The Nobody: Signet Regency Romance (InterMix) (18 page)

Lady Colhurst resided year-round at Hatley End, a country house near St. Albans. Kilverton knew his grandmother was old-fashioned enough to disapprove of any visitor arriving on the Sabbath, so he contented himself with sending her word to expect him on Monday. He informed Jamie, his new tiger, that he would require the tilbury to be brought round Monday morning.

The tilbury was ready betimes, Lord Kilverton’s valise was strapped onto the back, he gave his horses the office to start, Jamie jumped nimbly up behind, and they were off. Kilverton skillfully threaded his horses through the metropolis, and the scenery soon took on a more rural aspect. The traffic dwindled and eventually disappeared.

They had reached a stretch where his lordship’s tilbury was the only vehicle in sight, when Kilverton was roused from a brown study by a sound of galloping behind him. He pulled obligingly off the crown of the road, creating space for whoever was in such a hurry to overtake him.

It almost sounded as if the thundering hooves were drawing too near for safety. Kilverton turned to glance behind him, intending to call out a warning.

Then something struck him a powerful blow on the back of his head and he knew no more.

Chapter XXI

O
n Monday afternoon, Miss Emily Campbell, tortured by guilt, set out to pay a call of apology on Lady Serena Kilverton. She was taking the first possible opportunity to explain, if she could, her strange and hasty exit during Serena’s Saturday visit. Her plans were soon hindered somewhat by an unexpected encounter with Philip Talgarth. Captain Talgarth, through a combination of luck and design, met Emily
en route
to Mount Street and offered to escort her to her destination. Once she had Captain Talgarth’s arm to sustain her rather than Lady Lynwood’s footman trailing in her wake, Emily’s progress slowed from a businesslike walk to a dreamy stroll. By the time they reached the Earl of Selcroft’s town home it was nearly two o’clock and she had all but forgotten the purpose of her visit.

Serena received the two of them with great fortitude, although it was certainly a little off-putting to feel oneself a third wheel in one’s own home. Besides, it still annoyed Serena to see Captain Talgarth dancing attendance on anyone other than herself. Desperate to distract her visitors from their absorption in each other, Serena had just rung for tea when Mr. Edward Montague was announced. Serena brightened perceptibly.

Before Serena could tell Bradshaw to show him up, however, Ned shouldered past the affronted butler and fairly ran to her, seizing both her hands in his. “Serena, where is Kilverton?” he demanded.

“Three miles from Selcroft Hall,” she replied promptly.

“Not the town, you little wretch! Your brother!”

Serena, laughing, struggled to disengage her hands. “He drove out this morning to Hatley End, I believe. We don’t expect him back before evening, and perhaps not until tomorrow. Really, Ned, how can you burst in here in this hurly-burly fashion? Do you not see I am engaged?”

“Beg pardon!” said Mr. Montague hastily, favoring Emily and Captain Talgarth with a sketchy bow. He turned back to Serena at once, however, regarding her with painful intensity. “Serena, did Kilverton have his tiger with him when he left?”

Serena stared at him. “Yes, of course. Whatever is amiss? You took as if you’d seen a ghost.”

Ned swore under his breath and took a swift turn about the room. “What I have seen is your brother’s tiger!” he flung over his shoulder at Serena. “Leaving messages all over town for your Uncle Oswald!”

Serena caught Ned by the arm. “Sit down, Ned, for pity’s sake! You are giving me the fidgets. Now, pray, what are you on about? Why should Richard’s tiger be leaving messages for Uncle Oswald? What sort of message is he leaving?”

Ned perched obediently on the edge of a settee, but gave the appearance of being poised for instant flight. “Well, you’ve hit it, Serena. Why
should
Richard’s tiger be hunting high and low for Oswald Kilverton? Oh, and skulking about with the greatest secrecy imaginable, let me tell you! Leaving discreet little messages at White’s, and Boodle’s, and the Lord alone knows where else. I discovered it by the merest accident. I was just coming out of White’s when I saw him—what’s his name? Jimmy?”

“Jamie. But, Ned, you must have been mistaken! Jamie is even now with my brother—”

“No, he is not, I tell you! Unless—Serena, is it possible Richard has returned to town for some reason?”

Serena looked doubtful, “He has certainly not returned here, at any rate.”

Emily’s soft eyes widened. “Oh, I do hope Lord Kilverton has not met with another accident!”

Ned’s mouth hardened into a grim line. “I hope not, indeed.”

It was clear he placed no dependence on this hope. Serena’s fingers tightened on the arms of her chair, but she took a reasonable tone. “Ned, if some accident befell Richard, Jamie would be with him. He would certainly not return to London without my brother! If Richard were injured in any way, Jamie would fetch a surgeon. Or at the very least he would return to Mount Street with the news, not go off to tell my uncle, of all people!”

