Never Dance with a Marquess (The Never Series Book 2) Page 16

  “How dare he show his face again in England! The black sheep of the family, Simon, could charm the birds out of the trees. He induced Max’s wife, my niece, dear Annabelle, who refused to believe anything bad of anyone, to fund his escape from the law. Spun some sorry tale about being innocent of any crime, but if they caught him, he would swing from the gallows.”

  He nodded. “You know it all then.”

  “Enough to know you can’t trust him.”

  “Max expressed his concern. That was the reason he felt it best to appoint me the children’s guardian.”

  “The right decision. Always thought so. I gather you fear I could expect a visit from Simon?”

  “He has departed London for the country. I don’t know his direction.”

  A maid appeared carrying the tea tray and placed it before Lady Penelope on the occasional table. “Mary, tell Mrs. Brentwood I wish to see her,” Lady Penelope said as she bent over the tea tray. “Milk?”

  “Thank you.”

  Within minutes, the housekeeper hurried in.

  “I am traveling to Surrey with his lordship within the hour,” Lady Penelope announced, in the manner one might say it looked like rain. “Please advise my maid to pack a trunk.”

  Mrs. Brentwood’s eyes widened a fraction, but she didn’t seem very surprised. Perhaps she was used to Lady Penelope’s vagaries. “Yes, milady.”

  Nicholas sat and drank another cup of tea and ate two buttered, spicy currant buns while preparations were undertaken for her ladyship’s journey. It was not long before she appeared swathed in furs.

  Her cane in her hand, she turned toward the door. “Well, young man, shall we go?”

  With a smile of approval, Nicholas hurried to offer her his arm. Fortunately, he had changed the horses on route. He feared a further delay might annoy this impatient lady.

  Well before the afternoon stretched into evening, the coach bowled along the road into Surrey.

  Dusk was almost upon them by the time they approached Elm Park.

  Nicholas found the lady an entertaining traveling companion who distracted him from the worry of what might lie ahead. But as the coach turned through the gates, he opened the window.

  “See anyone today, Will?” he asked the gatekeeper.

  “No, milord.”

  “I don’t expect any visitors. No strangers are to be admitted. They can furnish their card.”

  “Right, my lord.”

  “I’ll send a footman to assist you.”

  “You have a fine park,” Lady Penelope observed as the carriage approached the house.

  “Thank you.”

  “I knew your father when I was little more than a girl,” she confessed.

  Nicholas glanced at her. “You did?”

  “Met him in London during my first Season. Handsome devil. But he only had eyes for your mother.” She gazed at him. “You look rather like him. I trust you are of a steadier character.”

  He chuckled. But his laughter fell away when he spied Jeremy and Bella playing with their pups on the lawn. They clambered to their feet and raised their hands to greet him as the coach approached the house.

  Nicholas frowned. What were they doing playing outside at this hour? Where was Miss Scotsdale? Or his secretary?

  “Your wards apparently consider this home,” Lady Penelope observed dryly.

  Nicholas banged the roof for the carriage to halt. “Return the dogs to their pen,” he called to his footman. “I shall see Bella and Jeremy in the library,”

  “Yes, milord.”

  The coachman pulled up the horses on the drive. Nicholas assisted Lady Penelope from the vehicle.

  Abercrombie awaited them at the open front door.

  Nicholas introduced her ladyship to his butler as she stood observing the lake. Its waters looked on fire beneath the rays of the setting sun. She turned. “Abercrombie. I have not brought my maid. Please send a capable girl to my bedchamber.”

  “Certainly, my lady.”

  Nicholas went to his library to await the miscreants. Warren was absent. Nicholas opened the door and spoke to the footman. “Do you know where Mr. Warren is, Giles?”

  “He said he had business to attend to, milord.”

  “Where?”

  “He didn’t say. He left the house some hours ago.”

  “Did he go on horseback?”

  “I believe so.”

