Sally James (16 page)

'Well, it won't do to boast about it before he has offered,' his wife warned, but Sir Roderick was so pleased with himself he merely smiled and went off to his study, remarking to Georgiana as he went that he trusted she would have more sense than to spoil her chances.

* * * *

The three ladies were sewing in the drawing room later and Georgiana was rather silent and thoughtful. After a while she laid down her needle and turned to her mother.

'Do you think Lord Fordington will
really
make me an offer?' she asked.

'Your father seems convinced of it, my dear,' her mother replied. 'However, I should not depend on it, for gentlemen do not always do what is expected of them. Your father is very fond of you, child, although he seems abrupt sometimes, and it may be his fondness persuades him to read more into Lord Fordington's behaviour than is there. But if it proves Lord Fordington has no such notion there is no need to despair. Next year you will meet dozens of suitable young men and could form an even more eligible connection!'

'Yes, I know,' Georgiana said slowly. 'It
would
be a triumph to attach Lord Fordington to me, and yet he is rather
old.
'

'A very good age, my love. Old enough to know what he wants yet still young enough to be a companion to you. But you must not permit him to guess that you have thought of this,' she warned. 'It would be too shaming if your father has misread his intentions!'

Isabella was silent, considering Georgiana unobtrusively. The girl did not appear to be overjoyed at the prospect of such a triumph, and yet it could be mere nervousness due to the fact that she did not know Lord Fordington very well as yet and was somewhat in awe of him because of the difference in their ages. If he did offer he would undoubtedly be able to make her love him, for it would be difficult for any girl to resist him. Before she could follow this train of thought, Mark and Lydia Westerson arrived, having ridden over from the Rectory.

'My mother sends us to beg you will all come to dinner next week with Lord and Lady Fordington,' Mark explained. Lady Sharman raised her eyebrows slightly.

'Then your mother discounts these rumours connecting him or his brother with the attack on Sir Frederick Hill?' she asked, surprised.

'Indeed,' Mark answered with a slight smile. 'She insists the rumours are malicious and will not affect her. By inviting them to the Rectory she will be able to show everyone what she feels. May I tell her you will come?'

'Well, if your mother thinks they are innocent, of course. Has Ninian returned home yet?'

'No, but I understand he is expected within a day or so.'

'Then presumably he cannot have had anything to do with it. Oh dear, it is all so puzzling!'

'Where is Diana?' Georgiana asked Lydia. 'Why did she not come with you?'

'She is put out because she may not be able to join us at dinner,' Lydia explained. 'If Lord Fordington's Great-Aunt Selina does not accept there would be thirteen at table, and that is something my mother will not have! So Diana will probably not come because I do not think the old lady ever goes out apart from a short ride in the carriage when it is fine.'

'Poor Diana!' Georgiana sympathised. 'What are you both planning to wear to the ball?'

They were soon deep in a discussion about their ball gowns and Lady Sharman was able to press Mark to tell her all he knew of the search being conducted for Sir Frederick's assailant. This was very little and Isabella grew hopeful that if only Ninian could contrive to conceal his wound he might escape detection.

That evening Isabella again crept out to the stables. She told herself firmly it was not in order to see Lord Fordington that she went, but to arrange with him the removal of Ninian, who was rapidly recovering his strength and getting thoroughly bored by his enforced idleness.

'I'll bring a chaise and take him home tomorrow night,' Lord Fordington decided after he had again examined Ninian's wounds and found they were healing well. 'I'll leave it until around midnight, then there will be less possibility of meeting some late traveller. I can never tell you how much we owe you, Isabella!'

She shook her head. 'I am thankful I was of help. Do you think you will be able to throw off suspicions?'

'Have you had the dice examined? That is more to the point,' Ninian broke in impatiently.

'I have taken them to a man I can trust. He knows all the tricks, for he runs a highly regarded gaming establishment and must be able to unmask Greeks. He will examine them. He will also, in confidence, make discreet enquiries to discover whether there have ever been any suspicions about Sir Frederick before. If they are loaded we must then devise some way of proving they belong to Sir Frederick, and that will not be easy, especially if he remains determined to accuse you.'

