A Sense of Injustice (Perceptions Book 4) Page 16

  ‘Are we still on the earl’s land?’

  ‘No. This is the tow-path. We don’t get many barges using the canals now, not since the railways became a more efficient means of transportation. This is public land that anyone can use.’ Louise suppressed a shudder. She had no reason to suppose that Cleethorp was in Wiltshire yet, and even if he was the chances of encountering him in this delightful spot were slim. But there again, she had stupidly told Miss Gregory where they were going. She had forgotten about that but felt slightly less anxious when she remembered that Miss Gregory had not actually mentioned her sister’s arrival. Surely she would have said something if she was here? ‘It leads to the reservoir but I don’t suppose anyone will choose to swim in this weather, so it’s safe to assume that we will have it to ourselves.’

  ‘How reassuring.’

  They reached an open stretch of common land and the horses became agitated.

  ‘Shall we canter?’

  Louise smiled, more than ready to get rid of a few cobwebs. ‘By all means.’

  They set off side by side, but Flora and Amethyst quickly outstripped the slower horse. Louise was impressed by her friend’s control of the lively gelding. When they drew rein at the end of the run, she smiled at Flora’s flushed face and sparkling eyes, watching as she patted Amethyst’s neck with enthusiasm.

  ‘He’s astonishing,’ she said breathlessly. ‘And yet surprisingly responsive and he doesn’t try to run away with me.’

  ‘He’s beautiful,’ Louise agreed.

  She gasped when they walked on, turned a bend in the path and the expanse of the reservoir came into view, its ruffled surface sparkling under a weak autumn sun.

  ‘Astounding!’ Louise breathed.

  ‘Shall we rest for a while and enjoy the tranquillity?’

  ‘By all means.’

  Both ladies dismounted and tied their horses’ reins to a low branch. They sat on the springy grass close to the water’s edge. Romulus, his tongue hanging from the side of his mouth, flopped down beside them, panting.

  ‘It’s hard to imagine anyone harbouring disreputable intentions in such a peaceful spot,’ Louise mused as she plucked at a stem of grass.

  ‘And equally easy to imagine getting the better of anyone who attempts it.’

  ‘What if I am carrying Cleethorp’s child?’ Louise asked in a sudden rush of anxiety. ‘How will I ever survive the shame? Is it even possible after just one…well, you know?’

  ‘Unfortunately, it’s a subject upon which I am ill-advised to offer advice, but sadly I do think it is possible, if unlikely. Best not to worry about it unless the situation arises. But if it does, you are stronger than you think and will get through it. You certainly have the financial independence to make it possible. You could go abroad or pass yourself off as a widow and move to the wilds of Scotland until after your confinement.’

  Both girls giggled as they invented increasingly unlikely scenarios. Louise discovered that laughing eradicated much of her anxiety and she felt herself slowly relaxing. She leaned back on her elbows and turned her face up to the sun.

  ‘If it weren’t for Marianne, or for disappointing Grandmamma, I think I would happily tell Cleethorp to go to the devil since there would be nothing he could do to harm me.’

  ‘I think you will have that satisfaction anyway. But give Luke time to do his work first. He tends to make things happen fast when he sets his mind on a purpose, so the wait will not be a long one.’

  ‘What of you, Flora? You mentioned earlier that when the countess dies you will have to look for another position. What do you have in mind?’

  Flora shrugged. ‘I have absolutely no idea, but something will turn up, I expect. One thing’s for sure though, I will starve before I return to Cathedral Close.’

  Romulus, who had been dozing, suddenly sat up, ears pricked, and set up a volley of barks, his hackles raised.

  ‘What is it boy?’ Flora asked, placing a restraining hand on his collar.

  The ladies shared a worried look when they heard hooves approaching.

  ‘It’s a public path,’ Flora said, anxiety in her tone, ‘but it doesn’t lead anywhere. Romulus is a good judge of character and clearly doesn’t like the person who is approaching.’

