My Lady Notorious (26 page)

She checked rigorously that no evidence remained of Chloe. Then she
disordered the bed as if she had slept there, and sat down to wait.

Not long after, there was a tap at the door. Chastity opened it a
crack and let Cyn in. Did he look at her intently, or was it just her
tense nerves, and her desire to fling herself into his arms?

“I hope you had a peaceful night, young Charles.”

“Tolerable,” Chastity said primly. “You, I gather, did not.”

He looked at her from under lids made heavy by lovemaking and lack of sleep. “Why do you assume that?”

“From the fact that you did not return here. I can only assume you found another bed, but not to sleep.”

He began stripping off his suit and putting on his uniform. “Oh, I
caught some sleep, but if I doze off on the road, I trust the virtuous
half of our party can steer me to Maidenhead.”

The word Maidenhead made Chastity blush, which was a great piece of
foolishness. She hid it by packing his suit into the bag. She felt a
crackling in the pocket. Had the man not even found her note? What to
do now? Rothgar worried her. He could hardly take them prisoner, but if
they bumped into him, he would surely delay them.

“Do you want this paper?” she asked, holding it out.

He took it with surprise and read it. “‘Struth.”

“What is it?”

He gave her a look. “Rothgar’s here.”

“That note’s from him?”

“Hardly. Someone thought to warn me. I wonder who.”

“Will he stop us?”

“No,” he said absolutely. “But the only reason he would be at an
affair such as this would be in search of me. I fear we have him hot on
our trail.”

“Why would he be pursuing you like this?”

“Simple, bloody interference.” He straightened his uniform, checked
the room, and buckled the bag. Once again, any mention of his brother
had his temper on edge. “Ready?”

Chastity was surprised at how easy it was to slip back into the
Charles and Cyn roles. She even felt a twitch of jealously toward the
wanton Chloe who had occupied his night. She shook her head at this
folly and followed him out of the door.

He headed for the main stairs, and she caught his sleeve, thinking
of Rothgar. “There’s… There will be a secondary stair at the end of the
building.”

He raised a brow. “We’re not fugitives. We’re here by invitation.”

“What about your brother?”

His jaw tightened. “I am not reduced to skulking down the servants’ stairs to avoid Rothgar.”

“Very well,” she snapped. “Go to hell your own way.”

He hesitated, then set off away from the main stairs. At the bottom
of the smaller staircase, he took a passage which led them into the
servants’ quarters.

The house seemed dead in the gray morning light. The kitchen was
cold and deserted. Except, they discovered, for three weary servants
who’d rolled up in blankets near the fire.

Cyn shook his head, but with a hint of a smile. “When Heather
celebrates, the world has a headache. This event will go down in the
history books.” He found the larder and helped himself to half a cold
meat pie, a cottage loaf, a hunk of cheese, and some apples. He drew
two tankards of ale from a keg and passed one to Chastity.

She drank it. “Will we not breakfast at the inn?”

“We’re not going to the inn. If Rothgar’s here, he doubtless knows
we left the horses at the Angel. He’ll have it watched. We’ll see if we
can borrow some of Heather’s horses without a fuss.”

Chastity couldn’t resist. “I thought you weren’t going to skulk around for fear of your brother.”

He flashed her a very unpleasant look. “I’ll simply avoid a confrontation if I can. Come on.”

Outside, the heavy drizzle seeped into them, chill and damp. Chastity shivered and pulled her cloak closer.

It took time for them to find the stables in this gray world, but at
last they were inside, looking at the rows of horses. This place,
however, was not completely unattended. An old man hobbled forward.
“Need your horses, sir?” He peered at them with habitual suspicion.
“Didn’t reckon there’d be any up this early today.”

“I don’t suppose there’ll be many others,” said Cyn easily. “I’m
Lord Cynric Malloren, on government business. Lord Heatherington
promised me the use of two horses.”

The man looked dubious, but was clearly unwilling to contest such
crisp authority. He went to saddle two thoroughbreds. Cyn gave Chastity
the portmanteau and helped.

As they mounted, Cyn posed a question in an offhand manner. “I think
my brother is here. The Marquess of Rothgar. I don’t suppose he’s
stirring yet?”

