Page 24

“ L ady Rosalyn speaks very highly of me, but in this case, she speaks the truth.” Phillip, whose heart had not stopped thundering wildly in his chest since the footman had come to find him, pulled his gaze from Lady Rosalyn.

He looked at Lord Coates, who had something of a terrified expression on his face.

“And Lord Hemmingway, do not think for a moment that I cannot see you trying to skulk towards the door.” Turning his whole body towards the guilty gentleman, he gestured towards the door.

“You are aware that Lord Fairchild is present, are you not? He is standing by the door so you cannot escape. And, even if you were to force your way past him, I have Lord Albury also waiting outside. So you see? You can go nowhere.”

This made Lord Hemmingway’s face pale all the more, making him appear almost ghostlike in the candlelight.

With a nod and a grim smile towards Lord Fairchild, Phillip returned his attention to Lord Coates, who, seemingly weak from what had just occurred, had now sank into a chair, his head in his hands.

Lady Rosalyn was sitting near him, concern shining in her eyes as she looked back towards Phillip.

How proud he was of her for all she had done!

She had not only sent the footman for him, she had, thereafter, hidden herself away in the library – at great risk to herself – and had overheard all that had taken place.

Had she not done such a thing, then Lord Coates might, at this very moment, be taking the blame for something he had not done, and Lord Hemmingway would be smiling to himself at his cleverness.

He did not want to think what might have happened had she been discovered eavesdropping on Lord Hemmingway’s plan.

“Tell me, Lord Coates.” Refocusing his thoughts, Phillip made his way towards the gentleman but sat down opposite so he would not be towering over him. “What did Lord Hemmingway have you do?”

Lord Coates did not lift his head. “Lord Hemmingway despises you, Lord Waverley.” He spoke without intonation, his voice flat and heavy. “I was directed to steal a painting from your house.”

“Why?”

With a long exhale of breath, Lord Coates finally lifted his head and looked back at Phillip.

“It came up in conversation.” He paused, then began to explain himself as Lord Hemmingway hovered in the background.

“I am a fool, Lord Waverley.” Eyes closed, he groaned aloud again, as if what he was to say was nothing was a heavy burden upon him.

“My interest in gambling is much too severe. I have lost a great deal although I have regained some.”

“And you owed a gambling debt,” Phillip said, slowly. “To Lord Hemmingway.”

“One that I could not repay. And when I did have the coin, I chose instead to spend it on my daughter’s Season so that she might be successful.” Lord Coates’ voice broke. “I am not in the least bit regretful that I made that choice. It was the right thing to do.”

“Lady Catherine will be grateful for your choice to put her before Lord Hemmingway,” Lady Rosalyn said, gently as Phillip watched her lean across to put a hand on Lord Coates’ arm. “You ought not to feel any guilt in that.”

With a small sniff, Lord Coates nodded though he did not lift his head.

“So you spoke of the painting?” Phillip asked as Lord Coates nodded. “When?”

“After your dinner,” Lord Coates said, dully. “Lord Hemmingway was asking why I was associating with you, reminding me of how much he despised you, and thus, I stated that I had enjoyed the dinner and the discussion about your painting.”

Phillip turned his head to see Lord Hemmingway close his eyes as if frustrated and angry that Lord Coates had said something.

“And you thought to steal my painting?” Phillip asked, moving away from Lord Coates and towards Lord Hemmingway. “You thought that stealing my painting would settle Lord Coates’ debt in some way?”

Lord Hemmingway said nothing though he did open his eyes.

“You have no need to pretend any longer,” Phillip stated firmly.

“You have been caught attempting to take my painting from this house, using Lord Coates to take your guilt but it will not work, Lord Hemmingway. You must tell me the truth about what it is you have done. It is the only thing left to you.”

Lord Hemmingway’s jaw set as he looked back at Phillip, though the spark in his eyes, Phillip considered, betrayed his fear.

“Lord Coates owed me a debt, as he has said.” Lord Hemmingway shrugged but his voice was weak. “I wanted this painting and used him to get it for me.”

