Pemberley: The Next Generation

Simon Bingley’s Resolve

Wendy Soliman

Pemberley: The Next Generation

Simon Bingley’s Resolve

Edited by Perry Iles

Cover by Clockwork Art

This e-Book is a work of fiction. While references may be made to actual places or events, the names, characters, incidents, and locations contained are from the author’s imagination and are not a resemblance of actual living or dead persons, business, or events. Any similarities are coincidental.

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The Author – Wendy Soliman

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Contents

Chapter One

‘This is the life.’ Spencer Darcy lay flat on his back on the banks of Pemberley’s lake in shirtsleeves, his eyes closed, chewing on a blade of grass. Strong sunshine blazed down on the parched earth, and a ripple of air carried the tepid suggestion of a breeze that barely disturbed the reeds beside the lake. ‘Can’t remember when we last had such a hot summer. Never thought I’d say it, but we need some rain.’

‘Enjoy the peace while you still can,’ his cousin Simon Bingley responded. He too was supine and casually attired, but unlike Spence his eyes were wide open. He stared up at a cerulean sky, interspersed with the odd white fluffy cloud, but was too preoccupied to fully appreciate the fine weather. ‘Your mother’s house party starts tomorrow and the place will be swamped.’

‘With our sisters’ children.’ Spence yawned. ‘Which is fine by me. I like children and enjoy being an uncle. Anyway, Pemberley has more than enough space for them to tumble about and get into mischief.’

‘Mischief which you will doubtless instigate.’

Spence chuckled. ‘I consider it an important part of my unclely duties.’

‘Is that even a word? Unclely?’

Spence shrugged. ‘It seems appropriate.’

‘Well anyway, this annual event has become a great deal more than a family reunion.’

‘Ah, I see what you mean.’

Spence clearly thought the situation serious enough to sit up, open his eyes and give it due consideration. ‘You allude to our mothers’ not so subtle reminders that we have collectively thus far managed to evade the parson’s mousetrap.’ Spence nodded emphatically, as though answering his own question. ‘Well, for my part, it doesn’t signify. Marc is the eldest. He’s the heir to all this lot, so he will bear the brunt of the matchmakers’ machinations.’ He leaned back on one braced arm and waved the other in a lazy arc to encompass the Pemberley estate. ‘I am merely an afterthought.’

‘Ha! I’ve seen the way the ladies gravitate towards you. They appear to find you appealing. Damned if I know why.’

‘Well, I’m with you there, cuz. Must be my natural charm and good looks.’

Simon snorted. ‘Don’t forget our pact.’

‘You’re the one who’s always falling in love and needs to be reminded not to break ranks.’

Simon stared off into the distance. ‘That was before I became more discerning.’

Spence choked on a laugh and refrained from comment.

‘I’ll have you know that I am now firmly resolved to keep my end of the bargain I struck with you and the rest of my male cousins. None of us shall marry until we reach the age of five-and-twenty—and perhaps not even then.’

‘You and I are too young to contemplate such drastic measures, but Marc is fast approaching that age and has a duty to lead by example. Problem is that once one of us falls, the rest of us will be considered fair game.’ Spence pulled a doomed face. ‘I shall remind Marc of the importance of brotherly solidarity at the earliest opportunity. I dare say mother has someone in mind for him, so we’ll need to put him on his guard.’

‘We are both three-and-twenty ourselves now,’ Simon remarked.

‘My point exactly. Far too young to be tied down.’

Simon laughed. ‘Don’t you ever take anything seriously?’

‘Not if I can help it. I suppose it’s different for you. You are your father’s heir and expectations ride on your shoulders as much as they do on Marc’s.’

Simon chortled. ‘Campton Park isn’t in the same league as Pemberley.’

‘Perhaps not, but it’s still a rich estate. Your father has ensured its prosperity, which means you are required to carry on in similar vein. And that makes you an attractive proposition to the fairer sex, especially since you are as easy going as your old man and can never bring yourself to remain aloof.’

‘I should hope not. We can’t all skulk around the edges of drawing rooms, discouraging polite intercourse.’

Spence yawned. ‘I bore easily.’

‘I’ll have you know that females from all walks of life find me very personable for reasons that have nothing to do with my expectations.’

Spence rolled his eyes. ‘You don’t need to remind me. How many unsuitable entanglements have I rescued you from?’

Simon pretended to be insulted. ‘Can I help it if I have such a naturally trusting character?’

‘Your problem, if you don’t mind my saying so—’

‘Would it stop you telling me even if I did?’

‘It’s for your own good.’ Spence laughed. ‘Someone has to protect you from yourself, cousin. You see good in everyone, and never assume that the females who go out of their way to impress you are doing so at the behest of their ambitious families. Before you fall in love again, look at the lady’s mother and ask yourself if you could live with her interfering in your affairs for the rest of your days. I have heard my uncle Bingley remark that he was obliged to move all the way to Derbyshire in order to distance himself from our grandmother’s interfering ways.’

‘You’re a cold fish, Spence.’

‘Not a bit of it. I consider it my duty to remind you of the way the world works for men like us. Let’s face it, Si, you don’t have a practical bone in your body. I have often thought that you would make an inspired poet, given that you are such a dreamer.’

‘Better than being a cynic like you. You can be so damned insulting.’ Simon knew that he was too easy going, and took enjoyment from everything that came his way. But he had grown wiser with the passing of the years and was less likely to be taken in. ‘You make me sound like an easily-led fool who doesn’t know his own mind.’

‘Which was not my intention. You are simply too trusting.’

Simon offered up a wry smile. ‘Mother tells me that I inherited that trait from the pater. He only ever saw the best in everyone when he was my age, and many attempted to exploit his good nature as a consequence. But I am not completely mutton-headed, and shall not allow myself to become entangled injudiciously. You no longer have to worry about me. I have learned sufficient lessons from my past disappointments.’

‘But I do.’ Spence yawned. ‘Worry, that is. All the time. Someone has to take responsibility for you.’

Simon sighed. ‘In some respects I feel I owe it to my ageing parents to settle down and relieve the pater of some of his responsibilities.’

‘Good heavens, you don’t need to get yourself leg-shackled in order to do that. Marc, Luke and I make ourselves useful around here without feeling the need to contemplate anything quite so drastic.’

‘There are three of you, so the future of Pemberley is secure, but I am my father’s only son.’

‘Lord above, what’s wrong with you today?’ Spence asked, barely conscious of the strengthening breeze that had sprung up from nowhere, cooling his heated face. ‘You are most definitely not yourself.’

‘Don’t you think it’s unfair that our sisters all felt the need to marry before they reached twenty for fear of being looked upon as ape-leaders—’

‘I don’t think that’s why they married. They simply fell in love. Unlike your forays into love, for them it was the real thing. Bella tells me one simply knows. I shall take her word for it.’ Spence shrugged. ‘Our sisters were not targeted for their fortunes. In the case of my two, the pater would have withheld his consent if he thought that was their suitors’ real objectives.’

‘True, but even if they hadn’t been well dowered—especially then—they would surely have felt pressured into accepting an offer.’

‘Ha! I’m having a hard time imagining Bella caving in to that sort of pressure.’

Simon chuckled too. ‘Not all young women are as self-assured as your twin. Anyway, my point is that we men are not under quite so much pressure as our female counterparts, and allowances are made if we prefer to procrastinate.’

‘Only because we have the luxury of financial independence. Other men, especially younger sons, will be putting themselves through the rigours of the marriage mart during the season and the house party circuit at this time of year, on the prowl for a rich wife. And they will start their trawl at a much younger age than we have reached. At least we are spared that indignity.’ Spence sat fully upright and peered at Simon. ‘Anyway, what’s brought on this mood of introspection? Clearly you have something on your mind, which is why you have arrived a day early. As always, I will be happy to offer you the benefit of my wisdom.’

Simon laughed. ‘Don’t be so damned pompous.’

‘Just trying to keep you out of trouble. That’s what cousins are for.’

‘What about you? What do you plan to do with your future, Spence?’ Simon had indeed come to Pemberley in order to sound Spence out, but now that he’d created the opening he hesitated, aware that his cousin would tell him he was being an idiot. Simon and Spence were as close as brothers, but Spence was unquestionably the most intelligent of the current generation. He had excelled at Eton and then at Cambridge, where he came away with a first, having put little or no effort into his studies, at least as far as Simon—who’d had to work very hard and hadn’t especially distinguished himself—could tell. ‘You have money of your own and I assume that your father and Marc, when he inherits, will find you plenty to do. Even so, I can’t see that being enough to occupy your big brain and you will be restless until you find intellectual fulfilment.’

‘Oh, I won’t stay here, getting under Marc’s feet and annoying his future wife. I shall set up on my own somewhere and live the life of a lazy recluse.’

‘Now I know you’re bamming me. You enjoy society too much, not to mention compliant feminine company, to withdraw from the world.’

‘I didn’t say I would give up all my pleasures.’

The cousins laughed.

‘Come on then, cuz, out with it. Why are you so glum?’

‘Have you been introduced to the Daytons?’

‘I’ve heard the name mentioned. They are new to the district, if memory serves. Mother made a point of telling me that she’s invited them to the party, so I assume they have daughters to marry off.’

‘That’s rather my point,’ Simon replied. ‘About being under pressure to marry, I mean. The Daytons have just moved into Langston House. It’s a smallish estate outside Hoxton, not far from us, so naturally Mother called to welcome the family to the district. They have dined with us a couple of times and I think they came here recently while you were away visiting Bella, which would account for your not having met them yet. Anyway, there are two daughters.’

‘Which one are you in love with this time?’ Spence asked, grinning and sighing simultaneously.

‘I’m not in love, you ass!’ Simon stared at the lake, smiling as a family of ducks traversed its surface serenely, the ducklings following their parents in a crooked line. ‘But there’s something not quite right about the family.’ He frowned. ‘I can’t put my finger on it. They have returned to England after a long sojourn in the Indies, where Dayton has a plantation. I get the impression that they returned after some sort of unpleasantness that involved the elder Miss Dayton, but I’m not sure why I have formed that opinion,’ Simon added, frowning. ‘Deuced odd, come to think of it. It’s just an impression, I suppose. Something about the guarded way they speak about Miss Nadia Dayton—who, in case you are wondering, is very charming.’

Spence shrugged. ‘What of it? I have yet to meet a young woman for the first time without being told that she is charming and accomplished and all the other rot that is apparently so important. One assumes this paragon is also beautiful, which is why she has caught your attention.’

‘I say, am I that shallow?’

‘Not shallow, exactly. We are all guilty of setting a great deal of stock in appearances, and I for one am not averse to a pretty face. However, if that’s all a lady has to offer, and if she can’t string two intelligible sentences together, I soon lose interest.’

‘Females are supposed to be decorative, not clever,’ Simon pointed out.

‘I’m aware of that, but it doesn’t follow that I approve. Look at Bella, she’s a perfect case in point. She isn’t a raving beauty, and she is very clever and far too opinionated for modern tastes, yet she succeeded in securing the affections of one of the most eligible men in all of England.’ Spence grinned. ‘I still sometimes find it difficult to think of her as being a countess.’

‘Shame about the old earl turning up his toes this past winter. I rather liked him.’

‘As did I. It was a brutal winter though, and it took its toll. Lady Catherine, my great aunt, succumbed to her ailments, and Grandmamma Bennet is not doing so well.’ Spence sighed. ‘Such is the cycle of life and death.’

‘Indeed.’

‘Anyway, returning to the subject of Bella, she laughs about her new status as Countess of Ripon and freely admits that she almost didn’t accept Warner because of the expectations that were resting on his shoulders.’

‘Bella is highly unusual. Most women would give ten years of their lives to be in her position. Either way, Miss Dayton is…well, also a little unusual. She is not the first word in beauty, but she has a certain presence. A sense of self-containment and an apparent disinterest in her new neighbours, which is unusual.’ Simon screwed up his features, attempting to put into words what it was about her that he found so alluring. ‘It’s the way she moves so instinctively sensuously, blithely unaware of the impression she creates. Her younger sister, on the other hand, is a vision.’

Spence considered the subject matter sufficiently serious to sit fully upright and give Simon his full attention. ‘I take it Miss Dayton, rather than her sublime sister, is the one who has caught your attention. Should I be worried for you?’

‘It’s damned annoying, but I can’t stop feeling concerned about her situation. Not because my intentions have strayed in the direction that you probably assume, but because she is under pressure from her family to enter into a marriage that doesn’t appeal to her.’

‘How do you know?’

‘A remark Mother let slip.’

‘How old is she?’

‘Twenty, I think.’

‘Ah, so that’s what all that earlier twaddle was about. She’s under pressure because she is no longer in the first flush of youth, and her visionary younger sister’s chances of making a good match will be marred by an older sister who appears disinclined to tie the knot.’

Simon scowled at the lake. ‘I hate injustice of any sort.’

‘You can’t interfere, Simon. She won’t be the first female to make the ultimate sacrifice for her family’s sake.’

‘Very likely not. Anyway, perhaps I’m imagining it all.’ He stretched his arms above his head. ‘Even so, my instincts aren’t often wrong and I’d wager a very large sum on that father of hers not being what he seems.’

