The Secret of Castlegate Manor (14 page)

Yet his hand froze and his eyes hardened. She spun to see Geoffrey already holding a pistol aimed at the Viscount's chest. A spell of dizziness nearly claimed her and made her realize she had been holding her breath.

"Get out of here, both of you," the Viscount growled.

Geoffrey backed out of the door, following Caroline.

The butler showed them out.

Caroline drew a breath of fresh air and tried to force her trembling legs to carry her out to the street where she was relieved to see Nottington waiting beside the carriage.

When they were settled for the ride back to the estate, Caroline turned to Geoffrey with an apologetic smile. "I am afraid I was not clever enough to gain the needed information. I hope I have not made things worse for Lady Aberly."

"You must not blame yourself. The Viscount is a shrewd man."

"Nonetheless, I shall be sorry to report my failure to Lavenia. She has been terribly upset about her mother."

They left the cobbled streets of Bath and turned onto the country road. Caroline had just rested her head against the corner squabs for a rest when the sky broke forth with torrential rain.

Their progress slowed to a crawl as the wheels splashed into the muddy ruts. Caroline shivered as dampness permeated the carriage. Geoffrey saw her discomfort and removed his jacket, insisting she place it across the shoulders of her light summer frock.

Her grateful smile warmed his heart.

He watched her, entranced by her fragile beauty, as she again rested against the carriage. His heart told him that it was ready to trust again. Here was a woman who would not break it. Whatever she lacked in bloodline was more than compensated by her sweet smile.

The rumble of another carriage passing them on the path roused Caroline from her rest. She pushed aside the curtain to see a man peer at them briefly before closing his curtain to the rain.

Geoffrey frowned. "If I am not mistaken, that was the doctor who was out to care for John Coachman after he was shot."

Caroline felt her pulse quicken with alarm. "They were coming from the direction of Castlegate Manor. The Viscount could not possibly have issued an order to avenge my visit in the time since we departed Bath. Do you suppose someone is ill?"

"Perhaps. I agree that Lord Humphrey has not had time to exact vengeance."

Caroline fidgeted with the lace on her skirt. "Perhaps I should have told the Viscount that he would not benefit by holding Lady Aberly. If he knew that I stood to inherit nothing

he might release her."

Geoffrey shook his head. "We have come too far for that. Such a confession would more likely endanger her life."

Caroline caught her lip with her teeth and tried not to shiver with a chill in her spirit that even Geoffrey's coat could not keep out.

They reached the manor just as Edwards was lighting the outside lamps. Geoffrey took her hand as Nottington drew the horses to a halt.

"I shall wait in the rose garden behind the library should you need to see me after supper."

"If I can slip away, I will come," Caroline promised.

The footman helped Caroline out of the coach. Edwards held the manor door open, looking disapprovingly from the pouring rain to Caroline's dampened attire.

"I shall go up and change before supper. Please send Maggie to help me," Caroline instructed.

"Yes, my lady."

In the upstairs hallway, Caroline saw Lavenia disappear into Lady Aberly's doorway. She listened a moment and, hearing no sound of conversation, felt her hope disappear.

Maggie arrived to help Caroline slip out of her damp, mud- splattered dress and into dry clothes. After she had brushed and arranged Caroline's hair for supper, she commented, "I am sorry to have been slow getting to you Miss, but we been ever so busy with the mistress come back."

Caroline wheeled from her seat at the dressing table. In her haste, she upset a strand of curls Maggie had arranged atop her shoulders.

"Do you refer to Lady Aberly?"

"Yes, my lady. She came walking back this morning. We heard she was stolen away for ransom. I do not know how she escaped, but she must have been ever so brave."

"Yes, Maggie, I am sure you are right."

She rose. "My hair is acceptable. You may return to your duties."

"Yes, my lady."

Caroline could hardly wait to see for herself that Lady Aberly had returned. She prayed the lady would suffer no lasting effects from the ordeal.

She met Lavenia when she stepped into the hallway. Lavenia put a finger to her lips and motioned Caroline back into her bedchamber. She closed the door quietly behind them.

"Have you heard that Mother is back?"

Caroline nodded. "Maggie just told me. How is she? It must have been a dreadful ordeal."

"She is very weak. The doctor was here this afternoon and gave her laudanum to help her rest. He said she must not talk until she gets stronger."

"You do not know how she came to escape?"

Lavenia shook her head. "She was too befuddled when she arrived to be coherent. But the important thing is that she is back. The doctor believes that she will recover completely."

Caroline felt tears well in her eyes. "I am so glad. I dreaded reporting to you that my visit to Lord Humphrey yielded nothing of use. But now your mother is safely returned."

After supper, Caroline accompanied Lavenia for a brief visit to Lady Aberly. The older woman slept with the peaceful look of a child despite the graying hair that spread haphazardly across the pillow.

"She was very restless until the doctor got her settled," Lavenia explained. "She kept mumbling about the man who got shot."

"I wonder who that could have been?"

"It might have been Benson."

They spoke in whispers so they would not disturb Lady Aberly. She was nearly as pale as the sheets and her face thinner than Caroline had remembered.

"Do you suppose she had to shot him to make her escape?" Lavenia's eyes held a worried look.

"I should guess she did not. And if she did, I am sure it was her only choice."

Lavenia failed to appear comforted. "Might not such a memory torment her? She was so peculiar, not at all herself when she came home."

"I am sure it was only the fatigue and strain. She will be herself when she awakes. You will see."

Caroline left Lavenia sitting with her mother.

