Regency Sting (28 page)

So deep was his sleep that even Orkle's ministrations to his forehead did not rouse him. Once the wound was cleaned and bandaged, Peter and Orkle shook him and dragged him to his feet. “Come on, old man,” Peter said, struggling mightily to rouse Jason enough to gain his assistance, “let's get you off to bed.”

Jason, now on his feet, leaned heavily on Peter's and Orkle's shoulders and looked around dizzily. “Anne?”

She had risen and gone to put a consoling arm about her stepmother's shaking shoulders. “Yes, my lord?” she asked.

He blinked at her whoozily. “You're not … goin' away …?”

She lowered her eyes. “Not … tonight, my lord. Good night.”

Coyne took a branch of candles and started up the stairs with Jason and his assistants following. They had not gone halfway up when there was a knock at the door. Coyne looked around in amazement. “Now, who—?”

“Go on up with his lordship, Coyne,” Anne ordered. “I'll see to the door.”

“At this hour?” Lady Harriet cried fearfully. “You will
not
go to the door! Who knows what sort of person may be standing there! Go ahead, Coyne. I'll take the candles.”

Coyne hurried down, handed the candles to Lady Harriet and hurried to the door, but no one else moved. He opened it a crack.

“I beg your pardon, Coyne,” said a female voice timidly, “for waking you at this shockingly late hour … but I saw … that is, I must see Miss Hartley at once!”

“
Cherry
?” Anne cried in astonishment. “Is that
you
?”

Coyne opened the door and Cherry hurried in. She stopped abruptly as her eyes took in the confusion in the hallway. “Oh!” she gasped in confusion. “I thought … I mean … the whole
family
…? Has something gone wrong?”

Anne burst into a peal of laughter. “Yes, I think you could safely say that,” she agreed. “I can't
imagine
what brings you here at this hour, Cherry, but—”

“I have to talk to you, Anne. It's
most urgent
,” Cherry said.

“It must be, if you've come out alone in the middle of the night. Arthur, please take Cherry into the sitting room. I'll join you both as soon as I've helped Mama to bed.”

“If you think you can shunt me off like this, young lady,” Harriet said with asperity, “you've much mistaken the matter.”

“Come now, Mama, you're not being reasonable,” Anne said gently, taking her stepmother's arm and urging her toward the stairs. “You've been quite shaken by all this, you know. If you lie down and regain your calm, you'll be much more the thing by morning. Then, when your breathing is regular and your mind composed, I'll tell you all about what has happened here tonight.”

“Very well, if you
promise
…” Harriet agreed reluctantly, and she turned and permitted Anne to lead her up the stairs.

While Jason and Harriet were being assisted into bed, Arthur, pale and shaken, faced Cherry in the sitting room with less curiosity than relief. “I'm so glad to see you,” he said to her pathetically. “This has been the most
disastrous
night. I don't think I can bring myself to go through it again.”

“But that's why I'm here, my dear,” Cherry said eagerly. “Perhaps you won't
have
to.”

“Why not?” Arthur asked, his curiosity piqued at last.

“I received a note from Anne tonight. Arthur, you were right about her, and I was wrong. I now am convinced that she does
not
love you as she ought.” Cherry lifted her head with newfound courage. “I've decided that I won't
permit
her to run off with you and make you miserable!”

“Cherry!” Arthur said, awed, and he gathered her into his arms.

By the time Anne reappeared, Arthur and Cherry were seated side by side on the sofa, fully prepared to explain to Anne the state of their feelings. “You must be wondering, my dear,” Cherry began, “why I've come at this late hour.”

“Yes, it
is
a bit strange,” Anne said, “but it's not important now. There's something I must—”

“It
is
important, Anne. Please let me explain. I'd been to see the play at Covent Garden tonight with Captain Wr—” She gave Arthur a quick, surreptitious glance. “Well, that part's not important, but I arrived home quite late and found your note. Really, Anne, I must implore you not to go through with the elopement feeling as you do. I hope you don't mind my saying this in front of Arthur, but—”

“But, Cherry, that's exactly what
I
wanted to say. Arthur, I've been thinking about this very thing. I can't go with you to Shropshire. I would be terribly unhappy in your sort of life, and no matter how hard I'd try, it would not fool a man as sensitive as you. In the end, you would be unhappy, too. The three of us have always been such good friends that I know you won't mind my saying these things so openly … but Arthur, I'm not the girl for you. You are so truly
good
! You need a girl like … like
Cherry
!”

