Make-Believe Wife (11 page)

So why had she changed her mind? She was unsure if the ruby was legally hers, but she might have sold it and risked the consequences had she been less than the honest woman he believed her.

Having placed the ruby in his safe keeping, she had surrendered her independence and shown great trust in him. Luke could not recall anyone else placing that amount of faith in him and his reactions were a mixture of gratification and panic. At the start he had thought the sham engagement might eventually lead to a physical arrangement between them. Luke would have been very ready to become her protector had she chosen a life in the theatre. He had been aroused by Roxanne's
vibrant beauty from the beginning, but did he really wish for marriage? Luke had avoided being caught in what he thought of as a trap for so long, he could not help wondering just what he had got himself into.

It was to be merely a sham marriage, of course. That was the reason Roxanne had agreed to it when the earl insisted on the three-month engagement. She knew that he would keep his word to let her go once the earl had died.

Roxanne would give him his freedom once the earl was in his grave. He was certain that she would keep any bargain he made with her, but by the time he was able to ask for his freedom, would he still wish for it?

Damn the earl for interfering in his life! Hartingdon had no right to dictate terms to him and his threat to restrict his income could be overcome in a court. How could he think of destroying the man who was his only close family? Such a breach would surely kill the old man. Despite the anger and frustration inside him, Luke knew he would never deliberately harm his grandfather. It might be that he would have to make more than a sham marriage and actually give the earl his heir.

Roxanne would never agree to it—would she? He could not expect her to provide an heir and then simply disappear when the marriage ended. Yet need it necessarily end so finally? There was always the alternative of a marriage of convenience.

No, he had vowed he would never go down that road. His parents had been so desperately unhappy. He had witnessed his mother's tears too many times. His father had been a heartless brute who cared only
for his own pleasure and Luke suspected he might be the same. To marry under false pretences might cause too much pain in the future.

The Roxanne who had bound his leg and threatened an intruder at the inn was exciting and amazing, but if she settled into a life of domesticity to please the earl Luke might become bored and begin to stray.

He knew his own faults only too well and he liked Roxanne too much to want to hurt her. It might be as well to remind her that this relationship was a temporary affair. It would be best to stick to the business arrangement they had made at the start.

 

The earl's estate was vast, much larger than Roxanne had imagined. She had no experience of land husbandry, but from what she could see as Luke drove her about the estate it was in good heart. The people looked prosperous and they smiled and waved, the labourers and farmers doffing their hats to her. Some children ran out of one of the farms and stood waving and giggling as Luke brought the curricle to a halt.

‘Mam said to wish you happy, sir,' one of the boys said. ‘She wants to know if there's to be a bit of a do for the tenants and all.'

‘Yes, I am sure we shall arrange something when the wedding happens, but it is not to be just yet.' Luke thrust his hand in his pocket and brought out some silver coins, which he tossed to the children before driving away.

‘Your tenants seem pleased to see you, Luke.'

‘They will be disappointed if there is no wedding,'
Luke remarked. ‘Perhaps we should hold some sort of fête in the park this summer. Grandfather always had a late summer party in the gardens for the tenants and labourers. I suppose an engagement is as good an excuse as any other. I'll speak to him later.'

‘Your grandfather suspects you of trying to fool him, did you know that?' Roxanne said, keeping her gaze to the front. ‘If we were to break the engagement too soon, he would be certain that he had been right all along.'

‘We shall see whether his health improves. We might have to marry to satisfy him, but do not worry, Roxanne. I should give you your freedom afterwards. He can push us into marriage, but even he cannot hurry the arrival of an heir. It should content him to know that I am married—if you are still prepared to go so far?'

‘Yes, of course. I know that the last thing you want is a life of domesticity, Luke. You need not fear that I shall cling to you and beg you not to leave me. I will not ask for more than we agreed.'

‘No…' A little pulse flicked at his temple. ‘Well, we shall see how things go, but you must tell me if the situation becomes too difficult for you here. I know Hartingdon is a past master at inflicting wounds.'

‘I think he is a lonely, unhappy man. He shut you out when you were younger, perhaps because he was grieving for your mother—but then, when he might have reached out to you, it was too late. You are very like him, you know.'

‘Like Hartingdon?' Luke turned his head to look at her in astonishment. ‘What on earth makes you say that? I do not think I have given you cause to fear me?'

‘No, you have not—but neither has the earl. He may be grumpy and harsh at times, but I do not fear him. Indeed, I rather like him. I should not wish to be the source of pain to him.'

Luke made a face of disbelief. ‘If he appears to reciprocate, beware. He is probably trying to get beneath your guard to discover your secrets.'

