The Lady Forfeits (9 page)

‘Not at all,’ he dismissed easily.

She felt somewhat reassured by that ease of manner. ‘In that case, I suggest we turn our discussion as to what we are to do about the disappearance of Elizabeth.’

The earl’s good humour instantly evaporated. ‘Tell me, is she as without fear as Caroline?’

Diana’s expression softened with affection. ‘Despite appearances, I believe Elizabeth’s character to be less headstrong, certainly. Her initial impulses are invariably tempered by caution,’ she explained at Gabriel’s look of enquiry.

‘That is something to be grateful for, at least!’

Diana laughed. ‘I only met Lord Vaughn yesterday, but I believe him to be more than capable of curbing the more dangerous of Caroline’s excesses.’

‘Let us hope so.’

‘They are so very much in love, are they not…?’

Gabriel wondered if she was aware of how wistful she both sounded and looked. Probably not—her own foray into romantic love had not had such a happy ending. Any more than a marriage between the two of them would? he wondered.

‘They are, yes.’ Gabriel resolutely shook off any doubts he might have about Diana becoming the wife of a man who was incapable of feeling love. ‘With
Blackstone’s help I intend to intensify the search for Elizabeth this very morning.’

A frown creased her creamy brow. ‘Do you really think it possible she followed Caroline here?’

‘I am sure of it.’ Just as sure as he was that it would be too much to hope that the youngest of the Copeland sisters had faired as well as Caroline, who had fallen into a safe pair of hands.

She gave him a quizzical glance. ‘And you are still as determined this morning not to travel into Cambridgeshire to see your mother?’

His mouth thinned. ‘Oh, yes.’

‘Very well.’ She gave a cool inclination of her head. ‘If you should change your mind—’

‘I will not.’ Gabriel threw down his napkin and stood, a nerve pulsing in his cheek. He had succeeded in distracting both Diana’s attention and his own from this subject the previous evening by taking her in his arms and kissing her. A course of action that had, if anything, backfired on himself. ‘The subject is at an end, Diana. I advise you not attempt to discuss it with me again.’

Diana knew, from the ruthless resolve she could see in his expression as he left the room, that she would have little choice but to do as he asked.

Or, at least, Diana
would
have had little choice if a second letter had not arrived from Alice Britton the following morning, care of Westbourne House, and addressed to her this time…

‘Caro is becoming most displeased at our lack of progress in regard to our search for Elizabeth.’ Dominic
grimaced as the two men strode back into the entrance hall of Westbourne House.

Gabriel shot his friend a disbelieving glance after handing his hat and cane to the attentive Soames. ‘I cannot believe how quickly you have fallen beneath that young lady’s beautiful thumb.’

Dominic gave an unconcerned grin. ‘It is not the beauty of Caro’s
thumb
under which I have fallen!’

Gabriel snorted with laughter. ‘I would find you quite nauseating if it were not for your obvious happiness with the arrangement.’ In truth, he had never seen his friend so happy or contented; even these few brief hours Dominic had spent away from Caro’s company were chafing the other man’s patience.

Dominic grinned unabashedly as he turned from handing over his own hat and cane. ‘I cannot recommend the arrangement strongly enough.’

Gabriel looked down the length of his nose. ‘I am perfectly content with my own betrothal to Diana, thank you very much.’

‘As you please,’ Blackstone shrugged.

‘I do please,’ Gabriel replied before turning to the butler. ‘Where are the ladies, Soames?’

‘I believe Lady Caroline is upstairs with her aunt, my lord.’

‘And Lady Diana?’

‘She and her maid departed in the carriage more than an hour ago, my lord.’

‘Departed?’ Gabriel repeated softly, a terrible sense of foreboding settling over him.

‘Yes, my lord.’

‘To go where?’

‘She did not say, my lord.’ The butler placed the two hats and canes upon the stand in the hallway. ‘She was in somewhat of a hurry when she left, but she did ask me to keep this note about my person to give to you as soon as you returned.’ The butler produced the slightly crumpled missive from the breast pocket of his jacket.

