The Countess (Madison Sisters #1)(31)
Author: Lynsay Sands

Christiana grimaced and decided a change of subject was in order. "Anyway, what happens in the bedroom is only a portion of marriage, Suzette. I must deal with him out of the bedroom as wel and begin to think I may be able to."

Suzette glanced to her curiously. "He seems to treat you much more kindly than Dicky did. And he upheld the marriage to prevent us al from being cast into scandal.

I thought at first that he avoided scandal as wel , but Lisa is right, men do not suffer scandal like we women do and he probably did uphold if for your sake, which is real y very chivalrous. Much more chivalrous than Daniel’s marrying me for money."

Christiana frowned slightly. Suzette’s last words sounded almost bitter and yet the girl had written the rules for this marriage herself, choosing to marry someone who needed money to ensure she was not trapped in a miserable marriage as Christiana had endured with Dicky. However, the marriage might not be necessary at al now, she realized, and frowned over the fact that she couldn’t say as much because she hadn’t yet spoken to Richard about his promise to make everything right. She real y must remember when he returned, Christiana told herself firmly. Until then, she couldn’t say anything to Suzette, at least nothing certain.

A deep sigh drew her attention back to Suzette.

Seeing the dissatisfaction on her face, she asked quietly, "Are you having second thoughts about marrying Daniel?" Biting her lip, she added, "Perhaps Richard would be wil ing to cover Father’s gambling debts. If we even need to cover them. If we prove he was drugged and didn’t gamble at al  – "

"Nay, ’tis fine," Suzette said quickly. "I doubt it would be that easy to prove and we have enough on our plate at the moment. Speaking of which, we should real y get back to our task. Who have we not yet talked to?"

Christiana hesitated, but then decided to let her change the subject. They real y did have to continue with their task. "I think we have spoken to al the maids and footmen. That leaves Haversham, Cook, Richard’s valet – "

"I thought his valet died in the fire where Richard was supposed to have died?"

Suzette interrupted.

"Yes, of course, I meant Dicky’s valet. I guess he wil have to be Richard’s now though. Wel , once he recovers from his il ness."

"Are you sure that’s a good idea?" Suzette asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Wel , I’d like to think Georgina knows me wel enough that she would know in an instant if someone tried to take my place, even if they were my twin."

"I’m sure Grace would realize at once too, if a twin tried to take my place, or at least rather quickly." She frowned. "In fact, that’s why George ordered Richard’s valet to be murdered. He feared the man would know that he wasn’t Richard."

"Wel there you are," Suzette said quietly. "It’s just as likely that George’s valet wil notice something amiss with Richard and suspect he isn’t the master he has served this last year."

"Twenty years," Christiana corrected and when Suzette raised her eyebrows in question, she explained thoughtful y, "Dicky once said that Freddy had been with him for twenty years, they pretty much grew up together."

"Hmm." Suzette grimaced. "Then Richard definitely wouldn’t be able to fool him."

"No," she agreed grimly. "And George wouldn’t have been able to fool him into thinking he was real y Richard."

Suzette’s eyes widened with realization. "Freddy had to know what George had done."

"Yes. He could be the blackmailer," she exclaimed with excitement, and then just as swiftly shook her head. "But he has been il since the day you and Lisa arrived and hasn’t been to assist Dicky-George since, so can’t yet know he’s now Richard again."

"Are you sure about that?" Suzette asked.

"That he’s sick?" Christiana asked with surprise. "Haversham told us Freddy was il when he caught us with Dicky in the rug. Why would he lie?"

"I’m not suggesting he lied," Suzette said. "But just because this Freddy is il doesn’t necessarily mean he has been confined to bed al this time. Maybe he has been up and saw or heard something that made him realize Richard was back and George gone."