‘You are unfair,' Roxanne replied and gave him a look of reproach. ‘Why does neither of you trust the other? You say you wish to make his last months happy—yet you will not allow him to have a heart or a conscience.'

‘If he has a softer side, he has given no sign of it in my presence.'

‘You are so used to quarrelling with each other that neither of you can see how foolish it is. If you let down your guard, Luke, you might actually enjoy a pleasant relationship with him—become friends or at least respect one another.'

‘If I offered affection, he would throw it in my face. My advice to you is to be careful, Roxanne. Allow him to get inside your head and he will hurt you. Do not imagine that anything he has said of late means he is happy to accept you into the family. I have no doubt that from the moment I told him I was engaged, he instructed agents to discover who you are and where you came from.'

‘He is unlikely to do so.' Roxanne kept her face turned from him as she said, ‘Since I am well aware that this is all a masquerade I am not likely to be hurt, whatever happens.'

‘That is as well,' Luke said. ‘Neither of us is to be completely trusted, Roxanne, but you have my word that you will never want for money for the rest of your life. I intend to have the ruby valued when I am in town; I shall try to discover if it has a history—but regardless of what I discover, my promise to you holds true. When this is all over I shall set you up with a house and an income that will be more than adequate.'

Roxanne made no answer. He was merely reminding her of their arrangement. Luke Clarendon had never pretended to care for her. She ought not to feel disappointed or upset. Indeed, she would not allow herself to feel anything. She would simply make the most of her time here—and when it was over she would know what to do.

A
fter Luke left for London the next day, Roxanne set her mind to the tasks she had taken on in the house. A list of guests for the ball was drawn up and the invitations written carefully in her best copperplate hand. She spent an hour with Tonkins and set the work in hand for the improvements to the kitchen, and, after speaking to the head gardener, arranged for fresh flowers to be brought to the house each day.

 

When she carried a bowl of yellow roses into the earl's sitting room that evening he stared at her as if she had run mad.

‘What is that for, miss?'

‘To brighten your room and bring some sunshine indoors to you. The weather is so delightful, sir, and the gardens are glorious. We have so many lovely blooms it would be a shame not to enjoy some of them indoors.'

‘Like flowers, do you?' His thick brows knit as he stared at the offering.

‘Yes, I love them. I think I should like to improve some parts of the garden—if I stay here for long enough, of course.'

‘What would you do?'

‘There are some unused areas at the back of the house that are merely grass. I would like to make a wild garden, with your permission, sir. I have spoken to the gardener and he says there were plans to make a garden of box hedges and herbs there once, but it never happened. I thought something similar, but less formal. I should like plants that invite butterflies and birds to visit often, and perhaps some running water—a fountain of some kind.'

‘The herb garden was my wife's intention, but she died.' The earl glared at her, seeming angry or at the mercy of some deep emotion. ‘I suppose you can do as you please—if you stay long enough.'

‘Luke says you will have instructed agents to discover who I am and where I come from, sir.'

‘And what if I have? Worried about what they will find, miss?'

‘I believe I have done nothing of which I ought to be ashamed, sir.'

‘There's something, though. I've sensed it since the beginning. You are a mystery, Miss Roxanne—but I don't dislike having you visit me, and the roses can stay.'

Roxanne smiled. Impulsively she bent and kissed his cheek. ‘Perhaps there is a mystery, sir—perhaps even
I do not know its answer, but believe me when I say I would not harm you or Luke. Indeed, I would rather go away, disappear altogether, than bring shame on either of you.'

The earl grunted, making no other reply, but his eyes looked very bright as she glanced back from the doorway. Walking down to the hall, Roxanne felt at a loss. She had become acquainted with all parts of the house, including the disused wing. The tower was out of bounds so she had not attempted it, but, walking up to the stairway to look at the curving stone steps, she'd heard a screech and some fluttering that she took to be the rooks the earl had spoken of once.

The tower had no appeal for her and she decided to walk in the garden for a while. Perhaps she would have a talk to the gardener or the bailiff about the new wilderness. It could not hurt to make plans for her wild-flower plot, even if her stay here was only temporary. Walking round past the tower to the back of the house, something made her glance up. For one moment she saw something at a window about halfway up, but in an instant it had gone. She frowned, because it had looked like a face—a man's face, dark-complexioned and strange—and yet she was sure that the earl had given orders no one was to go up the tower because it was unstable.

It must surely have been a trick of the light? Why would anyone be in the tower? The earl's servants were all aware of his orders—and yet there might be good reason for someone to visit surreptitiously. When he spoke of putting the ruby somewhere safe, Luke had
told Roxanne that the earl's strong room was somewhere either in the tower or beneath it.

