Protected by the Major (5 page)

‘How dare you?’ the marquis spluttered as he was bodily flung away and landed on his knees. As he rose, the grass stain on his satin knee breeches was evident. ‘You will meet me for this, sir.’

‘Willingly, sir, but then all London will know that you are a damned rogue. No gentleman would try to force a lady when she says no.’

‘She was willing enough earlier,’ the marquis snapped. ‘She has been inviting me to seduce her all evening.’

‘Flirting is one thing—forceful seduction is another,’ Hallam said. ‘Will you choose swords or pistols?’

‘Neither,’ the marquis said, dusting himself off. ‘I have decided that the whore is not worth the effort. I bid you goodnight, sir.’

‘You will not so insult a lady—’ Hallam bristled, but Maddie tugged at his sleeve.

‘Let him go, Hallam. It would only cause a scandal—and it
was
my fault. I flirted with him and allowed him to bring me out for some air. I should have known what he would expect.’

‘Why did you do it?’ he demanded, his own anger coming to the fore now the marquis was dismissed.

‘Lethbridge promised to give me my father’s notes if I intrigued the marquis sufficiently to get him to accept a dinner invitation.’

‘Your husband told you to flirt with him?’ Hallam looked at her in disbelief. ‘Does he not know of the man’s reputation? He is a dangerous rake, Maddie.’

‘Yes, someone warned me earlier, but what could I do?’ Madeline’s hand trembled she put it to her mouth. ‘Lethbridge will not be pleased with me. I made him give me some of the notes and then I burned them—now I have failed him. Rochdale will never accept that invitation now.’

‘If you fear your husband, come away with me now,’ Hallam said. ‘I will hide you from him and find a way to make him release you from the promise you were forced to give.’

‘If only I could,’ she said and her eyelashes were wet with tears. ‘I feel so ashamed. That horrible man has been pawing me all night and now...it was all for nothing. But you must not risk your life for me. I am not worth it. I am soiled...not worth your notice.’

‘It is not your fault if the man is a rogue,’ Hallam said. ‘Do not tell Lethbridge what happened out here. He need only know that you did as he asked. It is not your fault if the marquis refuses your husband’s invitation.’

Hallam took his clean white kerchief and wiped her cheeks with it. He smiled down at her, then gave her his hand and helped her to rise.

‘Thank you. You are so kind to me and I do not deserve it.’

‘You deserve far more, but I am not sure how much I can do—other than to call Lethbridge out.’

‘If I had succeeded in getting all my father’s notes, I should have left him,’ she said. ‘He will be so angry when he realises I have not done what he asked.’

‘I will do what I can. If I could win the notes back in a card game, would you leave him?’

‘He would never stake them. Besides, he is very lucky. He wins far more than he loses.’

‘Does he, indeed? Do you think he wanted the marquis to dine at your house so that they might play cards?’

‘Lethbridge often has his friends to dine. I am his hostess at dinner—but when they play cards I retire for I am not allowed to gamble more than a few shillings at the loo table.’

‘Do you wish to?’

‘No, not at all, but neither do I wish to watch others gamble. I believe Lethbridge and his friends play deep at times.’

Hallam nodded. He had heard that the marquis was wealthy and perhaps that was why Lethbridge hoped to lure him into one of his card games. Perhaps it would be better to watch the count and his friends at play before taking a hand himself.

‘May I take you home, Madeline?’

‘Thank you, I shall go alone—if you would send for my carriage for me, please?’

‘Yes, of course. Go up and put on your cloak. I will make your excuses to your husband...tell him that you felt a little faint and decided to leave.’

‘Thank you. He will be angry, but perhaps he will wait until tomorrow before venting his anger on me. And I truly have the headache.’

Hallam smiled at her, then bent his head to kiss her hand. They parted, he to order her carriage brought round and she to put on her cloak.

* * *

When she came downstairs, Hallam escorted her out to her carriage and assisted her inside. He held her hand a moment longer.

‘I should like to meet somewhere—do you walk or ride?’

‘Sometimes I walk with my maid in Hyde Park on fine afternoons.’

‘Can you trust her?’

‘Yes, with my life.’

‘Then meet me one day this week—perhaps tomorrow.’

‘I am not sure. Perhaps the following day?’

