Nicholas eyed the very dapper Alfred Lemming, Lord Heissen, whose white hands were as plump and beringed as his stepmother's. 'I am pleased to hear your opinion, my lord. Since you appear to be slithering about in this pit of vipers, I have decided to add you to the list. If I die, this entire drawing room will be cleaned out, save for my venomous stepmother. I bid you good-bye. Oh, yes, madam, stay away from my betrothed.'
'Betrothed! It is not to be borne. Why, I-' Nicholas took a step toward her at the same time one of Alfred Lemming's white hands gently pressed down over her mouth. Nicholas nodded at him, noted that despite its apparent softness, that hand of his looked, surprisingly, very strong. Nicholas said, 'Keep it there, my lord, for her own safety.'
When he passed by David Smythe-Jones, he said, 'You really should consider a new name.'
'What? It is a noble name, it is a name that carries countless unspoken tales of bravery and adventure.'
'How long have you been employed here as the butler?'
The soft, white chin went straight up. 'I took care of Master Lance at Oxford. I was ready to assume greater duties in London. I am now in charge of this magnificent house. All look to me to resolve difficulties, to train the tweeny, to ensure Master Lance's cravats are white as a virgin's spit, and well folded. I am perfection and that is what I demand from all the servants.'
Nicholas had a sudden memory of actually smelling the rot eating away at the books in the library just down the corridor. It was odd for a five-year-old boy to remember that. He looked over the young man's head at Lancelot. 'See that you keep your butler in line,' he said, and he paused in the doorway, looked at each of them, his expression pensive. Then he left the town house, seeing their stony faces in his mind's eye. As he took the front steps, he heard his stepmother yell, 'Why did you even let him in, Smythe-Jones? That is not perfection, that is serious bungling. What sort of butler are you?'
'But I wasn't even here! Master Lance and I were still at least a mile away when he shoved his way in. Had I been here he would have walked on my face. I didn't have my gunso I couldn't have shot him. He is dangerous, that big fellow.'
25
An hour later, Nicholas was closeted with Ryder Sherbrooke. Thankfully the Earl of Northcliffe had escorted the wives and Rosalind to Madame Fouquet's. It was a vast relief because Nicholas knew Rosalind would realize something was wrong, and then the three of them would hold him down and question him until he spurted out everything he knew or imagined he knew. And then they would all throw their opinions into the ring and it would be chaos. Rosalind, he thought, something of a fatuous smile on his mouth, would have gotten a gun and gone off to murder the lot of the half brothers. And his stepmother as well, he imagined.
He said now to Ryder, 'One of them is behind the attempt on my life, I simply cannot prove which one it was and so I threatened all of them. Funny thing is, I do have friends who would gladly avenge me. If I leave word, as I most assuredly will, all that pernicious family would be wiped out were I to die.
'However, since I do not believe them stupid, perhaps that is the end to it.' He paused a moment, looking toward the empty fireplace grate. 'Still, I cannot be certain. Fact is, I don't know what to do, sir.'
Ryder paced the beautiful Aubusson carpet in the library, a splendid room filled with five thousand books covering three walls, floor to ceiling. Ryder remembered his father gently cutting each of the pages, handling all the books with incredible gentleness, placing them carefully on the shelves. 'The world is in this room, Ryder,' he'd told him.
After the silence stretched long, Nicholas said, defeat leaching out all emotion in his voice, 'I will leave right this moment and never return if you believe it the thing to do.'
Ryder looked down at a massive globe, spun it slowly, watched England appear, then quickly disappear. So small, he thought, England was so very small, insignificant really, in terms of the size of the earth, but still- He said finally, looking over at the young man, 'I want to agree with you, Nicholas, I really do, but I cannot. Actually, you will add me to the list of your avengers.
'But I do not believe murder will be done. We will take steps to ensure it does not. Now, I know Rosalind wants you for her husband. I know that Rosalind being what she is, being made how she is, being as loyal as she is, she would doubtless follow you back to Macau if you tried to leave her. Thus, I don't believe I have any choice in how to proceed.'
Ryder rubbed his forehead, cursed low and fluent. 'You and Rosalind must wed immediately and leave London. What do you think of Wyverly Chase? I know you spent time there before you came to London.'
'Yes, nearly a month there, putting repairs into motion, so many needed since my father left that beautiful old estate to rot. As for all the tenant farmers, they were in dreadful straits, but that is being corrected as well. I have an excellent estate manager there to oversee repairs.'
'I trust you have sufficient funds to see to all of it?'
'Yes, of course. The penniless boy who left England at the age of twelve made good, sir, as the vernacular goes. You wonder if Wyverly Chase is a good sanctuary. That is what you mean, isn't it, sir? You want Rosalind safe while I sort all this out.'
'Yes. Do you think you and Rosalind will be safe there or should you simply leave the country for a time?'
Nicholas marveled at the decency of this man, his logical brain, and the fact that, when it came down to the meat of the matter, he was doing what Nicholas wished him to do. Nicholas wondered if Rosalind would really follow him to Macau. He said slowly, 'Wyverly Chase is set atop a lovely hill with open views all around. There is a thick pine and maple forest that ends a good one hundred yards from the house.
'As I said, I have an excellent estate manager, Peter Pritchard, the son of my grandfather's man. I have already hired servants, all local, which bodes well for loyalty to me. The tenant farmers are very pleased with me, as is the town of Wyverly-on-Arden since I've ordered most all our supplies from the local merchants. I honestly believe both of us will be safe there until I am able to find out who is behind this.'
'You don't wish to take Rosalind on a honeymoon?'
'Not yet, sir. There would be too many risks to her safety. Let her settle into Wyverly first, see what she thinks of the place.'
Ryder eyed him a moment. 'I hate to tell you this, but it wouldn't matter if Wyverly were a grand palace, she would still redecorate it. She will doubtless redesign and replant the gardens, she will add peacocks, and heaven knows the racket they make.'
Nicholas's left eyebrow shot up.
'It's in her blood, she says, whatever blood that is. She was always trying to change Brandon House, and when Jane refused, Rosalind brought herself to our house and made immediate plans to change the draperies in my estate room as well as rearrange all my furniture.' He grinned. 'She has no taste in clothes, but show her a room and she will make it glorious very quickly indeed. But first- I strongly suggest that this wedding take place as quickly as possible. Hmm, it's Thursday. How about Saturday? Do you think it sufficient time?'
Nicholas nodded. 'I shall visit Bishop Dundridge to procure a special license. I know Rosalind is having her final fitting today with the earl and his wife and yours.'
Ryder nodded. 'I will meet with Willicombe and Cook to see that all is in order for Saturday morning.' He paused a moment, then nodded to himself. 'We shall invite all your relatives, Nicholas.' He quickly raised his hand. 'No, this is important. Trust me on this.'
'They won't come.'
'You are the head of the family. Society would not look kindly upon them if they refused to attend your wedding. And trust me, society will know if they come since I will ensure that all know.'
'But-'
'No, it must be done. Your half brothers and your stepmother must see that it is done, it is over. Douglas and I will be there. It will be all right.'
Nicholas left the Sherbrooke town house feeling a bit light-headed. He paid a visit to Sir Robert Peel on Bow Street, then returned to Grillon's Hotel to inform Lee Po of the new plans.
