Beyond the Duke's Domain: Ducal Encounters Series 4 Book 4 Page 8

  ‘Ye gods!’ Raph cried, and Ariana realised he was hearing the sordid particulars for the first time. She placed a reassuring hand over his. ‘But there was another man there once. I heard his voice. St John spoke to him with deference, which is what made me take notice, since he was usually rude to his underlings.’

  ‘You think it was Basingstoke?’ the duke asked. ‘Are you absolutely sure.’

  ‘I am almost certain, but of course I did not see his face.’ Ariana paused to meet the duke’s gaze. ‘But if I am right, it explains why he looks at me in such a concentrated manner whenever our paths cross. You see,’ she added, tears swamping her eyes. ‘I heard him say to St John that I was not to be sold. That he wanted to keep me for his own amusement.’

  Raph jumped to his feet and uttered what sounded like a string of Spanish curses. He spoke rapidly to Ariana, who replied in a soothing tone of voice until her brother resumed his seat, still muttering.

  ‘My brother expressed his desire to go to Basingstoke’s estate and return with his head,’ Ariana said. ‘I have persuaded him from that course of action,’ she added with a grim smile.

  ‘Damn it, I am close to joining your brother in his quest!’ Amos thumped his clenched fist against the arm of his chair, thunderheads gathering behind his eyes. No one else spoke for a prolonged moment, but Ariana could sense the intensity of their collective anger.

  ‘What matters is that Basingstoke didn’t get his way and now feels cheated whenever he sees me. It must infuriate a man who dislikes being bested—especially by anyone connected to this family. We should use that knowledge to our advantage,’ Ariana said, lifting her chin in an attempt to project an attitude of steely determination, despite the fact that her insides quaked at the prospect of being anywhere near the scoundrel.

  ‘How?’ Amos asked. ‘By placing you in more danger? By encouraging you to use yourself as bait? That is out of the question.’

  ‘Word will have spread that Raph has come here to take me home,’ Ariana said, ignoring Amos’s interruption. ‘That is your intention, is it not?’ She turned to Raph for clarification.

  ‘Si, es verdad.’

  ‘You don’t like the thought of me demeaning myself by caring for someone else’s children, and are keen to see me married to an influential Spaniard who will restore our position as a family of consequence.’

  Amos made a sound that could have been anything from a chuckle to a grunt of displeasure. ‘Worse fates could have befallen you, sister,’ Raph said with a cautious smile. ‘But now is not the time to discuss our future plans.’

  Ariana smiled. ‘I think we should have a very public disagreement on that particular matter,’ she replied. ‘News of it will reach the taprooms and will be subjected to endless discussion by the locals, just as anything of importance that happens on this estate always is. Everyone will be told that I am unwilling to return to Spain, but that the duke has deferred to your authority over me, Raph,’ she chuckled. ‘Such as it is.’

  ‘All very clever and plausible,’ Lord Vincent remarked, ‘but I don’t see how that will help us to draw Basingstoke out.’

  ‘I know what she is thinking,’ Amos replied, ‘and it’s out of the question.’

  ‘You imagine Basingstoke wants you all the more because his plans for you were thwarted,’ Lord Romsey said. ‘Now, if he thinks you have lost the duke’s support, he might try something foolhardy in an effort to get you back—especially if he believes he is about to lose you forever.’

  ‘As I said,’ Amos reiterated. ‘It’s not only foolhardy but far too dangerous.’

  ‘I agree,’ Raph said with asperity.

  ‘Do you have a better idea, gentlemen?’ she asked, sharing a smile between them.

  ‘Now that we suspect Basingstoke of a specific crime, other than simply being a disgrace to his position,’ the duke replied, ‘there are certain possibilities. One assumes he makes regular calls upon his investment.’

  ‘He knows where the girls are being held, you mean?’ Lord Vincent asked.

  ‘It’s a reasonable supposition,’ the duke replied. ‘I have heard whispers that wild young gentlemen form societies where the entertainment is provided by females from foreign parts. I hoped that trend wouldn’t spread to this part of the world, given that we have clamped down hard on houses of ill-repute where women are forced into selling themselves, but clearly I was being naïve in that regard.’ He moved to the bell rope and pulled it twice; a signal for Adler, his emissary and right-hand man, to join them.