“For what purpose?”

Lord Hemmingway looked away and did not immediately answer, appearing to struggle for a response. With a twist of his lips, he returned his gaze to Phillip. “It is worth something. I wanted it for financial gain. That is all.”

“No, that is not all,” Phillip answered, slamming one fist into the open palm of his other hand.

“There is more, is there not? I have known from the moment I stepped into London that you despised me. You and Lord Pentland, though now I wonder if Lord Pentland is just a sycophant, doing as you instruct him to do whenever you wish it. Or mayhap he too owes you something, and you use that as leverage to have him do your bidding.” Glaring at Lord Hemmingway and the insolent expression on his face, Phillip took another step closer.

“Why do you hate me so? I have never done a single thing to either you or to any member of your family.”

“Oh, but your father did more than enough!”

The voice of Lord Hemmingway flooded the room, and Phillip’s chest tightened, seeing the color flood back into the gentleman’s face.

“He was the very worst of gentlemen!” Lord Hemmingway exclaimed, coming away from the wall now and pointing one long finger in Phillip’s direction. “Taking from others whatever he wanted, without even a thought about what is right!”

Anger shuddered through Phillip’s frame. “And you thought, in some way, to punish me for whatever wrongdoing my father acted against you?”

“Yes!” Lord Hemmingway threw up his hands. “I could do nothing! Your father had died, and the mourning period meant I could not come near. Why should I not do to you what he had done to me?”

“Because I am not responsible for my father’s actions!

” Phillip exclaimed, his anger still burning hot.

“You attempted to force Lord Coates into this wicked scheme of yours, wanting him to take the blame for the very thing you had orchestrated! And all because of a grudge you have held against me because of my father?!” Hardly able to believe all that was being said, Phillip spun on his heel and marched back towards Lord Coates.

“You told this man that he had to steal a painting from me, else you would… what would you do?”

“He said he would double my debt,” Lord Coates said, heavily. “I could not bear the weight of even what I owed! To have it doubled would have been an impossible burden.”

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself for your cruelty,” Lord Fairchild said, his gaze trained on Lord Hemmingway.

“To not only seek to punish Lord Coates for a debt he was, in time, to pay but to also take something of Lord Waverley’s in an attempt to bring him even lower in his standing?

” He scowled, eyes narrowed. “That is contemptible.”

Lord Hemmingway said nothing, folding his arms over his chest and turning his head away from both Phillip and Lord Fairchild. Clearly, he had chosen not to say anything more.

“Lord Coates, might I ask you something?” Phillip asked as the gentleman looked back at him, his eyes shadowed. “Where did you put the painting when you took it that night? It has been hidden, has it not?”

Lord Coates’ lips lifted in a mirthless smile.

“As you know, I was acquainted with your father. He showed me, one evening, the passageway in this room. I assumed you knew of it but when I spoke with you, you did not mention it. I – I wanted to take it from the house that evening but the butler, the footmen, the maids and the other guests were all present.”

“You were the one who pulled me from returning to the drawing room, then,” Phillip said, speaking slowly.

“Though was there a reason that I did not remember the evening at all? Did you… ” Hesitating, he tried to speak as kindly as possible while, at the same time, determined to find the truth.

“Did you give me something to make me forget?”

Closing his eyes tightly, Lord Coates trembled.

One hand lifted, pointing to Lord Hemmingway.

“He gave it to me,” he rasped, not opening his eyes.

“I tried and tried to find a reason that I could not do as he had asked, stating that someone would see me, that you would see me, and this… concoction of some sort was given to me.” Opening his eyes, the gentleman looked straight into Phillip’s eyes.

“I did not want to, Waverley. I promise you. I wanted to fight against it with all of my being but Lord Hemmingway would not let me free.”

“You had no choice,” Phillip said, seeing the relief that smoothed some of the lines on the gentleman’s forehead.

“I can understand that. I do not hold you responsible, Lord Coates. It is solely Lord Hemmingway’s doing.

” With this, he once more returned his gaze to Lord Hemmingway who, sullen, looked away.