‘I will visit the park every day between two and three,’ he said. ‘Do not despair, Madeline. I will find a way to free you from Lethbridge.’

She smiled, but said nothing, sitting back in her carriage. Hallam told the man to drive on and then went back into the house.

It was time to seek out Lethbridge and discover what kind of a man he was—and why he was so fortunate at the card tables.

* * *

Hal had rescued her from the marquis. She trembled as she recalled the way he’d looked at her. At first he’d blamed her for her shocking behaviour, but he’d understood once she’d told him that her husband had forced her to flirt with the marquis. He’d asked her to run away with him...he must still care for her a little, if only sufficiently to protect her from her husband’s spite.

If only she dared to run away. And yet could she ever find happiness after the pain Lethbridge had inflicted on her? There were times when she thought she had been scarred too deeply. He had done such things to her...things that shamed her and made her feel unworthy of a good man’s love.

Madeline lay in bed for some time, wondering whether her husband would come to her in a rage, and, when in the early hours of the morning, she heard him enter the house, she tensed to receive the onslaught. However, he did not enter her room and after half an hour or so she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

It was morning when her maid drew back the curtains and presented her with a tray of hot chocolate and sweet rolls.

‘Did you sleep well, my lady?’ Sally asked.

‘Yes, I did eventually.’ Madeline sat up and smiled at her. ‘Has my husband asked for me?’

‘No, I do not think so, ma’am.’

‘Very well. I shall get up when I’ve eaten my breakfast. Is it a nice day?’

‘A little wet this morning,’ Sally replied, ‘but Cook says it will clear this afternoon.’

‘We might go walking this afternoon,’ Madeline said. ‘I shall decide later.’

Sally nodded and left her to the enjoyment of her hot chocolate. She was just finishing her rolls and honey when the door to the dressing room opened and Lethbridge entered her room. Madeline put her tray to one side and waited, expecting the tirade to begin. She was surprised when her husband looked at her with a wry smile.

‘It seems that you have charmed Rochdale, madam,’ he said. ‘I invited him to a card evening next week and he accepted. He does not yet know that he is to be my only guest. You must have intrigued him for he told me to give you his best wishes and tell you that he looked forward to seeing you soon.’

‘Oh...’ Madeline was surprised for she had quite expected the marquis to refuse after the scene in the garden. ‘May I have the rest of Papa’s notes now?’

‘Later,’ he said and glared at her. ‘I do not see why you want them. I shall not ruin my wife’s father. Unless...’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Do you think to get them and then leave me?’

‘No, of course not,’ she said, but her cheeks were warm.

‘You are ungrateful, Madeline. Why I bother with you I do not know. I could find a dozen willing women to fill your place—and I’ll warrant they would give me a child in return for what you have.’

She raised her head. ‘Yes, I dare say they might. Yet I have never refused you, sir.’

‘I’ve paid for you and I intend to get my money’s worth out of you yet. If I can’t get a son from you, I’ll bring the boy my mistress bore me here. She’s a whore, but worth two of a sourpuss like you. If she were a lady, I would marry her. I dare say her son would make me a better heir than any you could give me. At least he would have some spirit in him.’

Madeline felt the colour drain from her cheeks in shock. How could he say such cruel things to her?

‘Why do you not divorce me?’ she asked, her throat tight with misery. ‘You could marry again and get yourself a legitimate heir.’

‘Maybe I shall,’ Lethbridge said. ‘God knows, I am sick of your pale face and your complaints. Yet I may need you again to persuade Rochdale to my way of thinking. Behave yourself and do as I tell you and I may give you your father’s notes
and
your freedom.’

Madeline watched as he walked from the bedchamber. What did he want of her now? She had cheapened herself by flirting with the marquis and she knew that Rochdale would not be denied a second time. She’d imagined he would be angry and refuse her husband’s invitation to dine, but he had accepted and sent her a message. Was it some kind of a veiled threat?

Was he imagining that he could seduce her under her husband’s nose—perhaps with Lethbridge’s permission?

What did her husband want from the marquis? He had always been possessive and jealous, but now it was almost as if he were prepared to give her to Rochdale—but in exchange for what?

Madeline shuddered. She had felt sick and ashamed after that encounter in the garden. He had meant to force himself on her, she was certain, and might have succeeded if Hallam had not arrived in time.