  They waited in silence, mulling over what they now knew or suspected, until Adler arrived. He had been introduced to Raph the previous day and listened without interrupting as the duke related the particulars of the subject under discussion.

  ‘How do we go about uncovering such a den of iniquity, Adler?’ the duke concluded.

  ‘I have heard vague rumblings about such establishments being the latest amusement amongst the indolent rich, your grace, but nothing whatsoever about one existing here. I would have made you aware if that had been the case. I shall, of course, make enquiries.’

  ‘Do that,’ the duke answered.

  ‘Wouldn’t it be easier simply to apprehend Cutler and search his ship the next time he makes port?’ Amos asked.

  ‘We could do that, but his cargo when he comes into London is always legitimate,’ Lord Romsey replied, ‘apart from the girls, obviously.’

  ‘And they are not worth rescuing?’ Ariana asked indignantly.

  ‘Of course they are. But this organisation has deep pockets, and Cutler’s apprehension would not, I suspect, hold them up for long.’ Lord Romsey rubbed his chin as he measured his words. ‘We need to cut off the head, or it will never stop.’

  ‘Ariana nodded. ‘Si,’ she said absently, unable to find fault with that logic.

  ‘Smuggled goods are landed at night along the coast, and never in the same place twice. Besides, if we catch Cutler for the lesser charge of smuggling contraband rather than people, he will never talk and will be replaced. In such circumstances Basingstoke would continue to be a threat,’ Lord Romsey pointed out.

  ‘How does he get the girls off his vessel when it docks in London?’ Lord Vincent asked.

  ‘By wherry at night, when the ship is anchored off, waiting for its turn to come into dock. The girls, I believe, are shackled. We assume officials are aware and have been bribed to look the other way. We could, of course, be waiting the next time he comes in, but we have no idea when that will be. He only makes two or three runs a year. Besides, they are ruthless individuals and the girls’ lives are expendable. I expect they would be thrown overboard with their shackles to weigh them down if there is the possibility of their being detected. They are probably threatened with just such a fate in order to keep them silent during their landing.’

  Ariana shuddered. ‘That I can believe.’

  ‘When did the last lot of girls come in, Clarence?’ the duke asked. ‘The ones who were landed in Kent.’

  ‘About two weeks ago. It coincided with Raphael’s arrival in England. Being aware of Ariana’s run-in with the scoundrels, it seemed natural to mention the matter to him.’

  ‘And I am very glad that you did.’ Raph stood up and paced the length of the room. Ariana had never seen him looking more formidable, more starkly determined, and she felt a little afraid of him. This was a side of her brother that was reserved for his clandestine duties and which she was not supposed to observe under normal circumstances. ‘We will find a way to bring this business to an end,’ Raph continued, ‘but it will not be at the expense of Ariana’s safety, gentlemen. I hope we can agree upon that particular point.’

  ‘Absolutely,’ they responded as one.

  ‘Just a moment…’ Ariana sprang to her feet. ‘I have survived the machinations of these men—more by luck than anything else, but I know how they work, and I am no longer the helpless girl you once knew. We need to discuss this matter in private, Raph.’ If Raph thought she wa
s still the malleable little sister he recalled from happier times, she would be glad to set him straight on the matter. The clock struck the half-hour, drawing Ariana’s attention to it. ‘But not now. The children will be waking from their rest and looking for me.’

  ‘We cannot reach any decision as things stand,’ the duke concluded. ‘Allow Adler time to make his enquiries. He has contacts in all sorts of places, and once we know the lay of the land we will be in a better position to know how to proceed.’

  Ariana nodded. ‘If you will excuse me, gentlemen.’ She cast a glance at her brother. ‘We will talk later.’

  ‘You may depend upon it,’ Raph replied, opening the door for her. ‘When did she become so infuriatingly independent?’ she heard him ask no one in particular as he closed it again behind her.