Would a thief try to find the entrance and break in? Roxanne did not know what to think, because it seemed so unlikely. If no one had ever attempted it before, why should it happen now?

Had Luke been at home, she would have told him immediately, but the earl was not to be made anxious or worried about something of this nature. It might be nothing more than imagination, but rather than simply leave it, she decided to speak to someone. Knowing that Tonkins had gone into town that day, she thought of the bailiff. She'd seen Higgins going into his office earlier and turned in the direction he'd been heading, which was towards the stable block.

Higgins was in conversation outside his office with a stout man who looked as if he might be one of the earl's tenant farmers. He lifted his battered brown hat to Roxanne as she approached, nodded to Higgins and went off.

‘Forgive me for interrupting you, Mr Higgins,' Roxanne said. ‘It is a small matter—but, since Lord Clarendon is away and Mr Tonkins has gone to the market, one I thought should be brought to your attention, sir.'

‘Nothing is too much trouble for you, miss. Was it about the plants for the wild garden?'

‘I was hoping to speak to Minty about that later,' Roxanne agreed. ‘It may have been a trick of the light, Mr Higgins—but as I passed the tower just now I thought I saw a face at the window—not at the top, but at that little round window halfway up.'

‘You didn't investigate yourself, miss?'

‘I know it isn't safe, which is why I thought it curious that anyone should be there.'

‘Everyone knows it isn't safe, miss. None of our people would dream of going there—unless ordered to by the earl and then we should send a party armed with ropes for safety's sake.'

‘No one who knows that it is unsafe would go up the tower—but a stranger might. A stranger intent on robbery or some such thing.'

‘Lord Clarendon told you about the strong room,' Higgins said and nodded. ‘Only a handful of us know the secret, miss. I've never known anyone to attempt a break in, but I suppose there is always a first time. His lordship may have been seen when he visited it recently—though I cannot think any of our people would consider doing such a thing. The door is solid iron. It would be impossible to break it down—but I'll make sure the lock has not been tampered with. I'll go there myself now, miss.'

‘Do you think someone should accompany you?'

‘I'll take a pistol with me, but I doubt there's much to worry about, miss. As you said, it will be a trick of the light.'

‘May I come with you?'

‘Now that I can't allow, miss. I couldn't live with myself if you were to fall and have an accident. You'll find Minty in the hothouses. Go and have a talk with him, discover what he has to say about your wild garden, miss. I'll let you know if I discover anything.'

Roxanne agreed and left him. She was almost sure
that it must have been a trick of the light and half-wished that she had not put Mr Higgins to the trouble of investigating.

 

Returning to the house after a long and pleasant talk with the head gardener, Roxanne washed her hands and changed into a fresh gown for lunch. She had instructed Mrs Arlet that she would have just a little bread and butter and cold chicken in the small parlour. Her meal was finished and she was about to leave when the housekeeper came in.

‘I am sorry to disturb you, Miss Roxanne, but Mr Higgins has asked if you will visit him at home.'

‘At home?' Roxanne was puzzled. ‘Is he not in his office?'

‘It appears he had an accident, miss. Johnson will take you in the governess's cart—if you wouldn't mind travelling in such a way?'

‘Of course not. I shall get ready at once. Is it far?'

‘Not far, miss, but Johnson says he was instructed you wasn't to walk there alone. He's to take you and wait to bring you back.'

‘I shall fetch my pelisse at once.'

‘I took the liberty of sending for it. Tilly is waiting in the hall to help you with it, miss.'

Roxanne thanked her. Going into the hall, she put on her pelisse and bonnet and then went out to the courtyard at the back of the house, where the groom was waiting with the governess's cart.

‘Is Mr Higgins badly hurt, Johnson?' Roxanne asked as she was helped up into the little seat at the back.

‘He's got some nasty cuts and bruises,' the groom replied. ‘His wife made him lie on the sofa in the parlour and the doctor told him he should go to bed and rest for a few days, but he won't until he's seen you, miss.'

‘Please take me to him at once,' Roxanne said. ‘I know this must be important or he would not otherwise have sent for me.'

She twisted her gloves in her hands, feeling a heavy weight of responsibility. Higgins had gone to the tower on her behalf and it was her fault if he had taken a tumble down the stairs. She was distressed because he was hurt and blamed herself.

The bailiff's cottage was through the park, at the edge of the road that led to Harte Village. It would have taken her a good half an hour to walk here, but the drive was accomplished in a fraction of the time. The groom helped her down and, as she walked up the path of the neat garden, the front door opened and a plump, pleasant-looking woman opened the door to her.

