“I will stay with Melissa’s parents,” she said.
James said, “They’re journeying directly back to Yorkshire tomorrow.”
Douglas continued, “We will all gather together at the solicitor’s, and the legal minds will help us sort this out. Now, it’s time for bed. I, for one, am still swimming in too much champagne.”
Since it was the patriarch who had spoken, everyone dutifully rose.
As James had said, the vicarage was packed to the rafters of the third floor. Jason and six other young men, including the bedchamber’s owner, Max, Uncle Tysen’s eldest son, were sleeping lined up like logs on thick piles of blankets, collected from Uncle Tysen’s parishioners.
Except Jason. He couldn’t sleep. All his plans, all the magnificent execution of his plans, what would happen now? He hated the uncertainty of it. He listened to the snoring, the grunts and groans of all his cousins, wondered how wives ever got any sleep, what with all the racket men made, pulled on a dressing gown his cousin Grayson had loaned him, and slipped out of the vicarage. He walked into the moonlight-drenched gardens, pausing by a thick twisting honeysuckle vine to breathe in its night scent.
“Do you know that women snore?”
He nearly jumped out of his bare feet. He whipped around, stepped on a sharp twig, and began dancing on one foot.
The witch laughed.
“Women’s snores aren’t as earsplitting as men’s,” he said, rubbing his foot. “Just little mewling sounds, delicate little snorts and whistles.”
“I suppose you would know, what with all the women you’ve put to sleep over the years.”
He raised an eyebrow at that. “Is this why you’re up, Miss Carrick? You couldn’t sleep with all the little grunts and groans?”
“It was almost like I was lying there listening to some sort of strange string quartet. A little wheeze here, a heady sigh from across the room, a deeper rumble from beside my left elbow.”
“And you couldn’t join in the orchestra?”
“I was lying there, wondering what we’re going to do about all this mess. Not that I have any doubt about the correct outcome, naturally, but getting there, the plowing through your very rich and powerful family, who would like to send me to China. In a barrel. Filled with herring.”
“Plowing? You think my family would be dishonest? I assure you, Miss Carrick, there is no reason to be since I have the right of it. Thomas Hoverton is a wastrel, a small-minded, womanizing, gambling wastrel, and that is why his solicitor has the power to make financial decisions for him. Thomas initiated it himself to keep him separated from his creditors who would probably like to jerk his guts out through his nose. Besides, you’re not some poor little waif. Talk about a powerful family; your uncle, Burke Drummond, the earl of Ravensworth, is a very powerful man indeed. As for your father, he is Baron Sherard. Contact them, Miss Carrick. Until your father arrives, your uncle can represent your interests, he and his solicitor. Stop your whining. Actually, my parents would seriously consider China or perhaps Russia. Somewhere remote.”
Hallie sighed. “Yes, that’s all true. But it will take days for Uncle Burke to get to London. Was I really whining?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that isn’t very attractive, is it? No, don’t you dare say it’s what all American girls do or I’ll knock you into those rosebushes.”
“All right, I won’t say it. The fact is, I’m charmed with the image of you climbing out of a herring barrel after six or so weeks at sea, on a rutted road that will take you to Moscow, in about six months.”
“English herring or American herring?”
He wanted to laugh, but he didn’t. “British herring are saltier in my experience. Not that I don’t like a whiff of salt, naturally.”
“You’re making that up.” She paused a moment, then said, “The fact is I like being more American than British. I have a different perspective on many things. You know, the way I look at people, the way I respond to situations.”
“That must mean you’re not an insufferable snob yet.”
“Is that how you see English girls, Mr. Sherbrooke? As snobs?”
“No, not at all. You’re right about American girls—they’re more likely to kick a man in the shins if he offends her rather than whimpering behind a potted palm in a corner.”
“Are you speaking from experience?”
“Yes, of course. I’ve seen both. For myself, I’d prefer the attempt to the shin.”
“No attempt. I’d do it, fast and hard.”