Gabriel took the note before striding into the privacy of the parlour and breaking the seal. It was a letter from Diana, explaining where she was going and why. Along with a second letter tucked inside the first, from Alice Britton and addressed to Diana, entreating her to exert her influence upon Gabriel to encourage him to visit his mother at his earliest convenience.

Gabriel read Diana’s letter three times. Disbelievingly. Incredulously. She had gone to Cambridgeshire! The colour drained from his cheeks and a furious glitter entered his eyes, his fingers finally clenching about the paper before he crushed it into the palm of his hand.

D
iana’s nervousness at her decision to travel to Faulkner Manor in Cambridgeshire accompanied only by her maid increased the further they travelled away from London, aware as she was that Gabriel was sure to be most displeased when he returned to Westbourne House and learnt what she had done.

Displeased enough, she hoped, to follow her…

In view of his determination not to even discuss the subject any further, there had seemed no other way in which to ensure that he travelled to see his mother, something she felt even more strongly that he should do upon receipt of that second letter from Alice Britton. The elderly woman was obviously deeply concerned for Felicity Faulkner.

Except Diana had quickly realised the glaring fault with her plan: there was no guarantee Gabriel
would
follow her. Indeed, he had not done so in the almost twenty-four hours since she had departed London.
Nor had Diana slept during her overnight stay at a coaching inn, as she instead worried about the force of Gabriel’s anger when they next spoke. Yet he still had not arrived.

Diana’s decision to travel to Faulkner Manor had not been made lightly, torn as she was between worry over her youngest sister’s whereabouts and the obligations she felt were expected of her as the future wife of the Earl of Westbourne. Indeed, she would not have even contemplated such a journey as this had she not been reassured concerning Elizabeth’s welfare by the fact that Caroline and Lord Vaughn, now that they were aware Elizabeth was missing, were just as single-minded in their determination to find her.

That particular concern put to rest, Diana was able to concentrate on her duties as Gabriel’s future wife; as such, she had made her preparations to leave for Cambridgeshire.

Only now was she beset with such trepidation, both at her temerity in having requested Gabriel’s valet pack a trunk of the earl’s clothes to travel in the carriage with her, and the anger she knew to expect from Gabriel for her having gone at all. She very much doubted that he would appreciate her explanation that she considered their betrothal to mean that his family was now as much her responsibility as it was his!

It was too late to do anything else now but continue her journey, Diana told herself with a determined straightening of her shoulders. Gabriel might even now—she could only hope—be somewhere on the road behind her, in hot and angry pursuit…

‘I trust there is some good reason why you have not already followed Diana?’

Gabriel slowly turned from where he had been standing, watching stony-faced out of the window in his study as what seemed to be an army of gardeners set to work putting order back into the overgrown lawn and tangled flowerbeds; he had no doubts that the work was being carried out under the exact instructions of Lady Diana Copeland…

Lady Caroline Copeland stood imperiously in the open doorway, Gabriel’s gaze cool and unemotional as he looked down the length of his nose at her; he had been aware of her brief knock upon the door several seconds ago, but had chosen not to acknowledge it. ‘I do not recall giving you leave to enter.’

She stepped fully inside the room and closed the door behind her. ‘I do not recall having asked for it.’

No, she had not, Gabriel acknowledged with grudging admiration. Petite and beautiful in a gown of pale grey, aged only twenty, Caroline nevertheless had a determination of will that exceeded both those attributes—was it any wonder that she had managed to bedazzle the arrogant and cynical Earl of Blackstone?

Nevertheless…‘I am not in the habit of discussing my movements, or lack of them, with anyone.’

‘Indeed?’ She gave an inelegant snort. ‘Might I suggest, where Diana is concerned at least, that you
become
used to it?’

Gabriel raised arrogant brows. ‘You
suggest
?’

‘Insist,’ she said crisply.

‘As I thought.’ Gabriel suppressed a small smile as
he turned fully into the room, the afternoon sunlight warm upon his back, a warmth that did nothing to dispel the coldness of the anger he felt towards Diana.

He was also, he acknowledged ruefully, still somewhat nonplussed at having learnt of her departure for Faulkner Manor. The years he had spent as an officer in the King’s army had resulted in his being used to issuing orders and having them obeyed. That the woman he had been betrothed to for only six days, a beautiful and elegantly composed young woman whom he knew to possess a regard for duty far beyond her years, had none the less completely disregarded his wishes was beyond belief.