Spence raised both brows. ‘You think he isn’t a gentleman? And yet your parents and mine have entertained them. Surely they would have detected…’

‘One assumes so, but I can’t shake the feeling that Miss Dayton is being used as a sacrificial lamb.’

‘Who’s the blighter she’s being forced to marry? Anyone we know?’

‘Someone they were acquainted with overseas, I believe. That’s all I’ve been told.’

‘I should have guessed I’d find you two here, idling your time away.’

Spence looked up at Marc, who approached with his lurcher Astor at his heels. ‘That’s what days like this are made for, big brother,’ he said, scratching Astor’s ears. ‘Far too hot to contemplate doing anything that requires effort. Besides, we are not idle. I have been giving Simon the benefit of my infinite wisdom. He’s in danger of falling in love, but I think I have managed to avert that particular disaster.’

‘I am not!’

‘Heavens, not again,’ Marc said at the same time, as he flopped down onto the grass beside Spence. ‘The ladies see you coming, cousin.’

‘Be warned. We have new neighbours, the Daytons, who will be attending this party. They have two daughters, the younger of whom, according to the expert on the subject,’ Spence said, jerking a thumb towards Simon, ‘is a vision. So it stands to reason she will have you in her sights.’

‘Oh lud!’ Marc sighed. ‘I wish Mother wouldn’t—’

‘Quite,’ Spence said sympathetically. ‘Apparently they have dined here once already. Did you not meet them?’

‘It must have been while Luke and I were in Derby on business for Father. I seem to recall Mother mentioning something about it being a shame that I had missed the new people. Couldn’t be helped. Had to negotiate with competing merchants for the export of our fleeces. Finished up staying over for two nights.’

‘Ah, the travails of responsibility,’ Spence said with a theatrical shudder.

‘Why do you put up with him?’ Marc asked.

Simon rolled his eyes. ‘That is a question I often ask myself.’

‘You both know very well that you couldn’t manage without the benefit of my worldly wisdom.’

‘Well in that case, perhaps you’d care to transfer your worldly wisdom to the house. Mother is expecting us all for tea. A moment for the family to enjoy one another’s company before a deluge of guests descends upon Pemberley, one supposes. Susie and James are already here, and Bella’s expected today, too.’

At the mention of tea, Spence was the first to spring to his feet with an athletic elegance that Simon had always admired. Whatever Spence did was achieved with grace, charm and an irreverent attitude. It was as compelling as it was infuriating.

‘When is Mr Molineux expected to arrive in England?’ Sophia Dayton lolled on her sister’s bed as she posed the question.

‘Why ask me?’ Nadia replied, shuddering.

‘Oh come on, Nadia. Everyone knows he’s madly in love with you and wants to marry you. He is very wealthy. You should snap him up.’

‘No thank you. I don’t even like him.’

‘What has that to do with the matter?’ Sophia sat up and examined her reflection in Nadia’s long glass. Sprawling on the bed had dislodged a curl or two. She tutted and set them back in place. ‘I should be ashamed to reach the age of twenty and not be engaged to be married, at the very least.’

‘Then it is fortunate that you are unlikely to find yourself in that situation, given that marriage appears to be your only ambition.’

‘Why should it not be? Married women have so much more freedom. Anyway, I have decided to marry Marcus Darcy.’

‘You haven’t even met him.’

‘Yes, that’s true. It was annoying that he wasn’t there when we dined at Pemberley. But it is also beside the point. One glance at that lovely house and the estate was sufficient for me to know it’s where I belong.’

Nadia sighed at her sister’s unrealistic expectations. ‘You imagine you are the first young woman to aspire to that position?’

‘Very likely not, but we are being admitted to the estate for a full week. That will be ample time for me to show myself off. I am absolutely sure that Marc won’t be able to help falling madly in love with me.’

Nadia shook her head. ‘Have you any notion of how conceited you sound?’

‘Why should I not?’ Sophia seemed genuinely surprised by Nadia’s criticism. ‘I am very pretty, everyone says so, and I am sure that Marc would much prefer to have a pretty wife than a plain one. He has to marry someone. I can be sweet and biddable and will give him no trouble, so why not me?’

‘You said the same thing about Mr Jordan when we were in Jamaica, but nothing came of it. In fact he didn’t even seem to like you very much in the end.’ Nadia knew he had not, since he had gone out of his way to tell Nadia that he didn’t approve of younger sisters who were too full of themselves. Mr Jordan had pursued Nadia for a while, but transferred his affections elsewhere with a speed that implied his interest had been at best ephemeral.

‘Oh, I think he liked me very well, but then that nasty Miss Sandison pushed herself at him and…well, she’s welcome to him. Mr Jordan might be a wealthy plantation owner, but I could not have abided living in the colonies for the rest of my life. The heat is not good for my complexion and brings me out in freckles.’ Sophia looked mortified. ‘Freckles! Only imagine.’

‘I barely can, but since you and your complexion have had a lucky escape, I am spared from that burdensome task.’

‘What are you girls talking about?’ their mother asked as she joined them in Nadia’s bedchamber. Nadia suppressed a sigh, wishing there could be one room in this house where she was assured of privacy.

‘We were discussing Mr Molineux, Mama,’ Sophia said, ‘and his determination to marry Nadia, but she says that she doesn’t like him and won’t have him. I say that’s silly and she will disgrace us all if she keeps turning offers down.’

‘Turn Mr Molineux down?’ Her mother’s bosom swelled with indignation. ‘Never did I hear such nonsense! Of course she will not turn him down. He is everything that he should be, and you are fortunate to have been noticed by him.’

‘He has not yet proposed,’ Nadia reminded her mother. And with great good fortune, if Nadia could somehow continue to keep him at arm’s length, he would tire of pursuing her and not do so. At which point she could no longer be blamed for being unreasonable.

‘But he will.’ Mama fixed Nadia with a gaze of steely determination. ‘He has already spoken to your father and the matter is fixed.’

‘He has?’ Dread and anger surged through Nadia. ‘It is the first I have heard of it. It might have been polite if someone had sought my feelings on the matter before entering into commitments on my behalf.’

‘Well…’ Mama fiddled with the ends of her shawl, which was the only answer Nadia required—an answer that filled her with unbridled fury.

‘He had no right!’

‘He had every right. He is your father. It is his duty to see you through to a secure future. Left to your own devices, you will never marry.’

‘What would be so terrible about that?’

‘After that business in Jamaica, you owe it to us all to make amends.’

Nadia’s anger was in danger of slipping out of her control. ‘That was not my fault.’

‘What business?’ Sophia asked.

‘Never you mind,’ Mama replied.

‘Mr Molineux is ancient,’ Nadia said. ‘And ill-educated. There is nothing about his character I find admirable.’

‘He’s not so very old,’ her mother replied, shuffling on the seat she had taken on the edge of Nadia’s bed and focusing her attention on her folded hands. ‘He is a gentleman of wealth and consequence, and you are very lucky to have been noticed by him.’

‘So you already said.’

‘And it bears repeating, since you don’t seem to realise just how fortunate you actually are.’

‘I need to resolve this matter with Papa.’

‘You cannot. He has not yet returned from London. He will come directly to Pemberley the day after tomorrow. Besides, your father is losing patience with you, as am I. You cannot prevaricate indefinitely. Anyone would think that you don’t wish to be advantageously married.’

‘Why is everyone so taken up with the notion of marriage?’ Nadia snapped.

Mama’s eyes bulged. ‘You would prefer to end your days as an old maid? A burden upon your sister and her husband? How selfish and embarrassing. Goodness knows why you have received so many offers and not seen fit to accept any of them. However, your father has decided that if you cannot make up your own mind, he will make it up for you.’

‘He assumes too much.’

‘He is your father and you are his responsibility!’ Nadia had never seen her mother so angry or so adamant. ‘Well, young lady, enough is enough. If you do not take Molineux then you are no longer a daughter of mine, and you can make your own way. That will bring you to your senses soon enough.’

It was a conspiracy, Nadia thought, fuming. Her father was well aware that she actively disliked Mr Molineux and refused to discuss his determination to see them married. But Papa would not be able to avoid her at Pemberley. She would find out why he was so keen for the match to go ahead when they were there.

Not that she had any intention of entering into any match. Her mother grossly underestimated Nadia’s determination to hold on to her independence. She would take a position as a governess before she submitted to the demands of a man she disliked. But her curiosity was piqued, and she resolved to discover why he insisted upon her accepting Molineux. He had simply rolled his eyes and sighed when she’d turned down previous offers. Nadia had thought he admired her determination to follow her heart since most women in her situation would accept the first wealthy man who petitioned for her hand.

Presumably her father assumed that she would not renege on an arrangement he had entered into on her behalf, which just went to show how little he understood her. But then why would he? Papa took precious little interest in either of his daughters; he was barely able to hide his disappointment at not having sired a son. When he did remember that they existed, all his attention was for Sophia, his unquestioned favourite. Spoiled and indulged, Sophia could do no wrong in both her parents’ eyes, but Nadia was a permanent thorn in her mother’s side.

‘Pemberley.’ Sophia stood and whirled around the room, her lovely face a study in ecstasy. Nadia knew that situation could change in seconds and that she could turn sulky and petulant if she didn’t get her way. ‘I am absolutely determined to marry Marc Darcy, Mama.’

‘And I dare say he won’t be able to resist you, my love.’ Mama patted her hair. ‘I remember turning more than a few heads myself when I was your age.’

‘You should not encourage unrealistic expectations, Mama,’ Nadia said, well aware that her advice would be ignored but feeling the need to offer it anyway.

‘Why should such an expectation be unrealistic?’ Mama sprang to the defence of her favourite child. ‘Sophia is lovely and amiable and possesses all the qualities that a young man could possibly desire in a wife. Marcus Darcy would be hard pressed to do better. Besides, why would we have been invited, when we are barely acquainted with the Darcys, if Mrs Darcy was not thinking along similar lines?’ Mama chucked Sophia beneath her chin. ‘She made a point of remarking on Sophia’s beauty when we dined with them.’

Nadia decided upon discretion. If she remained in this room for a second longer and was obliged to listen to their mother encouraging Sophia’s narcissism instead of scolding her for being so full of herself, she would say something she might later regret.

‘Excuse me, Mama. I feel the need for some fresh air.’

‘Oh, you and your fresh air,’ Sophia said, flapping a hand and rolling her eyes.

‘Take a bonnet or your complexion will spoil.’

‘My complexion is unimportant.’

If she freckled by stepping outside into gardens that were unexceptional—Langston House had been vacant and neglected for some considerable time before Papa leased it—perhaps it would deter Mr Molineux. She took brief comfort from that thought, despite the fact that she knew it would not. She frowned as she tried to decide what it was about her that Molineux found so desirable. She had been polite whenever their paths had crossed, but as soon as she sensed his interest in her, she made a point of remaining aloof and avoiding his company.

The European community in Jamaica was small, making it impossible for her to avoid him altogether. Far from being deterred by her disinterest, her attitude appeared to encourage him. Nadia was delighted when Papa had abruptly decided to sell up and return to England—something Mama had wanted to do for several years—and Nadia had presumed that it would be the last she would hear of Molineux.

Then Papa had told her that Molineux also intended to return to England. A man whose wealth was legendary, he intended to call upon Nadia and Papa had made it clear that he expected her to receive him. She had done so reluctantly, but this was the first she had heard of an agreement having already been reached between Molineux and Papa. And without even taking her wishes into consideration. She threw back her head and somehow resisted the urge to scream. It was beyond insulting to be treated like a commodity.

Nadia strolled beyond the gardens into open fields, with no clear destination in mind, idly wondering if any of the large houses in the vicinity had need of a governess.

Chapter Two

‘Ah, now we are all here,’ Lizzy Darcy said, raising a hand to Simon and Spence as they stepped onto the terrace with Marc and his dog.

Lizzy shared a smile with her husband as she watched their younger daughter Susie, now Mrs James Tyrell, greet her brother and cousin with uncontrived affection. Her mind dwelt upon her first meeting with the formidable Mr Darcy all those years ago and how stiff, formal and full of himself he had seemed. He had made his contempt for the local residents plainly apparent, and Lizzy had returned his disdain tenfold.

Only when they managed to overcome their joint preconceptions did Lizzy realise that he hadn’t known how to demonstrate affection or be comfortable with those whom he considered to be beneath his notice because no one had bothered to teach him how to behave. Upon becoming Mrs Darcy, Lizzy had shouldered that mantle, ensuring that her children were equally affectionately inclined and not afraid for the world to know it. She took credit for the fact that the halls of Pemberley now constantly rang with laughter, and that her family did not turn their noses up at those who were lower in the social order.

She smiled at Spence who, dressed casually in shirtsleeves and looking elegantly rumpled, gathered Susie’s year-old son Declan in his arms and tossed him in the air, making the boy giggle. Lizzy’s heart lurched when she considered that her two daughters had now made her a grandmother three times over. It barely seemed credible. She thought back to her own wedding day, when she had shocked Hertfordshire and all of London society by landing one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. Was that really twenty-five years ago? Sometimes it seemed like yesterday.

