Devil of a Duke by Kathleen Ayers
12
“Wife, do quit pacing, you will wear a hole in the carpet.” Lord Corbett slurped his tea. “And we cannot replace the carpet. Not yet, at any rate.”
Lady Corbett stopped and glared at her husband. “She is still being most disagreeable in regards to the wedding. I’ve had tea with her twice and she refuses to discuss any details or even to feign interest. She drags Mrs. Stanhope to every meeting, brandishing the woman at me like a shield.” Lady Corbett swatted at the air with her fan. “I’ve told everyone that it was William’s deathbed request that they not mourn him and marry posthaste. I’ve no doubt we will have to drag her to the altar with a gun pressed to her back to recite her vows. Think what a stir that will cause, and I’ll have no more scandal, George.” Lady Corbett stomped her foot. “No more. Bad enough we must contend with the fact that she is damaged goods. If not for her fortune, I’d never allow Augustus to wed her.” The faded red curls of her hair batted against her cheeks as she shook in agitation. “But, I want Sea Cliff. God’s truth, we need Sea Cliff.”
George Corbett took another sip of his tea, savoring the taste of the Earl Grey. June had worked herself into a fine fiddle over Jane Emily. The girl had always been a bit wild, to no one’s surprise. George blamed Willie for Jane Emily’s shortcomings. Allowing the girl to wear breeches and shoot a gun was beyond the pale. So contrary. The fact that Jane Emily hadn’t disgraced herself before now was actually a bit of a miracle.
“Do sit down, June, and calm yourself.” George pinched his nose between his fingers. “You are causing my head to ache with your rantings.”
His wife sputtered at his comment but seated herself, arms crossed, in the chair across from him.
He bit into a biscuit and ignored her combative demeanor. Jane Emily would marry Augie. She had no other choice. He supposed she could try to leave the island, but her efforts would prove fruitless. June had already put out the story that Jane Emily was quite unhinged over her father’s death. Her questionable sanity coupled with the story of William’s “deathbed request” led not one person to object to the immediacy of the marriage. No one would assist Jane Emily if she tried to seek passage off the island. “You worry needlessly, wife.”
“I will not lose Sea Cliff, husband. I’ve waited too long.”
“And we won’t, my dear. The girl displayed outlandish behavior even before William’s death. None will gainsay our claim that she is a bit mad if she doesn’t marry Augie willingly.”
Lady Corbett chewed at her bottom lip. “What if she tries to flee or enlist the Stanhope’s aid?”
“June,” George sighed in frustration, “we are her guardians as decreed by William in his will, years ago. All of Bermuda, including the Stanhope’s, think her eccentric behavior a sign of mental illness which allowed her to fall prey to a man like Shepherd. None will stop us if we force her to marry Augie, for her own good, of course. None will aid her.”
“Shepherd? Must we still call him that? I cannot believe I did not see through his disguise immediately.” Lady Corbett’s cheeks puffed in agitation. “How silly you must think me not to have suspected what he was.”
“Perhaps next time, you will heed me, wife. Do not blame yourself. I didn’t see through him at first either. I never suspected that family would ever find William.”
June bowed her head and smoothed her skirts. “Still, I should have listened.”
“Think of it no more. Besides, we are free of the Devil of Dunbar.” Lord Corbett held his tea cup up in toast to his wife.
“You are certain?” Lady Corbett stopped fidgeting and regarded her husband coldly.
George shivered at the look on his spouse’s face. Sometimes, June could be quite bloodthirsty. “Very. I made sure to tell the captain to be leagues from Bermuda before Nick Shepherd.” George winked “Meets his demise between the jaws of a shark. Can’t have bits of him washing up on shore, can we?”
* * *
Tally O'Dell stood waiting,his hand raised to knock on the door of Governor Lord Corbett’s morning room. He hesitated upon hearing the way in which Corbett decided Jemma’s future and lowered his hand. The name Dunbar meant nothing to him, and he wasn't surprised that Lord Corbett was having Shepherd fed to the sharks. The man deserved it after what he’d done. His only concern was Jemma and the promise he'd made to his friend, Willie.
When Willie asked Tally to retrieve that packet of papers from the armoire, Tally knew this day would come. Willie did not trust George or June Corbett, at least not in the last six months of his life. He outlined for Tally exactly what must be done for Jemma. The packet, along with a bag of coins, Willie entrusted to Tally as well as a sealed envelope. Willie’s instructions were very specific, particularly in regards to Lord and Lady Corbett. “Do not trust the Corbetts, Tally, no matter what they tell you.”
That was fine by Tally. He'd never cared for George Corbett, his meddling wife nor their son, Augustus. Dorthea, their daughter had been a lovely lass, but she was long gone from Bermuda and unlikely to return. Not that it mattered.
Do not trust the Corbetts.