'Has he done so yet?'

'Not openly, but he is dropping very broad hints. However, I told you I had a scheme. It will not only provide you with an alibi no one will dare question, but also give you an excuse for remaining at Priory Dene while you recover your strength and until you can ride again. I've invited cousin Charlotte to stay and she comes the day after tomorrow.'

'Charlie?' Ninian's eyes lit up. 'That is a famous notion!'

'I am so relieved you view the prospect with pleasure,' his brother remarked, 'for it is my intention you pay her somewhat particular attentions for the next few weeks.'

'Me? Pay attentions to Charlie?' Ninian demanded. 'But I thought she was going to marry that dull stick Travers?'

'She is, but it has not yet been announced and he has been sent on a mission to Lisbon, so she will be in need of amusement for a few weeks.'

'When did you arrange this? There has not been time!'

'I have not seen her, but I sent one of the grooms with a long letter yesterday, and he returned today. She knows the whole story and will say you were with her in Kent if Sir Frederick does accuse you before we have proof against him. If it appears she arrives with you that is what people will assume. She will also serve to divert your attentions from Miss Westerson. That poor girl might recover from her infatuation for you if you have another female to dance attendance on.'

Isabella thought with a pang of Lydia's disillusionment, but could not help admiring Lord Fordington's swift and ruthless action. As if he could read her thoughts he looked across at her and shrugged slightly.

'Better now than when she has had even more time to grow fond of the wretch,' he murmured. 'I propose to ride over in the morning and announce the news of her arrival.'

Chapter Nine

Lord Fordington appeared early on the following morning and was greeted warily by Lady Sharman, who had not completely overcome her suspicions.

'Where is your brother?' she asked after a while.

'He is due back tomorrow,' was the casual reply. 'He is escorting a young cousin, Charlotte Bembridge, with whose parents he has been staying in Kent.'

'In Kent?' Lady Sharman echoed.

'A cousin?' Georgiana asked.

'Actually a little further removed. Our grandfathers were brothers. Charlie is seventeen and she and Ninian have always been the best of friends, for she is utterly fearless, indeed sometimes foolhardy, and always ready for an adventure. He was for ever leading her into tomboyish pranks when they were children.'

'Is she coming for the ball?' Georgiana asked.

'Yes, although it had been planned earlier that she came for a few weeks, mainly my suggestion in an attempt to relieve the tedium I expected Ninian to find in the country. I had not imagined he would discover so much charming company here when I banished him from London.'

Georgiana glanced at him suspiciously, but he was not looking towards her. She lost interest in the conversation for a while as she pondered on the likely effect on Lydia of an unknown girl staying at Priory Dene, and moreover one with whom Ninian appeared to be on exceptionally good terms. She roused from her abstraction when Lord Fordington bade them farewell, and soon afterwards persuaded her mother to permit her to ride to the Rectory, saying that if Lydia had heard the news she would be in need of cheerful company.

'And besides, if Ninian was in Kent he could not have attacked Sir Frederick. That will cheer Lydia.'

Lady Sharman eventually succumbed to her pleadings but Isabella, who did not wish to leave the house while Ninian was still in the stable loft, demurred.

'It would be better to leave her alone,' she suggested. 'Besides, I have so much to do if I am to contrive a new gown for the ball. I had planned to sew this morning.'

'A new gown? Oh, I did not know. Did you purchase the material in Lewes?'

'No, your mother has given me that beautiful length of shot green silk, since the colour is too strong for her as she is so fair. I think it is delightful.'

'It suits you very much better, my dear, I am too pale to do it justice,' Lady Sharman said. 'Besides, I have another gown I have not yet worn, and there is no time for me to have another made, with Miss Simkins busy with the one for Georgiana. But if you intend to go to the Rectory, Georgiana, you must not go alone. After what happened last week your father would be furious with you. William will be home soon, he can escort you.'

Unwillingly William agreed to ride with his sister, and Georgiana returned at dinner time full of compassion for Lydia.

