick said, his brows furrowing and his eyes narrowing. “I thought, Lady Prudence, that you understood.”
“I do understand,” Prudence replied, just as the door opened to reveal first, Lord Haydock, and then Lord Claverhouse. “I understand more than you might know, Lord Brunswick.” She looked at Lord Haydock who, having come into the room, was now looking from Lord Brunswick to Lord Stoneleigh and back again, a look of confusion on his face. Lord Claverhouse shut the door tightly and, with a small smile, leaned back against it and folded his arms across his chest.
Instantly, it felt as though storm clouds now swirled above their heads. Lord Haydock was grimacing, deep grooves forming in his forehead, and Lord Brunswick was now gripping the arms of the chair with every appearance of being fully prepared to depart.
“Lord Stoneleigh?” Lord Haydock asked gruffly. “I thought there was to be cards.”
Lord Stoneleigh’s hand pressed Prudence’s shoulder gently. “That was what I said, Lord Haydock, but I confess that I did not tell you the truth, for fear that you would go to Lord Brunswick to demand to know what I was going to say.”
“I do not understand,” Lord Haydock began, but Lord Stoneleigh held out one hand, palm facing him, and, much to Prudence’s relief, Lord Haydock lapsed into silence.
“Please, do be seated, Lord Haydock,” Lord Claverhouse interjected, still standing by the door. “It is for the best, I assure you.”
Much to Prudence’s surprise—for Lord Haydock did not look like the sort of gentleman who would do what was asked of him without explanation—Lord Haydock made his way to a chair and sat down heavily, although he now wore an air of suspicion which was, Prudence considered, aimed directly toward Lord Stoneleigh.
“What is the meaning of this, Stoneleigh?” Lord Brunswick grated, his voice thin with anger. “There is no reason for you to—”
“Lord Haydock,” Prudence interrupted, turning her face away from Lord Brunswick and looking directly at Lord Haydock. “I must tell you something of great importance. It concerns Lord Brunswick and, in doing so, concerns your daughter also.”
Hearing a sudden gasp from Lord Brunswick, Prudence kept her eyes on Lord Haydock rather than looking back at him, even though every part of her wished to do so.
“It is to do with my late cousin’s husband, Lord Yardley,” she continued as Lord Haydock remained entirely still, looking at Prudence as though he was not quite certain what to make of her. “Lord Yardley was married to my cousin, Mary. She sadly died and, tragically, Lord Yardley followed her into the next life only a short time ago.”
Lord Haydock ran one finger down his moustache and looked at her with a sharp eye. “I had heard of such a thing,” he said without any inflection of sympathy in his voice. “That has nothing to do with Lord Brunswick, however.”
Prudence allowed herself a long look in Lord Brunswick’s direction. His expression was one of deep frustration and fury, but Prudence was not dissuaded from what she had to do.
“If you would allow me to explain, Lord Haydock, then I will tell you why this does, in fact, involve Lord Brunswick which, in turn, will influence your consideration of him as a suitable match for your daughter.”
Lord Haydock’s brows rose to a great height, his eyes widening and a look of utter astonishment creeping over his face.
“It is true, Lord Haydock,” Lord Stoneleigh interrupted, before Lord Haydock could say anything. “It will take you a few minutes but all you need do is listen.”
Lord Haydock glanced toward Lord Brunswick, who was, Prudence noticed, still staring furiously at her.
“Very well,” he
said, after a long few moments. “I will do nothing but listen and shall make no judgment until you are finished.”
Gratified, Prudence turned her head to look up at Lord Stoneleigh. He nodded, gave her a tight smile, and gestured for her to continue.
“Lord Yardley approached me the day that he died,” she began, aware that there was a good deal of emotion within her as she spoke of this but doing all she could to speak with clarity and calmness. “He came into the house and begged me to take care of something of great importance. When I accepted it from him, he hurried from the house, made his way to the street, and then went to cross it.” Shuddering, she closed her eyes. “I did not speak to him again.”
Lord Claverhouse cleared his throat. “Lord Yardley was struck by a fast-moving carriage,” he said, in case Lord Haydock had not heard. “Everyone considered it an accident—save for Lady Prudence.”
Again, Lord Haydock’s brows shot up and he turned back to look at Prudence, who kept herself quite still under his gaze. “Indeed?” he queried, clearly disbelieving, given the twitch of his moustache. “You think that it was purposeful?”
“I do,” Prudence replied firmly, looking toward Lord Brunswick. “And I believe that Lord Brunswick made quite certain that Lord Yardley never breathed air again.”
“And why should I do that?” Lord Brunswick laughed, his voice filled with mockery. “There is no good reason for—”
“Because of what Lord Yardley gave me,” Prudence replied, not allowing him to finish speaking. “The box that contained both very expensive diamonds and, of course, a small key that I was certain opened something within your house.”
Clearly scoffing, Lord Brunswick threw his head back and laughed heartily, making heat flare in Prudence’s cheeks.
“I know that it has done so,” she continued, speaking loudly over the top of Lord Brunswick’s laughter. “For both Lord Stoneleigh and I discovered what the key opened, Lord Brunswick.” Instantly, the laughter died away and, as Lord Brunswick sat up properly to look at her, she saw the change in his demeanor. “We know the truth, Lord Brunswick.” Taking in a quick breath, she steadied her gaze on Lord Brunswick, seeing the color beginning to drain from his face. “In fact, both Lord Stoneleigh and I know everything.”