Salting the Wound (33 page)

‘The means by which the child will be safely conveyed to the family, I imagine.’

‘We can only hope.’ Edgar sighed unhappily. ‘I haven’t said this to Colonel Hardy, but he once expressed an opinion that he should return to Van Diemen’s Land with John. ‘It was said facetiously, but perhaps it’s time he carefully considered it.’

Seth was surprised when Nick opened the door. Then he grinned. ‘Nice to see you again, Nick. I’m glad to see you survived.’

‘So am I.’

Marianne appeared behind him, a big smile lighting up her face. She kissed his cheek. ‘Lor, Seth, you look a bit worn around the edges. Has John been found yet? What’s been going on? Are the children all right? Nick’s return is my big news. I’m going to parade him round town later, set the rumour mill going again. How is Charlotte? I’m too happy to be angry with her any more.’ She kissed her husband’s cheek this time. ‘I hate not having her to gossip with. Men are not very good at it, they only tell you the basic facts. Tell me what’s going on!’

Giving a chuckle, Nick lifted her to one side. ‘For goodness’ sake, Aria. Let them in first.’

‘I’ll tell Aunt Daisy to put the kettle on. Them?’ Her eyes went past him, then filled with curiosity. ‘Oh . . . who are you?’

‘Adam Chapman, Mrs Thornton.’

‘Ah . . . the genius detective. How mysterious. Are you here to question Nick about the shipwreck? Can I listen? He hasn’t told me a thing yet.’

Nick placed his finger over her lips. ‘I haven’t had time to talk yet. You’ve been doing it all.’

A blush touched her cheeks and she grinned.

‘I’m here to question you, Mrs Thornton,’ Adam told her.

Her eyes rounded in surprise and she squeaked on a rising note, ‘Meeee?’

‘We wondered if you knew where the gypsies enter the heath.’

Her eyes suddenly became bland. ‘That depends entirely on which direction they’re coming from. They have ways known only to gypsies, and they are secret.’

They went into the drawing room, and Seth filled them in on what had happened. He finished with, ‘Seth thinks that Sir Charles is going to try and rake up some family scandal, to give him an excuse to take the boy to London.’

‘He won’t have to rake too far. If the people here didn’t have the Thornton and the Honeymans to gossip about, they’d be struck dumb. Nick and I are the biggest scandal in town at the moment. And there will be worse to come now he’s home.’

Nick gave her a pained look. ‘Not if I can help it.’

Seth told them, ‘I simply can’t trust Sir Charles, and I’m thinking of going back to Van Diemen’s Land as soon as John is returned . . . if I can make arrangements without being observed.’

‘I can make those arrangements for you,’ Nick said. ‘Nobody will think twice about me hanging around a shipping office.’

Marianne remembered her sister’s attachment to Harbour House. ‘Charlotte would find it hard to leave her home.’

‘She’ll be given a choice.’

‘You’d go without her?’

‘I don’t want to, but if that’s what she wants.’

‘And your children?’

‘Would stay with her. She’s a good mother, and I’d make sure that they were all well provided for.’

Crossing to where he sat, Marianne placed a hand on his arm. ‘Seth, to set John above your own dear children is unfair to Charlotte – and unfair to John, who’s being given no choice but to part from many of those people who care about him. Indeed, it’s also unfair to Sir Charles who has been cast as the villain, when all he has done is express the natural desire of an old man who wants to spend time with his only grandson and heir before he dies. In the ways of men you see each other as combatants, and are butting heads. Surely he’s learned something from John running away. Surely you have.’

It crossed Adam’s mind that the young woman was talking a lot of sense, and they were all listening.

‘As worthy as she was, John’s mother is dead. You’d place her dying wish above all that is dear to you – one that she made when she was in despair and fearful of her son’s future, no doubt. Had she envisaged that you would marry and have children of your own she would never have placed that condition upon you.’

Seth shrugged. ‘Probably not.’

‘And what of the vows you exchanged before God with my sister? What you are thinking of doing will destroy everything Charlotte is beginning to build. She finds it hard to express affection, always has. Seeing her with her children – your children, including John, was always a joy to me. There’s nothing more she wanted than a family who loved her, and she would take your loss hard. Whatever has gone wrong between Charlotte and I of late, and however bad it looks to outsiders, I still love her dearly and she loves me. More importantly, she trusts you Seth.’