  Weary after many hours on the road, he returned to sit down and await his wards, wrestling with his temper. Did no one obey him? Where the devil would Warren go at this time? Nicholas assumed his secretary received his message ordering him to watch the children and to keep an eye out for Simon Leeming. But what did he find? His two wards outside at dusk and no sign of the fellow. Might he have a woman in the village? Nicholas found that hard to believe. His secretary had always obeyed his orders without question.

  Looking sheepish, Bella and Jeremy came into the library.

  Bella hurried over to kneel beside Chester and stroke his ears. “It is so good to see you, Nicholas. We can play snap. It has been so dreary without you.”

  “Where is your governess?”

  “Scotty is lying down. She has a headache.”

  “Is she aware that you were outside on the lawns while it grew dark?”

  “Not exactly,” Jeremy said, shuffling his feet on the carpet.

  Nicholas raised his eyebrows.

  “We thought it better not to tell her. It might have made her headache worse,” Jeremy volunteered. “I say Nicholas, now you’re here, we can visit the Roman ruins. You did promise.”

  “I’m aware of that,” Nicholas said shortly. “But if you keep trying my patience, I might forget that promise.”

  Jeremy straightened. “I say, that’s rather…”

  “Unless you would prefer to spend the rest of your holidays back at Eton.”

  Jeremy shook his head and fell silent.

  “Good. Now I have something to tell you.” He waved them to a seat. “I am concerned about a matter pertaining to your Uncle Simon. He is back in England. Your father did not wish you to see him…”

  “Why ever not?” Bella asked.

  “Don’t interrupt me, Bella. The reason does not concern you. I prefer you to stay indoors until I say otherwise.”

  “We can’t go out? For how long?” Jeremy gasped. “Can’t I visit the horses?”

  “Not for a while. But to make amends, I shall take you both to London when I’m free to do so. You may see your sister. And visit the Tower. We might go to a Tattersall’s auction.”

  “I can see Carrie?” Bella cried.

  Nicholas nodded with a smile.

  Jeremy’s eyes widened. “That’s jolly decent of you.”

  “I have brought your Great Aunt Penelope to stay. She will be your chaperone.”

  Bella stared at him in horror. “Oh, but she is always so cross,” she said mournfully.

  Jeremy shrugged. “She doesn’t ride, though.”

  “You will be polite to Lady Penelope at dinner or take your meals in the schoolroom from now on. Now go upstairs to your governess and get ready for dinner.”

  Nicholas’s lips twitched as his glum wards left the room. Their youthful exuberance would soon return. They made him smile and quite lifted his spirits. Determined to protect them from possible danger, he left the library in search of Abercrombie.

  He found him in the staff quarters, about to eat his evening meal. Gesturing to him not to rise, Nicholas asked him, “Did the footman deliver my message to Mr. Warren?”

  “He did, my lord. I made sure of it.”

  “Did Warren tell you where he was going?”

  “He received a note, then said he needed to ride out and speak to Vano.”

  “What did the he want with Warren?”

  “He didn’t say.”

  Nicholas nodded. “Never mind. Enjoy your meal.”

  He returned to the library. Perhaps he had missed Warren’s note. He went over to searc
h through the papers on his desk.

  ***

  Carrie’s journey with Gwen to Surrey was delayed after one of the horses picked up a stone. They’d taken the opportunity for a cup of tea at a nearby inn, and an hour later, were back on the road, but Carrie remained tense the whole way. She begged Gwen to tell her all the details concerning her uncle’s past.

  “I’m surprised he’s returned,” Carrie said finally. “Wouldn’t he fear arrest?”

  “Apparently, Bow Street arrested and hanged two of the men involved in the murder some years ago, so he might consider himself safe from prosecution.”

  “But why risk it? He has no home in England. You say he lost it because of his gambling debts.”

  “He gambled away his entire inheritance.”

  “But why is Nicholas so afraid he might hurt us?”

  “It is more a matter of gaining control of Bella and Jeremy’s inheritance.”

  “The money is tied up in a trust, and Jeremy is now Baron Leeming. How could he?”

  Gwen shrugged. “The estate won’t be in your brother’s hands for years. I’m sure there are ways around the trust if you are devious enough.”

