Treacherous Temptations(67)

“But there were witnesses!” she cried.

“One of whom was an illiterate who only left his mark, and the other, along with Reverend Keith, has been well compensated for memory loss.” Sir Richard replied. “No license was procured. The marriage never existed.” He upturned his palms with a smile. “You may now disabuse yourself that I’ll allow any scheming little baggage to dupe me!”

“Poor girl,” Lord Barnesley took her hand with cloying solicitude. “You’ll soon come to see it’s for the best, for I am prepared to overlook everything and make you my wife.”

“Excuse me?” Mary’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He continued in a patronizing tone as if speaking to a dull child, “You will come with me to my estate where arrangements have been made to join us in holy matrimony in my private family chapel. Thenceforth, you will reside at Oldham.” His coal-black eyes glimmered in a way that was at once menacing and mesmerizing. “But because my obligations take me frequently away, Lady Blanchard has agreed to become your companion.”

“But I already have a companion,” Mary insisted. “Jenny has been with me since girlhood.”

The countess interjected, “Jenny will stay behind to attend to your packing and will follow later with your baggage.”

Mary knew she lied. They all lied. “I see.” She answered woodenly while her mind scrambled for any means of delay, of escape. “You must at least allow me to pack a few things.”

“Very well,” Barnesley nodded, his cool reserve belying a nebulous danger that Mary couldn’t fathom. “You have precisely one hour. A single portmanteau should more than suffice as it is only two days travel.”

With an outer calm masking a pulse racing in terror, Mary excused herself from the library, hoping to steal away down the back stairs.

“I shall attend you, my dear,” Lady Blanchard said with a smile that indicated she had read Mary’s thoughts of escape.

“There is no need to trouble yourself, madam. Jenny and I can manage.”

“Nonsense, darling.”

Mary met Barbara’s gaze and a chill of foreboding snaked over her skin. The woman intended her harm. She didn’t know how she knew, but she sensed it deeply. Hadley had revealed the depths of Lady Blanchard’s depravity. At the time, it had shocked her, but now she was glad of the knowledge—for forewarned is forearmed. And without even dear Jenny, there would now be no one to protect her but herself.

…

Hadley arrived in the village of Welham late in the afternoon. He had planned to take lodgings above the tavern, but his impatience to see Mary had increased with every league travelled. At first, he had thought to send the bank draft by courier, but that seemed cowardly. No, he must see her one more time. Even knowing he more than likely faced a second rejection, he resolved to go in person in the faint hope that time and distance might have softened her heart.

To Hadley’s surprise, James broke into a run to meet him upon spotting his approach. Hadley frowned and spurred his horse, becoming even more consternated when James caught the bridle. Hadley flung himself to the ground at the grim look on his servant’s face. “What’s amiss?”

“They’ve taken her,” James said.

Hadley’s heart lurched. “Who?”

“Miss Edwardes…er…Lady Blanchard.”

“No! I mean who has taken her?”

Jenny appeared now, skirts flying and worrying her lip. “They come together! The whole wicked lot of them—Sir Richard, that evil bi—countess, and some lord called by Barnesley.”

“Barnesely?” Hadley nearly choked on the name. “That godless libertine? May heaven help her. Do you know where they went?”

“Aye,” Jenny said. “They took her away to his estate.”

“Oldham,” Hadley said. “It’s in Lincolnshire, probably two days to the northeast. They set out by carriage?”

“Aye,” Jenny nodded.

“How many horses?”

“Six horses,” James answered. “Four outriders. Plus a coachman and two footmen.”

“Shite!” Hadley cursed. “With six in hand they’ll be covering ground at a good clip. Even if we caught them, with Sir Richard and Barnesley, we’re already outmanned four to one. Bad enough, and I’ve no bloody weapons but my sword and dagger—less than effective against the firearms they surely carry.” Hadley looked to James. “I can’t do this alone, but neither can I force you to risk your life with the numbers so unfavorable.”

“Of course he will go!” Jenny gave James little chance to protest even if he’d wanted to. “As to firearms,” she said, “the master had a blunderbuss, and kept a special pair of dueling pistols.”

“You know where the pistols are?” Hadley asked.

“Aye. They be locked away in the master’s chambers. But I know where Miss Molly keeps the key.” Hadley and James followed Jenny, who retrieved a key from Mary’s jewel box, and then led them to a chamber with furnishings enshrouded in dust covers. “This was the master’s room. There be a secret cupboard over there behind the picture,” she jerked her head toward a large portrait of a smiling woman bearing a strong resemblance to Mary. “I only know of it as the miss hid away a number of things she didn’t wish Sir Richard to find after the master passed.”