Page 38 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding

‘Hah! Who dares say that? And why have they never come forward?’

It was the Earl who answered.

‘Men who survived one particular battle say it. At the time they were only too glad to be rid of you, although some of them did try to take their revenge, did they not? They saw you in Portsmouth and set upon you.’

‘Jepps!’ Flora shuddered at the venom in the Viscount’s voice as he spat out the name. ‘He told you this, this taradiddle!’

‘Do you mean that groundsman of yours?’ exclaimed Mr Farnleigh. ‘He attacked you?’

‘On the contrary,’ said Matt. ‘It was Jepps who found Captain Gask , as he was then, after his troopers had given him a beating.’

‘Ha! He told you that, did he?’ scoffed the Viscount. ‘Where is the villain?’

‘Safe from you, now,’ Matt told him. ‘He told me that you ordered him to kill me and I have his deposition to that effect, signed and witnessed.’

‘And do you think anyone will believe his word against mine?’

‘I believed him,’ said Matt. ‘Are you willing to risk facing him in a court martial? And the others, of course. Think of the scandal, Lord Whilton. The disgrace.’

Flora held her breath. Quentin was very pale and she knew how much he valued his reputation, his good name. She thought bitterly that her reputation mattered little to him. He needed her only to provide him with his heirs.

‘What is it you want?’ he said at last. ‘Is it that confounded statue?’

‘Of course,’ said Matt.

Flora’s nerves were so on edge that she could not sit still.

She jumped up and walked across to one of the windows overlooking the courtyard.

It seemed to her now that Matt had come here with Lord Dallamire merely to retrieve the statue.

Had she misunderstood everything? If so, her position now was precarious.

She gazed at the window, but it was too dark outside to see anything but distorted reflections of the room.

Her aunt and uncle were sitting silently in one corner while Matt and the Viscount faced one another in the centre of the room.

Flora crossed her arms, feeling slightly sick.

Quentin only valued her for her lineage.

She thought it perfectly possible that Matt had seen her only as a useful tool to help him recover his property.

The certainty she had felt earlier faded.

Her spirits now swung wildly between hope and despair at ever being free of her past.

The reflections shifted. She saw Lord Dallamire step up beside his friend.

‘Our case on the ownership of the Rysbrack is solid,’ he informed the Viscount. ‘It would be in your interests to let Talacre buy it back from you. If the offer still stands?’

He looked a question at Matt, who nodded. ‘Yes, it still stands. But first, Lord Whilton, you will release Miss Warenne from her betrothal to you.’

Flora swung around, her heart hammering against her ribs. It was what she wanted, what she had hoped to hear, but surely the Viscount would refuse. And yet, Matt looked so calm, so confident. How could he think Quentin would release her, merely for the asking?

‘Miss Warenne is perfectly free to cry off if she wishes.’ Quentin turned towards her, a horrid little smile playing around his mouth. ‘Well, Flora, are a few unfounded rumours about me sufficient for you to make you break off our engagement?’

* * *

Silence fell over the drawing room. Matt saw that the Farnleighs were watching, horrified, and Flora was deathly pale. Whilton’s confidence that she would not defy him was as yet undented and Matt knew he needed to bring this to a head.

He said, ‘I think we have a little misunderstanding here, my lord. It is you who will cry off, although I am sure everyone would understand Flora’s doing so, once the truth about you is known.

You see, these are not unfounded rumours.

We have signed depositions from Troopers Coupe, Yardley and Purvis.

They make interesting reading. Not only did you abandon your men, you also deserted your mistress.

Did you know she was among those who perished as they crossed the mountains? ’

‘A camp follower.’ Whilton dismissed this with a wave of his hand. ‘She was of no importance.’

The disgust Matt felt was reflected in Conham’s frowning face.

‘We have other names, too,’ said the Earl. ‘We have not yet found these men, but I have no doubt their testimony will be no less damning for you. However, if you release Miss Warenne from her engagement, and return her mother’s letters, we might be persuaded to allow the matter to drop.’

‘Air dreaming, my lord!’ exclaimed Whilton. ‘Do you think anyone is interested in what happened ten years ago?’

The Viscount was still blustering, but he sounded a little less confident now.

‘Oh, they will be,’ said Matt. ‘You see, Lord Dallamire and I remained with the army until Waterloo. We still have a number of acquaintances at Horse Guards. They will most certainly be interested in what we have to tell them.’

‘Well, sir, what is it to be?’ Conham demanded. ‘Will you risk a court martial and see the noble name of Gask brought into disrepute, or will you agree to our terms?’ He waited for a moment, then said impatiently, ‘Hurry, man, make your choice. It grows late and I have had enough of this now.’

