The Houseparty (26 page)

"It seemed very much that way. How delightfully everything is working out! I shall see if I can persuade him to come up to scratch. I'm sure it will please Jeremy."

"I have no intention of marrying Rupert," Elizabeth said stonily.

Sumner laughed an indulgent little laugh, one he reserved for the foibles of the weaker sex. "I'm certain that's why Rupert left so early this morning. He and Jeremy were thick as thieves, and I have little doubt he'll ask permission to pay his respects to you, Elizabeth. You should be very grateful at this unexpected offer. Even though Captain
Fraser
isn't a villain after all, he's hardly likely to offer marriage. Apparently this was all some part he was playing, though I'm not entirely convinced, even now."

"Sumner, dearest, you know that Sir Henry told us he's actually a very nice young man. Well liked, respected, and with a comfortable fortune behind him. Not really your sort at all, Elizabeth." There was a malicious gleam in the green cat's eyes, and Elizabeth decided then and there never to trust another woman.

Sumner gazed fatuously upon his beloved before turning his gaze upon his recalcitrant sister. "You really should jump at the chance Rupert's offering you. If you have any sense," he added, his voice expressing strong doubts that she was thus endowed.

"If I had any sense, I would," she agreed gloomily, and returned to her card game much disheartened as the young lovers took themselves off.

Her next visitor was somewhat more welcome but equally disturbing. "I just came to wish you good-bye and Godspeed," Sir Henry said, smiling benevolently down on her. "I hope you aren't suffering any ill effects from your adventures last evening."

"Apart from a headache, a disfigured countenance, and a supremely bad temper, I am simply thriving."

"Well, you know, it all worked out for the best. It would have been extremely difficult to make any charges stick against the general. He was a trickster from way back. This war might have ended years earlier without the interference of men like him."

"And Adolphus is going to get away with cold-blooded murder?" she questioned sharply. "Nothing is going to happen to him after he assisted his uncle off the parapet?"

"I'm afraid not. There's no proof of that, either, and it's rid the Crown of a fairly sticky problem. The populace wouldn't have taken too kindly
to a general selling secrets
to the
Frenchies
. No, we're better off all around this way. I know you might wish for revenge, seeing as how it was Sir Adolphus who clubbed you on the head and locked you in his uncle's closet, but—"

"Adolphus?" she shrieked in disbelief.
"But why?"

"Despite what he says, he knew as well as anyone what his uncle was up to. I gather
LeBoeuf
was somewhat indiscreet before he . . . ahem . . . died. Adolphus was hoping to avoid any trouble by seeing to his uncle himself. That involved keeping everyone else blind to the goings-on, including your curious little self. He told me he greatly regretted the need for violence upon your person."

"Did he, now?" she snarled, slapping the cards down on the table with unnecessary vehemence. "I'd like to show him what violence is."

"I would suggest, Miss
Traherne, that
the less said about the events of the last few days, the better. I know Jeremy would agree with me. It would be in everyone's best interests if you simply rose above your justifiable provocation and ignored Sir
Adolphus's
assault. He said he hit you as gently as he could."

"Thoughtful of him," she observed cynically.

"I can trust in your discretion in this matter?" There was a hint of steel beneath Sir Henry's light tones, and Elizabeth nodded reluctantly.

"That's the girl." He placed a paternal kiss on her
unbruised
cheek. "Well, I just wanted to say good-bye and to tell you that I couldn't be more delighted. Michael's been like a son to Lady Beatrice and
myself
." And with those cryptic words he bowed himself out of the room before Elizabeth could do more than stare in bewilderment.

Elizabeth turned back to the neglected game of patience, with all the patience she herself could muster. She was allowed a mere three minutes of peace before Lady Elfreda, whose deep seclusion had begun to pall, tottered into the room on unsteady feet, dressed in flowing black crepe, her basilisk eyes red-rimmed from weeping.

"There you are, missy," she said in waspish tones. "I suppose you're pleased with yourself, eh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Matchmaking for that lily-livered brother of yours and my
Brenna.
I had her picked for Adolphus!"

"I really don't think they would have suited," she said gently. "I am sorry about your brother-in-law, Lady Elfreda," she added mendaciously, mindful of her duty. "If there is anything I can do, you must let me know."

"You won't like living with
Brenna,
my girl," Lady Elfreda said, brushing the polite phrases aside. "She has a mind of her own, that one. The
vicar'll
be living under the cat's paw in no time at all, and you'll simply be in the way. I think you'd best come take Brenna's place with me. I'll need a companion, and you'll need a genteel occupation, eh?" To punctuate the flattering offer, she leaned over and gave her a little pinch.

Elizabeth controlled her start of pain. "I am more than grateful for the thought, Lady Elfreda, but I'm afraid I have other plans," she said in a silken voice. "Jeremy will be back, and I can always keep house for him until he marries. Failing that, my old governess could keep me company when I set up house on my own."

"Sumner mentioned some such nonsense," her ladyship said, dismissing it offhandedly. "He'll never allow you to do any such thing."

"He'll have no say in the matter. I have little doubt that
Brenna
will be more than happy to see me settled elsewhere."

"You'll be sorry you threw away a chance like this,
Elizabeth Traherne.
And don't think I'll change my mind and have you when you're destitute and disgraced!"

"I have no intention of being either, thank you. Goodbye, Lady Elfreda. I've had a simply delightful time these last few days, but I think I shan't repeat the experience."

The old woman stared at her, her pale, lined face mottled with rage. "Impertinence!" she fumed before striding out of the room, nearly colliding with the
contessa
on her way in.

