Never a Mistress, No Longer a Maid (21 page)

Jane reached out her hand and the other woman took it.  “Your
brothers love you very much.  They simply want what’s best for you.”

“But it’s so incredibly dull to be sheltered.”

 “You have your whole life ahead of you.  Is it so bad to
have one dull evening if it keeps your brothers from worrying?”

“I guess I can handle it for one night.  But you positively
have to come with me, or I shall behave abominably and it’ll be all your fault. 
Now let’s get you dressed.”

An hour later, thanks to Lizzie’s help dressing and the
maid’s assistance with her hair, Jane was finally ready to go.  A knock at her
bedroom door revealed Ned, looking breathtakingly handsome in his evening
clothes.

The maid excused herself and Lizzie left on her heels,
pausing only long enough to wink at her brother on the way out.

Ned looked at Jane and his heart turned over.  She was
stunning and he wanted to take her right there.  But instead, he said the first
painfully obvious thing that came into his head.  

“You’re beautiful,” he said.

A soft blush rose in her cheeks.  “Thank you.  You’re even
more handsome than usual.  You look quite at home in evening clothes, whereas I
feel like I’m impersonating someone else entirely.”

“That’s only because you haven’t had the opportunities to go
out as you should have during the last few years.  An error I intend to
rectify.”

“I shouldn’t go out in public at all, considering my
grandfather just died, but I want to show my support for you.”

“Thank you.  As I said before, you look lovely, but on
closer inspection something seems to be missing.”

Jane took a self conscious look at herself in the mirror. 
Was the dress too simple?  Was something out of place?  She looked up to see
Ned approaching from behind.  Watching him in the mirror, she saw him lift a
sapphire necklace, then fasten it around her neck before she could even think
to protest.

“It’s exquisite,” she said, as she touched the stones set in
filigree gold.

“It was my mother’s.  She left each of us jewelry to pass on
to our wives.”

Jane shook her head.  “I can’t wear this even as a loan for
the night.  It wouldn’t be right.”

Ned placed his hand on her shoulder.  “Why not?  I’ve asked
you to be my wife and while I’m quite aware you haven’t said yes, I’m still
hopeful you might.  Can you not simply wear the necklace tonight?  Give it a
test run?  I also have earbobs for you,” he said, as he held them out for her
to see.

Maybe it was his hand on her shoulder or the depth of his
gaze as she met his eyes in the mirror.  Or maybe she wanted one night where
she could pretend everything would be all right, but Jane finally nodded, then
put on the earbobs.

As she turned to leave the room, Ned pulled her to him and kissed
her.  But before they could deepen it, there was a knock at the door and a maid
announced that the rest of their party was waiting.

Jane left the room, acutely aware of the man behind her.

*                    *                *   

Lady Crenshaw’s ball was, as always, a supreme crush.  One
of the most coveted invitations of the season, it mattered little that the so-called
impromptu ball had been announced a mere forty-eight hours earlier.  The
ballroom looked like the affair had been planned for months.  Ned felt sorry
for the poor staff, who had undoubtedly worked through the night with little if
any sleep.

Lady Crenshaw preened when the duke and his party were
announced.  She squeezed Ned’s fingers when he lifted her hand to his lips,
saying something about what a naughty boy he’d been.  Ned thought it was an odd
reference to the Huntington matter, until he saw Lord and Lady Barrington standing
nearby with their daughters.  Ned cursed silently and wondered how quickly he
could leave for home.  He’d rather risk a hanging than marriage to that chit. 
Luckily for him, her gaze was intent on Liam, allowing Ned to sneak past her.

Lady Crenshaw was most definitely not pleased when she was
introduced to Jane.  But as Lynwood had predicted, their aunt welcomed Jane
into her home, even if it was with the warmth of an ice sculpture.                

As Ned led Jane into the ballroom, he could feel the tension
in her body.  Outwardly, she was the same, strong woman who’d faced down his
brother and a Bow Street runner.  It was only because he knew her so well that
he could feel she was nervous.

