A Not So Respectable Gentleman? (11 page)

Mariel turned to her. ‘Thank you, Penny. You may leave us alone.’

Penny curtsied. ‘Yes, miss.’ She walked to the door.

‘Oh, Penny?’ Mariel called her back. ‘Warn us if my parents are about.’

‘Yes, miss.’ She left and closed the door behind her.

Leo crouched down to meet her at eye level. ‘Are you injured, Mariel? Did he hurt you? If he did, I’ll—’

‘He didn’t hurt me.’ She rubbed her arms.

He moved her hand away.

Red marks, the shape of fingers, ringed her upper arms. By day’s end they’d be purple bruises.

‘That cur!’ His blood boiled.

‘It is of no consequence, Leo. I did worse injury to him.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘I must tell you. He has discovered you stole the paper.’

‘He could not. It is a bluff.’ Their disguises had been complete. ‘You did not admit to the theft?’

‘No, of course I did not.’ She released him. ‘I acted as if I believed he made it all up. But, Leo, he says he does not need the paper. He says he has the bank clerk. He’s hidden the bank clerk away somewhere.’

The bank clerk. The only witness to Covendale’s theft. What arrangement had Kellford made with this clerk? Had he promised the man money? Or was Kellford threatening him, as well?

It was not finished after all. ‘I must find this man, Mariel.’ Whatever Kellford had offered the man, Leo would offer more. ‘Leave it to me.’

‘There are only two weeks left.’ She covered her face with her hands.

Leo moved to sit beside her on the couch. He put his arm around her.

She allowed him to hold her close and, for a moment, he cared about nothing but comforting her.

‘He frightened me, Leo,’ she said. ‘He is a monster. I cannot bear to marry him, but I also cannot bear what will happen to my mother and sisters if I do not.’

The clock on the mantel struck the half-hour. Half-past eleven. Surely her father or mother would be up and about soon.

‘Let me talk to your father, Mariel.’ This time Leo would make the man heed him. ‘I’ll offer to help him.’

She sat up and wiped her eyes with her fingers. ‘It would be no use. My father is convinced his cousin will see him hanged.’

He lifted her chin. ‘Do not lose courage. Let me try to convince him otherwise.’

Leo and Walker would find the bank clerk. Leo wanted Mariel’s father to be on their side when they did.

‘Stay out of it, Leo. Kellford will exact revenge on you as well as on me and my whole family. He was so angry. Who can tell what he will do?’ Her voice trembled.

He stood. ‘I can take care of the likes of Kellford.’ He touched her face. ‘I’ll send word to you.’

She nodded, tears forming again. She rose from her seat and wiped them away.

Even with nose and eyes red from crying, even in a simple lace cap, she looked beautiful. She had fended off Kellford by herself, brave girl. Leo admired her. No, not merely admired her.

He loved her.

He had never stopped loving her. He could run to the far reaches of the world—to China, Brazil, Africa—and it would not be far enough to change the fact that he loved her and would do anything for her.

Especially rid her of Kellford.

She walked with him to the drawing-room door.

When he placed his hand on the doorknob, she covered it with her own. ‘Promise me you will not speak with my father,’ she insisted.

Leo had no fear of meeting her father. In fact, there was much he wished to say to the man. Such as, how dare he come between them two years ago with his lies? And, now, how dare he sacrifice his daughter to save his own skin? ‘Why should I not speak to him?’

‘It will make it worse for me.’ She looked so weary he did not have the heart to pursue the matter. ‘Promise me, Leo.’

He blew out a breath. ‘Very well. I promise.’

He opened the door, but turned back to her. ‘The paper. I almost forgot.’ He pulled the bank draft from his pocket and handed it to her. ‘Hide it somewhere safe.’

She rolled it in her hand. ‘I will.’

He gazed into her tear-reddened eyes and was tempted to draw her closer and share his strength with her. For a moment she moved nearer to him, but just as quickly moved away again.

He opened the door and walked out, not looking back.

He hurried to the hall, placing his hat on his head as he went. The footman, who had been standing with Penny in the hall, rushed to do his duty at the door. As the man opened the door for Leo, a voice from behind called after him, ‘You, sir! Wait. Who are you?’

As Mariel had requested, Leo paid Covendale no heed. He exited the house and walked swiftly away.

* * *

Mariel had followed Leo to the hall to watch him leave, her head spinning in confusion. When they were together she felt powerfully attracted to him and it was so easy to melt into his arms.

It also seemed more and more impossible that he would be able to keep his promise to her.

Her father’s voice sounded from the top of the staircase. Quickly she folded the bank draft and tucked it down the bodice of her dress.

He reached the bottom of the staircase. ‘Who was that gentleman?’ he demanded of Edward.

