As Laura and Daniel came within sight of the house again, they saw immediately that Augustine’s ride to Langford Place later that morning would no longer be necessary, for word had already reached the furious earl who had immediately driven over to see for himself what was happening on an estate which only the night before he had believed to be his own at last.
Laura looked with some trepidation at the landau with its fine team of whites, and Daniel reassuringly put his hand over the small fingers that rested on his arm. They entered the house and Hawkins immediately came forward.
“My lady, the Earl of Langford expects you to attend him in the library at one o’clock.”
“Thank you, Hawkins.” She glanced at Daniel. “He expects that I attend him? Oh, he does indeed regard this house as his, doesn’t he?”
He took out his fob watch. “You have half an hour in which to fume.”
She smiled. “And fume I will. I will also take myself to my room to change. Shall you go to Nicholas now?”
“Yes.”
“I will come there directly my ordeal is over.”
He watched her ascend the staircase. How small and lost she looked, and how desperately vulnerable, for all her brave talk. Charles Dodswell’s words came into his head again. “Daniel, my laddo,” he admitted to himself, “You do indeed begin to covet that which is not yours.”
* * *
Laura’s route took her past the red saloon, and as its door was not properly closed she heard low voices inside. She stopped, recognizing Augustine’s voice.
“But I beg of you, James—”
“I will not be made a fool of, madam; nor will I allow you to forget that which you are party to.”
“That was uncalled for!”
“Was it? I think not, and it would seem that a timely reminder is quite in order under the circumstances.”
“You are only saying these things because you are angry that Nicholas is alive.”
“Angry? I am damned well furious! And your decision now, madam, does little to soothe that anger.”
Mrs. Townsend spoke then. “My lord, I do not think you are at all fair with my daughter.”
“What has being fair to do with this? Is she fair with me? Well—is she? There, you cannot give me an answer, because you know that she is not. I am not fool enough to think that over the past weeks she has encouraged me because she has miraculously fallen in love with me! She has welcomed my advances simply and solely because of this house—oh, and maybe also because of my wealth and title. But it is the house which sways her, isn’t it? I have accepted that, because I cannot expect anything else, for I have not the looks and charm of my elegant cousin! What I cannot and will not accept, however, is her return to his side after what has passed between us.”
“But I have not returned to his side,” protested Augustine, with an air of innocence Laura could only admire. “How can I when he has a wife now?”
“An unconsummated marriage can be set aside, as you and I both know full well. So I think we may forget this so-called wife, don’t you? It is quite obvious to me that the moment he is well enough, he will wish to rid himself of an unwanted marriage, and that he will then take you as his bride.”
“James, how can I convince you that I am true to you now? I have every intention of becoming your wife the moment your two years of mourning for your first wife are over. In six months time your ring will be on my finger, but in the meantime I must ask you to allow me to conduct my affairs as I see fit.”
“Would to God I could believe you….”
“You can believe me.”
“Prove it then by agreeing to let our former agreement stand.”
“It would not look well.”
“Since when has that concerned you? Augustine, I swear that unless you do as I demand now, then I will work against you, and believe me, that is no idle threat.”
“Against me? In what way?” Augustine’s voice was suddenly very wary.
“By openly and warmly welcoming the new Lady Grenville. By effecting introductions for her, by generally signifying my approval and thus making it very difficult indeed for Nicholas to cast her off.”
“You would not do that!”
“But I would, Augustine. I love you and have done so for longer than I care to mention, for my wife was certainly alive when first I wanted you. It is my desire for you which drives me so far—why else do you imagine that I sought to—?”
“Don’t!” she cried. “Don’t say it aloud, not here in this house!”
“Why not? Because it offends you? Come now.” He gave a short, cold laugh.
At the door Laura felt the mirthless chill of that laugh, and, she shivered. Her mind was racing. What was he referring to? What had he done that so frightened Augustine now?
