Chapter 27

 

The five of them managed to creep through the sleeping castle and approach the closed drawbridge without being seen, but when Harry began to lower the bridge, the noise brought out Tremaine's heavily armed guards.

Harry worked more feverishly to get the damned thing open fully before they had to face a veritable army of Tremaine's cut-throats.

To his surprise, facing Sinjin, Alex, and Edward's drawn swords brought the castle guards to an abrupt halt, their gazes shifting to the lowering of the massive timber door and the faint daylight squeezing into the gloom.

Harry and his friends were able to leave without incident. On the way to the Speckled Goose, Edward explained that they had been able to surprise the dungeon's sleeping guards, gag and tie them, and relieve them of the keys to the cell and the chains.

"What the devil are you doing back in merry old England, old boy?" Harry asked Alex.

"I came all the way to save your hide, my friend."

They all laughed.

"Will you be returning to the Peninsula?"

Alex shook his head. "No. I sold my colours."

As they neared the Speckled Goose, Harry put his arm around Louisa. "You gentlemen must offer felicitations. Mrs. Phillips has agreed to be my countess."

The other three men all congratulated him and Louisa. "You'll be the first of us to be snared by Parson's Mousetrap," Alex said.

"You will, too, when you meet a woman as perfect as my Louisa." He looked down into her glowing face. "Are you hungry, love?"

"I could eat a speckled goose, feathers and all."

"Was that fiend starving you?" Edward asked.

"Just about," Harry answered.

Alex sighed. "You two see if you can order up some food, but I'm going to bed."

"Me, too," Sinjin said.

"I will meet you in the parlor after I change my clothing," Edward said.

Harry nodded. "As soon as I eat, I will need to report Tremaine to the local magistrate."

"Wait until we awaken," Sinjin said. "I suggest a member of parliament and an heir to a dukedom come with you."

"Good reasoning," Harry conceded.

At the inn, Harry asked for a hearty breakfast for three, and then they went upstairs and changed into their own clothing.

* * *

What a selfish beast she was! She must be turning into her father. Why had she not even inquired why Mr. Coke wasn't looking after poor Ellie? Louisa had been so concerned over her own welfare she'd completely forgotten about her sister. Poor Ellie. All alone in that big, strange city.

As she and Harry moved toward the parlor, she said, "I know you've got to see the magistrate, but we must leave as soon as possible for London. I'm terribly worried about my sister."

Harry patted her hand. "I give you my word. Have everything packed, and as soon as we're finished, we'll push off to London."

The innkeeper came hurrying down the corridor. "Mr. Smith, you'll have to share the Quality's parlor with another couple this morning. Don't ye fret. They be Quality, just like yerselves."

Harry nodded.

Louisa was disappointed to see two seated men — or were they boys? — facing the fire, their backs to them. She was disappointed because she had thought of it as their private parlor since there were no other persons of Quality staying at the inn. Harry led her to the table farthest away from the fire so they could enjoy privacy.

She and Harry held hands as they waited for the serving maid. Feeling thoroughly content, she smiled up at Harry. "I believe Mrs. Winston may have been a most intelligent observer, after all."

He smiled back.

The serving maid re-entered the room to bring steaming tea to the room's other occupants. Louisa could have sworn she heard a familiar voice. "Does not that lad sound much like my sister?"

Harry cocked his head and listened. "That's Edward."

Louisa crossed the room. "Edward Coke, as grateful as I am to you for our rescue, I am out of charity with you. Were you not supposed to be keeping an eye on my poor sister in London?"

First Edward turned around to meet her gaze. Then the boy turned. And he was Ellie!

Edward stood, kicking his chair back as he did so. "I will have you know I have come here with my future wife."

Now Ellie stood. "Your what, Mr. Coke?"

Edward turned to Ellie. "I am not so dishonorable a gentleman as to travel all the way to Cornwall with a young lady and not offer marriage."

"Then you will marry me solely for the sake of propriety?"