Married life had not been without its travails, but her love for Will had only increased over that time, and all the efforts made by those who disapproved of the match and hoped to drive a wedge between them had only served to increase their devotion. Will sent her an intimate smile as they watched Spence playing with the child, and she wondered if her intuitive husband’s thoughts echoed her own.

‘You’re a natural father, Spence,’ Susie said, smiling.

‘I much prefer being a favourite uncle,’ he replied. ‘That way I can hand the little beggars back once I’ve encouraged them to misbehave and let someone else deal with the consequences.’

Everyone laughed.

‘When is Bella expected?’ Susie asked.

‘Imminently,’ Will replied, ‘and then it really will be mayhem.’

He spoke with affection, and Lizzy knew that was because Bella had always been his favourite child. Will remarked during every stage of her development that she put him in mind of Lizzy herself as a younger woman—and that, Lizzy knew, was the ultimate compliment. Lizzy had encouraged her two daughters to be independently-minded, to question everything and not be afraid to voice their opinions, even though women were still largely considered incapable of embracing rational thought.

Lizzy tried not to show favouritism; an easy ambition to achieve since she adored all of her children. She glanced at her three handsome sons, all so similar physically to their father, and felt a swell of pride that she had produced such strapping young men who turned heads wherever they went. Marc, Pemberley’s heir, already wore a more serious demeanour as his father gradually ceded extra responsibilities to him. Luke, her youngest and Susie’s twin, had only finished at Cambridge that summer and was still finding his feet. Will gave him responsibilities too; mostly concerned with the export of Pemberley’s produce. It was an area in which Luke, with his outgoing personality, promised to excel.

It seemed odd to Lizzy that Susie was mature enough to be a mother while Luke’s character had not yet fully formed. It was true, it seemed, that boys were naturally more reluctant to grow up. She watched Spence romping with the baby, a tableau that served to reaffirm that opinion.

She admitted to herself, albeit privately, that Spence had always been her favourite. An engaging child with an enquiring mind and a lazy smile that had extracted him from any number of scrapes before he’d even learned to walk. He charmed everyone who crossed his path, and no one could stay annoyed with him for long. He had distinguished himself at Eton and then at Cambridge, much to his brothers’ collective annoyance and Lizzy’s pride. Will admitted that Spence was often quick to see solutions to problems on the estate that eluded even his experienced eye.

She was fairly sure that Luke would choose to remain at Pemberley beside Marc and establish his own family there. Both boys were diligent and fiercely protective of the estate. But Spence…Well, Spence would never be restricted by boundaries—physical or emotional—and Lizzy fervently hoped that her precious son would find fulfilment.

Right now his interest appeared to be more fundamental, and she smiled as Susie teased him about pouncing upon the refreshments.

‘You’ll be the size of a house if you continue to eat so much,’ she admonished.

‘Hasn’t happened yet,’ Spence replied, winking at her.

‘And isn’t that the most annoying thing?’ Susie complained. ‘I only have to look at a cake and my maid needs to let my gowns out, while you pack the food away, don’t seem to expend any energy if it can be avoided and never put on an ounce. Tell him at once that it’s grossly unfair, Mama.’

‘It will catch up with him in time,’ Lizzy replied, ‘and when he has a pot belly and loses all his hair, you will have your revenge.’

‘I cannot imagine that ever happening,’ Susie replied, sighing.

Spence laughed. ‘Face it, Susie. Some of us are naturally svelte.’

‘And modest with it,’ Simon added, grinning.

‘Do I have something to be modest about?’ Spence opened his eyes in wide astonishment, making everyone laugh.

‘Ah, that must be Bella,’ Will said, smiling when they heard the sound of wheels on gravel.

The entire family stood at the entrance portico to greet the new arrivals. The Countess of Ripon spilled from the carriage and threw herself into her father’s arms, as vibrant as always. Her husband Christian, the rich and influential earl, descended more elegantly, then reached back to swing his four-year-old son Jared from the carriage, followed by Elliot. He sent Jared scurrying off to meet the family, but kept the younger Elliot in his arms. Bella was increasing again, Lizzy knew, and looked to be in the rudest of health.

‘It’s been too long since we were last at Pemberley,’ Christian remarked as he returned Lizzy’s greeting.

Bella did the rounds of the family but spent the longest time with Spence, her twin. Bella and Lizzy were alike in that respect, Lizzy thought. They both cared desperately about Spence’s wellbeing. Once again, Lizzy was struck by the disparity between the sexes in terms of maturity and responsibility, as Bella quizzed Spence on his activities and romantic liaisons in a familiar manner that Lizzy would never dare to adopt. Spence withstood the interrogation good-humouredly, without giving anything away.

They returned to the terrace, where more refreshments were served for the newcomers and Spence was barred by his sisters from hogging them. Pretending to take offence, he encouraged his nephews to join him in a rough and tumble on the lawns, causing the children to squeal with laugher as their favourite uncle crawled around on his hands and knees with all three of them riding on his back.

‘He is little more than a child himself,’ Bella observed. ‘I’m not sure which of them is enjoying himself the most.’

‘His Uncle Spence is the first person Jared mentions whenever we tell him we are to visit Pemberley,’ Chris added. ‘I think he prefers his uncle to me, his own father.’

‘That is because uncles can indulge their nephews,’ Marc said, ‘whereas you, Chris, must provide guidance and discipline.’

‘Ha!’ Bella laughed up at her husband, who rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘That will be the day.’ She touched her stomach. ‘Only imagine how besotted Chris will be if this one is a girl.’

‘She will turn my hair white if she is even half as obstinate as her mother.’

‘That, I’m afraid, is the price you pay for marrying into this family,’ Will said with a sympathetic smile. ‘All its female members have minds and opinions of their own, which they are not afraid to voice.’

‘Far too liberally,’ Spence added, from beneath a pile of small limbs as he lay flat on his back with the boys clambering all over him.

Will smiled at Lizzy. ‘I blame their mother’s influence, but what is a man to do?’

‘You will not be the first to accuse me of disrupting the order of things,’ Lizzy agreed. ‘Lady Catherine was my worst detractor. She threatened to cut Will off if he married me, yet still he defied her. Can you imagine?’

‘I have trouble thinking of her ever being young and reckless herself,’ Bella said. ‘Some people are born old and responsible, and feel that they have a duty to disapprove of everything the least little bit enjoyable. I recall the lecture she gave me about the need to maintain standards on my wedding day. I also recall her smiling quite a bit as she delivered that lecture. I thought it rather odd.’

‘She was terribly self-aware. We were all terrified of her,’ Will said. ‘Then an old acquaintance came back into her life—'

‘Sir Marius?’ Susie said, her eyes sparkling with avid curiosity. ‘Wasn’t he an old paramour? Was she disappointed in love? Do tell all, Papa. I have often wondered.’

‘Actually, yes. He eased her twilight years and she became positively amiable. My cousin Anne’s husband, Pierce Asquith, is Sir Marius’s son from the wrong side of the blankets—’

‘He is not Lady Catherine’s…?’ Bella’s mouth fell open and she shared a wide-eyed look with her mother and sister.

‘No,’ Will told her. ‘Sir Marius acknowledged him as being his son as a result of a prior liaison, thereby lending him respectability. He is now the master of Rosings and he’s doing a good job of keeping the estate profitable.’

‘And since Lady Catherine and Sir Marius were reunited here at Pemberley,’ Lizzy added, ‘I take credit for bringing about the transformation in her and for Asquith being permitted to court Anne; something which no one considered remotely possible, what with him being a humble tutor.’

‘Every time Mr Collins visits, which is far too often,’ Luke said, ‘he makes obscure remarks about Asquith’s suitability to be master of Rosings, despite the fact that he is no longer in holy orders and Lady Catherine is in her grave.’

‘Mr Collins knows how to bear a grudge,’ Will said dismissively. ‘I don’t think his new situation as owner of Longbourn gives him the satisfaction he hoped for upon becoming a landowner.’

‘In other words,’ Lizzy added, ‘he is neither liked nor admired in the neighbourhood in the same way as my dear father was. Anyway, returning to the subject of Anne, she used to be a sickly and obedient little thing who would never defy her mother. Which just goes to show what difference the attentions of a handsome young man can make, even to the meekest of females.’

‘Hmm,’ Bella said, casting a saucy smile over her shoulder at her husband.

‘Anne stuck to her guns. She risked being disinherited if she defied her mother, and in the end Lady C relented,’ Will said. ‘Anne is now a mother herself and has seldom known a day’s illness since marrying Asquith.’

‘Which implies there was little wrong with her in the first place, other than being downtrodden by an assertive mother,’ Bella added.

‘You are quite the matchmaker, Mama,’ Susie said.

‘Not intentionally. I just want the people I care about to achieve their hearts’ desires.’

‘Well, for my part,’ Spence said, popping his head up from beneath the bundle of small boys, ‘I’d prefer to manage my own affairs.’

His brothers and Simon all voiced their agreement.

‘Fine!’ Laughing, Lizzy held up her hands in mock surrender. ‘I know when my talents are not needed.’

Spence clambered to his feet, hoisted little Declan onto his shoulders and rejoined the party on the terrace. The other boys, hot and rumpled, tagged along, happy to help their favourite uncle make inroads into the pastries on the cake stand.

‘You are using them to prevent us from scolding you,’ Susie protested.

‘Let him be,’ Bella said. ‘He’s just expended a little energy, which is unusual enough for us to make allowances.’

Susie plucked her son from Spence’s shoulder. Declan was tired and in danger of falling asleep and toppling from his perch. It was the cue for the party to break up and everyone went their separate ways, agreeing to meet up again in the drawing room before dinner.

‘You will stay, Simon?’ Lizzy asked. ‘It seems pointless riding ten miles home only to reverse the journey again tomorrow.’

‘Thank you, Aunt Lizzy. I hoped you would suggest it.’

‘You don’t need to wait for an invitation. You are always welcome here. Besides, you seem to keep Spence more or less out of trouble, which makes you especially welcome.’

Lizzy and Will climbed the stairs together and repaired to their private suite of rooms.

‘You look delighted to have all your family together,’ Will remarked, smiling as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. After all these years of marriage he still felt the need to kiss her at regular intervals. Who could have predicted that such a stiff and formal man would change so radically and be unafraid to display his emotions? Not that Lizzy was complaining as she luxuriated in his embrace.

‘Actually, I was thinking just now how fortunate we are to have produced five happy and clever children. I don’t know what we did right. One hears so many stories of privileged children such as ours turning completely wild, but none of ours have displayed any such tendencies.’

‘You must take the credit for that, my love. Your sound common sense has rubbed off on them all. You have taught them to show as much respect to a blacksmith as they would to a duke. You have also turned Pemberley into a happy and welcoming home, and they don’t want to disappoint you.’

‘Perhaps as far as the girls are concerned, but I lost influence over the boys the moment each of them went away to school. And that is where their characters were formed. I am perfectly sure there were a lot of bad examples they could easily have followed, but they chose not to—for which I give daily thanks.’

‘I would not have spared the rod if I thought any of them were developing base tendencies.’

‘Yes…well, we are all together tonight, just us, and I relish the time with my children and my daughters’ husbands, even if it reminds me that I have become little more than an ancient grandmother in my dotage.’

‘You are hardly ancient, and you are just as lovely as the day I married you.’

‘You charmer.’ Still in Will’s arms, Lizzy reached up to touch his face. ‘My sisters and yours will be here tomorrow with their families, along with our other guests, and Pemberley will be brought fully back to life.’

Will released her and laughed. ‘Precious little chance of it being quiet anyway, what with all the boys permanently at home.’

‘Don’t pretend that you don’t enjoy having them here, since I shall not believe you.’ Lizzy paused. ‘Don’t work Marc too hard, my love, and share the burden among the three of them. I know that is a luxury that was not afforded to you, but still… Our eldest child has a tendency to be too serious and I don’t want him to feel worn down by his responsibilities, or by an overriding desire to impress you.’

‘For your sake I will give him nothing to do at all,’ Will replied, kissing the end of her nose.

‘Away with you. I must change or I shall keep everyone waiting.’

She sensed him smiling at her retreating figure as she walked away.

Samuel Molineux shook Dayton’s hand and saw him off on the coach that would get him to Derbyshire in time for him to join the house party at Pemberley to which he attached so much importance. He re-entered the Golden Cross coaching inn in a pensive frame of mind, wondering why he didn’t feel more satisfied about the agreement he’d reached with Dayton. The thought of finally getting his hands on the delectable Nadia and knocking some obedience into her certainly stirred his passions. It was a shame, and damned insulting to boot, that she appeared indifferent to his attentions and had to be forced into the union. But still, Samuel had never been one to back away from a challenge.

Custom in the taproom was brisk as travellers waited for their conveyances to depart, and it took Samuel several moments before he could attract the attention of a harried barmaid. She slammed a tankard of ale in front of him so hard that it slopped over his cuff, and charged him an exorbitant amount for the privilege. Ordinarily, he would have taken exception to such shoddy service, but today he barely noticed. He had more pressing matters on his mind.

