Dangerous Knight by Elizabeth Johns
Chapter Seven
There was a frown of disapproval in Mr. Wilson’s eyes despite the outward smile. “How may I be of assistance?” he asked as they were shown into Wilson’s office and took their seats in front of his untidy desk.
“Miss Rafferty has many questions about her inheritance, as do I about certain conditions of the will.”
The solicitor tapped one chubby finger on his desk before using it to flip open the file in front of him. “What is it you wish to know? There is little to tell, in truth. I remember the initial deposit made was five-thousand pounds and it has been invested ever since.”
It was a very respectable amount, to be sure. Jack looked over at Miss Rafferty, but her face was unreadable. “And which bank holds my investment?” she asked.
He searched further through the file and then held up a receipt.
“Hoares. Here is the receipt made some fifteen years ago.”
“Just before we went to India,” she said softly.
“I imagine, even it is only in the five percents, it would be near to ten-thousand pounds by now.”
“I will believe it when I see it. Do I need that receipt for us to call upon the bank?” she asked.
Mr. Wilson looked at him and Jack gave a nod.
“I shall reach my majority in six months’ time, so it will be nice to know what my future holds.”
“Speaking of which, I do not suppose there is any hope of ending the guardianship earlier than that date?” Jack queried.
The solicitor frowned his disapproval. “It would take the remainder of the time to have the case heard.”
Jack said nothing.
“But with her dowry, she will be quite an eligible prospect on the Marriage Mart,” Mr. Wilson remarked. He turned to Miss Rafferty. “You could do worse than consider Captain Owens, your fine guardian – a war hero, no less.”
Jack all but choked. “That is not necessary.” He nearly growled the words.
The solicitor raised a brow in the manner of the haughtiest duke Jack had ever met. “You did not tell her,” he said accusingly.
Angrily, Jack pushed back his chair and stood up. “What I do or do not tell her is entirely my business. Is there anything else Miss Rafferty needs to know about the will or her inheritance?”
“No. The only other part which concerns her also concerns you.” He cleared his throat pointedly.
“Very well. I will bid you good day.” He held out a hand to assist Miss Rafferty from her chair, noting her slight hesitation before she accepted.
After one step, she paused and turned back to face the solicitor. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again and allowed Jack to escort her from the establishment. He hailed a nearby hack and they were seated before she spoke again.
“I infer there is a part of the will which concerns me that you do not feel it necessary for me to know?”
Jack cleared his throat, thinking how best to answer. “It concerns you only in a peripheral sense.”
“Yet concerns me nonetheless,” she replied sharply.
“As I have no intention of acting upon it, I did not feel it incumbent upon me to tell you.”
“Since you have no intention of acting upon whatever it may be, then what is the harm in telling me?” she countered again, and Jack found himself rather enjoying the exchange.
“Miss Rafferty, we have six months in which we must deal together, whether we like it or not. Were I to tell you, it would greatly affect those dealings.”
She made a sound resembling a huff of impatience. “As far as I am concerned, there need not be a great deal of dealing at all!”
“Perhaps not, but I very much doubt, at least for the remainder of my time here, that we will not be seeing each other. You are staying with Lord and Lady Mottram, and thus we will be moving in the same circles.”
“You are insufferable, Captain Owens.”
“Oh, I hear that quite often from my commander,” he agreed, determined to be agreeable. Besides, she was quite beautiful when irritated. The blue of her eyes was deeper and her cheeks took on an enchanting glow.
“Really? That was not a compliment!”
“Perhaps it was not intended as such, but it was accepted thus.”
She folded her arms over her chest and turned to him. “Would you yourself not be burning with curiosity if our positions were reversed?”
“Very much so.”
“Then why will you not tell me?”
She was clearly quite annoyed, and Jack wondered how far he could push her.
He pretended to consider the matter and even went so far as to tap each of his fingers on his knee in a rotating pattern. They were drawing near to Mottram Place and he knew he could not simply tell her and deposit her at the door, nor did he wish to further this conversation in the house with other ears about.
