Page 33 of The Devil’s Waltz

Chapter Seventeen

When Annelise awoke it was full daylight, with the rain settling down to a light mist, and she ached in every part of her body, first from the jolting carriage ride, second from falling asleep in a chair.

In front of Christian Montcalm, no less, she thought with horror.

She was blissfully warm, and she glanced down at the blanket that was covering her.

Not a blanket at all, but the coat he’d been wearing, now streaked with the mud she’d brought in with her.

She looked up, but she was alone in the room. The fire was still burning brightly—someone must have built it up while she slept. And the pistol was gone.

Not that it mattered particularly. She wasn’t going to shoot him—she’d had every chance, and every incitement to do so, but she hadn’t. It was just as well it was out of her reach. He’d been right about one thing—if she shot him accidentally she would have felt miserable.

He was wrong about everything else. The man you ‘re in love with! Totally untrue and bad grammar, as well. It should have been the man with whom you’re in love, and so she ought to tell him when next she saw him, but perhaps it would be wiser not to bring up the subject at all during the few short hours they would be there.

She rose, setting the coat down carefully on the table where the gun once was, and stretched. She would have given anything for a long soak in a hot tub of water, but that was going to be denied her until they reached William’s home. She could only hope the Dickinsons had a fondness for bathing.

And that William had been correct in their approval of his bride.

She’d never considered that their eventual arrival at William’s home might not be a welcome one, and she wasn’t going to worry about it now.

Escape from this place was of the utmost importance—they would deal with their arrival later.

She could only hope William was not mistaken in his parents’ support.

She glanced around the library. It was tidy, well dusted and shabby.

The curtains hung in tatters, the fabric on the furniture was shredded, the carpet a danger to unwary feet This was a house badly in need of a vast infusion of money, and she’d just stopped it.

If an innocent young woman hadn’t been at stake, she’d feel a bit of regret. It really was a lovely room.

But that reminded her—she needed to find Hetty and make certain she was in good shape after her ordeal.

What had Christian told Will? Up the stairs, four doors on the left at the end of the wing?

It should be easy enough to find. William was probably comforting her—they might be holding hands, talking in low whispers of the future.

She needed to put a stop to that, of course.

With Hetty’s reputation so compromised she must make certain that there was no appearance of impropriety.

She’d already come up with a relatively believable story.

Mr. Chippie had gone on a business trip, Hetty had become so desperately homesick she’d been unable to eat and William and Annelise had deemed it a good idea if she went back to Kent for a visit.

On their way they visited an old friend of the family’s before ending up in the comfortable family home in Kent.

Of course, Kent was in the opposite direction of Devon.

And there was a chance even a country squire would have heard of the notorious Christian Montcalm.

But William had assured her during their journey together, at monotonous length, that his parents approved the match as much as they disliked Josiah Chippie.

They would welcome the three of them with open arms. After that, Annelise was unsure quite what she would do.

There was little doubt that Josiah Chippie would be just as displeased with her as he was with Hetty, untempered by any parental affection.

Her wisest course would be to send a letter to Lady Prentice, to see if she could arrange an alternative visit for her errant godchild, preferably far away from the temptations of London and beautiful, charming villains who could confuse even the most practical of souls.

The hallway was a gloomy reflection of a rainy day, and Annelise started down it, only to be stopped by a too-familiar voice.

“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”

She turned and saw Christian, looking clean and beautiful while she felt like a mud-soaked troll.

She resisted the impulse to snarl at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” she snapped. “I need to make certain poor Hetty has survived her ordeal in decent spirits, and tell her and Will that we need to make ready to leave. We’ll want to travel as much time in the daylight hours as we can. ”

He sauntered—there was no other word for it—toward her, tall and lean and graceful. “I expect Miss Hetty is in very decent spirits, but perhaps a bit of privacy?”

She resisted the impulse to use one of her precious curses. She limped over to the door, knocked once, and then turned the handle.

As soon as she peered inside, Annelise jumped back with a shriek, slamming the door, her face flaming.

“I warned you,” Christian said mildly, coming up beside her.