"Told you I was an honorable man, Miss Sinclair."

Her hands thrust to her hips, Ellie glared at him. "You can forget your noble offer, sir! I would not marry you were you the last man in England."

"But. . ." he stammered, throwing a questioning glance at his cousin as Ellie stomped off to sit down with her sister.

"Oh, Louisa, I am so glad you are unhurt. Has your quest been successful?"

"How did you know of the quest?"

"That. . ." Ellie elevated her brows haughtily, "that horrid man told me."

"Mr. Coke?"

Ellie nodded. Then the two women turned to see the cousins talking animatedly.

"You mean you actually had Aunt Isobel's portrait in your hands?" Edward asked.

"Yes," Harry said, walking toward the table shared by the two women. "Let's all sit together and eat."

They went through enough food to feed half the village of Falwell. And throughout the meal, Harry narrated the events of the past three days.

Edward hastened to brag on what good time he had made coming from London, despite being slowed down with a lady.

"You were not slowed down by me. I wasn't a lady!" Dropping her mouth, Ellie amended her statement. "That is, I behaved as a boy the duration of the journey." Then, pouting, she said, "I mean. . ." then faltered.

Harry laughed and squeezed Louisa's hand.

Edward watched smugly, then whispered to Harry. "Knew you'd succeed with the bluestocking. I always thought you fancied her, even though you're so vastly different." He then faced Ellie. "Did you know your sister's to wed my cousin?"

Ellie's eyes rounded as she eyed her sister. "Do you agree to this match?"

Louisa nodded happily. "Oh, yes."

All was silent the next few minutes, and then Ellie spoke, "I beg you will allow me to ride home in your carriage, Lord Wycliff. The thought of returning with the noble Mr. Coke is quite repugnant to me."

"I am sure you'll be far more comfortable in my carriage than in Edward's curricle."

Louisa patted Ellie's hand. "Yes, my pet, and you will have to tell me all about Mr. Bentham's talks."

"Lucky Harry," Edward lamented, rolling his eyes. "Timing your journey so it just happened to coincide with the silly Bentham man's talks. I believe you'd fight wild tigers rather than sit in the room with all those bloody bluestockings."

Brows lowered, Louisa looked from Edward to Harry. And with a sickening realization knew that Edward did not speak in jest.

Harry's face went white as Edward spoke.

From the look on his cousin's face, Edward knew he had said something wrong. "Why. . .if the two of you are to be married and knowing your feelings about honesty in marriage, I assumed Mrs. Phillips knew your true feelings toward the reformers." Edward swallowed hard. "I can see now that she does not."

Louisa rose, pulling her sister with her. "Mr. Coke, I beg that you take me back to London. I cannot ride home with your. . .your odious cousin!"

"And I will ride home with your odious cousin," Ellie asserted. "Riding with a liar is preferable than riding with an insincere snake."

Edward's shoulders slumped as he followed Louisa. "I seem to be putting my well-shod feet into my mouth rather thoroughly."

 Harry raced after her. "I beg a word with you, Louisa."

She turned to him, her eyes hollow, her voice hard. "You can say nothing to me, my lord, for I shall never believe you again."

"But, Louisa . . ."

She turned her back to him and stormed from the parlor.

A half hour later the groom had brought around Mr. Coke's curricle, and Louisa hoisted herself onto it without assistance from Edward. He got in on the other side, took up his crop, and drove the horse from the inn yard.

Edward made even better time returning to London than he had coming. For the first several hours, Louisa choked back tears. From the beginning, Harry had been lying to her. He possessed none of the qualities she had credited him with. She had only been a pawn in his game of reclaiming the family riches. Had he even meant it when he told her he loved her, or had it been a sham?

Every tree, every blade of glass they passed reminded her of the journey over this same land with Harry by her side. During the nights of their journey, she and Edward secured separate rooms. Sharing a room with a man would have reminded her of all the nights she and Harry had slept together. She should have trusted her original instincts. There was no such thing as a trustworthy man.

