Two Beaux and a Promise Collection (4 page)

He nodded, irritated that his investigations had revealed none of this information. Her words also explained why her bosom seemed more prominent than before. The borrowed valise under her seat must contain the rest of her wardrobe. “I will consider possible guardians. I know several men who might do.”

“I doubt it. Aristocrats don’t soil their hands with merchants’ daughters.”

“Wrong!”  His temper snapped at yet another cut of a class she knew little about. “Hawthorne had a ward until recently. Her father was a soldier of no particular breeding, and her mother the bastard daughter of a whore. Yet he took her in and found her a decent husband. The only reason I won’t ask him to take charge of you is his marriage. He deserves privacy for a time. Nor can I ask my father. Not because of your background,” he added over her protest. “My mother’s health is failing. I doubt she’ll see Christmas. New responsibilities will hasten her demise.”

“Oh.”  She had the grace to look abashed.

“Herriard’s behavior is not typical of the aristocracy,” he continued sternly. “Nor is Stagleigh’s. Most of us can’t stand either of them. Instead, remember your grandfather. I did not know him well, but he struck me as a reasonable and kindly gentleman.”

“True.”  She sighed. “But you must know that most of your peers consider themselves superior to merchants. Perhaps we should find my guardian outside the aristocracy. Even Grandfather admitted that my breeding would reduce my credit.”

“Not necessarily. While there are a few sticklers who will frown, the fact remains that many ladies are in your position. Consider Lady Jersey, whose mother was a banker’s daughter. Yet she is an Almack’s patroness with the power to ostracize the highest in the land. As long as your manners conform, you should be fine. You mentioned a governess. Who was she?”

“Miss Elizabeth Coburn, Sir Reginald Coburn’s youngest daughter.”

Richard raised his brows.

“Did you know him?”

“Not personally, though I’ve heard the stories. He lost everything at cards, including his estate. Drunk, of course, though that is no excuse for ignoring his duty. The shock drove him to his death.”

“You are putting too nice a face on the incident. He wasn’t a greenling gaming away his allowance. He was a forty-year-old man responsible for his own extensive family, four tenant families, and a hundred employees. Family and friends had often urged him to protect his estate by entailing it, but he refused. Just as he refused to learn anything from earlier losses – except cowardice. His wife had been furious after the previous disaster lost all of her jewelry, so rather than tell her that they must leave their home, he shot himself. Miss Elizabeth found his body the next morning.”

“Poor girl.”

“She rarely spoke of it. And she was never openly bitter. She did her best to mold me into a lady.”  She sighed. “Derrick turned her off the day Grandfather died. I’d always suspected he was cold, but that confirmed it. She would have starved if I hadn’t written a glowing reference and convinced Grandfather’s secretary to sign his name to it. It let her find a position with a squire in Hampshire. When Derrick discovered that we were corresponding, he burned her letters and forbade further contact. Never again was the post left where anyone else could see it.”

“I’m liking Herriard less and less.”

“He deserves it. But returning to your question, Miss Elizabeth came to us when I was five, so I had her for ten years. And Mother was quick to correct any mistakes. She died when I was fourteen.”

“Good. Your training settles the matter. I will speak to Lady Inslip – my friend Charles’s mother,” he added when she frowned. “Once she agrees to present you, we can ask Inslip to stand as your guardian. A marquess will carry the day in court no matter what protest Herriard raises.”

“You don’t know Derrick.”

“I know Herriard very well. He’ll lose – not that it matters, for he won’t be able to bother you much longer anyway.”

“Why?”

“He is a cheat. I’ve been trying to catch him for years.”

“Why?  Cheating at cards isn’t illegal.”

“True, but he would be banned from the clubs and dunned by his victims for recompense. The unpleasantness would probably drive him to the Continent. Not a satisfactory solution, but the only one available, at least until recently.”

“What happened?”

“He switched to fraud. I’ll be presenting evidence to Lords next week. In the meantime, the bishop will readily sever his guardianship. Fraud aside, the bishop is Inslip’s cousin.”

She frowned. “That should work in my favor,” she agreed. “But I have no intention of letting Lady Inslip push me into society. I fully intend to set up my own establishment.”