Seth looked uncertain then. ‘What would you have me do?’

‘Allow me to talk to Sir Charles Barrie on John’s behalf.’

‘Talk to Sir Charles?’ Clearly, this was not what Seth had expected her to say.

‘She’s convinced me,’ Adam said.

Nick gave a small chuckle. ‘And me, as long as she’s accompanied.’

Adam envied Nick Thornton his wife when the lively Marianne bestowed a flirtatious little smile on him. She was a peach, and if he was ever in the position to marry he hoped he’d find a woman just like her.

It wasn’t until after they’d gone that he realized she hadn’t answered his question about the gypsies, and wondered if it had been a deliberate oversight.

‘I’m given to understand that you’re worried about my character, Sir Charles,’ Marianne said.

Adam and Edgar exchanged an astonished glance before they retired to the window. Nick stayed.

‘I’ve heard idle talk.’

‘Idle talk is cheap, and you don’t need to repeat it to me. I don’t usually feel the need to satisfy the curiosity of those who indulge in it.’

This time Sir Charles’s eyes flared in astonishment. He opened his mouth and shut it again when she took from a small satchel she carried two pieces of paper. She laid them on the table. ‘That is a copy of the certificate of the marriage between myself and Captain Nicholas Thornton there. And that is the certificate of the son who was born to us.’ She bestowed an adoring smile on her husband, who looked bemused that anyone could feel that way about him.

Sir Charles began to look uncomfortable. ‘There is no need—’

‘Ah, but there is, Sir Charles. I want you to be entirely satisfied that the people surrounding John are fit and proper people to guide him. I believe you have also heard scandalous talk about my mother. She died giving birth our sister, and Charlotte and I still grieve the loss of her. Charlotte brought me up as best she could.’

‘And made a good job of it, I see,’ Charles murmured gallantly.

‘There was talk, but I’ve determined that the next time I hear it repeated in public I will no longer turn the other cheek, but will consult a lawyer. That person will then be given the chance to prove their allegations in court.’

Edgar smiled, and murmured, ‘Allow me to be your advocate if that ever happens.’

‘Mrs Thornton, please, there is no need to go on,’ Sir Charles said.

‘Ah, but I feel I must, since it appears to me that you are casting about for an excuse not to honour the verbal agreement you made with my brother-in-law, Seth Hardy.’

‘I’m actually trying to make sure that my heir has a good home, as any grandfather would. I don’t like the thought of him being friends with gypsies.’

‘I can understand that because the fear stems from ignorance, but I’ve known the heath gypsies all my life, and have never come to any harm. They taught me a lot, and if John is travelling with them I can only envy him his good fortune, for it will be an adventure he’ll remember forever. They know John well, and if he’s gone to them for help in his journey home then it’s because he’s learned to trust them. Now, if there is anything else worrying you, please let’s get it into the open.’

‘What do you hope to achieve by this meeting, young woman?’

She smiled at him. ‘My sister and her husband only have John’s welfare at heart, so do I. We all love him. He loves all of us. They need to know they can trust you, and John needs to know that he can trust you. For me, I would like all those I love to be happy.’

‘My word is my bond.’

She gazed at him quizzically, and he laughed. ‘I never could resist a beautiful face, or a woman who pleads so prettily. All right. Edgar, pass me that agreement. I’ll sign the damned thing, you can witness my signature, and Mrs Thornton can deliver it personally to her brother-in-law.’

The agreement was signed and handed over to Marianne.

Her smile warmed him. ‘There . . . I knew you weren’t as unreasonable as you at first seemed, Sir Charles. You must come to dinner the next time you’re here.’

‘I will, young lady, since I’m considering taking up a lease on a house here.’

‘How wonderful. Then John will be able to visit you quite often. We’re looking for property ourselves. My husband intends to give up the sea and open an emporium.’ When she rose to her feet so did he. Marianne kissed him on the cheek. ‘Thank you, so much. You’ll never regret it, Sir Charles.’

‘Let’s hope not.’

‘Now I must go. My son will be needing me.’

Surprisingly, Sir Charles kissed her hand. ‘My grandson spoke of you fondly, and often. Now I know why. Thank you for being a friend to him.’