“I think we should take a turn about the park.”
“If that will loosen your tongue, then by all means!”
Jack ordered the driver to go on to the park and dismissed him at the corner gate.
Having paid the man, he helped Miss Rafferty to alight and they walked away from the bridle-path toward the lake.
“Well, sir?” she prompted.
“As you know, my grandmother was a mean old hag. When Mr. Wilson told me of the codicil, I did not take it seriously.”
“Do you ever take anything seriously?” she asked.
“A clever hit, my dear,” he acknowledged. “Only when needs must.”
“Well,” she said, reflectively nibbling the finger of her glove, “if it had to do with me, then I cannot fathom what it could be. She did not like me, other than as her servant.”
“Perhaps, then, that is exactly why she did it,” he contemplated. “She did not have a particular liking for me, either.”
Miss Rafferty stopped. “Out with it,” she commanded, in the manner of the finest general.
Jack laughed.
She rapped him on the arm with her reticule. “How have you lived so long?”
“Another question my ears are accustomed to.” He led her to a bench and they sat down. “The old dragon will not allow me to inherit Winterbourne fully for five years…” He paused and she gasped. “Unless I marry you.”
It was as if the entire park paused. There were no children’s screams or quacks from the ducks bobbing on the lake while he waited for her response.
“But that is horrible!”
“Why, thank you,” he retorted, deliberately misinterpreting.
“That is not what I meant, as you well know. I do not see how that is legal.”
“Mr. Wilson assures me that it is.” Jack stood up and began to pace back and forth, but Miss Rafferty joined him and they began to walk further.
“It is all ridiculous, which is why I did not tell you. Even now I see things have changed between us. You will suspect my motives every time I am kind to you, and if I am seen flirting with you, which is my natural mien, then I will be judged as a lecherous and dishonorable guardian.”
“Who gives a fig for that!” She threw up her hands.
He looked at her with surprise.
“I collect you have no intention of marrying and you wish to return to the army? Did you not say you had intended to sell Winterbourne and be on your way?”
“As to the first, that is correct. As to the second, I had no notion of Granny’s death until I returned to England, but it had been my plan when the inevitable occurred. She refused to take care of the place or allow me to, and so, in short, yes.”
In silence, she walked some distance to where the parade ground lay.
Jack was waiting for her to say something when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. “Take my arm,” he said, immediately reverting to commanding soldier.
Surprisingly, she obeyed and he led her toward the movement. He could not have said what caused him to react or be suspicious, other than years of being a spy and a healthy instinct for survival.
When they drew closer, he stopped and positioned her so he could get a closer look at where a small group of men were engaged in what appeared to be a heated discussion. He was grateful he had chosen civilian dress for the occasion, and hoped the two of them merely seemed to be companions out for a walk in the park.
“Is something wrong with those gentlemen?” she asked.
He did not take his eyes from them, discreetly trying to memorize as much as he could about each of the men, but one had his back to them and he could not will him to turn around.
“Perhaps,” he answered absently, concentrating on the group. One of the gentlemen pointed toward the stage while the one with his back to Jack shook his head.
Another of the men looked up and Jack quickly turned toward Miss Rafferty, angling his head so he might not be recognized. By the grace of God, she made no demur even though he was too close now to be a mere companion.
“Did he look away?”
“Yes, but they are also moving further from us.”
Jack held back a curse. Had she not been with him, he would have followed, but he was quite certain he would recognize those three men again.
“Shall we follow?” she asked.
“No, it is too dangerous.”
“Are you a spy, my dear guardian?”
“What if I tell you that I am?” he countered, turning to look her directly in the eye.
“I can see no other reason why four perfectly ordinary-looking gentlemen having a conversation in the park would pique your interest,” she replied, her voice laced with sarcasm.
“It is a reasonable assumption,” he said, leading her back toward the gate into the park.
“You are not going to tell me, are you?”
“My lips are sealed,” he agreed, in a jovial tone he was certain would annoy her.