“We will discuss that later. For now, relax. In another hour we will stop for dinner. I can’t ask the Oakhaven staff to feed us without warning.”

* * * *

Georgiana laid down her fork and smiled. The food at the Yellow Oak was surprisingly tasty. Only the refreshments at Hawthorne House had been better – but they had been made for a wedding.

“Delicious,” she said, wishing she had room for more. “Do all inns serve food like this?”

Richard looked surprised. “Delicious?  I would describe it as average myself. You
have
had a rough time of it, haven’t you?”

“It is over.”

He was opening his mouth to respond when a voice boomed outside the door. “Herriard!  What are you doing so far from town?”

Georgiana gasped as all the blood drained from her head. “How—”

“Shhh!”  Richard covered her mouth. He’d removed his gloves to dine, so his hand felt shockingly warm.

“Looking for my cousin.”  Herriard made his disgust clear.

“I didn’t know you had a cousin.”

“We don’t talk about it much. My aunt married a tradesman.”

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter. The girl’s a thief. I’ve tracked her this far, but…”  The voices faded as the men moved across the hall to the taproom.

“Damn!” cursed Richard softly, dropping his hand.

“Who was that?” she hissed.

“Sir William Trent. He and Herriard are friends, though not close.”  He pressed his ear to the door, then frowned. “Herriard must have spotted Jacob returning to Hawthorne House. And he will have noted the carriage outside.”

“I have to leave.”  She could barely choke out the words as her eyes searched frantically for another exit. Her thinking had been muddled in the church, but that was no longer true. Derrick was more devious than she’d thought. Branding her a thief gave him a huge advantage, for his oath alone would convince any court of her guilt. No one would accept a female’s word over a lord’s. Even worse, Richard would be prosecuted for helping her. Was that part of the plot?  Derrick hated Richard. If he knew Richard meant to lay charges…

Hopelessness nearly overwhelmed her.

“Sit down and let me think.”  Richard paced to the window and back.

She sat, but her mind continued circling. She should have known that flight was useless. Unless she wed Stagleigh, Derrick would transport her for thef—

Dear God, but she was stupid. Transportation wouldn’t help him. But convicting her of grand theft would see her hung. As next of kin, he could then claim her inheritance. She might have to throw herself at Stagleigh to escape death.

She should have refused Richard’s help the moment she’d realized his identity. He might be heir to a title, but for now he was a commoner. Even
his
word would be suspect when set against a lord’s.

“I’ve got it.”  Richard’s voice startled her. “Stay here while I speak to the coachman.”

“I can’t let you risk your reputation, or worse,” she said, shaking her head. “This changes everything. He will see me hanged.”

“No.”  He pulled her tightly against him, forcing her to meet his gaze.

Frissons of electricity rampaged along her nerves, making her dizzy. Rake, indeed. One touch could melt lead.

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Georgiana,” he swore. “I will not let him abuse you. And Fate is clearly on your side. Witness Sir William’s providential arrival. Gather your courage, my dear. I’ll be back in a moment.”  He dropped a light kiss on her mouth and released her.

Before she could respond, he was gone.

Her lips tingled, muddling her thoughts. She could still feel his muscular form pressed against her. Was there really an alternative to Stagleigh or death?

She couldn’t risk it. Nor could she believe anyone would risk his reputation – let alone his life – for a stranger. No man was that magnanimous. Richard must have an ulterior motive.

The most obvious one was her inheritance. Many aristocrats had invested in her father’s ventures, to their benefit. And Richard admitted that he’d studied Derrick’s family. It was possible that he’d not recognized her in the church – she rarely left the house. But he would certainly have known her father’s name.

That she didn’t want to believe he was driven by greed proved how dangerous he was. His charm was already affecting her. His every touch made her crave more. But succumbing to seduction played into his hands. Remaining with him also played into Derrick’s. So she must leave. Maybe she could escape, or maybe Derrick would win. But either way, she must go now.

She limped to the door. As she reached for the latch, it opened.

Richard shut the door behind him and glared. “Where are you going?”