Christiana sank back in her chair with a frown. What Suzette suggested was more than possible. Il or not, Freddy would have to get up to eat and drink and tend to other functions. Cook was busy enough she probably wouldn’t tend to him like an il child unless he was at death’s door, and Haversham had not suggested the ailment was that desperate. The man probably had been up and about and while it was most likely that he’d stuck to the back of the house, it was possible he had seen Richard at some point or other. He may even have gone in search of Dicky to explain his il ness and seen him then, though Richard hadn’t mentioned seeing the man. But then Freddy could have seen Richard without his even noticing. Servants, at least the good ones, could go about their business in an unobtrusive way that ensured their presence went without note. Nodding, she stood up abruptly. "You’re right, and it’s certainly worth checking into at least. I wil ask Haversham to send him to us. He wil be our next interview."

Suzette nodded. "I have a good feeling about this."

Christiana too thought they may have struck on something with Freddy. She didn’t think for a minute that he might be the servant who had poisoned DickyGeorge. The man had always been obsequious and toadying with Dicky. But she was suddenly almost positive that he might be their blackmailer. The hal was empty when Christiana stepped into it and she started toward the kitchen, glancing into each room in search of Haversham as she went. The man usual y appeared the moment she stepped into the hal . Actual y, she suspected he was usual y hanging about listening at doors. It appeared he wasn’t today, however, and she didn’t see him in any of the main-floor rooms. Frowning, she made her way into the kitchen, but he wasn’t there either. Giving up on the man, she asked one of the kitchen girls where Freddy’s room was and then went to fetch the man herself. She’d intended to simply knock on his door and request that he come join her and Suzette in the office, however when she arrived at the room she’d been directed to, she found the door ajar. After a hesitation, she pushed it open, cal ing out, "Freddy?"

There was no answer and no one in the room, she saw as the door swung open.

The bed was also made with no sign that a sick man had just risen from it. Frowning, Christiana turned to leave, but paused with a start when she found the man in question standing behind her.

"Oh, Freddy! You gave me a start. I was just going to ask you to come to the office for a minute," she said nervously, one hand at her throat.

"Yes, I know," Freddy said grimly, moving forward.

Christiana stepped back to avoid his running her down, but paused abruptly as she realized that she was moving further into the room. Not comfortable, she started to move around him then, suddenly desperate to get back out into the hal , but Freddy quickly blocked her exit, slammed the door closed and locked it with a definitive click.

Chapter Seventeen

Do you know that felow?" Richard asked. They’d just puled up in front of the townhouse and Richard had been about to open the door to get out when he’d noted a man pacing back and forth on the path leading to his front door. The gentleman would walk toward the house as if to seek entrance, stop, shake his head and walk away from it, only to pause halfway to the gate and turn back to approach the door again. The fel ow was wel dressed, with gray hair, and a hat and cane, but his noble appearance was belied by the fact that he appeared to be talking to himself as he repeated the bizarre behavior.

"He looks vaguely familiar," Daniel said, leaning to peer out the window as wel .

"He seems a little troubled about something."

"Grand." Richard sighed, opening the door to get out. "More trouble at my door."

"You do seem to attract it of late," Daniel said dryly as he fol owed him out of the carriage.

"Hmmm," Richard muttered, and headed up the path. When he reached the fel ow, the man had again approached the door and stopped to peer at it as if it were some insurmountable mountain he dearly wished to climb. Richard was about to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention, when the fel ow shook his head again, muttered under his breath and turned abruptly, then leapt several steps back as he found Richard standing there. Richard raised his eyebrows, but asked politely, "Is there something I can assist you with, sir?"

"What?" the man asked with disbelief.

"I am Richard Fairgrave, Earl of Radnor," he offered, holding out one hand. "Can I be of assistance?"

The gentleman peered down at his hand as if it were a snake and then scowled at him grimly. "Surely you jest, my lord. After al you have cost me with your shady dealings, you think to act like you do not know me?"

Richard let his hand drop to his side, his eyes narrowing. This was obviously someone his brother had known and had dealings with. And someone not happy with those dealings, which put him on the list of suspects who might have wanted Dicky-George dead. So far it was a list of one, the man before him.

"Why do we not go inside and discuss this?" Richard suggested, moving past him to open the door.

"Why do you not go in there and fetch the girls back to me while your friend and I wait out here instead."

Richard glanced back to insist they go inside, but paused when he saw the man had moved up next to Daniel and now held a very large black-and-ivory pistol to his side. For his part, Woodrow looked somewhat startled, but not unduly alarmed.

