To Win the Lady (22 page)

‘Yes, sir!’
Again that incongruous coming to attention, but this time Richard did not
smile. He was still bemused by what he had heard. Had they been mistaken? He
left them and returned to Georgie.

‘We had better
make a push to leave before the crowds make it impossible,’ he said, climbing
up beside her. It took all his attention to manoeuvre the curricle out of the
course on to the highway, and he remained silent until they were bowling along
the heath road towards Cambridge.

‘Those men,’ he
said at last. ‘They have just told me something so extraordinary I do not know
whether to believe them or not.’

‘Oh.’ She
waited to be enlightened.

‘They say that
the men who stopped Father’s carriage intended to kill him, that they were not
real highwaymen.’

‘Did his
lordship not tell you that?’

‘No, he did
not. He passed the incident off very lightly, though I must admit Wendens
looked decidedly green about the gills when my father was telling me of it.’

‘Perhaps he did
not wish to worry you.’

‘Perhaps, but
if he is in some sort of danger, then I must know. Tell me what happened, Miss
Paget, every last detail. What they did, what my father did...’

‘He did nothing
to provoke them, if that is what you mean. I remember thinking he was being so
calm about it in order not to frighten me. But I did think it was strange when
one of them took his lordship towards the bushes. I was quite sure he was going
to be killed.’

‘And you, what
did you do?’

‘What could I
do? I was enraged, but very frightened too. They all had pistols.’

‘The soldiers
said you were very brave.’

She laughed.
‘That was after it was all over and I had recognised them.’ She paused, serious
again. ‘I can’t really believe the highwaymen meant to kill anyone. After all,
they had taken all our jewellery and what little money we had on our persons,
though Lord Dullingham had hidden the bulk of his money and they did not find
that.’

‘Can you
describe any of the men?’

‘Not really; they
all wore scarves over their faces. One did have a black beard, but he was the
one who was killed by the Corporal. And they all wore black suits. I might know
the horses again.’

He laughed.
‘Miss Paget, you are priceless.’

‘Why, what have
I said?’

‘That someone
in the circumstances in which you found yourself should have taken note of the
robbers’ mounts rather than the men themselves.’

‘There was a
bay-brown and a blue dun, both dishy, and a cob. It was a sturdy little animal
and needed to be because its rider was a heavy man.’

‘What happened
about the dead man?’

‘We left him
there and went into Royston to report to the watch. I expect they dealt with
him.’

‘Thank you,
Miss Paget,’ he said quietly.

‘If they did
mean to... to kill your father, do you know why?’

‘I have not the
least idea, Miss Paget. Now, I beg of you, let us speak of more pleasant
things.’

He seemed
suddenly remote, once again the stiff, proud man, and their subsequent
conversation mirrored that. It was not until after they had left Cambridge
behind and were nearing Rowan Park that he mentioned the matter again. ‘I have
asked those three men to look after my father,’ he said. ‘If anything happens
and they cannot find me, they will come to you. Do not be tempted into any
heroics. If I cannot be contacted, simply report what they say to the
appropriate authorities. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, of
course, but why will they come to me?’

He smiled.
‘They think you are my young lady - their words. I did not disabuse them of the
idea.’

‘Why not?’ she
demanded.

‘It is none of
their business and besides, it would have been difficult to explain.’

‘I don’t see
why,’ she said. ‘You are my prospective brother-in-law; it is simple enough.’
She did not know why she had spoken so bluntly unless it was to make herself
see the truth.

‘Your sister
has not yet accepted me,’ he said laconically. ‘It would have been presumptuous
of me to have pre-empted that.’

‘Why do you
delay asking her?’

‘I intend to
win the race to York first.’

‘Why?’

He looked
sideways at her and then decided she deserved the truth. ‘Because it has been
suggested that if you marry Barbour first he will be in control of Miss
Felicity’s dowry and that if I play my cards right I can regain possession of
my horse in that way. That is not to my taste, Miss Paget.’

She began to
laugh, almost hysterically, and he pulled the curricle up and turned towards
her in alarm. ‘What have I said that is so amusing? I am perfectly serious.’

‘Control of my
sister’s dowry will not pass out of my hands, Major, I assure you.’

Did she mean
she had decided to reject Lord Barbour? He dared not ask for fear that she
would fly into anger and he did not want to risk it. ‘I do not see how you can
be so sure, but if you are right, then it is even more imperative that I win
this race.’

‘And Felicity
must wait, I suppose? What do you think the gossips will make of that?’

He did not know
whether to tell her what had been happening in London since she left or not.
Under Lady Hereward’s easygoing hospitality the younger Miss Paget was enjoying
herself no end, going to parties and routs, outings and picnics, surrounded by
bevies of young gentlemen, all anxious for her favours. He had been present on
two of those occasions and the last time, when he had said he was leaving town,
she had accepted with equanimity. He doubted if she was even missing him. ‘I am
surprised at you being concerned about gabblegrinders,’ he said, moving to the
attack. ‘You do not subscribe to convention yourself.’

‘What I do in
the country in the privacy of my own domain is my affair, Major. I did nothing
in town to give Society reason to criticise and I would most certainly do
nothing to harm my sister. Now, I suggest we continue before the poor horse
cools down and catches a chill.’

He flicked the
reins and they continued in silence until they were within sight of the
buildings of Rowan Park. ‘If you must win this wretched race,’ she said slowly,
‘tell me how I can help.’

‘I need good
horses,’ he said, much relieved. ‘I’ll buy if I have to, but hiring will be better.
I am riding north tomorrow to go over the route and arrange for mounts on the
most distant part of the ride. I shall use those two I bought today on the
early part of the race, so I am relying on you to bring them to a peak and get
me in the lead early. I believe an early lead is imperative.’

