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Authors: Shirlee Busbee

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BOOK: Rapture Becomes Her
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“So what are we going to do?”
Wearily, Barnaby said, “Stay where we are for the time being.” He cast Lamb a questioning look. “During your, er, travels in the house, did you learn anything?”
“Actually, I did. Apparently, there is another guest in the house—Hugh Townsend, Jeffery’s younger brother.”
“Oh, God! Never tell me she’s related to two of those despicable creatures?”
Lamb smiled. “No. Hugh appears to be very different from his older brother and is held in high esteem by the staff. He’s also a great favorite with the ladies. The universal opinion amongst the staff is that it is a shame that Hugh hadn’t been the older of the two brothers.”
“And he’s here now?”
“Yes. Arrived just before the ladies came to visit you.”
“Anything else?”
“Not much more, I’m afraid. I’m a stranger, so no one shared any intimate details with me,” Lamb admitted. “I got the impression, though, that they tolerate Jeffery, but to the man, or woman, they would die for the ladies of the house.” Lamb frowned. “Some things didn’t need explaining. For a house this size, there is a minimal staff employed. Signs of obvious penury are not yet obvious, but it’s clear that nothing has been done to the house in perhaps a decade.”
“Jeffery’s stewardship?”
Lamb nodded. “In a matter of seven years or so, the new squire has gone through a respectable fortune and now teeters on the brink of ruin—that much Mrs. Spalding was blunt about.” He grinned. “She was far more forthcoming than Walker, having taken a liking to me. Other than that, I overheard a few disapproving comments about someone named Daggett. He’s the bailiff Jeffery hired when he inherited the estate. I gather the man has been pilfering off funds and putting them in his own pocket.” Lamb looked thoughtful. “There’s something else going on, but I’m not certain precisely what it is. What I do know is that your Amazon has found a way to provide the servants with extra funds. The scullery maid let something slip that brought a sharp rebuke from Walker and the conversation was changed rather hastily. Despite some expert wheedling on my part, even Mrs. Spalding wouldn’t give me a hint.”
Barnaby let out a deep breath. “You learned a great deal and Hugh’s presence may be helpful. Knowing that the staff is in Emily’s camp eases my mind somewhat.”
Lamb had given Barnaby a great deal to think about and long after Lamb had left the room to see what else he could learn, Barnaby stood staring down into the fire. He liked little of what he had learned, but it explained things and he now knew why the cousin of the local squire was involved with a band of smugglers. She was risking her reputation and possibly her life to keep her small band of loyal followers and Anne and Cornelia from utter ruin. He suspected the same applied to Mrs. Gilbert and her charming daughters and Lord knew whom else.
Barnaby smiled. Lamb was more right than he knew in calling Emily an Amazon. And all I have to do, he told himself, is convince her that I am not the enemy . . . and a worthy mate. He shook his head, ruefully suspecting the latter was going to be the most difficult task of all. But the rewards . . . the rewards would make it all worthwhile.
Chapter 11
W
hile Lamb was reporting to Barnaby, Hugh was tapping on the door to Cornelia’s rooms. They’d decided upon meeting in Cornelia’s rooms because unlike Emily, she had a suite, comprising a large sitting room and bedroom.
The three ladies were waiting for him and once the door shut behind him and was locked by Emily, Cornelia wasted no time in laying out her plan.
Hugh had hardly taken a seat beside her on the ivory-and-rose tapestry-upholstered settee before she said, “I want you to take Anne with you to Parkham House and keep her there until it is safe for her to return here.”
Ignoring Anne’s shocked gasp, and not as surprised as he would have been without Emily’s warning, Hugh nodded. “Emily told me what Jeffery and Ainsworth plan. She suspected you wanted me here in order to take Mrs. Townsend away. When do you want us to leave? Tomorrow?”
“Am I the only one who didn’t know what was planned?” Anne asked in a small voice, feeling just the slightest bit hurt that she had been excluded from plans that intimately involved her. Even if their intentions were good, she hadn’t even been consulted and that stung. Suppose, she thought resentfully, she didn’t want to go to Parkham House?
Anne and Emily were sitting directly across from Cornelia and Hugh on an identical settee and Emily clasped Anne’s hand and said quickly, “I didn’t know either, but Hugh’s arrival was too timely for me not to suspect something of this sort. Once I thought about it, there was only one conclusion: Cornelia had sent for him and there could be only one reason why she wanted him here.”
“Oh!” Anne’s hurt and resentment vanished, but she wasn’t so certain that she wanted to be thrust into the home of someone she knew only slightly. Although Anne had met them upon more than one occasion, Hugh Townsend and his mother had not been frequent visitors to The Birches, and after Jeffery inherited, she could remember only once or twice that his brother had stepped a foot in the place. At no time had he remained long. Mostly what she knew of Hugh and his mother came from Cornelia and Emily.
Anne risked a glance at Hugh and finding him smiling warmly at her, she blushed and dropped her gaze. He was more handsome than she remembered . . . and she decided he had kind eyes.
Not looking at him, Anne asked, “I don’t want to impose upon you. Are you very sure you won’t mind? And your mother, what will she think when you arrive home with me?”