He rapped on the door in a peremptory manner, waited a moment, and then pushed it open again, waiting for Annelise to precede him into the room.

Not that she wanted to, but she had never been one to shirk her duty.

At least Hetty and Will were sitting side by side now, covers up to their bare shoulders, looking as shamed as they ought to.

She turned to Christian. “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t molested her, she wouldn’t have felt it necessary to give in to Will’s importunities, and. ..”

“I didn’t molest her. I didn’t touch the tiresome chit, did I, Hetty? And I don’t think the importunities were on Will’s part.”

The part of Will that was exposed, far too much of him in Annelise’s opinion, was bright red, but Hetty tossed her head defiantly. “I wouldn’t let you touch me,” she said loftily. “I’m in love with William, and besides, you’re too old for me.”

Christian laughed. “A wound straight to the heart, dear Hetty. Indeed, when I’m around you I feel very ancient indeed.

But I’m afraid it’s time to rouse yourself from your bed of sin and find your way back to civilization.

Were you planning a quick trip over the border, or will you chance a more formal wedding?

I’m not sure that it would be wise to wait—Chippie is a vindictive man when his plans are thwarted, and apart from that you wouldn’t want any premature issue from this unfortunate slip. ”

“I’ve already figured out what to do,” Annelise said, her voice still a bit strained from shock.

“My brother-in-law is a vicar and his parish is not too far to the north from here. We’ll go there first, see if there’s any way to circumvent the marriage laws and join them without Mr. Chippie’s permission, and if not, we’ll continue up to Scotland to have them married there.

Once Hetty’s safely married, Mr. Chippie won’t dare interfere. ”

“You’re trying to contravene the laws. Miss Kempton?” Christian said, lightly mocking. “I’m astonished and admiring. You’ve thought of everything. I only hope you are right about Chippie. At least his wrath will be directed at someone other than me for the time being.”

“Until I inform him of what you did,” Annelise said.

He turned his head to look at her. “Would you do that, my sweet? How unkind of you, when no harm’s been done and young Romeo and Juliet will live happily ever after.

Indeed, you ought to thank me. If I hadn’t intervened, forcing the two of you to come after me, it’s very likely that Hetty would be engaged to some old windbag with a title and young.

..William, is it?...would be marrying a local beauty.

Instead we have a revoltingly happy ending for all.

I get to live without Miss Chippie but still with an impressive inflow of cash, the young lovers are united, and Miss Kempton.

..well, I’m not certain what her happy ending is.

At least an escape from Chippie’s household? ”

“What impressive inflow of cash?” Annelise asked suspiciously.

“Hetty’s so-generous father gave me fifty thousand pounds to leave the girl alone. Very thoughtful of him.”

“And you abducted her anyway?” she said, scandalized.

“Don’t look at me like that, dragon,” he said mildly. “A man who’d take a bribe wouldn’t hesitate to go back on it. But in the end I’m holding true to my word. I will leave the future Mrs....whatever to her bucolic future.”

“Mrs. Dickinson,” Hetty said.

“Better than Chippie,” Christian said. “Now, why don’t we see about how we’re going to get you safely on the road. The rain has halted, and it’s only late morning. I imagine we can get you out of here within the next few hours.”

“Thank God,” said Annelise, ignoring the. little twinge of sadness she felt. It was simply reluctance to climb back into a carriage, she told herself. And for the boon of never having to see him again, then she’d willingly climb back into the hideously sprung equipage that had brought them there.

“But we have a bit of a problem,” he added.

“Could we at least get dressed before we discuss this?” William asked.

“No!” Annelise said, thoroughly annoyed with them. “You’ve literally made your bed and now you must lie in it until we discover what we can do. And don’t give me that look, Hetty Chippie. Your eyes should be downcast in shame at your behavior.”

“I’m not ashamed! And if you weren’t a bloodless old maid you’d understand!” she shot back.

It wasn’t so much that she minded being called a bloodless old maid. She just would have rather not had Christian there to hear it.

He seemed merely amused by it all, which wasn’t the least bit gratifying.