“None but you’s up yet, milord.”

“Ah well, if you should see him, tell him I’m sorry to have missed him.”

With that they urged the horses out of the yard and down the lane to the road.

Chastity edged up beside him. “Wouldn’t it have been wiser to bribe the man to silence?”

“Rothgar would just pay him more to speak.”

“So you leave what amounts to a challenge.”

His teeth flashed in a grin. “By the time he’s risen and breakfasted, we’ll be in Maidenhead, and he can catch us if he wants.”

He pushed ahead and Chastity muttered a few choice epithets at his
back. His ill-feeling toward his brother could prove disastrous, but
she couldn’t warn him that Rothgar was already up and on the prowl
without revealing her secret.

They cantered along until they found a milestone giving some hint of where they were.

“The devil of it is,” said Cyn, “that I lost track of our location during that coach ride.”

“Distracted by the lovely songs, I’ve no doubt.”

“You know what, young Charles, you’re going to turn into a prosy bore if you don’t learn to enjoy yourself.”

“I assure you I can enjoy myself when the circumstances are right.”

“Can you? I live to see the day.”

Chastity hid a secret smile.

Cyn too hid a secret smile. Her spirit as was strong as ever.

He scanned the dense gray sky, which was brighter where the sun was
struggling to make itself felt. “One thing’s sure, we need to go north.
We’ll be bound to cross a London road at some point.”

They rode for an hour, and by that time the drizzle had ceased and
some of the mist had faded. They stopped and shared the pie. Cyn
yawned. Chastity had to fight not to yawn with him. How much sleep had
they had last night? Three or four hours, no more.

“Tired, my lord?” she asked sweetly.

“A little. What of you? You seem a little stiff. Perhaps you’re not accustomed to so much… riding.”

Chastity kept her pink face lowered. He didn’t know the half of it.
Her muscles were somewhat stiff from the riding yesterday, but it was
the lovemaking that had left her so sensitive between her legs.

“Never mind,” he said with a hearty slap on the back. “We can have no more than six miles to go.”

They soon hit the Oxford road, and at a posting inn called the Five
Rings they discovered Maidenhead lay but two miles east. They cantered
along the busy road, passing carters, and drovers, and people on foot.
Stagecoaches and private carriages bowled past.

Chastity suddenly gasped and reined in.

“What is it?” Cyn asked.

“My father’s carriage just passed.”

“Going which way?”

“East. Toward Maidenhead.”

“Hold up, then. We’ll let him get well ahead.” He laid a hand over
hers briefly. “Don’t worry. We knew he’d be about. Henry Vernham too,
no doubt, unless he’s still combing southward for Mrs. Inchcliff.
They’re not looking for us, at least not for me.”

The sight of her father’s carriage had brought all Chastity’s terror
of her father to the fore, but she knew what she must do. “Cyn,” she
said.

“Yes?”

“The important thing is to deliver the message to Major Frazer. If
by any chance my father spots me, you must cut free and continue with
our mission.”

He frowned slightly. “And leave you to face his anger for being on the loose?

Chastity’s stomach knotted at the thought of her father’s anger if
he caught her roaming the country dressed as a boy, but she summoned up
a cocky tone. “I’ll get a jawing for leaving Nana’s, but that’s hardly
a dire fate.”

“Yet Verity seems to fear your father. Why is she not willing to seek the earl’s help?”

“Only because he’ll stop her marrying Nathaniel.”

“But otherwise, she’d feel safe with him?”

Chastity knew he needed reassuring. “Yes. Why not?”

“I just wondered.”

“He is a stern man, and believes he has every right to direct his daughters’ lives. That’s all.”

“And his son’s,” he added pointedly.

Cyn the Protector. Chastity needed all his concentration on Verity’s
problems. “I’m still a schoolboy,” she pointed out, “and should be
doing as I’m told.”

“I think he’ll beat you.”

She shrugged. “Quite likely. I’ll not die of it.”

Cyn nodded and they rode on.

Chastity didn’t know what the earl would do if he caught her. She’d
never been involved in anything so outrageous in her life. After all,
her father knew she hadn’t really invited Vernham to her bed. The
whippings then had been to force her to agree to the marriage, and the
earl had obviously expected her to break under quite mild pain.