She slipped down to find Geoffrey waiting in the garden. The rain had stopped and the sky was partly clear. The moon slipped from behind a cloud, illuminating Geoffrey in its light.

Before she could speak, he strode forward and took her into his arms. "I could hardly wait to see you again and know that you are safe. This unfortunate business with Lord Humphrey has made me quite wary for your safety."

She smiled up at him, enjoying the comfort of his embrace and was greeted by a tender kiss.

"We shall be seen if you are not careful," she reprimanded gently.

"Let them see. In time, you will be my wife."

The promise warmed her heart. "I shall hold you to that and if you find another love, I shall torment you mercilessly."

Her teasing words drew a smile. "Never. I will never love anyone else."

"And neither shall I.

Though she longed to continue their intimate exchange, she

felt pressed to proffer the news about Lady Aberly. She extricated herself from his arms and ignored her desire to forget all unpleasantness. Until the unfortunate business with Lord Humphrey came to an end, none of them were safe.

"I must tell you the news of Lady Aberly. She has returned while we were away."

She heard his intake of breath. "Was she harmed?"

"It does not appear so, though I understand she was in quite an agitated state."

She proceeded to tell Geoffrey the few details she had learned regarding the return of Lady Aberly.

"We can only hope, when she is again herself, that she may offer clear testimony of Lord Humphrey's hand in her abduction. The authorities may not believe a groom, but they will listen to a lady of her stature," Geoffrey stated.

Caroline nodded her agreement. "I do hope that is the case. I shall wait eagerly for her recovery so that we may learn the whole story and discover who was shot."

Caroline noticed Edwards lingering in the parlour door, staring into the darkness.

"He must have heard our voices. I must go in," Caroline said.

Geoffrey stole a quick kiss before disappearing into the night. Caroline waited until Edwards was satisfied that no one lurked about, then slipped into the parlour and up to bed.

It was two days before Lady Aberly felt well enough to give an account of her experience. Caroline asked Geoffrey to join them as soon as she heard that Lady Aberly planned to leave the confines of her room and come down for tea. Settled in the sunshine of the downstairs parlor, still looking wan, she began to give an account of her ordeal.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lady Aberly had been settled comfortably into a stuffed chair for several minutes when Lavenia pleaded, "Now you must tell us what happened, Mother. We have all been waiting until you should feel like talking."

Lady Aberly heaved a great sigh. "I should like to pretend I had never received that note, nor ventured into the garden. The ordeal has given me migrims."

"I know, Mother, but what happened?"

Lady Aberly glanced around the room. Her eyes fell on Geoffrey. "What is he doing here?"

Caroline was not sure she could trust Lady Aberly to keep Geoffrey's true identity a secret.

"He has worked with Benson. I thought he might be of use in helping us surmise Lord Humphrey's next move. Do you not now believe that Lord Humphrey is behind our misfortunes, my lady?"

Lady Aberly shook her head. "La. I do not know what to believe."

After a moment of silence and a sip of tea, Lady Aberly continued. "You know that I received a note, supposedly from the gardener, requesting my presence in the garden. Since he knew how much I loved my roses, I was not at all suspicious regarding the request. However, when I got to the garden, this terrible man told me that Morgan was around the hedge, if I would be so kind as to come along."

Lady Aberly paused and dabbed a lace handkerchief at her eyes. "When we were out of sight behind the hedge, he seized me roughly and put his foul hand across my mouth so that I could not cry out. Someone else, a larger man, I think, wrapped a cloth about my eyes and tied my hands behind my back. Then, the two of them hastened me toward a waiting horse."

Lavenia's hand flew to her mouth in horror. "Oh, Mother, how terrible for you."

"It was terrible. We rode for hours, jostling about until I was so stiff I could hardly walk. Finally, we stopped. They held me in a small stone cottage that smelt of grease and dirt, though I have not a clue to the location, as I was kept blindfolded the entire time of my captivity."

She shuddered, then continued. "When I was left alone for awhile, I felt my way about the room, but could find no way of escape. The door was bolted from the outside and the windows must have been too high for me to locate without benefit of my sight."

"Had you nothing to eat?" Caroline asked.

"La. They fed me twice a day, if you would call such gruel food. Each time, they warned that if I took off the blindfold and caught sight of them it would be my demise. You cannot imagine the trepidation I was under."

Lady Aberly fanned herself with her lace handkerchief.

"Did you hear their names?" Caroline asked.

"I did. It was on the morning I escaped. I shudder to think of it. They took me out of the house and led me into the woods. One man called the other by the name of Benson. When Benson complained that I had heard his name, the other man told him he was not to worry as they had been ordered to do away with me."

"No, Mother! How simply ghastly. Thank goodness they did not succeed. How ever did you get away?" Lavenia asked.

"They began to argue. Benson told the other man that he had not planned on murder when he made the bargain. The other man told Benson that he could forget his share of the money if he did not have the stomach for the work."

The blindfold had slipped a bit, so as I could see a little. The bigger man shoved Benson. They were in each other's faces and shouting. While they were occupied and not attending to me, I edged into the trees. I pulled off the blindfold and ran into the woods. Then, I heard a gun shot. At first, I thought it was directed at me, but as no one seemed to be following, I decided that one of them had shot the other."

She paused, the haunted look in her eyes showed it would be a long time before she would be rid of the memory of her ordeal.

"And you kept on running?" Lavenia asked.

"Yes, until I was so out of breath I had to stop and rest. I feared, at any moment, I would be captured. But no one ever came. I wandered the woods, quite lost until I came upon the road. I followed it all the way home."