Hugh laughed. “My mother will fall on your neck with delight! She says often that it would be pleasant to have some female company. I am often gone to London and visiting my friends and I fear she is lonely. As for me . . .” His eyes traveled over her sweet little face. “How could I possibly object to the presence of such a charming young woman in my home?”
Anne’s blush deepened.
From under lowered lids, Cornelia watched the pair of them, thinking things were going very well, indeed. Two birds with one stone, she thought complacently. Two birds with one stone. Anne safe and placed right under Hugh’s nose....
Emily looked at her great-aunt through narrowed eyes, then back at Hugh and Anne. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear that while Cornelia had come up with an excellent solution, there was also an ulterior motive in her great-aunt’s scheme. Cornelia had more tricks up her sleeve, she reminded herself, than a family of foxes.
“I take it then,” Cornelia said, glancing around the room, “that no one has any objections to Hugh taking Anne to Parkham House as soon as we can arrange it?”
His face grim, Hugh said, “I am more than willing to lend my services. This scheme of theirs is despicable!” An angry flush crossed his face. “I’ve half a mind to call Jeffery out! Putting a bullet through the scoundrel would be a fitting end to him.”
“Under no circumstances are you to act so foolishly!” snapped Cornelia. “Aside from not wanting you to risk your life, we don’t want them to be aware that we know of their plans. Anne’s visit to your house will raise suspicions, but they won’t be certain that the visit isn’t the innocent trip it appears.” She glared at Hugh. “Getting yourself killed or wounded will do us no good.”
Hugh nodded, but his fist was clenched and he muttered, “That my brother would be so low and base . . .”
“But how are we to get Anne away?” Emily interrupted quickly, giving Hugh something else to think about other than challenging his brother to a duel. “She can hardly just walk out of here under Jeffery’s and Ainsworth’s noses. Jeffery will never allow it.”
“Of course, he wouldn’t,” Cornelia said testily. “Don’t intend for him to know until Anne is safely away.” She looked at Hugh. “Drove your phaeton, did you?”
“Precisely as you ordered.”
Cornelia gave him an approving look before saying, “Jeffery and Ainsworth have plans to ride to Newhaven tomorrow to look at a horse for sale that Jeffery likes—they’ll be gone until late evening. Long enough for us to have you on your way.” Her gaze fell upon Anne and she said, “Tonight, missy, you will pack what you need for a few days’ stay at Hugh’s house, but don’t pack more than one valise—a phaeton ain’t a coach. Once you are at Hugh’s, we can send your other things to you. Agatha will go with you, but I want her back when you’re safely installed.” She bent an inquiring eye on Hugh. “I assume you have servants enough to provide a lady’s maid for Anne during her visit?”
“I’m sure my mother will be able to suggest someone from the staff to serve Mrs. Townsend,” Hugh replied.
“If we’re lucky,” Cornelia said, “with Jeffery and Ainsworth gone most of tomorrow and unlikely to rise before noon the next day, they won’t know that Anne is gone until the day after tomorrow, hopefully late in the day. By then she’ll be safe.” Cornelia glanced around at the others. “Any questions? Objections?”
“What reason will we give for Anne’s departure?” Emily asked, frowning.
Cornelia smiled. “Hugh said it himself—Althea is lonely. Longs for the comfort and conversation of another female. Anne, being the kindhearted creature she is, upon hearing that Althea was pining for feminine company, offered her services. Not wanting to leave his mother alone for longer than necessary, Hugh insisted they leave immediately for Parkham House.”
“Thank you for that,” Hugh said dryly. “Blame it on me.”
“Your shoulders are broad enough,” Cornelia said, her eyes twinkling, “and you’ll enjoy shouting Jeffery down—assuming he is foolish enough to descend upon your doorstep and demand an explanation.”
Finding no flaws in the plan, Emily nodded. “It is a good solution. Jeffery can hardly argue against Anne’s actions and he certainly cannot object to her visiting his own mother.” She cast an anxious eye at Hugh. “You do know that you will have to take care that there is no opportunity for Jeffery or Ainsworth to snatch her from your house? Don’t let her wander about alone and
never
let her go anywhere by herself.”
Hugh sent Emily an offended look. “I am not a dunce! I’ll be on my guard. She’ll be safe enough at Parkham, but I wouldn’t put an attempted abduction past him—or that disreputable friend of his.” He glanced at Anne and smiled. “I will guard you well, my lady. You will have nothing to fear while you are in my care.”
“T-t-thank y-y-you,” Anne said, her heart full of gratitude. “You are very kind to go to all this trouble for someone who is almost a stranger.”
Hugh stared into her big pansy-brown eyes and something warm and powerful slid through him. His voice huskier than he realized, he said, “I’m sure that people find it very easy to be kind to you.”
Emily and Cornelia exchanged glances, Emily’s brow rising and Cornelia grinning. Very pleased with herself and the situation, Cornelia said, “It’s all settled then. As soon as Jeffery and Ainsworth are gone from the house tomorrow, you and Anne will leave for Parkham.”
