The Counterfeit Betrothal (15 page)

19

THE Delwyns, Lord Barnett, and Mrs. Hastings were still watching the fireworks when suddenly the pagoda burst into flames and toppled over into the water. Sir Osbert was the first to realize that this had not been part of the planned spectacle. He immediately confided his suspicions to the others and said, “We had best get out of here before the crowd realizes what is afoot and gives way to panic.”

As a result, they were well away before the general exodus began. Mrs. Hastings was somewhat surprised to discover that her son had taken neither carriage, but was inclined to put it down to a filial concern that his elders not be crowded into one. “I think I should like to go back to the Kirkwood house first, before we go on to Green Park,” Sir Osbert said to Mrs. Hastings as he handed her into her carriage. “To collect Emmaline, if she is still there.”

“An excellent notion,” Mrs. Hastings said approvingly. “I shall come along as well since Edward will no doubt be with her.”

In spite of his earlier foresight, Sir Osbert had no suspicion of what was about to occur. He and Barnett discussed instead the pagoda and speculated upon how many persons might have been injured. Anna had chosen to ride with Mrs. Hastings, the two ladies well on their way to becoming fast friends, and they discussed the forthcoming wedding between Emmaline and Jeremy. Mrs. Hastings said nothing to disillusion her companion, for it was her sincere hope that the wedding would take place so that she need no longer worry about her son and his involvement with Miss Delwyn.

When they reached the Kirkwood household, it was Sir Osbert who left the carriage and rapped upon the door, which was immediately opened. “I believe Miss Kirkwood returned, sometime since, and I wonder if my daughter, Miss Delwyn, who was with her is still here.”

The footman looked a trifle startled. “But Miss Kirkwood has not yet returned,” he replied.

“Are you certain?” Sir Osbert asked, somewhat taken aback. “Please do me the favor to go and check with your mistress. Perhaps you simply did not see her return.”

The footman’s face betrayed none of his outrage at the suggestions that he might have been remiss in his duties. Instead he bowed and said, “If you will come inside, I shall endeavor to see if her ladyship will speak with you.”

Delwyn did so. After what seemed an interminable time Lady Kirkwood appeared. “Sir Osbert?” she asked. He nodded and she went on, “My footman tells me that you expected to find my daughter here. But you must know she has gone out with yours.”

“Yes, yes,” Sir Osbert said impatiently, “but
she was
not feeling quite the thing and my daughter Emmaline, Edward Hastings, and Jeremy Barnett all volunteered to bring her back here. That was some time ago.”

“Perhaps they were delayed, their carriage caught up by the crowds,” Lady Kirkwood suggested.

“Perhaps,” Sir Osbert agreed doubtfully, “though our own had no difficulty reaching here.”

“Perhaps you would care to wait for your daughter to arrive?” Lady Kirkwood offered reluctantly.

“Yes, yes I should,” Sir Osbert agreed readily. “Will you excuse me while I inform my companions?”

“Of course,” she said graciously.

The footman held the door open while Sir Osbert quickly went down the steps and spoke to Mrs. Hastings. “It appears that they have not yet gotten here,” he told her. “I mean to wait until they do.”

“Perhaps they went to my house,” Mrs. Hastings suggested sensibly. “I shall go there, and if they did I shall send word round to you straightaway.”

“Thank you,” Sir Osbert said warmly. “Barnett will no doubt accompany you so that you need not brave the streets alone.”

Anna reached out her hand to her husband and asked, “What should you like me to do, my love? Wait here with you or go with Mrs. Hastings?”

“Wait here with me,” he answered promptly. She stepped out of the carriage to join her husband just as Lord Barnett came up to them, drawn by curiosity. “What the devil is going on?” he asked.

Quickly Sir Osbert put him in possession of the facts and he agreed with alacrity to accompany Mrs. Hastings home. “You keep the other carriage
here,” he said.

When they arrived, Emmaline’s maid was waiting with a note in her hand, addressed to Mrs. Hastings. She wasted no time in opening it. Lord Barnett seated himself opposite and waited for her to read it. When
she was done, Mrs. Hastings crumpled the note and said to Barnett in a voice that was scarcely above a whisper, “I was afraid of this. They have done it. My son and Miss Delwyn have run off together.”

“Nonsense,” Barnett said sharply as he came to his feet. “That is absurd. Miss Delwyn is to marry my son. They are in love with one another.”

“That is what I thought,” Mrs. Hastings retorted. “Until Emmaline disabused me of the notion. She has fallen out of love with your son and into love with mine. But she has been afraid to tell you or her father because of the shock to his system and your threat to your son.”

“Nonsense,” Barnett repeated. His face was a trifle pale, however, as he added, “I had no desire for the poor girl to be driven to lengths such as this. But are you sure?”

