Part 17 (2/2)
”Thank you, Ben. I knew you would come through for me. I'll make it worth your while.” She patted her pin for good effect.
”Don't need diamonds, Lady C. They'd only clap me in gaol again. Some blunt would be good, though.”
”If you find my reticule wherever Lord Christie hid it, you're welcome to half.”
”I'll keep an eye out. But you've got to give him a chance.”
”What?” Caroline's vision of riding back in style to London dimmed.
”Lord C. He's gone to a lot of trouble. The Hazletts haven't slept a wink for weeks what with him badgerin' them. They're old and they need their rest. Give the man three days, my lady. If he don't come up to snuff, I'll filch the key again and set you free. Deal?” He extended a grubby hand.
”Two days, and not a minute more.”
Ben gave a long suffering sigh. Who knew the little ruffian was such a romantic?
”Deal.” They shook hands. Caroline laid the cloak down on the bed. It would be easier to have a proper plan in place than a chance flight from Bradlaw House. And Edward might get suspicious if she suddenly smelled of cinnamon buns rather than jasmine.
”You won't say a word of our arrangement to anyone, will you, Ben? I cannot trust the Hazletts any longer.”
He straightened his spine, insulted. ”I don't peach. Your secret's safe with me.”
”Tell Hazlett you'll bring me my meals-that the stairs are too much for him.”
”Shouldn't have no trouble convincin' him o' that. Poor blighter's took to his bed.”
”Good. Serves him right.”
”Lord C says he's movin' you to a different room. One o' the regular housemaids from the village is comin' to truck your things downstairs. Said his plan weren't watertight after all.”
Caroline grinned. Edward must have been exhausted himself trudging up and down the stairs with her bath water. If she were closer to the ground, her climbing skills could be pressed into service once again if need be. It would be suicidal to try to escape from up that high.
She gave a squirming Ben an impulsive hug. ”Excellent. I'll talk to you later in my new room. How do I get to the library?”
”Turn left at the bottom of the staircase. Three doors down. Cor, but there are a lot of books in there. Who would want to read them all?”
Caroline, if she were to amuse herself for the next two days. ”Wait. We are counting today as the first of our days, are we not? After tomorrow you'll help me?”
Ben looked innocent. ”Did you think I meant that? The day's half over now. It's nearly noon. Don't seem fair to count it as a whole day.”
h.e.l.l and d.a.m.nation. At least he knew his sums. ”Fine. But after noon on Thursday, I will be leaving Bradlaw House with or without your a.s.sistance.”
”That's fair. Do you think I can just throw this bathwater out the window?”
Caroline didn't stop to advise him. She had an appointment with Petrucchio.
Chapter 19.
No one could force Magdelena to do the impossible. Not her father. Not her poor dead nanny. Not her brother Reynaldo. Certainly not the villain who had kept her prisoner in chains to slake his sinful appet.i.tes.
-Devil in Disguise.
Edward was seated behind a ma.s.sive mahogany desk, a livid bruise matching it on his cheek. Caroline bit back a smile of satisfaction at its colorful progression and curtseyed. ”Good morning, my lord.”
”It's good afternoon, Caroline. I trust you slept well? You're looking lovely.”
”Yes, even without any drugging, I slept like a baby. The bed was very comfortable. In fact, the entire room is absolute perfection. I just love it. For a prison cell it is first cla.s.s. I've never considered the combination of old gold and chocolate brown before when I decorated, but I believe I'll have to give it a try in my new cottage.”
Edward's dismay was comical to behold. ”I hope you won't mind, Caro. I've arranged to move you to a more convenient location.”
”More convenient for whom? I daresay it's good exercise for all of us to climb one hundred and twelve broad steps. I've never felt so fit.”
”You've just walked down,” Edward said. ”Your new room is equally comfortable. And the mirror is intact.”
”What color is it?”
”How the he-I'm afraid I can't remember. Some sort of blue, I think. Or gray.”
”Any vases?” she asked sweetly.
”None. No Dresden shepherdesses, no bibelots of any kind.”
”That's not very sporting of you.”
Edward rubbed his cheek. ”Be that as it may, I'm not here to talk decorating schemes, Caro.” He leaned back in the padded leather chair and smiled as though he had a great treat in store for her. ”Most ton marriages are business arrangements at heart-joining property or political ambitions. Lawyers spend hours on settlements and wills and codicils. If the couple comes to respect each other and hold each other in some affection after all that paperwork, it's considered miraculous.”
”Are you dying, Edward? Is that your will there?”
He swept the papers under the blotter. ”You sound awfully hopeful, Caro.”
She shrugged. ”You can't expect me to respect you and hold you in some affection after yesterday.”
”I remember yesterday somewhat differently. The afternoon in particular.”
The smug b.a.s.t.a.r.d. ”I'm fixated on the morning. My abduction, you know.”
”If I had thought there was any other way to get you here, I would not have resorted to subterfuge.”
”Well, should the Christies ever lack funds, you can go about the country kidnapping heiresses.” She leaned back in her chair. ”I am waiting, Edward. What is your proposal for our future? You know mine. A cottage in Dorset. Are those papers you're hiding the deed? Where do I sign?”
”Um. Not a deed, precisely.” Edward removed the papers from the blotter and shuffled them. He looked s.h.i.+fty. Nervous. Caroline went on alert.
”I've taken the liberty of making a little list for you. For us, really. I thought it best to put my expectations in writing.”
”Your expectations? I have no interest in your expectations. But I expect,” she said archly, ”you know that.”
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