The footman kept his eyes averted. ‘I do not know, sir. He left no card.’

Penny slipped behind Edward and hurried up the stairs.

‘What was he doing here?’ Mariel’s father demanded.

Edward looked as if he was about to faint. ‘I do not know, sir.’

Mariel stepped into her father’s view. ‘He called upon me, Papa.’

‘You?’ Her father turned to her. ‘Who was he?’

‘None of your concern, Papa.’ She trusted he would not notice she’d been weeping. He never examined her that closely.

‘See here, Mariel—’ He seized her by the arm and led her away from the footman’s hearing. ‘I’ll not have you speak to me in that tone, especially in front of the servants.’

She winced. His hand pressed into her bruises. ‘You are hurting me, Papa.’

He released her.

She pointed to her arm, already turning blue. ‘See this?’

‘I didn’t do that!’ he cried. ‘How did that happen? Did that man—?’

‘No, not
that
man,’ she retorted. ‘Lord Kellford.’

‘Kellford?’ He squinted. ‘He called, too?’

She nodded. ‘He is fond of cruelty—or did you forget?’

His nostrils flared. ‘Enough impertinence, girl. What mischief are you about having men call at all hours?’

She glared at him. ‘You may be able to force me into this marriage for the sake of Mama, Isabel and Augusta, but I have something that will ensure you behave from hereafter.’

‘I do not know what you are talking about,’ her father huffed.

She looked him in the eye. ‘I have the incriminating banknote in my possession. It will not be enough to stop Kellford, to my deep regret, but it will stop you from placing your family in such peril again.’

She pushed him aside and walked up to her bedchamber to find some place to hide the paper, a hiding place her father would never discover.

Chapter Eleven

O
ver a week passed and Mariel had heard nothing from Leo. She’d attended two breakfasts, a musicale and another ball and he’d been at none of them.

She’d assumed he would keep her informed, but again she was caught in the agony of not knowing where he was, what he was doing.

She thought she’d go mad.

Desperate for information about him, she decided to call upon Charlotte, something she had not done more than once or twice since Leo had disappeared the first time. The day promised rain, like the previous several rainy days, but that would not stop her.

* * *

When she was announced, both Charlotte and her sister Annalise were in the sitting room. Both women jumped up from their chairs and, squealing with delight, ran to her and exchanged hugs. Charlotte’s dogs yapped excitedly at their feet.

‘It is so delightful you have come,’ Charlotte exclaimed.

Annalise squeezed her tightly. ‘I have not seen you in an age. I’ve missed you so.’

‘Let us sit.’ Annalise sat with Mariel on the sofa. Charlotte pulled the chair closer to them. The two pugs leaped into her lap as soon as she lowered herself into the chair.

Mariel asked after their children and felt a pang of envy as the sisters caught her up on the children’s ages and their latest antics. She’d once pined to have children.

With Leo.

‘And you, Mariel,’ Annalise said, her cheerful tone sounding forced. ‘You are to be married, I hear.’

Charlotte’s smile became wooden.

‘In less than a week,’ Mariel managed.

‘How lovely,’ Annalise said too brightly.

Charlotte stood. ‘Come up to my bedchamber and see these new gowns I had made. They were delivered this morning.’

The two dogs ran along with them. Two gowns were draped across the bed—one a pale aqua, the other, rose.

‘This V-shaped waist is to be all the rage, the modiste said.’ Charlotte ran her finger over the seam. ‘As well as the flounces on the skirt.’

‘They are lovely.’ Annalise laughed. ‘I cannot believe my tree-climbing sister is prosing on about dresses!’

Charlotte poked her. ‘I like to look pretty for Drew.’

As Mariel had once wanted to look for Leo. She had been right to stay away from Charlotte and Annalise. In their presence all she could think of was Leo.

‘Where do you plan to wear the gowns?’ she asked.

‘I thought I’d wear one to dinner at Nick’s tonight.’ Charlotte fingered the cloth of one, then the other. ‘If I can decide which one.’

‘The rose,’ her sister said. ‘It will enhance your complexion.’

‘Nicholas is hosting a dinner tonight?’ Mariel asked.

Charlotte moved the dresses to a
chaise longue
in the room and climbed on the bed.

Annalise climbed up beside her. ‘For the family. His wife is expecting, you know. She is due any day now and goes nowhere. She is starved for company.’

The pugs made several efforts to jump on the bed, to no avail.

Mariel picked up the dogs and handed them to Charlotte before joining her friends. ‘Is everyone attending?’

‘The whole Fitzmanning Miscellany.’ Charlotte turned to Annalise. ‘You should have been at Lady Sendale’s ball. It was like old times, wasn’t it, Mariel?’

Too much like old times, Mariel thought. ‘Almost.’ Her voice wobbled.