“But,
Anne
,” Arthur interrupted in astonishment, “that's just what we—”

Cherry hastily placed a restraining hand on Arthur's arm. “Anne, my dear,” she said with a nervous giggle, “this is not the time for matchmaking.”

“Yes, you're right. Let's leave it at that. Arthur, you
will
see Cherry home, won't you?”

“Of course,” he said, giving Cherry an appreciative smile. He'd understood at once what Cherry had done. In her deep, instinctive understanding of other people's feelings, she had realized that the kindest way out of the situation was to permit Anne to make the match between them. His heart filled with pride in her. She was the perfect mate for a man in holy orders.

Cherry rose, gave Anne a quick embrace, and left the room. Anne looked at Arthur diffidently. “I hope you find it possible to forgive me someday, Arthur dear. But I know this is for the best.”

Arthur nodded wordlessly and lifted her hand to his lips. Then he walked quickly from the room. Cherry stood at the door, waiting. But he would not take her home. He gave her a questioning look. She nodded imperceptibly and, hand-in-hand, they went out the door. Who would have believed, Arthur thought wonderingly, that this nightmare of an evening would end with his taking his beloved Cherry to Gretna Green?

Twenty-Two

Everyone slept a little late in the Mainwaring household the following morning, but by ten most of the inhabitants were up and about. Peter had already had his breakfast and was at his studies in the library as if nothing untoward had occurred. Lady Harriet had sent for her abigail and was trying, with the girl's assistance, to apply a soothing cucumber lotion to her ravaged complexion. Anne was sitting despondently over her coffee in the breakfast room, wondering what she was to do with her now-directionless life. And Jason was awake but unable to lift his throbbing, aching head from the pillow.

Coyne came into the breakfast room (his usual, stolid manner unaffected by the activities of the previous night) to inform Miss Anne that Miss Alexandra de Guis had come to call. Anne told him to send her in. Lexie's brisk entrance, in her resplendent velvet riding costume, was so exuberantly cheerful that it seemed a reproach to Anne's depressed spirits. “Where is your abominable cousin?” Lexie demanded without preamble. “He had fixed to ride with me this morning.”

“I'm afraid Jason has met with an accident,” Anne told her.

“An
accident
?” Lexie turned quite pale. “What happened? Has he been badly hurt?”

“No, no,” Anne hastened to assure her. “He … er … fell against a suit of armor and received a cut on his head. His man tells me that he's quite all right this morning and is suffering more from the effects of having imbibed too deeply last night than from his injury.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Lexie sighed in relief and sat down at the table. “May I have some tea? I need something restorative to recover from the shock.”

Anne poured the tea. “I'm sorry you had to miss your ride. If I had known, I would have sent a message to you.”

“Don't trouble your mind about
that
. But, Anne, would it be very shocking—and detrimental to my reputation—if I went up to see Jason? I'd like to see for myself the extent of his injury, instead of having to imagine things. My imagination can paint very gruesome pictures sometimes.”

“Yes, I know just what you mean.” Anne rose and went to the door. “Let me ask Mr. Orkle if Jason is in any condition to have company.”

If Anne secretly hoped that Jason would instruct Orkle to send Lexie away, she was doomed to disappointment. Orkle brought word that “'Is lordship'd be delighted,” and Lexie ran eagerly up the stairs. It was more than an hour later when she came down again. Anne discovered her standing in front of the hall mirror, near the door, adjusting her very fetching riding hat.

“Are you leaving, Lexie?” she asked.

“Yes, I may as well,” Lexie said with a frown. She turned from the mirror, and her eye fell on the suit of armor which had been reassembled and stood on silent guard in a corner of the hallway. “So
that's
the armor Jason's been babbling of. He's as delighted as a child with it. The fellow swears he's taking it back to America with him.”

“Yes, I heard him say so—but I don't take it seriously,” Anne said.

Lexie studied Anne carefully. “Didn't he tell you he plans to leave within the month?”