  Carrie drew in a sharp breath as something occurred to her. “Nicholas thinks Uncle Simon might harm Jeremy. Might even…” Her throat tightened, and she couldn’t say the words. “But that’s so horrible. Can he really be that wicked?”

  “I don’t know, Carrie. Desperate men do desperate things.”

  “But to harm his family.”

  Gwen took her hand. “Let’s not dwell on it. We might be wrong about the man. Maybe he’s turned over a new leaf.”

  “Yes, that might be it.” Although he’d been charming to her at the ball, Carrie couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

  Without Jeremy in his way, Simon was next in line for the barony. Her uncle was like a dark shadow hovering over them. Would Nicholas be able to deal with such a dangerous man? Could he be hurt? At the thought, she shivered and put a hand to her mouth to stop crying out and turned to stare out the window at the passing landscape. The horses’ pace was too slow. Nicholas’s coach traveled much faster. Where was he now? Might he be on the way to Elm Park with Aunt Penelope? She didn’t care if Nicholas was angry with her for coming; she couldn’t wait to see him again, to reassure herself they were all safe.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nicholas’s search failed to find a note from Warren. He paced the library, waiting for him to return, until he was forced to go up and change for dinner. As he came down, Warren arrived. Nicholas ushered him into the library and shut the door.

  “Why did you go to see Vano?”

  “He wanted to speak to you, but in your absence, he asked for me. I thought it wise to see what the fellow wanted.”

  “What was the problem?”

  “Said he saw some fellow shooting off his gun. Thought it best I alerted you.”

  “Shooting at what? My birds?”

  Warren shook his head. “Didn’t seem to be after the wildlife, either, or the ducks.”

  “Vano has become unusually vigilant. Did he describe the man?”

  “Couldn’t see him well. He wore a hat and coat. Didn’t want to approach him when he had a pistol in his hand.”

  “I imagine he wouldn’t,” Nicholas said, his voice tight. Could it be Simon? “Where exactly was he?”

  “Took me to where he last saw him. There was no sign of him. He’d been firing at a target set up on a tree. Not a bad shot.”

  “Nothing we can do tonight. We’ll go tomorrow, see if he’s still around.”

  “I’ll be ready, milord,” Warren said.

  “Best we watch our backs out there.” He quickly explained about Max’s brother. If it was Simon, it seemed an odd thing for him to do. He’d looked soft and dissipated. Not one to seek physical combat, even if armed. Wouldn’t he have attempted to call on them first? And when denied access at the gate, send his card? “Go down and have your meal. My footmen will keep watch tonight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Nicholas raked his fingers through his hair He had a bad feeling about this. Was the man who roamed his land a danger to them? Might he plan some kind of attack? It seemed outlandish, but Nicholas couldn’t overlook it.

  He sat down to dinner with Bella and Jeremy, and was pouring Lady Penelope a glass of wine from the bottle Abercrombie had uncorked and left for him when he heard a carriage on the driveway.

  “What on earth?” He leaped up from the table. His butler met him at the door. “Lady Genevieve and Miss Leeming have arrived, my lord.”

  “Carrie!” Bella jumped up from her seat.

  “Sit down, Bella.” Nicholas turned to his guest. “I’ll go to them. Please don’t let your food get cold, Lady Penelope. This is most unexpected.”

  He left the room with her appreciative chuckle in his ears. Well, at least Lady Penelope was enjoying herself. Gwen and Carrie, looking rumpled and tired, were removing their hats and pelisses in the entry hall, while footmen lugged in two trunks.

  Gwen’s worried gaze sought his. “Nicholas…”

  “It is entirely my fault,” Carrie said, interrupting her. “I insisted on coming.”

  “If I’d wanted you here, I would have asked,” Nicholas said stiffly while attempting to ignore how inordinately pleased he was to see her. At least here, he could keep an eye on her.

  “I’m aware of it,” she said in a crisp tone. “If you’ll allow us to freshen up and change our clothes, we shall join you for dinner. I’m quite hungry, and I’m sure Gwen is, too. We did not stop for luncheon.”

  “I don’t know what Winston will make of this,” he said as Gwen hurried past him. “Riding about without a proper guard. And at night!”

