by Alec, Joyce
Joseph did not believe her in the least, quite certain that there was more to what the lady said. There was something more to Miss Thorpe, but evidently, she did not wish to say what it was. He could not quite understand what to do with such a feeling, looking at Miss Thorpe as though it were the first time he had seen her. There was such an affection in his heart for her, but now he began to wonder just how much more there was to the lady.
“Truly, I am quite all right,” Miss Thorpe said again, letting go of Lady Millington’s hands. “If you will excuse me both, I intend to retire now.”
Joseph nodded numbly, reaching for the door handle to turn it for the lady. He wanted to ask her more about why Lady Millington appeared so concerned, what it was that had passed between them, unspoken and yet so evident, but he could not find the words to speak.
“Thank you for your concern for me, Lord Pallson,” Miss Thorpe murmured, looking up at him as she drew near. “You are very kind.”
He smiled at her, her gentle expression capturing his entire attention. How he longed to wrap his arms around her just as he had done before, to press her mouth to his, to let her warmth and softness press against his frame.
“You are most welcome, Miss Thorpe,” he murmured, pushing the door open so that she could step inside. “I do hope you sleep soundly.”
“I am quite sure I…”
Miss Thorpe’s voice trailed off as she turned her eyes to the room. Joseph, frowning, kept his gaze on her for a moment or two before looking into her bedchamber, feeling almost embarrassed to do so – but then the reason for her astonishment became evident.
Her entire room was in disarray. Someone had upended the dressing room table, had thrown papers, jewelry, books and even bedsheets all across the room. There was glass on the floor, shards of it sparkling in the flames of the fire that still burned cheerfully in the grate in contrast to the dark horror that lay before him. Miss Thorpe’s breathing was shallow, her hand suddenly clinging to his arm as she took a stumbling step further within.
Lady Millington gasped in horror, one hand pressing against her mouth as she walked past him into the room.
“No,” she breathed, her eyes wide and staring. “No, no! This cannot be! Surely, it cannot be!”
Joseph held tightly onto Miss Thorpe’s arm, his entire frame burning with an intense anger. “Who has done this, Miss Thorpe?”
She shook her head, unable to speak.
Suddenly the anxiety of Lady Millington came back to him, making him frown all the more. “Why have they done this, Miss Thorpe? What is their purpose?”
Lady Millington and Miss Thorpe ignored him, clearly too overcome with what they saw to answer his questions.
“Do you think they are still here?” Lady Millington asked, taking Miss Thorpe’s arm just as Miss Thorpe let go of Joseph. “Where did you keep them, my dear?”
Miss Thorpe let out a ragged sob. “There.” She pointed to the corner of the room where a wicker chest lay haphazardly against the bed. “I had it locked…”
Lady Millington took her hand and let Miss Thorpe towards the chest, and even Joseph himself began to follow them, unsure as to what they were specifically looking for. His eyes looked all around the room, taking in everything. There was no doubt that whoever had been in Miss Thorpe’s room had been determined to find whatever it was they were looking for. He did not know what it was that Miss Thorpe had kept hidden, nor why, but the fear or her face was more than enough to convince him to remain by her side.
Miss Thorpe let out a strangled sob, falling to her knees, as she pulled a small velvet bag from what appeared to be a locked wooden box that had been within the wicker chest.
“They are within?” Lady Millington asked, her voice breaking. “Are they quite safe?”
Miss Thorpe looked inside and nodded, her expression one of sheer relief. “They are within,” she breathed, grasping Lady Millington’s arm. “They are safe. I have the key around my neck. Always.”
Joseph’s brows rose. “I think you have much to tell me, Miss Thorpe,” he said plainly, as he walked towards them both. “From what has occurred here this evening, I must begin to believe that the shot that came for Lord Franks must have been intended for you – although I can see that you yourself did not want to believe it.”
Miss Thorpe shook her head, still remaining on her knees as she looked up at him. Her face was ashen, her eyes filled with sparkling tears as her lips trembled.