Perhaps he should have taken more notice of Diana’s previous remark concerning having the word ‘obey’ removed from their wedding vows!

‘Well?’

Gabriel frowned as he refocused his attention on Diana’s sister. ‘As I have already stated, I see no reason to explain myself, to you or to anyone else.’

She gave an exasperated sigh. ‘You are as stubbornly proud as Dominic.’

He raised an eyebrow at her. ‘No doubt the reason we have remained friends for so many years.’

‘No doubt,’ she muttered. ‘Your own shortcomings aside, it is Diana who concerns me.’

He looked taken aback at this second insult in as many minutes. ‘I fail to understand why?’

Sea-green eyes flashed her impatience as she stepped further into the room. ‘Perhaps you are not aware of it, but my sister has always put her own desires and needs aside in favour of others—’

‘Considering your own recent actions, I am surprised to hear that you are at all aware of Diana’s selflessness!’ Gabriel’s mouth was tight with disapproval.

Warmth coloured her cheeks at this more-than-obvious rebuke concerning her own recent waywardness. ‘How could I not be aware of it when it is obviously the only reason she has agreed to marry you?’

Dark eyes narrowed in warning. ‘Have a care, Caroline.’ His voice was silkily soft. ‘I have deliberately not mentioned your own recent scandalous behaviour in running off and becoming a singer in a gambling club to Diana, because of her deep love for you and my own friendship with Blackstone, but I assure you—both those things will cease to matter if you continue to berate me in this unacceptable way.’

The colour as quickly faded from her cheeks, but she gamely continued. ‘I know little or nothing of past happenings, of course, but you cannot seriously mean to leave Diana to face your family alone!’

‘I believe I would be perfectly within my rights to do so when she has so blatantly disobeyed my wishes,’ Gabriel drawled back. ‘But, no,’ he relented at Caroline’s outraged expression, ‘that is not my intention.’ He had known from the moment he read her letter earlier that he would have to follow her, that by lingering in London in this way he was only putting off the inevitable.

‘Oh?’ Caroline now looked less certain of her indignation on her sister’s behalf.

Gabriel explained. ‘Even as we speak my horse is being saddled in preparation for my own departure.’

Caroline visibly relaxed the tension in her shoulders.
‘Why did you not just say so immediately I came in the room?’

Gabriel gave a rueful smile. ‘You seemed so determined to be outraged on Diana’s behalf that I did not like to disappoint.’

She tossed her head. ‘You and Dominic are so much alike you could be brothers!’

He grinned. ‘Considering that you and he are shortly to be married, I will take that as a compliment.’

‘I should not if I were you,’ Caroline said honestly. ‘A certain arrogance in one’s beloved may be acceptable, but it is not so attractive in the man set to marry one’s sister.’

‘I will try to bear that in mind,’ Gabriel replied, inwardly warmed by Caroline’s obvious love for her sister and her open declaration of loving Dominic as much as he loved her; it boded well for a marriage between the two.

She eyed him uncertainly. ‘I trust you will not be too displeased with Diana when you see her again?’

He gave her a straight look. ‘On the contrary, Caroline—I am very much looking forward to demonstrating the depths of my displeasure to your sister.’ He was anticipating that very much indeed!

Diana was cold, tired, and feeling extremely irritable by the time the carriage came to a halt at the end of the long gravel drive in front of Faulkner Manor early on the second evening after her hasty departure from Westbourne House.

The cold and tiredness were explained by the long hours of travelling in the carriage whilst the rain fell
steadily outside, that rain dampening her pelisse and bonnet when they risked a brief stop at a reputable roadside inn in order to enjoy a light luncheon.

The reason for the feelings of irritation lay firmly upon Gabriel Faulkner’s broad shoulders.

Her initial nervousness at the thought of his anger, once he discovered where she had gone, had first changed to relief when there came no sound of the thundering of horse’s hooves in angry pursuit. But that relief had then turned to puzzlement as a day and night passed, and then another day, still with no sign of him. Finally, she had become irritated when she had to accept that he really had decided not to follow her.