“I have to do this alone, Richard. Anyone who helps me risks prosecution. I couldn’t bear to harm you.”

“You don’t trust me.”

“It isn’t a matter of trust,” she insisted, cursing her delay. “I know Derrick. He won’t back down. Charging me with theft will supersede my petition to the bishop. Charging you with abetting a thief will prevent your presentation to Lords and might well see you transported.”

“And what will he claim was stolen?”  Arms akimbo, he glared – and blocked the door.

“God knows. But his claims will convince any court that I’m guilty. He’s a lord.”

“I can produce a hundred lords who will testify that he is a liar and a cheat. I can also produce witnesses who will swear that he had nothing left to steal after last night’s losses, and that you took nothing but the clothes on your back when you escaped his house.”

“You don’t know him.”

Richard’s face hardened. “I know him. Too well. Now, enough of this. He and Sir William are sharing a tankard of ale. We must be gone before they finish. Give me your cloak.”

“Why?”

“It is leaving now. The bonnet, too.”  He handed her a black cloak and a man’s hat.

“What are you doing?” she demanded even as she passed him her borrowed garments.

“One of Hawthorne’s grooms is about your height. He will climb into the carriage and leave.”  A patterned tap sounded. Richard opened it to a man wearing the Hawthorne livery. “Here,” said Richard, draping the cloak around the man’s shoulders. He handed over the bonnet. “You know what to do.”

The man tied the ribbons and left.

“I don’t understand,” said Georgiana. Her head was swimming.

“He now looks like you – that bonnet shields the face, which is why we chose it for you to begin with. The coachman will assist him inside, then address him by your name as he closes the door. They will continue to Oakhaven. The stable staff is too busy to watch closely, so they will remember only that a lady drove off alone in the Hawthorne carriage.”

“But what about us?  The landlord knows we are here. If we do not disappear along with the carriage, Derrick will find out.”

He ignored her. “How is your ankle?”

“It hurts.”

“Can you walk a hundred yards without drawing attention?”

“If I must.”

“Good. You will slip out the back and follow the stream to the spinney around the hill. It is out of sight of the inn. I will hire a horse and return to London, having seen you safely on your way to Oakhaven. I’ll pick you up by the spinney.”

“And return to town?  I thought—”

“We will discuss that later. For the moment, we need distance between us and Herriard.”  He tucked her hair under the hat, sorry to lose sight of those soft curls even for a few minutes. “Keep your head down and your skirts tucked in. No one should think twice about a gentleman slipping down to the stream to stretch his legs and take care of business. Just be grateful that Hawthorne’s footmen wear long cloaks.”

— 4 —

Richard waited until Georgiana reached the stream before heading for the stable. He could only pray she would be all right. Her face was several shades whiter than it had been earlier. He wasn’t sure if it was from pain or fear, but his only choice had been to watch her walk away. Alone. If they left together, someone would spot them.

He hired a horse and joked with the grooms, letting them know that his escort was no longer necessary. The lady could finish her journey alone while he returned to town for his usual evening activities – a wink hinted at what tonight’s activity would be. Then he rode back up the road. He’d known Herriard was in desperate straits. If Georgiana were not involved, he would let events play out on their own, for it was only fitting that Herriard’s own vices had been turned against him.

Last night had been the climax of a monthlong debauch during which Herriard had lost all the money he’d taken in that fraud scheme, and then some. So he’d returned to what he knew best – cardsharping.

The game had not gone according to plan, though. Herriard had been desperate and too drunk to think clearly. Watson was a known cheat who took his own brand of revenge against anyone who reneged on a debt. Smart men avoided him. Stupid men paid dearly.

Herriard might have thought he was the better cheat, but he hadn’t even noticed when Watson replaced Herriard’s deck with his own. Thus when Herriard made his move, Watson laid down a better hand. Herriard had signed vowels for ten thousand pounds. He had until Wednesday to pay.

Stagleigh was flush from recent wins, so he was the obvious choice to purchase Herriard’s last remaining asset. And since Stagleigh enjoyed defiling innocence, he would pay a pretty penny for her. The situation made both men very dangerous.