Chapter Nineteen #2
The idea should have been objectionable. Instead, it set his blood to racing. Suddenly, the very thought of seeing Kate again was enough to nearly send him from his chair.
Leaning back deliberately, Grayson pushed aside such thoughts to concentrate on Jasper. If the bastard did show up, it would be a perfect opportunity for him to release some of his anger and frustration by beating Kate’s uncle to a pulp.
A knock on the door brought Grayson out of his grim musings. He was not accustomed to interruptions, and he glanced at Wells in question. The secretary appeared startled, but answered the summons, only to stand aside as one of Grayson’s own footmen rushed in, breathless.
“My lord, you must go at once!” the young man said.
What the devil? Grayson straightened. “Where?”
“It’s her ladyship, my lord! She’s being held against her will!”
At the sight of Hargate’s chimneys, Grayson slowed his horse and guided it off the road into the meadow.
Although nothing looked amiss from here, he wanted to be prepared for anything.
He had made enough mistakes already where Kate was concerned, not the least of which was leaving her here alone and unprotected.
He should have sent servants to run the house and men to guard it. He should have been there, keeping her safe, instead of concentrating on himself. As he had so often during the seemingly endless ride, Grayson blamed himself, a novel experience.
Although he took full responsibility for his staff, tenants, and businesses, rarely had there been any problems in his smoothly-run life.
But since Kate appeared in it, every moment was a struggle of some sort, against her, against himself, against temptation, and now against the fear that threatened to consume him.
If anything happened to her… Grayson drew in a sharp breath, unable to complete the thought, as he crested the hill and saw the Courtland home lying silent and peaceful before him.
By the time he reached the stables, Grayson had begun to wonder if his footman’s frantic summons had been a mistake, a hysterical reaction to something that idiot Tom had said.
He frowned as an ugly suspicion took root.
He would not put it past the coachman to have contrived some ruse to bring him running to Kate’s side.
Scowling, Grayson led his mount into the back of the building, only to halt in surprise. The formerly empty stalls were lined with horses. His horses. Stepping forward slowly, Grayson also recognized his coach and a landau that he had driven more than once.
What the devil? Stiffening, he marched to the house, determined to find out how and when half of his London stables had arrived at Hargate without his knowledge.
The noise hit him as soon as Grayson opened the door, such a din as he had never heard during his residency. It was the sound of many voices raised in argument, and he followed it down the gallery to the drawing room. There, he stopped in the doorway, stunned by the sight that met his eyes.
His coachman, his valet, half a dozen of his footmen, and even his cook, brandishing a rolling pin as if it were a weapon, were gathered with Lucy and Rutledge, around some central figure Grayson could not quite make out.
How his servants had come to be at Hargate he had no idea, and what they were doing here he could not hazard a guess.
Choosing the one he hoped would give him the least convoluted explanation, he stepped forward. “Badcock,” he said, his voice unintentionally soft with menace. “What is the meaning of this?”
His valet whirled immediately, revealing a small pistol tucked into his waistband that made him look like some sort of debonair pirate, or an exalted footpad, Grayson was not sure which.
“My lord!” Badcock shouted. At his words, everyone began talking at once, moving toward Grayson like a swarm of loudly buzzing bees abandoning their previous quarry.
Grayson knew that because in their wake he saw a single gentleman seated in a medallion-backed chair in the center of the room, with hands and feet bound to the piece of furniture.
Grayson refused to be startled. Telling himself that nothing at all could surprise him anymore, he walked toward the fellow, who was trussed up like a scrawny, ill-dressed chicken.
As far as Grayson could see, the man did not look big enough to threaten Kate, let alone the dozen occupants of the room.
“And who,” Grayson asked, lifting a brow, “is this?”
“My name’s Brown, and I’m glad to see someone with sense in this bedlam! Get me out of here!”
“He’s a wretched creature! A devil!” Lucy’s wail rose above the other voices, loud and piercing, making Grayson realize just how little he had missed Kate’s sister.
“Badcock,” Grayson said, his tone brooking no resistance.
Instantly, the valet was at his side, babbling excitedly. “We couldn’t find you, my lord, so we were forced to take matters into our own hands.”
“And what matters might these be?” Grayson asked, fixing Badcock with a stare that made the valet squirm.