‘I can do
that.’

‘I should also
like all the men you can spare.’

‘Why?’

‘To see fair
play. Independent stewards have been appointed, but I don’t trust Barbour. He
cheated before and will do so again, given the chance. I intend to post my own
men all along the route. Many of my friends have volunteered and I’ll use as
many men as can be spared from Dullingham House and those three soldiers. And
any you can let me have.’

‘It seems
rather dire. Are you sure it’s necessary?’

‘The wager has
attracted a certain notoriety,’ he said, smiling ruefully. ‘The side-bets on it
are prodigious and there are some who might want one or other rider to come to
grief, might even be prepared to help him to do that. I do not want to be held
responsible.’

‘Surely not.’

‘I intend to be
prepared. I know it is a lot to ask, but the men will not be gone above two or
three days.’

‘Very well, I
will ask Dawson to let you know who can be spared.’

‘Thank you.’ He
paused, wondering whether he dared make the next request. ‘And there is one
more thing you can do for me.’

The tone of his
voice made her turn to look at him. If such a thing were possible she would
have said he was looking almost sheepish. ‘Go on, Major,’ she said.

‘Will you let
me have Grecian Warrior for one stage?’

‘What?’ She was
furious. ‘You know what I think of the whole idea and I would not help you at
all if it were not for Felicity’s sake and because I can understand your
reasons. But to ask for Warrior!’ She laughed suddenly. ‘He is very particular
about whom he allows on his back.’

‘Are you
suggesting I cannot ride him, Miss Paget? I pride myself on the fact that there
isn’t a mount alive I cannot ride.’

‘Now you are
trying to goad me into making you prove it. Well, I will not give you the
satisfaction, Major.’

Their beautiful
day had been spoiled. She had been so happy, enjoying his company and
pretending to herself that it was not the last time they would enjoy such a
good rapport. But it was a hollow sham; he had been softening her up for the
final coup de grace and she had not seen it coming. Oh, what a fool she had
been!

They had
arrived at her front door; the day was at an end and she would never have
another like it. She did not ask him to come in; it would not have been proper
when there was only Fanny and the housekeeper on the premises, though if she
had not been so angry she might have been tempted.

She stepped
down from the curricle without waiting for him to help her down and, picking up
her skirts, swept up the steps. At the top, she turned. ‘Thank you for a
pleasant day out, Major,’ she said stiffly. ‘You may rest assured your horses
will be in good hands. And I will keep my promise to let you have the men. I
suggest you go and see Dawson and make the arrangements.’

He stood on the
gravel looking up at her, wishing with all his heart that he had not made that
last request, but she had seemed so reasonable up until then and having Warrior
for one section of the ride would have more than made up for Lord Barbour’s use
of Victor. It seemed he had misjudged her yet again. ‘Bright Star’s outing to
Newmarket next week,
 
I’ll call for you,
shall I?’

‘No, Major, I
shall travel with the horse. I am sure you cannot spare the time; after all,
you have a much longer race to run, have you not?’ Her smile was sugar and
vinegar as she turned and went inside, too annoyed with herself and with him to
notice that Mrs Thorogood was not there to open the door as she usually was
when she heard carriage wheels on the gravel.

She did not hear
him leave as she shut the door and leaned against it, letting her whole body go
limp. After a few moments she pulled herself together and took off her hat and
went towards the stairs, but changed her mind. She needed something to restore
her nerves and a glass of wine would do no harm at all. She put her hat on a
chair and went into the drawing-room to get it for herself.

She crossed the
room, poured the wine, turned with the glass in her hand, and then she nearly
died of shock. Ensconced in the wing-chair beside the hearth was Lord Barbour
and he was smiling up at her in a way which turned her blood to ice.

‘What are you
doing here?’ she demanded.

He rose and
stepped towards her. ‘As you seemed set on refusing to see me in London, I
decided there was nothing for it but to beard the lioness in her den.’ He
sighed heavily. ‘There was I dying for love and anxious because the object of
my devotion had taken a tumble and no one would let me near her. Not well
enough for visitors, I was told; must not be excited and a visit from me would
surely excite her. I sent flowers every day, expensive blooms to match my
passion and no one to thank me but the dragon who guarded you. Patiently I
waited, only to be told you had fled to the country. What did you expect me to do?
I followed.’

‘How did you
get in?’

‘Your
housekeeper was so good as to tell me I could wait for you.’

‘But she had no
idea how long I would be.’

‘On the
contrary, my dear Georgiana - I may call you that may I not? - the dear lady
thinks you are lying injured in a hovel beside the road two miles from here,
having fallen from the curricle in which you had been travelling. ‘

‘And what is
supposed to have happened to my companions?’ she snapped.

‘Do you know,’ he
said infuriatingly, ‘she was in such a rush to render assistance she did not
even stop to ask? But I had a tale of such treachery to tell, she would have
been doubly incensed. You had been left stranded and forced to make your own
way home.’

‘And how are
you supposed to have come by this information?’

‘I found you,
of course, and you were able to tell me before I carried you to a nearby
cottage where a yokel in a smock is even now caring for you.’

‘I never heard
such a Banbury tale,’ she said. ‘And even if such a thing were true, why did
you allow Mrs Thorogood to go to my aid and remain here yourself?’

He smiled and
his little dark eyes became almost lost in the flesh of his cheeks, though twin
points of light remained, glittering malevolently. ‘I should have thought the
reason was obvious, my dear. I did not wish us to be disturbed.’