Anne was startled. “No … he didn't. I … do you think he
means
it?”

“Oh, he means it, all right. And I, for one, am utterly chagrined.”

“Are you, Lexie?” Anne asked wonderingly. “I thought …”

There was an awkward pause. Lexie raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Don't be afraid to speak your mind to me, my dear.
What
did you think? That I wouldn't
mind
Jason's leaving?”

“No, not that. I hadn't thought of his leaving at all. I was sure that, now that he is ensconced in the Prince's circle, he was fixed here. But if he is
serious
…”

“I'm sure he is.”

“Then … I thought … that you might go
with
him.”

Lexie smiled bitterly. “I? I'd have been delighted to go, my dear. But you see, I wasn't asked.”

“Oh,” Anne said, suddenly feeling breathless.

“Did you think he would ask me?” Lexie inquired in wry amusement. “You quite amaze me, Anne. Have you lived with the man in the same house for all these weeks and learned so little about him?”

Anne stared at her. “What do you mean?” she asked in confusion. But before Lexie could frame a reply, there was a knock at the door. Anne turned, irritated at having to interrupt this fascinating conversation, and went to open the door. Captain Wray stood on the threshold. “Good morning, Miss Hartley. Forgive this intrusion so early in the day, but I've just come from the Laverstokes. I had promised to take Miss Charity riding this morning, but I found the entire household at sixes and sevens! It seems that Cherry has run off to Gretna Green!”

“Good heavens!” Anne gasped.

“Don't keep the Captain standing on the doorstep, Anne,” Lexie said smoothly. “Ask the gentleman in.”

“Yes, of course,” Anne murmured, trying to collect her wits. “Do come in, Captain Wray.”

The Captain stepped inside and made a brief bow to Lexie. “Good day, Miss de Guis,” he said with stiff politeness.

“How do you do, Captain Wray,” Lexie said in wicked amusement, extending her hand to be kissed. “It has been a
very
long time, has it not?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him coyly.

But Anne took no notice of the byplay. “Did you say that Cherry had
run off
? When? And how did the Laverstokes learn of it?”

Captain Wray tore his eyes from the magnificent Lexie and turned back to Anne. “Last night, it seems. Her mother received a message from Cherry this morning. I thought you might be able to tell me something more about it.”

Anne smiled slowly. “The little sly-boots! It didn't take her very long to act on my suggestion. Thank you for bringing this news to me, Captain. I couldn't be more delighted!”

“But why?” the Captain asked in confusion. “Do you know who it is she's run off
with
? It couldn't be that stuttering fool who kept following her about, could it?”

“I believe, Captain, that our Cherry has gone off to marry Arthur Claybridge.”

The Captain gaped. “What?
Your
Arthur Claybridge?”

Lexie gave a merry laugh. “I felicitate you, Anne. You seem to have solved
one
of your problems very neatly.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Anne said with dignity, but coloring nevertheless. “The fact that Cherry and Arthur found that they suit each other beautifully has nothing whatever to do with
me
.”

“I don't understand any of this,” Captain Wray exclaimed.

“Don't let it trouble you, my dear,” Lexie said, favoring him with a brilliant smile and taking his arm. “Walk with me to the stables, and I shall explain it all to you.”

“I'd be delighted,” Captain Wray said eagerly.

“Good day, Anne,” Lexie said suavely. “I hope you'll let me know when you solve your
other
problem.” With a quick wink for Anne, she turned her attention to her new prey, and, giving him a honeyed smile, she swept him out the door.

Anne had no time to mull over Lexie's words, for Mr. Orkle came down the stairs to tell her that Jason was asking for her. With a racing pulse and a chest constricted with acute and almost unbearable tension, she tapped on the door of his room. “Come in,” he croaked.

She opened the door timidly and peeped in. The room was shadowed, for the drapes had not been opened, but she could see Jason sitting up in bed, propped up by a number of pillows. He was unshaven, unkempt and pale. A large bandage was tied at an angle over his right temple and around his head, and his right eye was black and swollen. His left eye was bloodshot, and his expression pained. In short, he looked terrible. “Well, don't stand there starin' at me like a frightened kitten,” he growled. “Come in.”