She would not allow it to happen. Madeline knew that her husband still held the biggest part of her father’s debt to him and nothing would make him part with it. He’d promised to give it to her if the marquis accepted his invitation, but now he wanted more from her. It was always the same; he would never keep his promises whatever she did.

She would not give him what he asked of her. The very idea of allowing the marquis to paw at and kiss her made her feel ill. Was Lethbridge trying to humiliate her, because she had been cold to him—or was there a deeper reason for his hints?

* * *

Lethbridge was a cheat. Hallam was as certain as he could be without proof that the count had been systematically robbing his friends at the card table, perhaps for months or even years. He was not certain whether Lethbridge marked the pack or kept important cards tucked into the frills at the ends of his sleeves. He was almost certain that he’d seen a card disappear into the count’s sleeve, but he’d also noticed him stroking the corner of a card as if feeling for a mark, though he could not have sworn to either at this stage.

What was certain was that the count was very careful if he was cheating. He usually lost the first couple of hands and then began to win steadily throughout the evening. He was said to have the devil’s own luck, but it seemed no one suspected him of cheating—though Hallam had seen someone else watching him closely at the table.

He decided to seek Captain Mainwaring out and ask him his opinion. After searching various coffeehouses and clubs, Hallam ran his friend to earth at Cribbs’s Parlour, where he had been watching a bout between one of the professionals hired to help the gentlemen learn the science of the game.

‘I had begun to think you had gone out of town,’ he said. ‘Lunch with me at my club, Mainwaring? I want to ask your opinion of something.’

‘Delighted. I’ve been wanting to see you. I heard a rumour I think may interest you, Hal.’

Hallam waited as his friend watched the bout conclude, paid a small gambling debt, and then they left together, strolling through the chilly streets towards White’s, where they could be sure of a decent meal.

‘You’re interested in Lethbridge, aren’t you?’ Captain Mainwaring said as they began to walk. ‘Mind telling me why? I have my own reasons for being interested.’

‘He is a bully and a brute and mistreats his wife,’ Hallam replied. ‘If you will keep this to yourself—I intend to do my utmost to set her free of him.’

‘That will not be easy. Lethbridge is a jealous man, which was why I was surprised to see her flirting with Rochdale the other evening—until I heard a whisper concerning a certain evening at the card table...’

‘What happened?’ Hallam raised one eyebrow. ‘I do not follow you?’

‘Lethbridge lost a great deal of money to the marquis—several thousand pounds, I understand.’

‘But he can stand the nonsense.’ Hallam frowned. ‘He is very wealthy, I imagine?’

‘He was certainly wealthy even a year or so back, but I’ve heard whispers that he has lost money in other ways...investments that turned bad. And he had a long run of bad luck at the tables, until it miraculously turned.’

‘Miraculously? You think there is a reason for his change of luck?’

‘Lethbridge is a cheat.’

‘Yes, perhaps but can you be certain? On the face of things, he appears to be a gentlemen of unblemished character.’

‘Hardly that, Hal. He is known to haunt certain vice dens of the worst kind, besides being a cheat and perhaps more.’

‘What do you mean more?’ Hallam asked. ‘I knew he was a bully and I suspected him of being a cheat—do you know how he does it?’

‘I think he must mark the cards very lightly, because he never wins at the first or second hand, which means he must need time to mark a few cards.’

‘Yes, I thought it might be that—a pinprick or something no one would notice unless they looked for it.’

‘Yes, I dare say.’ Captain Mainwaring frowned. ‘I believe him to be responsible for the death of my young cousin Roger some years back. The lad came into his fortune at eighteen and his only guardian was his mother, who could deny him nothing. Imagine the result when he found himself let loose on the town with money to burn. I was fighting in Spain at the time, but his mother tells me Roger played too deep and was found with a pistol to his head in his lodgings.’

‘My God! You suspect Lethbridge of fleecing him at the tables?’

‘He and a few others, I dare say—but I do not believe Roger killed himself. He was badly dipped, but the estate was intact. He could have recovered with some careful management—and a magnificent diamond parure was missing, which he’d taken from the bank. As far we know it did not form part of any wager he made, though he may have sold it to pay his debt.’