A Kiss in the Dark (16 page)

Cressida showed her to a seat and followed Tory’s advice. The girl needed wine to put her at her ease.

“It was no trouble, Lady Harold.” The girl winced at the name. “Indeed, there was no reason to hide from me. I should be happy to help you in any way I can.”

“No one can help me. I am ruined,” the girl said, fresh tears starting in her eyes.

“I collect you are referring to your marriage?”

“To our wedding night, Lady deCourcy!”

“Ah.” This was unfamiliar ground to Cressida, but she had heard from friends that it was not always the bed of roses they had anticipated. “I believe that sort of thing becomes easier with time,” she said vaguely.

“Oh, it is not that! Harold ran away. He went downstairs immediately after dinner to blow a cloud and never came back.”

“You mean he disappeared? But that is dreadful. You ought to have called a constable.”

“The innkeeper did call one. They took Harold away to the roundhouse. He was drunk as a Dane—on our wedding night!” She stopped to bawl for a moment, then continued. “He drank a deal of wine at dinner, but he must have drunk more downstairs. I waited for hours, and when I heard the ruckus below, I went to peek over the banister, and saw him—drunk. He hates me. It is clear how that his mama forced him into this marriage. I had nowhere to go, so I came home. I filled my bandbox and took the bit of money I could find in the room and caught the stage home. Luckily we had gotten only as far as Tunbridge Wells. I got off before the coach entered Beachy Head so no one would see me and tell Dauntry and Mama. I had to walk all the way home, only, of course, I could not go home, so I came here, because I knew Tory was here. I am very sorry if I inconvenienced you, ma’am.”

“You were also at the cottage?”

“Yes, Tory said I would have to leave, or you would find me and tell
Dauntry. He arranged the match, you see, and would ring a peal over me for making such a botch of it.”

Cressida gave a start of alarm. “When you say he arranged the match, do you mean you were not in favor of it?”

“Oh, no! I was very fond of Harold then, before I knew what he was like. Dauntry arranged the dowry and all that sort of thing. Oh, whatever am I to do, Lady deCourcy?”

The tea tray arrived, carried in by Muffet, who behaved with perfect discretion, just faintly smiling at the young lady to make her welcome. Antonia appeared to be in good appetite. She stirred six teaspoons of sugar and half the pitcher of milk into her tea, and took a handful of macaroons. While Cressida served tea, her mind was busy considering what ought to be done.

At length she said, “What you have to decide is whether you wish to give it a try with Lord Harold, or have the marriage annulled.”

“I gave it a try with Harold. He was so disgusted, he went below stairs and drank himself into a quarrel.”

Cressida, having no firsthand knowledge of Lord Harold, hardly knew what to say. “If you are determined that the marriage would not work, then I think you must tell Dauntry, and let him make the arrangements to end it.”

Antonia’s sulks and moues said clearly that this was not what she wanted. “Dauntry will be very angry,” she said. “He told me I was too young.”

“It is possible, of course, that Lord Harold was just nervous about the wedding night. He might have gone below to have a glass for courage, and got carried away.”

“But why has he not come after me again? He came looking for me only the once. You know, the time he said he was Allan Brewster.” A smile peeped out, causing two dimples at the corners of her lips. “I wish I could have seen it. Tory said he was as nervous as a tick, talking loud and trying to behave like Melbury to fool you, only he overdid it. Harold is not like that at all. He is really quite shy.”

“That was Lord Harold! But why did Tory not arrange for you to meet him?”

“I told her to tell him I was not here if he came. I meant it only to frighten him a little. I made sure he would come back. He
must
know where I am. Where else could I be? He knows I could not go to the castle because of Dauntry.”

“I believe he has been back,” Cressida said, and gave Lady Harold a slightly abridged version of the caller who had frightened them all out of their wits the night before. She omitted that he had gone into her bedroom. Antonia seemed the foolish sort of girl who would pretend to think he had done it on purpose.

“I was in the cottage last night,” she said. “Tory sent Jennet over to bear me company, for I could not like to be alone in the house at smugglers’ cove. It was very boring, being there alone for hours, and sometimes I had to run to the attic to hide, for Dauntry kept coming to the cottage. So contrary of him. He hardly ever goes there.”