  They both stood and moved towards their horses. Flora let Romulus go. He continued to growl as the approaching horse neared their position. Before they could mount, the person invading their peace drew rein and Louise froze when a familiar voice addressed her by name.

  She turned slowly, against her will, and looked up into Darius Cleethorp’s smiling face.

  Chapter Eleven

  ‘Some news of Brigstock,’ Paul said, entering Luke’s library.

  Luke put his pen aside and leaned back in his chair. ‘That was quick work.’

  ‘I aim to please.’

  Luke abandoned his desk and the two men took chairs in their customary place beside the fire.

  ‘Where’s Rom?’ Paul asked.

  ‘Flora’s riding out with Louise Pearson this afternoon. She offered to break the news to her about Mrs Brigstock’s relationship to Exton. I sent Romulus along with them for protection.’

  Paul nodded his approval. ‘Just as well. There is no end of talk about Brigstock amongst the servants at the estate he leased, and in the village too. As predicted, the taproom in the local tavern also proved to be a goldmine of information.’

  Luke leaned forward. ‘I’m all ears.’

  ‘Seems Mrs Brigstock was universally disliked in the village. She left owing the local seamstress a great deal of money and treated all the local tradespeople like dirt.’ Luke screwed up his features, his opinion of the woman vindicated. He disliked leaping to conclusions based on nothing more that hearsay as a general rule, but on this occasion it seemed his instincts hadn’t let him down. Failing to settle debts with locals struggling to make a living was reprehensible. ‘Brigstock, however, they had more time for. The chap I sent over there fell into conversation with one of the footmen from the house Brigstock rented. All the servants there seemed to think he regretted falling for a pretty face that concealed a calculating and grasping character.’

  ‘It’s as we supposed then, but I was hoping for something more specific to use against Cleethorp.’

  ‘And you shall have it. One of the keepers sauntered in and joined the discussion in the taproom. It cost you a fair few tankards of ale to loosen their tongues.’

  Luke chuckled. ‘I don’t doubt it.’

  ‘Money well spent, since once they started talking there was no stopping them. Brigstock was an accomplished horseman by all accounts, but also a creature of habit. He went out every afternoon at the same time, and took the same route. One of the other keepers was out and about when Brigstock fell. Seems he always jumped the same hedge astride a lively stallion. On the day of the supposed accident, just before his horse took off, someone fired a shot nearby. The creature spooked and bolted. Brigstock was unseated, landed heavily and didn’t get up again.’

  ‘It was deliberate?’

  Paul shrugged. ‘It appears that way, but there is of course no proof.’

  ‘And the keeper who heard the shot never said anything?’

  ‘He didn’t actually see anyone, and there could have been a dozen legitimate reasons for the shot having been fired. But the keeper doesn’t actually believe that. Seems it’s been playing on his conscience and he was relieved to tell what he knew to an interested party. I’m told everyone in the taproom had already heard the rumour and wanted to know what could be done about it.’

  ‘Very little, sadly, without a definitive sighting of the man who fired that shot.’

  Paul gave a grim nod. ‘Our man asked if anyone had been staying with the Brigstocks at the time of the accident. It seemed there was not, but a man answering Cleethorp’s description had put up at the tavern.’ Paul paused. ‘And he and Mrs Brigstock were seen together on several occasions.’

  Luke pursed his lips as he d
igested what he’d just learned. ‘We’re on the right track, but we need proof. Go back to that tavern yourself, Paul. Talk to the landlord. Ask him if he remembers anything specific about the man who stayed there at the time of Brigstock’s accident. Find out what name he gave and if he had a legitimate reason for being in the area.’

  ‘I doubt whether he would have used his own name.’

  ‘I agree with you, but I’d like to know who he pretended to be. It might help us, even if I’m not sure how.’

  ‘Right.’ Paul leaned back and arched his lower back. ‘I’ll take myself over there tomorrow.’