Richard, on the other hand, noted the fine tremor in the man’s hand and was worried for him.

"Ha! Not so clever now are you, Dicky?" the man asked grimly. "Now give me my daughters. Al of them. I’m not leaving a one of them here for you to abuse any longer."

"Your daughters?" Daniel asked with interest, half turning toward the man.

Fortunately the action didn’t get him shot; Richard had spoken at the same time, saying, "Lord Madison?" in an amazed tone and the old man appeared more interested in him than Daniel, though he kept the gun pointed at Woodrow.

"Save your games, my lord." The man said with dislike. "You have managed to fool me one too many times already. I know you have mistreated my Chrissy. Robert told me everything after the Landons’ bal the other night. He said the girls told him that you’ve treated her terribly and I’ve sorted it al out from there. You never loved my gel, it was al an act to get your hands on her dower, and now you’ve somehow swindled me again hoping to force my Suzette into the same position. Wel I won’t have it, and I am not leaving my Chrissy in your hands either, marriage or no marriage. I’l have it annul ed. I’l take it to the King himself if I have to. Now fetch me al three girls before I lose my patience."

"Father?"

Al three men glanced to the woman hurrying up the path toward them: Lisa Madison with Robert Langley on her heels.

"Father, what are you doing pointing that pistol at Suzette’s fiance? Put that away before you hurt someone."

"Nay," Lord Madison said firmly, grabbing her arm with his free hand and urging her to the side to keep her out of harm’s way as he dug the pistol more firmly into Daniel’s stomach. "I’l not let Suzette marry this blackguard. No doubt he’s a friend of that devil’s there, which means he’l be as bad as Dicky. Now, be a good girl and fetch your sisters, gel. We are leaving here and going back to Madison. I’ve sold the townhouse to pay the debts. There is no need for Suzette to marry anyone."

"You sold your townhouse?" Daniel asked with alarm.

"Aye." He smiled meanly, his eyes darting from Daniel to Richard. "The two of you didn’t think I’d do that, did you? But I’d sel the estate itself before I let you rope another one of my girls into a miserable marriage." He stood a little straighter and added, "And I wil see Chrissy out of her marriage as wel ."

"Oh Father," Lisa said with a sigh. "That wasn’t necessary at al . Daniel agreed to let Suzette keep half her dower to pay off the debt and use the rest as she wished. He is not the devil Dicky was."

"And actual y, Richard here is not the vil ain you think he is," Robert added, moving to the man’s side. Pausing, he leaned forward and whispered in the old man’s ear, and whispered, and whispered. Real y, while Richard knew it was quite a bit to explain, he thought Langley could have been a little more succinct. It seemed to take a very long time before Madison’s mouth dropped and the hand holding the gun fel to his side.

"What?" he squawked with amazement.

Robert nodded solemnly. "Chrissy is very happy with the Earl of Radnor. This one," he added firmly. "And Daniel is a good and honorable man. He’l make Suzette a good husband."

"Only if he doesn’t tel her he sold the damned townhouse to make good on his debts," Daniel muttered with disgust. "If she finds that out she is just contrary enough that she may very wel not marry me."

"I’m sure Lord Madison wil keep that information to himself for now," Richard said dryly.

"Why would I do that?" Lord Madison asked. "If Suzette doesn’t wish to marry him, I wil not let her be forced into it."

"Under normal circumstances I would agree with you," Richard said solemnly.

"However, after what I interrupted in the parlor between the two of them this morning, honor demands he marry her, and as her brother-in-law I feel it my duty to ensure he does."

"Eh?" Madison’s eyes shot to Daniel, who was suddenly grinning.

"I’d forgotten about that." He nodded cheerful y. "Yes, she has to marry me to avoid ruin."

Madison’s eyes narrowed and he turned to Robert. "You’re sure he’s a good and honorable man?"

"Positive," Robert assured him, obviously fighting a grin. "Truly, just look how eager he is to do the right thing. Besides, the fact that Suzie al owed him to take liberties with her proves she is not averse to the marriage. However, she can be contrary. It may be best to al ow her to continue thinking for now that the marriage is necessary."