Page 16

R osalyn drummed her fingers lightly on the writing desk.

After the previous evening’s happenings, she had not only had a good many other thoughts come into her mind, but she had also written a few things down.

She would soon make her way to Lord Waverley’s townhouse, along with Lady Isobella.

But before she went, she needed to have everything clear in her mind.

“Rosalyn?”

She looked up just as her brother came into the room. “Good afternoon, Fairchild.”

“Good afternoon. I – well, there are two things I wish to discuss with you. One is to inform you that… ” Trailing off, he cleared his throat and lifted his chin, looking away from her.

“Before you hear it from any of your acquaintances or even Lord Waverley himself, I should tell you that I have… come upon a young lady who interests me.”

Rosalyn’s eyebrows lifted, though she clasped her hands tightly into her lap, trying not to express her surprise.

“Do not ask me any questions, I beg of you, for nothing may come of it. I am only considering Lady Catherine.”

“The daughter of Lord Coates?”

He nodded and Rosalyn, pressing her lips flat, forced herself not to present him with a barrage of questions.

“Thank you for your silence.” His lips quirked. “You are soon to go to Waverley’s, yes?”

Nodding, she looked away from him. “I have asked if I can be present when he speaks with his butler. I have some questions I want to ask him.”

Lord Fairchild nodded slowly and came a little closer to where she sat.

“Lord Waverley has told me, on more than one occasion, that I am in the wrong when it comes to you and all that you pursue. I confess that I do not fully agree with him but I can see just how much his interest and support in that has made you happy.”

This surprised her, though she smiled back at him. “Yes, it has and he does.”

“He thinks very highly of you, Rosalyn, and I want you to know that I do also, although I will admit that I have not expressed that particularly well.”

This not only surprised Rosalyn but, much to her astonishment, brought tears to her eyes. Her brother must have noticed, for he took a few quick steps closer to her, one hand stretched out. Then, hesitating, he lowered his hand and shook his head.

“I am sorry I have been selfish,” he said, as Rosalyn rose to her feet. “When you told me that I was, in my own way, thinking only of myself then you were quite right. I just did not want to admit it.”

“Thank you, brother.” Rosalyn embraced him, her tears falling but her smile warm. “I, certainly, shall be glad to no longer argue about something that I cannot step back from. I have never wanted to shame you; I have never thought that it would bring upset to our family.”

“And it has not,” he said firmly, taking her hands and pressing them.

“It has been my own foolishness and arrogant nature, that is all.” Smiling, he released her hands.

“I have been impressed by all you have said and considered about Lord Waverley’s difficulties.

It has shown me how foolish I have been to ignore your wisdom, Rosalyn. ”

Tears came again but she managed to hold them back. “Thank you, Daniel.”

A knock came at the door and Rosalyn sniffed lightly. “That will be Lady Isobella’s carriage. I must take my leave.”

“To go to Lord Waverley’s townhouse,” her brother said, though it was in a confirming tone rather than a question. When Rosalyn nodded, he gave her a lopsided smile, a twinkle in his eye. “I confess, I do wonder when you will come to me with all of this, Rosalyn.”

She frowned, sharpening her gaze just a little. “Come to you? About what?”

“About Lord Waverley.” With a chuckle, Lord Fairchild shrugged but then made his way to the door. “It is not as though I am blind to it all, my dear sister.”

Rosalyn was about to open her mouth and demand to know what it was he meant, only for him to open the door and the butler to step in, announcing that the carriage had arrived for her.

Her heart quickened at the gleam in her brother’s eye, and though she did her best to be excellent company for Lady Isobella on their drive to Lord Waverley’s townhouse, Rosalyn could not get his words from her mind.

What was it he had meant? It seemed as though he was not blind but she was! Butterflies filled her stomach as she walked into Lord Waverley’s townhouse, a little afraid that he would see her confusion.

“Are you quite well?” Lady Isobella glanced at her, as the butler took their bonnets and gloves. “You were very quiet in the carriage.”

“I was just deep in thought, forgive me.” Rosalyn managed to send a smile in Lady Isobella’s direction, choosing not to be honest about her present concerns. Her gaze caught on an approaching figure and, as if she were overwhelmed with delight upon seeing him, her heart threw itself upwards.

“Lady Isobella, Rosalyn.” Lord Waverley bowed low. “Thank you for coming.”

“Thank you for allowing us to come and hear your conversation,” Rosalyn answered, as Lady Isobella nodded. “Where would you like us to be?”

“The drawing room, if you please. I already have a tea tray waiting.”

Rosalyn, grateful for his consideration, led Lady Isobella towards the drawing room, with Lord Waverley staying for only a moment to speak with the butler.

“You do seem to know your way about this house,” Lady Isobella remarked, as Rosalyn walked into the drawing room. “You have been friends with Lord Waverley for a long time, yes?”

“Yes, I have.”

“And I suppose you are very comfortable in his company and in his house?”