 
The plan unfolded without any problems. Jeffery and Ainsworth didn’t leave as early as anyone would have liked, but once they had ridden off, keeping in mind that Bundy and Temple were upstairs in their masters’ rooms, Hugh’s phaeton was pulled discreetly to the side of the house and the valises were loaded. Minutes later, after several hugs and fond admonitions, Anne, Agatha and Barnett, Hugh’s circumspect valet, were settled in the phaeton and Hugh set his pair of grays off at a spanking pace.
The house felt very empty after their departure, but Emily was aware of a lifting of her spirits. Anne was safe. Jeffery was going to be furious, she admitted thoughtfully, and the next several days were going to be decidedly unpleasant, but the main thing was that Anne was beyond his reach. And for that she could put up with Jeffery’s rages and dark looks.
Her hand under Cornelia’s elbow, as they walked toward the green salon, Emily said, “Jeffery is going to be mad as fire.”
“I know,” Cornelia said, “but there is little he can do but bluster and sputter.” She eyed Emily. “If I’d thought you would go, I’d have sent you too.”
Astonished, Emily stared at her. “
Me?
Why?”
“Because denied their prey, their sights may turn on you,” Cornelia said wearily.
“That’s true,” Emily admitted. She smiled nastily. “But I am not Anne, and even if they were stupid enough to try such a thing, they’d not find me easily intimidated.” Her gray eyes fierce, she said, “No matter what Ainsworth did to me, I would never marry him! And I’d shout his perfidies from the village pulpit. Everyone would know him and Jeffery for the villains they are.”
Cornelia wouldn’t have expected any less from Emily, but it was obvious Emily hadn’t realized all the ramifications. Hadn’t stopped to think how much her life would change if Ainsworth were to succeed in destroying her reputation.
“I know, but don’t forget, you’d be ruined,” Cornelia said softly, her eyes on Emily’s face. The young were so confident, so certain they could overcome any obstacle, she thought heavily, but if Ainsworth was able to implement his wicked plan and Emily spurned marriage to him, she would face social ostracism and become a pariah, an outcast. Cornelia’s heart shook at the very idea of her lovely, spirited niece having to deal with the ugly rape she would endure if Ainsworth had the opportunity and then being denied the homes and the company of people she had known all her life. Oh, there would be those that would rally around her—Mrs. Gilbert, Jeb Brown and Caleb Gates to name a few. But once it was known that Emily had been seduced, willing or not, by Ainsworth, she would never again be invited or welcomed into the homes of those people who were her equal in station, Lord and Lady Broadfoot, Mrs. Featherstone and others. Emily’s ruination would make her prey to creatures like Kelsey, and Cornelia, always strong, nearly wept, at the lonely and shameful future her beloved niece might face if Ainsworth was to proceed with his wicked plan, only substituting Emily for Anne. And he would be cruel, Cornelia acknowledged bitterly, cruel and vicious, punishing Emily for denying him Anne.
Not considering the bleak future that would be hers should the worst happen, Emily snorted. “As if I would care.”
Cornelia stopped and glared at her. “You should care!” she said angrily. “Stop and think how you will feel when you find you are no longer welcome in the vicar’s home, or when Mrs. Featherstone and Lady Broadfoot deny you entrance to their homes. How will you feel when people you have known and liked all your life cross the street to avoid meeting you? Or another Ainsworth accosts you or someone like that disgusting Kelsey. You haven’t
thought,
girl! If you fall into their hands, this won’t be something you can
fix.
”
Emily’s face went white and she swallowed hard. Cornelia painted a grim picture and Emily was conscious of the faintest quiver of fear. She fought it back and her chin lifted. “Then I’ll just have to make certain Ainsworth doesn’t get his hands on me, won’t I?”
It wasn’t precisely the answer Cornelia wanted, but at least Emily was thinking of the consequences and not thinking rape by Ainsworth would be something she could just brush off.
 
The two ladies spent a tense, uncomfortable day together. Neither one was much for conversation and when the invitation to visit Lord Joslyn late that afternoon was delivered via Walker, Emily would have turned it down, but before she could, Cornelia said, “Tell Lord Joslyn we would be most happy to visit with him.”
Walker departed and Emily shot her great-aunt a dark look and demanded, “Why did you accept? I am in no mood for polite chatter.”
Standing up and shaking out the skirts of her dove-gray gown, Cornelia said, “Neither am I, but it’ll be something to distract us.” She smiled at Emily. “I’ve always found that the company of a handsome man lifts me from the doldrums.”
 
The moment Emily entered his room, Barnaby knew that something was amiss. He studied the faces of the women, as Walker moved about serving tea and offering a plate of sliced currant cake. He was most aware of Emily’s demeanor, but even Cornelia seemed subdued. Knowing that Ainsworth intended to marry Anne and he strongly suspected, whether the lady was willing or not, Anne’s absence alarmed him.
He waited until everyone was served and Walker departed before he did any probing. The minute the door shut behind Walker, keeping a bland expression on his face, he inquired, “And where is the delightful young Mrs. Townsend? Hopefully, she is not indisposed?”
BOOK: Rapture Becomes Her
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