Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
B enjamin sat in his usual chair, a little removed from the others, after dinner that evening. He watched each member of the household as they visited and played at cards. Lady Abernathy was the only one not with them, as she was still in her room. He supposed he could understand why she had chosen to remain sequestered for so long, but he would certainly never choose a wife who fell apart so easily.
Margaret laughed at something Lady Emily said and his eye was immediately drawn toward her.
She was a woman who certainly wouldn’t have succumbed to a fit of nerves over a lost brooch. Though he hated doing it, he couldn’t help but admire Lady Margaret and the tenacity she’d displayed that afternoon while they’d searched the rooms of both Misters Thrup.
Speaking of, all three young men, the Thrups and Lord Ingram, were currently huddled around a small table as Mr. Miles Thrup competed against his twin in a game of chess.
Could Lord Ingram truly have taken the brooch out of spite? The animosity Benjamin had heard even while standing on the other side of the door had not come from a day or two of frustration. It had been borne from years of resentment.
He would have to keep a closer eye on the young gentleman.
His gaze moved next to Miss Yates. He hadn’t wanted to bring her name up to Lady Margaret, as the two had become close since they’d left England. But if anyone in their little group was likely wishing for funds, it would be her.
He continued to watch, silently, for the next hour, but was no closer to knowing the truth for it. The gathering was perhaps more subdued than usual, but no one was behaving out of the ordinary. Nothing suspicious was said or done.
Just as he was considering retiring for the night, Lady Margaret walked his way.
She did no more than barely acknowledge him, however, and kept her gaze on the bookshelf just behind him as she approached.
“Lord Ingram just wagered a bet that Mr. Miles Thrup will beat his brother in the next game of chess,” she whispered to him, even as she took a book off the shelf and appeared to be flipping through it. “That will keep him down here for at least half an hour.”
Benjamin lifted a glass of port to his mouth, effectively hiding his lips as he responded. “Please tell me you aren’t thinking we should search his room.”
“After what he said today, how can I not? Moreover, Lady Emily just confessed to me that none of the family bedchambers have been searched.”
That was interesting. He’d been under the impression that Lord Abernathy would stop at nothing to find the brooch, even if it meant inconveniencing his son and daughter.
Still, he could not like the idea. “We were lucky we weren’t caught this afternoon,” he said. “We can’t chance it again.”
“If we had found something in either of the Thrup rooms this afternoon, I would say it would be best for us to stay here and see if we can’t get one of them to slip up and confess, even if it be something small. But neither room held anything. We have to keep looking elsewhere.”
He hadn’t found anything incriminating. But he had found something interesting.
He could only hope it would be interesting enough to keep Lady Margaret safely in the drawing room with the other ladies.
“As it happened,” Benjamin started, “I did find something.”
Lady Margaret stilled. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Benjamin sipped at his port, but he didn’t dare drink so much that it muddled his senses. “I found a letter among some other papers. It appeared to be written by Oliver but never sent.”
“Please tell me you were able to determine who the intended recipient is?”
“I was.” He took another small sip. “It was written to Lady Emily.”
Lady Margaret glanced over her shoulder toward the rest of the room, but then immediately returned to flipping through the book in her hands. “Lady Emily? What was he writing her for?”
“It appeared to be a love letter.” He felt slightly bad for betraying the young gentleman’s secrets, but if it could help him keep Lady Margaret in the drawing room and away from an unwise and risky situation, he would do it without hesitation.
“Then…he’s in love with Lady Emily?” she asked.
“The letter certainly made it sound that way.”
“But you said it was unsent.”
“Correct,” he said. “Which means there is no way of knowing if Lady Emily returns his affections. Or, indeed, if she even knows of them.”
“How terribly sweet,” Lady Margaret sighed. “He loves her but is so worried she’ll reject him, he doesn’t even dare send a letter.”
Benjamin cast his gaze heavenward at her tone. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t help solve our mystery.”
“Perhaps not, but it does grant us a small bit of insight into those with whom we are sharing Mondstein.”
Why was it ladies were forever swooning at any mention of love? It was maddening. “All it tells us is Mr. Oliver Thrup is more of a fool than I originally took him to be. Other than that, the letter has no bearing in the matter.”
“Don’t dismiss the affection between two individuals so quickly.”