“Lord Pallson, it was not an intentional deceit,” Lady Millington murmured, one hand on Miss Thorpe’s shoulder. “You must understand, this now means that Miss Thorpe is now in very real danger.”
Joseph felt his head begin to ache, but he could not remove his gaze from Miss Thorpe, who was looking at him with such desperate longing that he could not help but soften towards her despite his confusion. His mind tumbled with questions, wondering why Lady Millington was speaking to him of deceit, wondering what Miss Thorpe had to do with such a word, only to see Miss Thorpe begin to cry, her tears pouring down her cheeks as she held the velvet bag in her hands.
“There is a good deal that will need to be explained, Lord Pallson,” Lady Millington said softly, as she bent to help Miss Thorpe to her feet. “But let me start from the very beginning.”
Miss Thorpe slumped where she stood, leaning heavily against Lady Millington. She did not raise her eyes to his but hung her head, as though what was to be said to him would shatter her entirely.
Lady Millington lifted her chin and held her gaze steadily as she looked at him. Joseph felt his stomach swirl with tension, his hands tightening into fists as he looked back at her, preparing himself for what she was to say.
“Lord Pallson, I will again apologize for this deceit but assure you that it was entirely necessary for my dear friend’s safety. If you will permit me, may I introduce to you Lady Emily Dove, daughter to the Marquess of Rawson.”
7
“So, you are not Miss Thorpe then?” Lord Pallson whispered, as he sank down heavily into a chair. “You are Lady Emily?”
Emily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, aware of Lady Millington’s arm around her waist, as she helped her to sit down in the now-righted chair opposite Lord Pallson.
“I am, Lord Pallson,” she replied hoarsely. “I am so terribly sorry for what you have heard from my lips, for the lies I have had to tell you, but there was nothing I could do. I must protect the Hatherley diamonds.” Briefly, she told him all that had occurred before she had joined Lady Millington, the words falling from her lips with very little emotion. It was as though, as she spoke, everything she felt, everything she was, simply drained out of her. She was too tired, too afraid of the fear that now enveloped her very soul.
Lord Pallson would turn from her, she was sure of it. She could see the look in his eyes as she spoke, see the confusion and the hurt. He had kissed her, believing her to be the quiet Miss Thorpe, the gentle companion that had very little to her name. Now, she was finally sitting before him, as the lady she truly was, the lady who was afraid and scared, sitting with nothing but the truth for her defense.
“I thought I would be safe here,” she finished, as Lady Millington took another chair to sit by her side. “I thought no one would know, that I would be safe to live here for a time. As much as I love Lady Millington’s kindness and generosity, it has been particularly difficult to be kept within for such a long time. But it seems that, somehow, Lord Hatherley has discovered my presence here and has sent someone to retrieve the diamonds.” Her voice broke, fresh tears flooding her eyes. “I did not think it would ever be possible, but now…” She dabbed at her eyes uselessly, unable to stop sobs from shuddering through her. “I must leave here. I must go. I can trust no one.”
A short, sharp silence fell. Lady Millington said nothing, one hand gently pressing on her shoulder for a moment before settling back in her lap. Lord Pallson said nothing either, simply looking at her for a long time without a hint of what he was thinking ev
ident in his expression. Emily put her head in her hands, her whole body feeling as though it might break apart from fright, upset, and the overwhelming sense of guilt that now weighed heavily on her soul.
“You can trust me, Miss Thorpe. I mean, Lady Emily.”
Emily looked up, seeing Lord Pallson now looking at her with an expression of both sadness and confusion. “I cannot quite understand fully all that has been going on, Lady Emily, but I can assure you that I know nothing of these diamonds, although….” He trailed off, now appearing rather uncomfortable. Pushing one hand through his hair, he glanced at her before letting his eyes drop to the floor.
Emily’s gut twisted with a sudden fear.
“I will confess to you that I know Lord Hatherley rather well,” he said slowly. “I would consider him an acquaintance, Lady Emily.”
Swallowing the lump of fear in her throat, Emily turned to Lady Millington and saw the same anxiety on her face that she felt in her heart.
