The Reluctant Suitor (79 page)

“Roger boasted that he had shot his lordship the very same night Lord Randwulf married Lady Adriana.

You could be saving them from certain disaster by sending such a message posthaste.”

“So, the little weasel did try to kill Colton, eh?” Riordan muttered half to himself. “I knew he had it in him to kill Adriana’s suitors.” Rising to his feet, he excused himself forthwith. “I shall return to speak more about this matter, Mrs. Elston, but I must do as you have advised and warn my friends.”

“That would be wise, considering Roger’s predilection for murdering people,” Felicity murmured, winning a smile from the marquess.

Clicking his heels together, Riordan swept her a bow. “Your every command sets wings to my feet, my dear.”

Felicity couldn’t help but chuckle as she raised a skeptical brow. “I do believe, my lord, that your tongue is gilded with sentiments to win the hearts of many a maid. I think it would behoove me to keep my own heart secure behind lock and key.”

“Too bad,” he rejoined with a teasing grin, “unless, of course, I barter lessons from a thief and become proficient at picking locks.” Striding to the door with a chuckle, he laid a hand upon the knob and, turning briefly to look at her over his shoulder, gave her a flirtatious wink and a wayward grin before making his departure.

The door closed behind him, and Felicity lifted the coverlet to assess to what degree she had revealed herself to the handsome man. She groaned aloud, finding one breast fully exposed, and hurriedly tried to remedy that problem by tucking the huge nightshirt up close beneath her chin. Alas, it wouldn’t stay. It fell over her shoulder almost as soon as she let it go.

Riordan was back sooner than expected, catching her just after she had taken a dose of laudanum the doctor had prescribed. Although she had followed it with a copious measure of water, the horrible taste threatened to play havoc with her composure. His alacrity in returning could only have been attributed to

his long legs, for her eyes were still a-blur from her efforts to defeat the convulsive heaving.

Riordan seated himself again at her bedside and began expounding on new theories. “This evening, Lady Samantha told me about a servant who had died rather suddenly at Randwulf Manor after quaffing the late master’s brandy. My understanding is that when Mrs. Jennings collapsed, the decanter containing the brew was broken to pieces. Had it not, others would’ve likely partaken of the brew. Lord Colton found her dead in her hut the next morning and thought she had merely imbibed too much. I suspect differently.

Perhaps Lord Sedgwick died in much the same manner, and the poison simply didn’t react as swiftly in his case because he limited his intake to what he normally had, which wasn’t very much at all. If Roger did indeed poison the contents of the decanter before Lord Sedgwick died, then that leaves me wondering if he left the tainted brew in the decanter. Considering no more reports came of people dying in like fashion at the manor, I must assume he got rid of the lethal brandy and just put a new dose into the decanter after Lord Colton’s return, but was thwarted in his attempt to poison his rival by the unfortunate Mrs. Jennings. Roger then tried shooting him, in the back no less. I shall have to tell Lord Colton how truly blessed he has thus far been not to have expired from Roger’s murderous attempts.”

“I noticed you dancing with Lady Adriana at the Autumn Ball,” Felicity acknowledged hesitantly. “You, too, might have become a target of Roger’s envy yourself had you persisted.”

“Oh, I wanted to, believe me,” Riordan admitted, rubbing a thumb across the surface of the lady’s delicately boned hand. “But Adriana was bound to Lord Colton by a contract their parents had drawn up years ago. As much as I was tempted, I couldn’t very well snatch the lady away in the dead of night and carry her off to faraway places.”

“I rather gathered that Lady Adriana has had a veritable host of suitors smitten with her over the years.

Although I readily acknowledge her beauty is beyond what most women can claim, I’m left wondering if that is the only reason men find her so appealing. Her father was especially generous with the dowries he set aside for his daughters, but I haven’t heard nearly as many rumors about her sisters. Would you mind explaining to a woman who was once envious of Lady Adriana why men have been so taken with her?”

“No longer envious?” Riordan questioned, a grin softening his pointed inquiry.

