Bexley-Smythe Quintet 02 - Rhyme and Reason (7 page)

Revealing it all felt disloyal. Mattie couldn’t bear the thought of being disloyal to her family for any reason, even if Percy had no such compunctions.

She fully believed, however, that if she told Sir Lester what she knew of Percy’s behavior, he would cut all ties with her. He’d always seemed to be the sort to react in a harsh manner to various situations.

Mr. Goddard gave her no reason to believe he’d do anything of the sort
, and every reason to believe the opposite.

This was quite the conundrum.

He moved to sit beside her on the sofa just then. Oh, heavens. She wished Lizzie was in the drawing room with them, since Bea had seen fit to abandon her. Even if Lizzie couldn’t seem to perform her duties as she ought, having
someone
present would calm Mattie’s nerves.

He kept a reasonable distance between them, but he was close enough they could touch, if they were so inclined. That couldn’t be good.

“Should I take this to mean your brother is not a perfectly moral and acceptable gentleman, Lady Matilda? I can assure you, anything he may have done will not concern me in the slightest. And I imagine Danby is fully aware of his behaviors, yet he saw fit to arrange a match between us.”

Mattie closed her eyes, unable to look at him as she answered. “I don’t even know the half of all he’s done, sir.”

“Thomas,” he said quietly. “I know you haven’t accepted me yet and so it isn’t fully proper, but we’re sharing some of our deepest secrets. Shouldn’t we be a bit more intimate with one another?”

“I…well, I suppose so.” Though in truth, she knew no such thing. “My sisters call me Mattie.”

Thomas inched closer to her on the sofa. “What do you know of what he’s done, Mattie?”

“I…”
I can’t tell you these things
.

Once more, he
slid closer—so close that the cushions dipped down from his weight and she halfway fell toward him—and he took her hand. His was big and warm and comforting, and it fully enveloped hers.

When he squeezed, her eyes shot open
, and she was unable to stop herself from staring into his eyes and wishing she could collapse more fully into him. The memory of his strong arms cradling her swarmed to the forefront of her thoughts, of how powerful he’d felt when he’d carried her home from her fall, how he’d kept her safe and made her feel cherished and protected.

Feeling safe, cherished, protected—those were all sensations which Percy had robbed her of, and somehow Thomas Goddard was able to return them to her.

Could it truly be disloyal to tell him how irresponsible her brother had become?

She dropped her voice low, so no one could hear other than Thomas. “My brother has become a regular visitor to any number of gaming hells, and he’s lost more money than he ever had, I fear.”

“The dowries for you and your sisters were in trust, though?” he prodded. He seemed genuinely concerned for them, not so much for himself. Would Sir Lester have a similar reaction? She couldn’t quite envision it.

She nodded.
“And a widow’s pension for Mama.” Thank goodness. If Percy could have gambled that, heaven knew he would have. “But I suspect everything else is gone. Creditors have come to the estate looking for him.”

One corner of Thomas’s lip tugged slightly downward. “Have they taken
anything?”

“Only a few pieces of artwork and the like.”
And some of Mama’s jewelry.
So far
. Mattie had no doubt they would be back for more in time, and then who could know what they would take?

But those were only things…

If not for the fact that he was grinding his jaw, Mattie would never have known that Thomas was upset. His hand was still holding hers, gently, in a very comforting manner.

“You wouldn’t know if your brother owes Sir Lester Hammond anything, would you?”

Sir Lester
? “I’m certain he doesn’t.” The baronet had seemed thoroughly uninterested in any talk about her brother and oblivious to any of Percy’s indiscretions. If Percy had lost money to Sir Lester, surely the baronet would have had some reaction.

It didn’t make any sense.

“Of course,” Thomas said, but he didn’t sound as though he was convinced. A moment later, he smiled. “But enough about my low birth and your ne’er-do-well brother. Tell me, do you ride?”

The change in subject couldn’t have been more welcome.

“Papa insisted
all
his daughters must ride,” Mattie said on a laugh. “Though I fear I’m the worst of the lot of us. When I was eight years old, my horse was startled and threw me. I wasn’t injured, thank goodness, but it certainly scared me. Since then, I’ve always been a bit nervous around them.”

Thomas rubbed the pad of his thumb over her palm, leaving a trail of goose flesh in its wake. “You need a calm horse, then. I have one I’d like to try you with.”

“You’re certain there would be no cause for worry?”

Was he moving closer to her? Mattie thought he was, but she was feeling heady from the way he’d been holding her hand, and she wasn’t entirely certain she was right.

“As long as I’m with you, you’ll have no more need to worry over anything,” he said.

She was fairly positive he wasn’t talking about horses any longer.
She was absolutely certain that he was right—and that was a realization which left her halfway breathless and fully confused about what she wanted.