‘Even Leo attended,’ Charlotte went on. ‘Although he was vexed about something at the end. Before that we were dancing like we were back at Welbourne Manor. Weren’t we, Mariel?’

She’d danced joyfully with Leo at first. It was painful to think on their waltz together, though. ‘Is Leo attending Nicholas’s dinner?’

Charlotte threw up her hands. ‘Who knows! None of us can make any sense out of what Leo does. I tell you, he’s been quite erratic since the fire. We cannot talk any sense into him, and, believe me, we’ve tried.’

‘I know what is wrong with him.’ Annalise turned smug.

Charlotte squirmed to attention. ‘What? Do tell us.’

‘A woman.’

‘A woman?’ Charlotte laughed. ‘It is about time. Drew and I have often said Leo needs to settle down.’

Mariel sat very still, as if even moving a finger would betray her pounding heart. ‘Who?’ she asked.

Annalise shrugged. ‘I do not know precisely, but it makes sense, does it not? A man involved with a woman always behaves oddly.’

Had Annalise seen her with Leo? Where? In the park? Impossible.

But Annalise must be speaking of her. Mariel might not know what progress or lack of it Leo was making in finding the bank clerk, but she was certain there was no other woman.

Not the way he had kissed her. Not how he had held her. Something else caused him to pull away.

‘A mistress?’ Charlotte cried. ‘Leo? I should have known. It goes with his gambling and drinking and who knows what else he’s been engaged in.’

Theft and burglary, Mariel thought. All terrible risks.

For her sake.

Was he engaging in even more serious risks? Was that why she had not heard from him? The idea caused knots of fear to twist inside her. She had the right to know what he was doing. She needed to know. This was her problem and he should not shut her out. She was of a mind to march right up to his door and demand to know what he was doing for her.

Demand to see he was unharmed.

She could not call upon a gentleman herself, of course. She would send Penny with a note insisting that Leo meet her tomorrow. The park might not be a good idea. Rain was likely. Besides, who knew how tempted she would be if alone with him again?

Hatchards would do. Hatchards it would be.

* * *

Later that afternoon, between rain showers, Penny stepped from a hackney coach and knocked upon the door to Mr Fitzmanning’s rooms, her insides fluttering, not from nerves but from expectation.

Maybe Mr Walker would open the door.

It was silly of her to be so excited about seeing him again. Even sillier that her thoughts so often wandered to him. While she was brushing out Miss Covendale’s dresses or putting hairpins back into their silver box, he popped into her mind and refused to go away again. She’d never been a dreamy girl, not with losing her parents and having to go into service so young.

She did not know what to do with all these feelings about Mr Walker. How was she to stop thinking of him and start paying attention to her work again? She could not tell the housekeeper about this man. She would merely ring a peal over her head because she wasn’t working hard enough. The other maids were likely to gossip about her and make it into something that would get her in trouble.

And it would not be at all proper to ask Miss Covendale what to do.

She knocked at the door again. Perhaps he was not even inside. She rocked on her heels, waiting, and lifted her hand to knock again.

He opened the door.

She gasped. His coat was unbuttoned and he wore no neckcloth. She could see his bare chest through the slit in his shirt, dark hair peppering it. His hair was dishevelled and his chin unshaved. He looked quite magnificent.

‘Miss Jenkins!’ He quickly buttoned his coat and moved aside for her to enter.

She stepped just across the threshold. ‘I have a note from Miss Covendale.’

‘Is anything amiss?’ He ran a hand through his thick brown hair, only slightly taming it.

‘I do not think so.’ She looked up at him.

He gazed down at her, his expression confusing to her. She could not tell if it was admiring or disapproving.

He still grasped the doorknob. ‘Fitz—Mr Fitzmanning—is not at home.’

He remembered their conversation about calling his employer Fitz. Who else thought her prattle worthy enough to remember? Except Miss Covendale, of course.

‘I will give the note to you, then.’ She fished it from her pocket and placed it in his bare hand.

His fingers brushed her glove as he accepted it. It made her feel all warm inside.

That confused her. She started to chatter, ‘Miss Covendale wondered why she has not heard from Mr Fitzmanning for so long. There isn’t much time left, you know, and she is worried.’

Mr Walker averted his gaze. ‘We have been working on it. Fitz—Mr Fitzmanning—has been to Coutts Bank where the teller worked and he’s spent a great deal of time in gaming hells trying to get information.’

‘Are you helping him?’ she asked. He said
we,
after all.

He nodded. ‘My part has been to befriend Kellford’s servants, particularly his valet. You can tell your lady that we believe we are getting close to locating the clerk.’

‘Are you?’ How very clever of them! ‘She will like hearing it. I should tell her straight away.’

She took a step backwards as if to leave.

