A Passion for Pleasure(86)
Male voices flared in contention as she closed the door behind her. She hugged her arms around herself and tried to contain her bone-shaking trembles. Mrs. Fox looked at her, her expression set with disapproval, but she made no remark about the sudden cacophony.
“W-where is Uncle Granville?” Clara stammered.
“He’s gone to oversee the exhibition in St. James’s Street,” Mrs. Fox replied. She hesitated, pursing her lips. “Would you…I’ve a bit of brandy in the dining room, if you’d like. You look rather pale.”
Clara shook her head. “I’m…I’ve somewhere I need to be. Please, would you…when you see Sebastian again, tell him I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
“He’ll know.” Clara grabbed her hat and shoved her arms into her cloak. “Please, just tell him.”
“Mrs. Hall, I must say you don’t look as if you ought to go anywhere at the moment.”
“I have no choice, Mrs. Fox.”
Clara wrenched open the door and ran.
Chapter Eighteen
How dare you put our family in peril again?” The very air around Rushton vibrated with anger. “After what she did?”
“She leaves London on Friday,” Darius said, his tone unapologetic. “And never did she intend to inform anyone else of her return.”
“As well she shouldn’t,” Rushton snapped, swinging his hard gaze to Sebastian. “I knew it was a mistake to leave things in your hands, to expect that you would make the right decisions as to your future. Have you any idea of the damage Fairfax could wreak with his accusations against his daughter? When did you learn about this?”
“Before we wed,” Sebastian admitted. He stepped back to the door, pulled by the urge to race after Clara. Unease coiled in his gut. “But we had no suspicion that he would make such accusations public. What has he to gain by doing so?”
“His motives do not concern me.” Rushton paced to the hearth, his shoulders rigid. “The accusation does.”
“We could very well turn this back upon him,” Darius said. “Fairfax has creditors to appease. He needed money from Sebastian, so if he were granted enough funds…”
“I have no intention of putting myself at the mercy of a man who is strengthened by the accusation of murder,” Rushton retorted. “I could give such a man my entire fortune and would still have no guarantee that he would keep his silence.” Rushton glowered at Sebastian. “Not to mention that I have no evidence as to the falsity of his claim.”
Sebastian’s jaw clenched. “Clara did not murder her husband.”
“Of course she’d tell you that,” Rushton snapped. “You have no evidence to the contrary, do you?”
“I don’t need any.”
“And you.” Rushton spun to confront Darius, anger tearing through him as he pointed a finger at his other son. “You could be considered an enemy of the state owing to your residence in Russia. And now Mrs. Hall tells me you sought plans for a cipher machine that could be used in wartime? Your loyalties would be called into grave question should the Home Office discover you are in possession of such plans. And what defense would you have should they accuse you of wanting to use such a machine against British troops?”
“They could not do so if you, my lord, finance the construction and testing of the machine for the Home Office.”
“Why in the love of God would I finance anything with which you are involved?” Rushton snapped.
“Because it is the most innovative and expedient way of transmitting coded messages between British troops. Granville Blake and I can prove the codes are unbreakable.”
Rushton stared at him but before he could respond, a knock came at the door. Sebastian turned as Mrs. Fox poked her head into the room, blinking at the heated tension buffeting the air.
“I beg your pardon, gentlemen.” She delicately cleared her throat and looked at Sebastian. “Mr. Hall, may I speak with you for a moment?”
Sebastian strode to the foyer with her. She held out a folded note. “A delivery boy just brought this for Mrs. Hall. He said it was a missive from Lord Fairfax’s butler. I thought you should know. Mrs. Hall left in such a hurry, and she did not look well at all.”
Foreboding seized him. Sebastian grabbed the note and unfolded it. His heart plummeted.