“See for yourself,” Mrs. Hastings said in tragic accents then burst into tears. Gingerly Barnett read the note aloud:

My Dear Mrs. Hastings,

You have been very kind to me, but I can no longer stay under your roof. You need have no fear, however. Edward will see me safely into my father’s care after we have done what we must. Whatever occurs, you must not be angry with Rosalind and Jeremy. Later, I shall send round for my things. By then everyone will understand that marriage between myself and Jeremy is out of the question. In view of your many kindnesses to me, I could not bear to face you again, after this. I remain, however,

Respectfully yours, Emmaline Delwyn

“There! You see?” Mrs. Hastings sobbed again. “What else can she mean save that she cannot face me after running off with my son. And no doubt Jeremy and Rosalind are helping them. That is why the girl was not at the Kirkwood household.”

Lord Barnett was not entirely convinced. He said as much, then added hastily as a fresh wave of crying overtook the lady, “Well, but even if it is true, whatever are we to do about it? We haven’t the slightest clue as to where they have gone.”

“The North road, I’ve no doubt,” she retorted impatiently. “Headed for Gretna Green. It is just the sort of thing that might seem romantic to a foolish girl like Emmaline.”

“Why don’t you ask her maid if she knows anything,” Barnett suggested reasonably. “If she does, it will save us a great deal of trouble.”

Fortunately, Mary had anticipated that she might be wanted and in a matter of minutes she stood facing the pair after making a neat little curtsy. “Yes, ma’am. She did say that she meant to go to her father. But I overheard her say that first she would be going to the Cat and Hound Inn. She was talking to herself and didn’t see me and I thought that odd enough that I ought to remember it.”

“You see?” Mrs. Hastings demanded of Barnett. “That’s right on the North road. We must go after them at once. Yes, and send word round to her father at the Kirkwoods. Perhaps he can talk some sense into her even if we cannot. Come, hurry! There may yet be time to stop this folly.”

Barnett could not have disobeyed even had he wished to, and he did not wish to. Bitterly he noted that this was more than a little his own fault for pressing his son and Emmaline into a betrothal that neither obviously had wanted. If they caught up with the eloping pair, at least he could tell Emmaline that he would no longer force the point with his son and that she was therefore not obliged to take such a disastrous step.

The carriage, which had been sent to the stables, was soon brought round again and the two on their way. A boy had already been dispatched with a note for Sir Osbert. Grimly Barnett wondered what his friend would say when he learned what was afoot.

As it turned out, Sir Osbert almost did not. It was a different footman who opened the door to the boy with the message and he thought the lad had mistaken the house. Only when the boy hotly insisted that Sir Osbert was inside did the noise bring the first footman, who immediately recognized the name and accepted the note. He lost no time in presenting it to the gentleman involved.

With a frown, Sir Osbert accepted the missive the footman held out to him and said to Lady Kirkwood and his wife, a trifle uneasily, “Pray excuse me. Perhaps it is word that the young people are all at Mrs. Hastings’ home.”

He read rapidly, turning paler by the moment. To the two ladies he said shakily, “Forgive me. I must be off at once.”

“What is it?” Anna asked with concern.

“Mischief, I’ve no doubt. Is there mention of my daughter as well?” Lady Kirkwood said icily.

“I’m afraid there is,” Sir Osbert said quietly. “An elopement is afoot. Mrs. Hastings and Lord Barnett are on their way to stop it—as shall I in a few moments.”

At once Anna was on her feet. “I’ll come too,” she said. “My presence may help to allay gossip. We are fortunate in that everyone will be out late tonight at the celebrations and it will not seem odd if we are seen returning home past midnight. Does the note say where we are to go?”

“The Cat and Hound Inn,” he said grimly.

“On the North road!” Lady Kirkwood cried, fanning herself rapidly. “I knew it! Rosalind is eloping with Edward Hastings and your daughter and Jeremy Barnett are helping them. I knew there would be trouble! And my husband not even here to help. What shall I do?”

Sir Osbert spoke quietly. “The note merely says that I am to meet Barnett and Mrs. Hastings to prevent an elopement. Perhaps Emmaline is eloping with Jeremy.”

“Why should she do that?” Anna asked in bewilderment. “They have both your blessing and Lord Barnett’s.”

“Yes why should they do that. No, sir, you are mistaken,” Lady Kirkwood said in stentorian tones. “Hastings came just this morning to tell my husband that in the face of our own plans for Rosalind, he meant to court her. When my husband refused permission, he laughed and made threats of scandal if we did not allow him to see her. But we never dreamed he would go so far as to elope! Though I own I wish you were right. Let me send for Rosalind’s maid and see if she left us a note.” A few minutes later that girl curtsied meekly to the three and said, when asked, “No, m’lady. She did say, though, that if you are to wonder, I should tell you that she might not be home when you expected.”

