The Dangerous Lord Darrington(42)

'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.'