Tally wasn't an educated man, though Willie had taught him to read, but he was smart. Smart enough to know that Augie Corbett’s IOU’s fairly littered Bermuda and that the Corbetts were in debt up to their eyeballs. The amount of money Willie loaned to the Corbetts in the last two years alone staggered the imagination. The Governor could never repay the debt to his friend, nor could the Corbetts ever cover Augie’s expenses. Their only hope was to access the wealth of Sea Cliff, and the only way to do that was for Augustus to marry Jemma.
Tally’s heart ached for the girl he considered a substitute daughter. Had she given the slightest inclination that she wished to marry young Corbett, Tally would have thrown that packet of Willie’s into the ocean. He cursed under his breath as he thought of that scoundrel who’d taken her innocence. Tally failed Willie in that. He would not fail his dearest friend now.
Counting to five, he knocked lightly at the door.
“Come.” Lord Corbett's command answered.
He opened the door, determined to play the obliging manservant. Not that Corbett would ever expect anything but total obedience from Tally. Governor Lord Corbett considered him to be of little importance, and Tally meant to keep it that way. “My lord.” He doffed his hat and bowed. “Your ladyship.”
“Tally, my good man.” When Lord Corbett smiled, as he did now, he reminded Tally of an alligator.
Lady Corbett clasped her be-ringed hands on her lap and acknowledged Tally with a brief nod.
“Lady Corbett and I require your assistance.”
“I am at your service.” Tally clutched his hat in both hands.
“Thank you, dear man.” Lady Corbett raised a handkerchief to her eyes and dabbed. “We are so concerned about Jane Emily.”
Tally thought Lady Corbett’s true calling should have been the stage.
“She is so overwrought with grief. I fear it has,” Lady Corbett hesitated as if finding it difficult to voice such painful thoughts, “broken her.” She gave a small sob.
“Broken her?” Tally asked, knowing full well where the conversation was headed. He thought of Willie’s packet and instructions, safely hidden along with the Sea Cliff account books under a loose brick in the stables.
“Yes.” Governor Lord Corbett interjected, his features drawn down into a mask of paternal concern. “Her childish indiscretion with Nick Shepherd combined with the death of William have brought about a breakdown, I fear, of her mental state. She has become quite fragile.”
Jemma was the least fragile female Tally had ever known, but he wrinkled his brow in concern at Lord Corbett’s words just the same.
“I see from your expression,” Lord Corbett continued, “that you share our concern and affection for Jane Emily.”
“Indeed, my lord,” Tally answered, wishing he could punch the self-satisfied look off of Lord Corbett’s face with his fist. I will enjoy getting the better of the Corbetts.
“I fear she has become addled.” Lady Corbett shook her shoulders and stuck her nose in her handkerchief.
Tally shifted back on the balls of his feet and nodded in agreement, though he didn't agree. Not in the least.
“I know that Sea Cliff is Jane Emily’s home, but William’s funeral was weeks ago, and it is time for Mrs. Stanhope to return to her husband and the vicarage. Jane Emily, an unmarried young woman, can certainly not remain alone in that house with only servants around her. She needs a proper chaperone. You understand? We are worried that she may injure herself. She would be far better with her family,” Lady Corbett waved to herself and Lord Corbett, “to watch after her. After all, she and Augustus will soon be married. She must be brought here.”
And there it was, just as Willie predicted.
“You understand, don't you Tally?” Lord Corbett snapped the top of a biscuit and began to chew with gusto, daring Tally to disagree.
“Of course, my lord.” Tally understood only too well. He’d heard the gossip himself just yesterday in Hamilton while making his own discreet inquiries. Half of Bermuda thought Jemma driven mad by her father’s death, the other half thought her a woman of no moral standing. Tally knew full well who stoked the fires of those lies.
Lady Corbett fluttered her fan and waved at a servant for more tea. “Augie has already ridden to Sea Cliff for luncheon and to gather the pertinent estate information. I would hate for our dear William’s personal papers to fall into the wrong hands.” She exchanged a knowing look with her husband. “I think it is best that today you bring Jane Emily to us. Remember, her mental state is quite delicate, poor dear, from all she has endured. She may behave erratically. I pray you will not need to force her.” Lady Corbett pursed her lips.
Tally nodded politely. There would be no account books for Augie to find nor William’s deeds to property in Virginia and Newport. The papers detailing Willie’s vast holdings were in the packet to be given to a London solicitor. The Corbetts might be able to take Sea Cliff, after a time, but they would get none of Willie’s wealth and especially not his daughter. He would make sure of it.
“Please see to it immediately, Tally. I wish Jane Emily here in time for tea.” Lord Corbett took another bite of biscuit, dismissing Tally with barely a wave of his fingers.
Tally placed his hat on his head, bowing low, anxious to leave the presence of these blue-blooded parasites as soon as he could. He had no intention of delivering Jemma or Sea Cliff to the Corbetts. Tally had something else planned entirely.
