The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley (31 page)

Could she possibly be hoping he’d ask her
again? He was afraid to let hope into his heart. The pain of being
refused twice by the woman he loved would be unbearable. Although
he doubted it could compare to the pain he’d put Lady Joanna
through.

He didn’t deserve her. But he couldn’t go
through life without her.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The next morning, David paced outside the
chamber in the magistrate’s office where they’d taken Sir
Frederick. He’d been barred access to the questioning and was ready
to crawl out of his skin with the need to confront the bounder.
After several hours, Lord Clermont, the magistrate, came out of the
room alone. David jumped at the chance to obtain some answers. “My
lord, did you learn anything?”

“Mr. Lumley, I can only speak of what
pertains to your own interests, and frankly, I don’t think we’ll be
questioning him on those incidents. We have no witnesses and no
evidence. You’d be better served letting us try him on these recent
poisonings. The sentence would be the same, and you’d have your
result.”

“To be honest, sir, I’m most interested in
the Ascot matter. Has he confessed to anything?”

“He’s too smart to confess to any act. His
groom has supplied us with a number of names of men who could have
been involved there, however. If even one of them tells the truth,
it will be enough.”

The relief washing over David was not enough
for his smile to be natural, but he did so anyway as he thanked the
magistrate. “Lord Northcotte will be pleased to know this.” He
shook the man’s hand and returned to where Sir Jasper and
Northcotte waited.

Lady Joanna would also be pleased. And he
had his excuse to visit Bath, once the proceedings were through.
The case would take time to come to trial, but once the constable
and magistrate finished gathering evidence, he could go to Joanna
and tell her the news.

Northcotte rose from the bench where they
waited. “What did Clermont say?”

“Nothing new. Sir Frederick isn’t talking.
But they might have enough witnesses to proceed anyway.”

“As soon as I’ve given him my testimony, we
can leave, I imagine. There’s no point in remaining.”

David nodded. “I thought I’d ride to Town to
let Joanna know. I should be able to catch her before they leave
for Bath.”

“I’m relieved to hear it. Give her my best,
and to my mother and aunt.”

The door to the chamber opened again and Sir
Frederick was led out by two burly men. He stopped short when he
saw the others. “Northcotte. Lumley. I should have known you were
behind this blasphemy.”

“If you mean, did we tell the magistrate of
our dealings with you, then you are correct,” David said
evenly.

“What dealings do you speak of, Lumley?
We’ve had no business between us.”

Northcotte jumped in. “I believe he referred
to the matter between you and my father, and the resulting threats
you made to me after his death.”

Sir Frederick held his chin high, as if to
allow him to look down his nose at all of them, in spite of his
being the shortest of the men present. His contempt bled heavily
into his voice. “I never threatened you. I offered you an
alternative if you were unable to raise the blunt in time, to keep
you from losing your stud and horses.”

“You blackmailed him with his sister’s life
in the balance,” David roared, taking a step closer to Sir
Frederick.

One of the bailiffs answered with a step of
his own, putting himself between David and his foe. It didn’t keep
Sir Frederick from bellowing back. “She was mine, until you
interfered. She would have brought me the one thing money couldn’t
buy—entry into the finest homes in London. That was all I needed to
complete my scheme.”

The bailiffs each grabbed one of Sir
Frederick’s arms, jerking him away and ending the discussion.
Shaking his head, David looked at Northcotte. “He needed richer
clientele. I don’t understand what he thought to gain from them.
Their properties and money would be entailed.”

Sir Jasper tipped his head to one side as he
watched Sir Frederick walk away. “But their sons had larger
allowances than the average young man, and they would likely borrow
larger amounts. With the percentage rate Sir Frederick added on,
his profits would be endless.”

Realizing how close Lady Joanna had been to
marrying the man caused a painful hollow to hit David’s gut. He’d
been no better than Sir Frederick in using Lady Joanna to gain what
he needed. To some extent, many marriages were based on that—a
young miss in search of a title, a penniless lord in need of an
heiress to support his estate. Somehow, those situations seemed
less mercenary than what he’d done. With a heavy sigh, he raked his
hair off his face. “Well, shall we see if they’re ready to record
what you know, Northcotte? I’m eager to be on my way.”

Northcotte turned to David. “There’s no need
for you two to stay. I’ll ride home to Hampshire when I’m done. If
you leave now, you won’t need to take lodging when you change
horses.”

David was eager to see Joanna, to make
certain she was happy as well as in good health. He looked at Sir
Jasper. “Shall we be off, then?”

Joanna sat in the drawing room of the London
town house and poured a cup of tea for Amelia, who had just joined
Joanna and her aunt. “You look rather peaked, Amelia. Are you not
well? Or are you sad to be returning home after such an exciting
Season?”

Amelia’s fragile smile broke and she fished
her handkerchief from her reticule. “I have news—” Her voice
cracked. “Oh, Joanna, he’s eloped with Lady Elizabeth!”

“Who has? Not Sir Richard? I thought her
father refused him and insisted she marry another.”

“He did refuse, and next month she was to
marry the lord her father chose. Sir Richard was to call on me
today, and I was certain he was going to speak to my father. But a
letter came in this morning’s post, and he apologized most ardently
for any injury he might have caused, but he had to act in
consideration of his heart, so he was going to marry Lady Elizabeth
in spite of her father’s wishes.”

“How shocking,” gasped Aunt Ophelia. “And
how dreadful of him to send such a note.”

“He claimed he didn’t wish for me to read it
in the papers. He thought it would be kinder to tell me
himself.”

Joanna set down her cup and saucer so no one
would notice how her hands shook. Imagine both of them suffering
heartbreak. “I’m so sorry, Amelia. I know how this must hurt.”

