Silence of Scandal (24 page)

He twirled her towards him, fighting the urge to cover her face with kisses, and put his finger over his lips to indicate silence as he listened for the old man. Laboured breathing and muttered curses echoed up the narrow stone stairs. The old man was struggling in the tight space and Lily had out stripped him by some seconds. Alexander looked down at her tied hands and frowned as he noticed her grazed knuckles. It must have been a nightmare for her to climb the tightly curling staircase being so restrained. He made short work of the cord that bound her wrists and kissed the backs of her scuffed hands before he lifted his chin towards the back of the wardrobe. Lily nodded quickly. She disappeared through the hole and closed it up behind her.

The old man’s mumblings grew clearer as he neared the top of the stairs.

“Bloody gentry and their secret passage ways. I need a drink something fierce. Where is this flipping strong box? I thought it would be hidden along here somewhere. Must be near the old Duke’s bedroom. He would have wanted to keep it close to him. If he’s lying in his bed I’ll kill him!”

He was gasping for breath and for a moment Alexander wondered whether it wasn’t a better idea to just shut the panel door. There was no other way out of the tunnel. Smith would have to return to the beach but Alexander wanted to finish this. He wanted an end to it all. He hoped it wouldn’t come to killing the man with his bare hands. Though he wanted to dearly, Smith was Lily’s father and she probably wouldn’t take kindly to him thrusting his sword through the blackguard’s heart. He listened to the man’s muttered ramblings and wished for a brandy himself.

He looked around the room wondering if there was anything else he could use to his advantage. The only possible weapon was the chair but that was probably rotten if the wobbliness of the table was anything to go by.

The festoons of cobwebs wafted as the breeze coming in the window joined that racing up the passageway and a strange eerie sound could be heard as the wind swept across the slit like window. It sounded like Lily’s painfully tuneless singing. Exactly how he imagined a Banshee to sound and Alexander suddenly had an idea. If Hardacre had been drinking in the inn in Oakley he may have heard the rumours going around.

He quickly took the filthy, dusty blanket from the bed and tied it over his shirt. He reached up with his sword and cut the webs from all the corners of the room. The spiders scuttled away leaving him with great drifts of semi transparent spun silk. They glimmered, pale silver in the dusty light as he draped them over his head, straggling them across his face and shoulders. He gathered a few more and covered his arms and hands. The spiders that had been too slow to scurry away, crawled though the webs across his sleeves. Alexander shivered. He stood and waited, hoping that the effect was as ghastly as it felt.

The light of a candle bobbing inside the stairwell sent shadows dancing about the room and Smith grunted as he squeezed through the doorway. He was a brawny man, not yet shrunk with age and bitterness and for a moment he just stood staring as the web covered Alexander loomed out of the dark corner of the room.

Smith gasped and stepped backwards as Alexander made his voice a bone rattling screech.

“You come to steal! I lay the Ormond curse upon you!” He lifted a pointed finger towards the old man. The cobwebs falling over his hands floated eerily in the half light.

Alexander sucked in a choking breath as the dust from the webs over his face caught him unawares but that was enough for Smith. He let out the loudest shriek Alexander had ever heard come from the mouth of a man and forced himself back into the narrow tunnel entrance.

“Banshee!” Smith screamed and then slapped his hand over his mouth before he stumbled on the first of the stone steps. The old man clearly missed his footing. For the next few moments Alexander could hear thumping and scraping as the man fell screaming back down the steps.

The last echoing thud ended in complete silence. Alexander poked his head through the door and stared downwards. Smith’s light had gone out and he listened in the darkness for a few moments more before stepped back and closed the secret door.

He quickly untied the filthy blanket, scraped the worst of the cobwebs from his head and shoulders and then moved to the wardrobe panel. A few seconds later he had squeezed back into his bedroom to discover Lily standing waiting anxiously for him. He closed the wardrobe door and turned to her only to have all of the wind knocked out of him as she threw herself into his arms.

“Alessander, I am sorry. I thought I could persuade him to stay away but he wouldn’t listen to me. He just wanted the jewels. I didn’t steal them I swear.” Her voice was thick with emotion and fear.

Alexander pulled her closer. She was covered in dust from the tunnel but she felt like a breath of fresh air to him. He breathed in her fragrance before he leaned back and lifted her chin to make sure she was looking at him.