  Raph excused himself too and wandered outside, in urgent need of solitude in order to consider the complexities of the situation. More especially, he needed to decide how best to handle an adult sister who had suffered incredible hardships and come through them relatively unscathed. She had also, through necessity, developed a fiercely independent spirit due to his neglect of his family. She would not back down in the face of his opposition to her crazy scheme, and Raph knew he had forfeited any right to expect her obedience.

  Reasoned argument was his only hope, that and Lord Amos’s support for his opposition to Ariana putting herself in danger, which he sensed would be readily forthcoming. He had seen just how ardently Ariana’s impetuosity concerned Amos. Perhaps, if Raph failed to sway her, she would listen to his advice and be guided by him. As a proud Spaniard, Raph balked at the idea of his unmarried sister listening to any man’s advice other than his own, but these were exceptional circumstances and Raph knew he must learn to adapt.

  ‘Oh, excuse me, I didn’t see you…’

  Raph automatically reached out a hand to steady the person he had almost walked into and knocked from her feet. ‘Miss Boyd. I do beg your pardon. I was deep in thought and not paying attention to where I was going, which is no excuse at all. Are you hurt?’

  ‘Not in the least. And I was to blame too. I wasn’t looking where I was going either, but no harm has been done.’

  ‘I saw you riding earlier,’ he said, walking in the same direction as the vibrant young woman, whose cheeks had turned pink but who raised no objection to his company. ‘The duke tells me that the Arabian is a birthday gift. Are you pleased with him?’

  ‘Delighted. He is everything I could have hoped for and more. I am very fortunate to have such a thoughtful brother-in-law who went to a great deal of trouble to find exactly the right horse for me. Fizz is a delight, and I fell violently in love with him the moment I saw him.’

  ‘Fizz?’ Raph raised a brow in amused speculation.

  ‘His name. It suits him. It means to bubble and—’

  ‘I understand its meaning.’

  ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Your English is excellent.’

  ‘Do you always fall in love at first sight?’ he asked provocatively, with no particular idea of where the question had sprung from.

  ‘It has never happened to me before,’ she replied cheerfully. ‘But still, I suppose all the warnings that my governess drummed into my head don’t apply to horses. The worst he can do is throw me from his back and break the odd bone, as opposed to an unsuitable male who would shatter my heart. Hearts, in case you were not aware,’ she added, looking up at him through eyes that sparkled with mischief in ways that reminded Raph of the name she had given her horse, ‘are very fragile things, and not easily mended.’

  ‘More advice from a wise governess, I dare say.’

  ‘Personal observation,’ she replied. ‘Which precludes the necessity of experience, thank heavens.’

  ‘Shall you keep Fizz here?’ Raph asked, thinking it wise to turn the conversation onto less contentious territory.

  ‘Initially. Cal will want to ride out with me until he is sure that I have his measure. Then I suppose I shall move him to Hayward House, which is where we live.’ She waved to Mia, who was rushing in the opposite direction and didn’t pause to pass the time of day. ‘Did you enjoy riding the estate with the duke? I saw you coming back on your spotty stallion.’

  ‘Spotty?’ Raph pretended to take offence. ‘I will have you know that Hurricane is a noble Appaloosa.’

  She laughed at him. ‘I was deliberately teasing you. I know how sensitive gentlemen can be when it comes to their horses.’

  ‘Given your choice of equine nomenclature, you would doubtless have called him Spot, which is the name more suited to a dog of dubious pedigree.’ She laughed once more and he realised suddenly how important it was to him to make this young woman laugh, and how said laughter lit up her elfin features. ‘In which case, on behalf of my noble Hurricane, I forgive you and assure you that you have not hurt his feelings,’ Raph replied with a straight face. ‘Well, probably not.’

  ‘That’s a relief.’

  ‘And in answer to your original question, I have not yet seen much of the estate. It seems that will take longer than a couple of hours. But I was certainly impressed by what I did see.’

  ‘It takes an entire day to circumvent the estate if you want to do it in one go.’

  ‘Then I shall make it a mission to set a day aside for that very purpose whilst I am here. Perhaps our paths will cross.’

