Clarendon Estate (The Sinclair Society Series, #3)
Page 15
Mr. Bladen’s head jerked back slightly. “Where is the letter, Juliet?” he asked, ignoring my own questions. “What have you done with it?”
“I don’t have it any more. Do you take me for a fool? As soon as I read those words, I knew how important they were. I have sent them to someone who will know what ought to be done with them.”
“You little fool!”
“Yes, I was a fool. A fool to believe you ever cared for me,” I said sharply. “Tell me, did you begin to court me because you suspected my brother had learned your secret or was it coincidence?”
He shook me, making everything go dark for a moment. “Who did you give the papers to? Sir Horace? Harper? Who?” he demanded, his tone insistent. “Tell me!”
“I would imagine by now they have both seen those papers and have put everything together. They are not fools.”
Abruptly, Henry released me and I stumbled back several steps, unable to catch my balance. “You have ruined everything!” he said, rage making his voice rise as he spun away. “Everything I have worked for, everything I have done, is for nothing because of you!”
“That’s what happens when you choose to turn your back on your country, Henry Bladen.” Well, it’s what happened when someone got caught being a traitor, but that was beside the point. “How conceited you must be to think you could get away with murder and lies! And for what? Money? Is that all you wanted?”
Henry was quick to face me. “To someone who has always had everything handed to her, what would you know about needing money?” he demanded.
Again, my vision darkened for a moment and I fought to keep my balance. “You killed my family because of money? You, who always boasted of your fine estate and stable income. You betrayed your country...me...for monetary gain. ”
“What else was I supposed to say? Your father expected a wealthy suitor for his precious daughter,” Henry snapped, stepping closer. “A penniless dreamer would’ve had no place in the Sinclair family.”
Everything he’d ever said...it had all been a lie.
“I can’t believe you betrayed me like this, Juliet.”
Astonished, I stared at him, fighting the desire to laugh in his face. “I betrayed you? Is that really what you are taking away from this whole thing?”
“You are not such an idiot that you don’t know what they will do to me now that you have revealed me,” he said sharply.
I’d been so intent on uncovering the villain, I honestly hadn’t thought how the government would react. “They will interrogate you, try to persuade you to give up your confederates, and then they will hang you for your treason.”
“You wish that for me?” His tone had become pleading.
“You turned your back on your country and on me long ago.” It was becoming hard to think straight. My vision was fading in and out. “But I will grant you one last mercy, though you don’t deserve it and you were not merciful to my family. Run.”
He stared at me. “What did you say?”
“Run. If you don’t want to get caught, try to make it to your fellow traitors. See if they stand by you. This is the only chance I am giving you. Please do not make me regret this.” I felt breathless and unsteady. “Unless you intend to murder me right here, I suggest you stop wasting time.”
With Sir Horace and Mr. Harper aware of what he had done, I didn’t think he would get far at all. I didn’t want to see him taken captive though. For all he had done, he’d had my heart once.
Henry took a step back. “I did love you,” he said softly. He brought his pistol up and aimed it at me. “Everything I did was so that we could have a future together. I wanted to give you everything you deserved.”
‘Did’. Past tense. “And I loved you, Henry.” I was determined not to flinch or make such a decision easy on him. “If you’re going to kill me, do so already. Just know it will not save you.”
His hand shook for a moment and then he lowered the pistol. “Goodbye, Juliet.”
He turned and rushed into the maze. Breathing out, I reached for the wall of the maze, even though I knew the shrubbery wouldn’t support me. I felt weaker than ever before, and somehow, I had to get out of the maze.
Gathering my strength, I took one step and then another and another after that. Everything around me seemed to spin and had become shadowy. Even the ground felt as though it was moving under my feet.
“Miss Nelson!”
Someone was calling for me, but I didn’t dare lift my eyes. My foot caught on something unseen and I fell forward. A pair of hands caught me before I hit the ground. Again, someone was talking to me.
“Miss Nelson? Julie!”
Was that Mr. Harper’s voice. The impudent man had used my Christian name and I had not given him permission to do so. That nonsensical thought was the last thing I knew as everything went black.
Chapter Seventeen
The gentle click of a door being closed reached through the darkness. Everything ached and I felt heavy, as though I’d been sleeping too long. But that click was a signal that it was time to wake up. I forced my eyes to open, and squinted in the bright light.
What had happened? Where was I? Was there someone with me, or had the click been the door closing behind someone who had left?
“Juliet?”
Above me, the white ceiling came into focus. I was in the small bedchamber in Clarendon that had been mine since I had arrived on the estate. Everything was bright because the sun was shining through the window. How long had I been sleeping? Why was I still in bed when the sun was up?
When I shifted my gaze to the right, I saw Lady Leith seated by my bed. She leaned forward, the creases in her forehead smoothing out as concern shifted to relief. “You’re finally awake,” she said with a smile. “You’ve been asleep for nearly eighteen hours. How do you feel?”
My mouth was dry and I tried to lick my lips. It did little good, but allowed me some time to consider how to answer. Honesty seemed the best way to go. “Terrible,” I said, my voice a croak. I tried to lift my arm, but pain shot from my shoulder to the tips of my fingers. A hiss of pain escaped me.