She began to ask Edward about his and Ellie's trip.

"It would have been bloody boring, indeed, miles and miles of bleak scenery, if you ask me. Thank goodness for Miss Sinclair's lively recounting of the Bentham man's talks. First time I ever understood him was through El . . . er, I mean, through Miss Sinclair's intelligent comments. You should be proud of your sister. Got a head on those pretty shoulders. Never thought I'd ever be interested in a smart woman, but now I don't think I'd want one who wasn't."

Pretty shoulders? Could Edward Coke be smitten over Ellie? Was that really why he stepped forth with an offer to marry Ellie?

"Tell me, Mr. Coke," Louisa began coyly, "was it difficult procuring a room for the lad Ellie pretended to be?"

He coughed, and she wasn't certain, but she thought he blushed. "Actually, I didn't like to think of her alone in a strange inn. She's such a tiny, helpless little thing, you know. And she wasn't keen on it, either. Never saw a gal with fears as great as hers. A good thing she trusted me. . .then." His face fell.

"Sir, I believe you are in love with my sister."

"In love with your sister?" he said incredulously. "I admit we have grown close, and I am truly fond of her, but love?" He whipped at the horse. "Never gave it a thought."

"A pity because I believe my sister is very fond of you."

"She told you so?" he asked.

Louisa would swear there was hope in his question. "Not exactly, but I know my sister quite well."

"You are, after all, almost a ringer for her."

She smiled.

He waited for ten minutes before he decided to continue the conversation. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble for you, I would be obliged if you could. . ."

"Ask Ellie what her feelings are toward you?"

He shrugged. "I would hate her to have any hard feelings toward me. After all, we did share a bedchamber together — quite innocently, I assure you. I slept on the floor."

"Then I was much kinder to Lord Wycliff."

He blushed.

She giggled. "It was all quite chaste. Your cousin was a gentleman. A pity he's a liar. And a pirate."

"Former pirate. You're one of the only people who know the source of his wealth—and you're the only female. Myself and his two closest friends from Eton, Lord Jack St. John and Lord Alex Haversham."

"A pity I cannot be gratified that he was only partially dishonest to me."

* * *

When Louisa reached the Grosvenor Square House, Harry was waiting for her on the pavement. "I have to talk to you, Louisa."

Refusing to make eye contact with him, she brushed past him as if he were invisible. She walked up the two steps, opened the door herself, then called back to him. "My butler will tell you I am not in, my lord."

Then she slammed the door on him.

Ellie ran down the stairs, threw her arms around Louisa's neck, then burst into tears.

Tears springing to her own eyes, Louisa held her close. "I know. You have fallen in love with Edward Coke, have you not?"

"Yes I have," Ellie said through sobs. "And it's not at all pleasant as I thought it would be."

Louisa held Ellie with straightened arms and wiped a tear. "That, my dear sister, is because you acted very foolish."

"How?"

"By getting mad at Mr. Coke when he offered for you."

"But he didn't offer for me. He only said what he said because he was obliged to!"

"Come, my pet, he was obliged to offer for someone dressed as a boy?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"That whether he was consciously aware of it or not, Edward Coke is in love with you."

"Did he tell you that?"

"That is not what matters, pet. Your feelings are all I care about. If you truly love someone, you must put aside foolish pride. Are you willing to do that?"

Ellie burst out crying again. "He's all I could think of with every churn of Lord Wycliff's carriage wheels. Every village and every rock seemed to bring back memories of our journey together. I've never in my life enjoyed myself so much."

Louisa held her close. "I know, my pet."

"What should I do?"

"Mr. Coke made the first move when he offered for you. Since I've always promoted honesty above everything and never believed in feminine coyness, I believe you should make the next move and tell Mr. Coke your true feelings."

She handed Ellie a handkerchief.

Ellie dried her tears. "I don't know how I shall do that, but I must."