‘Wait!’ He cleared his throat. ‘Will you wait for me to...to make myself more presentable? I will walk you back to your lady’s house.’

She glanced outside. The rain looked as if it would hold off long enough, and, if it did not, she carried an umbrella this time. She would much rather walk the mile and a half with Mr Walker than ride in a coach. Perhaps Miss Covendale would not mind if it took her a little longer to get back.

‘I need the air and I would enjoy the walk...’ he paused ‘...and the company.’

She turned back to him and smiled. ‘I would like that very much, Mr Walker.’

* * *

That evening Leo planned to visit two or three gaming hells to see if any new talk about Kellford was circulating. Word was he was ‘up to something,’ but no one knew what. Tonight he hoped someone had discovered what it was. Walker was already out. Kellford’s valet had arranged to meet Walker at the tavern where they had met before. Between the two of them they might be able to discover precisely where Kellford was hiding the bank clerk.

Leo crossed the room to leave when there was a knock at the door. He cursed. Who would call upon him at this hour?

He opened the door and the answer was obvious.

Brenner.

His eldest half-brother, his mother’s legitimate son, stood in the doorway. ‘Good evening, Leo. I’ve come to collect you for Nicholas’s dinner party.’

Good God. It had slipped his mind completely.

He made a dismissive gesture. ‘I cannot attend, Brenner. I have an important meeting.’

Brenner pushed past him and entered his rooms. ‘You cannot mean that, Leo.’

He did mean it. Finding the bank clerk could be a matter of life and death for Mariel.

Brenner’s gaze slid to Annalise’s paintings still leaning against the bare walls. ‘The family is already gathered at the Manning town house.’ He glanced back to Leo. ‘We are waiting dinner for you.’

They were waiting for him? How like them to be stubborn enough to wait until the food was unfit to eat and would be wasted and then blame him for it.

‘That is ridiculous, Brenner. Surely one person should not hold up an entire dinner party.’

Brenner gave him a steady look. ‘I agree. Come with me now.’

Leo threw up his hands. ‘This is precisely the sort of pressure I despise. And you all excel at it. I have important matters to attend to, but that means nothing to you.’

Brenner’s gaze remained steady. ‘What important matters, Leo? We know something is troubling you. Tell us what it is.’

Could Brenner not conceive that there might be something he preferred not to share with his siblings?

Brenner’s voice turned low. ‘Perhaps we can help you. We all want to help you.’

Leo bit down on an angry retort. His siblings always assumed he could not handle his own problems without their advice and assistance. If he did talk with them about Mariel, they would merely explain to him all that he’d done wrong—as if he did not know—and then they’d get busy fixing it.

There was nothing they could do that Leo could not do himself.

He made himself return Brenner’s gaze. ‘Some things a man must do on his own.’

Brenner did not look away. ‘A man also recognises when he needs help.’

Leo rubbed his temples, which had begun to ache. ‘I’ll attend the dinner with you.’ He had no wish to hurt them. He’d go to the gaming hells afterward. They’d be open all night. ‘But don’t tease me further about this.’

* * *

The next morning Mariel waited by a shelf of novels at Hatchards Bookshop, paging through one volume of
Armance
as if she were considering the purchase of it.

She could not even see the words.

What if he did not come?

She steeled herself. If he did not come, would it mean he was hurt? Or in danger? Or—or imprisoned in Newgate? Penny had reported no such thing yesterday, but much could happen overnight.

How like two years ago that she had not heard a word from him.

She took a breath. What was she to do if—if Leo failed—what could she do to escape Kellford? She was going to be a wealthy woman in two years. Surely someone would lend her the money to support her mother and sisters for two years.

But paying back what her father had stolen would mean revealing the theft and that meant her father’s life.

If theft meant her father’s life, it could mean Leo’s, as well. What if he’d been caught in another theft or some such thing on her behalf?

‘Mariel?’

His voice startled her. She snapped the book shut and turned, weak with relief.

His tall frame filled the space between the shelves and charged the air, making her senses tingle. He was definitely very fit, very uninjured.

‘Is anything amiss?’ His gaze was intense, his posture taut, as if he were ready to march into battle for her. When he looked upon her that way, she could almost believe in him again.

She mentally donned armour. ‘I meant to ask you the same thing. Is there anything amiss? I have heard nothing from you and it has been an age.’

He stepped closer. ‘I told you to leave it to me. Walker and I have been working day and night to learn the whereabouts of the bank clerk.’

Penny had reported as much from Walker.

Mariel lifted a brow. ‘And?’

His mouth slowly widened into a smile. ‘And... We know where he is.’

They’d found the man? Mariel placed her hand on his arm. ‘Where is he? Have you spoken to him? What does he want for his silence?’