  “He won’t mind,” she said, raising her chin. “Because you won’t tell him.”

  “I’ve a good mind to,” he said to her retreating back. “Two more for dinner, Abercrombie. Please advise the chef.” He turned on his heel and returned to the dining room and his cold soup. Heaven knew how Armand would react. His butler’s face dropped. Despite his concerns, Nicholas grinned.

  Entering the dining room, two expectant faces aglow with eagerness turned to him. Miss Scotsdale still ate her soup, a footman hovering to take her plate. Lady Penelope had begun on the fish.

  “Is Carrie coming down, Nicholas?” Bella asked, her hand on the table about to push away from it.

  “Eat your dinner, please, Bella. They will be here soon.”

  A meat dish and a fowl followed the fish, as Carrie came in dressed in a lilac gown. Gwen entered after her, looking as pale and weary as Carrie.

  Nicholas stood. “As you see, we have a guest.”

  “Aunt Penelope!” Carrie hurried over to kiss her cheek. “It is good to see you.”

  “I shall feel the same about you after dinner,” her aunt said, buttering a roll.

  Carrie hugged her brother and sister before seating herself.

  Nicholas dismissed the footman and pushed in their chairs. “Perhaps, after dinner, you might like to tell me why you thought it necessary to come all the way to Surrey?” he asked politely as he poured wine for them.

  “I am eager to talk to you,” Carrie said, narrowing her eyes.

  “I’ll go home tomorrow,” Gwen said. “It will be good to see Bartholomew and Winston.”

  “Of course. And Carrie’s Season? Tell me, is it abandoned or merely delayed for the time being?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Merely delayed,” Gwen said in a tired voice. “That is, if anyone still wants us to attend their balls and routs. We will miss an evening at the theatre and a picnic in Richmond Park. But I suppose we shall be forgiven for that.”

  “The ton would forgive you almost anything, Gwen,” he said soothingly.

  From across the table, Carrie’s eyes sought his with a look he struggled to decipher. That firm chin. Did she think he would send her straight back? Nevertheless, his heart leaped happily to see her. He gaze
d down at his half-eaten trout, then faced with its glassy eye, pushed it away and wondered idly what course his chef’s revenge would take.

  Gwen, always a charming and inventive hostess, chatted with Lady Penelope about the relevance of pineapples decorating table displays. “I saw one recently taking pride of place among the fruit. It was a horrid brown color and looked quite rotten.” She shook her head. “I can’t imagine why they are so treasured.”

  “Anything from warm exotic climes and rarely found in London is prized,” Aunt Penelope said. “I blame the weather. We English always gravitate toward the sun. As if it has healing properties. Nonsense. It merely gives a woman a wrinkled complexion like an old saddle.”

  Gwen dipped her head. Nicholas took a quick sip of wine before he choked on a piece of broiled chicken. When it was safe to look up, he caught Carrie’s amused gaze.

  ***

  In the drawing room, while coffee was served, Bella began a game of charades despite the assembled party’s disinterest. She touched her nose to denote a person, but the rest became confused. It was impossible to guess who it was, for she fell about giggling, and Jeremy complained.

  So happy to be here, Carrie’s toes almost curled in her shoes. But how foolish. Nicholas would return her to London before the week was out.

  “Which person is Bella trying to convey?” Nicholas asked, sitting down beside Carrie on the sofa. “I’m afraid I’m not good at this game.”

  She laughed. “I don’t know either. Bella,” she called. “We give up. Who is it?”

  “Abercrombie,” she said, laughing. “When he looks most displeased.”

  Scotty tucked her knitting away and rose from her chair, looking meaningfully at her charge.

  “Bella, Jeremy, it is time for you to go to bed,” Carrie said.

  “Lady Penelope? Shall we play a hand of whist?” Nicholas asked after the children had left.

  Her ladyship waved her fan languidly. “One game before I retire.”

  Nicholas went to the games table and removed the cards from the drawer. They all sat down as he shuffled.

  “I am exhausted,” Gwen declared when the game was over and followed Lady Penelope from the room.