Invitation to Passion (23 page)

“But you recognized him?”

The boy nodded. “When he walked back to his horse, it was favoring its right leg. He pulled off his glove to feel the horse’s fetlock, and that’s when I saw the birthmark. He didn’t know I then followed him. I stayed hidden. I had my suspicions about the prank. Why would he need to wear a mask if it was just a prank? I should have listened to my inner voice, but my sister was so ill…I needed the money.”

Rufus and Richard shared a look. “You are going to have to come to London and give evidence against the culprit who instigated this terrible act.”

“But my sister…”

“I’ll see to it that she is taken to Hascombe and given the best of care while you aid us. Lady Wrentham is beside herself with grief.”

Richard gave Rufus a nod thanking him for the offer. He turned to collect the horses. “Who is this mystery man?”

“The man who offered me the money was Lady Wrentham’s father’s man of business. He came to Lord Wrentham’s estate when Lady Sarah married the Marquess.”

Richard stopped deathly still, his foot in the stirrup. He heard Rufus ask, “The Duke of Martinborough’s man? He now works for Lord Wrentham, or did work for Lord Wrentham?”

“Yes, although now he is working for Timothy Chesterton, the current trustee. That’s why I talked myself into believing it was only a prank. Timothy wanted to see his brother fall off his new stallion. They had had a bet apparently. If the stallion could unseat him, Timothy got the valuable steed.”

“He thought he’d get a lot more than the steed,” Rufus muttered.

“We’ve got the bastard.”

Rufus shook his head. “No. We have got Charles’s new man of business. Timothy can still deny everything. In order to accuse him, a soon to be Marquess, of murder, we need irrefutable proof that he instigated the prank. Even then, if it was a prank, it’s not murder, just a terrible accident.”

David Tanner interrupted. “No. It was Timothy who suggested the hunt. I heard him cajole his brother into it.”

Richard swore like a pirate. “Where do we go from here then?”

“Come, let’s ride home and organize some transport to get David and his family to Hascombe where we can discuss formulating a plan.”

Back in Rufus’s study, with David and his sister ensconced in the servants’ quarters, the two men sat drinking brandy.

Richard was still reeling from David’s information. “The man David is implicating is Graeme Hornsbled. Why would he betray Charles? He’s worked for the Duke all his life until Sarah’s father died. Sarah liked the man. She told me Hornsbled was always courteous and kind to her. Once, not long after she’d married and was still new to Wrentham Estate, Charles rode off and left her out on the estate in the middle of a stormy day. She got lost and was freezing, her dress was soaking wet, and it was Hornsbled who came out and found her. She thought Charles had sent him but no, Charles hadn’t told a soul she was lost. Hornsbled knew she’d accompanied Charles, so he went in search of her.”

“Then what would make such a good man help Timothy? Money, perhaps? Greed makes a man do many things.”

“True. It’s risky though to ask someone else to do your dirty work. You’d think Timothy would have cleaned up any loose ends.” Richard slapped the arm of his chair. “That’s it. If we can make Timothy think Hornsbled has confessed, and he is prepared to tell a court everything, perhaps we could make Timothy do something foolish like try to kill him. If we catch Timothy in the act, we could make a good case against him.”

Rufus sipped his brandy, deep in contemplation. “What I cannot understand is if he were after the title, he took such a risk waiting for Charles to wed. He cannot claim the title until Sarah’s child is born. Why didn’t he kill Charles before he married?”

“Perhaps he wanted to wait for Charles to marry. He had planned to frame Sarah for the murder. Everyone knew she did not wish to marry Charles, and if it came to light the girth was cut, and suspicion rose about it not being an accident, he would have someone to blame. Sarah has every right to be afraid. I think he’d kill anyone to get what he wants.”

“I agree. We need to find Graeme Hornsbled. You do realize he’s in danger, don’t you? If I know anything about Timothy, he won’t want any lose ends.”

They sat in silence contemplating their next move.

Richard finally spoke. “The key is finding Hornsbled. Let’s send one of our best men to pay a visit to the Wrentham Estate tomorrow and if we cannot find him, I think we should hire the Bow Street Runners to hunt him down.”