Uncertain as to what her friend meant, Rosalyn glanced at her but had no time to say anything more, given that Lord Waverley walked into the room. Her face a little flushed, she set to pouring the tea, accepting a grateful smile from Lord Waverley.

“The butler and one of the footmen will join us in just a moment,” he said, as Rosalyn set a tea cup down in front of him. “Thank you, Rosalyn. You are always so good.”

She smiled at him, only to note the beaming smile on Lady Isobella’s face, as though the compliment had been directed towards her.

Seating herself, she took a sip of her tea so she would not have to say anything to her friend nor to Lord Waverley, a little uncertain as to why her friend had been smiling so.

A scratch came at the door and, with a word from Lord Waverley, the butler and the footman stepped in. Both bowed and then stood with their hands behind their back, ready and waiting for the Marquess’ questions.

“There is nothing to be concerned about, Belford,” Lord Waverley said, directing his remark to the butler. “Nor you, Matthews. We have only a few questions about the night that my painting was stolen. Not that we are blaming either of you, you understand.”

“No, indeed not!” Rosalyn exclaimed, as Lady Isobella nodded fervently. “It is because we are searching for this painting, that is all. We must know all that happened.”

“The first question,” Lord Waverley began, “is at what time Lord Mansfield quit the house. He said it was a good time earlier than the rest of us.”

The butler nodded. “Yes, indeed it was.” Glancing at the footman, the butler continued. “He left within only an hour of arrival.”

“And I was here in the house, with the other guests.”

“Yes.” Both the butler and the footman nodded.

“Might I ask,” Rosalyn interjected, “was the painting still there? Do you have any recollection?”

It took a few seconds but, eventually, the footman was the one to speak. “Yes, my lady. I remember because I was the one who cleaned up the broken glass and the mess from the decanter. Everything was in its proper place.”

Rosalyn nodded slowly, coupling her hands together and putting them under her chin.

“There was an accident with the decanter, then?” Lady Isobella asked, as both the butler and the footman nodded.

“I was still above stairs at the time of the accident,” the butler told them both. “Most of the other staff had taken to their bed, as per the instruction of the master.” He glanced at Lord Waverley. “However, Matthews, two of the maids and myself were still present in the house.”

“You say you saw what happened,” Rosalyn said, as the butler nodded. “It was Lord Stockton, I believe?”

The butler clasped his hands in front of him.

“The gentleman was a little merry, my lady. He did not quite manage to walk in a straight line and, in attempting to enter the door of the drawing room, stumbled backwards and dropped the decanter and the glass he had in the other hand. The former spilled the brandy everywhere and the glass shattered.”

“But Lord Stockton came into the drawing room to ask for help,” Lord Waverley said, slowly. “Even though you saw the situation and were present to help?”

“I went straight to find Matthews and the maids.”

Understanding this, Rosalyn let silence flow through the room for a few minutes, her mind going over all that had been said. “Might I ask you, when you returned, were there any gentlemen present in the hallway?”

“Yes, my lady.” The footman was the one to reply.

“There were two gentlemen. When I came to help clean up, one took the arm of the other and encouraged him back towards the drawing room, as I had expected. The maids, Matthews and myself were to and fro in the house and through the hallway until the mess was cleared and the floor cleaned.”

“And where was I at this juncture?” Lord Waverley spoke in a low voice, a small frown on his face. “I was not present, I believe.”

“No, my lord. You had gone to the kitchens in search of something to eat.” A brief smile brushed across the butler’s face.

“I did state that I could wake the cook and have something prepared but you would not have it. Instead, you determined to find something yourself so that she did not have to be roused.”

Rosalyn’s heart softened as she thought of Lord Waverley’s consideration. He was always so gentle-hearted, she thought, so kind and generous in his ways.

So why have I never considered him as a suitable match?

The thought penetrated right through her, shattering everything else that she was considering. The conversation around her, the matter of the painting and the difficulties Lord Waverley faced were all gone in a moment, leaving her with nothing more than a tight chest and ragged breathing.

“I returned from the kitchen, then,” Lord Waverley said, as Rosalyn tried to think about all that was being said around her instead of her own, confused thoughts. “I had something with me, I presume. Do you know where I went thereafter?”

The butler hesitated, glanced at the footman and then shook his head. “No, my lord.”

“Though you did not take the food to either the dining room or the drawing room,” the footman added, forcing Rosalyn’s attention back to the conversation at hand.

“No?” Lord Waverley sat forward in his chair, urgency in his voice. “How can you be sure of that, Matthews?”

The footman spread out his hands. “Because in the morning, one of the maids remarked that there had been some food left in the library from the previous evening’s events.”

Rosalyn snatched in a breath. The library? Thinking quickly, she looked up at Lord Waverley. “Then something – or someone, most likely – diverted you from returning to the drawing room.”

“So it would seem,” Lord Waverley murmured, one hand rubbing at his lips. “The only question is… who?”