Annabelle's Courtship (23 page)

“I can no let the insult pass, Belle. He had his bloody hands all over you.” Ian had to be joking. The set of his jaw and look in his eyes said otherwise.

“I forbid it.” She tried to shake him, but found him as moveable as a mountain. “You will not challenge the squire. It was just a misunderstanding.”

“I dinna call finding my fiancée pinned to the bed by a lecherous fiend a misunderstanding.” The rigidity in his voice convinced Annabelle that Ian was determined to follow through with his plan.

That did not stop her from trying to convince him otherwise. “You are taking it too much to heart. I’m sure he has already learned his lesson. I did strike him after all.” Amusement gleamed briefly in Ian’s eyes. “Aye, lass, you did.” She smiled and sighed with relief. “Then you will give up this plan to challenge him.”

Ian unlocked the door before answering. He opened it and stepped into the hall.

“Ye should have realized by now, lass, that I dinna give up my plans once I’ve set my mind on them.”

Chapter Fourteen

“Did you say,
Squire Renton
is here to call?” The man could not be that foolish. Perhaps he had come to ask her to plead with Ian on his behalf. That would be an intelligent thing to do. Not that it would make any difference of course. Ian had remained impervious to both her threats and her pleas. She would have to explain this to the squire.

“Show him in, Creswell.” At the look of disapproval on her butler’s face, she sighed.

“Please call my aunt down as well.”

The servant’s demeanor lightened infinitesimally.

Moments later, a shaken-looking squire entered the drawing room. He fell on his knee by Annabelle’s chair. “My dear. I am so sorry to have caused you distress.” She frowned at the man on the carpet at her feet. “You may not address me so familiarly, Squire Renton. You have greatly mistaken yourself and caused us both a good deal of trouble.”

The squire dropped his graying head, his chin touching his chest. “I know. I am terribly sorry, Lady Annabelle.”

“Perhaps if you said that to my fiancé, he would not feel the need to act out this farce.”

At her words, the squire’s head lifted. Putting his hand to his heart, he sighed. “So, you know about the duel. I suppose it was too much to think it could be kept completely private.”

Annabelle could not hide her exasperation. “You are dueling with my fiancé over a perceived insult to me. Naturally, I know about it. Oh, do sit in a chair.” He looked wounded, but did as she bid. “I came to seek your mercy, Lady Annabelle.”

She wished she could offer some measure of hope, but knew it was useless. “I have already begged Ian to call off the duel and it is no use.” A spark of anger showed in the squire’s eyes, but it was gone immediately and she wondered if she had seen it at all. “I did not come to ask you to plead on my behalf, my dear lady. I had hoped that for the sake of our once great friendship, you would be willing to accompany me to a lecture by Mrs. Burnaby.” The man truly suffered delusions. Great friendship indeed. They had run into each other on occasion and discovered a very few mutual interests. “I am afraid I must decline.”

“You would not deny possibly my last request, would you?” Annabelle was much more moved by the fact that Ian might be hurt than the squire’s theatrical fear of his own demise. However, she did feel some responsibility. The man had believed she shared his feelings. “I do not think that would be wise.”

“I wanted to fill my now empty life with service to the cause. I hope you would introduce me to others involved in it.”

“If you are dead, you won’t have a life to fill,” she could not help pointing out.

His hand went back over his heart. “I do not believe I have dishonored you. My actions were prompted by the purest of motives. Love.” He sighed. “Therefore, it would not be dishonorable to leave Town rather than meet the laird at dawn.” He was willing to leave Town? Ian would not risk hurt or worse. She had promised Ian that she would not attend any lectures without him. He would be angry when he found out, but he would be alive.

“I merely sought something to fill the vast void left in my life by my unrequited love.”

At least now he realized she did not return the feelings. Besides, his desire, so like her own when her parents had died, moved Annabelle. She would introduce him to leaders in the cause, who could give him fulfilling assignments in the country. He would leave Town. Ian would be safe and her guilt over this ridiculous man’s tendre would be assuaged.

“Very well. When is the lecture?”

He smiled and stood. “In less than an hour. We must hurry if we are to arrive in time.”