“You’ve nothing to worry about,” he whispered into her ear. 
“No one would dare cut you in the presence of the Kellington family.”

Jane looked up into the face that had grown so dear to her. 
“But don’t you see?  There are some issues that cannot be solved by a family
name.   They might not give me the cut direct tonight, but you and I shall be
talked about in drawing rooms throughout Mayfair tomorrow and for many weeks to
come.”

“Why do you care about gossip?”

“I only care when it hurts those I love, like Vi and…”  Jane
stopped her cursed tongue just in time.

“Those you love, like Vi and whom?” he asked intently.

“That’s not important right now.”

“The devil it isn’t.  Like Vi and whom?”

“You!  All right, you!” said an exasperated Jane.

Ned grinned and tried to remember all the reasons he wasn’t
supposed to kiss her in the middle of his aunt’s stuffy ballroom.

“Stop looking like you want to create a scandal when we’re
here to end one,” Jane said, reading his thoughts quite easily.

“But creating a scandal is so much more fun than cleaning up
after one.”

“Ned, listen to me.  What I said before…”

“You mean, about loving me?”

She looked around.  “Stop saying that!  Someone will hear
you.”

“So what if they do?”

“You’re still under suspicion for murder, and we have yet to
address the underlying problem of what to do about us.”

But his grin was irrepressible.  “While I would truly hate
to be hanged right as life was finally getting interesting, there’s no question
of what to do about us.  We’ll be married and be a family, of course.”

Jane’s heart skipped a beat at the very thought.  But she
knew matters couldn’t be settled as easily as that.  “Do you see Vi and me
moving into Kellington House?”

“Only at first.  I’ll find us a place of our own nearby.  We
can visit Marston Vale during the summers and we’ll give Vi plenty of brothers
and sisters.  I wouldn’t mind going home to start that part right now.”

“Ned, I can’t leave Marston Vale,” she said, wishing it
weren’t true.  “Those people need me.”

“We’ll find another surgeon for them.”

“But I like being their surgeon.”

Ned looked at her.  “I don’t want to live in a backwater
country village.  And I don’t want my wife getting called away at all hours of
the day and night.”

“And that, dear Ned, is why I said there are some problems
that can’t be solved just by the use of the Kellington name,” she said softly.

Ned had never seriously considered he might not get what he
wanted with Jane, simply because he’d always gotten what he wanted with everyone. 
It was a distinctly unpleasant sensation.

But he was cut off from questioning her further, and most
likely demanding her acquiescence, by Arthur, who swept Jane into a dance.  Ned
was then swarmed by many of the unmarried women in the room, as well as a few
matrons who never let their marital status interfere with their social lives.  Kellington
men were never overlooked in a ballroom, and being a murder suspect had done
nothing to diminish his popularity.

While acting like the unconcerned aristocrat who had nothing
to fear from Bow Street, Ned kept his eye on Jane, who danced first with
Arthur, then Hal – who held her too close, and from his smirk knew exactly what
effect it was having on his brother – followed by Lynwood and that dandy Wills
Overton, who had the audacity to claim her for the supper dance.

Ned knew Jane was in need of friends and he shouldn’t
begrudge her the chance to visit with an old acquaintance.  But it would be much
easier to be magnanimous if she’d agreed to marry him and move to London. 

To keep himself from grabbing Overton by his ridiculously
complex cravat, Ned went in search of Lord Barrington to set the Madeline
situation to rights.  But now that he finally wanted to find the man, he was
nowhere in sight.  However, every woman Ned had ever had a liaison with seemed
to be in attendance and have the idea that he was up for grabs.

He had the quite lowering thought that if he lost Jane, he
would be. 

*               *              *

“You seem to be many miles away,” said Wills as he expertly
led Jane through the dance amidst the whispers of those around them.