Neither said another word the rest of the way to Mottram Place, although he could tell she was champing at the bit.
He smiled and bowed over her hand in farewell, hoping to leave on that.
“Do not think we are finished, Captain Owens.”
“Oh, the thought never crossed my mind.”
*
If at Winterbourne,Kate would have taken the time to walk about the estate in order to think, but she had no such luxury in London or at Maria’s home. Knowing she would have many questions to answer as soon as she was inside, Kate prayed that Lady Mottram was not about. She did not feel like pretending to be happy at the moment.
Thankfully, she was able to escape up to her chambers, but Maria was in the sitting room.
“Kate! I have been waiting for you! Tell me everything,” she said as she set aside the book she was reading and rubbed her hands together.
Kate sat on the sofa opposite Maria’s perch in the window seat and sighed heavily.
“Well, what did he say?” she asked impatiently.
“Do you care for the good news first or the bad news?”
Maria looked perplexed. “The good news, I suppose. Is it your dowry?”
“Indeed. The solicitor thinks it should be worth close to ten-thousand pounds at least. I have the receipt of initial deposit and the name of the bank whereby to make inquiries.”
“If they will speak with you,” Maria teased. “You should probably ask your guardian to do so on your behalf.”
The thought of having to ask him to do anything for her chafed, but very likely Maria was correct. It would be much simpler than trying to deal with the matter herself. Although, she thought derisively, they would probably only ask him for permission to speak to her.
“I am very pleased for you. That is the amount of my dowry and should help you make a very good match.”
“I daresay,” Kate remarked absently. “I had not thought to come to London and make a marriage.”
“Mama will be so pleased, but I warn you, it might only make her more determined.”
“Then perhaps we should not tell her?” Kate suggested.
Maria shook her head. “She will find out one way or the other. Now, what of the bad news?”
Kate shook her head. “It is so fantastical you may not believe it.”
“Go on,” Maria said, excitement glowing in her eyes.
“First of all, I am quite certain Captain Owens did not wish for me to know. The solicitor quite overstepped his bounds by remarking upon it.”
“Tell me what it is!” Maria cried.
“I have told you how cruel Mrs. Owens was?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it seems she added a codicil to her will that Captain Owens not be permitted to sell the estate for five years unless he marries…me.”
“What?” Maria sat forward, disbelief written upon her face.
“I know. I had almost to drag the information from him.”
Maria’s eyes narrowed as she sat back in her seat. “Why not?” she finally asked.
Kate frowned. “I do not follow you. What do you mean, why not?”
“Why not marry him?”
“You cannot be serious!” Kate exclaimed.
“I am perfectly serious. You cannot tell me you were not considering him both eligible and handsome the other evening.”
“I did not know who he was!” Kate argued. “He is my guardian, for goodness’ sake!”
“He did not know who you were, either, and I would wager there was no little attraction felt on his part.”
“Perhaps, but he admitted he was an incorrigible flirt, just like your Lord Philip.”
“He is not my Lord Philip,” Maria retorted, sadness throbbing in her voice.
“But you would like him to be. Is there no hope there?” Kate asked gently.
Maria sent her a scathing look. “Do be serious!”
“I am. It is clear he holds you in high regard. I do not see why that is any more unlikely than myself with Captain Owens,” she reasoned.
Maria shook her head. “Lord Philip could have anyone he wished. Why would he choose me?”
“Why would he not?”
“Let us speak no more about it, I beg of you!” She threw up her hands in exasperation.
“Very well, as long as we do not speak of my guardian as a potential husband.”
“But do you not see that possibility is far more likely? It would also be a very good match!”
“It is hard for me to see anything at all. I need more time to reflect upon recent events.”
“Well, I hope you can reflect whilst at a garden party. Mama is insisting we go to Lord and Lady Worth’s river estate in Richmond.”
“I would very much prefer to stay here and indulge in a period of quiet contemplation.”