Only this morning, she’d still bee
n certain she wanted Sir Lester, because even if she didn’t quite love him, at least she
knew
him. Somewhat. But now, with Thomas so close to her and his absolute sincerity, and the way she felt cherished and cared for and protected…

Her whole body was trembling for some reason. “Thomas, I…”

Before she determined just what, precisely, she’d intended to say, he’d lowered his head and his lips were pressing against hers. They were soft, firm, warm…wonderful. She gasped when his hands both came up to cup her chin and cheeks, holding her in place yet almost cradling her.

His lips moved against hers tenderly
, and she shivered from head to toe from the sensations fluttering through her body. Then he moved his hands behind her back, drawing her closer and encircling her in his strength and warmth; the flutters intensified, but she could no longer shiver even if she’d tried.

When he pulled away, Mattie realized she’d been touching his jaw much as she’d done when she saw her own blood upon it when they first met.

“I shouldn’t have done that.” Thomas’s voice sounded strangely gruff. “That was not—I’m sorry.”

She wasn’t sorry he’d kissed her, which was a startling revelation.
As a matter of fact, she wished he hadn’t stopped, or that he would kiss her again.

A clatter sounded in the corridor just outside the drawing room, and they both jumped, putting a respectable distance between them once more.

“Oh, dear.” Bea’s voice rang out clearly, as though she was nearly shouting. “I am so terribly clumsy. My apologies, Sadler.”

Only moments later, she returned to the drawing room and took her seat again, politely ignoring the abashed expression Mattie knew she must bear.

Now what was she to do?

As he walked home after spending a too-brief time with Mattie, Thomas had to wonder what had come over him. He truly was coming to care for her, and he’d been attracted to her since the very first moment he’d seen her. Yet she still hadn’t agreed to marry him. He should never have taken the liberties he had.

He couldn’t very well change anything about what he’d done, though, so there was no point in dwelling on it overlong.

Besides, Thomas was powerless to stop himself from dwelling on certain other things…specifically, what she’d revealed about her brother. She seemed certain that Hammond had nothing to do with Lord Stalbridge and his debts.

He
was certain of the very opposite.

Hammond was known to gamble frequently. It was only one of his many vices.

Was a gambling debt the reason for the baronet’s interest in Mattie? Her dowry wasn’t overly large or anything of that sort, but if creditors were already claiming artwork and jewels as payment, what else could Hammond reasonably expect to receive in payment from the marquess?

There wasn’t a doubt in Thomas’s mind that Stalbridge had pockets to let and then some. Hammond would never be able to collect upon what he was owed.

The only explanation which made sense to Thomas was that Hammond realized he’d never be able to obtain the money he was owed, and so instead he planned to trap Mattie into marriage and obtain her dowry as some semblance of a payment.

What would then happen to Mattie, however…the possibilities were numerous and all rather horrifying.

When he got back to the stables, Thomas tried to put all of that out of his mind so he could concentrate on what remained of the day’s work. After he changed his clothes, he went out to work with the lads mucking out the horses’ stalls. The physical aspect of it helped to clear his thoughts.

He stayed well after he’d sent his workers home.
It was only after he was preparing to go to bed for the night that he realized he’d neglected to ask Mattie if he could take her riding tomorrow, as he’d intended to do.

What if Hammond arrived before he did?
The baronet now knew that he had competition for gaining Mattie’s hand. Would he increase his efforts to compromise her?

This could turn out to be a fitful night of sleep.

Sir Lester used a whip with his horses, not merely the reins as most gentlemen would do. Mattie had never noticed anything like that before in their brief acquaintance. It seemed more than just a bit excessive given that the animals were only drawing a curricle and two riders, nothing heavier or more elaborate than that.

He slashed the whip through the air, striking one of the horses on its flank. Immediately, the animal ran faster. Mattie had to reach up and take hold of her bonnet or she might possibly lose it.

“Are we late for an appointment?” she asked, holding tightly to the inside of the conveyance with her other hand. She couldn’t fathom why else he would feel the need to travel at such a rapid pace, so fast she feared she might very well fall out at any moment. They’d already left the main road, and there were few other travelers around them to avoid. She had only thought he was guiding the animals to race too quickly before; she
knew
he was now.

He smiled over at her with an unctuous curl to his lips. Why had she never noticed before that his manner was more ingratiating than charming? The realization sent a shiver racing along her spine
, particularly when coupled with the discovery that his adventurousness wasn’t all she’d imagined it to be.

She shouldn’t have agreed to come with him today. She ought to have told him she had promised to go riding with Thomas, even though he hadn’t asked her.
He had talked about taking her riding at some point, so it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility. Or she could have said that she and Bea had been invited to a musicale.

She should have told him anything, really
—anything that would have kept her from being in this situation alone with him.

After Thomas had kissed her yesterday, and after they’d talked about their families, she was starting to see him in a different light. Now she was seeing Sir Lester in a different light as well, and
it wasn’t nearly as favorable.

Could Thomas have possibly been right about Percy owing money to Sir Lester? She still couldn’t imagine that
, given the baronet’s reaction (or lack thereof) to any discussion of her brother, but he certainly didn’t make her feel as safe and cared for as Thomas Goddard did.

“I enjoy feeling the breeze rushing along
my skin, don’t you?” he said.

