Chapter Twenty-Five #3
“I did not leave my wife and children for nothing. Take me to the safe house and I will do my best to figure out what this message contains.”
“Excellent. Thank you, my friend.” They finished their ale, put on their hats, and donned their coats.
“Tell me, is this ward of yours pretty?” his friend asked once they were on the road.
“Yes, Lucinda is very beautiful.”
“Dangerously so, I’m guessing.”
“I am not answering that. You can make up your own mind on how dangerous she is.”
“Oh, I shall. Have no fear of that,” he said. “Dangerous is the best kind, you know.”
“Well, you married one, so I guess you would know,” Tony replied as they continued their way down the road. “How is Lisbeth?”
“Infuriating. Delightful. Everything I dreamed she would be. Still gets me up every night.”
Tony shot him a shocked grin.
“To check the children of course. Even though we have a nanny. Little humans need an awful lot of checking it appears.”
“You are not bored with married life?”
“Bored? I have never been busier. Between the land steward reminding me of my duties to the tenants and the tenants complaining about the land steward I am always entertained. Then there is the local vicar, who insists on praying for my soul and likes to beat me at chess. Of course, there is Henry, our newest child who I spend hours just looking at because I swear he is growing before my eyes. And last but not least there are the insatiable needs of my loving wife. I am quite run through.”
“Oh, I believe you.”
“Tell me about your pretty ward.”
“She is infuriating,” Tony said.
“Tick.”
“Delightful.”
“Tick.”
“And I want to make her happy, for she has had a wretched upbringing.”
“I am going to ask you the same question you once asked me,” Bellamy said, a huge grin on his face. “You are not smitten with her, are you? Of course, I already know the answer.”
“I fear I am more than smitten.”
“This is serious. It also accounts for why you look so… miserable.”
“It’s the rule.”
“The rule?”
“The rule of the Ring.”
“Oh, that rule.”
“I’m not like you, Bellamy. I didn’t inherit a title. I don’t have estates to look after. I have nothing but who I am and I’m… concerned I will not amount to anything without it.”
“Hmm, that is a dilemma. Surely your brother could give you one of his many properties.”
“I do not want to be beholden to Edward.”
“Ah, yes. The whole cashing in your commission thing. Still have not forgiven him I see. He may be happy to offload some of his responsibilities by gifting you one, you know. You would be doing him a favor, really.”
“I’m not sure I am suited to being a farmer.”
“You could study the law? With your knack of reading people, I would say you would be a dab hand at it.”
He had never thought of that. It had… possibilities.
“Even a local magistrate, if you do swallow your pride and take on property. I guess it depends on how much you love her.”
Tony clenched his teeth. That was pretty much what Lucinda had said to him. What Marianne had accused him of. It sounded even worse coming from the usually flippant Bellamy.
Tony stayed silent for most of the trip and Bellamy obliged him by not asking him any more questions about Lucinda. They were nearly at the safe house when Bellamy spoke.
“It is a shame I won’t be able to give my regards to your mother and your most delightful sister Marianne. You know she writes to Lisbeth quite often.”
“She is a reliable source of information on most of her acquaintances. I am glad she writes to her. Lord knows what Marianne tells Lisbeth about me.”
“Honestly, you do not want to know.” They turned down a dark alley that led to the small mews at the back of the house, then through the garden to the house beyond.
Footmen, acting as guards, met them at the door, and Tony was happy to see that they were well armed.
The house was mostly in darkness, so they crept in and made their way to the parlor.
“Let me go in first and announce you.”
“If you insist.”
Tony opened the door to find the three women actively playing a card game. Lucinda jumped up when he entered and flung herself into his arms. He kissed her and whispered, “I have a visitor so behave yourself.” She stepped back.
“Lucinda, may I present my friend, Oliver Whitely, Earl of Bellamy.”
Oliver strode in and made a deep bow in front of them. Lucinda curtseyed in response. He kissed her hand and inspected her ring at the same time and turned to Oliver with a smile. “Definitely dangerous.”
“Oliver!” Marianne squealed in evident joy, jumping up from the table to greet him with a hug.
“Little Princess Mary-and-Anne.” Which had been her nickname ever since they first met. “You look delightful as always. Lady Warrington, it is a pleasure to see you again.”
“Bellamy, my dear. Thank you for coming at such short notice.”
“Of course,” he said and turned to Tony with a questioning brow.
“They all know, which is why they are here.”
“Splendid. What a party we will make.” Tea was ordered for the ladies and a glass of brandy for Tony and Oliver. They talked for a while, laughing at Oliver’s dry wit. Eventually, Marianne and her mother left to go up to bed, leaving the three of them behind.
“Do you think you will be able to read the code, Lord Bellamy?”
“I shall certainly try, my dear Lucinda, and if not I shall work on cracking it.”
“I really must thank you for leaving your family for us.”
“Nonsense. I think Lisbeth was quite happy to be rid of me for a few days.”
She laughed. “Surely not.”
“By the time I leave here, I am sure you will be more than happy to see the back of me. But first, let me have a look at this ring you have.”
She twisted it off her finger and put it in the palm of his hand. Was she doing the right thing, trusting this stranger? He smiled at her. “I shall return it to you just as you gave it to me.”
“Thank you.” Lucinda then went and sat back down at the table where Tony sat. He put his arm around her shoulders.
Bellamy wrote down the letters and symbols on a piece of paper and took his time analyzing the contents. Finally, he pushed the ring back towards her.
“Well?” Tony asked.
“It is not in code.”
Lucinda looked crestfallen.
“I think, but I am not totally sure, that it is a formula. I recognize the symbols of sulfur and chlorine. The rest is beyond my knowledge. I think you need someone skilled in the sciences. The Royal Society may have a suitable candidate, but once you show it to someone who understands it, it will no longer be a secret.” Bellamy went and put his papers into the fire.
“Your secret, for now, remains secret. However, be warned. Anything that has those two elements together is not making a tonic for gout.”
“I may have a way of finding out without showing the ring to anyone. I will simply ask what the outcome may be if those two elements are put together. Just out of curiosity, of course.”
“Excellent idea. I am sure your brother Charles may know a few people.”
“Yes! He may even know himself. I will ask him tomorrow.”
Lucinda looked exhausted, so Tony sent her to bed and stayed up talking to Bellamy. Formulating a plan.
When at last as dawn was breaking he saw Bellamy out to the mews.
Once in the saddle, Bellamy turned to him.
“Ashton. Marry her. The rest will fall in place.” With that, he rode away.
Tony shook his head as he returned inside.
It felt strange for Bellamy, of all people, giving him relationship advice.
He was probably right. He loved Lucinda, he had compromised her, he should marry her and sooner rather than later, but what if things did not fall into place?
What then? In any case, he needed to concentrate on finding out what this formula was for.
Only then, when they knew what they were dealing with, could he look after his heart and hers.