“I know that you didn’t take them but I don’t care about the jewels anyway Lily. All I was worried about was you. You had only just come back to life, I couldn’t bear to see you gone again.” He pressed his lips to her dusty forehead and gathered her in close, loving the feel of her warm body trembling against him.

She leaned her head back for a moment and brushed more of the cobwebs away from Alexander’s hair as she asked about her father.

“Is he gone? I tried to get ahead of him as we climbed the stairs. He couldn’t hold onto me in the narrowness of the passage and I thought I might be able to get away. It was the only chance I had.”

Alexander’s face fell. He suspected that Smith was dead and now he had to tell Lily that he had probably killed her father.

“I’m afraid he fell back down the stairs when I scared him with my ghostly self. I didn’t have any choice Lily. He’s gone mad, you must see that. He was going to kill us all in his quest for the jewels. I think he’s probably dead but I can’t get down that staircase in safety if he’s not. We’ll have to go through the tunnel from the beach end where there’s more room for manoeuvre. I’m afraid I’m a lot wider and taller than I was when I was twelve.”

A lone tear slid down Lily’s cheek but she dashed it away quickly. Her father had been bent on revenge for far too long.

“Can you go? I don’t want to see him. My real father died with my mother long ago. He never cared for me. I was too much of a reminder.”

Alexander’s heart lurched at the thought of the years she had been with the unforgiving man.

“I swear to Lily, if my family had known that you were still alive we would have looked after you. Mother always called you her little treasure. She loved having you about the place. I think that you were the much wanted daughter that she never had. She’s going to be as thrilled as I was to find you still alive.” He brushed his hand over her hair and pulled her into his chest again as she began to sob against him.

Epilogue

Ruby red rose petals rained down upon Lily’s unadorned head. The man by her side grasped her hand tightly as they ran through the arch made by the arms of all their well wishers.

The whole town had come out to see them married again. Alexander’s face glowed with happiness as he handed her up into the open carriage, so proud of his bride that he wanted to show her off to the whole world. A beautiful ruby and diamond choker adorned her slender, creamy neck. Dark jewels glistened in the sunlight at her ears and her wrist. They all matched the ruby ring Alexander had given her at the time of their first wedding.

The drive back to Ormond took far too long for Alexander and he almost wished that Jennings had brought the closed carriage instead but as the sun shone down on his beautiful bride he picked up her left hand and kissed it gently. Her wedding ring sparkled in the sunlight

She smiled up at his handsome face.

“It was better this time. I knew it was you I was marrying. I wasn’t so scared.”

He laughed and pulled her in tight to his side.

“Yes, it’s much nicer knowing that you actually love the person who you are going to be leg shackled to for the rest of your life.”

He ducked her playful slap as she pouted.

“It wasn’t quite right though. Geoffrey simply refused to be my flower girl. I had to put up with Lady Anne instead.” She honked with laughter and Alexander laughed with her.

The horses clattered over the drawbridge and moments later Alexander swept her into his arms and carried her through the huge front doors of Ormond. She clasped her arms around his neck as he made his way up the grand staircase.

“It’s so lovely to be back. I missed being here the last three weeks. Lady Anne is wonderful but I missed you so much Alessander. Sitting drinking afternoon tea with you is not the same.” She referred to his daily, chaperoned visits to Evenleigh. “I don’t know why we had to have another wedding really. I was quite happy with the first one.”

Alexander looked down at the beauty in his arms.

“Well I wasn’t. My heirs could have been called into doubt as your name was made up by your father after he took you from here as a child. The marriage might not have been legal and I wasn’t prepared to accept that.”

Lily smiled up at him and then flushed.

“I understand but it has been a long time to wait. Lady Anne has been trying to tell me what to expect tonight, but I think I may already know more than her. Your father’s library has some very interesting books.” She squealed as Alexander shouldered his way through the bedroom door and dropped her in a pile of pale silk in the middle of his bed.

“Yes, well, I feel sure that Denvers is going to be the first to initiate her into the pleasures of married life as soon as her period of mourning is over. I meant to thank you for handing Evenleigh over to her so quickly. It was her home for two years before my brother had to sell it to your father.”

Lily put her finger over his lips.

