To Marry a Duke (16 page)

‘Jago Tremayne, at yours.’
They
shook hands. ‘I must thank you for your prompt action. A broken foot would not
have helped the situation.’

‘I was in the vestibule, trying to persuade the night porter
to find me some food. I could not ignore the screams, they were heartrending.’

‘Lady Allegra has undergone several unpleasant
experience
lately. It’s hardly surprising she was
overwrought.’ Jago told him.

‘No, indeed.
But at least she had
one piece of good fortune. A friend of Lord Witherton’s, a Captain Pledger,
joined our party this evening, and was able to offer her some assistance. That
was a fortunate coincidence, was it not?’

‘Is he here now, do you know?’

‘No, he left a while back. He saw Lady Allegra arrive and
excused himself, told us he was an old friend. He didn’t come back. He hadn’t
booked a room either so I’ve no inkling where he is. Perhaps he’s decided to
sleep with his mount?

Jago suspected this was not the case. ‘I believe he passed us
on the road, heading back towards Brentwood. Lady Allegra must have asked him
to deliver a message to her brother. My daughter, Demelza, is betrothed to
Witherton.’

Robert Forsythe yawned hugely. ‘You have the right of it,
I’m sure. Now, I’ll keep you from your bed no longer, Mr Tremayne, and shall
bid you goodnight.’

‘Forsythe, I’m sleeping in here, on the chair. Although Lady
Allegra’s companion is sleeping in the chamber with her, I wish to be nearby in
case I’m needed. So please take my room. It would be a pity to leave the bed
unoccupied.’

Forsythe bowed again, grinning. ‘Presumably you want to
collect your jacket and boots before I retire?’

‘Good grief, yes!’

*

Allegra heard the voices fade and pushed herself up
anxiously. ‘He is gone. Miss Murrell I cannot sleep if Mr Tremayne is not
outside.’

‘Don’t fret, my dear, he’ll be back. I believe I heard him
offering the use of his room to the young man who helped him earlier.’

‘Please go and see; I do not want to take any poppy juice
and shall not dare to close my eyes until I am certain he is there.’

Her companion returned a few moments later. ‘Mr Tremayne is
back
now,
he merely went to collect his boots and
jacket, that is all.’

Satisfied, Allegra fell back onto the pillows but she
couldn’t sleep. Jago was prowling around next door so he too was awake. Miss
Murrell, stretched out comfortably on the far side of the large bed, a bolster
pushed between them, snored gently until morning.

Heavy eyed, Allegra slipped out of bed to investigate the sound
of a vehicle arriving in the yard below. It was scarcely light, even the
cockerels were crowing half-heartedly. A post chaise had just pulled up. A
sleepy ostler shambled forward to open the door. To her delight she watched
Abbot and Sam Perkins descend. She saw the ostler hurry off to the rear of the
building, presumably to fetch help to carry in the baggage.

‘Miss Murrell, Abbot and Perkins are here. Will you go down
and direct her up to me, please?’

Her companion scrambled off the bed, shaking out her skirts.
‘This is excellent news, my dear. They’ve made good time. We’ll all feel a deal
better when we have a change of garments.’ She hurried from the room but paused
to speak to Jago.

‘Good morning, sir. Your man’s here with your baggage.’ She
paused. ‘Oh dear, you have no room to use. You gave your chamber up.’

He laughed. ‘I’ve things to do outside that don’t require
clean clothes. Please tell Lady Allegra I’ll be back to see her later.
Time enough to rouse Forsythe on my return.’

Allegra smiled. He had raised his voice so that she could
overhear his words. She greeted Abbot with enthusiasm. ‘I am so glad you are
here for I wish to go outside and cannot do so until I am suitably attired.’

‘I’ll go down for hot water, my lady. It’s early, but the
place is stirring. The ostler said the overnight mail coach is due soon.’

Allegra hurried to the window. She saw Jago come out and he
glanced up and waved, blowing her a daring kiss. She blushed and retreated,
realizing she was still in her chemise.

