The Rakehell Regency(31)

Clifford shook hands with them both. "Many happy returns of the day, Jo, and thank you for coming."



"Yes, Miss Jerome, happy birthday. Did Henry remember to give you all your gifts from each of us?"



She shrugged off his pleasantries. "Yes, thank you, Mr. Branson. They were all wonderful. But never mind that now. This is not too happy a day for Vanessa, I can see. My goodness, she looks so pale. I'm sorry we couldn't get away sooner. I would have left straight away, but with so many guests present, I couldn't slip out unnoticed. And I didn't want my sudden departure to an emergency to cause needless gossip and speculation. How is she now?"



"Thank you for your discretion. I knew I could rely on you. She was drifting in and out of consciousness, and seemed in pain," Clifford informed her as he stepped aside to allow her to take over the task of bathing Vanessa's temples.



"Now she's in such a deep slumber we can't seem to wake her. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her heart, so I'm hopeful that if she come to, she will recover in time. But she certainly has given me quite a scare."



"Sit and rest yourself then," Emma offered. "We'll all take turns now."



Clifford did as the younger of the two girls suggested, and slumped into a chair. He couldn't recall the last time he had felt so drained. It must have been during the war...



He blinked, trying to stay awake, and forced himself to complete his report to the two kind sisters. "Dr. Gold is at Esther Hancock's lying in. Malcolm and I were thinking of sending for him, but I hate to tear him away."



"I can imagine how dreadful this has been for you all," Emma said sympathetically, moving over to pat him on the shoulder before stepping to the small table which housed the decanters. She poured him a tot of port, and pressed it into his nerveless fingers.



"I don't blame you for being shocked. Henry told us everything. The poor girl, how she must have suffered." She moved over to the side of the sickbed and pushed Vanessa's bright auburn hair away from her pale face.



"Thank you all for coming. I shall be most grateful for your help." Clifford cleared his throat and said quietly, "Has Henry has told you our suspicions?"



The two women nodded.



"What I've discovered would seem to lend some credence to them, though it's going to be difficult to prove Gerald intended to harm her," Henry said.



"I went over to the Jeromes' to pay my respects to Josephine for her birthday, and to fetch them here to help. But I did stop off at Hawkesworth House. Eventually, after a great deal of banging and shouting, I roused the servants. They told me that Miss Vanessa was sleeping in her room. That Gerald had told them to lock the entire house up securely, since neither he nor his sister would be wanting them any further that night."



"Really?" Malcolm asked with interest.



Henry nodded. He was about to continue when his friend stopped him with an arresting gesture. "If you don't mind, let me sit at the desk and get some paper, and a pen and ink out. You never know when this testimony might come in handy."



Henry looked at his wide eyed for a moment, then joined him at the desk, perched uneasily on the edge of a chair. Malcolm scratched with the pen for a short time, then instructed, "Pray continue."



Henry cleared his throat and picked up his narrative. "Gerald was supposed to be at the Cavendishes', but neither he nor any of the brothers were there when I went to inquire. The Cavendish servants are out looking for them in each local tavern now. Vanessa's servants had no idea she was ill. None of them appear to be unwell, though they ate the pork. Not the oysters, however."



"I see. Can you give me the names of the people you spoke with?"



"The butler and one of the footmen at first, then a couple of other helpers afterwards. I would recognize them all again if you wish to be more specific."



"We'll need to be if we discover any criminal aspects to this matter, but for now the general outline will suffice."



"In any case, the two other footmen are discreetly paying calls to the houses in the district Gerald frequents. They are telling the servants that he has some important business to attend to at home, and that he should return at once. They know to tell him to come here. I didn't wish to get anyone else involved, but there is of course the Stephens family as her next of kin if need be."



Clifford shook his head. "Not now. Peter is ambitious enough to try to use this to his advantage in some way. I don't trust him with her welfare any more than I would Gerald at this point. Toby is a toper, and Paul is away, and too young to offer much protection. Her aunt is not a very wise woman, for all she would be acceptable as a chaperone. You did well to stay away from there."