Redemption (20 page)

“Your
place is here, in London, with me,” he murmured.

“If I
stay in London then Patty has to stay too,” she told him. “She
shouldn’t go back to live in Derbyshire by herself
again.”

When he
leaned back and looked down at her, Lizzie explained her aunt’s
eccentricities and the daily struggle she faced to survive life in
such a remote location.

Ben
nodded in understanding. “She has to remain here too then. I agree.
It hasn’t been easy for you, has it?”

She
sighed and shook her head. “It could have been a heck of a lot
worse. I dread to think where I would have ended up if I hadn’t had
Patty to turn to.”

“It
cannot do her much good having to live in a hotel. She needs to be
in a more settled environment,” he murmured thoughtfully, resting
his cheek against the silken top of her head. “I think you should
move to McArthur House.”

When she
jerked back to stare up at him, he sensed she was about to object
and placed a kiss on her lips to silence her.

“I don’t
care what people say, or think, our futures are together Lizzie,
you have to know that. Given your aunt’s questionable mental
health, it would be much better if she was looked after by my
staff. I have more than enough space to accommodate her and plenty
of staff to see to her every need. Not only that but there are
doctors in London who could look after her too if her condition
gets any worse.”

Lizzie
thought about that. She had to admit that his offer sounded
wonderfully generous. He was right. Patty would be much happier in
a more settled environment. While her condition hadn’t made an
appearance at all while they had been in London, Lizzie knew that
her aunt could lapse back into her previous absent mindedness at
any moment. Not only that but, on a more personal and selfish
level, Patty’s presence at McArthur House would stop the majority
of the gossip about her own association with Ben. Staying at
McArthur House would indeed be beneficial to everyone.

“Given
that Julian is in some kind of trouble, I think you need to stay
somewhere a little safer.” He didn’t add that he wouldn’t rest
properly until she was under his direct protection.

Lizzie
thought about the man who had approached her outside of the hotel
and nodded thoughtfully. She still didn’t know who he was and
realised then that she hadn’t mentioned him to either Julian or
Ben.

It’s too late to meet him now
she
mused silently as she glanced at the clock. She thought about the
white card the stranger had given her earlier. Even if she left now
she wouldn’t be back at the hotel in time to meet him as
instructed.

Lizzie
nodded slowly. “If you are sure,” she replied, deeply touched at
his generosity. “I should like that.”

Ben sent
a silent prayer of thanks heavenward. “Good, that’s settled then.
When we leave here we can go to the hotel and collect your aunt,
and then go straight to McArthur House,” he murmured.

“Oh, but
we are booked into the hotel for tonight. Besides, won’t your staff
need to prepare for guests?” she leaned back to look at him. There
was nothing she wanted more than to see McArthur House on the
inside, and more of Ben, she had to consider her aunt, who may have
already gone to bed.

Sensing
there was something she wasn’t telling him, he tipped her chin up
until she was looking at him.

“You can
tell me anything, you know. I will help you with anything that
brings you trouble.”

“It just
doesn’t seem fair that you should be embroiled in my problems,” she
replied on a sigh.

“There
is something else, isn’t there?”

Lizzie
nodded and told him about the man she had seen at the
hotel.

Ben
nodded thoughtfully when she fell silent, and stared blankly at the
back of the chaise while he considered whether to go and see Julian
himself.

“It
sounds like he could be one of Julian’s acquaintances. It would be
best if you sent Julian a note and just let him deal with it. You
must come to McArthur House where it is safer. I think the man,
whoever he is, needs to go to see Julian rather than bother you.
You did the right thing handing all of your business dealings over
to the solicitor.”

She
leaned back to look up at him. “What made you think that Julian had
killed me?” she asked with a frown.

Ben told
her. At times it was difficult to remember the raw fury, desperate
worry, and deep hurt that had plagued his every waking moment since
that fateful morning when he had learned she had vanished. However,
deep inside he needed her to know just how much she had come to
mean to him, and so opened the Pandora’s Box of memories he would
much prefer to leave closed.

“I am so
sorry,” Lizzie whispered feeling more guilty than ever upon hearing
the pain in his voice.

She
wasn’t sorry for the anxiety she had caused to her step-brother. As
far as she was concerned, he deserved his current predicament. If
it helped cure him of some of his vices, his confinement could only
be a good thing. However, she now fully understood why Ben had
found last several weeks so difficult, and began to believe that he
truly did care for her. “I hope people weren’t gossiping about our
association and labelling you.”

Ben
shook his head. “They knew we were close but, after witnessing
Julian’s behaviour at the ball, they were blaming him. His anger
toward you only fuelled the rumours that he had done away with
you.”

“So his
behaviour worked against him,” she sighed feeling not the least bit
sorry for her step-brother.

Ben
nodded. “One thing I cannot understand is why, if Julian knew where
to find you, he didn’t come to find you before he was arrested? Why
allow himself to be sent to prison?”

“Well,
he said he had been forced to visit another distant relative and
got Aunt Patty’s address from him. It was quicker to go to see him
in person rather than write and wait for a response.”

“But it
was urgent that you were found, Lizzie, because everyone thought
you were dead. Julian faced being sent to prison and had the
magistrate breathing down his neck. He went to the relative to get
your address you say?”

She
nodded.

“So why
didn’t he just go straight to Derbyshire once he had your address,
and persuade you to return to London with him. If it helped to
maintain his freedom, why did he return to London?”