“I’m afraid after what I’ve been through with Roger, I may never trust another man again.” Felicity looked at him curiously. “Do
you
even know why you were attracted to her ladyship?”

Growing thoughtful, Riordan leaned back in his chair. “Lady Adriana is like a breath of fresh spring air among women who seem to chatter on incessantly, giggle, gossip, snip or snipe as they prissily mince along wherever they walk. She conveys no false pretensions about who she is; she’s as honest to herself as she is with those who seek her company. She’ll beat a man at a horse race and then tease him unmercifully through his blustering, and yet she can be totally sympathetic to him in other ways or to people in desperate need. Many needy folk have been wont to praise her benevolence to them as well as to orphans who’ve been left bereft of home and parents. As she once nurtured stray animals when she was young, so she has turned that compassion in her adult years toward people. . . .”

“Say no more, please,” Felicity begged with a teasingly dubious smile. “You’ve hardly begun and already I know I’ll never come close to measuring up to your ideal woman.”

Riordan chuckled. “I suppose I get a little carried away talking about the lady. No one knows how much I envy Lord Colton, and yet I greatly admire him and believe he’s deserving of such a woman. It’s obvious he loves her as much as she loves him.”

“Thank you, my lord, for sharing your thoughts, but I fear at this moment the laudanum the doctor prescribed is beginning to have some effect on me. I’m feeling very, very tired of a sudden.” She blinked

eyelids that had suddenly grown heavy. “Perhaps we can continue this discussion tomorrow.

”

“Of course, Mrs. Elston. . . .”

“Please, don’t call me that,” she begged drowsily. “Felicity will do. I have no desire to be associated with Roger anymore.”

“I understand completely, my dear,” Riordan murmured, but had cause to wonder if she actually heard his reply before closing her eyes. Her breathing readily deepened in slumber, and as he watched her sleeping, he was reminded of his earlier admiration of her when he had visited Stanover House some months ago.

Curiously, he thrust a finger through a golden curl and became intrigued by the way it seemed to twine of its own free will about his digit. His eyes passed over her bruised face, and he was rather amazed to find the shape and delicate structure appealed to his senses. Her slender nose had the sassiest tilt, her eyelids the longest, darkest lashes for a woman with such fair hair, her brown brows wide-sweeping above eyes that had seemed the bluest blue he had ever seen. As he had viewed earlier and now mentally envisioned, her round breasts were ivory hued, crowned with delicate pink, definitely exquisite enough to bestir his rutting instincts.

It was much, much later when Riordan Kendrick rose from the chair beside the bed and made his way to the door. He was rather amazed at the lightness of his heart. Where hours ago it had seemed dark and vacant, now it was airy and full of hope. Would wonders never cease?

Twenty-two

L
ord Harcourt’s housekeeper bustled into the guest bedchamber where the miller’s wife had been ensconced and, with a wave of her thin hand, shooed away the pair of maids who, after her morning meal, had bathed and freshly gowned the young woman.

“You have visitors, Mrs. Elston,” Mrs. Rosedale announced with a pleasant smile. “Lord and Lady Randwulf have come to see how you are, and of course, my employer, Lord Harcourt, is inquiring into your health this morning as well. Are you up to seeing anyone after your ordeal?”

“I must look terrible,” Felicity replied, clasping a hand to her bruised face.

Mrs. Rosedale smiled. “My dear, if most young ladies looked half as fine when they’re at their prettiest as you do after being so sorrowfully used, then this would be a very fine world indeed.”

Felicity smiled, but immediately winced as she was harshly reminded of the cut on her lip. For the

moment she could bear no more display of enthusiasm and carefully responded to the housekeeper’s inquiry. “I’d be honored by such a visit.”

The young woman whom Felicity had once imagined that she detested swept into the room with a smile and a large bouquet of flowers. Following close on her heels was her handsome husband. Lord Riordan sauntered in behind them at a more leisurely pace and came to stand at the end of the huge Gothic bed as the couple approached the invalid’s bedside.