He noticed a vacant table in a dank corner and pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the abuse sent his way when he barged into shoulders and stepped on toes. Supping the warm ale, he fell to contemplation. Dayton had agreed that he could marry his daughter, and Samuel ought to be delighted to have got his way, despite the arm-twisting he’d been forced to employ. Yet he was not. He was well aware that Nadia Dayton had no interest in him as a man, and certainly not as a potential husband, and the knowledge should have fired his lust. He’d wanted her for a long time, and knowing that she would come to his bed unwillingly added to her allure. And yet something was niggling at the back of his mind, preventing him from enjoying his moment of triumph.

A rowdy party at an adjoining table barged into his and barely paused to apologise. He heard them discussing their return to their home county of Derbyshire, which piqued both his curiosity and his anger. Why was Derbyshire suddenly all the rage? Then it occurred to him why he was so out of sorts. He didn’t like the idea of his Nadia mixing with Derbyshire’s elite at a week-long house party. He rubbed his chin, becoming more disgruntled by the minute. Everyone knew such parties were glorified marriage marts. It was one thing Dayton promising him Nadia’s hand, but the minx was strong-willed. Once she realised the fate that was in store for her—a fate that the majority of women would grasp gratefully with both hands—she might do something reckless, like agreeing to elope with one of the young bucks she met there this week.

Samuel had become wealthy beyond his wildest dreams, but he was still not accepted into high society despite the fact that half of its denizens were in debt to him. The slight cut him to the quick. He was good enough to lend them dosh but not high enough in the instep to grace their dining tables. And all because his first wife had been a kitchen maid with whom he’d fallen in love as a naïve young man and insisted upon marrying. His father had disowned him and he’d taken his wife off to the Indies, where opportunities to make a fortune were rife—especially for men like Samuel Molineux, who raised no objections to cutting corners and sailing close to the wind.

Nowadays he could buy and sell his family ten times over, but his reputation had still not recovered. But by gad, when he married Nadia, society would no longer be able to turn its back on him. She came from a family with an exceptional pedigree, which would be his saving grace as long as she did as her father asked of her, as any dutiful daughter should. Why females made such a song and dance about doing their duty was a mystery to Samuel, as were the ways of all members of the fairer sex, come to that.

He was probably worrying unnecessarily, and all things considered he should be content. Yet his anxiety endured.

The crowd at the adjoining table thinned out, leaving just one young man in possession of it.

‘You’re for Derbyshire, I overheard,’ Samuel said to him.

‘Not today. There’s no space left on the coach,’ he replied gloomily. ‘Damned nuisance. I shall have to shell out for a bed for the night and endure a trimming from the old man when I do get home. I promised him faithfully that I would be back in the county by tomorrow.’

‘Know it well, do you?’

‘Born and bred.’

‘I have acquaintances going to Pemberley for a week-long party.’

‘Pemberley, you say? They must be well connected. It’s the most important house in the district.’

‘Never heard of it myself. Molineux’s the name.’ Samuel offered the stranger his hand. ‘Samuel Molineux.’

‘Delighted.’ The man shook. ‘Eric Farlow at your service.’

‘Tell me about Pemberley,’ Samuel invited, having attracted the attention of the barmaid now that the taproom crowd had thinned. He ordered more ale for them both.

‘Most civil of you,’ Farlow said, raising his tankard to Samuel. ‘Your very good health, sir.’

‘And yours,’ Samuel replied, mirroring the gesture.

‘Pemberley.’ Farlow smacked his lips. ‘Belongs to man by the name of Darcy. A fine place it is, an’ all. No shortage of funds there. The elite of Derbyshire society beat a regular path to its door—not that my lot ever get invited. We only move on the edge of that circle. Still, my family immerse themselves in good works that they hope will get them noticed, and live in expectation of reward by way of inclusion. Mrs Darcy is a great one for charitable causes.’

‘Are there children?’

‘Oh aye. Two daughters, both married. One of ’em is the Countess of Ripon now.’

‘Just daughters, eh.’ Samuel relaxed.

‘And three sons.’

Damn!

‘None of ’em have tied the knot yet but half the chits in the county have their hopes pinned on attracting one of them.’

Samuel weighed up the prospect of a tumble with the barmaid, who kept sending him encouraging looks now that she wasn’t run off her feet and had taken the time to assess him as a man with plump pockets. He set that brief pleasure against the possibility of learning more about Pemberley from his loquacious new friend, and self-interest won out. Willing wenches were ten a penny. Samuel was more concerned with protecting his investment. He knew Dayton wouldn’t try to renege—he wouldn’t dare, not with what Samuel had on him. But loath as he was to make the admission, he didn’t feel nearly so sure about Nadia.

Best get himself off to Derbyshire tout de suite. Dayton probably wouldn’t tell his daughter what it would mean for the rest of her family if she didn’t enter into the marriage willingly. He would be too ashamed. Besides, she should obey her father without question. Not that she would, but still…

Samuel felt she deserved to understand the realities of her situation before some wealthy young heir recognised in her the same elusive something that had so attracted Samuel. Which meant that he needed to ensure that their paths crossed, and crossed quickly. He’d tried to tell Dayton there was no need for them to go to Pemberley since he would take care of them all once he was married to Nadia, but Dayton had rambled on about his other daughter having expectations. Dayton wished now that he’d put his foot down more firmly. He hadn’t wanted to come across as dictatorial, not until he was assured of Nadia’s compliance, but he now regretted his leniency.

Providence had interceded, and Farlow here, with his intimate knowledge of the area, was bound to be able to tell him how to gain access to the estate. Judging by the younger man’s scruffy attire and his need to travel by public coach, he was not well situated. Samuel had made his fortune by manipulating those with pockets to let into doing his bidding. Farlow could take all the chances, find a way in for Samuel and watch his back. Why keep a dog and bark oneself?

‘Well, Farlow,’ Samuel said, draining his tankard and slamming it down on the table. ‘I might just be able to help you out. I’m heading for Derbyshire myself, and I would be glad to take you up in my carriage.’

‘I say, Molineux, that’s mighty civil of you. Much obliged, I’m sure.’

‘Think nothing of it. I shall be glad of the company and your local knowledge.’

‘I can show you the best inns en route and tell you anything else you need to know,’ Farlow said eagerly.

‘Excellent.’ Samuel stood up. ‘If you’re ready, we could leave now.’

‘Absolutely. Let’s go!’

Chapter Three

Nadia’s anticipation of the house party had been all but ruined by her recent conversation with her mother, confirming her worst fears that Papa had decided to marry her off. And to such a man as Molineux. She shuddered at the prospect, determined not to be forced into the union but aware that a serious disagreement was bound to ensue with her father if he insisted. It was a course upon which he seemed irrevocably and inexplicably determined, so much so that she was convinced he had gone to London with the specific intention of drawing up the necessary contracts. Even so, she decided as their carriage made its stately way up the long driveway that led to Pemberley, she refused to be downhearted and dwell upon the gloomy possibility of disappointing her parents on such a lovely day.

She glanced out the window at grounds that basked in sunshine. Leggy horses grazed in nearby paddocks, tails swishing to discourage flies. Sheep dotted the hillside and she could see the indistinct figures of men in the distance, working the fields, the panorama offset by a magnificent backdrop of high and rolling hills. She noticed a lake sparkling in the distance and vowed to take the earliest possible opportunity to explore the lie of the land. Nadia loved to ramble and could see that she would never have to repeat the same route on this vast estate if she preferred not to. She would be able to escape from the throng for an hour or two and meander to her heart’s content. No one would notice her absence.

‘I still find it odd that we have been invited for the entire week when we are barely acquainted with the Darcys,’ she commented.

‘As I have already explained, I expect Mrs Darcy is thinking in terms of marrying her sons off,’ Mama replied, preening. ‘We are a wealthy and respected family with a beautiful daughter who knows how to conduct herself and what is expected of her.’ She beamed at Sophia, mindless of offending Nadia. Since Nadia was neither beautiful nor vain, she was relieved not to be looked upon as a potential broodmare, and put to the back of her mind the increasing probability that both of her parents were already congratulating themselves upon having married off their less biddable daughter. ‘What could be more natural?’

Nadia returned her attention to the view, not bothering to respond. Of course that was the turn her mother’s thoughts would have taken, but Nadia had some doubts about her assumptions. They might once have been well-connected, but they had lived abroad for the past ten years and little was known about their time in Jamaica. Families with the Darcys’ noble lineage were very cautious about aligning themselves through marriage to those whose backgrounds were unknown to them. And if Nadia’s past misdeeds became common knowledge, all of Sophia’s chances would be dashed!

‘There is Mr Bingley, Mama,’ Sophia said, pointing at a figure galloping through the grounds on a spirited chestnut horse. ‘And I expect that’s one of the Darcy gentlemen with him.’ Sophia pressed her face against the window glass. ‘I wonder which one he is. He looks very distinguished but I cannot make out his features.’

‘Don’t let them see you gawping, Sophia. It makes you look desperate.’

Sophia patted the curls that she had purposely allowed to escape the confines of her bonnet. ‘Oh, I am not in the least desperate, Mama. I am merely curious.’

The carriage reached the house and any discussion of Sophia’s desperation, along with her hopes and aspirations for this party, came to a merciful end. Nadia alighted in the wake of her mother and sister and glanced up at the house, seeing it for the first time in full daylight, bathed in sunshine that reflected off the turrets, the honey-stoned façade and dozens of gleaming windowpanes. She was unable to contain a gasp of pleasure, feeling as though she intrinsically belonged to an estate on which she was but a fleeting visitor.

Nadia had no time to dwell upon Pemberley’s perfection before servants descended upon their luggage and a butler conducted them into the house. Mrs Darcy emerged from a drawing room that was already crowded with people who appeared to know one another well, given the informal snippets of conversation that reached Nadia’s ears, and greeted them in person.

‘I am so glad you could accept my invitation,’ she said to Mama without the slightest trace of the condescension Nadia had half expected from the mistress of this great house.

‘It is very gracious of you to invite us, Mrs Darcy. You recall my daughters.’

Nadia and Sophia both curtsied, but if Sophia was expecting to receive any compliments regarding her beauty, she was to be disappointed. Mrs Darcy’s gaze skimmed over her, but rested speculatively upon Nadia and was slow to move away again.

‘My husband sends his apologies,’ Mama said. ‘Business has taken him to London, but he intends to return tomorrow and join us.’

‘We look forward to welcoming him when he arrives. Now, come and meet the members of my family and other guests not already known to you.’

The ladies divested themselves of their bonnets, pelisses and gloves and followed Mrs Darcy into the imposing yet comfortably appointed drawing room. It was crowded, and the doors to the terrace were thrown wide to let in air and sunlight, allowing children to tumble out onto the lawns where they romped beneath the watchful eyes of their nursemaids. Nadia’s gaze fell upon Mr Darcy, standing tall and imposing in front of the fireplace.

The gentleman beside him could only be one of his sons. The resemblance was too remarkable for there to be any other explanation. She heard Sophia’s sharp intake of breath when she saw the younger man and knew that she was already smitten, reinforcing her wild and ambitious notion of becoming mistress of this house. Nadia wanted to laugh at the idea and warn her sister to lower her sights. Marc Darcy, if that was who the young man was, gazed fleetingly at Sophia before looking away again. She had not made much of a first impression, it seemed. Nadia put great stock by initial attraction, and feared that her rather silly sister’s charms, such as they were, would not compel the heir to this great estate to pursue Sophia.

‘This probably seems a little daunting to you.’ Nadia started when the Countess of Ripon came up and spoke to her in a friendly manner. ‘All these people so familiar with one another, I mean, set against the magnificent backdrop of Pemberley. Of course, I grew up here so I take it all horribly for granted. How indulged you must think me, but there you have it.’

Nadia returned the countess’s friendly smile. ‘Was I really permitting my awe to show?’ she asked.

‘I’ll let you into a little secret. I still become intimidated when I visit some of the fine houses in Yorkshire, despite the fact that I live in a castle.’

Sophia had wandered off, and Nadia relaxed in the countess’s undemanding company. ‘I cannot help wondering, if you will excuse my saying so, why we were invited to what appears to be a family occasion.’

‘Oh, it’s much more than that. This house party has become an annual tradition. The older couple in conversation with my brother Luke are Mr and Mrs Gardiner, my aunt and uncle. They have warehouses in Cheapside.’ The countess gave a theatrical gasp that made Nadia smile. ‘Only imagine lowering the tone by inviting such people!’

Nadia laughed. ‘I barely can.’

‘Are you acquainted with Colonel and Mrs Fitzwilliam?’ She waved to a tall, distinguished looking gentleman who had just stepped into the room with what appeared to be his wife and an attractive adult daughter beside him. ‘Colonel Fitzwilliam…now, let me try and remember what he is to me. The colonel is my father’s cousin, which makes him my second cousin, which makes their daughter Charlotte my…oh lud, something or other.’

‘Which rather goes to prove my point. This is a family affair and we are outsiders.’

‘Don’t worry,’ the countess replied airily, ‘we have to have others here, or we’d forget our manners and bicker all the time like most families do.’

Nadia smiled. ‘That I very much doubt.’ She glanced at Sophia, who appeared to be doing her very best to accidentally cross Marc Darcy’s path. ‘Bother,’ she muttered.

