'I know I am being foolish, but I cannot help wondering-' She broke off, giving her head a little shake. 'I beg your pardon. I think I must be tired.'
'It has been a trying day.' Guy reached across for her hand. 'Come, Beth, do not look so downhearted. We will go back to the Priory and wait to hear from Clarice. All is not yet lost.'
Sophie was waiting up for them when they returned to Malpass. She was disappointed that they had not recovered Madame de Beaune's deposition, but was content to accept the argument that Clarice would want to sell it back to them. What was harder for her to accept was Beth's garbled explanation of why she was travelling with the earl.
'Mrs Cordonnier told me she had seen you together in London,' said Sophie, leading them into the small parlour. 'It made it very difficult when Miles turned up here, I can tell you! I was obliged to tell her that you were on secret business and to ask her not to mention anything about it to Miles.'
'You may be sure that will have aroused Clarice's interest,' muttered Guy, frowning.
'If I had known she was such a wicked woman, I would not have invited her to the house!' retorted Sophie, colours flying in her cheeks.
'Of course you were not to know,' said Beth quickly. She glanced at Guy. 'She has taken us all in at some time. But it is very late and we will need our wits about us tomorrow.'
'Of course,' said Sophie. 'The red room was prepared for Mrs Cordonnier, so you may use that, my lord. I told the servants to go on to bed-do you want me to show you the way?'
'I will do that,' said Beth quickly. She kissed her sister's cheek. 'Goodnight, my dear.'
She watched her sister close the door behind her, then turned to look at the earl. He was watching her, a faint smile glinting in his eyes.
'Well, madam, will you share my bed tonight?'
'Will you be angry if I said no? Now we are back at Malpass I feel the weight of my betrothal very strongly.'
'I thought as much.'
He held out his arms to her and she walked into them, drawing comfort and strength from him as he held her close.
'Forgive me,' she said, her words muffled against his chest. 'Once I have seen Miles … '
'You do not need to explain it to me,' he murmured, kissing her hair. 'Come-walk me to my room and I will content myself with a chaste goodnight kiss!'
Chapter Nineteen
Beth spent a miserable night, her mind racing between anxiety for Simon, apprehension at seeing Miles again and bitter regret that she had ever let Madame de Beaune's deposition out of her hands. She was relieved when at last the chill autumn day dawned and she could dress herself and go downstairs. An hour spent with her housekeeper discussing menus and household matters did much to calm her mind, but it was the sight of Guy at the breakfast table that gave her the most comfort. He rose as she entered the room and smiled at her, looking so devastatingly handsome and strong that it was easy to believe everything would be well, if he was there to help her.
'Good morning, my lord.' She tried for a cheerful note. 'You are looking very smart, despite the absence of your valet.'
He grinned.
'You know I can manage very well without Fitton, as you can do without your maid.' He held her chair for her. 'However, I hope they will be here by the end of the day. They should not have been so far behind us.'
'Were they, too, held up by the floods at Huntingdon?' asked Sophie, coming into the room at that moment. Her brow darkened. 'I wish that woman had been caught in the flood-I wish she had drowned!'
Beth sighed. 'It is galling that she should have such an advantage over us. If only we had got here sooner!'
Sophie was inclined to be practical. 'Let us not worry about that now,' she said. 'Can we go to Thirsk today, to see Simon?'
'I would like to see him,' admitted Beth. 'I want to assure myself that he is well.'
Sophie's face crumpled. 'He was getting so much better, Beth-the fever had gone and he was beginning to eat well-' She broke off and buried her face in her hands. Beth immediately left her seat and went to put her arms around her sister.
'Sophie, do not distress yourself, this is only a set-back. As soon as-' She broke off as the sound of voices filtered through the door. Someone was approaching. She looked at Guy. 'Mrs Cordonnier?'
He put down his napkin. 'I don't think so.'
He rose as the door opened and a cheerful voice said, 'Don't bother to announce me, I can find my way.'
'Edwin!'