“Forgive me.  It’s been a rather overwhelming night.” 
Overwhelming and tedious, she thought.  At least it was when she wasn’t with
Ned.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be here, so soon after your
grandfather’s death.”  Wills squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes in what
Jane imagined to be his most sympathetic look, if not wholly sincere.

“It is unusual, but I felt I should show support for Lord
Edward.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

She bristled at the thought of anyone being critical of Ned
or any of the Kellingtons.  “He and his family have been most kind to me.

“But how much do you really know about them?  How can you be
sure he didn’t have something to do with the earl’s death?  Perhaps he had an
accomplice and they staged that bump on the head to deflect suspicion.”

Jane stopped in her tracks.  “How can you say such a thing?”

Wills swept her back into the dance.  “Come, Jane, you don’t
want to make yourself more conspicuous than you already are.  How can you not
even consider the possibility?  You’ve always been most practical, my dear. 
Don’t let your head be swayed by a handsome man – unless it’s me, of course –
with a powerful name.  What could be better for the Kellington family than to
have you as a guest in their aunt’s home, giving your blessing to the man who
quite possibly killed your grandfather?”

“And what would Lord Edward gain by killing him?”

“Perhaps he feared our friendship might grow into something
deeper.  Stranger things have happened.  He might’ve gone to Huntington to
demand your hand in marriage, then become enraged when he was refused.”

“A man like Lord Edward could marry any woman of the
ton
and I daresay all of them would be a much more eligible match for him.”

“There are rumors that your grandfather’s study had been
ransacked.  Perhaps there were documents pertaining to your allowance that he
wished to read.  It was no secret in Marston Vale that you had an inheritance
and your grandfather was somehow keeping it from you.  Second sons often have
very little to live on.  He might’ve been looking into your finances to see if
offering for you would be worth his while.  I mean that in the best possible
way, of course, and not at all unkindly.”

Jane was savvy enough to know that most
ton
marriages
were financial transactions, but if this was Wills Overton’s idea of not being
unkind, he didn’t know much about women.

The music ended and he put his hand on the small of her back
to escort her into dinner.   If Ned had touched her like that, his hand
would’ve burned a hole through her dress.  But Wills’s touch didn’t affect her
at all.  In fact, he didn’t seem entirely comfortable with it. 

She and Wills found their seats and had just begun to eat,
when Lady Crenshaw rose.

“Thank you all for coming tonight – especially on such short
notice.  I probably shouldn’t have even held this ball, since I didn’t have
time to properly prepare.”

The lady paused at that moment, presumably to accept accolades
from her guests about how beautiful the ballroom had been, how delicious the
food was and how divine the music.  Not surprisingly, those comments
immediately materialized.  After she’d basked in the glow she’d most
determinedly asked for, Lady Crenshaw continued.

“But tonight’s ball has a second purpose, besides the chance
to see my dear friends.  And that is to announce the betrothal of my nephew
Lord Edward Kellington to the Honorable Miss Madeleine Merriman.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

There was a moment of stunned silence, then the room erupted. 
One of the
ton’s
most eligible bachelors had just been taken off the
market by a country miss, the daughter of a rather obscure viscount.  The mamas
and their eligible daughters were outraged, but clapped along with the rest,
even if their faces did look strained.  The unmarried men who had no interest
in marrying laughed and clapped, finding it hard to believe that a Kellington would
succumb to a leg shackle this side of forty.  The unmarried men who were
desperate to find wives to support them were delighted there’d be one less
Kellington in competition.  And the unhappily married ladies simply clapped and
counted the months until he’d once again be circulating among them – assuming
he’d cease in the first place.

But Jane’s heart stopped.  As a surgeon, she knew it hadn’t
really, but it certainly felt like it.  It was as if the wind had been knocked
out of her and she’d been kicked in the stomach by a horse.  It was quite a
physical reaction caused by just a few sentences.