‘Excuse me, did you say something?’

Nadia felt her cheeks warm, unaware that she had spoken aloud. ‘No, forgive me. My mind was wandering.’

The countess followed the direction of Nadia’s gaze and smiled. ‘Your sister, no doubt? Don’t worry. My brothers are perfectly able to take care of themselves.’

‘Even so, Sophia can be very determined.’ Nadia flashed a wry smile, feeling comfortable speaking her mind to this most unusual countess. ‘It’s embarrassing.’

‘No one here will find anything to fault in your behaviour.’

‘Why thank you, but I fear my father would give you an argument on that score.’

The countess smiled. ‘I shall take your word for it. I was very fortunate in that no matter how badly I behaved growing up, Papa never seemed able to chastise me.’

‘Then you were either too well behaved to deserve censure or just plain lucky. I, on the other hand, never seem able to do what is expected of me.’

‘How delightful. And you are quite wrong about me. Impetuosity was my middle-name, and I was constantly getting myself into trouble. But now I am a mother in my own right, so I have an obligation to disapprove of anything the least bit unconventional.’

Nadia laughed. ‘Then perhaps you should not spend too long speaking with me.’

‘Nonsense! Something tells me we are destined to become the best of friends. I am never wrong about these things. I am blessed with the ability to judge a person’s character at a glance. I either like them or I do not, and I took an immediate liking to you. Anyway, I hear tell you have been living in Jamaica for years. Did you enjoy your time there?’

Nadia felt the heat invade her face, wondering what snippets of scandal the countess might have picked up and if these friendly overtures were intended to ferret out a few of the details.

‘It was hot, exhilarating, frightening, exotic…all of those things and so many more besides. A melting pot of nationalities thrown together with the express intention of making money—if that isn’t a vulgar admission to make.’

The countess linked her arm through Nadia’s and led her to a quieter corner of the room. ‘Not in the least. I rather enjoy plain speaking, although my willingness to indulge in it has landed me in more trouble than I care to admit.’

‘That I very much doubt. Anyway, to finish answering your question, I found Jamaica an oddity of native customs and strict adherence to British mores. Brown Windsor soup when the temperature was in the nineties was nothing out of the ordinary.’

‘Goodness. I should have melted. It sounds both ridiculous and intriguing and I depend upon you to tell me all about it.’

‘I shall be glad to, but prepare to be very shocked.’

‘Oh good! I do enjoy a little scandal.’

Both ladies smiled, but their private conversation was interrupted when Mr Bingley and one of the Darcy sons walked into the room through the French windows. They were in shirtsleeves and smelled of horses and the outdoors.

‘My twin,’ the countess said, rolling her eyes at Spence’s unconventional attire, but there was no mistaking the affection in her tone, especially when the children abandoned their games and leapt all over him. ‘Letting the side down as usual.’

They watched as he tossed one of the children in the air and ruffled the heads of the others.

‘A favoured uncle, it seems.’

The countess laughed. ‘Spence has yet to grow up himself, so he finds children’s company easier to bear than our own.’

The new arrivals did a circuit of the room and Nadia watched their progress, admiring their easy manner and affable style. No one seemed to mind about their lack of formality.

‘Ah, here you are,’ Spence said as he joined his twin. His gaze lingered upon Nadia. ‘Won’t you introduce me?’

The countess did so with the minimum of ceremony.

‘It is a very great pleasure, Miss Dayton,’ he said, bowing over her hand.

‘And a pleasure to meet you again,’ Simon Bingley added, taking his turn to grasp her hand. ‘How are you settling into Derbyshire?’

‘Miss Dayton was just telling me about her exciting times in Jamaica,’ the countess said. ‘I am now almost determined to make Chris take me there.’

‘You get seasick,’ her twin pointed out.

‘Botheration, so I do. I cannot even take to a punt on the lake on the calmest of days without suffering the consequences, especially in my current condition.’

‘Jamaica’s out of the question then. Bad luck, Bella,’ Mr Bingley said, not unsympathetically.

Nadia’s attention was drawn to the other side of the room as a loud guffaw of laughter rang out. She inwardly cringed when she noticed her sister attempting to install herself in the middle of an all-male conversation, at the heart of which stood Marc Darcy. Where was Mama and why was she not checking her younger child? She sensed the countess watching her and appreciated her sympathetic smile. Nadia relaxed. Sophia’s behaviour was not her responsibility and she would turn a blind eye to her forwardness.

Simon was glad that Bella had put Miss Dayton at her ease. He wouldn’t admit it to Spence or anyone else for fear of being ridiculed, but Nadia Dayton had remained in his memory since he’d first made her acquaintance—and in a positive way. Her rather silly younger sister was an irrelevance. Simon could detect few similarities between the two siblings. The younger Miss Dayton seemed determined to flaunt herself and exploit her rather obvious beauty, while Nadia held herself back and watched the patchwork of elegant people that filled the room as though assessing their characters. A student of human nature? A lady who preferred her own company, or one with problems to wrestle with?

Simon had no way of knowing why he would even imagine the latter. He recalled his earlier conversation with Spence, smarting at the reminder of his ability to fall in love so easily. That had been in his younger days, and he had long since reached the age of reason. He had also learned the wisdom of caution and would not entertain the thought of marriage unless or until he met a lady who fired his passions and stirred his intellect. He had learned from his sisters’ examples that it was possible to have both.

Simon returned his attention to Nadia, sensing a reserve as well as a strength of will about her. He imagined Miss Nadia Dayton to be an extremely private person, only permitting the world to see as much of her character as she was willing or comfortable displaying. His earlier impression that she was very worried about something was reinforced by her distracted state, and the depth of his desire to be of service to her surprised him. Simon was also a student of human nature, but made no apology for appreciating the feminine qualities of some of his neighbours and friends. He had simply become more discerning with the onset of maturity and knew better than to show too much favouritism for one woman for fear of having his intentions misinterpreted.

When Bella was called away to arbitrate in a dispute between the children and Spence’s attention was claimed elsewhere, Simon grasped the opportunity to keep Nadia company.

‘This is likely overwhelming for you,’ he said, admiring the waterfall of russet curls that framed her face, and the manner in which the curling lashes that guarded her violet eyes cast elongated shadows over high cheekbones. Those eyes glistened whenever anyone said anything that amused her, which happened frequently. And yet she held a large part of herself back, causing Simon to wonder why she was so wary. But she smiled more openly at his comment, a smile that transformed her face into something far more alluring.

‘The countess made almost the same remark not ten minutes ago. Do I really look as out of place as I feel?’ She didn’t pause to allow him to respond. ‘Anyway, it doesn’t overwhelm precisely. I envy you such a large and close family and I suppose it’s more a question of feeling like the outsider that I am.’

‘Then I hope we will soon make you feel more comfortable. My aunt does not permit anyone invited to Pemberley to stand on ceremony, so those with pretentions must either leave them at the porter’s lodge or risk not being invited a second time.’

‘How reassuring.’

‘Actually, that might have been a little misleading. On occasions like this, which are purely social, no one considered the slightest bit pretentious would have been invited in the first place.’

‘I suppose it must be difficult for Mr Darcy. He cannot always choose his company, so I can perfectly understand why he exercises that right in his own home.’

‘Precisely so.’

They strolled the length of the room together. Simon noticed several of his relatives glance his way, including his mother.

‘Would you like to join in with the activities?’ he asked.

‘I should be a sorry excuse for a guest if I did not. We all have an obligation to show our social faces.’

‘Even if you would prefer to curl up with a good book?’

She sent him a speculative look of mild surprise. ‘Whatever makes you say such a thing?’

Simon chuckled. ‘There is a preoccupation about you that makes me think you sometimes prefer your own company.’

‘I enjoy solitary rambles, certainly.’

‘Then this estate will not disappoint. As to preferring your own company, I recognise the traits in you because I am similarly minded. My cousins all accuse me of being too good-natured, but that’s because I don’t allow any of them to see me when I am in a bad mood and resort to hurling objects at my valet.’

She chuckled, a light and airy sound that stimulated Simon’s senses. ‘I find it very difficult to imagine a gentleman with your equitable nature ever being bad-tempered or hurling anything at anyone.’

‘You disappoint me, Miss Dayton. I am trying very hard to rid myself of my reputation for being too compliant, and yet you have seen through me at the first hurdle.’

‘For which I apologise, even if I fail to see why you would want to hide such tendencies.’ She glanced at her sister’s increasingly frantic efforts to be the centre of attention and shuddered. ‘Although there again, perhaps I do. But still, we cannot change our characters.’

‘You don’t share the opinion that character alters with maturity?’

‘We become more discerning, certainly. Matters that seem vital to a twelve-year-old become inconsequential to adults.’

‘Precisely my point.’ He sent her an engaging smile. ‘But how we came to pontificate upon the meaning of life on such a lovely day as this is beyond me. My aunt would be appalled if she knew we were talking about anything more taxing than the appalling behaviour of my young nephews and nieces.’ He stooped to pick up Emma’s eldest son, who had just charged into the room and tripped over his own feet. ‘Careful!’

‘I’m hiding from Jared,’ the boy said in a theatrical whisper, scampering off on tiny legs.

‘Not very efficiently, it seems,’ Simon said, laughing as he watched him go.

‘Pemberley must provide a treasure trove of hiding places for small boys with energy to spare.’

‘Too many. I recall our poor nursemaids being at their collective wits’ end when my cousins and I got together and took it upon ourselves to hide from them.’

‘I can well imagine. The place holds many happy memories for you. That much is obvious to me.’

‘It can’t be the same for you, I suppose, not having grown up in England. Do you feel rootless?’

‘What a very strange question. It’s one that I haven’t stopped to consider before.’ She tilted her head as she then did so. ‘I suppose I have always been a bit of a nomad. I enjoy seeing new places and observing the way people live. But now that I am back in England, I suppose…well, things will be different.’

Simon sensed that she’d been on the verge of confiding in him, telling him what preoccupied her, but she held back, and good manners prevented him from prompting her.

‘Your father will have a great deal to discuss with my uncle Gardiner,’ he said, nodding towards a distinguished gentleman sitting in a comfortable chair in front of the open terrace doors and smiling at the children’s escapades as their laughter rang out across the lawns. ‘He has several warehouses and imports a number of commodities from the Indies.’ He smiled at her. ‘You looked shocked, but be assured,’ he said, dropping his voice to a theatrical level, ‘that we don’t shy away from discussing trade in this household.’

‘How appalling! Had I known, I should have found a way to decline my part of the invitation.’

They both laughed, and Simon sensed some of the tension drain from her shoulders. He sought for something else to say to keep her with him, aware that he had already hogged her company for longer than was acceptable. The fact of the matter was that he simply didn’t care. He was enjoying himself.

The sound of an arrival had all heads turning in the direction of the entrance vestibule.

‘Who can that be?’ he heard his aunt Lizzy speculate. ‘We are not expecting anyone else today.’

Before her curiosity could be satisfied, Simon heard a swish of skirts and sensed a presence looming in the open doorway. Conversations faded and he heard his father utter an oath not fit for mixed company; a circumstance that was in itself so unusual that it caused Simon grave concern. He glanced up at the new arrival, who looked familiar, although he couldn’t think of her name.

‘Caroline,’ his father said in a shocked voice. ‘What the devil are you doing here?’

Chapter Four

By the time Samuel’s coach reached Derby, he had learned more about Pemberley and its gracious family that he was comfortable knowing, courtesy of his loquacious travelling companion. He wished now that he had not taken him up. Farlow was not the type to use one word when twenty would suffice, and his nasal twang had begun to try Samuel’s patience. He had overreacted, he could quite see that now. Nadia would not defy her father’s wishes and he would not use Farlow to spy on her. It went against the grain to display any weaknesses or doubts to a man of Farlow’s lowly standing. Nadia would do as she was damned well told and become Samuel’s wife and if any of the young blighters in attendance at Pemberley showed her too much attention, her father would soon nip the attraction in the bud.

Disgruntled by the turn his thoughts had taken, Samuel tried to convince himself that he had no further cause for concern. And yet his doubts endured, further souring his mood.

‘We are approaching Derby now,’ Farlow said, peering through the window. ‘You can let me out anywhere, sir. I have already put you to enough trouble and I cannot thank you enough for your kindness.’

‘Your family’s home is nearby?’

‘Quite close, but the Dog and Duck over yonder is the local meeting place. You are guaranteed a decent pint of ale in that establishment.’

‘Then let us whet our whistles, by all means.’

Samuel tapped on the roof with the handle of his cane and instructed his coachman to pull into the mews. He had tolerated Farlow’s company all these hours on the road and although he had decided against utilising his services, it would be as well to know where to find him if he were to change his plans. Farlow, he knew, wouldn’t be too particular about how he earned the odd guinea or two.

The men alighted from the conveyance and made their way into the taproom. It was only half full and they were served with alacrity. Samuel held back to see if Farlow would put his hand in his pocket. To his credit, he didn’t hesitate. Farlow acknowledged one or two acquaintances as the two men took their tankards to a table close to the open door, hoping to benefit from any breeze that could be had on such a warm day.