As Lady Kirkwood pressed a hand to her now-feverish brow Sir Osbert said firmly, “Anna and I must be off, Lady Kirkwood. You are not to worry about a thing. We shall catch up with them and bring your daughter home to you straightaway, and I promise you there will be no scandal. When your husband returns, you may tell him so.”

20

EMMALINE paced the floor of the small parlor Edward had thoughtfully bespoken at the Cat and Hound. It did not ease her agitation that both Rosalind and Edward appeared to be entirely calm. They were only waiting, Edward had said, until Jeremy arrived for the final arrangements to be made and everyone to be on their way.

Jeremy, when he did arrive, looked even paler than Emmaline. He brought the parcels that Edward had sent him for into the room and then looked at Rosalind. That young lady rose to her feet but did not even blush in the slightest as she placed a gentle hand on his arm and said, “I know we must be leaving soon and I assure you I shall be ready in a trice. But there is something I must do first and I pray you will excuse me.”

Jeremy would have stopped her but Edward was also on his feet and saying, “I shall go see to everything, Jeremy, so that there need be no delay.”

Then they were both gone from the room and Emmaline and Jeremy were left to face one another. She could not bear it, however, and turned away. Faintly she said, “I must wish you well on your journey, Jeremy, and hope that this will solve both your problems and Rosalind’s. I hope you will be happy together.”

“And you?” he demanded roughly from behind her. “I suppose you are to elope with Edward? And that is why there is a parcel here for you as well as for Rosalind?”

She backed away from him. “No, of course not!” she cried. “How could you think such a thing?”

Jeremy regarded her insolently. With cool deliberation he sat down, put his feet up on another chair, and said, “Oh? Then you have other plans? Perhaps you mean to simply run away with this ... this man you claim to love?”

She shook her head and he went on tauntingly, “Why not? Because you value your independence too highly? Or because you think he will not marry you?”

“I know he will not,” she replied, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

“I think you will find you are mistaken. I have spoken to him myself,” Jeremy answered, leaning his chair back so that he could see her face.

At that Emmaline turned to meet his eyes squarely, rage beginning to flame inside her. “You utter fool!” she hissed at him. “You utterly arrogant fool! I wish I may never set eyes on you again!”

Then she ran toward the door, meaning to go anywhere so long as she escaped from his presence. The chair scraped the floor as she spoke and Jeremy was right behind her as she reached for the handle. Just as she tried to open the door there was the unmistakable sound of a key turning in the lock and the sound of two voices laughing from the other side of the door. Rosalind’s words came first. “Now you shall have to work out matters between you,” she said.

“And we shan’t let you out until you do,” Edward added firmly.

“What about the elopement?” Emmaline demanded frantically.

“I shall take care of everything,” Edward replied coolly, “but there isn’t going to be an elopement and you might ask Jeremy why.”

Again there was laughter and then the sound of footsteps moving away. Both Emmaline and Jeremy pounded on the door but to no avail. “He must have bribed the innkeeper quite well,” Jeremy observed grimly when they gave up at last. Then, in a voice that dripped contempt, he goaded her, “And this is the man you love?”

Emmaline backed away. “I never said he was the man I loved,” she flung at him.

“No?” Jeremy leaned his shoulders against the door. “Who else?” She did not reply and he laughed harshly. “You haven’t even the courage to admit it. Why not? Pride? Because he helped to lock you in this room with me?

“Pride?” she countered. “What about you? Haven’t you any anger that Edward has thwarted your marriage to Rosalind?”

He shrugged and said carelessly, “Oh, but I never claimed there was love in that. You know as well as I that the elopement was a means of saving both the lady and myself from a worse fate.”

“Ah, yes, marriage to me,” Emmaline observed bitterly.

At that Jeremy hurled an oath and crossed the room to grasp her arms and shake her as he said roughly, “You forget, my dear, that you were the one to end our betrothal.”

Somehow Emmaline wrenched herself free. Retreating, she flung at him, “Oh, yes. I recall how keen you were for the match. How you so eagerly set a date for the wedding vows and proclaimed it to everyone who asked. No doubt you always go pale and flinch when you are deliriously happy as you were when people congratulated us upon the betrothal.”

The table was between them now, and both were breathing heavily. Jeremy laughed harshly as he said, “How touching. Next I suppose you will tell me you broke off the betrothal for my sake?”

“No, for my own!” she flung back at him.