“I suppose you could try. A gentleman is at a disadvantage, of course, since he can’t kick you back. You’ve a sharp mouth on you, Miss Carrick. You’ve got a vicious streak too, if I’m not mistaken—about the female of the species, I rarely am mistaken.” Except one time, he thought, feeling the damnable familiar pain slice through him. One time he’d been so damnably blind—No, he wouldn’t think about it. It was long in the past. He was home again, and he knew, knew to his heels, that no one blamed him. It never ceased to amaze and humble him. He wondered if he would ever stop blaming himself and knew he wouldn’t.
He looked back at her, wondering what she’d look like with that marvelous hair of hers loose around her shoulders instead of in a single fat braid. If he wasn’t mistaken, and he didn’t think he was, he thought she looked hurt. Hurt at what? What he’d said? No, impossible, not this tiger of a girl, this baggage whose mouth would have to be taped over to keep her quiet. “Perhaps it would make you feel better toward me if you knew I’ve never had a girl try to kick me in the shins or sob behind a potted palm.”
“That’s because every female in the vicinity is hanging all over you,” she said quite matter-of-factly. “Enough pandering, else you will become even more conceited than you are now. Listen to me. I’m worried, I’ll admit it. I mean, I know that since Thomas Hoverton sold me his property, I am the real owner, but this solicitor business, well—”
“As I said, Miss Carrick, there are many properties for you to buy. This is the only one that is close to my home.” He hated going over problems when he could see that each side had some right going for it. He said instead, “Did you know that your name nearly rhymes with my sister-in-law’s?”
“Corrie. Hallie. Yes, it is close, looking at the names. She is very smart.”
“Why do you think Corrie is very smart?”
“It’s obvious. Oh, I see, as a man, you wouldn’t notice a female brain if it winked up at you in your soup. She deals well with her husband.”
“Yes, she would kill for James.”
“Like Melissa would kill for Leo.”
“Evidently.”
“Your feet are bare, Mr. Sherbrooke. And that dressing gown you’re wearing is very tatty and old.”
“It belongs to my cousin Grayson. I forgot to pack anything. I arrived home just in time to change clothes and come galloping here. You look like a whipped-up dessert, Miss Carrick, all soft and fluffy and peachy.”
“Yes, well, it was a gift from my aunt Arielle when she thought I was going to marry—” She slammed her hands over her mouth, looked horrified that those words had popped right out of her mouth. She took a step back, clutched at the flowing peach silk dressing gown and pulled it so tight over her breasts that beneath that lovely moonlight, he could see through to her lovely white skin.
She knew he was going to blight her: she’d just blurted out some powerful ammunition, but “Hmm,” was all he said, nothing more. She still backed up three steps until her back hit against a climbing rosebush. A thorn must have stuck her because she jumped, stepped away.
Then, he saw, she simply couldn’t stand it. “Oh, go ahead and mock me about this, I know you want to.”
“Actually, I don’t. Now, my father will speak to Melissa’s parents since they’re in charge of you.”
“They aren’t in charge of me, damn you.”
“Very well, but you are their guest, are you not?”
“Yes, I suppose. I was going
to leave for Ravensworth tomorrow in any case. But not now.”
“No, not now. You will have to come back to Northcliffe Hall with us tomorrow,” he said. “Then we will all go to London together. My father will send a messenger to your uncle.”
“Yes, all right. I want this to be resolved quickly. I want to move into my new property.”
“I don’t suppose you planned on living at Lyon’s Gate alone? You’re a young lady—well, you’re more young than not, I suppose.”
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” she said slowly. “This has all happened so quickly. There must be some spare relative hanging about who could come to Lyon’s Gate to live with me. My aunt Arielle is sure to know of someone.”
“How about my grandmother?”
“I didn’t meet her, but isn’t she dreadfully old?”
“Not beyond her eightieth year. She would refuse in any case. She doesn’t like ladies, except my aunt Melissande. I was joking with you. However, finding a chaperone won’t be a problem since you’re not moving to Lyon’s Gate.”
“I wish you would give it up, Mr. Sherbrooke. I bought the property from the actual owner. It’s done.”
