Chapter 6
Earlier that same day.
Rupert could not get Eleanor from his mind. Ever since he had sent the note – a note that had taken him hours and many attempts to write – he had done nothing but pace up and down his drawing room.
“Ah, there you are.” Coming into the drawing room, Lord Preston’s eyebrows rose, his lips tugging into a smile. “I see you are in some sort of distress, brother. Is it because you have been unable to find a suitable day and time for our cousins to come for dinner?”
Rupert ignored the hint of teasing in his brother’s voice. “I wrote to Lady Eleanor,” he muttered, by way of explanation. “I do not know if she will even read it, but I sent it regardless.”
Sitting down in a chair, Preston studied Rupert with careful eyes, his light smile gone. “I am sure you wrote very well.”
“I doubt she will respond to me.”
“But you hope for it?”
Coming to a stop, Rupert shook his head no. “I dare not let myself hope for that. The pain I have caused her will be great and the injury severe.”
“Might I ask what you told her?”
Rupert spread out his hands. “Very little. I did not tell her about the threat to our family name, nor did I even mention our sister. Instead, I simply apologized for what I did not do – namely, to go to her and tell her directly that what I had hoped for could not take place. Thereafter, I stated that I had been doing my best to protect her, but I did not say more than that.”
With a slow nod, Lord Preston rubbed at his chin. “If she comes to you, will you explain all to her?”
A harsh laugh broke from his lips. “She shall not come to me. My letter might have been discarded, or the words ignored. Recall, she has no reason to trust me.”
“I can see that, but all the same, there must be a little hope within you.”
Searching his heart and mind, Rupert shook his head no. “There is nothing but worry driving me at present.”
“Worry over what?”
He blinked, trying to understand himself.
“I think it is a worry that she will reject my explanation. I caused her a heavy sorrow, and the only thing I hope for is that my letter will bring her a little more understanding than before. That is what I want for her and what I fear she will not have unless she reads my letter.”
Preston nodded. “So you are concerned she will not even read what you sent.”
“Yes, precisely.”
“And pacing the floor will help her do so, will it?”
Rupert stopped walking and turned to his brother. “I do not know what else to do.”
Preston shrugged. “Speak to Cook about our cousins coming to join us for dinner and send them an invitation?”
“I did so this morning.”
“Oh. That is good.” Preston tipped his head. “Then why not take the carriage and drive somewhere? Or walk, if that will suit you better, but at least that way, you will take yourself somewhere instead of wearing holes in the carpet!”
“I have no reason to take the carriage.”
“Go to Gunters for an ice,” Preston suggested. “Make your way to the bookshop and purchase something new. Do something that will distract you from your anxious thoughts – at least for a time. It will do you no good otherwise.”
“And if a note should come from her in the time I am gone?” It was not something Rupert hoped for or expected, but all the same, the chance was there.”
With a chuckle, Preston shook his head. “My dear brother, that is not a reason for hiding yourself away here. If a note should come from her, then you will receive it upon your return.”
Rupert scowled. “How is it that you have such wisdom upon your shoulders, brother? First, you tell me what I should have done when it came to Lady Eleanor, then you directed me on what I ought to do about it now. Then, you sit here and suggest something more for me to do!”
A lopsided smile stuck to Lord Preston’s lips. “And has any of my advice been wrong thus far?”
Unable to give him the answer, for he knew full well Preston was right, Rupert threw both hands through his hair and, with another grimace in his brother’s direction, stalked to the door.
His brother’s laughter followed him, and Rupert smiled begrudgingly.
He had to admit that his brother’s advice was good and, after a few more moments of consideration, Rupert decided he would follow it.
A walk outdoors would do him good, although he had no intention whatsoever of going to fetch either a new book or an ice from Gunters.
All he wanted was to walk and think and perhaps even pray until his mind was a little more settled than it was at present.
“Do watch where you’re going!”
Rupert jolted as a shoulder struck him, an angry voice speaking sharp words in his direction.