When she finally got a hold of herself, she looked up to see
the reactions of the Kellington family.  The duke was moving grimly toward his
aunt.  Arthur and Hal, with equally dour expressions, were trying to stop
Lizzie from storming off to confront Lady Crenshaw.  And Ned was rather calmly walking
toward his fiancée.

It was too much for Jane.  “If you’ll excuse me, Wills, I’d
like to get some air.”

She rose from the table, then returned to the ballroom on
unsteady legs.  She was almost to the French doors, when she felt a hand on her
elbow.

Wills had caught up to her.

“Jane, I’m so sorry.  Didn’t you know this was about to
happen?”

Speech was beyond her.  She simply shook her head no.

“Come with me,” he said, as he led her out onto the terrace. 
“You must’ve known that Madeleine and Kellington have been engaged since
birth.  You’d heard her talk of it enough.”

“She never mentioned a name.”

“Then he appeared in Marston Vale and that’s all anyone
could talk about.”

“But he told me this was all a misunderstanding.  He
intended to break things off with her.”  This couldn’t be happening, could it? 
Jane felt dizzy, sick to her stomach.

“I’m sure that’s what he wanted you to believe,” said Wills
gently.  “And it may even have been what he wanted in his heart.  But the Duke
of Lynwood thinks of nothing but his family’s reputation.  I’m sure he insisted
his brother go through with the marriage.  I just hope Lord Edward didn’t lead
you on and make promises he couldn’t keep.  I hope he wasn’t a cad.  Was he,
Jane?”

He gently pulled her to him.  He looked into her eyes, then
whispered softly, “I’m your friend, Jane.  If you ever need anything, all you
need to do is ask.”

Jane looked at the handsome man holding her in the
moonlight.  Then she nodded. 

*                    *                    *               

From inside the ballroom near the French doors, Ned thought
his head might explode.  That Overton bastard who was masquerading as a friend was
about to kiss Jane.  And what was worse, she was going to let him.  She had to
know he’d had nothing to do with that damned announcement.  But he was so
worried about her reaction that he hadn’t taken the time to straighten the mess
out tonight.  He’d simply told Madeleine he’d call on her in the morning, then
hurried to keep Jane and Overton in sight.  He didn’t trust the man, and now he
could plainly see his instincts had been correct.

After a few more words, Jane turned to re-enter the ballroom
through the French doors while the rat Wills Overton remained on the terrace. 
Ned idly wondered if there was a handy flower pot on a third story window he
could fling onto the man’s head.  It was worth a quick run upstairs to check.

As Jane was about to pass by, Ned grabbed her arm and pulled
her to him, partially hidden by a curtain.

“Let go of me,” said Jane with anger and hurt in her eyes. 
“You lied to me.”

“I didn’t.  I’m not engaged to Madeleine Merriman and have
no intention of becoming so, a fact I’ll make perfectly clear to her tomorrow.”

“Hundreds of guests just heard the announcement.  There’s no
way you can break the engagement – even if you supposedly wanted to.”

“I will break it.  But the more important issue is what in blazes
you were about going off alone with Wills Overton.”

“I needed a breath of air and he was kind enough to take me.”

“There’s nothing kind about the man.  He’s after you and
wants to strike when you’re most vulnerable.  He probably thinks you’re easy
pickings right now.”

“Thank you for that lovely compliment, my lord.  How you do turn
a girl’s head.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Ned!” she said, looking over his shoulder.  “There’s Evan
Cantwell!”

Ned’s jealously was quickly replaced by anger.  “How dare he
come to my aunt’s home?”

“Could there be a connection between him and my
grandfather?”

“What do you mean?”

“He proposed to me, even knowing how I felt about him. 
Could he have learned about the money?”  Jane thought that would help explain
why he’d moved from wanting her to be his mistress to trying to convince her to
be his wife. 

“There’s one way to find out.”

Ned began moving toward the man.  Cantwell looked up and
after the shock of recognition, ran through the terrace doors to the back
garden. 

