The Dangerous Lord Darrington(24)

The earl spread his hands. 'The only hotels I can think of that would  be suitable for a respectable lady travelling alone are prohibitively  expensive.' He paused. 'You have not told me how much you can afford to  spend, ma'am, but I would not think your purse … limitless. Neither do I  think you would agree to my paying your shot.'

'You are correct on both points,' she ground out. She looked out at the  darkened street. 'I do not know yet what it may cost me to prove  Simon's innocence, so I am not prepared to waste money on my comfort.  Very well, I must find someone to ask-perhaps the coachman might be able  to recommend a suitable hostelry.'

'If I may make a suggestion … '

'Will I like it?' she asked suspiciously.

'Probably not, but I would like you to consider it. Stay with me at  Darrington House.' He hurried on as she drew a breath to reply. 'Now  before you turn me down flat, madam, perhaps you would lay aside that  damned pride of yours and think. My town house is very large. You and  your maid could be accommodated comfortably and in perfect safety-we  need not even see each other if that is what you wish!-and you would be  able to concentrate your efforts on helping your brother.'

'And what do you intend to do?'

'I would like to help you,' he said quietly. 'I may not visit town  often, but I think I am probably much more familiar with London than you  are. If you do indeed want to help your brother, I think you should  seriously consider my offer.'

Beth bit her lip. At that moment a rowdy group of merrymakers went  past, reminding her just how vulnerable she would be if she insisted on  leaving the earl's protection. If she was honest, she had spent a great  deal of the journey considering just how she would go on in London. She  did not doubt for a moment that the earl could be very useful.

'Very well,' she said at last. 'I will accept your offer, for my brother's sake.'

'Good.'

The earl leaned out of the window to issue his orders to his driver and  the carriage moved off again. Beth leaned her head against the squabs  and closed her eyes. She felt tired to her very bones and not a little  despondent. She very much wanted to walk away from the earl and show him  that she did not require his help, but it had been abundantly clear on  the journey south that he could make things so much easier for her and  she owed it to Simon to accept whatever help she could to prove his  innocence. She must therefore swallow her pride and allow the earl to  help, however much it irked her.



'Here we are.'

She opened her eyes as the carriage drew up outside an imposing  double-fronted mansion. The earl jumped out and turned to give her his  hand while his valet ran up the steps and banged loudly on the door.  There were no lights at any window, but after a few minutes Beth noticed  a faint glow through the fanlight and the next moment the door opened.

The butler's surprise at seeing his master would have made Beth smile  if she had not been so exhausted. She allowed the earl to escort her  inside, leaving Tilly and Fitton to bring in their bags.

'There is nothing ready, my lord,' said the butler, leading them into  the morning room and hurriedly lighting the candles. 'Mrs Burley and I  have only Joseph the under-footman and a kitchen boy here at the moment.  If only you had told us you were coming … '

'I did not know myself until yesterday-you may leave the fire, Burley. I  will light it while you help Fitton to prepare rooms for me and for my  guest. Mrs Forrester and her maid will require a suite of rooms, I  think.'

'Of course, my lord. And what about food? Mrs Burley will send the boy  to fetch something as soon as it is light tomorrow, but for tonight I  doubt we have anything but bread and cheese … '

'Then that is what we shall have,' replied the earl. 'Have it served in here and bring a bottle of wine, too, Burley.'

He escorted Beth to a chair. 'I should keep your cloak about you for a little while, madam, until I have a good blaze going.'

Beth was very content to sit quietly while the earl knelt before the  hearth, coaxing the fire into life. She watched him feeding sticks into  the fragile flames, building up the heat before carefully adding the  coal. It occurred to her that he was no idle gentleman and while he  might well have an army of servants at his beck and call, he was quite  capable of looking after himself. She thought wistfully how comfortable  it would be to have such a man to look after her, then she quickly  chided herself. Miles Radworth had professed himself ready to look after  her-she only had to give the word. For some reason the idea made her  uncomfortable and she quickly banished it. Time to think of Miles when  she returned to Yorkshire. For now she would concentrate on helping  Simon.                       
       