“Why?” he taunted her. “Because I was such an ogre toward you? Because you heard too many tales of my past conduct and that terrified your little Puritan heart and you could not bear to be shackled to me? What were you afraid of, my dear? That I would force you to attend my orgies? If so, you mistook me. I should have held my orgies quite distinct from our household.”

“You dare to boast of it?” she demanded incredulously.

“Why not?” he asked coolly, advancing around the table toward her.

Emmaline moved further away. “If this is what you intend, I can only be grateful Edward has prevented your elopement. You are worse than the Marquess of Alnwick.”

“Oh come, come,” he chided her. “Surely not that. After all, unlike Alnwick, I should never force unwelcome attentions upon my wife, only my mistresses. What could there be for a wife to object to in that?”

Shaking with rage and close to tears, Emmaline said, “I hate you! You are completely incapable of understanding how a wife would feel. If she loved you, that would hurt more than if you did force your attentions on her.” Resentfully she could not keep from adding, “You probably wouldn’t even know if they were unwelcome to her or not.”

Jeremy, who had continued to move around the table, halted abruptly and regarded Emmaline with a puzzled look to his glittering eyes. “Indeed?” he asked softly. “And is that what you were afraid of? That I should take too many mistresses? That would have distressed you? Beyond the matter of your pride?”

In panic, Emmaline turned her eyes away from him. “I—I ... it is nothing to me what you do. We were speaking of Rosalind, weren’t we?”

Because she had looked away, Emmaline did not see him swiftly close the distance between them until he reached out and imprisoned her wrists with his hands. Softly, his eyes still glittering dangerously at her, Jeremy said, “
I
was asking why you chose to break off our betrothal.”

Vainly Emmaline tried to break free but his grip was like iron. Panting, she demanded, “What does it matter why I broke our betrothal? All that matters is that I have.”

“So that you can turn to Edward? Where were you going tonight? For you cannot deny that you meant to go somewhere. And with Edward, for he would not have let you go alone,” Jeremy demanded harshly. “Why? Because he does not frighten you as I do? Because you think
he
does not have mistresses? You are in for a surprise there, my dear.” He paused, then demanded more softly, “Or is it that he doesn’t frighten you because he does not make you feel like this?”

And then his lips were on hers, demanding the response he knew would come. As always, a wave of longing swept over her and Emmaline could not help but sway toward Jeremy. One hand freed her right wrist and went around her waist, imprisoning her against the length of his body. With horror she realized she could feel the evidence of his desire pressed intimately against her. As though she were drowning, Emmaline clung to him, lost to all sense of time, all sense of propriety.

It was Jeremy who broke the embrace. “Damn you,” he said, looking down at her. “I won’t let you marry Edward. I don’t care how safe he makes you feel. You’ll marry me if I have to keep you locked in this room all night to convince you! And then we’ll go and tell my father. He’ll be delighted, you may be sure.”

Emmaline felt as though a tub of cold water had been dashed over her. His father. Of course. With the elopement to Rosalind thwarted he must make sure of a wife before he next saw his father. All this had nothing to do with her; Jeremy was simply very skilled in lovemaking. She ought to have remembered that, for everyone had been at such pains to tell her so.

As though he sensed the change in her. Jeremy let go of Emmaline and looked at her, a puzzled expression on his face. She had gone pale and utterly listless, and instead of reacting either with favor or anger to his words, she merely sat in the nearest chair and said tonelessly. “No Jeremy I shan’t marry you. It doesn’t matter how long you keep me here. But if you wish, I'll speak to
your
father and tell him the betrothal is broken and that it is not your fault.”

“He won’t believe you,”
Jeremy
could not help but say. “But that is beside the point.”

Slowly Emmaline shook her head. “‘No, that precisely the point. You don't wish to marry me any more tonight than you did when he first proposed the match.”

“You seem very certain of that.” Jeremy replied harshly.

Still not looking at him, she said dully “I am. Oh, I’ll allow you almost convinced me. You are very skilled at what
y
ou do. But I know very well that if it were not for your father's command and his threat to leave
y
ou to starve, you would not wish for marriage. And certainly not marriage to me.”

Finally she raised her eves to look at him but Jeremy had turned away and was regarding the fireplace fixedly. For a long tune he did not answer, but when he did he said quie
tly, “
And if it were different? If I had truly wished to marr
y
y
ou? Would you have found the notion so distasteful?”

It was madness to repl
y
with honesty but tonight Emmaline felt drunk with madness. Nothing seemed to matter as she said, “If that had been so, I would have wed you with all my heart and spent my life in loving you.”

Jeremy whirled around, hope in his eyes, only to have the grimness once more possess him as he saw the finality in her face. And so it ended, he thought, as he cursed himself as a fool for so badly bungling matters ever since the beginning.