“Yes, but that can just as easily be achieved by standing next to the ocean.” Mattie had
merely muttered her response, but it wouldn’t matter anyway. She didn’t get the impression that he was paying any attention to her. Sir Lester was focused on his own aims, whatever those may be.

He turned to yet another road with which Mattie was unfamiliar, not slowing down in the least. The wheels beneath her lifted off the ground and the entire curricle tipped toward Sir Lester.

She nearly retched from fear of overturning.

He laughed.

Why on earth had she ever thought she would want to marry this man? Hothouse flowers and a lack of knowledge of her brother’s exploits couldn’t possibly be enough for her to love him, to feel safe with him, when he was so careless and callous with her.

Mattie said a silent prayer for protection and wished she was anywhere but here, with Sir Lester Hammond, at this moment in time.

Finally the park came into view ahead, glorious trees and beautiful flowers and lush green lawns abounding everywhere the eye could see. Groups of people were milling about, and others were seated upon the lawn. It did seem like a lovely spot for them to take a picnic as he’d suggested. Perhaps the afternoon wouldn’t be as thoroughly unenjoyable as she’d begun imagining it to be.

Bearing a scowl for the first time since he’d arrived at Lord Teasdale’s house, Sir Lester
slowed the conveyance out of necessity, but not enough to ease Mattie’s mind. He kept going past where most of the other people were, taking her into a more distant part of the park.

Anxiety tightened its hold
around her and squeezed the already unsettled contents of her stomach. Where was he taking her if not here?

“Are we not stopping, sir?”

“Soon.” He guided his pair around a couple on horseback, then winked at Mattie. “I wanted to show you the arbor.”

The arbor
. It would be lovely and homelike, and as secluded a spot within the park as he could possibly take her.

Being secluded somewhere with Sir Lester was quite possibly the last thing she would want right now.

What had she done?

“I’m afraid Lady Matilda is not at home,” Mr. Sadler said, lifting his
hawk-like nose into the air so he could look down the length of it at Thomas.

How could the butler be both a
ccusatory and dismissive all in the same expression?

Thomas bit down on his tongue in frustration. He should have arranged
to go on an outing with her yesterday, before he’d left, but he hadn’t. He’d been too distracted by the his thoughts about what Sir Lester Hammond wanted to do with her.

And she was gone.

Which meant she was more than likely with Hammond, of all people.
Damnation!
The baronet had probably arranged this with her before he’d left yesterday. He’d been thinking ahead.

This was not good. Not good at all.

“Do you know when she might return?” he asked the butler finally.

“I really could not say,”
Sadler drawled, growing more unhelpful by the moment.

It took a great deal of patience and all his experience from working as part of the servant class for so many years
to refrain from scowling at the man. Scowling, grumbling, and any number of other signs of his frustration could come later, when he was alone. “Very well,” he said after thinking it through for a moment. “Might you tell me where she has gone, then? I should very much like to find her if it is at all possible.”

Sadler looked pointedly over at the
pair of horses waiting in front of the house, one of which was fitted with a lady’s saddle, then back at Thomas. “Yes, I can see that you’d hoped to take her for a ride. I’m afraid I do not know her whereabouts either, however.”

Even if the butler did know, something told Thomas that the man wouldn’t tell him. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to try one final question. “Has she gone somewhere with Sir Lester Hammond?
Has a maid—Lizzie—gone with her?”

An impertinent expression was his only response before Sadler started to close the door.

“Sadler?” a feminine voice called out just before the door latched. “Pray tell, is that Mr. Goddard calling for Lady Matilda?”

Thank goodness. Miss Emery had been the one to contrive a way for Thomas and Mattie to be alone together yesterday afternoon
, and he was positive that was her voice he’d heard. Surely she would help him even if the butler would not.

“Yes, Miss Emery,”
Sadler said, holding the door in its almost closed position. “I’d just informed him that Lady Matilda is not at home.”

“Of course
you did,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

The door opened again, and
the lovely brunette smiled at Thomas even as the butler’s scowl intensified.

“Won’t you come in for
a moment?” she asked him, hooking her hand around his arm and guiding him inside without giving him an opportunity to decline. “I’d like a word if I might. Sadler, see that a footman stays with Mr. Goddard’s horses, and send Lizzie in with a tray for tea if you would be so kind.”

Lizzie
. That meant the maid wasn’t with Mattie. The situation was growing worse with every moment which passed.

“Straightaway, Miss Emery.”

They’d barely stepped foot in the red drawing room before Miss Emery turned to him with serious green eyes. “We are only in Scarborough on holiday and do not know how much truth might be behind certain rumors, Mr. Goddard, so I must count on you to answer me honorably.”

His gut tightened almost instantaneously.
What had been said about him? He’d told Mattie about his father’s birth and his own, all while Miss Emery had been present. Was Hammond hoping to in some way discredit Thomas by spreading falsehoods about him? “Of course,” he said, though his tongue felt so thick and dry it was a wonder any sound came out at all. “I would never try to hide—”