“I know you do, and I’m sorry for it.
Whatever did we do to deserve such scandalous attachments? I fear
I‘ll never love again.” Amelia dabbed her cheeks.

“You girls did nothing wrong,” Aunt Ophelia
said, patting Amelia’s hand. “You will find a husband, never
fear.”

“I thought I’d found one.” Amelia sniffed
and reached for her cup.

Joanna sought something encouraging to say,
even though her own case was hopeless. “You mentioned some time
back the possibility of returning for the Little Season. Perhaps
you’ll meet the perfect man then.”

They continued to console her until the
conversation drifted to recent assemblies Joanna had missed. At
last, Amelia rose. “I must go. Mama accepted an invitation for
cards this afternoon. I shall smile and be gay and not let anyone
intimate I was anything but sparkling in my manner.”

“That’s the spirit. Perhaps after a few days
of doing so, you’ll come to believe it yourself.” Joanna smiled
consolingly as her friend left.

When she heard the front door close moments
later, she sighed. “The poor girl.”

“I’m afraid the end of the Season always
yields a few broken hearts. And some successes.” Aunt Ophelia eyed
her as if judging whether to say more. “I have news of my own. Sir
Jasper and I will be wed at the end of the summer.”

Joanna jumped from her chair to hug her
aunt. “That’s wonderful. I am so happy for you. He is a good
man.”

“Yes, he is. But he’s not the only one in
all of England. You’ll find one, too.”

Looking away, Joanna said, “I hope so.”

“I know it will be so. I can feel it in my
heart. Robert hasn’t mentioned Sir Frederick again, has he?”

“No. He hasn’t said much of anything to me
since I returned from Windsor. I don’t know if he’s afraid to press
the matter, or if he believes I have, or will, accept Mr. Lumley’s
offer.”

“You need to speak with Robert, my dear. He
needs to know you remain unattached.”

Drawing in a deep breath, Joanna nodded.
“He’s at Bibury this week. I’ll speak to him when he returns.”

Aunt Ophelia rose. “I should allow you to
rest. Are you certain you feel up to attending Lady Derringford’s
ball tonight? It’s likely to be quite a crush, as it’s the last of
the important ones.”

“Yes. I should say farewell to any of my
friends who remain in Town. If I grow tired, would it be all right
if we left early?”

“Of course. We should plan on it,
regardless. You still appear pale, to my eyes.”

Joanna smiled. “I feel quite recovered.”
Most of the time. Until her mind wandered down the wrong lane and
encountered Mr. Lumley. Every time she thought of him, pain stabbed
her heart. Had she made the right choice in turning him down? She
hoped so, because she was going to have to live with that
decision.

Later that evening, when she stood in Lady
Derringford’s home watching the first dance of the evening, she was
glad she’d come. The music was lively and laughter rang out around
the room. Her heart lightened, and her mood couldn’t remain
melancholy.

Then Lady Hannah and Trey found her. “Lady
Joanna, I am so happy to see you!” She squeezed through the crowd
and hugged Joanna.

“As I am to see you.” Joanna smiled at Trey
who offered her a slight nod in greeting.

“You look very well,” he said, his voice
surprisingly husky.

“I am well, do not worry. I’ve recovered
fully from my illness.” They’d not let on to anyone outside the two
families that she’d suffered anything more than a severe stomach
complaint. “Will you both return to Bridgethorpe now?”

“Yes,” Hannah said. “As much fun as I’ve
had, I’m ready to go home. I miss riding every day, and there are
friends I would like to see again. I didn’t have time when we were
there for the wedding.”

“I understand.” Joanna missed her home, too,
but somehow she knew life there would never be the same. She was
not the same person who’d arrive in Town just a few months ago.

So much had happened to her. The good. The
bad. The horrid. None of it even faintly resembled what she’d
dreamed her Season would be.

Trey saw a friend and left them after
securing a dance from each lady. Hannah grasped Joanna’s hand and
met her gaze warmly. “I’ll miss you most of all. I was certain we
would be sisters.”

Joanna patted her friend’s hand. “As did I.
But we can remain friends, I believe.”

“Are you certain? I didn’t know if seeing me
would bring it all back to you. I would have called on you, if I’d
been more assured.”

Her friend’s presence did bring back the
painful memories as well as the good, but she cared too much for
Hannah to tell her so. “Your brother and I have agreed we can
remain friends, so I couldn’t do anything less with you. I would
miss you too much.”

“I’m glad.” Hannah hugged her once more.

Joanna’s partner for the next set led her
out on the floor and Joanna decided to fling her cares aside and
enjoy the dance. It wasn’t difficult, with the way she loved music
and dancing. Her partner was light on his feet and offered amiable
conversation when the dance allowed. After their set ended, Joanna
was grateful she’d planned to sit out the next set. She still
hadn’t fully regained her strength.

Seated beside Aunt Ophelia on a padded bench
along the wall, Joanna watched the others mill about, hugging
friends they would miss over the summer and sharing news of
engagements. She wished Amelia were there to keep her company.
Hannah had disappeared and was probably busy dancing and flirting,
as one should do at a ball.

On the other side of a potted palm sat a
pair of matrons who had obviously not learned the skill of
gossiping quietly. Joanna tried to ignore them until one name was
mentioned.

“Yes, that’s what my husband told me. Sir
Frederick Ardwen was arrested in Bibury during the race meeting.”
The first woman’s voice was rich with the glee of knowing something
her friend didn’t.

“That awful man! He nearly had my son sent
to the workhouse. My Harrison had to pay the debt. Whatever did
they charge him with?”

“Murder. Can you believe it?”

“I can. It is said he comes down very hard
on those who can’t repay.”

“My dear husband said this was about keeping
the borrower from being able to repay.”