“You need not involve yourself in this, Lord Pallson,” she said quietly, feeling as though he were slipping away from her, as though what they had shared was now coming to an abrupt end. “I did not ask for your assistance, and I can only apologize for not telling you the truth. I can imagine that it has been rather difficult for you to hear such a thing from my lips.” Her voice grew thin, her upset growing all the more as she saw him frown, his dark eyes glinting. “I am truly sorry, Lord Pallson.”
He shook his head, a sigh rattling from his lips. “I think, given the circumstances, Lady Emily, I can well understand why you did not. For heaven’s sake, you were shot at!”
“Perhaps I was wrong about that,” Emily stammered, still confused and uncertain about all that had gone on. “Mayhap Lord Franks is correct and—”
“No.”
Lord Pallson was now standing, looking around the room with a flash of anger in his eyes. “No, Lady Emily, I cannot accept that. After seeing this, I must suggest that there is something sinister at work here. You must ensure you are with someone at all times.”
“But what does this mean?” Lady Millington asked, her eyes a little wide. “Does this not suggest that there is someone within this house who knows, somehow, that Emily has the Hatherley diamonds? Ought I not to take her back to London just as soon as I can? Tomorrow, in fact!”
Emily found herself nodding, suddenly wanting to be away from Lord Brighton’s home and the danger that was within, but saw that Lord Pallson was shaking his head firmly.
“No, Lady Millington. No, I cannot believe that this is the correct course of action. If you are to unmask this…. thief, this tormentor, then it must be here. There are only a few guests, and surely we can find out who is working with Lord Hatherley in order to secure the diamonds. Then, mayhap, we can—”
“We?”
The word slipped from Emily’s mouth before she could stop it. Lord Pallson was behaving as though he were suddenly standing alongside her, fighting her cause, when she had expected him to be angry, furious even, that she had not told him the truth.
Lord Pallson drew in a long breath before a small smile tugged at his lips. “Yes, Lady Emily,” he said softly, coming to stand by her so that she was forced to look up at him. “I will not allow you to fight this alone. I know you are frightened, and I can tell that you are scared, but you need not worry that you are alone in this. I will do all I can to protect you and to bring this matter to a close.”
Emily closed her eyes for a moment, her hand reaching up to his. His fingers caught hers at once and pressed them tightly, sending sparks all through her. “But why, Lord Pallson?” she whispered brokenly. “Why are you choosing to involve yourself?”
His smile grew a little, and he bent down, looking deeply into her eyes and seeming to ignore Lady Millington’s presence altogether.
“Because I cannot help but care for you,” he whispered softly, looking into her eyes. “I know the truth now, and it does nothing to the affection that has begun to blossom in my heart. Whether you are Miss Thorpe or Lady Emily, my heart cannot turn from you. I wish to see you safe; I wish to see you protected. I cannot imagine the difficulties you must have endured this last while. You are truly remarkable, I think.”
Emily did not feel remarkable in any way whatsoever, feeling herself turn into a puddle of emotion as she saw the tender expression on his face. This was more than she had ever expected, more than she felt she deserved, and still, Lord Pallson was smiling at her with that gentle sweetness that brought peace and hope to her heart.
“You may be just what we require, Lord Pallson,” Lady Millington murmured, as his fingers caressed Emily’s hands. “I have very little idea of what we are supposed to do next! All I wish is for Emily and her father to be restored. Once Lord Hatherley is no longer a concern, then they will be able to return back to their home, back to their lives. But how we are to rid him from this matter, I cannot tell.”
Emily shook her head, tugging her fingers from Lord Pallson’s. “My father will never give up the diamonds, and nor would I ask him to. They are the only thing he has as a reminder to his dear wife – and my darling mother. Besides which, they do belong with our family.”