“What will you do, my friend?” Lord Fairchild, who still had not moved away from the door, glanced at Lord Hemmingway and then back to Phillip. “Something must be done. The ton must know of this, at the very least!”

Phillip hesitated, a strange reluctance to pronounce judgment pulling hard at him.

He knew his friend was right, Lord Hemmingway had done a good many things wrong and yes, the guilt was solely his but at the same time, Phillip had also to accept that his own father had been responsible for doing wrong to Lord Hemmingway.

“I will consider,” he said, slowly, seeing Lord Coates rise to his feet. “At this present moment, I will not make a decision.”

“Though, Lord Hemmingway, you must now Lord Coates’ debt repaid in full.

” Lady Rosalyn spoke firmly, as Phillip nodded in agreement.

“That was your promise to him, was it not? That if he stole this painting, then his debt would be forgotten. He has done so, and therefore, you have no more claim over him.”

Lord Hemmingway started violently, his hands falling to his sides, his eyes narrowing, though whether it was from the unexpected way that Lady Rosalyn had spoken to him or the words she had said, Phillip could not be sure.

“If that is what you said to the man, then his debt is clear,” Phillip agreed, coming to stand by Lord Coates.

“Though if you wish to tell the ton what it is that Lord Hemmingway had you do, then I will not tell you to refrain, Lord Coates. What you do about Lord Hemmingway is entirely your own decision.”

“I do not know how to thank you.” Lord Coates turned and held out one hand for Phillip to shake, which he did without hesitation. “I did not think that this would be the outcome.”

“You bear no guilt and none of my anger,” Phillip assured him, seeing how Lady Rosalyn smiled gently at him. “Go now. Why do you not enjoy the rest of the play with your wife and daughter?”

Lord Coates smiled and, as he did so, the weight of all that had been discussed and all he had himself been carrying faded in an instant.

“I shall,” he said, his shoulders pulling back as he walked to the door, ignoring Lord Hemmingway entirely.

Turning back to look at Phillip, the smile still lingering, he paused for a moment.

“It is as clear to me as it has ever been that you are nothing like your father, Lord Waverley. Nothing like him in the least.”

This sent such warmth of happiness through Phillip that he could not help the broad smile that spread right across his face. When the door closed, Phillip finally returned his attention to Lord Hemmingway, the smile now fading.

“Take your leave of my house and do not think for even a moment to ever darken my company again,” he said, as Lord Fairchild opened the library door for Lord Hemmingway to take his leave.

“And tell Lord Pentland I want none of his company either, though I may well speak to him myself and tell him just how poorly he has chosen his companions.”

Lord Hemmingway did not need to be told twice. With a scowl still darkening his face, he practically ran from the room, leaving only Phillip, Lord Fairchild, and Lady Rosalyn.

“Goodness.” Lady Rosalyn smiled but there was a sense of weariness about her as she came to join him, Lord Fairchild doing the same. “That was both terrifying and astonishing, though I am sure you are glad to have the painting back.”

Looking at the cloth-covered painting that sat on the floor by the chair, Phillip considered, surprised at how little he had considered it.

“I am glad to have found the truth,” he said, slowly, “and relieved that Lord Coates had no guilt upon him in the end. As for the painting itself?” A wry smile pulled at his lips.

“I care very little for that. I am not very well versed when it comes to artists and the like!”

Lady Rosalyn laughed as Lord Fairchild grinned back at him. “We are alike in that regard, then,” she said, her arm slipping through his. “I am sure there is much more to consider, but for the moment, must you not return to your guests?”

The smile on his face turned into a grimace. “Yes, I suppose I must.” It was the very last thing he wanted to do but given his slowly improving standing in society, Phillip knew he had no choice. “But will you both come to speak with me tomorrow? That will give me time to think on it all.”

“Including what you will do with Lord Hemmingway,” Lord Fairchild said, as Rosalyn nodded. “Yes, of course, we will call.”

“Tomorrow, then,” Phillip confirmed, making his way to the door with Lady Rosalyn on his arm. “Then all things, I hope, will be finally set right.”