At that moment, Lady Beauford entered the room. She looked at the squire with mild interest. Thankfully, Ian had told no one about the altercation in the bedchamber. “Squire Renton. How are you?” Her tone implied:
and what are you doing here?

“I’ve come to take Lady Annabelle to a lecture.” Annabelle’s aunt turned a troubled gaze to her niece. “It isn’t one of those lectures in Cheapside again is it?”

Before Annabelle had an opportunity to answer, the squire jumped in. “No, my lady.

We will be attending a lecture on the scientific properties of magnetism. Quite the rage.” Lady Beauford’s eyes lit up. “I should love to accompany you.” Her face fell.

“However, I promised the mantua maker I would be in for a fitting this afternoon.” Annabelle breathed a sigh of relief. If the squire was going to lie to her aunt, he could at least have made their excursion sound boring. She gave him a look that she hoped expressed her displeasure. “We must be off then. You did say the lecture was to begin any moment.”

“When shall I expect you back?” asked her aunt.

Again the squire spoke. “There is to be a reception afterward, it could be quite late this afternoon.”

Annabelle frowned. “I’m sure we won’t stay for it.” Neither her aunt nor the squire said anything and Annabelle followed him out to his waiting carriage, much to Creswell’s obvious dismay. The rumor mill among the servants was much more up to date than her aunt’s cronies.

As the squire helped her into the carriage, Annabelle glanced briefly at the horses.

Not an avid rider, horseflesh usually did not interest her. However, there was something familiar about the squire’s steeds and carriage.

The squire didn’t seem inclined to speak, so Annabelle held her own counsel.

Perhaps accompanying him to the lecture was not a good idea. Could she not have simply sent him with a letter of introduction? Annabelle admitted to herself that she was motivated in no small part by guilt. The squire was giving up his life in London because of his affection for her.

They had been riding in silence for several minutes when she suddenly remembered where she had seen the horses and carriage before. It was very similar, if not identical, to the one Mr. Thorn had disappeared into.

Did Squire Renton know that his friend was a blackmailer and a rogue? An even more unsettling thought surfaced. Was the squire in collusion with Mr. Thorn? Fear curled up her insides. She had to get out of the carriage immediately.

“We must return to my aunt’s house. I had forgotten, but my fiancé is coming to call.

He will be furious to discover I am gone.”

A look very like satisfaction settled on the squire’s face. “I am certain he will survive your absence for one afternoon. He will have your company every day for the years to come.”

“I really must insist that you return me to my aunt’s house immediately.” All pretense of the grieving, rejected suitor vanished. The squire stared disdainfully at her. “Frankly, your preference is of little moment to me. Do you truly believe that I would let you marry that Scottish buffoon and waste your treasure on his estates?” Desperation seized her. “What are you saying?”

“My dear, we are very nearly to the North road and from there, it is but a few days to Gretna Green. I’m sure if you think hard, you can imagine my plans.” The sneer in his voice frightened her more than the words.

“If you love me as you say, you cannot consider forcing me to wed you.” He laughed and the sound brought forth feelings far from joy in her chest. “Love?

You’re no more than a whey-faced, bluestocking spinster. The only thing I love about you is your fortune, which I will have complete control of once we are married.”
The dishonest poser
. “What fortune? My dowry is no more than moderate.” His evil laugh issued forth again. “Do not attempt to deceive me as you have the rest of the
ton
. You are an heiress and your money is going to bring my life back to rights.

Now be quiet. I am not a man with patience for foolish chatter.” Annabelle had no intention of sitting back and calmly allowing the blackguard to kidnap her to Gretna Green. If she did not get out of the carriage now, they would be on the North Road and going too fast for her to make the jump. She could not wait any longer.

Moving as quickly as possible, she dove for the door handle. Shoving the door open, she tried to leap out of the moving vehicle.

The squire cursed. He grabbed her gown. Hauling her back into the carriage, he slammed her against the upholstery. He pulled a pistol from his waistcoat and pointed it at her.

“I do not have to kill you to stop you. A bullet through your shoulder or leg would be enough to prevent any more attempts to escape.” Her mouth went dry at the threat. Forcing herself to remain calm, she sat up straight against the cushions and averted her face.