Matt watched as Whilton stood in silence, considering his options. At last he nodded.

‘Very well, I agree.’

Almost trembling with relief, Flora pulled the diamond ring from her finger.

‘And my mother’s letters?’ she asked, handing the ring to the Viscount.

He studied the ring for a moment, then looked down his nose at her. ‘They are not here. I sent them to my bank for safe keeping.’

‘Now that I know is untrue!’ exclaimed Matt, as she recoiled in dismay.

He went across and tugged the bell pull. Flora stared in surprise when the housekeeper came in.

‘Ah, Mrs Goole,’ said Matt. ‘Perhaps you would fetch the letters we talked of earlier.’

‘No need, sir, I have them right here.’ She disappeared back into the hall, returning, moments later, carrying a leather document wallet.

‘I fetched it just after I heard he’d left his mistress and his men behind to die—begging your pardon for listening at the door.

’ She handed the wallet to Matt. ‘There you are, it was in his desk, just as I thought. He keeps the study locked, but I have a key, of course.’

She patted the chatelaine hanging around her waist.

‘Why, you—!’ Whilton started forward, but the Earl was quicker, blocking his way. ‘What the devil do you think you are doing, woman?’

The housekeeper glowered at him.

‘I am giving you your own again!’ she raged.

‘You are so puffed up in your own conceit you thought you could install your wife here and still have me to warm your bed whenever it suited you! Did you really think I would stay, once you brought another woman into my house? Acting as if that title of yours had made you some sort of god, ordering things as you please! Well, you had the wrong sow by the ear this time, my lord . I am no mutton-headed doxy, waiting around for your pleasure. I’ll be off from here in the morning and we’ll see how you like that! ’

‘You can’t!’ he screamed at her. ‘I won’t let you.’

‘Oh, yes, you will and you’ll leave me in peace, too, or there’s tales I can spread about you, sir, that will shock your fine neighbours!’

Matt grinned, impressed at this interchange.

‘Bravo, Mrs Goole,’ he murmured, ‘That’s telling him!’

She sniffed. ‘I believe in pound-dealing, sir, and it took me a long while to realise that His Lordship don’t. And his forcing Miss Warenne to marry him is something I don’t hold with,’ she ended, giving Flora a look that might have been an apology.

‘No, neither do we,’ said Conham. ‘Thank you for your assistance, Mrs Goole. Now, if you would like to pack your bags, I shall hire a coach to call here in the morning and take you wherever you wish to go.’

He walked with her to the door and ushered her out of the room.

‘By heaven, you have a nerve, sir,’ exclaimed the Viscount with a savage laugh. ‘You treat a servant as if she were a duchess.’

‘Her bloodline may well be as noble as yours,’ Conham replied, his own lip curling in contempt.

‘In the course of our investigations we have discovered that your claim to that red lion rampant is dubious, to say the least. It is far more likely your family came originally from a small place in Scotland. Near Perth, I believe.’

The Viscount glared at him, his face blotched with suppressed fury, and Matt hoped the Earl had not gone too far. They had yet to agree a deal on the statue.

‘Now, let us finish this business and we will be on our way,’ said Conham, as if reading his mind. He drew a thick wad of notes from his coat. ‘I have the sum agreed here, plus papers that require your signature.’

Whilton scowled. ‘Yes, yes, if that is what it will take to get you out of my damned house, then let us do it now.’

Matt released the breath he had not realised he was holding before sharing with his friend a swift look of satisfaction .

Conham nodded. ‘Very well, you and I will go to your study and conclude the deal.’ His gaze rested thoughtfully on Flora, who was clearly labouring under some strong emotion, then he turned and looked at Matt. ‘No need for all three of us to go, my friend.’

Matt watched the two men walk out of the room and for a moment there was silence. He was wondering how to get Flora alone when Mrs Farnleigh threw up her hands and gave a little cry.

‘Oh, heavens, I was never so shocked in all my life!’ she cried, her voice wavering uncertainly.

‘There, there, my dear,’ said her husband, awkwardly patting her shoulder. ‘All’s well that ends well, eh?’

‘Perhaps, sir, you should order your carriage and take Mrs Farnleigh home now,’ Matt suggested. ‘His Lordship and I will convey Miss Warenne to Birchwood House once our business here is concluded.’ He walked across to Flora, smiling. ‘Well, my love, what do you say?’

‘Your love?’ She regarded him, her face unreadable, then her eyes blazed with fury. ‘Your love ? How dare you?’

And with that she launched herself at him like a wildcat.