Imprisoned at Werewolf Keep (Werewolf Keep Trilogy) (5 page)

‘You did the right thing getting a
way. Does anyone know where you have come?’ Phil asked, all fierce protector.

‘
No. I… I just packed up what I could, and Maude and I caught the first train north. I did not trust any of the staff with my destination. Obviously, someone was in league with that man, other than Haversham, otherwise, how would he have known about your visit.

‘
Could he have killed Howard, Phil? The idea has been like a nightmare to me, ever since I heard it. If he killed him to get to me… I think he is quite mad.’

‘He sounds that way. But you are safe now. He cannot find you up here. We will need to discuss this with Byron…’

‘Oh no, please. I would feel so…compromised…if a man knew what he tried to do to me.’

‘You are no
such thing, and Byron will think nothing of the sort. When you meet him, you will understand. He is quite the most honourable and protective of men. I will call him now.’

‘Phil!
’ Fidelia wailed, mortified that a man was to hear of her disgrace.

‘No, Dee, trust me in this
. This is not the sort of thing we can solve on our own. We need the wisdom of a man, though it pains me to say so.’ She tried to make the last sentence light, but failed.

Before Fidelia could say an
other word to stop her, Phil stormed out of the room, leaving her alone with her fears.

Had she made it worse by confiding everything to her friend? Maybe she would have been better to just forget it ever happened an
d just stayed away from the madman. Might it have been wiser to go to her parents on the continent?

Phil was back before she had properly considered that thought. With her came a towering giant of a man with features as stark and roughly hewn as the Keep itself. And he looked worried and very tired. For the first time, Fidelia noticed that Phil also looked exhausted. What selfishness had made her inflict her problems on her obviously over-stretched friend? She should have known that Phil would have invited her to stay if it had been at all possible. Coming here had been a mistake.

‘Fidelia, I would like to introduce my husband,
Lord Byron Carstairs. Byron, this is my dearest friend, Lady Fidelia Montgomery.’

Byron made a polite but hasty bow
to her before he began to pace. Fidelia drew the dressing gown more tightly around her. It felt strange to be in such a state of undress before a stranger, and yet he seemed to be unaware of her dishabille.

‘
You were right to come to us, Lady Montgomery. No woman should be left alone to deal with a man’s unwanted attentions. This bounder needs to be punished.’

It was the last thing she expected to hear from this harsh man, but it was so welcome she fel
t the tears stinging her eyes again. He wanted to protect her. He wanted to punish that awful man for her. She didn’t have to be alone and afraid anymore.

‘What do you know of this man?’ he demanded as he paced in front of the fireplace like a trapped beast.

‘Very little. He is no one of importance, although he suggested he was and calls himself
Sir
Victor Rathgart. He is a second cousin of the Fitchleys. Not of the Ton, but on its periphery. He aspires to position and makes himself indispensable to those in power. He was part of the hunting party that day. But no one believes he knew Howard, no less was a close friend to him. What money he has comes from the favours he does. I could not find out what those favours were.’

Byron came to a halt and frowned. ‘H
ow long has he been part of society?’

‘I… I a
m not sure. I did not ask. A few years, I assume. He is not very old. If he has come down from University, he has only done so recently.’

‘I have been away from society too long to know much. Jasper may have a better idea. Would you mind terribly if I asked his opinion? I know he has given you quit
e a scare this morning, but I assure you that he is a most honourable gentleman. He was just…not himself.’ Byron pulled at his stiff collar distractedly.

Fidelia
considered his suggestion. Strangely, for all the man had behaved like a madman, she no longer felt afraid of this Jasper. She assumed it was because he had appeared so horrified by his behaviour when he realised his mistake. Whatever the reason, if this Jasper could help her, then she would let him, even if it meant revealing her dishonour. Or it might be possible to leave that part out?

‘Does
he have to know about…what he did?’

Byron looked at her in stunned surprise. ‘Of course
. This bounder must be punished!’

‘Dee feel
s humiliated having people know,’ Phil pointed out.

Again Byron looked shocked.
‘What have you to be humiliated about? The man took advantage of you in the privacy of your own home. He needs horse-whipping, at the very least. So does that butler for placing you in such a position.’

