The Dangerous Lord Darrington(47)

'What else is there to think?'

He was standing between her and the ballroom, blocking her escape. He  said quietly, 'Beth, believe me, I had my reasons for refusing to pay  Clarice. Have you so little faith in me?'

'Methinks I had too much faith in you!' she flung at him. 'Oh, I was a  fool to allow myself to be beguiled by you. If you trusted me, you would  have explained your reasons.'

'I might throw the same accusation at you, madam,' he ground out.  'Without giving me a chance to explain myself, you set a date to marry  Radworth. I thought you were going to cry off.'

She turned to him, her lip curling. 'And why should I do that, my lord?'

'Because you are going to marry me!'

'When you leave my brother to rot in gaol? I think not.'

His head went up as if she had struck him. 'Do I mean so little to you?'

'Yes!' she flashed. 'I wish I had never met you! I w-wish you would take yourself off now and leave us in peace!'

'And what about your brother?'

'I do not need you-in fact, I will not allow you to help me!'

She glared up at him, her breast heaving. Even in the darkness she saw  the spark of anger in his eyes. He stepped closer, towering over her,  tall, dark and full of menace.

'By heaven, I shall work for your brother's release, madam, with or without your permission!'

'And I say you shall not. Miles will help me to save Simon.'

'Will he, though?'

'What do you mean by that?'

'Do you think Radworth will help anyone who might challenge your claim to Malpass?'

'I-I don't understand you.'

He said slowly, 'I believe your brother is safer in Thirsk gaol. I fear he might meet with some … accident if he were free.'

Fear trickled down her spine. 'You do not think that … that M-Miles-' She  shook her head. 'No. No, I will not believe this, this slander against  Miles. Not without proof.'

'I have none, yet.'

'And you will find none,' she retorted furiously. 'I believe you are jealous, my lord.'

'Yes, I am, since he seems to have your unwavering devotion.'

She put up her head. 'And why should he not? He has given me no cause to doubt him!'                       
       
           



       

'But has he done anything to deserve it?'

'Of course! And no doubt he would have done more, if I had gone to London with him instead of you!'

There was a pause, no greater than a heartbeat, then he said softly, 'And would you have preferred his caresses to mine?'

The air around them, already heavy with anger, suddenly became charged  with danger. She tried and failed to prevent herself from being flooded  by memories of the passionate nights they had spent together. They were  as one; even now her body responded to his dark presence, she had to  force herself not to move closer, to merge into his shadow. The deep  resonance of his voice wrapped around her like velvet. Every sense,  every nerve screamed at her to give in, to throw herself into his arms.

'Beth-'

Tell him, the voices in her head cried urgently. Tell him you cannot live without him.

'Guy, I-'

'So here you are, my dear.'

The mood was broken. Light flared as Miles walked in carrying a  candelabra, which he placed on a torchère at the back of the alcove.

'You have a propensity for being alone with Lord Darrington, my dear. That will have to stop when we are married, you know.'

Beth clasped her hands-she knew now what she must do. 'Miles, I cannot marry you.'

His eyes moved to Guy, then back to her face. 'But I am afraid you must, my dear.'

'There is no must about it, Radworth,' Guy said coldly.

Miles gave a thin smile. 'Is that so?'

'It is, Miles.' Beth nodded. 'I am very sorry, but I … I was mistaken. I cannot marry you.'

He shrugged. 'Very well.' Beth had been holding her breath and now she  let it go, relieved that Miles was being so reasonable. His next words  sent her thoughts careering back into turmoil. 'Then I will have you and  your family out of Malpass by the end of the month.'

She stared at him. 'You cannot do that.'

'Oh, but I can.' His silky voice sent a shiver down her back. 'The  marriage settlements are all signed. You will remember the clause that  if the marriage does not go ahead, the Priory and all its contents come  to me. You cannot fight that, my dear. It is the law.'

Guy put a steadying arm about her. 'Perhaps the law will take a  different view when they learn the truth about you, Radworth,' he said.  'How you were prepared to sacrifice Simon Wakeford to get the Priory.'