‘Do you intend to remain in Derby, sir, or are you travelling further?’

‘I have business in the area.’ Samuel took a sip of his ale. ‘In fact, I might decide to settle in the district if I find a property that suits my requirements.’ One grand enough to raise his social standing now that he was back in England, he thought but did not add. It was beyond time he was looked up to and admired for the man of vision he had become. No one in this part of the country was aware that he had once married a kitchen maid. ‘Is Pemberley far from here?’

‘About ten miles, but it is not for sale,’ Farlow replied, laughing at his own wit. ‘Lambton is the closest village, but you will often find men employed at Pemberley here in Derby on estate business. The man I acknowledged just a moment ago is a keeper on the estate.’ Farlow savoured his own ale. ‘What is your interest in the place?’

‘Friends of mine are there for a house party, but I already told you that.’ Samuel wished he had not been so forthcoming. It made him seem desperate. ‘I wondered if I would have the pleasure of seeing them while I am here.’

‘The annual house party at Pemberley is quite the tradition. It was established by Mrs Darcy on her first year here as a bride. I believe this year will be the twenty-fifth. It’s fairly informal. If you feel a need to call at the house and see your friends, I expect you will be made welcome.’

‘I might well do so.’ Samuel drained his tankard and stood.

‘Leaving so soon, sir? I have not had an opportunity to express my appreciation. I am sure my family would be pleased to make your acquaintance.’

‘No time for that. I shall put up in a tavern at Lambton and conduct my business from there.’

‘If I can help in any way.’ Farlow stood and offered Samuel his hand. ‘Send word here and I will come at once. They know where to find me.’

Samuel left the tavern and climbed back into his carriage, already having dismissed Farlow from his mind. He arrived at the Lamb, secured its best room and settled down to attend to the business that had really taken him away from London.

Simon watched in stupefaction as his father’s expression darkened and his brows drew together across a forehead knotted with anger. Normally the mildest-mannered of men, he looked at the new arrival with an unmitigated fury he made no effort to disguise. Simon instinctively moved to stand at the pater’s shoulder, watching the woman whom he assumed must be his aunt Caroline―the black sheep about whom he and Spence frequently speculated—wondering about the nature of sins so grievous that all connections with her had been severed. He saw a tall, middle-aged and not unattractive lady who appeared to take considerable care of her appearance. There was a fragility about her, a brittleness and a vacant expression in her eyes that belied her confident bearing.

Simon sensed his mother’s distress at the lady’s arrival, increasing his curiosity about her misdeeds. Glancing at his aunt Lizzy, he could see that she too was extremely discomposed, as was his uncle. Whatever his aunt had done to make herself unacceptable at Pemberley, the passage of time had clearly not diminished the impact of her misdeeds.

‘You must be my nephew, Simon,’ the lady said, smiling and extending her hand. Simon instinctively bowed and reached forward to take it, inbred good manners overcoming reserve. But before he could take her hand in his, she lifted her fingers to his cheek and pinched it with considerable force, obliging Simon to withhold a yelp as he rapidly moved out of her range. ‘Indeed, you look so like your father when he was your age,’ she added, blithely unaware of the mayhem she was causing, ‘that I couldn’t possibly mistake you for anyone else. I can see that you don’t recognise me. I am your aunt Caroline.’

‘Ma’am,’ Simon said diffidently.

‘Mr Darcy.’ The lady swept past Simon and his father, her hand outstretched. ‘It has been too long.’

‘What are you doing here, Caroline?’ Simon’s father asked, intercepting his sister before she could reach Darcy.

‘I have come to visit, although I could wish for a more fulsome welcome.’ She glanced around the room, not appearing to see the faces that peered at her with varying degrees of interest and dismay. ‘Goodness, the place has barely changed over the years.’

Everyone continued to stare at Simon’s aunt, and it would have been possible to hear a pin drop.

‘Is Rochdale with you?’ Simon’s father asked.

Rochdale was his aunt’s husband, Simon knew that much at least. He was a doctor of some sort. He visited Simon’s parents occasionally when his business affairs took him away from London, but those visits had only ever taken place when Simon was away at school. He had heard about them from his sisters, but they knew frustratingly little about the man himself and even less about the prodigal aunt. To say that Simon’s curiosity was piqued would have been a gross understatement.

‘Albert is engaged on business somewhere or other and I was at a loose end, so I came to Derbyshire on a whim, to be with my dear family.’

‘Where is Louisa?’

Simon wondered the same thing. Louisa was his father’s other sister, and one of the few things that Simon did know about his aunt Caroline was that whenever her husband was away from home Aunt Louisa, who lived permanently in London, took responsibility for Caroline. Why a grown woman should require a permanent nursemaid was less clear.

‘Come with me.’

Simon’s father took his sister’s arm and all but frogmarched her from the room. Simon felt compelled to follow, no longer willing to be sidelined. This was family business, and Simon was a full-grown man who deserved to know the truth. His father had clearly reached the same conclusion, since he made no objection to Simon’s presence.

They entered the morning room and Simon closed the door behind them, assuring them a degree of privacy.

‘Really, Charles, what is wrong with you?’ Simon’s aunt took a chair, her expression affronted, a hard edge to her voice. ‘It’s a sorry state of affairs if I cannot visit my own brother. I am not acquainted with your children, and it’s beyond time that I rectified that situation. Besides, London is too hot at this time of year and there is no one left in town worth knowing. Louisa has gone to the country somewhere and I found myself quite alone, which got me to thinking…’

‘You cannot seriously have expected a warm welcome from the Darcys?’ The pater’s expression was both incredulous and implacable. Simon had seldom seen him so angry, which only served to increase his curiosity about the unwelcome aunt.

‘Would you like me to leave you?’ he asked.

‘No, Simon, stay.’ The older man let out a long breath. ‘It’s time that you knew the truth about your aunt.’

But he paused for so long that Simon began to think that he’d had a change of heart. He glanced at the aunt in question, who fiddled with the handle of the reticule she held in her lap and looked unconcerned.

‘So much fuss about ancient history,’ she said, tutting.

‘When I decided to lease Netherfield Park in Hertfordshire,’ Father said, ‘Darcy and my sisters joined me there. Caroline kept house for me but had designs upon Darcy.’

‘And he upon me,’ she replied breezily. ‘Matters were all but agreed between us before she…’

‘Nothing had been agreed,’ Father said in a firm tone. ‘Darcy would have spoken to me if his thoughts had turned in that direction, but he never said anything. Not a word. Any attachment was all in your head, Caroline.’ Father returned his attention to Simon. ‘I met and married your mother and Darcy and your aunt were married at the same time.’ He paused. ‘You have heard about Wickham, your aunt Lydia’s first husband?’

‘Of course.’

‘He was bad to the bone and encouraged Caroline into a desperate plot. Suffice it to say that between them they enticed your aunt Lizzy into a compromising position here at Pemberley with Wickham. It was supposed to destroy their marriage so that Caroline could take Lizzy’s place.’

Simon gasped.

‘Nonsense,’ Caroline said breezily. ‘It was all a silly misunderstanding. Mrs Darcy is not the only person who was manipulated by Wickham. I was his victim too, and I have been shunned by my family ever since. But whatever sickness gripped me and allowed me to be drawn in by Wickham’s machinations is long gone, and I am quite well again.’

Simon’s father shook his head, looking weary and resigned. ‘Where actually is Rochdale?’ he asked. ‘You must have some idea.’

‘Somewhere or other.’ She flapped a hand, dismissing the question. ‘How should I know? He is always off and about, chasing down the latest medical development. I can’t keep track. But he did mention something about coming to Derbyshire, which is what gave me the idea of coming here myself.’

‘You can’t expect Mrs Darcy to accommodate you, Caroline, not after what you did.’

‘It was a long time ago, Charles, and I was temporarily unwell.’ She glanced at her folded hands, looking vulnerable and a little afraid. ‘The disappointment of unfulfilled expectations temporarily deprived me of my wits and made me behave in a way that was quite out of character. Albert has treated me and I am completely recovered now.’

‘That’s as maybe, but…’

‘The Darcys have five children and several grandchildren. I doubt they still bear me any animosity and I’m sure they would not deprive me of the pleasure of my own family’s company. It is beyond time that I got to know them. Surely you cannot withhold that simple pleasure from me. You have so much, whereas I…’

She spread her hands and allowed her words to trail off. Simon wasn’t sure what to make of her, nor could he gauge how sincere she was actually being, since he didn’t know her well enough to judge. She seemed dignified, reasonably articulate, and apart from her slightly vacant gaze, entirely plausible. But he had come to realise that manipulative people were versed in hiding their true natures. He glanced at his father, not envying him the problems he was now obliged to wrestle with. He knew that the bond of friendship between his father and Darcy was firmly entrenched, but he imagined that it must have been brought to breaking point by the machinations of this desperate and vindictive-sounding female.

Simon wished there was some sort of advice he could offer his father, but his mind remained stubbornly blank. This unpleasantness had happened before he’d even been born and he had no right to interfere, especially since he had absolutely no idea how strong feelings were still running. He found it hard to imagine anyone behaving so dishonourably, and could quite understand why his father found it difficult to forgive a sister whom he had once held in affection.

‘Stay here,’ his father said curtly.

Simon left the room in his father’s wake, worried about the continued anger radiating from his tense bearing as he asked a footman to remain outside the door and not allow Caroline to leave the confines of the morning room. From what he had seen of his aunt’s bold character, Simon wouldn’t put it past her to return to the drawing room and wander about, introducing herself as though nothing untoward had occurred all those years ago.

Simon was unsurprised to find his mother, aunt and uncle waiting in an adjoining room. Who was comforting whom was less easy to determine, but Simon could see that his mother was extremely overset. She and Aunt Lizzy were holding hands. They broke off their conversation and looked up expectantly at Simon’s father, who recounted his aunt’s extraordinary explanation.

‘I’m so very sorry,’ he said, running a hand distractedly through his hair. It had started to thin, Simon noticed absently, wondering why such a nugatory observation should lodge in his brain at such a vital time. ‘I cannot conceive what Rochdale could have been thinking, leaving her alone in London if Louisa is away. He knows how fragile she still is and how much she dislikes her own company.’ He turned to look at Aunt Lizzy. ‘I cannot find the words to apologise for the memories her arrival must have dredged up.’

‘Think nothing of it,’ his aunt replied. ‘It was a long time ago.’

‘At least she acknowledges that she was ill,’ his mother said. ‘But that is not enough. If she is now well again and perfectly sane, one cannot help but question her effrontery in coming here so boldly, especially at such a time. One assumes she knew it was the week of your house party, Lizzy.’

‘Do you think she is well?’ Simon’s uncle asked.

‘On the surface, she appears to be,’ Father replied, after a momentary pause. ‘But I am no expert and I don’t really know what to think.’

‘Where is her husband?’ Aunt Lizzy asked.

‘Somewhere in Derbyshire pursuing his research, apparently.’ It was Simon who answered. ‘That is what gave her the notion of coming here herself, and without my Aunt Louisa around to prevent her…’

Everyone nodded.

‘Rochdale took over your aunt’s care when she was sent to London in disgrace,’ Simon’s mother explained. ‘He is a student of Alexander Morison, a physician and inspector of the Surrey madhouses. He lectures on mental diseases, encouraging doctors to open their minds to alternative treatments rather than confining their patients in grim institutions.’

‘He sounds like a good man,’ Simon observed.

‘I have always thought so,’ his father replied. ‘Rochdale took on your aunt’s care as a private patient, and they eventually married. Whether or not her fortune was his true purpose I cannot say, but he has always treated her with consideration, and Caroline appeared content. Anyway, he has used her wealth to fund his research into mental disorders. He can be remarkably single-minded in that regard. If he is currently chasing down some fascinating new line of research, it may have been sufficient for him to drop everything and leave his wife unattended.’ Simon’s father firmed his jaw. ‘I shall have words to say to him in that respect. And as for Caroline, I will take her back to London myself first thing in the morning. She cannot stay here oversetting everyone.’

Simon watched his aunt and uncle exchange a glance and reach some sort of silent agreement.

‘Don’t do that, Charles,’ his uncle said. ‘She can stay if she wants to. Lizzy and I no longer bear her any ill-will. She genuinely was unwell, making her an easy person for Wickham to manipulate.’

‘Are you absolutely sure?’ The pater looked wary. ‘There are no guarantees…’

‘Absolutely sure,’ Aunt Lizzy assured him. ‘She can do no harm to Will and me now.’

‘What shall you tell the children?’ his mother asked, addressing the question to her husband and the Darcys alike.

‘The boys will ask,’ Aunt Lizzy replied. ‘They already have—and I think, Charles, if you have no objection, that they are sufficiently mature to know the truth.’

‘No objection whatsoever. I am almost convinced that she is harmless now, but it’s best that they know what she was once capable of so that they aren’t taken in by her.’

‘Very well then.’ Aunt Lizzy smiled. ‘I will arrange a room for her. Jane, will you help her settle in?’

‘Of course.’

‘And I will try to track Rochdale down. If he is in the area the chances are that he will try to find me anyway, but he should be informed that his wife is here and needs to be escorted back to London. An express to his secretary in his London practice should suffice in that regard.’