'She has been so desperately worried,' she told Isabella as they sat in the drawing room waiting for Lady Sharman to join them. 'First, of course, she was concerned Ninian might have been the culprit and feared he had gone into hiding. Even if he had not she was unhappy he had been neglecting her. Do you think he
has
lost interest?'

'I do not believe that young man ever had a great deal of interest in Lydia, apart from it being a pleasant way of passing the time,' Isabella responded dryly.

'Well, she was very upset about this cousin. I thought it best to warn her,' Georgiana said virtuously, 'but Lord Fordington had been there before me. He must have gone to the Rectory directly after he left Woodings. However, Diana is in whoops, because of course her mother invited this Charlotte Bembridge and now Diana can attend the dinner party as well. What will you wear for that? I want to wear my pale jonquil silk gown, but Mama says it is too fine for a simple country dinner party. I think I will wear the blue muslin.'

* * * *

She chatted happily about her gowns, leaving Isabella free to ponder the difficulties facing them that night when getting Ninian safely away from the loft. When she had slipped out earlier to visit him she had thought him pale, and despite his denials, concluded he was in considerable pain from his wounds. Fortunately there was no sign of his fever returning, and the problems would be less his own strength than the task of transferring him down the ladder and to the coach, which could not be driven too close to the house.

'We'll manage, Miss Isabella,' Ned had said confidently. 'He was in a much worse state when he came here and I got him up the ladder without any help! I'd guess Lord Fordington could carry him by himself if need be,' he added encouragingly, for he had developed an intense admiration for the brother of his wounded guest.

Somehow the evening passed for Isabella, and eventually she was able to escape to her room. After the last three nights of remaining awake for hours longer than normal in order to visit the stables she was exceedingly tired. She dared not lie down for fear of falling asleep. She knew Lord Fordington and whoever he brought with him could manage perfectly well without her, but she persuaded herself it was her responsibility rather than Ned's to ensure that the departure of the fugitive Ninian was accomplished satisfactorily.

Feeling more guilty at her actions than she had done at concealing Ninian, she placed a rug across the bottom of her door to prevent the light from her candle showing in the passage outside and took up the shimmering green silk from which she was making her gown for the ball. Lady Sharman was a talented needlewoman, although she rarely made her own gowns, and she had helped Isabella design and cut out a gown better than any she had previously possessed. Isabella occupied the hours before it was safe to go out to the stables in sewing some of the long seams of the straight, high-waisted skirt.

At length Isabella crept down the stairs and let herself quietly out of the house yet again. In the loft she found Ninian pacing anxiously up and down, ignoring Ned's pleas to save his strength for when his brother arrived.

'I am almost fully recovered,' he declared when Isabella added her protests to Ned's, but he consented to sit down and drink some of the brandy she had brought with her, thinking it might help him.

He had barely finished the first glass when his brother, approaching so silently that none of them heard him, appeared through the trapdoor.

'Justin!' Ninian exclaimed. 'I thought you were never coming!'

'You never were noted for patience,' Lord Fordington said with a grin. 'Good evening, Isabella. No doubt you'll be relieved to be rid of him, the ungrateful wretch.'

'I want to be away because my presence here is dangerous for Isabella,' Ninian protested aggrievedly.

'Peace, halfling! Are you ready? I drove the chaise myself, and brought your valet with me. Phillips will have to know, because of the wounds, but he can be relied on to keep his mouth shut, and the fewer people who know you are at Priory Dene before Charlotte comes the better. Can you climb down the ladder?'

Ninian flung up his head and would have descended the ladder first had Lord Fordington, sternly bidding him not to be caper-witted, grasped his uninjured arm and held him back.

'Ned, go down first, will you, and see that the coast is clear. The chaise is some way down the road, Phillips is there with it.'

Ned disappeared and soon a hoarse whisper told the others that it was safe to descend. Lord Fordington went first and Ninian, wincing as he had to use his wounded arm to steady himself against the steep ladder, slowly followed. Isabella leaned over the trapdoor and held a candle to light him as Ninian painfully eased himself down, his brother unobtrusively watchful a rung or so below. Isabella blew out the candle and followed, to find herself grasped about the waist and swung down the last steps to land somewhat breathlessly beside Lord Fordington.