“You wanted her to have it back and as it was rightfully yours to give I could do no other. As we are married it was yours anyway as soon as my father died. I was surprised he that he had made a will leaving everything to me. As all of my inheritance was your family’s in the first place I don’t feel at all bad about giving it back.”

Alexander pulled the cravat from his throat and sank onto the bed beside her. He ran his fingertip from her lips to her chin and then down her throat. He stopped at the ruby choker and leaned forwards to kiss the creamy skin that lay beneath it.

“This matches your lips,” his voice was husky with need as he bent his head around to her ear and gently pulled one of the ear bobs with his teeth. It slipped from her ear and he moved back to her neck, dropping the bauble down the front of her dress.

Her eyes opened wide as he caught hold of her dress and pulled it downwards. He buried his face between her glorious breasts and pretended to search for the missing jewel.

Lily caught hold of his hair and pulled gently until he came up for air and stared into her fathomless eyes.

“I love it when you go treasure hunting.” She whispered as she began pulling at the back of his shirt.

He caught hold of her dress and began easing it down further but it stopped as the buttons refused to part.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he shook his head sadly. “This is a beautiful dress but I’m afraid that it’s standing in my way.” He took hold of the delicate material and with one sharp pull, tore it right down the middle leaving her wearing nothing but her jewels.

Lily gasped as she was exposed but Alexander reared back, eyes wide in wonder as he stared at her greedily.

“Good Lord! You’re not wearing anything beneath! Bloody hell woman! I’m glad I didn’t know that earlier. We might not have made it to the church on time!”

Lily laughed as she reached forwards and undid the buttons of his shirt and then the placket of his breeches.

“Lady Anne has been teaching me to read better. Now I know what all those words are in those books. They advise no undergarments if at all possible. It eases love making if the opportunity arises.”

Alexander looked down at himself.

“By God! Something has definitely arisen.” He stood and tore off the rest of his clothes before sliding onto the bed with her.

She placed her hand on his the hard wall of his chest and then began to run her hands over his muscled shoulders.

“Your body is beautiful Alessander.” She swallowed and then blinked up at him as he pushed his fingers into her hair and his lips descended onto hers.

He kissed her thoroughly and was breathing deeply as he spoke again.

“Two bodies are better than one,” his silky tone told her that he couldn’t wait much longer. He dipped his head towards her breasts. His warm breath was nothing to his hot tongue as it swirled over her tightening skin. She gasped and clutched first at his hair and then at his shoulders as he took one hardened peak into his mouth and skimmed over the other with feather like touches.

As much as he wanted her, he wanted their first time to be special. He patiently coaxed the moans of ecstasy from her ruby lips as he kissed every inch of her burning skin and when she cried out her own version of his name as he entered her with one long, smooth stoke he knew that he would never want any other woman calling for him as long as he lived.

It was five days before anyone dared knock on Ormond’s doors. Only cook was allowed inside to prepare them food and then she hustled away back to the Dower house to while away the days along with the rest of the staff.

Giles and Geoffrey were eaten up with curiosity. It was clear that Alexander had found the Ormond jewels. Lady Anne had received the matching emerald bracelet and earrings that went with her choker and wedding ring and Lily had been see gloriously attired in the Ormond rubies but Alexander had not yet told them where he had found them.

The intervening four weeks since Smith had tried to enter the castle had been nothing but visits from the magistrate or solicitors. Lily’s father had died at the bottom of the stone steps. His body had been recovered from the tight space with some difficulty and an enquiry had been immediately launched.

Alexander had answered all questions easily and told the story of his bride and the blackmail, leaving out some obvious facts that would have to remain hidden. He blamed the whole affair on Smith realizing that he could blackmail his father over his and Phillip’s childhood experiment. Telling everyone that Lily had died had been easy. It wasn’t surprising given the size and intensity of the blast and the doctor’s original prognosis. Smith had moved away and everyone forgot about him. When he returned as Carlton Hardacre no one guessed that he was the tenant farmer of years ago. He had spent some of the blackmail money on bettering himself and dressing his daughter well, though he had given her only a basic education, believing that a deaf woman was very nearly useless. They had laid him to rest by his wife. No one but Lily and Alexander attended the funeral.

Alexander opened the door on the third loud knock.

“The Scots had better be invading!” He growled as Giles and Geoffrey strode into the hall.

Giles laughed.