  ⸎⸎⸎⸎⸎

  Darius had argued with Felicity when she suggested that he follow Louise and her friend to the reservoir. He couldn’t see what she expected him to gain from confronting Louise in front of a witness. Louise, he reasoned, would probably realise that Felicity’s sister had told him where to find them, thereby revealing the connection. It wasn’t as if he could abduct Louise from beneath the nose of her friend, and there was no guarantee that she would agree to marry him even if he did. Damn it, the entire situation was spiralling out of his control and he heartily wished he’d never involved himself in it.

  Or with Felicity either.

  That realisation shocked him to the core. He had thought that he genuinely loved her. He’d certainly gone that extra mile or two for her sake, doing things that he wasn’t especially proud of in an effort to impress her. But now he wondered if he’d been manipulated from the outset. Her determination to control their relationship had certainly started to grate on his nerves. When all was said and done, a man needed to be in charge. He wasn’t much of a man otherwise.

  He should have put his foot down before now, but it was too late for regrets. He was in too deep. Felicity had her sights set on Louise’s fortune, and would not permit Darius to back out of procuring it through matrimony. But then what? Even if by some miracle he was able to force Louise into tying the knot, how safe would she be once she’d committed herself? Darius hadn’t stopped to consider that question. In his haste to prove himself to Felicity, he hadn’t thought much about anything, and had followed her instructions like a lovesick puppy. He puffed out his cheeks in disgust. He knew he’d fallen, but only now did he realise quite how low.

  It occurred to him that Felicity would look upon Louise as a rival for his affections, and Felicity didn’t tolerate competition. Once Darius had control of her fortune Louise would be surplus to requirements. Ice trickled through Darius’s veins as that very real possibility struck home. Brigstock had met with an untimely accident. Presumably a similar fate lay in store for Louise.

  Darius pushed his hat onto the back of his head, annoyed with himself for being so weak. Fearful for Louise. If he hadn’t listened to Felicity and forced himself upon Louise then perhaps he might still have been able to persuade her to marry him of her own volition. She never would now, he knew, which was probably just as well. If she did, the chances were that she would be signing her own death warrant. He wanted to warn her but didn’t know how to—not without condemning himself in the process. Darius was inextricably attached to Felicity whether he liked it or not. She possessed the power to destroy him if he didn’t dance to her tune.

  Perdition, he’d allowed his anger at the unreasonable treatment meted out to him by his brother to cloud his judgement. Now there could be no turning back.

  He rode up to the two ladies, a little taken aback by the ferocity of the large dog they had with them. It seemed to dislike Darius on sight. Louise looked pale and afraid. The girl with him—the countess’s companion who apparently was treated as a member of the earl’s family—was another matter altogether. Anger burned in her violet eyes as she looked up at him in a disdainful manner that caused his stomach to roil.

  The dog continued to growl and bare its fangs, preventing Darius from getting any closer to the ladies. But it couldn’t stop him from looking at the other woman. Felicity’s sister had been highly affronted by her elevated status within the earl’s household. Darius took one look at her and immediately understood the reason for it. She was not classically beautiful but there was something about her—a strength of character, a sense of determination, the staunch support she was showing for a female with whom she was barely acquainted—that set her apart and earned her Darius’s reluctant admiration.

  ‘Good afternoon to you, ladies.’ Darius doffed his hat, ignoring both the dog and his guilty conscience. ‘A fine afternoon for a ride.’

  ‘Which you have just ruined for us,’ the companion replied haughtily. ‘So we shall leave and allow you to have the view to yourself. Come, Louise.’

  Both ladies turned to their horses and Darius was at a loss to know what to do or say to detain them. Louise alone he could have handled. Possibly. But the companion was not afraid of him and it showed in her demeanour. He had warned Felicity that this wouldn’t work, but as always she was convinced that she knew best. Let the girl know you are here and that there is no escape for her, had been her instructions. Well, Darius could reliably inform Felicity that she had miscalculated.

  ‘A word, Miss Pearson, if you please.’

  Louise put up her chin. ‘I have nothing to say to you. I suggest you return to London and find a less gullible victim.’