“I have a feeling that Thomas will prefer the sale going through his solicitor.”
“Why?”
“Because the money that goes to Mr. Clark might be a bit more safely hidden from creditors than if it went directly to Thomas Hoverton. Hmm, I wonder what Thomas will have to say if that is true?”
“No, that can’t be right. You made that up. The money goes to Thomas in any case.”
“We will see, won’t we? Go to bed, Miss Carrick.” He towered over her. “Jessie Wyndham is taller than you are.”
“These things happen. Perhaps James Wyndham is taller than you. We grow big in America.”
He smiled down at her. “It’s better this way, Miss Carrick. Lyon’s Gate is a grand property, its potential can be reached only by a strong man who has a vision. I am that man, Miss Carrick.”
“Your foot is bleeding, Mr. Sherbrooke. Brought low by a twig. Some strong man you are.”
Jason reached out his hand and lightly touched his fingertips to her chin. A firm, very stubborn chin. “Give it up, Miss Carrick. Go back to Ravensworth. Buy something there.”
“Good night, Mr. Sherbrooke. If I am found dead beneath one of Mary Rose’s honeysuckle vines, you can be certain you or one of your family members will be blamed for it.”
“Oh, were any of us to resort to that, you would simply disappear, Miss Carrick. Don’t forget that herring barrel.” He gave her a small salute and walked back into the vicarage, trying not to limp even when he stepped on another sharp twig.
CHAPTER 9
Jason didn’t return to Northcliffe Hall. He rode directly back to London in clothes he borrowed from his twin.
When everyone arrived at the Sherbrooke town house late afternoon of the following day, he was waiting for them in the drawing room.
He wasn’t all that surprised when Hallie Carrick ran into the drawing room ahead of everyone, her right hand fisted, blood in her eyes.
He managed to catch her fist before it landed. “You miserable sot.” She managed to twist her hand free and hit him in the belly. He grunted as he grabbed both wrists.
She stood on her tiptoes, right in his face, squirming and tugging, but he wasn’t about to let her go again. “You paltry cretin, you puling weasel—let go of me so I can hove your ribs in!”
“I might be paltry and puling, but I’m not stupid. I’m not about to let you get loose again, Miss Carrick.”
“Let me at you, let me have more leverage, and I’ll send my fist into your liver.”
Corrie said, “She’s been muttering all the way to London about the most satisfying ways to kill you, Jason. Even my best conversational efforts didn’t deter her from quite innovative murder schemes, including stuffing you in a herring barrel and sailing you off some place on the other side of the planet.” Corrie paused a moment, tapped her fingertips against her chin, and sighed. “But you know, Hallie, in the end, you’ve let me down.”
Hallie jerked around at that. “What do you mean let you down?”
“You obviously are not acquainted with boxing science. When all’s said and done, you hit him like a girl—a straight shot, nothing subtle, nothing surprising at all.”
James said, “I hesitate to insert myself in the middle of this battlefield, but how the devil do you know anything about boxing science, Corrie?”
“I followed you and Jason to a boxing match near Chelmsley when I was twelve. You, Jason, and a half dozen wild young men from Oxford came down to get debauched and lose your groats on some sweating idiot trying to kill another sweating idiot.”
Douglas said, “You never saw her, James? You never knew about this until now?”
“She was always sneaky,” James said. He raised his eyes to the ceiling. “Thank you, God, for not letting all the gentlemen present realize she was a girl. You were wearing your britches, weren’t you?”
“Yes, naturally. I even won a pound betting on the very sweaty man—now what was his name? Crutcher, I believe. I wagered on him because he had longer arms. I figured that gave him the advantage.”
“You’re right,” Jason said, “Crutcher was his name. No, Miss Carrick, don’t try to knock me into the fireplace again. That’s better, hold still. Your wrists are staying right where they are. I bet on him too, Corrie. Won a hundred pounds off Quin Parker. I’d never even seen a hundred pounds before that day. James tried to extort a share, but I hid my booty.”