Caroline had learned the wisdom of patience over the years since her fall from grace and subsequent marriage to an admittedly attractive man whom she suspected had been initially drawn to her for her fortune. She cared little either way; her attachment to him was entirely fictional and served a purpose. There had never been anything wrong with her mind, but it had suited her to pretend otherwise while she recovered from the miscalculation that had led to her humiliation. A humiliation that had deprived her of her rightful place at Darcy’s side and seen her unceremoniously evicted from Pemberley—a house that she had always looked upon as her own.

It had proved to be disappointingly easy to dupe Albert and all the other supposed experts who had examined her into believing that she had been the unwitting victim of a vengeful and desperate man. No one would ever know that the entire plan had been her idea in the first place; that Wickham had been her pawn, and that she had shamelessly exploited his greed and lust for revenge. Her only miscalculation had been to underestimate Darcy’s dedication to his fine-eyed wife. A wife who had somehow mesmerised him.

She shuddered, feeling a momentary grip of the old darkness that descended whenever she thought of the woman who had usurped her. She had learned over the years to keep those feelings firmly under control, but sometimes they were so severe that even Rochdale noticed her reaction and asserted that she was suffering from what he euphemistically described as “one of her episodes”. Her ultimate revenge had remained elusively out of her reach until her husband and gaoler finally relaxed his guard. It had taken a long time and an almost superhuman degree of patience, but at last here she was again, at Pemberley.

Where she belonged.

Darcy was the only man she had ever loved; the only man who truly understood her and was worthy of her passion. The passage of twenty-five years had changed nothing, and during her darkest hours the thought of being reunited with him had sustained her. She knew that she had been right to return the moment she set foot in his elegant drawing room and their gazes clashed. He looked surprised but not displeased to see her again, and she knew he wouldn’t turn her away.

His mousy wife was inconsequential, and would be willing to forgive, if only to appease her sister Jane. Everyone avoided the subject of insanity, she had discovered over the years, since no one knew quite how to treat those who appeared to be afflicted with disturbed minds. Her brother’s reaction had shocked her upon her arrival today, since he still appeared to harbour her a good deal of ill-will. Charles had always been the most easy-going of men; a trait that he continued to display on his duty visits to her in London.

But not here.

Simon seemed to be the mirror image of his father, and would likely be easier to exploit. Make a friend of him and her life would become a great deal easier. She had sensed his curiosity about her, and since he hadn’t known why she’d been banished, he could have no preconceived notions regarding her conduct.

Oh yes, Simon Bingley would make an easy convert to her cause. She had not seen her nephews and nieces over the years, but her brother had written to her regularly and had boasted about their achievements. Caroline had stored every snippet of information away for future reference. Now the time had come to put that knowledge to good use. Her calculating mind, now that it was no longer dulled by the medicine her husband routinely foisted upon her but which she increasingly found ways to avoid ingesting, whirled with possibilities.

The door opened and Caroline glanced up, smiling innocently when Jane walked through it. She had aged well, Caroline was obliged to concede, which was more than could be said for her sister, the despised Mrs Darcy, who had grown old and coarse. But then Jane had always been the sweeter, more easily influenced of the two; a worthy addition to the Bingley clan. She suppressed a shudder, refusing to consider the damage that her other sister had done to the prestige of the Darcys.

‘Jane, it has been too long.’ Caroline stood to embrace her brother’s wife. ‘It is so very nice to see you again.’ She squeezed out a tear; an act she had perfected over the years and which usually saw her get her way. ‘Am I to be sent away again in disgrace?’

‘No, of course not.’ Jane returned her embrace, albeit fleetingly, and didn’t meet Caroline’s gaze. ‘Lizzy is having a room prepared for you. I will show you to it.’

Caroline hid her satisfied smile. ‘How very forgiving of her.’

‘Are you really yourself again? We have missed you.’

Caroline tamped down her anger, thinking the solution to that difficulty had always been at Jane’s fingertips, but that she hadn’t seen her more than a dozen times, and then only briefly, since her last visit to Pemberley.

‘Then I am glad that we are friends again.’ She linked her arm through Jane’s. ‘Show me to my room, if you would be so kind, and have my valise sent up so that I can make myself presentable. If I am to finally meet your dear children and Darcy’s, then I must look my best.’

Chapter Five

A deafening silence descended over the commodious drawing room at the appearance of the glamorous stranger. Nadia wondered who she could be and why she had come. She had clearly not been invited, but she appeared to be familiar with Pemberley and didn’t seem affected by the consternation her arrival had caused. Nadia’s attention was drawn to Simon Bingley, who had instinctively taken a position at his father’s shoulder when he addressed the woman. He referred to her as Caroline, and Nadia thought there was a slight resemblance in their facial features. Perhaps the woman was a long-lost relative.

‘Mrs Rochdale.’ Nadia turned at the sound of Lady Ripon’s voice in her ear. ‘I’m sure that’s who she must be.’

‘I know that name. I have heard it somewhere before,’ Nadia replied. ‘And recently too, but I cannot think where. Who is she?’ she asked. ‘I imagine she was not invited.’

Both ladies watched as Mrs Rochdale’s arm was taken in a firm grasp by Mr Bingley, who led her from the room. Simon followed his father, casting a worried look over his shoulder as he left, his gaze lingering upon Nadia for a protracted moment. Nadia wondered why. This was clearly a private family matter and she was barely acquainted with Simon.

‘Lud no, she is definitely not welcome.’ Lady Ripon sighed. ‘She is my uncle Bingley’s estranged sister.’ Conversations resumed when the door closed behind the Bingleys. ‘I don’t know the particulars, but something happened here at Pemberley before I was born that resulted in the lady being banished from the estate. From the county of Derbyshire, in fact. Whatever she did, it must have been something catastrophic for my aunt Jane to have turned her back on her.’ Lady Ripon smiled. ‘My aunt has the softest heart in the entire world, and doesn’t have it in her to be unkind to anyone. Anyway, before her banishment from Pemberley I’m told that the then Miss Bingley was a regular visitor and that she and my uncle were close.’

‘Your Mama and Papa look very upset—your Mama especially, as does Mrs Bingley.’ Nadia tapped her fingers against the back of a chair, wondering whether she ought to change the subject. She felt awkward, knowing that she was one of the few non-family members in the room. But then again, Lady Ripon had chosen to speak about the matter, showing good manners by attempting to put Nadia at her ease, even though she seemed full of curiosity and less than comfortable herself. ‘I wish I could recall where I have heard the name Rochdale,’ she muttered. ‘But I don’t suppose my hearing it has anything to do with the lady’s arrival here.’

‘It is an English town in the Pennines. Perhaps you have heard someone mention it since your return.’

‘Possibly.’ But Nadia didn’t think that explained why the name was significant, and the coincidence continued to nag at her brain.

‘Well, I will say one thing for Mama’s parties. They are never dull and always full of surprises. Whatever must you think of us?’

Nadia smiled. ‘Really, Lady Ripon, I am the last person you should apologise to. Anyway, you have nothing to apologise for. This is hardly your fault. All families have skeletons, and mine is no exception.’ You can have no idea.

‘Please, call me Bella. We are all friends here and I cannot abide formality.’

‘By all means, and you must call me Nadia.’

‘I shall.’ Bella paused. ‘Mrs Rochdale married her doctor, in case you are wondering. He is quite famous, apparently, always looking for ways to ease the suffering of the insane.’

‘Goodness, that does sound worthwhile—and very brave of him. Most people lock their mad relatives away in an institution and forget all about them. Well, in this country at least.’ Nadia slapped a hand over her mouth. ‘I do hope Dr Rochdale did not come across his future wife in his professional capacity, in which case I have probably offended you.’

‘Not in the least. We can none of us help our ailments, physical or mental, and I don’t see why they shouldn’t be talked about. I find your forthright attitude refreshing. But I’m afraid I cannot satisfy your curiosity, since I know no more about Mrs Rochdale’s history than you do. Neither does Simon or either of his sisters, but since my cousin went with his father just now, I dare say he’s about to find out. Never fear, I shall make him tell me.’ Bella flashed a mischievous smile. ‘None of the men in this family can resist me when I make up my mind to extract the truth from them.’

Nadia smiled. ‘I have no difficulty in believing you.’ She cast a glance across the room, where Sophia was making a fool of herself by clinging to Marc Darcy’s coattails, almost literally. ‘Oh lord, I had best—’

‘Leave it,’ Bella placed a restraining hand on Nadia’s arm. ‘Marc can take care of himself. She will soon grow weary of trying to impress him when he continues to ignore her, and will have to look elsewhere for admirers.’

‘And you feel the need to apologise for your family.’ Nadia rolled her eyes. ‘I wish Mama would temper Sophia’s excesses. It is excruciatingly embarrassing to watch her, but Mama is the one who convinced my sister that she is beyond comparison, and she actually believes what she says.’

‘Rest assured, no one in this room will judge you for your sister’s behaviour. Quite the reverse, in fact. It is immediately apparent to me that you possess great good sense and dignity.’

Nadia inclined her head. ‘I’m not so sure about that. I am as capable as the next person of losing my temper and—prepare to be shocked—of speaking out of turn and inveigling myself into other people’s affairs.’

Bella clasped a hand over her heart, affecting an incredulous expression that made them both smile. ‘Outrageous!’

A child’s loud cry and a responding indignant squawk had Bella glancing in the direction of the terrace. ‘Oh lud, I know that voice. It’s one of mine causing mayhem. Excuse me Nadia, I had best go and prevent full-scale warfare. We shall have plenty of opportunities to converse when the children are safely tucked up in the nursery.’

‘Of course. Do go. I have enjoyed our conversation, but we cannot have the next generation killing one another.’

Bella smiled. ‘I doubt whether it will come to that. My brothers and I tried it often enough, but no lasting damage was done.’

She disappeared in a swirl of muslin skirts, and Nadia found herself alone again and at leisure to ponder upon the appearance of the unwelcome aunt. Mr and Mrs Darcy and Mrs Bingley had left the room and no one else appeared to know what to say or do. All three Darcy sons were huddled together by the window, their closeness discouraging even the determined Sophia from intruding upon their private discussion.

‘What a to-do,’ Nadia’s mother said, coming up to her. ‘I hear tell the woman is a disgraced relative of the Bingleys who has been banned from Pemberley. Imagine inflicting herself where she isn’t wanted. She must have an incredibly thick skin.’

Nadia glanced at Sophia, whose renewed attempts to attract the sons of the house caused the three of them to glance over their shoulders and move away from her.

‘We must shun the woman, Nadia—if she is permitted to stay, that is. We are firmly on the side of the Darcys.’

Nadia flexed a brow. ‘Without even understanding the nature of the dispute?’

‘The Darcys cannot possibly be at fault.’

Nadia shook her head but knew it would be a waste of breath to point out the flaws in her mother’s argument. In the various disputes that had sprung up in Jamaican society, Mama had always supported the leading lights, even if she had no idea what had caused the disagreements in the first place.

Especially then.

‘Talking of thick skins, Sophia is in danger of earning herself a reputation.’

‘Oh, do stop picking on your sister. It’s almost as though you are jealous, which is not an attractive trait.’

‘I am embarrassed by her forwardness, Mama, but I dare say it would be a waste of my time advising you to check her behaviour. It’s obvious that the Darcy gentlemen have no interest in her. Only you and Sophia appear blind to their obvious discouragement of her frantic attempts to attract their interest. She would be better advised to ignore them, concentrate on looking pretty and wait for one of them to approach her.’

‘Bah. Young men don’t know their own minds, but once one of them looks properly at Sophia he will not be able to help being enthralled.’

Mama rippled her shoulders, a gesture of indignation that Nadia was well acquainted with, and she knew that continuing to point out the error of Sophia’s ways would be futile. Given that her own circumstances were so dire, she failed to understand why she was in the slightest bit worried about her sister’s behaviour. Perhaps she was subconsciously looking for an excuse to avoid considering the serious disagreement that would ensue between herself and her father if he insisted upon her marrying Molineux.

‘I saw you in conversation with Lady Ripon,’ Mama said. ‘Such a refined lady and so influential. I hope you will make an effort to befriend her. What did she have to say about the unwanted guest?’

‘She is as much in the dark about her as the rest of us.’

‘Really?’ Mama elevated one finely-arched brow. ‘Perhaps that’s the impression she wants to create, but I don’t believe it for a moment. She probably made a point of singling you out in order to prevent unfounded speculation from spreading.’ Mama looked highly incensed. ‘I hope we are better bred than to indulge in common gossip.’

‘God forbid,’ Nadia muttered, valiantly holding in a smile. Her mother had been one of the biggest gossips in Jamaica, and a lack of facts had never prevented her from fanning the flames of wild speculation.

‘We will not mention a word to anyone. Anyway, I had best…’

Her mother drifted away again and Nadia once more found herself alone. Before she could make an effort to converse with anyone else, the Darcys returned to the room, along with Mr Bingley and his son. Of Mrs Bingley and the unwanted aunt there was no sign.