She had discovered him to be skilled at the terrifying application of quite mild pain.

There had rarely been any question of her father doing her permanent
damage, or leaving scars—though on one occasion her defiance had driven
him into an almost murderous rage. That had been when she’d begun to
wonder about his sanity, and truly fear for her life. He had controlled
himself, however, before doing his worst.

Her brother, Fort, had been the one more likely to break her neck.
He had a scarce-manageable temper, and he’d believed she’d smirched the
honor of the family. Now, however, she felt she could face Fort, even
if he had his hands round her throat. The thought of facing her father
turned her knees to jelly.

“We’re almost there,” said Cyn. “Keep your eyes peeled and your head down.”

“That sounds a trifle difficult.”

He quirked a smile. “I never said this would be easy.”

“Yes, you did.”

He laughed.

They arrived at the first cottages of Maidenhead as the church clock
stuck eleven. They had seen no sign of the earl, but he would be lodged
at one of the many inns. Maidenhead sat on the busy Bath road and
boasted any number of posting inns. Stages and carriages crowded the
busy high street, and people bustled in and out of shops.

Cyn swung off his horse and indicated that Chastity do the same.
“You’ll be less noticeable down here. The thing is to find you a safe
spot, then I can search out Frazer. There’s no barracks here, so he’s
doubtless billeted on someone, but there must be a command post.”

Chastity wanted to stay with him, but knew it would be foolish. She was the hazard. “If only we knew which inn Father was at…”

Cyn halted before the Fleece Inn, where an ostler hovered, alert for
approaching business. “Good day,” he said. Would you know if the Earl
of Walgrave is staying here?“

“Nay, Captain,” said the man. “He be up at the Bear.”

Cyn tossed him a penny and moved on. “So, we avoid the Bear. He’ll
doubtless have all the inns watched, but he’s not looking for me or
you.”

They stopped at the Saracen’s Head. Chastity tugged down the brim of
her hat before leading her horse into the yard. Grooms came forward to
take the mounts, and Cyn and Chastity were soon in the inn. Cyn bespoke
a private bedroom and parlor, and engaged mine host in idle chat which
encompassed the eminent people presently in Maidenhead, the presence of
the military, and the strange case of the lost Lady Vernham. whose
poster seemed to be everywhere.

By the time they reached their rooms, they knew that the Earl of
Walgrave had been back and forth along the Bath road in search of his
daughter; that a company of infantry readying for departure to the
Continent was billeted on the town under Major Nathaniel Frazer; that
the major’s headquarters were at Cross House down by the river; and
that the poor lady was feared dead. The word was out along the river to
find her body, and that of her babe.

Cyn established Chastity in the rooms with everything she needed. “You are to stay here.”

“Very well.” She couldn’t resist the plea: “Try not to be gone too long.”

“It shouldn’t take long. You might give some thought to our course
if Frazer won’t have anything to do with our plan. It could put his
career on the line.”

Chastity raised her chin. “He won’t fail Verity. Are you saying you’d put your career before your true love?”

“Who says I have one? But no,” he admitted softly, “I wouldn’t. I
have some income beyond my pay, however, and a powerful family to back
me. What of Frazer?”

“He has a small estate; but his family are not the like of yours.”

“Well, we’ll see what he says.” He seemed reluctant to leave. “Stay
here,” he repeated. “Don’t grow restless and wander off. And lock the
door. There’s no reason for anyone to disturb you.”

“Fine,” she said impatiently. “I’m not a fool. Get on with it and it’ll be the sooner done.”

When he’d gone, she turned the key in the lock. The action was
strangely reminiscent of last night, but this time she had no intention
of sneaking out of the room in any guise. She took a seat by a window
that gave onto the bustling high street. She watched the busy scene,
but was largely involved in seeking paths for her future.

If she found the woman who had stolen her virginity, perhaps she
could force her to confess. She could threaten to expose Nerissa Trelyn
if she didn’t change her story, and call upon other women at the orgy
to support her. It all seemed rather hollow. If the women called her
bluff, who would believe her? And in order to tell her tale she’d have
to admit to being at the orgy herself.