‘I've been watching out for you, Miss Roxanne,' she cried. ‘I am that grateful you've come. Higgins won't go to bed until he has spoken to you—and the foolish man has refused to take his medicine for fear it sends him to sleep.'

‘I came as soon as I heard,' Roxanne said. ‘I am so sorry, Mrs Higgins. I fear I am to blame for this.'

‘You, miss? I should say not—but come through to the parlour and let my man tell you himself.'

Roxanne followed her into a pleasant parlour with
a sunny aspect at the back of the house. Mr Higgins was lying on a large comfortable sofa with his head on a pile of pillows and his eyes shut. He opened them as she approached and sat up, looking anxious.

‘Please do not disturb yourself, sir.' Roxanne drew a parlour chair and sat close to him. ‘Did one of the steps give way beneath you? I am so sorry for sending you there. I do hope you are not badly hurt?'

‘It was not the steps, miss, though one or two are crumbling, but I didn't go up the tower. The place we spoke of is below it. I went to look at the lock and found some signs that someone had tried unsuccessfully to open the door. I was about to leave and report it to Mr Tonkins when something hit me from behind. I went down like a light and it must have been some minutes before I came to myself enough to get up and stagger out. One of the gardeners saw me fall as I left and called for help.'

‘You were hit on the back of the head? That is terrible.' Roxanne felt shivery all over. ‘So I was right—there was someone in the tower. I am so sorry you were hurt, Mr Higgins.'

‘Serves me right for going there alone, miss. I thought you had imagined the face and took a risk. In future I'll be more careful and respectful of what you say. I gave instructions that a search should be made. Six of the men went to take a look in the tower after they brought me home—and I've since heard that someone has been camping out in the tower.'

‘Good gracious! How long has this been going on?'

‘A day or two at most the men think. It might have
been a tramp, miss—or it might have been a thief, as you suggested. Whoever it was, he didn't want to get caught.'

‘No, indeed, but this is serious, Mr Higgins. You must take great care and rest, as your doctor told you.'

‘I shall for a day or so, if only to appease Mrs Higgins—but you must promise me you will not attempt to visit that wing or the tower again, miss. His lordship would never forgive me if anything were to happen to you. One of us should have noticed something before you did, and that can't be denied.'

‘I shall certainly not attempt to enter the tower,' Roxanne assured him. ‘I have been wishing that I had not told you. I am so sorry you were hurt.'

‘It was my own fault for not taking anyone to guard my back. I didn't give you credit, miss, and I should have known you're not the sort to imagine things. I've given instructions that the grounds are to be patrolled at all times. If there are dangerous intruders about, we cannot be too careful.'

‘I thought I saw a man hiding in the shrubbery outside my room the first night I came here,' Roxanne told him. ‘Lord Clarendon thought it must have been one of the keepers, but now… Why would anyone watch the house and then hide in the tower?'

‘There's something he's after,' Higgins said and looked grave. ‘I don't know what it is, Miss Roxanne. We've never had anything like it before—so why now?'

‘I do not know,' she replied. ‘I promise I shall take great care when walking in the gardens—and you must rest, sir.'

‘I shall for a day or so, miss. It seems I've a tough skull for the blow did no more than knock me unconscious. I may have a headache for a while, but I'll be as right as rain soon.'

‘I am relieved to hear it.'

‘Shall you tell the earl, miss?'

‘No, not unless he has heard something,' Roxanne said. ‘As you know, his health is not good. I do not wish him to worry. I dare say the intruder has gone. With the increased security he is unlikely to return.'

‘I doubt he will risk it again—unless there is something he desperately wants to get his hands on. You cannot think what that might be, miss?' The bailiff looked at her hard. ‘No idea what he's after?'

‘No,' Roxanne said. ‘I cannot tell you, for I do not know.'

 

Yet as she was driven back to the house some minutes later, Roxanne was thoughtful. Had the intruder been after her ruby? It would explain why the attempt on the strong room had happened now—but was the jewel valuable enough to bring whoever it was here? It had been in the strong room only one night, because Luke had taken it to London with him to be valued.

Besides, no one knew she had it. How could they? Sofia had kept it hidden for years and no one had tried to take it from them. Roxanne had wondered if Black Bob suspected she had something of value, but would he attempt to break into the earl's strong room? It did not fit with what she knew of him. Petty thieving or cheating a traveller of his purse was the gypsy's style,
but not robbery on the scale that had been planned here. To break into an earl's treasury would be a serious matter.