‘Mrs Rochdale, Mr Bingley’s sister, will be joining our party as a guest,’ Mrs Darcy said. She addressed the comment to Mr and Mrs Gardiner, but spoke loudly enough for the entire room to hear her.

Nadia could see that she was putting a brave face on matters. Conversations resumed as Mrs Darcy’s three sons headed in their mother’s direction, still talking amongst themselves. Sophia followed their progress with a wistful gaze, but mercifully didn’t try to intercept them. Nadia wondered if Simon would approach her again, but he appeared distracted and joined his three cousins as they spoke with their mother in hushed tones.

Silence again fell when Mrs Bingley and Mrs Rochdale re-entered the room. Nadia watched Mrs Rochdale with undisguised curiosity, wondering why she felt wary of the lady when she had done nothing to harm Nadia. They had not been introduced and had yet to exchange a word. The woman looked at Mr Darcy in a calculating manner, then averted her gaze again, probably before anyone else had time to notice. Whatever she was doing here, whatever her purpose for foisting herself upon the Darcys, Nadia sensed she was out to cause trouble.

She watched as Mrs Rochdale bore down on Simon, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

‘Simon, we really must…’

Whatever she said to her nephew was lost in the murmur of conversation surrounding Nadia. She saw momentary confusion in Simon’s eyes, but of more immediate concern, she also noticed her sister eyeing Simon with determination. It had not taken her long to lower her sights and transfer her attentions, Nadia sensed, and she was not about to put up with it.

‘Mr Bingley,’ she said, smiling as she cut across the aunt’s flow of words, earning disapproving scowls for her trouble from both the aunt and her sister. ‘If you have forgotten our engagement to walk around the lake, then you can be sure that I shall excuse you given the circumstances.’

Simon’s fleeting hesitation preceded a grateful smile that lit up his handsome features. ‘I have not forgotten, Miss Dayton. In fact I have been looking forward to keeping the engagement.’ He proffered his arm and Nadia placed her hand on it. ‘Have the goodness to excuse me,’ he said to his aunt, turning Nadia away from her without having introduced them.

They left the room through the open terrace doors and strolled away from the house at a leisurely pace. If Simon sensed the curious gazes that followed them, he made no mention of it. Nadia noticed her scowling sister at the periphery of her vision. Mercifully, she didn’t attempt to join them. Nadia wouldn’t have put it past her, since Sophia would not consider Nadia an impediment to her ambitions. Which would be true soon enough, Nadia reflected. If she did not marry Molineux, and every fibre of her being protested at the possibility, she would be cast out by her family and likely never see any of these fine people ever again. Grand ladies and gentlemen did not entertain governesses, which would be the only course of action open to Nadia.

‘Thank you,’ he said softly, after a minute or two’s reflective silence.

‘You looked ready to commit murder, so I thought it best to remove you from temptation’s path.’

‘How very thoughtful of you.’ Another smile broke through his preoccupation. ‘I must confess that I don’t ordinarily harbour murderous thoughts, but it seems that even I have my limits.’ He chuckled. ‘My cousins will be astonished to hear it. They all consider me to be hopelessly obliging.’

They strolled on in silence towards the lake, settling on the first bench they reached to enjoy the view of the water, rippled by a gentle breeze. A line of punts was secured to the bank, waiting for those brave enough to take to the water. The reeds swayed and sunshine reflected off the lake’s surface, making it possible to see one or two fish lurking in its depths.

‘It is far too nice an afternoon to be melancholy,’ Nadia said. ‘We both have justification for our introspection, but we owe it to your aunt Darcy to overcome it.’

‘I am poor company, I know, and I expect you regret rescuing me.’ His smile was wide and uncontrived this time. ‘Whatever must you think of me?’

‘Your cousin Bella told me that the mystery guest is your estranged aunt. Her arrival clearly came as a considerable shock.’

‘The more so for my parents and my aunt and uncle.’ Simon kicked at the grass. ‘I knew of her existence, but not the reason why we never saw her. I hadn’t met her before today.’

‘I am not prying, if that is what you suppose. I didn’t…well, force myself upon you in order to extract an explanation. I just thought you looked like you needed rescuing.’

‘If you forced yourself upon me—which I don’t accept—then it doesn’t follow that your company is unwelcome.’

‘Thank you. I am glad you don’t think I am as desperate as my sister to make an impression, because I can assure you that I most emphatically am not.’

‘The possibility had not occurred to me.’ He gazed across the surface of the lake, but Nadia was convinced his mind was elsewhere and that he was incapable of appreciating the glorious view. ‘My aunt did something before I was born that caused considerable trouble for the Darcys. I am not at liberty to reveal the particulars, but she was subsequently deemed insane and sent to London for treatment.’

‘Insanity is a useful excuse for poor judgement.’

‘She married her doctor and is now supposedly cured.’

‘She is not.’

Simon’s head jerked around and Nadia was assured of his complete attention. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘She is not cured. It shows in the eyes. The vacantness I detected—and I will admit I only caught a brief glimpse of her eyes—is a result of prolonged dependence upon medication. I worked with freed slaves on my father’s plantation in Jamaica. Some of them had been driven mad during their years of enslavement, and we had a very advanced doctor who prescribed various forms of cannabis to ease their symptoms. It worked more often than not, although the recipients often become addicted. I was told more than once that for them the world moved at a much slower speed, and they had that same vacant expression I saw in your aunt’s eyes. I recognised the very distinctive signs in her expression, and although I haven’t conversed with her, I am willing to wager that she speaks quite slowly.’

‘Yes, actually she does…You suppose she is addicted?’

‘If she is, then it’s the height of irresponsibility for her to be let out alone. Although I don’t suppose she drove herself to Derbyshire. Her servants will have taken care of her.’

‘You imagine that she has come here with the intention of causing mischief?’

Nadia lifted one shoulder. ‘Since I don’t know the particulars of the incident that caused her to be banned from Pemberley, it’s impossible for me to speculate. Her objective could be entirely innocent, but if she is an addict then her behaviour will at best be unpredictable.’ She looked up at his handsome profile, at the worry lines that creased his brow, and instinctively touched his hand. ‘I’m sorry. I know that isn’t what you want to hear, but I believe in speaking the truth. Addicts are notoriously unstable. I heard of a freed slave who threw himself off a roof because he was convinced he could fly.’

‘My father is attempting to find her husband, Dr Rochdale. He will come and collect her and take her home. There isn’t much harm she can do in a few days.’

‘She is fixated upon Mr Darcy.’

‘Good heavens!’ Simon’s brows disappeared beneath his hairline. ‘Whatever makes you say that?’

‘I saw the way her gaze focused upon him on both occasions when she entered the room. Oh, and she frowned whenever Mrs Darcy came into her line of vision. Only momentarily. Most people wouldn’t have noticed, but I was watching for her reactions.’

‘You are a student of human nature?’

Nadia smiled. ‘In Jamaica I made it my business to look after the people who worked on our plantation. That wasn’t without risk, and one learns to judge characters quickly in situations that are not always safe.’

‘You have a kind heart.’

‘I deserve no such praise. I just cannot abide suffering or injustice.’ She chuckled. ‘But my desire to make myself useful inevitably led me into trouble.’

He grinned, his good humour restored. ‘Now it is I who am filled with curiosity.’

‘Which I don’t have the least intention of satisfying. Allow me a little mystique, Mr Bingley.’

‘Simon,’ he replied softly, taking her hand and squeezing her fingers. ‘You are far too easy to talk to, but you are also an enigma. You have problems of your own, yet—’

‘Good heavens!’ She flapped a hand and gave a nervous little laugh. ‘Whatever made you say that?’

‘I am very good at observing what people don’t say. Even so, you have put aside your own concerns out of compassion for mine. That is rare.’

‘You give me too much credit,’ she replied, deciding against extracting her hand from his. It felt very comfortable where it was, and she enjoyed the reassurance of his firm grasp. ‘It clearly has not occurred to you that I am focusing on your problems in order to distract myself from my own. There is nothing noble about such an aspiration. Some might even call it selfish or intrusive. Your affairs are not my business.’

‘It’s my turn to say that I don’t intend to pry, but a problem shared…’

He spread his free hand as his words trailed off. Nadia hadn’t intended to tell him, to tell anyone, about her father’s plans for her. As long as she didn’t talk about them, they remained one step removed from reality—or so she tried to convince herself. Simon Bingley, with his penetrating gaze and obvious empathy, brought home to her just how much of a sacrifice she would be making if she agreed to marry Molineux. Not that Simon would ever offer for her, but that was beside the point.

‘My father is arranging for me to be married,’ she surprised herself by saying, gazing out across the lake.

‘Ah, and you are not keen on the man he’s chosen for you?’

She shuddered. ‘I find him odious, since you ask. He’s old enough to be my father and we have absolutely nothing in common. I haven’t encouraged him—quite the reverse—and I am at a loss to know why he is so keen on the match. He is wealthy and could have more or less anyone upon whom he settles his interest.’

Her words, so long held back, tumbled over themselves in their anxiety to be spoken. Now that the floodgates had opened, it seemed Nadia would have trouble closing them again. His sympathetic expression encouraged her to express herself, as did the increased pressure of his fingers on hers. It was sufficient for Nadia to continue articulating her feelings. Feelings that she’d been unable to share with anyone else, since no one in her family would understand or sympathise. Even Sophia, she suspected, would have taken Molineux, if only because he was so fabulously wealthy.

‘In any event it doesn’t signify, because I shall not marry him. I dislike the thought of disappointing my parents, but since Papa didn’t even take my feelings into account before entering into the arrangement on my behalf, he only has himself to blame. He knows very well that I am not biddable, or even especially dutiful, which is probably why he didn’t consult me first, I suppose.’ She tossed her head. ‘I shall take a position as a governess somewhere rather than submit to that vile man’s advances.’

‘Who is he? Would I know him?’

‘I doubt it. I think he comes from a reasonably good family, but he married a servant when he was a young man, which saw him thrown out. He went to Jamaica and made his fortune through his wits, I’ll give him that much. But I cannot approve of the way he treats his workers. His slaves have not been freed and their conditions are appalling. Anyway, his name is Molineux. Samuel Molineux.’ She sighed and twitched her nose. ‘Papa is in London now and I think he is agreeing terms, using Molineux’s desire for me as a bartering tool. Papa will be here tomorrow and will no doubt deign to tell me what has been agreed.’

‘Have you not already told him of your disinclination for the match?’

‘Of course, but he won’t listen. There are…well, reasons why he is determined to see me married off. That’s all I can say on the matter. And I suppose I do owe it to him to make amends for my past mistakes.’

Simon laughed. ‘Whatever you have done, I’m sure it can’t be so very bad.’

Nadia made a huge effort to put thoughts of Molineux from her mind. ‘We shall not dwell upon such gloomy speculation on such a lovely day. Oh!’

‘What is it?’

‘I have been trying to think where I heard the name Rochdale recently. Bella said I might be confusing it with the name of the town but I know that wasn’t it.’ She looked directly at Simon. ‘Now I remember. I was listening at my father’s study door. Not a very dignified admission to make, I’ll grant you, but he was in there with Molineux. I assumed they were discussing me and naturally I was keen to know what was being said.’

‘Naturally,’ Simon replied, smiling. ‘I am not averse to a little eavesdropping myself when the occasion calls for it.’

‘Well anyway, I distinctly heard them mention the name several times and I am sure it was in connection with a person. Annoyingly, I heard my mother approaching so I had to run off before I could hear anything else.’ She widened her eyes as she again looked directly at Simon. ‘Could they have been discussing your aunt’s husband—and if so, why?’

Chapter Six

The afternoon gathering broke up, and the guests returned to their chambers to rest before changing for dinner. Nursemaids herded the fractious and over-excited children back to the nursery floor and peace prevailed. Spence lingered with the rest of his brothers, his sisters and their husbands at his father’s request.

‘Are you going to tell us what’s going on?’ Marc asked. ‘Why has Mrs Rochdale’s arrival caused my aunt and uncle so much anguish? You and Mother seem discomposed by it, as well.’

Spence watched his mother take a seat, looking uncharacteristically pale, and nodded his agreement.

‘Why exactly is my uncle’s sister unwelcome here?’ Bella added in support of Marc, too impatient to wait for their father to gather his thoughts. ‘What did she do and why have none of us ever met her before?’

‘I am about to tell you,’ Father replied, standing in front of the fireplace, his expression forbidding, his hands clasped behind his back. Marc’s dog whined and moved away from him. ‘I had hoped it wouldn’t be necessary for you to know, or for the matter ever to be spoken of again, but Mrs Rochdale’s arrival has forced my hand.’

Spence shared a shocked glance with his siblings as their father proceeded to explain. Lord in heaven, no wonder Mother looked so distracted!

‘The nerve of the woman!’ Luke cried indignantly. ‘Showing her face here after what she tried to do. Why on earth would she risk it, sir? She must realise that the passage of time wouldn’t have made her welcome, especially since my aunt and uncle don’t have anything to do with her. That much was obvious since I could tell that Simon and his sisters didn’t know who she was.’

‘Are you all right, Mama?’ Bella asked, moving to the chair beside their mother and taking her hand.

Spence and his brothers had instinctively taken stances at their father’s side in a visual display of familial support. