He nodded. Such were the laws. So you ran away.
So I tried to run away.
And I helped stop you. Now he did pound the mantel, sending the ormolu clock bouncing into a small, carved wooden chest that held flint and tinder. Lord, I am sorry. I realize now I did not know half the facts of the matter. I just knew your father was distraught, and Snelling a scoundrel. His reputation followed him throughout the army in the Peninsula. He would have gone through your money and left you at the first chance.
But he would not have left me until we were married, because he had hopes of getting my dowry. He said he was going to take me to his family on the way back from Gretna, to stay there while he conducted business in London. I knew Francis had no business but to get his hands on my money, that hed sold his commission, but I reasoned that his father, Viscount Snelling, would have to keep me, if only out of shame when his son abandoned me. If I could get my diamonds or my dower money, his lordship might even welcome me. If they all despised me, living with Snellings family had to be better than life with my father.
If the family was anything like that sniveling worm, Daniel had his doubts.
How the devil did you meet a loose screw like Snelling, anyway?
Corie tried to smooth her skirts, rather than meet his gaze. I was young and foolish, and just out of Miss Meadows Select Academy for Young Ladies. My father sent me there to make me more attractive on the marriage market. I was to go to the highest bidder, it seemed.
That could not have been Lieutenant Francis Snelling. He never had a shilling to his name, other than what he stole or borrowed or won in rigged card games. He was another Jeremy Babcock, an unscrupulous cheat. He sold out when no one would play with him, and before the army could toss him out for all the duels and fights he was embroiled in.
But no one tells those things to young women, do they? I do not know that anyone nearby knew about his past, anyway. He was visiting friends in the neighborhood, and they werent about to admit to harboring a villain. They were renting the old Mahoney estate. Do you recall it?
He and Rex had raided the orchards there in earlier days. I suppose he was still wearing his uniform? Even intelligent females turned into peageese at the sight of scarlet regimentals.
Yes, and he looked strong and brave and handsome. We met at dinner there, and again at church, and a dance at another neighbors house. Handsome young officers were always welcome.
He was stalking you. He must have known your father had no son, that youd be well dowered.
Perhaps. But he said he cared for me, enough to ask my father for permission to pay his addresses.
After what? Three meetings?
More like five. I was thrilled, even though I knew hed be rejected.
I do not blame your father for that.
No, but the lieutenants attentions spurred my father to make the match he wanted, to save himself the expense of bringing me to London. He accepted Sir Neville without consulting me.
This time when Daniel hit the mantel, the wooden chest fell off and spilled its contents all over the floor. The dog left her nest of towels to investigate, but nothing was edible, so she went back to sleep.
Corie went on, to finish the tale shed never told anyone else. When I heard about Sir Neville, I argued and I pleaded and I wept, to no avail. So I sent Francis a note. He was appalled at the wedding plans, and declared himself my knight, my savior, my future husband. We left three days later, with what moneys I could scrape together. Unfortunately it wasnt enough to hire prime cattle or faster carriages. You know the rest of the story.
Did you love him? He did not know that, and now it mattered.
I was grateful and glad to be gone. If I did have any affection for Francis, it died after the first few hours in the smelly coach. He complained about my baggage, my lack of funds, my needing to stop occasionally. And he drank. I would have gone through with the elopement, anyway, just to be married to anyone but Sir Neville.
Daniel recalled the scene at the inn, with Cories nightgown open at the neck, its hem up to her waist, her legs bare, and Snelling on top of her. The bounder was guaranteeing that Abbott couldnt stop the marriage, not knowing the rabid squire cared more about his vengeance than his daughters honor. If shed been with child, Daniel supposed, shed have disappeared somehow, with a visit to a distant relative to satisfy the neighborhood. The infant would never have seen the light of day.
At least you could have been a widow when he died at the war.
I never wished for his death. I never imagined hed rejoin his regiment or go to the front lines.
Neither had Snelling, but that was another story. The rotter was dead, theyd never reached Gretna Green or a border blacksmith to conduct a legal ceremony, and Daniel had helped place Corie back in her fathers clutches.
Did you try to escape again?
She shrugged. I had no money, no beaux. My father saw to that. He kept up the public pretense, parading me out at assemblies and church on Sunday, but always under his watch. He said he would break my arm the next time I shamed him, or else he would make my face so ugly no man would look at me.
Daniel took a deep breath to keep from saying words that could only shock the woman who was now sitting on the floor, rubbing the dogs head with a fresh towel. She was so lovely, even with her hair in damp curls, that he could not imagine anyone wanting to mar that beauty. It would be like taking a knife to those masterpieces in the museum, like making an angel cry. He swallowed, hard.
Did you tell my mother?
That my father was a brute, that he was cruel to me? I think she knew from talk in the neighborhood. Heaven knew what the servants told their friends in the village. But I could not bring myself to speak of such things to Lady Cora. Admit my own father was a vicious bully? How could I, when I was too ashamed of my own actions? I still have not found a way to tell her he stole my diamonds. Besides, what could she do? I thought of going to your uncle, Lord Royce. Id always heard what a wise man the earl was, how he helped people find justice. But he was living as an invalid who never left his home. How could I call on him when I was seldom permitted to leave the grounds of the manor?
Uncle Royce will do something now, I promise. If he does not, the countess will. No one crosses Lady Royce, not ever. But you are right; the earl was weak three years ago, with a congestion of the lungs that never went away. He hardly spoke to me, except to hear news of Rex. We all worried for his health and wondered if he was going to survive until Rex returned from the war. All is well now, though. Hell know what to do about your father. And your mothers death.
No, I do not want to involve your family any more than I already have. Besides, you said it yourself, that a father has the law on his side. The courts would not intervene unless he killed me, I suppose, but a surgeon could be bribed to lie. Thats what happened with my mother, I have no doubt.
Two questions to the squire and no male Royce descendant would have any doubt: How did your wife die? Did you do it? Daniel intended to put those questions to the blackguard before too long. Now he had to atone for his own sins against a helpless young female.
She was going on: No one could help. A daughter belongs to her parent, the same as a horse, a piece of farm equipment, only she is less valuable than a horse and plow. A daughter is her fathers to use as he sees fit. He can marry her off, keep her as unpaid housekeeper, throw her out onto the streets to starve.
Daniel knew there were vicars who did not quibble at the brides tears, not when their fee was doubled or tripled. No doubt Sir Neville and Abbott had one waiting nearby, with a special license to keep the repugnant marriage ceremony private until its conclusion. He also knew the streets of London were filled with girls whose parents threw them out because they had disgraced themselves and their families. Others sent their daughters to the city because they simply could not afford to feed them. A womans lot was not an easy one.
What he said was, My mother would not let you go hungry. Which reminded Daniel of the tin of biscuits Deauville kept filled on his dressing table. He handed one to the dog, and one to Corie. Eat it. You are too thin.
She nibbled on the edge of the biscuit. Daniel ate two. Helen ate three and looked for more with her pleading brown eyes. Cories green eyes were prettier, Daniel thought. And just as soulful, to be recounting the dreadful events.
My father wanted Sir Nevilles money, estate, and a title in the family, Corie continued, giving her biscuit to the dog. He wanted obedience. When I gave him none of those, he had no use for me.
I am so sorry.
You said that already.
And I know it does not change anything, but I feel it.
I believe you. But do you believe me?
He never thought to wait for an itch or a prickle. He knew she spoke the truth without resort to any mystical Royce powers. He knelt beside her and took both of her hands into his, the fine-boned elegant one and the twisted, mangled one. He brought them both to his lips. I believe you. He wanted to brush the damp tendrils of hair away from her cheeks, to smooth the worried lines on her forehead, but he was already daring more than he should, especially if she had that knife in her pocket. And this time I swear I will help you.
Youll get me a pistol?
Better. Ill get you a husband. Someone who will treat you with the respect you deserve. Someone who is kind and caring, with no bad habits. A steady fellow. Reliable. Honest. Dedicated.
She smiled, finally. While you are conjuring up this paragon, could you make him wealthy and handsome, too?
Of course. Nothing is too hard for us Royce men, you know. Or us Stamfields. Miracle workers, all of us.
So he invited Lord Trowbridge to take dinner with them that evening.
Chapter Twenty-three
F
irst, Daniel asked Dobbson and Deauville. Neither knew anything to the mans discredit. Dobbson confirmed that Viscount Trowbridge was a proper gentleman of excellent lineage and promising future in the government. Deauville reported that his valet had been with Trowbridge for decades, a sign of a good employer and a generous wage.
Next Daniel asked his mother when she returned from the waltz party. She felt she deserved a sip of sherry after an afternoon of giggly girls and awkward boys, so Daniel joined her in a glass. The invitation to dinner ought to come from her, anyway, but mostly he conferred with her because she knew everything about everyone, although shed been away from London for most of her marriage. He wondered how she kept so well-informed.
My loyal correspondents, you know, dear. And the London papers your father always subscribed to for me. I do like to keep up with the social and political news, no matter how far away I am. Why, when you were in that dreadful war, we had five newspapers delivered every day. We had the London
Times
, the
Daniel cleared his throat. The invitation ought to go out well before the dinner hour.
Oh, yes, you wanted to know about Viscount Trowbridge, didnt you? I believe I knew him from my own come-out days, before he succeeded to the title. His family has been close to the court forever.
Hes that old? I mean, he appears far younger. Daniel had thought Trowbridge was in his forties, not really too old for a mature miss of twenty summers. Still, he kept fit enough for a younger wife.
Lady Cora patted her sons cheek. Clean living, my dear, clean living. She did not refer to Daniels former carousing, only that Lord Morgan looked older than his age, from all his drinking and smoking. And other wildness that adds years to a gentlemans looks, like brawling.
Daniel touched his many-times-broken nose, then asked, How is the invalid, by the way? He was resting quietly when I peeked in, with Miss Reynolds reading at his side. His breathing seemed normal.
His mother smiled. The physician thinks he is ready to return to his own home, with proper precautions, of course. I convinced him that Lord Morgan needed a few more days of bed rest and attentive nursing.
How much did you have to bribe the doctor?
Not much. Not as much as I saw Lord Morgan hand him.
So your matchmaking is bearing fruit?
I dont believe I smell orange blossoms yet, but I have hopes. By the time he leaves, Lord Morgan should appreciate a womans tender touch too much to give it up.
And you wont let him leave until he does. Is that playing fair?
Lady Cora countered the unspoken criticism with, Was he happy before, alone in that run-down house with no family or friends to help him?
No, hed been considering finding another wife. Daniel did not mention that Lord Morgan had been considering Corie, while Daniel thought he might suit Lady Cora herself. Um, about Lord Trowbridge?