“Don’t try to move. I’m not surprised you do not feel well. You lost a lot of blood.” Lady Leith picked up a glass of lemonade and held it to my lips. “Drink this.”
As I drank the sweet liquid, everything that had happened came rushing back. I remembered finding the incriminating letters. My panicked race to the maze to escape. Hiding with Simon Leith, wondering what I should do. Facing Henry Bladen.
Getting shot.
“You had us all worried,” Celia said, getting my attention once again. “When Simon came rushing toward us with blood on his hand, at least half of the ladies went into hysterics. I’m not sure which part the dowager finds most distressing: that this happened at all or that she had to admit Simon was her son. Our guests will not soon forget this.”
When had young Mr. Leith been in contact with my blood? When we were in the alcove in the maze? All the details of what had happened were fuzzy in my mind. Wait. Had he been hurt? “I’m sorry,” I managed to say, trying to sit up.
“The doctor says you are not to move,” Lady Leith said, putting her hand on my uninjured shoulder. “You need to rest and regain your strength. I’ve even forbidden my husband and Mr. Harper from questioning you.”
“Did they...” I was almost afraid to finish the question, but I had to know. “Was Mr. Bladen caught?”
I wasn’t sure which answer was the one I wanted. My friend shook her head, her expression becoming regretful. He’d managed to escape? I had offered him that mercy, so I had no right to be disappointed. “What happened?”
“I don’t think this is something you want to hear right now,” she said, looking away. “There will be time enough for explanations and questions when you are feeling more yourself. Just try to rest.”
Why didn’t she want to tell me? Dread stabbed my heart. “They caught him, didn’t they,” I said, watching her. She flinched and c
ontinued to stare at the wall. “Henry Bladen is dead, isn’t he?”
“I’m afraid he is,” Celia said softly. She finally looked at me and her expression was sad. “I’m sorry.”
Closing my eyes, I breathed out. Henry was dead. I’d mourned him long ago, turned him away when he had pursued me again, but this was not the end I would have wished. Not even for the man who had killed my family.
“How?”
“Well, my husband hasn’t told me the exact details,” she said with a sigh. “All I know is that they pursued him past the village. I think he was trying to find a horse. When they confronted him, Mr. Bladen shot at them. They were forced to defend themselves.”
Henry wasn’t one to go down without a fight, I knew that much. Had he known what would happen if he fired his pistol?
“I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you,” I said, forcing my eyes back open.
Celia gave a slight laugh and shook her head. “You would say that,” she said. Her hand covered mine. “I know you loved him and cannot imagine how you must be hurting to learn his true nature. When I suggested he was guilty before, I never imagined it would be true. I simply wanted to consider all possibilities.”
“He brought this on himself and is the only one to carry the blame.” At some point, I expected I would cry. I had loved him, once upon a time, but I was no longer the girl who’s only wish had been to marry him. “He betrayed his country and me. I’m grateful I was spared learning this after I married him.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have to convince me,” she said. “Would you like something to eat? Are you hungry?”
My stomach was twisting with nausea, and the mere thought of food only made it worse. “No, thank you. You should return to your guests before they wonder where you are.”
“Most of my guests believe there was a minor hunting accident,” Celia explained, settling back into the chair. “Horace has encouraged them to take their leave and most will depart tomorrow morning. The fewer who know about what really happened, the better.”
“Does he imagine no one would find it suspicious that no one they knew was injured?” Had no one remarked on Lady Leith tending her sick maid? Or was no one aware of where she was?
The woman shook her head. “My husband has more connections and influence than I’d ever dreamed he could have. I don’t believe a word of this would be spoken by anyone if he sent everyone on their way.” She frowned. “On second thought, Miss Reynolds might be so bold, but I trust her father would discourage her from that.”
Tired, I closed my eyes again. “It’s over then. The man who destroyed my family is gone, and no one will be hurt again.”
“At least not by him. Horace suspects there may have been other contacts and agents who were in contact with Mr. Bladen. The papers left behind may be able to lead to other arrests and captures.”
Where had they found other papers? All I’d needed was seeing that one deciphered message, so I hadn’t continued my search. How much had I missed? In the end, did it matter what else they had found?
“It ought to keep Sir Horace and Mr. Harper busy,” I said. “They finally found the traitor they’ve been looking for. That is what they’ve been doing all this time, isn’t it? They were the ones who were working with my brother.”
“Yes. Horace said as much last night, though the extent of his service to England has been left vague. Finding your brother’s killer has been the one thing that has kept them at the work, even now that Napoleon has been contained.”
At least, with one less secret between them, Sir Horace and Lady Leith had the opportunity to resolve their differences. Once the dowager was out of the house, they would have an even better chance to trust each other. I only hoped they would be able to maintain their happiness.
“Mr Harper has been asking after you every hour,” Lady Leith said softly. “Do you know, I think he might be a bit smitten. He carried you here from the maze, and he shouted for a doctor as though he were in charge. Really it was quite romantic.”