The elegant black-clad figure watched the old lady storm away,
then
turned her lively dark eyes back to Elizabeth. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"It wouldn't do me any good if I did," she said bitterly. "Everyone seems to have it in mind."

"You've seen Michael this morning?" she inquired, obviously surprised.

"Everyone but Michael
Fraser,"
Elizabeth amended irritably. "At least I've been spared that."

"I was startled because I thought I saw him leave a short while ago. No doubt he's coming back before he takes off for Sussex."

"He's going to Sussex?" Elizabeth questioned idly, suddenly intent on the forgotten card game.

"To his parents' place.
A lovely spot, I hear, though Michael's estate in Kent is every bit as pretty, although somewhat smaller, Sir Henry tells me. For a younger son Michael is quite well off."

"How felicitous for him," Elizabeth said sourly.

The
contessa
smiled, greatly amused. "I came in to tell you that Adolphus and I plan to be wed next month. Just a small ceremony, since
he
, of course, is in mourning. We hoped you might be my maid of honor."

She stared at the
contessa's
irrepressible face in amazement. "You must be funning!
After what he did?"

"Oh, I shan't mind that. Most of the men I've been attracted to have a murderous streak. And none of them have been half so well-off. I intend to enjoy myself fully as Lady Wingert."

"I only hope you won't regret it."

"That's what Michael says. But I assure you, I shan't. I'm getting too old to racket around the world. The war will be over before too long. It won't take much to capture the Corsican monster this time, and let us hope they keep him someplace where he can't escape so easily. Wish me happy?"

"I wish you luck," Elizabeth said firmly. "You'll need that more."

"Unhandsome of you, Lizzie.
You don't mind if I call you
that,
do you? I heard Michael use it, and I must say it suits you."

"It would do me little good if I did mind," she said wearily.

"True enough." The
contessa
laughed with what Elizabeth considered to be heartless merriment. "Well, I wish you all the happiness in the world. Lord knows, you deserve it almost as much as I do." And she sailed out of the room, leaving Elizabeth in doubtful peace once more.

Disconsolately she rose, strolling over to the window. Years ago, months ago, even days ago, she would have viewed the prospect of an offer from Rupert St. Ives with unalloyed joy. Now the mere thought filled her heart with the deepest depression. The thought that Jeremy was actually home, safe at last, brought a temporary lightening to her mood, only to be sunk in gloom once more at the insistent memory of Michael
Fraser.

Michael
Fraser,
who had been acting a pan for the better portion of a year.
Pretending to be a traitor, a gambler, a ne'er-do-well.
Pretending to care for her, when all the time he was merely doing his duty.
All his "my love's" and "when we're
married's
" were of a piece with his dangerous image.
All fabrication.

And she had been a complete, utter, blind, infatuated fool. How he must have been laughing at her as he lied to her, played with her, kissed her, and then abandoned her. There was nothing Elizabeth wanted more than to crawl away and hide. She was too furious and embarrassed to ever want to see Michael
Fraser
again. It was fortunate he had felt a complete lack of interest, she told herself, and had taken
off
so that she could still retain the shreds of a much assaulted dignity. If she ever saw Michael
Fraser
again, she told herself stormily, she would nod coolly and
walk
on by. Not by any action on her part would he know that her heart was irrevocably shattered. She stared gloomily out the leaded glass windows to the front drive, contemplating a future filled with noble suffering.

A very large, very elegant coach was waiting by the front entrance, piled high with trunks and valises and pulled by a perfectly matched set of bay horses. It took Elizabeth a few moments to realize that the trunks on top of the coach looked familiar and a few moments more to realize that they were hers. In a blind fury she strode into the hall only to careen into Michael
Fraser.

"What are my trunks doing on that coach?" she demanded furiously, disentangling herself with a stifled pang of regret. "Where did they come from?"

"The manse," he replied, a faint smile playing around his mouth. In the light of day he appeared surprisingly lighthearted, the sapphire blue eyes smiling down at her, the grim planes of his tanned face relaxed and happy.
"Brenna
packed them for me."

"I'm sure she did," Elizabeth said bitterly.
"Whatever for?"

"Well, I'd be more than happy to take you without a stitch on your back, but I thought you'd be more comfortable visiting my family with your wardrobe intact."

"Who says I am visiting your family?" she demanded in dangerous tones.

Surprisingly enough for an experienced soldier,
Fraser
failed to recognize his peril. "I do. I wrote them to expect us when I sent for the carriage. They're very eager to meet you, and Jeremy will be coming along in a few days, as well. He approves, you know."

"Approves of what? Not of your high-handed ways, I hope," she said in a dampening tone of voice. "And why should I meet your parents?"

His dazzling smile left her stonily unmoved. "Don't you think they deserve to meet my future wife?"

Her temper exploded once more. "How dare you?" she fumed. "How dare you just assume I would fall into your arms if you merely
beckoned!
You certainly have a high opinion of yourself, Captain
Fraser,
if you think you're such a catch for every unattached female."

"I would think you'd be far happier with me than with
Brenna
the Beastly. Poor Sumner is already looking a bit downtrodden."

"Oh, of course.
Nothing could be more delightful than traipsing around Europe as you got yourself into one scrape after another! A spy is just my idea of a perfect husband."

"Well, actually this was my last assignment. In another week I'll be out of the army, and then I might stand for Parliament. You know you'd make an admirable politician's wife with your infinite tact."

"
Ooooh
," she fumed. "Well, difficult as it may be to believe, I find I must decline your flattering offer that was never even made. I have other plans!"