Ned leaped up as if goaded, and took another turn about the room. “Yes, except that he has not returned to you, and he
has
gone off to search for your uncle! And where is Richard? There’s something devilish havey-cavey afoot!” he exclaimed. “Your brother has met with too many accidents lately, Serena. And I’d stake my last groat your uncle’s at the bottom of ’em all!”

Having stunned the company to silence, Mr. Montague then delivered a pithy outline of the suspicions he had voiced to Richard in Lord Selcroft’s library not so long ago, and ended with: “There will be the devil to pay, if that new tiger of Richard’s was somehow bribed by your uncle to—” He broke off, swallowing hard.

Serena, who had grown noticeably paler during Ned’s summation of the dangers he saw threatening her only brother, pressed a shaking hand over her mouth. Emily flew to her side and placed an arm around her. “You must not be alarmed, Lady Serena,” she said gently. “We do not know that anything bad has happened, after all.”

“There may be an innocent explanation for these things you have mentioned, Montague,” said Captain Talgarth bracingly. “And there may be an innocent explanation for Lord Kilverton’s servant seeking out his uncle. Kilverton may have sent him to do so.”

Mr. Montague gave an expressive snort, and Serena shook her head, whispering, “Impossible!”

Captain Talgarth lost none of his calm authority. “Well, if Mr. Montague suspects foul play, we certainly must take steps to discover the truth. It does seem unusual that Lord Kilverton’s tiger, after driving off with him as recently as this morning, should have returned to town.”

“Aye!” Ned growled. “Without Richard! And searching eagerly for that scoundrel, Oswald Kilverton! Daresay they’ve connected by now. Even as we speak, Oswald may be congratulating Jamie on a job well done.”

Serena uttered a squeak of fear and bounded up out of her chair. “Why are we all standing about? We must do something!” she cried.

“So we shall.” Captain Talgarth, accustomed to command, was not surprised to find three pairs of eyes turning expectantly to him. He cast an appraising glance at Mr. Montague. He had been in the habit of thinking Edward Montague a frippery fellow, but Ned was returning his gaze with a level, concentrated attention that caused the captain to hope he had been mistaken. He reserved judgment until he could determine how well Mr. Montague followed orders.

“Mr. Montague, do you go back to White’s and discover what you can. Someone will know of Jamie’s whereabouts, or Oswald Kilverton’s. With luck, Lord Kilverton himself may be there, or someone may have seen him, and the mystery will solve itself. In the meantime, I will pay a short visit to the Duke of Arnsford. It may be that Lord Kilverton has, in fact, returned to town and is even now with his fiancée. It is conceivable he would go there first, rather than here. Regardless of what we find, we shall reconnoiter here within the hour.”

This demonstration of the captain’s masterful ways caused Emily to glow with admiration, but Serena bristled at such high-handedness. “And what am I to do?” she demanded. “I cannot sit here waiting tamely for your return!”

The captain regarded her, considering. “I believe you should ensure that horses are waiting for us when we do return.” He bestowed a reassuring smile upon Lord Kilverton’s anxious relative. “More than likely, we will have no need of them,” he said soothingly. “But if we fail to find Lord Kilverton—or at the very least, Jamie—Mr. Montague and I will ride out in search of your brother’s tilbury.”

As soon as the men were gone, Serena jumped to ring the bell and plunged into a flurry of activity. The tea for which she had rung earlier arrived, and while Emily poured, Serena arranged for the requested horses to be saddled and brought round. She also sent for her abigail, ordering her to instantly pack a bandbox with all items necessary for an overnight sojourn at a country house.

“Mind you, Sarah, it must contain only the bare essentials! Everything must be included in one bandbox. But, stay—do pack extra linen, if you please, and my pink muslin.”

Sarah hurried off to do her bidding, and Emily turned bewildered eyes upon her hostess. “Lady Serena, I do not understand. Why must your abigail pack a bandbox?”

Serena struck a small fist into a determined palm. “If Ned and Captain Talgarth go in search of Richard, I go with them! He is my brother, after all. I cannot stay here, fretting myself to flinders while others ride to his rescue! Mama would see me and instantly know something was amiss, and I do not wish to frighten her when there is nothing she can do.” She clasped Emily’s hands beseechingly. “You will go with me, will you not? Pray do not desert me—for I very much fear we will not return before dark, and must stay with my grandmother Colhurst one night. I have directed Sarah to bring extra linen, and my pink muslin will suit you beautifully.”

“Go with you!” gasped Emily, shrinking. “Oh, Lady Serena, I cannot—”

“Yes, indeed you can!” urged Serena. “We may easily send a note round to Lady Lynwood. And oh, Emily, if you do not go, how can I?”

Emily instantly saw the force of this argument. She was very much in sympathy with Serena’s desire to join in the search for her beloved brother, but it would, after all, be a shocking thing for Lady Serena to ride out of Town with two single gentlemen, unaccompanied by any female. If she did not return until the morrow, that would be more shocking still. However, neither Emily’s regard for the proprieties, nor her strong inclination to accompany Captain Talgarth wherever he might go, could immediately persuade her to set down her tea and dash off the requisite note to Lady Lynwood. Serena spent the better part of an hour pleading with her. Emily had just seated herself reluctantly at the tambour-topped writing desk when they heard Mr. Montague’s excited voice raised once again outside the drawing room door: “Thank you, I’ll announce myself!”