Was he the one who caught me? I had a vague memory of someone saying ‘Julie.’ “Smitten? I hardly think so. I have been an annoyance to him from the start.” No doubt he believed I had been a hindrance to him.
“Rest,” Lady Leith said, her tone gentle. “You’re safe now. I’ll keep my husband and Mr. Harper away until you are ready. I’m sure answering questions is the last thing you want to do now.”
Asking questions was definitely something Mr. Harper was good at doing. How many would he have for me this time? I didn’t dwell on it as I let sleep overtake me once again.
WHEN I AWOKE AGAIN, it was another day, and Celia regretfully informed me that her husband would not be put off any longer. He insisted he needed to question me on what I had seen and how it had come about that I’d been shot. My friend and Fanny helped me into a clean nightgown and dressing gown.
It was scandalous garb for receiving gentlemen. Given a lady never allowed men into her room, what was one more broken rule of etiquette?
I shouldn’t have been surprised when Mr. Harper accompanied Sir Horace into the room. Celia refused to leave my side, despite her husband’s hints. My small room seemed even more tiny with the three of them crowded around my bed where I was sitting.
“What made you suspect Henry Bladen was a traitor?” Sir Horace asked, getting straight to the point.
Taking a deep breath, I explained about the message referring to ‘H’, and the unsolved cipher among Jonathan’s belongings. I told him how I had gone to Mr. Bladen’s bedchamber on the hunch I would find something.
“You suspected me, didn’t you,” Sir Horace asked before I could continue. “That’s why you joined my household. Because I was an ‘H’ who had known Jonathan Sinclair.”
“I wanted out of Bath, and being Lady Leith’s maid provided that,” I said to correct him on that point. “The fact that you knew Jonathan Sinclair and also had a name beginning with ‘H’ was merely a benefit.”
He shook his head and sent a glance at his wife. “Are you sure you want to hear this?” he asked, no doubt concerned his wife may be offended by what I divulged. “I will share what you need to know after.”
“My dear, I have already heard this,” Celia said with a calm smile. “Nelson confided all the details of her past to me nearly two weeks ago and I have been assisting her in trying to learn what we could on the matter. Mr. Sinclair was a friend of mine as well, you know. It was the least I could do.”
Astonished, both Sir Horace and Mr. Harper stared at her. “You knew?” her husband exclaimed. “Celia! Why didn’t you say anything?”
“It was not for me to tell.”
“That explains the questions regarding whether we remembered Sinclair,” Mr Harper said in a low voice, half to himself. He shook his head. “Surely you must have recognized the danger in such an action. If one of us were the man responsible―”
“But the man responsible for Mr. Sinclair’s death was neither of you,” Celia said with triumph. “And he did not react at all to my questions. I never would have guessed he was practically engaged to Mr. Sinclair’s sister. He would have made an excellent actor on the stage, I think.”
“In any event, you did find something, Nelson,” Sir Horace said, focusing on me once again. Perhaps it was the only way he could handle the knowledge that his wife had known more than him. “Something that sent you out of the house.”
He knew very well what I had found. Hadn’t I given it to his brother to be delivered to his hand? Was there a reason he wished to hear the story from my own lips? Would he need to make an official report?
“Yes,” I said. I paused to collect my thoughts. “It wasn’t even hidden in a clever place, but behind a picture in his bed chamber. As soon as I saw the numbers and the deciphered message, I knew he was the man I’d been searching for. Why else would he have it unless he was involved somehow?”
“How did you know? What if he were a government agent who had i
ntercepted the message, deciphered it, and were searching for the traitor here?”
His questions made me angry but he did have a point. “Because of what Juliet Sinclair already knew,” I said carefully. “She had no idea Mr Bladen had gone to Bath at the time her brother was killed. If he lied and hid the truth one, it was entirely likely he would do so again.”
“Still, he could have lied because he was an agent of the government,” Mr. Harper said. “I do recall Sinclair had reservations about the prospect of his sister marrying the man. I put it off as a brother being overly concerned for his sister’s future.”
I couldn’t help but wonder if Mr. Bladen had been interested in me because he suspected who my brother was? He’d said he had loved me once, but after all the lies, I wasn’t sure I could believe that.
“The cipher I found was a message indicating that someone named ‘N’ needed to be removed,” I continued, pushing away the intrusive thought. “Since I am such a person, I was concerned he might have come to Clarendon to find me. I left the house to hide the message somewhere.”
Though I hadn’t gone into the full details of my tale, I was eager to be done with it. My head was aching almost as much as my arm. “When I reached the maze, I heard a gunshot and then realized I’d been shot. Mr. Simon Leith helped me into the maze and we hid for a short time. I knew Mr. Bladen wouldn’t think he had anything to fear from Mr. Leith, so I sent him with the letter for help while I hid in the maze until I didn’t hear Mr. Bladen searching for me anymore.”
“Bladen didn’t strike me as the kind of man to give up so easily,” Mr. Harper said thoughtfully. “Why would he pursue you only to give up after a few minutes of search? Surely he knew that you would expose him.”
“Perhaps he realized he had been outmanoeuvred,” Celia suggested. “The man was a traitor and valued himself over his own country. Can we really pretend to know what he might have been thinking?”