They were interrupted by a sharp rap from the door knocker.

“Harold!” Antonia squealed, jumping up.

“More likely Dauntry,” Cressida warned.

“Oh, he must not see me!”

Antonia darted from the room. Within seconds Lord Dauntry was shown in. He took one look at Cressida’s face and said, “I am not armed, I promise you. It is purely a social call.”

He looked at the tea tray and said, “Good. I am just in time for tea.”

“I hope you will join me,” she said, glancing nervously at Antonia’s cup and the nibbled macaroons on her plate.

“I see you have already had company,” Dauntry said, glancing at the second teacup on the table. “If it had not been a lady, I should be jealous, Cressida.”

“Why do you assume it was a lady?” she asked.

“Because I saw the tail of a skirt disappear around the corner as I came in. Who was your caller? I hope I did not frighten her away.”

“I had no caller. It—it was Jennet,” she said, and felt her cheeks burning. She had not Mrs. Armstrong’s talent for prevarication. She should have said Miss Wantage!

“Has Jennet taken to wearing sprigged muslin in lieu of an apron?”

“The gown was mine. She was trying it on for me. It requires shortening. We are about the same height.”

“And taking tea with you while she was about it?”

“It seemed uncivil not to offer her a cup. I took your hint about generosity to the servants.”

“I had no idea you paid me so much heed—nor misunderstood me so entirely. There is a difference between generosity and equality. Pray do not consider it necessary to invite Jennet to join you for dinner.”

“If you say so, Dauntry. Naturally, your wish is my command.”

His eyebrows rose. “Hmmm. That suggests interesting possibilities,” he murmured.

“Don’t get your hopes up. We are speaking only of my treatment of your servants.”

“I knew there would be a catch in it,” he said, brushing an imaginary fleck of dust from his sleeve. “Mama thinks you should remove to the castle until the intruder is found. I think so, too. You are acquiring bad habits from your housekeeper. That was an interesting series of lies you have tried to palm off on me, Cressida. You have not quite gotten the knack of it. Try for a little common sense next time.”

She gave a light laugh. “What on earth do you mean? Why should I try to hide it if I had a lady friend calling?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea. Unless the lady should have been the duke’s sister, acting as go-between.”

This token show of jealousy pleased her. “You are too foolish, Dauntry,” she said. “Now, tell me what the constable had to say. Or have you been to the village yet?”

“He said there have been no strange men spotted in or about the village. No one else has been burgled. I met Beau on my way back. He and I plan to guard the dower house tonight, as you are not eager to come to the castle.”

“No, that is not a good idea,” she said at once. There was too much chance of his spotting Antonia.

Dauntry’s first dash of surprise was fast turning to annoyance.

Cressida was hatching a different plan with regard to his sister. It was clear as crystal Antonia was in love with her Harold, and his efforts to find her suggested that the love was returned. To save them from embarrassment, she meant to find Harold and help the two of them to continue on their way to the Lake District without anyone’s being aware of their imbroglio.

Dauntry said stiffly, “You have some aversion to my being here?”

“You will want to be looking for that letter, Dauntry. With three footmen and a dog and Beau, we shall be quite safe. As you said yourself, Tory knows who the man is and that he means no harm. Did you get a dog?”

“We have three, plus a pack of hunting hounds, at the castle. I brought Tony’s spaniel. I thought you might enjoy Sandy’s company, as I hope he will enjoy yours. He has been skulking about like a lost soul since she left. I’ll introduce you.”

He called to Muffet before Cressida could stop him. Within seconds a golden sand colored spaniel came bolting in, barking excitedly, ears flopping. He had picked up his mistress’s scent. He ran to her cup and began sniffing at it, knocking the cup over in his eagerness to find her.

The tea sloshed into the saucer, revealing half an inch of sugar in the bottom of the cup.

“Good gracious! The beast has no manners! Get him out of here,” Cressida said. “Muffet!”

Muffet removed the unruly animal with great difficulty, for Sandy did not wish to leave.

“Strange,” Dauntry said, frowning. “He is usually very docile. You can keep him outside. He is a good guard dog.”

“That might be best.”