Ned turned to Jane.  “I’m going after him.”

She grabbed his arm.     “You can’t go alone.  If he is
mixed up in this, he could be dangerous.”

“So am I, love.  Find my brothers and tell them where I’ve
gone.  But I must go now so I don’t lose him.”

With that he was gone. 

*                    *                 *

“You wanted to see me, Miss Merriman?”

The Duke of Lynwood was standing in the library alone with Madeleine
Merriman.  He’d been handed a note moments earlier by a footman, requesting the
meeting.  He was none too happy with Miss Merriman and her family, but was
curious as to why he’d been summoned.

She was wearing a light pink gown that was low-cut enough to
leave little to the imagination.  Miss Merriman had a pleasing figure and was
truly one of the most beautiful women at the ball.  But Lynwood rarely let
himself be swayed by the superficial.

“Your grace,” she said, as she curtsied deeply and bent
forward just enough to highlight her breasts, as if they weren’t already on
prominent display.  “I just wanted to apologize for surprising you tonight. 
But when Lady Crenshaw heard about the engagement, she insisted on announcing
it at her ball.  I didn’t want to hurt the dear lady’s feelings.”

“I see,” said Lynwood coolly.  “And, of course, you didn’t
think to pay a visit to Kellington House to let us know ahead of time.”

“I didn’t think it would be proper.”

“I see, again,” said Lynwood.

“To tell you the truth, I’m beginning to have second
thoughts about the matter.  You see, I always assumed Lord Edward and I would
marry because you were promised to someone else.  But since that’s not the
case, I was hoping you and I could come to an agreement.”

“I’m not quite sure I understand,” said Lynwood.  “Are you
suggesting that my brother and I are interchangeable parts?”

“I don’t know,” said Madeline, as she walked toward him, hips
swaying seductively.  “I haven’t yet seen your parts.”  Then she pounced, wrapping
her arms around his neck in a stranglehold, while planting her lips firmly on
his.

The door to the hall burst open and an out-of-breath
Rosalind entered.

“There you are, your grace,” she blurted.  “I believe I
promised you this dance.”

Madeleine was so startled that Lynwood was able to easily
extract himself from her.  Seconds later, the door to the adjoining study burst
open and Lady Barrington charged into the room with a quite confused Lady
Crenshaw by her side.

“There you are, Madeleine!” interrupted a very rehearsed
Lady Barrington, until she realized she wasn’t interrupting anything at all.

“What do you mean by dragging me in here?” demanded Lady
Crenshaw.  “I’m hosting a ball and can talk to my nephew any time I like.”

“Miss Merriman asked to speak to me in private to tell me
she no longer wishes to be engaged to Lord Edward,” said Lynwood to the extreme
displeasure of Lady Barrington and her daughter.

Lady Crenshaw moved closer to the girl and sniffed.  “She
doesn’t seem foxed.”

Lady Barrington looked uncertainly at Lynwood.  “Are you
offering for her, your grace?”

“I’m afraid we would not suit.  Miss Merriman, I trust you
will send a note to Lord Edward tomorrow telling him you’re breaking the
engagement?”

While he phrased it as a question, there was no missing the
steely command in Lynwood’s voice.

“If I must,” she sulked.

“Yes, I rather think you must,” said Lynwood.  “Now, if
you’ll all excuse me, I promised this dance to Miss Rosalind.  Ladies.”  He
bowed, then exited the room, clutching Rosalind’s elbow as he went.  “How did
you know?” he asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

“I noticed Lady Barrington avidly watching you when you
entered the library.” Rosalind didn’t add – and prayed he wouldn’t realize – that
she, too, had been avidly watching him.  “When she grabbed Lady Crenshaw, I put
two and two together, then ran for the hall entrance, hoping to get there in
time.  That is to say, I hope I was the more welcome intruder than Lady
Barrington.  If not, you have my apologies, your grace.”  She smiled at him,
quite proud of the fact she’d been able to string so many sentences together in
his presence.