“Why, this, this ruffian, my lord! He threatened the marchioness.”
As if on cue, the crowd ebbed and parted around him to reveal Kate, who stepped into the room, as regal and graceful as any queen.
She was dressed in a simple gown of pale striped silk that made her skin appear all the more flawless, her hair as dark as a midnight sky, her eyes as beautiful and mysterious as twilight.
Grayson’s breath caught and held. He had not expected the jolt of awareness that rushed through him or the certain feeling that he was home at last. He stood unmoving, drinking in the sight of her, until he realized that the previously lively group in the room had all fallen silent, watching the interchange with great interest.
Straightening, Grayson pushed aside his yearnings with disgust. Not only had Kate robbed him of his dignity, but she’d turned his household into a bunch of raving lunatics, too.
“Well?” The word came out rougher than he had intended, and Grayson felt, rather than saw, her recoil before she regained her composure.
“Mr. Brown claims to have been sent by my uncle.”
“That I have, and when Jasper arrives, you’ll pay for your little prank!”
Grayson turned slowly, fixing the man with a curious stare. “I beg your pardon?”
“See? He is a fiend!” Lucy cried, taking the opportunity to faint into Rutledge’s waiting arms. The little drama made Meg drop her rolling pin to rush to the girl’s side, and Grayson was forced to draw in a deep, calming breath.
He still had no coherent explanation for the chaotic scene before him or the presence of the beady-eyed Brown.
And the quiet that had reigned abruptly disappeared, replaced by escalating noise behind him. Ignoring it for the moment, Grayson studied the man, whose speech and clothes marked him as less than quality. What was Brown’s relationship with Jasper? And why would he use his employer’s first name?”
“When Jasper arrives—” the man began.
Grayson cut him off with a sharp glare. “And just when is Jasper to arrive?”
As if in answer, he heard an angry rumble from Tom, and then Badcock’s more reasonable tone. “I believe he just did,” the valet said.
Grayson turned to face Kate’s infamous uncle, eager for some kind of resolution at last, hopefully one that involved Jasper’s blood. He assessed his nemesis carefully.
Dressed in the bright colors and high collar of a dandy, he was of medium height, his hair a shade darker than Lucy’s. His body was not fat, but had the slightly fleshy look of one who had reveled in too many dissipations.
While Grayson watched intently, Jasper blinked, as if bewildered by the confusion. He scanned the room, his gaze coming to rest briefly upon Grayson, who thought he saw a flicker of recognition in the dark eyes before they moved on.
“No one answered the door, so I let myself in. Kate? Lucy? Where are my lovely nieces?” he asked.
“Jasper! Make them loose me!” Brown cried.
Ignoring his man’s plea, Jasper stepped toward Grayson.
“Wroth, isn’t it? I believe I have seen you in Town.
” At Grayson’s nod, he smiled. “My heartiest congratulations, my lord. I only recently learned of your marriage to my niece, and I couldn’t be happier, to be aligned with such an exalted personage.
Dearest Kate deserves the best! Where is my darling girl? ” he asked.
“I am not your darling, by any means,” Kate said coolly, and Grayson couldn’t help feeling a swift surge of pride at her aplomb.
“What is it, Kate? Don’t you know me?” Jasper asked, his expression crestfallen.
“You must pardon my wife for her less-than-enthusiastic welcome. This man came to the house earlier today, claiming to be your representative and threatening her and her sister,” Grayson said.
“Indeed,” Kate added, lifting her chin in a pose Grayson well recognized. “He objected to the banns for Lucy’s nuptials and told me that I would be forced to end my marriage.”
Grayson stiffened, his attention swerving back to Brown. All of his anger over his obsession with his wife fled at the thought of losing her forever. It was one thing to live apart and quite another to give her up. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
Then Grayson’s heart skipped a beat as his gaze swung back to Kate. Surely, she did not condone such a suggestion?
Weakness. As soon as he recognized it, Grayson stamped on it savagely. Right now, he needed all of his wits to handle Uncle Jasper and his henchman. He would deal with Kate later.
As if her accusation had finally sunk in, Jasper gave a horrified gasp and whirled upon Brown. “What lies are you spouting now?” he asked the man, who gaped stupidly. “This fellow worked for me at one time, but I dismissed him after I caught him thieving from me.”
