Serena (12 page)

She was already on solid ground, but she looked up at him and said, “
La,
would you not have caught me if the step broke and I was thrown into a fall?”

He bent closer to her ear and murmured, “I would have caught you and more, my beauty, do you doubt it?”

“As I don’t have your measure, yes, I suppose I do,” she countered and saw his blue eyes alive with amusement.

“Ah, Serena, if only …”

“If only what?” she asked, surprised by the sudden sincerity of his tone.

“Nothing. I have been a beast.”

“Indeed, a horrible beast. You kissed me,” she said, shocked at herself. “You kissed me and then slapped me for kissing you back. That, my lord, is odious and ungentlemanly behavior.”

He threw back his head and laughed before he took her chin and gave it a squeeze. “You are so very right. I do beg your forgiveness.”

“Very well,” she said begrudgingly though secretly relieved to get things on a safer, more comfortable footing.

“I do want to speak to you about something that has me exceedingly worried,” he said, suddenly serious.

She stopped and turned fully toward him. “Of course,” she said, her brows drawing together.

“I know that you and my nevvy have been drawn into a situation that will lead you both into danger. I also know that this was not your fault, but I would like to keep both Freddy and you quite out of it.”

“What, my lord, do you mean?”

“You know precisely what I mean.” He frowned. “Apparently Tuthill and Lewis Tucker are friends, and I know a great deal.”

She sighed. “All we did was agree to put it about that we saw … witnessed—”

He cut her off sharply. “What in thunder were you thinking?”

“Well, I must say, this is awkward. It was most indiscreet of Jasper’s brother to go blabbering about—”

“That is neither here nor there,” he said, cutting her short. “Are you telling me that Tuthill has put you both
not in an awkward
position but in a highly dangerous one?”

Serena eyed him. He hadn’t known the entire story. She had obviously just made him aware of it. Well, that was neither here nor there. “We have merely agreed to say that we caught a glimpse of the villain’s profile while he was on horseback and that we
might
be able to identify him. We hope to draw him into the open.”

“
Damnation, woman!
”
he said vehemently. “I do beg your pardon, but this scheme you have put together with the magistrate is unacceptable. The man is a murderer. You have put yourselves in his line of fire.”

Serena sighed. “Something must be done to draw him out. Or are you thinking we should allow the New Forest to be used as a den for thieves and cutthroats?”

“Of course I don’t think any such thing. However, nor do I think you and Freddy should be the ones to draw a cold-blooded killer out.” He shook his head. “To put a delicately nurtured female and a young cub in the blackguard’s way is not what I think will serve to do anything but cause harm.”

“I do not mean to put myself in his way … and I am sure Freddy does not either,” Serena offered calmly.

“But that is what you and Freddy have done—made yourselves targets for a villain.” He frowned at her. “Tell me, has Tuthill arranged for your safety?
Of course not
. I have seen no one lurking about, guarding you from afar either at Moorely or at our backs when we were out and about. It is why Jasper suggested I take a little-known road back to Moorely. I noticed the fork in the road and asked Newton about it, and he told me we could get through.”

“Oh,” she said, impressed. “Yes, well, there isn’t too much I can do about it at this stage of—”

He threw up his hands as he interrupted her. “Is there not, my girl? You are as naïve as my nevvy!” He drew a long breath. “At any rate, I mean to do something about it, and the first thing I must do is alert your uncle to this. Perhaps between the two of us we can scotch this piece of work.”

Serena felt a blaze of anger shoot through her. “You will do no such thing! I won’t have my uncle worried about me.”

“Won’t you?” his lordship said grimly. “And how will he be when he hears that an attempt has been made on your life, for
mark me
, both you and Freddy stand in this scoundrel’s way,
and I
, Serena, won’t have that!”

She frowned and chewed her bottom lip. “You don’t understand.”

“We are not playing at schoolgirl games. You cannot set yourselves up as bait and then make light of it. If you aren’t concerned for yourself, what of Freddy? How will you feel if he gets murdered over this?”