She had felt sure he would—so why hadn’t he? Obviously their betrothal was a matter of convenience for both of them, but nevertheless she had believed any gentleman’s sense of honour would dictate he at least show loyalty to the woman he intended to make his wife.

Apparently in Gabriel’s case that sense of honour did not come into play when it might involve seeing any of his family again. What was she to say to them concerning his absence? To his mother?

She came to an abrupt halt as the groom offered his hand to assist her in stepping down from the carriage, her senses suddenly humming as she became aware, alerted, by a feeling of—of something—

It was pure instinct that caused her to turn and look down the length of the gravel drive, her cheeks paling, eyes widening, as she saw the huge black stallion silhouetted there in the last of the sun’s evening rays, the rider upon its back equally as huge and daunting and
dressed all in black, with his hat pulled low over his brow and his black cloak swirling behind him.

Diana knew with certainty the identity of that rider. Gabriel!

Even as she stood in arrested stillness, a sheet of lightning flashed across the darkening sky behind him and caused the horse to rear up on its back legs, clearly revealing his face, accusing dark eyes visible beneath the brim of his hat, his expression stony as the horse’s hooves clattered back down upon the gravel.

The horse galloped towards where she stood, its rider bent low upon its back, giving him the appearance of the archangel of the same name about to swoop down vengefully upon his enemy.

Diana…

It had been Gabriel’s hope that he would succeed in meeting up with Diana before she arrived at Faulkner Manor and, in doing so, prevent either of them going there. Unfortunately his malingering in London meant that was not the case. He easily recognised the black coach that had come to a halt—he should; it was now one of his own and bore the Westbourne crest of an angel and a rampant unicorn upon its doors. A groom wearing the Westbourne livery had opened one of the doors, lowered the steps and was waiting to assist Diana in alighting from the carriage.

She turned a startled face in Gabriel’s direction even as she stepped down on to the gravel, blue eyes widening with alarm as she obviously recognised him seated upon the back of the glossy black stallion.

An alarm she would find was well deserved as soon
as the two of them were alone together, he thought in grim satisfaction!

It had been a long and uncomfortable ride from London, despite an overnight stay at a mediocre inn, and he was now tired and hungry and very wet; it had been raining for most of the day, but the heavens had opened up completely five miles back, and succeeded in soaking him through to the skin in the process.

But none of those things were as unpleasant to him as finding himself back at Faulkner Manor after all these years. Nor was he in any doubt as to who was to blame for that.

Lady Diana Copeland. The woman to whom he had recently become betrothed. The interfering young lady who would very shortly be made aware of the penalty for disobeying him…

Gabriel pulled Maximilian to a halt mere feet away from her before sliding from the saddle to throw the reins into the hands of the waiting groom. He marched across to where she still stood in transfixed alarm beside the coach, her eyes becoming wider still as he reached out and grasped her arm.

The length of her creamy throat moved convulsively as she swallowed before speaking. ‘How good it is to see you, my lord, when I had thought you said that commitments in town would not allow you to join me until tomorrow.’ Her voice was smoothly composed, despite her obvious discomfort.

This last was said for the listening servants, Gabriel knew. As far as Diana was aware, he had not intended coming with her at all; indeed, he still wished himself anywhere but here! ‘I could not bear to be parted from
you for even so short a time,’ he replied to save her face. ‘Especially when you took it upon yourself to bring most of my clothes with you,’ he grated for her ears alone.

Diana knew that his initial words must sound lover-like to those listening, but there was no missing the promise of retribution in his next comment, or those dark and piercing eyes that glittered down at her so intently. ‘I am gratified to know you feel that way, my lord.’

‘Let us hope that you feel as
gratified
once we are alone together,’ he murmured.

Diana’s nervousness grew. ‘Did you not receive my letter of explanation?’

‘I would not be here at all if I had not,’ he bit out.

‘Then—’

‘What on earth is all the fuss about? Good God, is that you, Gabriel?’ a female voice said.

Gabriel gave Diana one last quelling glance before a shutter came down over all his emotions as he turned to look at the obviously shocked young woman who was standing at the top of the steps leading up to the house, only the tightening of his fingers upon her arm betraying that he was not as composed as the blank expression on his face meant to imply.