  ‘And I would advise against pursuing my friend,’ the companion had the temerity to add. ‘Before you try to force her into doing anything else she would prefer not to.’ Darius jerked upright in his saddle. ‘Oh yes, I know what you are, and you can save your threats because they will not work. The Earl of Swindon is aware of your despicable behaviour too, so I would suggest you bear in mind that Miss Pearson has friends in powerful places before you try to force her to listen to pathetic justifications from a vile excuse for a man.’ The companion swung nimbly into her saddle and adjusted the single stirrup. ‘You should be ashamed of yourself. Look elsewhere for a wealthy wife. There is no one of that stature here who will take you.’

  Without another word, the two women turned their horses to retrace their steps. The dog remained where it was, still growling, baring its yellow fangs and salivating until the companion called to him. He let out one final rumbling growl, then turned in a circle and loped off after the ladies, leaving Darius to scratch his head and wonder what he was supposed to do now.

  His perplexity quickly turned to anger. Felicity’s sister, whom Darius had yet to meet, had been right to suggest that the companion had developed ideas above her station. How dare she talk to a man of Darius’s station in such derogatory terms? The fact that he had behaved reprehensively and that she hadn’t thrown any accusations at him that he didn’t deserve barely registered. It was always that way when the red mist of anger clouded his vision. That was why he had forced himself on Louise in the first place, and why she only had herself to blame for what followed. He hadn’t intended to go that far, until she turned her pert little nose up at him after having encouraged his attentions, given him reason to hope…

  He returned his thoughts to the opinionated companion riding away on a magnificent horse that was better suited to a gentleman of quality than to a glorified maid. It was very evident to Darius what service she must provide for the earl on a regular basis in order to be deemed worthy of such a spirited animal. Jealousy and desire, a debilitating combination, whirled through his bloodstream, rousing him to extremes of anger. She could lay no claim to maidenly blushes when Darius finally got her alone and unprotected, as he now fully intended to. She could not be permitted to keep him from Louise and most definitely deserved to be reminded of her station in life.

  He waited until the ladies had disappeared from view and then followed slowly in their wake, plotting his revenge against the impertinent and highly desirable companion and feeling himself stirring in anticipation.

  She would only have herself to blame for what would soon be coming her way.

  ⸎⸎⸎⸎⸎

  ‘You were magnificent!’ There was a combination of rel
ief and admiration in Louise’s tone, although Flora noticed that her hands were trembling on reins that she held in a vice-like grip. ‘I became tongue-tied and couldn’t think of a single appropriate thing to say when Cleethorp appeared out of nowhere. I really am pathetic.’

  ‘Of course you are not! He took you by surprise and expected you to buckle under the pressure of seeing him, but you did not oblige him. That said, perhaps I should not have been quite so outspoken myself.’ Flora canted her head as she considered her reaction. ‘Men dislike being challenged by women whom they consider to be their inferiors, and he might feel obliged to retaliate. His pride has taking a denting. I knew it likely had when his expression turned a few shades darker. Even so, I couldn’t seem to help myself. I cannot abide bullies. His arrogance in assuming that you would deign to spare him the time of day after what he did to you made me furious on your behalf.’

  ‘Remind me never to upset you,’ Louise said with the suggestion of a smile.

  ‘At least we now know that he is in the district, and that Miss Gregory must have told him where to find you. There can be no further doubt about his links to Mrs Brigstock.’

  ‘He obviously knows who you are and thought you would be easy to intimidate. Ha!’ Louise threw her head back and let out a slow exclamation imbued with a wealth of satisfaction. ‘Well, he has shown his hand now. He is here and I know what I must do.’

  ‘Speak with your grandmother?’

  ‘Yes. I cannot persuade myself that I have seen the last of the wretched man despite your warning him off, but I refuse to live in constant fear of running into him.’ Louise sat a little taller in her saddle. ‘I hope it will not be necessary for me to go into specifics with Grandmamma, and that she will be able to read between the lines. None of this is my fault, if one discounts the fact that I originally encouraged his attentions.’