“You’re looking quite remarkable in spite of the recent trauma you’ve been through, Miss Felicity,”

Adriana bade cheerily. “I should hope to fare so well under similar circumstances.”

“Thank you, my lady. You’re very kind to visit me after my hateful behavior toward you. Please forgive my foolishness.”

“All is forgiven, Miss Felicity,” Adriana said kindly and, reaching out, gently squeezed her hand. Then she laughed as she indicated the bouquet she carried. “We stole these from Mama Philana’s garden. Aren’t they lovely?”

“Oh, yes, they’re beautiful,” Felicity agreed, thankful she was alive to see such a wondrous array of flowers.

Adriana handed them to the smiling housekeeper. “I’m sure you’re better at arranging these than I am, Mrs. Rosedale. Would you be so kind? My sisters always demeaned my lack of ladylike talents.” She chuckled deviously as she lifted her elegant chin. “Aye, but I often enjoyed my revenge when they tried to remain seated in a sidesaddle while racing over the hills and vales we traversed.”

Felicity’s eyes dropped to the gentle protrusion underneath Adriana’s shawl and grew suddenly misty-eyed before she averted her face.

“It’s all right,” Adriana soothed gently, catching the young woman’s glance. Reaching out, she rubbed Felicity’s arm sympathetically. Riordan had told them everything, sparing the blonde the difficult task. “

You’ll have another baby by a husband who’ll treat you like a rare treasure, mark my words.”

“Where is Roger now?” Felicity asked, searching the faces of her three visitors. “Have the authorities been able to find him?”

“Not yet, Miss Felicity,” Colton said, settling an arm behind his wife’s back as he stepped to her side. “I imagine Roger lit out for places unknown when he received news that you had been found alive. He’ll likely be afraid to show his face in the area.”

“Nevertheless, I won’t feel safe until he’s caught.”

Riordan pulled up two more chairs for Colton and himself as Adriana settled into the wing chair in which he had ensconced himself the night before. Smiling at Felicity, he stated, “I’ve told the Wyndhams everything we discussed last night and our theories about the elder Lord Randwulf’s death. Have you been able to recall anything more that may be of further value to them?”

“I’m afraid not,” Felicity murmured sadly. “Had I known sooner what Roger was doing, I may have been able to save Miss Mayes, but I wasn’t aware of his murderous attempts on the Wyndhams until he admitted taking his revenge. As far as I’m aware, he had only met Miss Mayes for the first time when she came into the shop at the mill.” Felicity turned to meet Colton’s gaze. “Was she a friend of yours? She said she knew you.”

“I became acquainted with Miss Mayes a number of years ago,” he acknowledged. “We were friends

until some months ago, at which time she led me to believe she had died giving birth to my daughter.” He reached across to gently squeeze his wife’s hand. “Since then, there has been evidence to indicate that the girl I was led to think was mine is actually the offspring of my cousin who was killed when their coach overturned. The child was taken shortly after her birth and later presented to me as my own progeny. We

’re still searching for the woman who actually stole the babe away and later delivered her to Pandora.

Frankly, I doubt that either woman was cognizant of our relationship to the child. However, I do consider it something of a miracle that Genevieve is where she belongs, for she has no blood kin other than my mother, my sister, Uncle Alistair, and myself.”

Felicity was amazed that Lord Colton could be so frank about his liaison with Pandora. “I shall not breathe a word of this to anyone, my lord. I may have been foolish once, but I was forced to grow up under difficult circumstances while living with Roger. I now regret being cosseted by my father. I should’

ve more closely adhered to my mother’s instructions rather than to his. I’d truly be honored if you and Lady Adriana were to forgive my past offenses and consider me as a dedicated ally.”

Under Adriana’s smiling regard, Colton reached across and squeezed the young woman’s hand. “We would be pleased to have you as a friend, Miss Felicity. Although fairly soon we must be going to our home in London since Parliament is in session, your visits there would be greatly welcomed. As my wife nears her time, we’ll be going out less, and would enjoy your company if you’re of such a mind to travel that distance. We’ll be returning here to the area about the middle of August, at which time we’ll be neighbors again.”