“You may ignore me for now. You’ll learn soon enough how to treat your lord and master after we are married.”

She turned back to glare at him. “I will not have a lord and master. I do not believe in that drivel.”

“Drivel. It’s the Common Law of England. Once we are married, I’ll as good as own you. Drivel is what that old biddy spoke before the riot. What I put myself through to woo you.” His gave her a disgusted look. “I tried to give you a proper courtship, but you would have none of it. You insisted on engaging yourself to that barbarian.” With each word spewed forth from his mouth, her apprehension grew. The man was totally wicked. She had no doubt now that he was connected to Mr. Thorn and the blackmail scheme. Well, she wasn’t going to marry him, no matter what he believed. She would find a way to escape. She averted her face again and set her mind to the task of outwitting the evil man.

“She’s with
who
?” Ian’s voice rose in fury as the words Creswell had spoken registered.

“Just so, milord. They left not an hour ago. I took the liberty of listening at the door while waiting for Her Ladyship to arrive for propriety’s sake.”

“Where did they go?” Ian would kill her when he caught up with her. What did she think she was doing going driving with that fiend Renton? The man could not be trusted.

“The squire told Lady Beauford that they were attending a lecture on magnetism.” Something in the butler’s voice made Ian look closer at the man. “And?”

“I heard him ask Lady Annabelle to attend a lecture by Mrs. Burnaby. It is one of milady’s friends with her cause.”

She had promised only the night before not to attend a lecture of this type without him. She had also warned him that she sometimes acted precipitously. Instinctively, Ian knew that Annabelle would have what she considered a very good reason for going with

the squire. He had no doubt that his unpredictable fiancée would never betray him. She was nothing like Jenna.

Creswell cleared his throat. “I doubt that was his intention, milord, and that is why I took the liberty of sending you a message.”

Ian felt foreboding creep along his skin. “Where do you think he took her?”

“His carriage was set for traveling, milord, and I noticed luggage stowed in the luggage box.” He said no more, leaving Ian to draw his own conclusions.

“Lady Annabelle, did she take anything with her?” He nearly choked on the question, but he needed to hear the butler tell him no.

“No, milord, she believed he was taking her to a lecture. He promised her that he would leave Town afterward. If I may be so bold, I believe she is trying to circumvent the duel.”

Ian cursed. Belle was unlike any other lady of his acquaintance. Why had he believed she would sit idly by and allow him to participate in a duel she strongly opposed? The thought of his Belle in the clutches of the lecherous squire sent his stomach plummeting to his toes. He had to find her.

“There is one more thing, milord. Whilst engaged in conversation over a cup of ale with John Footman, the coachman made a comment about the weather in the north. One might assume from this comment that he expected to head that direction.” Creswell’s words brought the first smile to Ian’s face since he had read the butler’s note requesting his immediate attendance at Lady Beauford’s townhouse. After asking detailed questions regarding the squire’s equipage and the livery of his coachman, Ian stormed outside. Instructing Creswell not to alarm the dowager, Ian gained his horse and was off.

His first stop was Finchley’s home. He needed a pistol. It would be foolish to face a man of Renton’s ilk unarmed. He updated Finchley on the latest development and asked his friend to go directly to Hamilton and apprise him of recent events.

“Send a note, eh what? Can’t go tearing after the blackguard alone.” Ian didn’t want to take precious time arguing. “I’ll write the note while your mount is brought around.”

Finchley raced upstairs to don a pair of riding breeches. When he came back down, Ian was ready. “I told Hamilton to follow in his carriage with Lady Hamilton. I will not allow the cur to tarnish Belle’s reputation.”

Hours of hard riding later, Ian spied the coach ahead of him on the highway. The horses and coachman’s livery matched Creswell’s description. Ian considered his options.

The most important thing was to get Belle from the man’s clutches. He could deal with the squire later.

“Is that the coach?” Finchley rode close, so his voice would not carry and alarm the coachman.

“Aye.”

The fury that had abated on the long ride returned full force. Indicating with an inclination of his head that Finchley should go to the right of the carriage, Ian rode up on the left. He waited until the coachman turned nervously at the sound of the thundering hoof beats behind before firing the pistol.