“But it isn’t affection between the two,” he said. “It’s affection from one . Lady Emily is likely not only unaware but unaffected.”
“I still say one cannot underestimate the power of young love. However, since you are so insistent, I think I shall slip up to Lord Ingram’s room and see what there is to be found.”
Hang it all, the distraction hadn’t worked. “I maintain that you ought to stay here,” he growled.
“My brother may have hired you, but I certainly don’t have to do what you say.” She slipped the book she’d been flipping through back onto the shelf. “Wait at least five minutes before following me.”
She spun about and strolled back over to Lady Emily and Miss Yates, where she claimed a headache and said she needed to retire early.
He had to give it to her, she was quite good at lying.
Not that it put him at ease with the plan.
Still, as she requested, Benjamin waited exactly five minutes after she left the drawing room before standing and leaving as well.
Blessedly, the wide ornate corridor of the East wing was not only empty but also draped in shadows, punctuated only by the occasional wall sconce.
Benjamin reached the desired door but didn’t knock. Silently, he twisted the knob and quickly moved inside.
There were low embers in the hearth but no lit candles.
“Lady Margaret?”
“I’m over here,” she called. It sounded like she was near the far window, but he could see nothing.
Benjamin started toward where she’d called from, only to bump into something after taking no more than three steps. His hands shot out and he caught the small table before it toppled over. This was ridiculous.
Even if there was incriminating evidence in Lord Ingram’s room, how the blazes were they even going to see it?
“It’s too dark in here,” he said, careful to keep his voice low.
“Give it a minute, your eyes will adjust.”
“They can’t adjust to no light.”
“Are you sure you ate enough at dinner tonight?” Her voice was moving—she must have been walking away from the window and closer to the wall to his right.
“Why would what I ate be of any interest to you?”
“Because my brother always becomes increasingly upset whenever he hasn’t eaten recently enough, and you, sir, have been particularly upset all evening.”
Benjamin ground his jaw. Of course, he was upset—it was his responsibility to see that no harm came to Lady Margaret. It was his one and only duty. It was hard enough when she insisted on evading his presence. But now that she was bent on solving this mystery—even going so far as to sneak around a lord’s room in the middle of the night—he found himself constantly on edge.
“Perhaps you should go to the kitchen and see if cook can’t find you a bit of bread and butter. I’ll stay here and search a little longer.”
Just hearing her say the words “stay here and search a little longer” made his entire back tense. He shook his head, and stepping around the annoying little table, he made his way toward where Lady Margaret was.
As he drew near, he was able to make out the general outline of her form. She seemed to be running her hands over everything—searching more by touch than by sight. She moved quickly but methodically, checking each drawer and unassuming nook of furniture and walls alike.
If he wasn’t so entirely annoyed by her right now, he would have been impressed.
“I think I found the closet door,” Lady Margaret said.
There was a click—loud in the silence—as she twisted the knob. As she swung the door open it appeared to Benjamin no more than a large black shape shifting among the shadows.
“Help me search through his jackets and clothes.”
Benjamin took a step forward, despite himself. “It’s too dark. We’d best return some other time.” Or not at all. He would be completely fine with Lady Margaret never returning to this room again.
“Then just feel for the brooch. If we both—”
Footfalls echoed from the corridor just outside.
The bedchamber door opened.
Benjamin leaped forward, wrapping an arm around Lady Margaret’s waist and pulling them both fully inside the closet. It was just big enough for them both to stand inside, though clothing brushed against Benjamin from all sides.
He pulled on the closet door and nearly shut it. But, remembering the loud click it had made when Lady Margaret had opened it, he left it slightly ajar.
“Wait here,” came Lord Abernathy’s deep voice, “my son said he left the book on that small table just inside the door.”
Benjamin held perfectly still, Lady Margaret pressed up close to him. Her chest was rising and falling in heavy breaths, no doubt from fear of being found.
He lowered his head until his cheek rested gently against hers. “Shhh,” he whispered.
Almost imperceptibly, she nodded.
He wished he could say more—reassure her that he would protect her at all costs. Even should Lord Abernathy venture this far into Ingram’s room, Benjamin would find a way to keep Lady Margaret hidden.
He wasn’t sure how he’d justify being in Ingram’s closet himself, but he would think of something.
Hopefully.
Because, right now, with Lady Margaret so near him, holding onto him as though she would surely be found if she let go, Benjamin could think of very little.