“I owe you my thanks and a dance.  I also believe it’s high
time you began calling me Lynwood.  Or Liam,” he said, as he held out his hand. 
His cool blue eyes looked into hers.

Rosalind’s mouth went dry.  “As you know, I only invented
that as an excuse to barge in on you.  You must not feel obligated to dance
with me.”

“Obligation has nothing to do with it,” he said softly. 
“Will you dance with me, Rosalind?”

But just as she was about to put her hand in his, Arthur, Hal,
Jane and Lizzie ran up to them.

“Liam, Ned needs us,” said Arthur.  “He took off after some
villain Jane says is dangerous.”

Lynwood immediately took charge.

“Arthur, come with me.   Hal, escort the ladies home.”

“Why does it always have to be me?” complained Hal.

“I haven’t the time to argue.  Go!”

Lynwood turned back briefly to say “My apologies, Rosalind,”
then hurried off.

*               *               *

When Evan Cantwell went into the garden, Ned had expected to
be able to catch him easily.  What he hadn’t expected was for Cantwell to slip
out through the back into the mews.  Then Ned realized following the man would
likely yield more answers than simply pummeling him.  Although pummeling had
definite appeal.

Ned followed him for several blocks, as Cantwell walked up
and down streets, while doubling back every few blocks.  Ned kept pace, but far
enough behind that he wouldn’t be spotted.  It gave him time to think about
Jane and how much damage the announcement of his engagement had wrought.

Every time he thought he was closing in on his ultimate
goal, something or someone got in the way.  He’d been adamantly against
marriage just a few weeks earlier.  But it was amazing what the right woman
could do to change a man, not to mention a little sprite who enchanted him. 
His future was clear.  He just needed a way to get there.  He wouldn’t accept
anything less.

Then he cursed himself, because while he’d been filling his
mind with thoughts of Jane, Cantwell had increased the distance between them. 
Ned turned a corner in pursuit, only to find himself in a dead end, with
Cantwell nowhere in sight.  And now he was stuck in an alley where the walls on
three sides were solid brick with no doors or windows within reach.  Where in
blazes had Cantwell gone?

But only as Ned turned to retrace his steps, did he
recognize the peril he’d placed himself in.  Nearly a dozen men blocked his escape. 
They were armed with knives and clubs. 

Ned pulled a knife from his boot.  He’d killed men in
hand-to-hand combat before, but never when the odds had been this bad.

“Stand aside,” he said, hoping they might be thieves looking
for an easy purse .

That made the men laugh.

“Stand aside ‘e says, like ‘e’s the one to give orders,”
said the first brigand.  “Ye’ll learn soon enough who’s in charge.  Ye won’t be
sayin’ much a anyfink other than beggin’ for mercy.”

“I said stand aside or be killed,” said Ned, only partly
bluffing.  He knew he could dispatch one, possibly two of the men before the
rest of them overpowered him.  But he wouldn’t give up.  He needed to stay
alive to protect his family.

This made the men laugh even more.  He used that to catch
them off guard, charging at them until he reached the first man.  With a deep
downward slash of the blade, he cut the man’s tendons in the hand holding his
knife.  At the same time, he kicked the man’s kneecap out, sending him crumpled
to the ground in agony. 

The other men descended on him en masse.  He caught a second
man with an elbow to the throat, while he ducked a slashing blade. 
Unfortunately, he couldn’t avoid a club to the back that sent him to the ground. 
He barely rolled out of the way of another brute who was about to stomp his
head.  It became increasingly clear this was no random attack.  These men had
been hired not to scare him, but to kill him.

He swung out a leg and hit a man’s ankles, bringing him
down.  He barely avoided a blade to the chest, when the man he was fighting
suddenly reared back.  When he fell over with a knife in his kidney, Ned looked
up to see Inspector Stapleton.