Breakfast came up on a tray. It would not do for her to
venture into the public rooms already overfull with passengers from the coach.
Of her beloved Jago there was no sign. Abbot had visited Demelza and found her
awake and devouring a healthy breakfast with Miss Murrell and Jenny in
attendance. What was Jago doing outside for so long? The gentleman, who had
occupied his room, had gone downstairs some time ago.

‘My lady, if you put on your bonnet and spencer, I could
accompany you downstairs. It would not be unseemly to visit your horses and see
how they are doing.’

Abbot was not happy about her
choice. ‘That peach skirt will show every mark, my lady. You would have been
better in the moss green.’

‘I am not changing, Abbot, so it will have to do. Hand me my
gloves, if you please, I am impatient to discover for myself what is keeping Mr
Tremayne so long from my side.’

The entrance hall was deserted, even the ever vigilant
innkeeper absent elsewhere. Allegra

hurried
through. She was preparing to march round to the stables when she spotted Jago
talking to a stranger, a tall young man with an unruly mop of light brown hair.

‘There he is, Abbot.’ She viewed the dirt and dung strewn
yard with disfavour. ‘I think I shall wait here for him, after all.’

Her
abigail
nodded. ‘Shall I go
over and tell him you are here, my lady?’

‘If you would, thank you. I was thinking of waving to
attract his attention.’

‘No, my lady, you must not.’

Allegra watched her maid pick her way carefully through the
mire until she reached the two men, so immersed in their conversation they did
not, at first, notice her
abigail
. Then Jago looked
up, spoke to Abbot and turned towards Allegra. His face was transformed by his
smile. She felt her knees weaken and was forced to grip the door frame for
support.

Within seconds he had covered the ground and was beside her.
‘My dear, how are you this morning? Did you sleep at all?’ He clasped her
hands, scrutinising her face.

‘Is that a roundabout way of telling me I look dreadful,
Jago?’

‘You are enchanting, as always. My love, allow me to present
a recently acquired young friend of mine, Robert Forsythe.’

Forsythe bowed deeply and Allegra dipped her head in
acknowledgement. ‘I am pleased to make your acquaintance, my lady.’

‘And I yours, Mr Forsyth.
Do you
think we had better go inside? We are creating an obstruction and I fear we
could be mown down by the passengers returning to their coach?’

Laughing, she led the men upstairs to her parlour. The room
which had earlier seemed adequate was now overcrowded. ‘There is scarcely room
for us to sit in here, but we must make do,’ Allegra said, indicating to Abbot
she should absent herself.

Jago propped himself casually on the windowsill, Allegra took
an upright, bentwood chair which left Forsythe to perch awkwardly on the one
remaining seat, a chintz covered armchair.

‘Now, Jago, tell me everything that has transpired since I
last saw you.’

For some reason none of them thought it strange that a virtual
stranger should be included in the conversation. When he concluded his story
she asked eagerly.

‘And were there any clues on the body, Jago?’

‘Better than that, my dear, Forsythe recognized the man.’

‘What? That is extraordinary. Who is he, sir?’

‘He was, I’m sorry to say, an officer in the Essex Regiment
to which I was attached until recently.’

‘You are a soldier? I should have guessed it; you have the
carriage of a military gentleman.’

‘Thank you, my lady. I was forced to resign my commission -
family matters I’ll not bore you with.’

She waved her hand. ‘There is no need to explain, it is none
of our business. But please tell me the name of the man?’

‘Lieutenant Giles Symons, an impecunious gentleman, always
lived above his means and was involved in more than one unpleasant incident, to
my certain knowledge.’

Allegra hardly dared to ask the question. ‘Was he, by any
chance, stationed at Colchester or Weeley barracks?’

Forsythe nodded. ‘Yes, he was recently at Colchester,
involved with recruitment, I believe, why do you ask?’

Allegra felt her head spinning.
If the man was from Colchester then he might have known Captain Pledger. This
was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. White faced she stared at her
beloved. ‘Jago, what have I done? I have sent Pledger to Richard. I cannot bear
it; it is too much.’