‘People will talk,
’ Fidelia managed to get out. Her shyness with this big man was starting to ease a little, the more she realised he was on her side.

‘Not here. Not that you have anything to be ashamed of. But there will be no gossip here.’ Byron was emphatic, and as she met his dark gaze
, she believed him.

‘Very well.’

And as swiftly as he had arrived, Phil’s husband was gone.

‘You have to excuse him. He is not always so brusque,’ Phil said as she resumed her seat beside the fire.

‘There is nothing to excuse. I am just grateful for his concern. I… I did not expect it. He seems very…’ She floundered, trying to think of a word that best described the rather overwhelming man. Everything she thought of saying sounded like criticism, and yet to call him pleasant would be untruthful, and Phil would simply laugh at her.

‘Sturdy?’ Phil provided, impishly.

Where the laugh came from, she didn’t know. It certainly wasn’t the time or place for it. But suddenly Fidelia was laughing, more loudly than was lady-like.

‘
Formidable?’ Phil said again, beginning to grin. ‘Daunting, intimidating?’

‘Big?’ Fidelia supplied.

‘That he is! In more ways than one.’

Fidelia nearly
choked on her laughter, so stunned by what Phil was hinting at. ‘You do not mean…?’

‘I do mean. We are both married women. These things can be discussed.’

‘But Phil, how do you know? I mean, I know it feels big when…When…’

Phil lifted her eyebrows in amazement. ‘I have seen my husband naked, Dee.’

‘You have?’

‘Of course, has
not every wife?’

‘No. Most definitely not. Howard would never let me see him in such a state. I never even touched It.
’ She knew she was blushing now because her face felt very hot. How unusual. She never blushed.

‘You two didn’t
take your clothes off when you…carried out your marital intimacies?’

‘No. We wore nightdresse
s and the lamps were dimmed. Howard would pull up the bottom of my night gown and do It, and then pull it down again before he went back to his own bed.’

Phil stared at her in
stupefaction for several long, painful moments before grunting in a most unladylike manner.

‘That is not what happens with you and Byron?’ Fidelia had assumed that side of marriage was always the same. After all, the whispered secrets women shared had never hinted at anything other than
embarrassment and discomfort. It was seen as a necessary evil to produce offspring.

‘No. Byron likes to see me,
and I like to see him. He has a beautiful body. And he likes me to touch him everywhere, and I enjoy it when he does the same to me. Such intimacies drive one a little wild…and I still get embarrassed when I think about what we do. But at the time it seems…natural. And it feels wonderful. Quite incredible.’ Phil’s face had taken on a soft, awed expression, as if she was reliving one such moment.

‘It was never like that with Howard,’ Fidelia admitted. It was obviously because of her. Howard had hinted that she was not very responsive. Maybe he would have done more of what Phil descri
bed if she had been more receptive. But to her it had all seemed too embarrassing for words. And she was grateful that it was too dark to see anything. It was bad enough feeling that thing pressing into her body, hurting her, for the few moments that it lasted.

‘Well
, Howard was Howard. Not all men are that reserved, I am sure. I have never thought to ask Byron. I just assumed what we did was what every married couple did.’

‘Please do
not mention this to him. I would not be able to look him in the eye again. Please, Phil…’ she pleaded.

‘I would
not tell him the details, of course. But I could find out what he knows. Men talk about such thing, just like women do…’

At that moment
, the door opened again and Byron returned with the blond gentleman who had attacked her at his heels. This Jasper looked to have calmed down a great deal since she’d seen him last, and had even taken time to shave.

‘Lady
Montgomery, may I introduce Lord Jasper Horton,’ Byron said without preamble.

Jasper’s cheeks were red with embarrassment as he bo
wed and avoided eye-contact. ‘I am charmed, madam,’ he said politely.

‘You were not so charmed earlier,’ she found herself saying before she realised it. She wasn’t sure who was more shocked by her outrageous comment, him
, Phil or herself.

‘I… I do apo
logise for my earlier behaviour. I was…’

‘Not yourself, yes, so I have been already informed.’

He lifted his head then, and met her gaze. The wildness she saw in those blue depths had her gasping. This was no gentleman, no matter what his place in society.