           



       

Beth could hear sounds of activity outside the door and imagined the  butler bustling about, chivvying his few underlings into preparing the  house for the master. But whatever the jostle and haste outside the  morning room, none of it showed on the butler's impassive countenance  when he came in presently with the wine. He was followed by a  rosy-cheeked woman in a black-stuff gown, the white lappets of her lace  cap bobbing on her shoulders as she walked in, a heavy tray covered with  a snowy white cloth between her hands. Beth guessed that this was Mrs  Burley and the woman's first words were very much those of an old and  trusted retainer. Most likely, thought Beth with an inward smile, one  who had known the earl since he was a child.

'My lord, what a pleasure it is to see you in town again, and after  such an age! And you've cobbled up a fire in here, sir, that's good, for  the nights are going off chilly now, aren't they? But what a pity you  could not send a messenger before you. We would have had everything  prepared! Not but what there is little to do, for I keep all the beds  aired, just as you directed, and we have only to remove the holland  covers from the guest suite and light a fire there to make it ready for  visitors. It's what I can give you to eat that's bothering me, though,  my lord. There's hardly a bite in the house save this bread and cheese.'

'That will be more than enough for me,' put in Beth quickly. 'We dined at Hatfield, so a small meal is all that I require.'

'Well, there is the bit o' broth that I was keeping for our supper-'

'We would on no account take your supper,' broke in the earl, a gleam  of humour lightening his countenance. 'Mrs Forrester will be staying for  a few days, so there will be time and enough for you to show her what  an excellent cook you are.'

'Well, it's very kind of you to say so, my lord, and as soon as the  market opens in the morning I shall sally forth and stock up, I can tell  you.' She placed her tray down upon the table and turned to beam at  Beth. 'Now then, I'll leave you to your supper while I go upstairs and  make sure your rooms are comfortable. And if you want anything else you  just ring.' She followed her impassive husband to the door and paused  again. 'Your lordship went to all the trouble and expense of having that  new bell system installed and it breaks my heart to see the bells  hanging there, silent and unused!' She bobbed a curtsy towards Beth,  adding, 'And you let me know when you want to go upstairs, ma'am, and  I'll make sure the warming pan's ready for your bed.'

Calm settled over the morning room again. The earl cast a rueful glance at Beth.

'I owe you an apology, ma'am. I lured you here with promises of lordly  comfort and all we have to offer is bread and cheese. Pauper's fare! Are  you sure that will be enough for you? I would willingly send out-'

'No, no, we dined so well on the road that truly I want very little,'  Beth responded quickly, the housekeeper's motherly address having done  much to lessen her anxiety. She removed her cloak and dropped it over  the back of her chair before making her way to the table and lifting the  cloth from the laden tray. 'Cheese, bread and butter, pickles-a  veritable feast,' she exclaimed. 'I hope we are not taking poor Mr  Burley's supper.'

'Not a bit of it. Did you not hear Mrs Burley say they are having broth tonight?'

'Ah, yes, then we may eat this with a clear conscience.' She moved all  the dishes from the tray to the table and sat down. 'Will you not join  me, sir?'

Guy took his place at the little table and poured two glasses of wine  to accompany their simple supper. Time was of no consequence, their  conversation, desultory at first, became deep and wide-ranging. The fire  he had built up began to burn low, unheeded, and the noises in the  street died away as they considered the troubles in France and the  independence of the American states before moving on to discuss their  own properties.

As the candles burned down in their sockets Guy encouraged Beth to tell  him more about her life at the Priory. It soon became clear that she  not only looked after the day-to-day running of the house, but also  managed the Home Farm. Tasks that he left to his very able steward fell  to her lot, such as looking after the tenant rent books and discussing  with her farmers which crops they would be growing. At one point he put  up his hands and laughingly called halt when she began to question him  about winter sowing.