“As I was saying,” Lord Abernathy said to the man with him, “I’ve been telling everyone that the brooch isn’t worth much. But the sale from that one item will clear up almost all of Ingram’s debts.”
In response, a second man muttered something, but Benjamin couldn’t make it out clearly.
Lord Abernathy grunted. “I can only hope so. If he doesn’t see the error of his ways after seeing how distraught he’s made his mother, I may have to try cutting him off financially.”
The door shut once more, and then all Benjamin could hear was footsteps fading down the corridor.
Both he and Lady Margaret remained, unmoving, listening to the silence.
Lady Margaret placed a hand against his chest. Though the touch was light, he felt it throughout his whole body. “I think they’ve gone,” she whispered.
“I agree,” he said as softly as he could. If Lord Abernathy and the man he was with had left, then Benjamin and Lady Margaret should make their escape while they could.
And yet, he couldn’t seem to get his feet to obey.
Something about standing so close to Lady Margaret rendered him immovable. He still had one arm around her waist, and the urge to pull her in tighter was growing.
“Good heavens,” Lady Margaret said with a light giggle. “I don’t know when I’ve been more terrified.”
“We aren’t out of danger yet,” he said. Which was why he needed to get his head back on straight and let her go .
He pulled his arm away from her and, reaching around her, slowly swung the closet door open.
Lady Margaret didn’t move to leave, and as it happened, she was positioned somewhat between him and the doorway. He couldn’t step out until she did.
“After you, my lady,” he said.
“Well…” she hesitated. Though he couldn’t see her smile, he could tell by her tone that it was there. And it wasn’t just any smile, it was the one she employed whenever she was trying to convince him of something.
What did it mean that he knew the type of smile she wore just by the sound of her voice?
“Since we’re in here,” she said slowly, “we might as well search. Then we won’t have to worry about sneaking in again another time.”
Surely she was in jest. “We were almost caught,” he said, careful to keep his growl soft.
“But we weren’t. And we’re still here.”
“Lady Margaret, why would we check Ingram’s pockets when Lord Abernathy all but confessed to taking the brooch?”
“Because it sounds as though he took it so Lord Ingram might pay off his debts. In which case, he may have given it to Lord Ingram in order to do so.” She turned around, facing the back of the closet, and began rummaging through Ingram’s jackets.
How could she still be arguing over this? They needed to walk out of the closet this minute and pray they could slip from Ingram’s chambers without being seen.
Yet, a part of him was quite content to remain exactly where they were, in such small quarters.
“This is a family matter now,” he said. “We should leave it to Abernathy to deal with things.”
She didn’t stop her search. “I suppose we should, and if he had not insulted me, I believe I would.”
“Then forget Ingram’s pockets, and let us leave.”
The sounds of fabric rustling stopped. For a moment, Lady Margaret said nothing. When she did speak, her tone was heavy. “I first heard myself referred to as being ‘on the shelf’ during my third Season. Since then, I have been called any number of things. The only gentlemen who have ever shown me marked attentions did so for money, the connections I provide, or simply in the hopes of a dalliance. But I decided long ago that I would not let society tell me who or what I am. That includes dukes.”
The silence stretched between them, but Benjamin could still hear the weight of her words echoing in his mind.
How could anyone approach a woman like Margaret with such shallow intent? It was maddening to think of men valuing her for wealth, connections, or a fleeting affair when she had so much more to offer.
She deserved better—so much better than what those fools could give her.
He’d been just as blind not long ago, hadn’t he? The realization hit harder than he cared to admit. Caught up in his promise to her brother to watch over her and distracted by the ever-present strain in his chest, it had taken him a while to realize she wasn’t a woman to be managed or pitied.
She was stronger than all of that.
Stronger than most.
A flicker of protectiveness stirred in him, mingling with something else—something harder to ignore. Any man worth his salt should have seen her worth immediately. Lady Margaret deserved more than what the world had offered her. She deserved a man who would cherish her for who she was, not what she could provide.
Margaret returned to searching through Ingram’s clothing.
For a moment, Benjamin wondered if that man could be him. But just as quickly, he dismissed the notion, instead during about and continuing the search as well.
He wasn’t that man. He couldn’t be. Not for her.
Lady Margaret deserved someone better.
She deserved someone whole.