They resumed their taking of tea, but between Cressida’s nervousness and Dauntry’s pique, it was not a great success. The instant he set down his teacup, Cressida rose. Dauntry rose politely. She began nudging him toward the door. “Don’t let me keep you, Dauntry. It is of the utmost importance that you find that letter.”

“Why do I get the feeling you wish to be rid of me? It cannot be that hand on my back, propelling me toward the door.”

She pulled her hand away but continued moving toward the hallway, where Muffet was still struggling with the recalcitrant spaniel. Sandy escaped and ran to Dauntry, who tried to hold him, but he was off, down the hallway, barking and baying, with his leash hanging behind him. He turned at the door to the library, tail wagging fiercely.

“You had best see to him, Muffet,” Cressida said nervously.

“He’s picked up the scent of your intruder!” Dauntry said, and took a step after the dog.

Tory came bustling out of the library, pulling Sandy by his leash, and closed the door behind her. She cast a pleading look at Cressida, who understood that Antonia was hiding in the library.

“Oh, your lordship. You have brought Sandy to visit us. How nice,” Tory said. “He seems pretty excited, does he not?”

Sandy was sniffing and scratching at the library door. “We’d best get him outside, your ladyship. What must that knock-in-the-cradle of a Jennet do but bring a baby rabbit into the house. You know how she loves animals. The creature seems to be an orphan. She has put a dish of lettuce in the library to feed it. I’ll make her get rid of it as soon as we get the dog out of the way.”

Jennet, curious at the racket above stairs, came running up from the kitchen. “That rabbit of yours is causing a great fuss, Jennet,” Tory scolded.

“What rabbit?” Jennet asked.

“She hasn’t the wits God gave a kitten, poor child. She has gone and forgotten all about it,” Tory explained before turning a wrathful eye to Jennet. “I asked you to watch the ragout while I came up to see your rabbit was not nibbling the book bindings,” Tory scolded, and taking the girl by the arm, began propelling her back down the kitchen stairs, while pulling at Sandy’s leash with the other hand.

Cressida knew she was lying and thanked providence for the woman’s quick imagination. Dauntry cast a long, searching gaze on Cressida. “At least Jennet remembered to remove your sprigged muslin before returning to the kitchen,” he said satirically.

“Oh, yes, indeed. She is very careful.”

“For a moonling.”

“Don’t let me detain you,” Cressida said, and began once more to maneuver Dauntry out the door.

“I thought we might go for a ride this afternoon,” he said, digging in his heels and stopping.

“Oh, no, I could not possibly. I shall be very busy.” She tugged at his arm.

“I am free for dinner, if you would like to join me—or even if you would like me to join you.”

“You would not care for Tory’s ragout.”

“Try me. I do not care for this ragout of lies and evasions I am being fed, but I am in no hurry to leave. I feel like Sandy, the way you are yanking me about.”

“I can see you are in no hurry!” she said in exasperation.

“On the other hand, I can take a hint when I am hit over the head with it. Good day, Lady deCourcy.”

He left, not in the best of tempers, and Cressida ran to the library. Antonia was not in evidence, but when Cressida saw only a pair of ladies’ slippers from her crouching position under the table, she came out.

“Where is Sandy?” Antonia asked. “I am so happy he is here. May he come in, Lady deCourcy?”

“Of course, but first we must talk. Have you any idea where Harold is?”

Antonia pouted. “Somewhere, drunk as a lord,” she said.

“He has visited this house twice. He must be close by.”

“He would not be at home. I don’t think he would dare to show his face in Beachy Head. If Melbury were here, I should think he would be with him, but Melbury was going to Bath.”

“He has to eat. I wonder if he is hiding out at home. Is there a dower house at his estate?”

“Yes, but his aunt Gertrude is living there, and he would never hide at her house. She is horrid.”

After a moment she added, “Who might know is Allan Brewster. He is Harold’s best friend.”

“I don’t think Brewster knows a thing. I have spoken to him more than once. He thought my caller was Melbury.”

“But if we could speak to Brewster, he might know where Harold is, for they are very good friends,” Antonia said.

“Very well, then, we shall write to Brewster and ask him to call.”

“But don’t tell him I am here.”

Cressida dashed off a note asking Brewster to call as soon as possible. It was close to lunchtime. They had either to take Miss Wantage into their confidence, or continue to keep Antonia hidden.