Dear Richard,

I was most upset when I got your letter. I would never put my reputation before a friendship. I am beginning to wonder if you are perhaps regretting our correspondence and have ‘other interests’ to pursue.

I overheard, and believe me I was not trying to overhear this, Victoria from the village telling her friend about a certain gentleman’s kisses. It would appear your visit to Hascombe was not solely to see me!

Perhaps, if you were to marry, your future wife would not deem these kisses very appropriate.

If you have come to view our friendship in a different light, please let me know. You promised never to lie to me. I hold you to that promise.

Yours always,

The Honorable Madeline Strathmore

For once, Madeline was enjoying attending a ball. The reason for this was because it was a masquerade ball. This allowed her to pretend she was not the woman the
ton
was watching like a hawk. She compared the elegantly dressed
ton
to hawks chasing an insignificant field mouse, waiting to move in for the kill.

“Mr. Hindsworth, how lovely it is to see you once again.”

Melissa’s greeting forced Madeline’s gaze up, making her remember she should hold her head high.

Christopher bowed low over her hand and whispered, “You are far lovelier tonight than any other lady here.” She knew he was simply bolstering her confidence, but she smiled in delight.

“May I have the pleasure of this dance?”

“Of course, kind sir,” and she followed him out onto the floor for a waltz as every eye in the ballroom followed them. Christopher danced beautifully. He held her close but not inappropriately. “A beautiful woman should never be left alone for too long. I saw Lord Kendrick heading your way. The other ladies tell me he has two left feet.”

“Thank you for rescuing me once again. I prefer to be able to walk for the rest of the night. However, I think you are also saving yourself. I’ve never seen so many young ladies clamoring for an introduction.”

He smirked in distaste, the beauty of his face not marred by his expression. His black curls were tousled as if he’d just got out of bed. All the women were eager to see that event first hand, flirting outrageously with him throughout the evening. His somber front seemed to bring out the mothering instincts in the ladies of the
ton.
The fact he looked like a young Ares with eyes of such intense blue, lined beautifully with long lashes, had even the elder ladies vying for his attention. The evil daggered looks being sent her way would fuel the spiteful gossip. She was the only woman Christopher had danced with all evening.

He reddened and she realized she was staring at him.

“You also do not appear to be lacking in admirers-except for your husband. He is once again playing court to Lady Wrentham. Are you not tired of being ignored?”

“Appearances can be deceiving. Sarah is overly upset, as witnessed by her presence here. Everyone knows who it is under her mask.”

“The question would be why is she here and why does your husband pander to her needs? Perhaps he enjoys her attentions?”

Christopher held her closer as she missed a step, and fans began to flitter faster. “I wish everyone would mind their own business. They have no idea what…” She managed to stop herself from revealing secrets that were not hers to share.

“Ignore them. The
ton
is a vicious beast that is never satisfied. I’ll protect you.”

Madeline tried to steal herself against the hurt. She had too much pride. Why should she care what they thought? “From their spiteful tongues? No one can protect me from that.”

“Not from their tongues, but from the truth. Do you trust him?”

“Richard?”

Christopher looked so earnest. “Yes, your husband. Do you trust him?”

“I trust him. He would not dishonor our marriage. He might want to, but I know the man, knew the boy, and he would not want to hurt me, or break his promise. He knows if he did, our marriage would be over.” She wished she could tell Christopher, tell the whole
ton,
why
Richard was always with Sarah, but she couldn’t, not until Timothy had been caught. She’d simply have to remain dignified and brazen it out.

“Your husband is a fool. To pursue a woman like Lady Wrentham over you... but then the heart is a complex organ. I know only too well that you cannot choose whom you love. Many times in the past, I have wished my heart had chosen another.”

“Do you not believe you’ll ever come to love again?”

He gave her a wry look. “If you lost Richard, would you love again?”

Madeline bit her lip. Would she? Could she? A picture of the things Richard had done to her in bed entered her head, and she knew with certainty she could never imagine doing those things, loving those things, and giving herself so completely to any other man. It had always been Richard for her and it was as if her soul had recognized her destiny the first day she had met him.