Chapter
Sixteen

The two gentlemen stared at her
with astonishment. Jago shook his head. ‘My dear girl, what cork-brained notion
is this? Pledger is a friend of
Witherton’s,
weren’t
they at school together?’

Her breathing steadied; she thought maybe she had
overreacted. ‘Yes, they were. I cannot like him, but I suppose he is Richard’s
closest friend. I am sorry, I am jumping to conclusions; that was silly off
me.’

Forsythe hastened to add his reassurances. ‘You must
remember, my lady, that Colchester has over six thousand men and Weeley
considerably more. Unless Captain Pledger was billeted at one of these
barracks, I doubt he would even have met our villain.’

‘Richard and Captain Pledger did sometimes frequent the
officer’s mess in Colchester but it involved an overnight stay so more often
they went to dine in Weeley, which is considerably nearer to the Priory.’

Jago pushed himself away from the window. ‘I think I see the
doctor on his way up. I wish to speak with him.’

His guest took his cue. ‘And I must not detain you. Thank
you for your hospitality.’ He bowed to Allegra. ‘I’ll make enquiries at
Colchester, the adjutant is a friend of mine and he should be able to ferret
out the scoundrel’s associates.’

‘That’s kind of you, sir,’ Jago said. ‘We’ll be in Town for
the next three weeks, could you send anything you discover to me there? You
have the address.’

Dr Canning pronounced Demelza, against all his expectations,
fit enough to travel that day. A flurry of activity ensued as bags were packed
and arrangements made.

‘Jago, do you promise you will be in London in time to take
me out this evening?’ Allegra asked.

‘I shall. I must speak to Sir Bertram but then I’ll, reluctantly,
travel post chaise.’ He chuckled at her wry expression. ‘No expense is too
great, my love, when it means I can be at your side more quickly.’

The last stage of the journey was
uneventful and the carriage pulled up outside Witherton House at noon. Thomas
handed the reins to Billy and climbed down. In the absence of her father or
betrothed he was designated to carry Demelza inside.

 
‘Do you think there’s
a note from Lucy, Lady Allegra? Could you please find out for me?’ Demelza
called as she was being taken up the white marble stairs. Miss Murrell
immediately hushed her charge, reminding her of unladylike behaviour. Allegra
smiled,
how quickly life moved on; a few weeks ago it was
she who was being gently told to behave correctly.

There was a neat stack of cards awaiting her attention. The
letters she had sent in advance of their visit, informing her acquaintances she
was going to be in town, had obviously been received.

She flicked through them. Yes, there
was a note for Demelza amongst the invitations.

Whilst on her way up to the apartment allocated to Demelza
and Miss Murrell, she continued to glance through the cards. Was there one for
tonight that she could take Jago to? She was eager to introduce him to society,
proud to claim to be his future wife. She smiled as she considered the way her
opinions had altered over the weeks. Her society friends would be busily
speculating what was the truth behind her betrothal to a man she would have
ignored last time she was in Town.

A wave of heat swept through her as she recalled the
farewell embrace he had given her. No one who saw them together could doubt her
reasons. Hers was a love match. Their original motivations were irrelevant;
neither money nor pedigree came into it. She could hardly wait to see the faces
of the town tabbies when she sailed in on the arm of the most attractive, and
unlikely, man in England.

Her sudden laugh startled the footman waiting to open the
door to the apartment. She was glad to find Demelza reclining on a
chaise-longue
, a patchwork coverlet
across her outstretched legs.

‘There is a note from your friend, Demelza.’
 
She handed it over. ‘And I wish you to call
me
Allegra,
after all we are almost family.’

‘Can I not call you, Mama?’ Demelza asked hopefully.

‘I would prefer not. I am only eight years your senior. But
I hope to be a loving sister and friend to you instead.’

‘I love you already, Allegra. And do you know
,
I believe you and Papa will be the perfect match. I have
never seen him so happy.’ She giggled. ‘I’ve even seen him laugh once or twice
as well.’

‘Baggage!
Have you no respect for
your father?’ Allegra pulled the covers straight. ‘Well, what does your Lucy
say? Is she to visit you here, or does she
wish
you to
go to the hotel?’