“Married life suits you then, and how is your lovely wife?”

“I’m tired Alessander, can we go back to bed?” said Lily from the top of the stairs. She yawned and then blushed crimson as she noticed three pairs of eyes staring up at her.

Alexander raised his eyebrows and then grinned wickedly.

“You are quite right, my dear. I have been thoroughly selfish with you these last few days but these two have more curiosity than even you.” If possible, Lily flushed even further as she thought about how she and Alexander had worked their way through the whole of the first book from the library and were now well into the second. She looked down at her skirts to check that there were no dust marks on her knees.

Giles swallowed at the implication of her movements and decided that the best course of action was to turn back to Alexander.

“Come on. You can’t keep us in suspense any longer. Where did you find them? You thought you knew even before Lily escaped from her father. Were you right?”

Alexander nodded.

“It was easy when I thought about it.” He led the men into the salon and moved to stand in front of the windows. Giles and Geoffrey sat while he smiled at his wife and took hold of her hand. He pulled her close to his side before he stared out over the grounds.

“It came to me after hearing a word that we never normally used for the family jewels. After all they were just jewels and nothing else but father and Phillip both referred to them as treasure. There was only one thing at Ormond ever referred to as treasure.” He smiled down at Lily and then nodded towards the window. He gazed out of the salon and over Ormond’s walls. “After the barn blew up, father had a small memorial erected to honour the girl who had lost her life. Her father had taken her body for burial with her mother but of course that never happened, however my mother lay fresh flowers at Lily’s memorial every week. She called Lily a little treasure. I went up there almost as soon as I knew everything had been cleared up with Smith’s solicitors. I didn’t go earlier as I was afraid that I might find them only to have them taken from me if anything had come of Lily’s father’s death. My father had removed a few of the stones and placed the strongbox beneath the memorial. He replaced enough of the stones to cover the box and cast the rest into the sea. Ironic when you think about it.”

Giles and Geoffrey were stunned.

“Good heavens!” Geoffrey stammered. He looked over at Lily who tried to cover another yawn. “To think, that she had them all the time! Smith will be turning in his grave.”

Giles shook his head.

“Serves the man right. If he’d have been honest right from the beginning he might have had them and his daughter. You know that you probably would have fallen in love and married her anyway if she had been here. You wouldn’t have needed to be forced.”

Alexander nodded as he glanced about the room. She had transformed it with cushions and drapes and repaired rugs. She had worked so hard in the short time she had been there and she had continued whilst living at Evenleigh. He stared in wonder at his beautiful, talented, courageous wife.

“I don’t think I ever stood a chance. Not even back in my youth could I stand against her. One tear in those dark eyes and I was done for even all those years ago. Lily and I were just recalling the other day Geoffrey...Our wedding wasn’t quite complete. Our flower girl was missing. It would have been even more special with a pair of them.”

Geoffrey’s face flushed a deep red. He shot up from the chair.

“Good heavens! Is that the time. I just remembered that Midnight hasn’t been exercised today. He’ll be getting restless. Giles, do you feel like a long ride to Evenleigh?”

Giles stood quickly and swallowed the last of his brandy.

“Brilliant idea. I meant to call on Lady Anne next week but I’m sure that she won’t mind an early visit. She must be becoming lonely in that big house without your new wife for company.”

Alexander laughed as the two of them nearly sprinted from the room.

Lily laughed loudly at the two retreating figures but as the front door slammed shut she rubbed her eyes.

“Thank goodness they have gone. I really need some sleep Alessander. You have hardly let me close my eyes these last few days.” She turned to walk from the room and began to hum as she reached the door. Alexander rolled his eyes as he followed his wife’s painful tune but there was gleam in his eye as he caught her up at the bottom of the stairs.

Her hips swayed delightfully, tempting him. He heard her stifling another yawn as she sang the dreadful tune but he couldn’t help but smile. She was the most beautiful, loving, vivacious woman he had ever beheld.

He wondered for what seemed like the hundredth time, about what she had lost in her childhood... He couldn’t imagine never hearing her odd, nasal tones ever again. He shuddered at the thought that he might have lost her over a few ancient baubles. It could never happen. He would shrivel and die without her at his side.

Lily looked back over her shoulder and down the stairs. He stared into her lustrous dark eyes as she stopped singing.