Anne Barbour (29 page)

So, he mused in a chastened mood, it was not only he who bore the scars of bitter experience. He gazed unseeing at the green beauty spread before him. Claudia had deceived him, but her reasons had been compelling, he reflected sadly.

His mouth curved in a bitter smile. His rage at Claudia’s perfidy may have dissipated in the cool light of understanding, but the ache of her betrayal still remained, creating a grinding sense of desolation that seemed to have settled in the center of his being.

With a sound that was almost a groan, he moved to his desk to bury himself in the mound of paperwork that waited there.

Chapter Twenty

“Oh, Jonah, I’m so sorry!” Claudia mopped her cheeks with the conveniently deep ruffle bordering her sleeve. “I don’t know what got into me, turning into such a watering pot.”

Jonah patted her shoulder awkwardly. “Don’t give it another thought, ma’am. I disremember the number o’ times I’ve had t’offer a shoulder to some weepin’ female. Curse o’ the sex, this weepin’ business. And if ye don’t mind me sayin’ so, ye hadn’t orter take on so. His lordship’s in a rare takin’, but it don’t seem t’ me he has the right to rag at ye the way he did.”

“You’re a good friend Jonah,” she replied through a shuddering hiccup. “And you know, I think you may be right.” She recalled the ugly words Jem had spoken to her, and the chill contempt of his expression. She had felt as though she had been physically struck. How could he have deliberately caused her such pain?

Had what she done really been so wrong? She had not acted with the intent to deprive him of his rightful home. In convincing him to hire her to manage the stable operation, she had done him no harm. In fact, her assumption of that position was to his benefit, releasing him to attend to the other pressing matters of the estate. Really, the way he was acting, one would think he had caught her slipping hemlock into his soup.

For the first time since she had turned over Emanuel’s incriminating lists to him with such disastrous results, a small coil of anger began to twist inside her.

She looked up at Jonah. “Yes,” she repeated in a whisper, “I think you may be right.”

She bethought herself then of the reason she had come to Jonah. “I want to speak to you about Morrison. This morning I told him to apply a compress to Prince’s foreleg—he’s been suffering from stone bruises, you know, but when I—”

Once again, she was interrupted, this time by the sound of shrill barking taking place outside the stables. Claudia and Jonah, hastening to fling open the door, observed Rumple, young George’s dog, engaged in a frenzy of high-pitched yapping at an object unseen around the corner of the building. Some distance away, from a second-floor window of the manor house, George could be seen at the window, waving furiously at his pet and shouting encouragement.

“Great God,” said Jonah, breaking into a run. “I jist told Lucas to bring Warlock out of his stall inta the paddock.” As he spoke, Rumple vanished from sight in pursuit of his quarry.

Gathering up her skirts, Claudia hastened to follow. They rounded the end of the building just in time to observe the little dog racing toward Warlock, who was being led by Lucas through a narrow corridor leading to the paddock outside.

As she watched in horror. Warlock reared suddenly, tossing an unprepared Lucas into a heap at one side of the corridor. Jonah made a grab for the stallion’s leading rein, but missed, and in another moment. Warlock had plunged through the open half door at the end of the corridor. Rumple followed as fast as his short legs would carry him, still barking furiously.

Claudia raced in pursuit, together with Jonah and a somewhat groggy Lucas. Outside, they discovered that Warlock, rather than running to the paddock, had turned and was heading toward the closed gate that led to the carriage house. Claudia screamed as the sound of splintering wood reached her ears, accompanied by that of a piercing neigh, filled with pain and panic.

Out of a corner of her eye, Claudia caught sight of a figure running toward the scene from the direction of the house, and turned to behold a white-faced Jem sprinting to intercept Warlock. His course brought him into the stallion’s path just as Warlock reached a small courtyard that gave entry to the coach house.

“Get behind him, so he can’t retreat!” shouted Jem to Claudia and the men behind her. “I’ll try to drive him into the corner!” He gestured toward an angle formed by the stone courtyard wall and the building that housed the carriages.

As Warlock plunged farther into the courtyard area, Jem ran headlong at him, forcing him into the prescribed area. The horse, apparently further frightened as he saw his escape routes being cut off, reared on his hind legs. Once again, the air was filled with frenzied whinnies as his eyes rolled wildly and his forelegs pawed the air. On one of these, an ugly wound could be seen from which blood oozed in an increasing stream.