‘She’s coming this afternoon to see me. She does not know of
my injury, should I put her off?’

‘If you stay resting on your day
bed, do not move around too much, I see no reason why your friend should not
come. Do not make too much of the shooting, Demelza. It will become the talk of
the town and it is uncomfortable to be the subject of idle gossip.’

‘Shall I tell her we were set upon by thieves and I was
shot? I expect it happens to people all the time.’

‘I sincerely hope it does not. In fact, you have the
distinction of being the only person of my acquaintance who has been so
distinguished.’

‘Well, apart from military gentlemen. But it is their trade
to be shot at, isn’t it Allegra?’

‘Indeed it is, my love; also, if Captain Pledger is to be
believed, stabbed, slashed and blown to bits.’

Miss Murrell interrupted. ‘I think we have discussed this
quite enough, Miss Demelza. At what time is Miss Carstairs coming? I think you
should have a light repast and a rest before she arrives,
You
don’t wish to be too fatigued to enjoy the visit, now do you?’

‘No, Miss Murrell,’ Demelza chimed obediently.

‘Then I shall leave you. I intend to have a sleep as well.’
Allegra leaned down to hug Demelza, who whispered in her ear.

‘I expect more soldiers die from cholera and dysentery them from
battle wounds, don’t you?’

‘Horrible girl!
What a lowering
thought! I shall see you later, when we are all rested.’

Allegra selected an invitation to an intimate supper and
card party to be held by the Dowager Duchess of Avondale, a grand dame with her
finger in every society pie. If she approved of Jago, then all the other
hostesses would fall in to line. She quickly penned a note to be sent round
informing him he was to present himself at Witherton House, in formal attire,
no later than twenty minutes past seven. After leaving instructions for Abbot
to wake her at five o’clock, she retired to her chamber.

She hoped she would be able to sleep more easily when the
sun was up, that its brightness would keep her bad dreams at bay. Even after an
absence of more than three years the familiarity of her bedchamber was
reassuring. She had not slept in this room since her nightmares began and it
had no unpleasant associations. She prayed this would be enough to allow her to
rest undisturbed.

At seven o’ clock Allegra was bathed and dressed in her
evening finery, an exotic Indian silk in palest blue with a darker blue gauze
overskirt. The cap-sleeves and matching long, silk fingerless gloves were
embroidered with tiny blue glass beads in a floral pattern. With her white gold
hair piled high on her head, her sapphire and diamond parurre, which included
ear bobs, a collar and a
bracelet,
she knew she had
never looked better.

‘I am going along to see Miss Demelza, Abbot. I shall
require you to be in the hall with my

cloak
and
reticule at twenty minutes past seven.’ Abbot handed Allegra the ribbon that
allowed the demi-train to be held from under her feet and made a few small
adjustments.

‘That is a beautiful gown, my lady. The colour is unusual
but on you it’s perfect.’

The footman knocked on the door to Demelza’s apartment. A
maid opened the door and

curtsied
.

‘Miss Tremayne has retired, my lady, but she is still
receiving.’

Allegra’s heart sunk. It was far too early for a young lady
to retire unless she was feeling unwell. ‘Demelza, my dear, are you feeling
worse? Here, let me feel your forehead.’ Allegra was relieved to find the skin
cool under her fingertips.

‘No, I am a little tired but not poorly.’ Demelza grinned.
‘I was forced to claim illness in order to escape from Lucy. I had intended to
hide in my bedchamber until she left but she insisted on helping me disrobe, so
here I am.’

Allegra smoothed out the back of her dress before carefully
perching on the end of the bed. ‘I take it you did not enjoy your visit? I am
sorry to hear that when you were so looking forward to seeing your friend
again.’

‘I didn’t realize how shallow she is. She talked of nothing
but clothes, slippers and bonnets until my head was spinning. I find we have
little in common now.’

‘Perhaps it is because you are feeling rather out of sorts?
When you are better you might feel differently about her.’