“You know my mother will never allow it. Besides, it will be much more fun than most of the Season’s entertainments.”
Kate sighed. “Very well. I do not much care to contemplate my future at the moment.”
“I think you should enjoy yourself and forget about the rest. You know you have an inheritance now, so that is one burden lifted.”
“I suppose so.” Kate rose and walked over to the window, where she stood looking at the clouds. “I am not so certain we will be in the garden long.”
Maria joined her in looking at the darkening sky. “Drat. My hair never holds a curl if it rains. I will go and ask Mama if she still wishes to go.”
Maria left to discover Lady Mottram’s verdict on the proposed outing. Meanwhile, Kate continued to look outside, pondering her situation. Did she wish to remain in London and find a husband? There was a great sense of relief in knowing she had some money on which to live and that she would not be desperate or destitute when she left Mottram Place. She could even look forward to setting up her own cottage somewhere. Yet was that what she truly wished for? She had not allowed herself to dream of marriage –of children.
An only child, she had longed for siblings, but when her parents had died, she had locked away notions of motherhood since she had been confined to Winterbourne.
But…marriage to Captain Owens?
She had to admit she had taken an immediate fancy to him, and perhaps he was not the scoundrel she had thought him at first, but he seemed determined to return to the army—and he was her guardian.
Following the drum did not sound as though it would be pleasant, but she really knew very little about it. And now she was becoming fanciful to be even considering such a thing!
She shook her head, and looking out over the street, she saw a gentleman walking through the courtyard in the middle of the square. There was something about him that triggered a memory, but she could not quite grasp it.
He was probably just someone she had seen in passing. After all, London was a large city. She continued to watch, trying to form some logical explanation. It would certainly come to her later. A few large drops of rain hit the window pane and the gentleman stopped to unfurl his umbrella, but then he looked toward the house, almost directly up at her. She jumped back. Although she recognized Mr. Feathers, the gentleman from dinner the night before, she did not wish to be caught staring. Why was it such a relief finally to put her finger on something she could not recall?
Nonetheless, the feeling lingered. Lifting her chin, she shrugged. The rain was coming down harder now and Mr. Feathers was walking away from the house. Wrong as it may be, she hoped the rain continued. An afternoon at home sounded rather nice.
Maria returned, looking put out.
“What is it?” Kate asked.
“Mama says we shall not go. There was a plan in place for rain and they will have a party this evening instead.” She slumped into the chair, looking dejected.
“Cheer up. You can read.”
“Really, Kate. I do not read when in Town. There are months and months in the country in which to read!”
“I suppose so,” Kate remarked in a tone indicating she did not agree with her.
“What, then, would you like to do?”
“We could go shopping. Now that you know you will not be poor, we could buy some new dresses. There is an amazing store in Cheapside to tickle even the frugal heart.”
“As long as we may go to a book shop. There is a new novel I wish to purchase.”
Maria cast her a look of exasperation and Kate smiled impudently in return.
“Shall we go, then? I have already asked for the carriage to be brought around.”
They set out for the fashionable quarter, and Maria even allowed Kate to purchase the new novel from Hatchards first. The rain eased as they reached Cheapside, and having been set down with their umbrellas, Maria gave instructions to the driver to return for them in two hours.
“It appears everyone who was to have gone to the garden party is here instead,” Maria remarked with amusement as there appeared to be a line of fine carriages waiting to deposit their passengers before Smythe’s Silk Emporium, which was next to East India House.
Inside was the largest store Kate had ever seen, with several rooms divided by archways. Each room held more fabrics than a large ship could hold, and the walls were covered with rainbows of color in various designs. The smell of the fabric and unique incense made her think of her childhood in India and the vibrant markets full of vendors.
“Oh, look, there is Mr. Feathers.” Maria waved at her brother’s friend. “I suppose I should not at all be surprised to see him here.”
Kate looked across; Mr. Feathers turned around to acknowledge them. Suddenly, she recalled where she had seen him before. He had been one of the four men Captain Owens had watched so keenly in the park.