  She smiled. ‘Perhaps they will. Shall you be with us for long?’

  ‘That rather depends on a number of things, not least of which is Ariana. I’m not sure what her plans are.’

  ‘I don’t think she knows herself, as yet.’

  ‘Naturally, I shall remain for Martina’s nuptials.’

  ‘Of course you must. She would never forgive you if you did not.’ Miss Boyd smiled. ‘I am to be a bridesmaid.’

  ‘A charming prospect.’

  ‘Did you make Mr Braden’s acquaintance last night? One assumes so,’ Miss Boyd added, not pausing to allow Raph to respond. ‘I hope he passed muster. I myself find him charming and he is very attached to Martina. Be warned, you will have a rebellion on your hands if you find fault with him. I dare say you think no man is good enough for either of your sisters, but I hope you have the sense to accept that Mr Braden and Martina are well matched.’

  ‘Believe me, Miss Boyd,’ Raph replied when she paused to draw breath, ‘I don’t have a death wish. The gentlemen here are all of sound mind and good judgement, and if he—what was your expression?’

  ‘Passed muster.’

  ‘Yes. If he did that with them, he will no doubt do so with me.’

  She laughed. ‘Spoken like a true diplomat.’

  ‘I look forward to becoming better acquainted with my sister’s future husband, and I was not kept awake last night by doubts regarding their compatibility.’

  ‘Then I am reassured.’

  They wandered on with no specific destination in mind. Raph had come outside to do his thinking but wasn’t in the least disturbed by the nature of the distraction that had crossed his path. Nor did he have any particular desire to bring the interlude to a premature end.

  ‘You and Harrison are obviously both keen on horses. Does your sister follow your example?’

  Miss Boyd looked away from him. ‘She did at one time, but now her babies are her priority.’

  ‘As they are with most married ladies.’ He quirked a brow at her when she made a face. ‘You have something against babies?’

  ‘Nothing at all. I adore my nephew and niece and I have a great deal of respect for their lung capacity.’

  He chuckled. ‘You are doubtless glad to hand them back when they become disruptive.’

  She conceded the point with a wry smile. ‘You are perspicacious, Señor Sanchez-Gomez. You make me feel ashamed of myself.’

  ‘For being honest?’ He smiled at this unusual and forthright young woman. ‘You fail to make allowance for the strength of your sister’s maternal instinct, which she clearly posse
sses in abundance. You have already developed it yourself; albeit in respect of your new horse.’

  She flapped a hand. ‘A horse is a different matter.’

  ‘Perhaps so, but the principle is the same. I have yet to meet a mother who does not worry constantly about the welfare of her offspring.’ He looked away. ‘God alone knows, I have done more than my share of worrying about my sisters, frustrated not to be able to break cover and reassure them about my own wellbeing and blaming myself for their plight.’

  ‘Their plight has brought them here, where they have both found comfort and a degree of happiness. And you would make a highly unusual mother.’ They both smiled. ‘Of course it is natural for any parent to be concerned about their children’s welfare, but I have also seen just how all-consuming motherhood can be.’ Miss Boyd expelled a deep sigh. ‘Cal was as concerned as Petra this morning when Cassie refused to be placated, but it didn’t prevent him from coming here and involving himself with his horses, leaving Petra to deal with the baby.’

  ‘And your sister could not have passed the disgruntled child into its nurse’s care?’

  ‘That is what I advised Petra to do, but she was having none of it. I think my niece already understands how to control her mama, and she is only six months old. The more I see of the realities of motherhood, the less sure I feel about making such a terrifying commitment myself.’ She looked up at him, her deep blue eyes filled with uncertainty. ‘I wish to experience some adventure and excitement first. Does that sound terribly selfish?’

  ‘It makes you refreshingly honest. But be warned, adventure and excitement do not always bring reward.’

  ‘I suppose in your line of work one must add danger to the equation.’

  ‘Every young woman I have ever encountered seems to dream of romance and marriage, which implies a desire for children. They don’t stop to consider the realities you just described.’

  ‘Well then, I am destined to a life as an ape leader.’

  ‘A what? A leader of monkeys?’