Jem approached cautiously, calling words of reassurance, but the stallion was beyond soothing. Abruptly, he turned on Jem and, with murder in his eye, bore down on him. He struck Jem broadside, throwing him against the side of the stone building from whence he slid into a motionless heap.

To Claudia’s unbelieving horror, the stallion reared above him, hooves pawing in an arc that came perilously close
to
Jem’s head.

Without volition, she plunged toward the stallion, her whole being focused on preventing Warlock’s assault on the man who lay helpless beneath him. She was aware that Jem had begun to stir, and, unthinking, she raised her arms and flung herself against the huge animal. Not surprisingly, her action had no effect except to send her reeling backward. Dimly, she heard voices raised behind her, but she was consumed by her need to get between the horse and the man. Gathering her strength, she hurled herself once more at the stallion, and this time, the horse, momentarily distracted, stumbled and lurched sideways. Claudia found herself embracing the animal as he strove to regain himself.

The next moment. Warlock had bunched his muscles beneath him once again, preparatory to making a bolt for freedom, and Claudia’s world was filled with the smell of blood and the sight of flared nostrils and bared teeth and huge, wild eyes that seemed to envelop her in their panic.

The next instant, she was lifted bodily into a strong grasp that swung her out of harm’s way. She raised her head to meet Jem’s glittering gray gaze fixed not two inches from her own. With a sob of relief, she buried herself in Jem’s embrace. The next instant, she found herself being shaken unmercifully.

“What the bloody hell did you think you were doing just then?” Jem roared, his voice rising until it cracked.

“I was tr—trying—” Claudia’s teeth were chattering so that she could hardly speak. “That is—I—I thought you w—were going to be k—killed!” Her own voice shook with remembered terror.

“And what did you think you were going to do?” Jem’s face was very close to hers. “Just scamper up and fling a fifteen-hundred-pound beast out of the way? My God, it was you who were almost killed!”

A mindless fury took possession of Claudia, and she wrenched herself free of Jem’s grasp. She stepped back a pace and raised clenched fists. “You stupid oaf! I was trying to save your wretched life! I wish I hadn’t! I wish you’d been squashed like a gr—a gr—” She broke off, wholly overcome by the shuddering sobs that shook her body. She turned to run from him, but was once again caught in his arms as he pulled her roughly to him.

“I’m sorry, Claudia. Please—I—” But he was interrupted by a breathless Jonah, who hurried up to them at that moment.

“My lord!” he wheezed. “Miz Carstairs! Be ye all right?”

For an instant, Claudia held Jem’s stricken gaze before turning to Jonah. For the first time, she was aware of the other men present, who were now ministering to Warlock. She drew a deep, shaking breath.

“I’m fine, Jonah, but Warlock—how—? Good lord, he’s hurt!”

She pointed in dismay at the ragged gash that ran from the stallion’s shoulder down the length of his foreleg.

“Yeah,” Jonah replied tersely. “He’s hurt bad. Musta caught some splintered wood when he went through the gate. Tore him up some, but ain’t nothin’ broken, praise God.” Having satisfied himself that she and Jem were indeed undamaged, he hobbled back to give instructions that sent the men scattering in all directions.

“Lucas! Do you find some fresh manure. It’s got t’ be still steamin’. Fred, go int’ the tack room, and you’ll find vinegar and a measure o’ chalk in the med’cine cupboard. Seth, run ask Miss Melksham for a length of linen. Hold it up t’ the fire till it’s scorched.”

“Manure?” asked Jem faintly.

“Best thing there is fer a tear wound. Make up a compress of it with the vinegar and the chalk and wrap it in burnt cloth, and the hoss’ll be right as a trivet in no time. That is,” he amended, balefully eyeing Rumple who still squirmed in the grasp of yet another stable hand, “if nothin’ don’t set him off again.”

He stumped off to murmur gently to Warlock, who had at last ceased his efforts to escape his captors and stood trembling and heaving.

Casting a single, fiery glance at Jem, Claudia swung on her heel and, still gulping as small, shattering aftershocks swept over her, marched in the direction of the stable office. She had proceeded for perhaps two feet, when Jem once more caught her arm.

“Allow me to accompany you back into the house,” he said brusquely. “Your aunt will want to—make you some tea—or
something.”