Sophie's cry of delight took Beth by surprise and she stared as her sister raced across the room and threw herself at Mr Davies. He was leaning heavily on his stick, but quickly put his free arm about her.
'There, there, my love, don't cry all over me. When you didn't visit me as promised yesterday I thought I should come and find out what was amiss.' He looked over her dark honey-coloured curls, his laughing eyes resting on Guy.
'So you are here, Darrington! Julia was as mad as fire with you-not for abandoning her at Thirsk, but for not telling her what the devil you were about! And Mrs Forrester, returned from Ripon at last.'
'Good morning, Davey.'
Beth could only admire Guy's cool tone as he greeted his friend. She was still too shocked at the sight of her sister with her arms wrapped around the young man.
'Beth never went to R-Ripon,' said Sophie, wiping her eyes. 'Come and sit down, Edwin, and we will explain everything.'
'Sophie!' Beth shot her sister a warning look. 'I do not think-'
'It is all right, my dear.' Guy interrupted her. 'I would trust Davey with my life. And judging by his reception, I think he has plans to become a member of your family before too long.'
'Well, yes, as a matter of fact,' murmured Mr Davies, reddening. 'We were waiting for you to return, ma'am.'
'You see, I did not even confide in Edwin,' cried Sophie, guiding Davey to the table and sitting down beside him. 'I have been most discreet, so how that woman knew about Simon … '
'She has a nose for scandal,' said Guy bitterly. 'But I can see that Davey is looking confused. Beth, my love, perhaps you would send for more coffee, then I think we should take him into our confidence.'
'So Clarice is back in England!' Edwin Davies shook his head, his boyish countenance very grim. It had taken some time to explain everything and Davey's habitual laughter had long since died away. 'I always knew she would be trouble for you, Guy.'
'Not so much for me,' returned Guy, glancing across the table at Beth. 'If I had disowned the woman when she first stole those letters-if I had told the truth-'
'You were not to know.' Beth tried to smile bravely.
'Oh, yes, he was,' Davey ground out. 'He's too damn-dashed loyal! He could have spoken out ten years ago, instead of giving up a brilliant career, and all for such a worthless woman.'
'Let us not dwell on the past,' said Beth quickly, sensing Guy's own hurt and regret. 'Instead let us decide what is to be done now.'
Before anyone could speak there was a scratching on the door and Kepwith appeared.
'Mrs Cordonnier to see you, ma'am.'
'Oho,' murmured Guy, his eyes bright. 'So we move on!'
Davey stood up. 'Let me at her, I'll give her a piece of my mind-'
'No, it is best that she sees only Beth and myself,' replied Guy. 'You stay here and look after Sophie.' He could not have said anything more likely to make Davey resume his seat. He turned to Beth. 'Well, madam, shall we see what she has to say?'
She led the way to the great hall, resisting the temptation to reach out and grasp Guy's hand. They found Clarice waiting for them, dressed as before in her riding habit, but this time she had not discarded her gloves and was gently tapping her riding crop against her skirts.
'I heard that you came looking for me last night.' Her smile challenged them. 'You did not think I would be so foolish as to let you find me before I had put that letter in a safe place?'
'Was it you who informed upon my brother?' Beth demanded coldly.
'I sent word to the authorities that a desperate fugitive was hidden here, yes. Your demeanour in London led me to believe you had … secrets, Mrs Forrester, so I came north. It was an easy matter then to befriend your sister and to see beyond her pathetic attempts at concealment.'
'I do not believe Sophie gave so much away.'
She shrugged. 'Believe what you will, it is not important. Your brother will be taken back to Portsmouth to stand trial. Without the deposition I do not see much hope for him.'
'What have you done with it?' Beth demanded, but Clarice merely smiled at her.
'You need the letter, do you not, to secure your brother's release? Let me assure you that it is safe, although I shall not tell you where it is.'
'We will make you tell us,' declared Beth. 'We will take you now to Thirsk, to the magistrate-'
'And I shall deny everything. I shall say you have abducted me. An act of jealousy, perhaps, because I was once Darrington's fiancée.'