“Of course they do,” Lord Pallson replied softly. “I can imagine that a love as strong as you have described must be hard to remove from one’s heart. Besides which, giving into a bully of any sort means that they can then use the fear they have created against you all the more. Even though I know Lord Hatherley, I will admit that he has a stubborn, determined trait in him. I can see how that might be used to conjure terror in others. Unfortunately, he is not the most responsible of gentlemen when it comes to his wealth, which may very well be why he is seeking the diamonds when his father did not. I am truly sorry, Lady Emily, but I can well understand why he is seeking such a thing.” He squared his shoulders and rose to his feet, his jaw set as his eyes roved over the room.
Swallowing her tears in an attempt to prevent any of them from falling, Emily shook her head. “I want my father to be safe, Lord Pallson. I never believed that this would ever come to pass, but I am afraid I have been proven wrong in this.”
Lord Pallson drew in a long breath. “Well, we must first set this room to rights. I know it is quite out of the ordinary to suggest that we do such things ourselves, but if we do not wish the staff and then Lord Brighton to discover what has taken place, then it will need to be done quickly.” He rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment. “You remain seated, Lady Emily. You have had a great shock, and you must rest.”
Emily looked down at the velvet bag in her hands, feeling a sudden spurt of anger that took her breath away. Whilst Lord Pallson and Lady Millington began to put things to rights, she let her breathing settle whilst trying to think of her father. She suddenly was frustrated with the diamonds, how her father could have left their lives empty of frustration and fear had he only given the diamonds to the new Lord Hatherley. But then, she recalled her mother and the love that had been so evident between her and Emily’s father. Could she truly blame her father for holding onto the one thing that reminded him of his wife? The one thing that she had so desperately loved, the thing that had brought them both together in its own way?
In her mind’s eye, Emily saw the many occasions that her mother had worn the diamonds, remembered the way her father’s eyes had shone with joy and love as he had taken her in. No, she realized, those diamonds meant too much to give in to Lord Hatherley.
Lord Pallson was quite right to suggest that to give in to Lord Hatherley could allow the man further input into their lives. What would prevent him from demanding more from them?
“Lady Emily?”
She jerked and looked up, seeing Lord Pallson smile down at her sympathetically.
“You must remain ‘Miss Thorpe’ for the next few days, I am afraid,” he said gently. “You will have to continue just as you are. You are to be Helen’s companion, just as before, simply because I will be able to stay nearby and ensure that you
are quite safe.”
This was not any kind of a disappointment for Emily, who found herself slowly beginning to be reassured as she looked up at him. “I am quite content with that, Lord Pallson, although I confess that I am a little afraid at being with the other guests if one of them is attempting to…” She could not finish the sentence, her voice trailing off into a whisper.
“Oh, goodness!”
Emily’s gaze shot to her bedchamber door, as her maid, Sarah, stepped inside. Her eyes widened, as she looked all about her, one hand pressed to her mouth.
“It is being set to rights,” Lady Millington said practically. “Do come in, Sarah. You can assist me.”
“Although you must swear not to say a single word,” Lord Pallson added, frowning darkly as the maid slowly pushed the door closed. “This is not to be spoken of, do you hear me?”
Emily caught Lord Pallson’s hand. “She has come from my father’s house, Lord Pallson. You can trust her.”
Lord Pallson did not remove his gaze from the maid, his fingers a little tight on Emily’s hand. “Regardless, it is important to say. Do you understand?”
His directed question towards Sarah had the girl trembling. “Yes of course, my lord. Do let me help you, Lady Millington.”
She stumbled away, hurrying to help Lady Millington right the wicker chest in the corner. Emily let go of Lord Pallson’s hand, only for him to take it again and draw her out from her seat.
“My dear Emily, might you entrust me with the diamonds?” he asked quietly. “I know that they are most precious to you, but I know of a wonderfully secure hiding place, where no one will ever be able to find them. I will let you know where they are if you wish it, of course, but if you will entrust them to me, then I can assure you that they will never be found.”
It was to Emily’s surprise that she found herself filled with relief at his suggestion, as though she had been waiting for him to offer such a thing. She drew them from her pocket almost at once and gave them to him, her trust never waning for a moment. “I trust you with these, Lord Pallson,” she whispered, feeling her shoulders freeing themselves of a heavy burden. “I thank you.”