“I do not need any tea,” Claudia snapped. “I merely wish to be left alone.”

“Nonetheless, you will return to the house with me until you have recovered yourself.”

“I am fine, and I do not need—” but Jem was propelling her firmly toward the gate to the kitchen garden. They had no sooner entered the garden, when the figure of Rose bore down upon them. She was moving purposefully toward the stables, and in her face could be read a mixture of trepidation and outrage.

“There you are!” she cried. “What have you done
to
George’s little dog? I saw that filthy stable person scoop him up like a common pig. I want to know—”

“Considering,” replied Claudia hotly, “that he almost caused us to lose our prize stallion, the little beast will be fortunate if he does not fall to the fate of the average swine.”

“Oh!” gasped Rose. “George said the puppy was merely romping about. Oh, dear! I really don’t... That is ...”

She left her sentence unfinished, and ducking her head, hurried past them. Claudia stared after her until recalled by the pressure of Jem’s hand on her arm as he pulled her toward the house.

“Really, my lord,” she said through clenched teeth. “I am quite well. I do not need tea and comfort.”

He did not reply, but tightened his fingers, bringing to Claudia an unwilling but intense awareness of his nearness. He changed direction abruptly, taking her along a path that led to an overgrown bower in which was placed a small bench.

“Let us sit here for a moment,” said Jem harshly. “I wish to talk to you.”

“But I do not wish to talk to you.” Claudia’s eyes were molten gold, and she gasped with indignation as Jem pushed her firmly onto the bench and sat beside her.

“I’m sorry I was so—abrupt back there.” He looked at her unhappily. With her hair tumbling down in disorder, with smudges on her chin and a bruise spreading across her cheek, she was still heart wrenchingly beautiful, and his whole body clenched with the effort it took not to gather her in his arms.

“I was frightened for you,” he concluded awkwardly, cursing himself for the ineptitude of his words.

Claudia stared back at him. She wished he were not so close. Lord, how could she possibly be ready to do him murder and still wonder if the rigid line of his mouth would soften if she were to press her lips against it. His hair had fallen over his forehead, like a drift of night cloud, and her hand twitched to reach up and smooth it back.

“That is very good of you,” she sniffed, and prepared to rise. She immediately wished she had not, for Jem placed his hands on both of her shoulders to prevent her from doing so.

He took a deep breath. “I also wish to apologize for the things I said—earlier. It was unjust of me.”

Claudia said nothing, but her eyes widened.

After a moment, Jem continued quietly. “I was so caught up in my own righteous indignation, that I did not consider your feelings.”

Claudia uttered a sound that might have been interpreted as a snort.

Jem dropped his hands and pushed himself away from her. “I still believe I had every right to be angry,” he continued stiffly. “You did deceive me. However, I should have taken into consideration your motives in doing so. You no doubt—”

“Oh!” Claudia jumped up from her seat and whirled to face him. Her fists were clenched, and her eyes ablaze. “How very condescending of you my lord, to forgive me for my transgression. After I nearly ruined your life by agreeing to give Ravencroft over to you and to act as your stable manager, thus providing you with additional income with which to refurbish the estate!”

Jem, too, sprang to his feet. “Why, you little termagant!
Of
all the—”

“And if we are to talk of deception, what about you? Did you or did you not creep into Ravencroft under false pretences? From the moment you strolled into the stable, looking as though butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth, you were planning to take Ravencroft from me.”

“I didn’t take Ravencroft from you,” shouted Jem. “It was always mine—you admitted as much.”

“Then why”—stepping up so that she stood almost nose to nose with her adversary—”could you not have come up to the front door and explained your position like a gentleman instead of skulking around pretending to be what you are not?”

“Because I thought you would turn me out and fight my efforts to—”

“And I thought you would do the same thing to me. Admit it, you betrayed me just as cruelly, if not more so, as I did you!”

Jem found himself completely taken aback. He had never given consideration to his own actions in retrieving his home. But, surely, she could see that what he had done differed greatly from her own reprehensible behavior. He would never have deceived her if he had known ... His confused mental ramblings ground to an abrupt halt as a single thought flashed through his mind. He had been so caught up in his own turmoil that one supremely important fact had escaped him. Claudia had nearly got herself killed for his benefit! The thought echoed in his brain like a thunderclap. She had—
risked her life—
to save him.