Beth's world had been righting itself, but now it began to tilt again. 'I don't understand,' she said, looking at both men.

'Radworth came to Malpass determined to have it,' said Guy. 'He persuaded your father to leave everything to you, did he not?'

'Pure fairy tale, Darrington,' scoffed Miles. 'It is true I let slip to  old Wakeford that his son was drowned, but it was his idea to change  his will.'

'An idea put into his head by you.' Guy glanced at Beth. 'I believe  your instinct not to tell him that Simon was alive was very wise, my  dear. He is using you.'

'I cannot believe he would do that,' said Beth slowly. 'To come all this way, and to remain in Fentonby for so long.'

'You are right, my dear,' Miles agreed. 'The earl is air-dreaming. You  know I am no fortune hunter. What would I want with the Priory when I  have my own property in Somerset?'

Guy shrugged. 'You are a collector, Radworth. You love antiquities and  the Priory is full of them. Priceless, you called them. I believe Simon  Wakeford described his home to you that night you dined together in  Portsmouth and from that moment you coveted the house and its contents.  Then when Wakeford was accused of murder you saw your chance.'

Miles spread his hands. 'So that is the worst you know of me-that I covet the house and its contents.'

'Not only that. I think you persuaded Clarice Cordonnier to inform the authorities that Simon was hiding at the Priory.'

'No, he would not do that!' Beth's exclamation brought Miles's cold glance flickering over her.

'As you say, my dear. I have only met the woman once or twice.'

'Enough to discuss with her Madame de Beaune's deposition.'

There was a sudden stillness in the alcove. Beyond the pillars the  dancing was continuing, but the music and laughter of the ballroom was a  world away from the tension and menace that cloaked them.

'Clarice was too well informed,' Guy continued. 'She knew of things not  mentioned in that paper. The necklace, for example, and the fact that  Madame de Beaune was dead.'

'She told you that, did she?' Miles shrugged. 'She found the letter  purely by chance, you know. The actions of an inquisitive mind. It  wasn't until she brought it back to me that I realised its significance.  She was very ready to try to obtain money for it, but rest assured, my  dear, I never intended that you should buy it back. However, if she  could get a few thousand from Darrington, then I had no objection to  that. But I made the mistake of discussing the matter with her. That was  foolish of me.'                       
       
           



       

'But how did you come by the information about Madame de Beaune?' Beth demanded.

'Because, my dear, I had people watching the ports, in case the French couple returned to England.'

'But you knew I was already doing that,' said Beth.

'I think Radworth's reasons for finding the de Beaunes were quite different to yours,' murmured Guy. 'Am I right, sir?'

'I certainly did not want them to testify in Wakeford's defence.'

'So you ordered Madame de Beaune to be murdered.'

Beth gasped. Miles merely shrugged.

'Believe that if you like. You will never prove it.' His lip curled. 'I  did not know then that Beth had gone chasing off to London with you and  that you had met with Madame.'

'But I do not understand-why are you so eager that my brother should not be free?'

'Because he might lay claim to his inheritance.'

'And you were willing to commit murder.'

'I will never admit to that.'

Beth looked at Guy. 'We must tell Sir John, immediately.'

'What will you tell him?' demanded Miles with a sneer. 'I will deny  everything. And remember I am well respected in this area. I have been a  model tenant since I arrived in Fentonby and have gone out of my way to  make myself agreeable. You are Wakeford's sister, so of course you will  tell any lies to get him released. And as for having Darrington as your  witness, hah! A disgraced peer from a dubious family-his father was a  wild-living man who ran through a fortune before he was thirty. The  Darrington name was never very honoured, but then your friend here made  an unfortunate alliance that cost him dear.' His lip curled. 'It seems  he has a foolish propensity for succumbing to a pretty face.'

Guy lunged at Miles, but Beth threw herself in the way.

'No!' she cried. 'Remember where we are! Do not add to the scandal!'

Miles was backed against the wall, breathing heavily. He pushed himself upright and straightened his coat.

'You do right to tell him, my dear. Now I urge you to think twice before you cry off. You will lose everything.'

'When the world learns of your perfidy-'