Demelza’s mouth pursed. ‘I doubt it! Do you know
,
I felt more like her elderly aunt than her bosom bow? I
believe I’ve changed since I met Richard. I see things differently now. Will he
be here soon, do you think?’

 
‘I hope so; I sent a
note to him telling him of your injury but he is busy with estate business, he
might decide he has not got the time. After all we are only here for three
weeks.’

‘If he loves me, surely he will come? I would go to him if
he had been shot.’

‘But you must remember he is still recovering from his own
injuries, my dear.’

‘I understand, Allegra. You don’t have to cover up for him.
He does not wish to marry me now he has had his properties returned. Why should
he wish to tie himself to
a nobody
? He could have
anyone he wanted. There are dozens of debutantes more eligible.’ Demelza wiped
her eyes on the sheet. ‘I intend to release him from his offer. I love him too
much to hold him against his will.’

‘I think you had better wait until you speak to him in
person before making such a rash decision. Have you considered he might be
feeling exactly the same reservations himself? That

you
might not
wish to tie yourself to a man with only one eye?’

Demelza rocked back, her face pale. ‘He could not be so
stupid! If he had been blinded then maybe I could understand, but he’s my
beloved Richard; one eye, one leg or one anything, I shall always love him.’

‘In which case, my dear, you have nothing to fret about.
Whether Richard comes to London or not, I do not think you have any cause to
worry about his constancy.’

‘Miss Murrell says I’ll be well enough to travel back to the
Priory in a day or two. If Richard doesn’t come to me, I shall go to him. I
find the thought of visiting the sights no longer interests me.’

Allegra patted her hands. ‘I have to go. Shall I send up
your papa when he arrives?’

‘No, thank you, I’ll see him tomorrow. I suppose Richard will
be obliged to stay with papa, not here, if he does come?’

‘I am afraid so, my love. But your townhouse is only five
minutes from this, hardly a separation at all.’ Allegra shook out her dress,
hoping she had not creased it by sitting.

‘
It’s
fine, Allegra, no lines at
all. You will stun my father into silence in that gown; I think you look like a
fairy princess out of storybook.’

‘And since I met him he has made me feel like one. My feet
are floating several inches from the floor most of the time I am so happy.’

Demelza giggled. ‘I seem to recall you thought you hated my
father until quite recently, Allegra.’

‘Oh stuff to that! I intend to forget I was ever at odds
with him. I do not wish to ruin my romantic ideal. Goodnight, my love, sleep
well.’

*

Downstairs Jago prowled, magnificent in his evening clothes,
favouring the modern fashion of black pantaloons and slippers above knee
breeches and stockings. Abbot was hovering in the background, Allegra’s
belongings in her arms. The closed carriage waited outside, Thomas on the box,
Billy by the steps ready to hand Allegra in.

The hour was after seven thirty, she was tardy. His eyes
darkened and he had difficulty swallowing as he watched her run lightly down
the stairs. ‘My darling, you look
ravissante
tonight.’ She held out her hands and he carried
them to his lips, placing a kiss on each finger before releasing them.

‘I am so glad you like this
ensemble
. This is its first airing. I have been saving it for an
important occasion.’

‘Do a supper and card party count as such? It should have
been kept for a ball.’

‘No, Jago, my love it is not the event but the venue.
Tonight I am taking you to meet the Dowager Duchess of Avondale. If you can
charm her, then all doors will open like magic to you. You will be received
everywhere.’

Abbot arranged the cloak across Allegra’s shoulders and they
were ready to depart. Once they were settled he continued the conversation.
‘I’ll do my best tonight, Allegra. But I cannot promise it will be enough. I’m
not good at being a sycophant; breeding counts for nothing in my business
world, I’m only impressed by achievements, not pedigrees.’

‘I know you are. But the
haut
ton
are not. I thought it was your goal to be part of society?’

He grinned, a flash of white in the gloom. ‘I thought it was
too, my love, but now I find I don’t give a damn…’ he sensed the maid’s shocked
recoil. ‘I’ll rephrase that. I don’t care overmuch for society’s opinion. If I
have your approval, that’s more than enough for me.’