James said, “I searched your room at least three different times looking for that money. Where did you hide it?”
“In the gardens, not a foot from Corrie’s favorite statue.”
“Oh dear, how do you know which is my favorite statue, Jason?”
“It’s every female’s favorite statue,” Jason said.
Jason and James’s mother, Alex, said kindly to Hallie even as her husband gave her an astonished look, “They are large, very nicely carved statues of men and women in an unclothed state, very artistic, naturally, and I suppose you would say their subject matter is explicit. They were brought over by one of my husband’s ancestors in the last century.”
“Explicit what?” Hallie asked.
“I’ll show them to you, Hallie,” Corrie said. “They are vastly educational.”
“But how?”
“Well, they show you all the ways that a man and a woman can be intimate—”
“Intimate?” Hallie asked, her voice lower, vibrating with interest. “What do you mean ‘intimate’?”
“Well—oh dear, perhaps we’d best not discuss that here.”
Jason rolled his eyes.
“Amen,” said Corrie’s husband. “Forget about the statues.”
Hallie said, “They’re naked, you say? The male statues?”
“Well, yes,” Alex said.
“Hmm. You can show me these statues, Corrie—I don’t suppose the weasel here compares favorably to them?”
“Actually, truth be told, the statues don’t compare favorably to the weasel. Or to James.”
“Enough!” Jason roared.
Hallie jerked, found that he hadn’t let up on his grip at all, and said, “I’ll wager you dug up the one hundred pounds as soon as you could and lost it all in twenty minutes in a gaming hell.”
Douglas said, “My sons only visited a gaming hell once, Miss Carrick, and that was with me, their father, when they were seventeen.”
Alex said, “Goodness, Douglas, you never told me about that. How I should have liked to have seen it. I could have dressed in a pair of Corrie’s britches, perhaps worn a mask, sipped on brandy—”
“It was pretty bad, Mother,” James said. “Men were drunk as loons, wagering huge amounts of money as if they didn’t have a care in the world. The place smelled, to be blunt about it. As for the man who owned the hell, he looked like he’d willingly shove a knife in you
r belly if you didn’t pay up your losses.”
Corrie said to her father-in-law, “That was quite brilliant, sir. You did it as a lesson.”
Douglas nodded. “The unknown is a powerful lure. Strip away the mystery and you see the rot beneath. As I recall, my own father took me to a notorious hell when I was about that age.”
Alex said on a sigh, “I don’t think it ever occurred to my father to take Melissande or me on an educational experience like that one. I’ll wager there were gaming hells in York, don’t you think, Douglas?”
“Lord give me strength,” Douglas said, eyes heavenward.
Hallie jerked once more on her wrists, but Jason’s hold was still unbreakable. “This is all well and good, all these educational lessons, my lord, but may we get back to business?”
“What business?” James asked. “Oh, sorry, I forgot. You want to kill my brother.”
“No,” she wailed, “I want my stud farm! It’s mine, it belongs to me, I paid good money for it right into the cupped open hands of the owner himself, not his smarmy solicitor.”
“Before we return to that subject,” the earl said, “I’m curious about what you did with the money, Jason.”
“Do you know,” Jason said slowly, “I forgot about it. I think it still must be buried there.”
“You forgot one hundred pounds?” Hallie said. “That’s impossible. A young man never forgets his money, even one like you with more looks than brains.”
“Excellent,” Corrie said. “Hallie, you’ve regained your sense of humor.”
Hallie wanted to leap on Corrie, but Jason kept tight hold of her wrists. He did give her enough freedom so she could shake one fist in Corrie’s direction. “You have the unmitigated gall to make fun of me?”
Corrie said, unruffled as a sleeping hen, “Not at all. You still want to flatten Jason? I’ll teach you to box, Miss Carrick. What do you say to that?”
James’s eyes, like his father’s, went heavenward. “She saw one boxing match when she was twelve and now she’s going to give lessons?”
“Well,” Douglas said. “I gave her lessons. And your mother as well.” He gave a pirate’s grin to his slack-jawed sons.