He spoke again. “I mean it when I say I will work against you, my dear, and I urge you to think carefully on it, for if Nicholas’s marriage remains intact, then what will there be for you? I promise you that you will not be able to turn to me. You will have nothing, Augustine, absolutely nothing.”
She was at her most persuasive and convincing then. “James, you have no need to threaten me or to doubt me. Your fears are not justified, for I promise you that when the time comes I will become your wife.”
“If I have fears, they are of your causing. Allay them now once and for all by allowing the arrangement made yesterday, before all this happened, to go ahead as originally planned.”
What arrangement? Laura could not even begin to guess what they were talking about, but she did know that all that she had overheard in the red saloon was of great moment.
Augustine still hesitated over her answer, and the seconds ticked leadenly by as the earl waited. “Very well,” she said at last, “I will come to Taunton, but I will need to make a very convincing excuse—”
“You will succeed in that, my dear, I am sure.”
“I do love you, James, please do not think that I do not.”
“With the answer you have just given me, Augustine, how can I doubt you?”
“Will you take some more coffee with us, my lord?” inquired Mrs. Townsend, and Laura distinctly heard the chink of a silver coffeepot against a porcelain cup.
“I fear I cannot, dear lady, as I have to see my cousin’s upstart of a wife shortly, and before then I wish to see that damned valet Henderson, to find out exactly what did happen in Venice. Something is very wrong somewhere, as I think both you and I know only too well. I will not be tricked by anyone, not by anyone.” His heavy steps approached the door and then stopped again. “By the way, I fear I have something to tell you which will not please you at all. You will not receive an invitation to the Duke of Gloucester’s marriage ceremony.”
“Not?” Augustine’s disappointment was evident. “Why?”
“Because of your recent connection with me, my dear. The duke and I have never seen eye to eye, and the last time I was in London I am afraid that I crossed him severely, something the duke is not a man to forgive. However, you will soon have your own wedding arrangements to make, will you not? I promise you a wedding as grand as the duke and Princess Mary’s, and I promise you guests of as great consequence.” He came toward the door again.
Laura glanced fearfully around. Where could she hide? She saw a small adjoining passageway and gathered her skirts to hurry to the shadows there, just as the door opened fully and the earl emerged. She did not see him, however, for he turned in the opposite direction, his slow, careful steps echoing as he walked along the main gallery.
In the red saloon, the two women continued to talk, and the door remained just that little bit open so that once again Laura could hear what they said.
Mrs. Townsend’s voice was decidedly anxious. “I think, Augustine, that you would do better to stay with the earl—”
“And lose this house and Nicholas Grenville? Never!”
“The house is not more important than your own future, my dear.”
“My future will always be connected with this house; nothing else matters to me. Except perhaps Nicholas. I swear that I did not know how much I wanted him until I thought him dead.” Augustine’s voice was soft.
“He has taken another woman as his wife, and if he survives his present setbacks, there is nothing to say he will not wish to keep her.”
Augustine was scornful. “You think she is capable of taking him from me? No one can take from me that which I wish to keep—and I wish to keep Nicholas Grenville.”
“And if he dies? The earl may see through you yet, Augustine, for you play a dangerous game with him. We both know how far he will go, don’t we?”
There was a silence then and Laura knew that her mother’s words had had an effect on Augustine. But the moment was short, and Augustine’s supreme confidence and vanity returned.
“I know what I am doing, Mama. Believe me. Whatever happens, if Nicholas lives or dies, I will have this house. I want to live here as Nicholas’s wife, but if that is not to be, then I will live here as the Countess of Langford. But now, enough of this, let us turn to more cheering and immediate matters….”
They began to talk about arrangements for the masquerade they intended holding, and Laura walked on, turning over and over in her mind what she had heard. What dark secret of the earl’s had Augustine and her mother decided to condone? And what arrangement was it that would take Augustine to Taunton? But all the questions remained unanswered as she reached her own room and called for Kitty.