‘All of us are his friends.’

She turned to Adam. ‘I’ll ask Nick to take me to see Charlotte tomorrow. There’s something I wish to sort out with her.’

Marianne Thornton was nobody’s fool, Adam thought. She picked her moment to give her the best advantage.

As for him, he needed to think seriously about the proposition put to him by Edgar Wyvern and his associates, and the advice of the people he trusted. Who better than Seth Hardy and Nick Thornton? His own investigating agency, with his own staff. It was an exciting prospect, as long as he was answerable only to himself and could choose his own cases.

But first, he wanted to see John restored to the bosom of his family, and that day was close, he knew it.

‘I
’ll take you, and that’s that. If Seth’s not there you’ll be coming home again. You’ll have to get back in time to give Dickon his dinner.’

‘And what are you going to do?’

‘Look around for premises for the shop, amongst other things.’

When she leaned over to kiss him, Marianne’s hair covered his face and he inhaled the fragrance of her. Her lips were as soft as a whisper. He pulled her gently down on top of his body, her full breasts were almost bursting from their skin when they grazed against his naked chest, and he groaned with the delight of her.

Their son was kicking vigorously in his crib, and making threatening noises.

Aria finished kissing him, gazed into his eyes and smiled with real regret. ‘I’ll have to feed Dickon. He’s not old enough to know what waiting means.’

‘But I am,’ and he sounded as rueful as he felt when she rolled over and plucked Dickon from his cot. Not that he hadn’t sampled Aria’s delights a little earlier. But a little bit more loving never went amiss, and he had several months of abstinence to catch up on.

The infant’s mouth wavered between smiles and tears, and he impatiently moved his head as Aria teased his mouth with her knuckle, opening and shutting it like a bird and giving impatient little cries of frustration.

Eventually, Nick took his son’s head and held it against her nipple. Aria allowed his mouth to close around her breast and the boy began to suck strongly, making contented little grunts. He settled down and his eyes closed as he tucked into his breakfast with serious intent.

Aria chuckled when Nick kissed her and said, ‘The need in a woman to tease a male half to death is obviously inbuilt.’

Dickon held endless fascination for Nick. He’d never given fathering a child much thought, except for the children he’d intended to share with Charlotte. He remembered how angry and betrayed he’d felt when he’d heard that she’d given birth to twins fathered by another man.

He couldn’t understand now why he’d felt that way, and why Charlotte had thrown Aria out when she was expecting a child. Charlotte had made her choice, and had a good husband in Seth, so to discover she was still flaming mad over his union with Aria seemed odd. It also intrigued him. Surely she didn’t still harbour feelings for him, or worse, think that he still harboured feelings for her. He intended to find out, because his beloved Aria had been suffering because of it, and he wanted things put right between them.

So later, he took Seth aside and said, ‘Will you mind if I talk to Charlotte? I want to repair the rift between the sisters if I can. It’s hurting Aria.’

Seth nodded and gave a faint smile. ‘I know . . . I’ve been keeping an eye on her. Marianne loves you, you know. I’ve admired her so much over this past year. She’s stayed strong through all the whispers and accusations, and she refused to despair. She kept saying that you’d return and everything would be all right again. I don’t know whether she was trying to convince herself, or everyone else. She was waiting for your uncle to come back from Australia with definite news before she’d believe it.’

‘Delaying what she thought was inevitable?’ He gave a faint smile. ‘That’s typical of Aria. Negative thoughts slide off her like goats on grease.’

‘Unlike Charlotte.’

Nick felt the need to spring to her defence. ‘Charlotte had a lot to put up with after her mother died. She ran the house and took responsibility for Aria. Their father was a drunken bastard. Sometimes he beat them, and sometimes they had nothing to eat. You should perhaps be made aware, Seth . . . I no longer have any strong feelings towards Charlotte, except for friendship. If she’d accepted me it would have been the biggest mistake I’d ever made. I think our relationship was always based on who could get the better of the other.’

‘I believe you, but I’m not sure if Charlotte would. Sometimes I think she regrets her decision.’

‘I doubt it. She’ll defend her position to the end, and she always has a hard time letting go of things. She’d die rather than admit she was wrong.’