“Oh … no … no,” she said worriedly. “But what can I do now?”

At that moment, they looked up and found a rider, Freddy, in fact, making his way to them. He looked disheveled. His top hat was missing, and his cravat was askew and, Serena thought, dirty …
and then she realized
 … it wasn’t dirt, but
blood!

She gasped because, as he got closer, she saw blood all down the side of his neck. Freddy, however, appeared absolutely excited as he jumped off his horse, grinning like a fool, and exclaimed, “Wait till I tell you what an adventure I have had. Must go up to the house though, before the doctor takes his leave. I was told he was here tending to your uncle, Serena.”

“Frederick, what the devil has happened?” his uncle demanded.

~ Ten ~

SERENA RECOVERED HERSELF and went to Freddy, her face and voice filled with horror. “Freddy … blood is pouring out of your wound. Do hurry then—let’s get to the house. You can tell us what happened as we go.”

“At the beginning,” his lordship added as they picked up their pace and headed up the drive.

Freddy didn’t hesitate. He was exploding with excitement, quite willing and ready to tell it all, “Well, Sir Newton and I had the rarest kick-up when old Barker decided he was tired of being a foxhound and took off after a deer!”

He shook his head, and Serena objected. “Freddy … try not to shake your head. You are losing too much blood.”

“Yes, well, up the beach and into the woods after the biggest buck I have seen in some time, let me tell you. Right, what must the hounds do but honor him, all but Warrior, who won’t chase deer. Good hound. At any rate, off the rest all went in pursuit. Newton was furious. He blew his horn till I thought he would go off into an apoplexy, got as red as his coat, but only the best of his hounds packed in. Finally, we got them all back, except for Barker. I took up the chase and managed to find the fellow and discovered the poor ol’ boy was caught up in the briar.” He looked from Serena to his uncle and said portentously, “Guess where we ended up, Serena?”

She closed her eyes and said in a resigned, ‘oh no’ tone, “Piney Woods.”

“Aye, how did you know?”

“They usually run deer in that direction, especially Barker,” she answered on a sigh. “Freddy, your ear looks torn.”

His lordship didn’t bother knocking for the butler but pushed in, opened the door wide, and ordered,
“In
.”

Serena hurried inside, turned to the men, and said, “I’ll call for the doctor.”

She moved to the bellrope, and Davis entered the central hall from the library, a tray in his hand. “Yes, Miss Serena?” he said, looking from her to Freddy, who was dripping blood onto the floor.

She asked for the doctor to be sent for, and he replied that both the squire and the doctor were in the library having tea.

Pulling Freddy along, she said, “Come on …”

“Yes, but, Serena, I haven’t finished, have I? Do you know where I ended up?”

“You have just said the Piney Woods.” She frowned at him.

“Indeed, but it was less than thirty feet from where we found that poor fellow’s body.”

“And that is where you were shot,” his lordship said grimly.

“Shot?” Serena nearly screamed.
“Shot?
Freddy, is your wound from a gunshot?”

“Only grazed m’ear …”

Doctor Forbes, an elderly man, was already on his feet as they entered and asked, “Shot … gunshot? Here, let me have a look at that.”

As it turned out, Freddy was right and the bullet had only grazed him, but the wound was deep enough to need a couple of stitches. This circumstance seemed to thrill Freddy as much as anything else, as he wanted to know how many stitches he could have.

“I must assume, Frederick, that your attacker was interrupted before he could finish the job.”

Freddy suddenly stopped and eyed his lordship from under a furrowed brow. “Well as to that … Sir Newton arrived at that point, so I suppose … yes, the shooter was interrupted from taking another go at me.”

“What is this? Why should someone want to shoot him?” the squire, who had been quietly watching the proceedings, demanded at this juncture.

“The devil is in it that my nevvy bravely albeit foolishly set himself up as bait to draw out a blackguard. Apparently, his ruse worked a bit too well, but without benefit. We are no closer to knowing who the blackguard is, are we?” He glared at Freddy, who did not seem in the least daunted.