She
thought about that for a moment and sighed. “Knowing Julian he
probably wouldn’t want to go to Derbyshire. He is nothing if not
lazy.”

“It just
doesn’t make sense,” Ben murmured thoughtfully. “He might not like
the country but it is considerably better than jail.”

Lizzie
nodded. She had to concede that he had a point. Now that she came
to think about it, it did seem rather strange that he hadn’t
travelled to Derbyshire to persuade her to return and escort her
back personally.

Ben
secretly felt that prison was the best place for Julian Pendlebury
because he was behind bars, and wasn’t in a position to hurt Lizzy
anymore. Whatever the reason he didn’t see fit to travel straight
to Derbyshire, he was the one who had paid the price for his
laziness and it served him right.

“I
didn’t realise just how bad Julian’s situation was.” Ben looked
around the empty room askance. “Has he released all of his
staff?”

“I think
so. From what I have seen of the house, he has sold anything he can
carry.” Lizzie shook her head in disgust.

“I had
heard rumours.”

“Are
they bad?” She knew from the look on his face that they were but he
was too much of a gentleman to tell her the exact
details.

“I am
afraid so. Were any of the items he has sold yours from when your
mother was alive?”

She
nodded. “A few are still here, but some have gone. They were mainly
trinkets and vases. The rest of mother’s personal belongings should
still be in the attics here.”

“Then if
you would permit me, I should like to arrange for them to be
removed to a place of safety, before Julian sells them
too.”

Lizzie
nodded. “I don’t know how to thank you. You have been so
kind.”

“It is
not kindness. I hope that while you are in London you will consider
staying for good. I know our relationship is still at a relatively
early stage but you will not deal with your step-brother alone. Not
while I am around.”

“I am
glad you came to check it was me,” she whispered
fervently.

He
grinned at her. “I am glad it was you I found here and not Julian’s
mistress.”

She
gasped and leaned back to stare at him. “Who is she?” The very
thought made her skin crawl.

Ben
shrugged. “I have no idea. Rumour has it that he moved her in not
long after you left. However, it is just a rumour,” he added
quickly, studying the disgust written on her face
cautiously.

“Rumours
are fuelled from something,” Lizzie countered with a disgusted
snort. “How dare he?”

“I have
no proof, you understand,” Ben cautioned, staring at the sudden
transformation in her. She had gone from being soft and compliant
in his arms to a fierce lioness bristling with fury he desperately
wanted to tame. Her cheeks flashed a wonderful pink tinge; her eyes
flashed with molten anger; her bosom heaved with indignation. He
had never seen a more arresting sight in his life.

“Where
are you going?” he asked when she suddenly clambered over him,
stood up, and stalked across the room.

“To find
her room,” she called back at him as she yanked the door open and
stomped across the hall.

Ben
stared after her for a moment before he realised she was going to
vanish any moment now and he wouldn’t know where she was. Without
further thought he launched off the sofa and chased after
her.

“Lizzie?”

“Who
told you that Julian’s mistress is in residence here?” she asked
suddenly as she climbed the stairs.

“I heard
about it on the grapevine,” Ben replied evasively, refusing to
inform her that he had heard in one of the gaming houses. He wasn’t
one to frequent such places himself. He had gone purely to find out
for himself just what Julian had been up to. The fact that he had
heard a titbit of gossip about the man at the same time had been
mere happenchance.

“You
know what it is like in London. Someone only has been seen talking
in the street and they are suddenly having an affair, or showing
far too much interest in each other than is wise.”

By the
time she reached the upper floor she was immensely relieved Ben had
chosen to accompany her because she suddenly became aware that the
dark shadows in the main part of the house had become so thick they
were almost threatening.

“Let me
light a candle, darling,” he murmured as he came to a halt behind
her. “Then we can at least see what we are looking at.”

She
nodded and showed him the drawer in the hallway table. They lit a
candle each before Lizzie led the way to Julian’s suite of
rooms.

“Was
anyone here when you arrived?” He asked, peering into the chaos of
the main bedroom.

It
didn’t look as though anyone had been in there for weeks. It was a
mess with clothing and pots scattered over practically every
surface. It had an air of dejection about it that was just as bad
as the rest of the house.

“Malcolm, Julian’s former butler was here when I arrived. I
got the impression that he was loafing rather than working, but he
has gone now. He stomped out when I challenged him about standing
around in his shirt sleeves rather than carrying out his duties
like he is supposed to. He said he had been allowed to remain here
while he tried to find another job, but I think he was taking
advantage of Julian not being in residence. It is what happens when
you cannot afford to employ proper staff. Julian has got himself
into financial trouble, but I refuse to bail him out. As far as I
am concerned, he got himself into trouble, why should I spend my
inheritance to help him out?”

“Wait a
minute,” Ben cried, and captured her elbow and turned her to face
him. He lifted his brows in a silent demand for an explanation.
“What did you just say?”

“When I
visited Julian, he suggested that now I had the money I could pay
his debts off for him and he would pay me back.”

Ben
snorted.

“I
know,” she assured him. “I refused, obviously. Not least because of
the way he has treated me.”

“Good
for you,” Ben drawled proudly. “You should have come to me, you
know. I would have supported you. That scoundrel deserves to rot
where he is. I hope he never gets out of that jail.”

“I know
but – look, let’s not go back over all of that. We cannot go back
and change things now, can we?” Lizzie sighed and glanced down the
darkened corridor. “I hope I don’t sound too impertinent in asking,
but what do you want with Julian? You still haven’t told me what
your grievance with him is.”