“I can only apologize,” he mumbled, dropping his head and squeezing his eyes closed as he took in a deep breath.
He could not fault the anger of the gentleman, for he had been walking without clear thought as to where he was going.
Rather than clearing his mind, this walk had served only to cloud it further, filling it with thoughts of Lady Eleanor and wondering what her reaction would be when they next were in company.
Shaking his head to himself, Rupert lifted himself tall and, looking straight ahead instead of letting his gaze wander, began to walk with purpose, returning now to the house.
He would have to tell Preston that, whilst he appreciated his brother’s advice, he had not been able to find the relief he had hoped for.
“Is you Lord Finchley?”
Rupert blinked, frowning as a child, a young boy with a dirty face and a cap on his head, looked up at him. “Yes, I am,” he said slowly, as the carriages continued to roll by him. “How did you know – ”
“I have to give you this.”
Something was shoved into Rupert’s hand, and without warning, the child sped away, running into a dark alleyway that hid him in an instant. Confused, Rupert stared after him for a few seconds and then looked down at what had been put into his hand.
He unfolded the small piece of paper, his frown darkening as he read the few lines written there.
‘Wed, yes, but with a child already? What a scandal, should that news come out! I will keep my silence but at a cost to you. Wait for my next note but do not think you can ignore the demand.’
His heart stopped beating as a cold hand took his heart in an icy grip.
The next moment, a furious heat tore through him, and before he could think about what to do, he was running.
Following after the child, he hurried his steps into the very same alleyway, but the child was already gone.
Breathing hard – though not from the exertion – Rupert looked to his right and to his left, but he could see nothing.
It was as if the entire street had cleared itself of people so that he might be left confused and uncertain.
Who would write such a thing?
His eyes closed as he crumpled the note in his hand. This was precisely what he had been afraid of, what he had been worried about for so long. In coming to London, he had believed that all had been taken care of and that no threat remained, but now Rupert saw, he had been mistaken in that.
I must speak to Preston.
Turning on his heel, Rupert ran back the way he had come, heedless of the fact that he was behaving in a manner that most of the ton would think most improper for a gentleman.
Running as fast as he could, his hat in his hand and the note in the other, he made his way back to the house, fear right on his heels and chasing him even as he climbed the steps inside.
“You say a child gave you this?”
Rupert nodded, watching as his brother began to walk up and down the drawing room, mimicking Rupert’s behavior earlier that afternoon. “Yes. I do not know who wrote it.”
Lord Preston closed his eyes and let out a hiss of breath between clenched teeth.
“This was not something I expected,” Rupert told him as Preston rubbed one hand over his eyes.
“I thought, with our sister wed and settled, there was nothing more of concern. It has been months now since that took place, and since no one came out of the ether to whisper about her or to gossip about her child, I believed that the threat was quite gone.”
“Except now, it is not.” Preston shook his head. “This is very bad indeed, Finchley.”
“Yes, it is.” Getting to his feet, Rupert made his way across the room and poured them both a good measure of fine brandy. Handing one to his brother, he took a large mouthful and swallowed it quickly, letting the fire chase its way down his throat and to his stomach.
It did not bring any clarity.
“What are we to do?” Preston asked, as Rupert shrugged. “You think we will have to do whatever is demanded?”
“I fear we must,” Rupert answered, with a heavy sigh. “What else can we do?”
Lord Preston chewed his lip and continued to pace. “Mayhap it will be one demand only, and then they will keep their silence.”
“Mayhap,” Rupert agreed, although that did not seem in the least bit likely to him. “We must do our utmost to think of another solution, a way out of this.”
“And we must find out who it is that threatens us,” Preston said grimly. “Although I fear that such a thing will be very difficult indeed.”
Rupert nodded and drained the rest of his whisky. It was just as well he had stayed back from Lady Eleanor, he thought to himself, his thoughts heavy. His greatest concern in all of this had just come to pass, and now, it was going to be best for him to stay as far away from her as possible.