Serena bit her bottom lip and stood, her expression grim. His lordship had been in the right of it. All they had done was get Freddy shot. She could only be relieved that his lordship had not mentioned her part in it to her uncle. How very kind of him. She had not realized he could be quite that thoughtful.

“Well, it was famous good sport, and now that we know he means to kill me, we could set a trap for him and have him surrounded in no time,” Freddy suggested merrily.

Davis had brought the doctor the warm water he had requested, and Serena went about the business of cleaning the wound for the doctor so that he could stitch and bandage it.

“Famous good sport!” Freddy announced, determined not to be deterred from his point of view.

“Your uncle is right, Freddy … this scheme was not well thought out,” Serena said.

Freddy frowned at her. “Serena, you shock me.”

His lordship’s eyes met hers before he said authoritatively, “Very well, we must take the problem we have and deal with it. We need some serious planning, and it must involve Jasper, for he has a good head on his shoulders for these things.” He eyed Freddy. “Let me be clear about this, Freddy—you will hand the reins over to me now, right?”

“Oh well, this was my adventure after all … and—”

“And you don’t have a choice about its future. That is indisputable—are we clear?”

Freddy scowled but as the doctor had at that point begun stitching said, “Ouch, yes then, we are clear.”

“Serena, I want an explanation regarding all of this,” the squire said to her across the room.

“Yes, of course you do, dearest, and I shall give you one a bit later … all right?”

“Very well, then,” he agreed.

As it happened, his lordship said he thought it best that he drive his nephew to the inn for a bath, a change of clothes, and some luncheon. However, he managed a moment with her at the door and said meaningfully, “In light of this, I must take a promise from you.”

“Must you?”

“I am not smiling. This is serious and cannot be jested away,” he said.

“What? What is my uncle telling you?” Freddy asked as he turned on the front step and looked back at Serena and his lordship.

“Only that I don’t wish her going about unprotected,” his lordship answered.

Serena’s lashes fluttered against her will. “Thank you, but I can take care of myself,” she said.

“No, you cannot anymore than Freddy was able to take care of himself. Someone had followed him, don’t you see that? This was no chance encounter.”

“I do see, but I won’t be made a prisoner in my home,” she returned.

“I shall be by in the morning and escort you wherever you wish to go,” he answered promptly.

“That is too much of an imposition. I couldn’t ask you to do such a thing,” she said, unable to meet his gaze.

“You don’t have to ask. I am offering it. There is nothing more to be discussed,” his lordship returned.

“Thank you,” she said meekly. She felt guilty about Freddy, although it had not been her idea to set about such a story. That was all on the magistrate. In fact, she had not even completely agreed. Freddy had jumped at the chance, and there had been no talking him out of it. Even so, she felt a twinge of guilt. She should not have agreed to be a party to it.

“I shall be here for you at ten … sharp,” he said, and she saw a twinkle in his blue eyes.

“Very well,” she answered.

“Serena, believe me when I tell you that I shall miss you till then,” he said softly.

“And I you, my lord,” she answered and saw the surprise in his eyes. If it had not been for the seriousness of the situation, she might have giggled at his expression.

* * *

“What were you doing, Uncle?” Freddy said as they drove away from Moorely Grange. “Were you flirting with Serena? For if you were, I think it a paltry thing to do.”

“I shan’t deny it, but you have said that I am too old to catch her interest, so it does not mean anything … does it?” his uncle said glibly.

“I don’t know,” Freddy returned doubtfully. “I tell you what, though. You can’t fool Serena. She is up to every rig. If you aren’t sincere … she’ll know.”

His lordship eyed him thoughtfully. Was she? Was she up to every rig? And had he been flirting, only flirting, or did some part of him actually mean it when he said he would miss her until the morrow?

The bigger question still remained. Would she give up Freddy if she believed she could bring him to
point non plus?
And could she? Was that what was happening to him? Was he diving head first into a pool that would leave him forever hungry for this one woman?