‘Jasper needs more details about this man. H
e has heard the name, but he cannot place him. I thought if you described him?’ Byron said into the uncomfortable moment.

Fidelia swallowed several times, trying to moisten her suddenly dry mouth. Her heart had begun to beat over-fast and her palms were moist. Uncertainly, she nodded.

‘I know the Fitchelys,’ Jasper said. ‘But I was not aware of any second cousins. John Fitchley was at Cambridge with me.’

‘I met John at my coming
out. He actually offered for me.’

Jasper’s nostril flared
, as if he was suddenly angry. His body stiffened. ‘He was a wastrel. You did well not to choose him.’

‘It was my mother who chose my h
usband. John seemed very nice…Very attentive.’

‘Bec
ause you are beautiful and well-dowered. His attentions would have wandered. He would not have made you a good match. Your mother was wise.’

Fidelia didn’t know whether to be insulted or complimented. He said she was beautiful
, but also suggested that she would have been unable to keep the attentions of a young, attractive man.

‘Many wild young men settle down when they find the right woman,’ Phil said with more aggression than necessary.

Jasper looked at Phil as if seeing her for the first time. He shook his head and his demeanour changed dramatically. ‘Of course, I did not mean to suggest…’

‘Let u
s stick to the point,’ Byron interrupted, frowning.

Jasper shook his head again, as if shaking good sense back into it. ‘Of course. Can you describe this R
athgart to me, Lady Montgomery? Was he a tall man? Was he older or younger than me?’

Fidelia studied him for a mo
ment. What was he, twenty-five years old? At some moments he looked like a very old man. At others, he looked little more than a boy.

‘He was short. On
ly a few inches taller than myself. So the top of his head would be at your eye level, I would estimate. Younger than you by several years. But he is over twenty. He has lank brown hair, dresses like a popinjay, and has long sidelevers and exaggerated walrus moustaches. Waxed,’ she grimaced at the memory of that brush-like hair rubbing over her face as he forced slobbery kisses on her.

‘Slim of build?’ Jasper said, drawing her away from her memories.

‘Yes. Very. More like a boy than a man. That is why the facial hair seemed so odd. Someone so young should not have been able to grow so much.’

‘Did he have blemished skin?’

‘Why, no. But he was scarred, as if he had once had blemishes. Do you know of the man?’

Jasper nodded thoughtfully. ‘I knew of such a youth at Cambridge. It was my last year and he was fresh from Eton. But he
was sent down during his first year for undisclosed misbehaviour. Rumour had it that he arranged for ladies of the night to be brought into college. Others involved escaped such punishment through the influence of powerful parents. But he did not. He had no facial hair as you describe, but he was a sallow youth with lank hair and very bad skin. His teeth were yellow, too, if I remember. A most unsavoury chap.

‘Yes, now I think of it, he did have bad teeth and his breath smelled, even though he covered it with cloves.’

‘And this is the blackguard who tried to force himself on you?’ Jasper seemed suddenly furious, and he drew himself to his full height and clenched his fists at his sides.

From the surprise on Byron and Phil’s faces, Fidelia had to
assume this was not the way Jasper normally behaved. They seemed edgy, and Byron took a step between Jasper and herself, as if he feared Jasper would take out his fury on her. But that wasn’t what she felt. There was no threat to her from this man. His fury was directed at her attacker, and that left her feeling warm and protected.

‘Unfortunately, we cannot ask you to stay with us over the next few days as we are already over-booked. But I will arrange for a man to guard your hotel in Harrogate. You are staying in Harrogate?’

‘Yes. In a small private establishment. I do not think a guard is necessary.’

‘Yes
, it is,’ Jasper barked. ‘If this blackguard knew where Phil came from, he might assume you would come to her here.’

Fidelia hadn’t considered that possibility. To her
, Yorkshire was like the other side of the world, too far away from civilisation for anyone to find her. But if she was wrong…?

‘I agree, Dee. And in a couple of days you can come back here until it
is safe. Byron, can you contact the constabulary on this?’

‘Yes. I will send a letter immediately.
I am not sure what can be done without evidence, but at least if the authorities are made aware of his actions, they might identify other crimes for which he is responsible. If he was carrying out such activities at University, who knows what else he might been involved in now.’