Brown sputtered a protest from his chair, but Jasper ignored it. “Indeed, that is one of the reasons I am here, for I discovered he was taking the money I entrusted to him to send to my precious girls to pay his gambling debts,” Jasper said, waving his hand with a flourish.
Turning to Brown, he said, “Now answer truthfully, and it will go easier on you. You are no longer in my employ, are you?”
The man stared at Jasper for a long moment before hanging his head. “No, sir,” he muttered.
“There, you see? There is no reason for alarm,” Jasper said. “The culprit has been apprehended, and now I would but make amends for his dastardly deeds.”
Grayson studied Jasper carefully. “I’m afraid you have a little bit more explaining to do concerning your management of the Courtland estate, Mr. Gilroy.”
Jasper looked nonplussed. “Why, whatever do you mean, my lord?”
“Perhaps we should adjourn to the study to discuss this in private.”
“By all means, but if you are going to talk of finances, I must plead ignorance,” Jasper said, shaking his head with a rueful smile.
“I’m afraid all that business is handled by my solicitor.
Why don’t we travel on to London, so that you can ask him directly?
If there has been some misunderstanding, I would like it taken care of, so that I can come back and enjoy a nice, long visit with my nieces. ”
Grayson hesitated. He had just arrived, as had Jasper. As much as he would like to see the situation resolved as soon as possible, he saw no reason to rush off at once, when they could stay here for the night…
The very thought fired Grayson’s blood, and eager for a reconciliation he looked to his wife,. When she refused to meet his gaze, turning toward Jasper instead, he felt as if she had dashed him with cold water.
“I think that would be a fine idea, Uncle. I’m certain that you two can come to some agreement. You see, I’m afraid we haven’t the staff here to entertain guests, so better that you find accommodations in London,” Kate said.
She glanced toward Grayson then, her gaze cool and remote, and he stiffened, while Jasper looked around the room with a puzzled expression. Although fewer than the usual complement, the number of servants who crowded the drawing room must have seemed sufficient.
“Very well,” Grayson said. Masking his anger with contempt, he dismissed Kate with a glance. “You may stay with me in London, Mr. Gilroy.”
“Oh, you are too gracious by half, my lord,” Jasper exclaimed with a delighted smile. “I appreciate your generous offer, but I believe the Chister town house is still available, is it not?” he asked Kate.
“I wouldn’t know,” she replied.
“Oh, dear. I should never have left the country. Obviously, my solicitor has not handled things properly in my absence. Let us go to his office at once to straighten things out. I swear I will not be able to sleep a wink until all is well again.”
“Very well,” Grayson said. “Shall I follow you?” He had no intention of letting the elusive Jasper disappear once more.
Of course, it was possible that Kate’s uncle was speaking the truth, for even the smartest of men were duped by schemers and sharpers.
If so, Grayson was willing to accept an arrangement for repayment to the estate.
If not, then he looked forward to getting his hands on the duplicitous bastard.
Unaware of Grayson’s thoughts, Jasper smiled. “Why, yes. That would be delightful! And, girls, I do promise to come for a stay once everything is settled.” He winked at Lucy. “And I wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything, my dear.”
“Badcock, see that all is readied for our departure,” Grayson said.
“Yes, sir,” the valet said. “And what of this fellow?” he asked, pointing at Brown.
“Have one of the footmen take him to the magistrate, and then return here.” Although Grayson hated to make any of the servants stay when they were unprepared to do so, he was not willing to leave Hargate unattended again.
Tomorrow he would arrange for a proper staff. In the meantime, the footman, along with the two men Wells had sent after him, would have to suffice. At least the place wouldn’t be unprotected.
As for Kate…
Grayson’s jaw tightened. He would deal with her later. By supreme force of will, he bowed first to Lucy and then in the general direction of his wife. “Good day,” he said coolly.
Striding from the room, Grayson realized that on the surface, at least, it appeared as though he had the polite marriage that he had once desired.
But the knowledge gave him no pleasure, and behind that civil facade, the primitive that Kate had awakened surged to life, roaring his displeasure at their separation. By enormous strength of will he reined in that savage side of himself and vowed that soon there would be a reckoning with his wife.