Ned burst in and Serena ran to him, thoughtlessly clutching at his elegant lapels and crushing them in her anxious fists. “Ned, what has happened? I thought Captain Talgarth would return before you! Did you find Richard?”

“No, I did not.” Mr. Montague’s sustaining arms came up to steady Serena, and he grinned down at her. “No need to pull my coat about, Serena! We’ll find him, all right and tight.”

There was a reckless, angry glitter in Mr. Montague’s eyes, and although he kept one arm around Serena his concentration was clearly elsewhere. “I take it Captain Talgarth has not returned? Well, we may still hope he found Kilverton in Lady Elizabeth’s drawing room.”

Serena, unaware that she still clung to Mr. Montague’s willowy form, turned a shade paler. “No, for if Richard were there, the captain would have returned or sent word by now. I was convinced you would find him at White’s!”

“No, neither Richard nor his tiger. White’s had nothing to tell me but that they had sent Jamie to Mr. Oswald Kilverton’s lodgings. So off I went, hot-foot, to knock on Oswald’s door. Had to, grease that butler of his in the fist, but I found out a few things worth knowing.” Ned uttered a short, ugly laugh, and his arm tightened around Serena. “Jamie had been there less than an hour before me, and had private speech with Mr. Kilverton. Your precious Uncle Oswald then instantly ordered a hack sent round. When last seen, Oswald was riding out of town—north! With your brother’s tiger to show him the way, Serena.”

Both girls gasped, and Mr. Montague ground his teeth. “The worst of it is, I didn’t even have to describe the rascal to Oswald’s butler—he knew Jamie’s name; knew him quite well, in fact! Your brother’s tiger was a bootblack and kitchen boy in Oswald’s own household until very recently!”

Serena gave a little scream of fright and flew out of Mr. Montague’s arms. “What can be keeping Captain Talgarth? We must set out for Hatley End immediately!” She rang the bell violently and sent a startled footman to fetch the bandbox from her abigail.

Mr. Montague, whose appetite was unaffected by emergency, had discovered the tea cart and was refreshing himself with a generous slice of cake. “Here, I say!” he spluttered. “What do you want with a bandbox, Serena?”

Emily, pale but resolute, laid a gentle hand on Mr. Montague’s arm. “Pray let me hand you a dish of tea, Mr. Montague! Lady Serena and I will naturally accompany you on any search for her brother.”

Mr. Montague choked. “Will you, by Jove? I think not! No, Serena, do not argue with me! Captain Talgarth and I are not setting off on an expedition of pleasure! If you are picturing a gentle canter across a meadow, you’re fair and far off, my girl! Neither of you has the stamina to join us on this venture, and I’ll be da—I’ll be
jiggered
if we slacken our pace to suit a couple of sidesaddled demoiselles bogged down with baggage!”

“Very well, then, Emily and I will not ride. We shall go in my phaeton!” said Serena staunchly.

Mr. Montague groaned, but Serena nibbled her finger, thinking swiftly. “Driving the phaeton will not be as tiring as riding. We must not attempt to keep the parties together, of course; you and Captain Talgarth should ride ahead—although the phaeton will probably keep up with you regardless, because we will not stop for any reason. Emily and I shall drive directly to my grandmother Colhurst. You men must halt from time to time to ask if anyone has seen my brother’s tilbury. If you encounter any news—
any
news, Ned!—you must either find us on the road or catch us up at Hatley End.”

“What, two girls alone, bowling down the open road in a park phaeton?” objected Ned. “For one thing, it ain’t safe, and for another—”

“Then you and the captain may take turns escorting us! But I can’t and I won’t be left behind!” cried Serena vehemently, and pulled the bell yet again to order the phaeton. Lady Serena and Mr. Montague were still arguing when Captain Talgarth arrived. To everyone’s astonishment, Lady Elizabeth Delacourt walked in with him.

Captain Talgarth, in the mistaken belief that Elizabeth was suffering the alarm and tender emotions he knew Emily would feel in a like situation, had kindly brought her to Mount Street so she might have the comfort of her future sister-in-law’s companionship while he and Mr. Montague searched for Lord Kilverton. However, in the cacophony of excited voices that followed his entrance with Elizabeth on his arm, it became abundantly clear that Lady Serena was refusing to stay quietly in London, either to comfort her brother’s fiancée or for any other reason. When he learned that Emily intended to join Serena on this foolish and dangerous exploit, the captain was genuinely shocked. His vigorous protests found a receptive ear in Lady Elizabeth, who (to Serena’s dismay and Emily’s relief) instantly proposed to go in Emily’s stead.