“No. I probably would not, but you are a man.” Her mask hid her blush and made her bold. “I couldn’t imagine sharing my body with any other man. But men seem perfectly capable of sharing intimacies with a woman without involving their heart.”

“A man who loves deeply wouldn’t want anyone else.”

Annoyance made her contrite. “Then Richard isn’t in love with Sarah, for he is very attentive to me.”

Christopher didn’t reply; instead, he twirled her gently round the floor. They spoke no more until the music stopped. “Everyone knew Richard was going to fight a duel with Wrentham over Sarah. Then he married you and seemed quite content. I wonder if the man knows what real love is. I, for one, would have stopped Sarah from marrying Wrentham if I had really loved her. True love cannot be denied. You’d give up your very soul for the other person. Your husband appears fickle when it comes to affairs of the heart. Let’s hope his word is less fickle than his heart.”

With that he bowed and took his leave.

Madeline pondered Christopher’s words over the coming hours. He was not the only one who had pointed out Richard’s pathetic attempt to stop Sarah’s wedding. If he had already told Sarah he loved her and then walked away, would he in turn say one thing to her, but think another?

She hated the position she found herself in. She had always lived her life surrounded by scandal and this was not fair. After being kept away from the feasting
ton
all her life, she had now rejoined society, only to bring shame down upon the Strathmore name once again through circumstances beyond her control. Would she ever be free to live her life without being evaluated and found wanting? The weight of worthlessness descended on her and all her old insecurities swept in.

A man as handsome and virile as Richard would be presented with many opportunities to stray.

“Is anything the matter,” Rheda asked. “You look sad.”

Lost in thought, she hadn’t heard or seen Rheda’s approach. She forced a smile and shook her head. “I’ll just be happy when this business with Sarah is done. I hate how they spread spiteful gossip about us.”

“Your obvious friendship with Mr. Hindsworth is beginning to attract attention too. It is just a friendship, is it not?”

“He is simply a friend. I could do with more friends at the moment. Many think he’s more attentive than my husband,” Maddy tried not to sound bitter.

“That is not fair. You know why Richard is behaving as he is.”

Maddy gripped the stem of her glass harder. “Yes. And Sarah is using the opportunity to seduce him. I wonder if Richard is enjoying the position he finds himself in, with both a wife and a lover.”

“That is not fair,” Rheda scolded, and when Maddy merely raised an eyebrow in response, she added, “Sarah might still want Richard, but
he
doesn’t want her.”

“I’m not so sure. Christopher is still true to the woman he loved, although she is dead. Richard was supposedly in love with Sarah. How could his feelings change so quickly?”

“Rufus had lovers before me. He’s a man, for goodness sake. He even thought he was in love with a French woman at one time. Life often throws people in our paths almost as if they’re sent to test us. Some people test our hearts, while others test our courage. Perhaps Sarah was sent to test Richard and to make him face a truth about himself.”

“What truth? His love for her?”

Rheda looked across at Anthony, indecision clearly written on her face. After a moment’s hesitation, Rheda bit her lip and suddenly squared her shoulders. “I’m sharing Melissa’s confidence with you because you’re my friend. There is something you need to understand about Richard.”

Maddy moved in closer. “You have been discussing my marriage?”

“Not maliciously. Melissa wanted my advice on whether she should share a conversation she had had with Anthony. I originally told her no, but seeing how Sarah’s presence is interfering with your lives, I think you need to hear it.”

Madeline’s tensed. They had been discussing her marriage. How degrading was that! “It’s bad enough to have strangers gossiping, but my own family.”

Rheda hugged her briefly. “It’s not gossip where we are concerned, and the advice is well intentioned.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Really! I’m not sure I want to hear what you have to say.”

“Listen! Anthony believes Richard has never loved any of his former paramours. The women he became involved with have all needed saving from something or someone. Richard is a product of his upbringing. How it must have destroyed him to stand by and see Anthony suffer while they were growing up.”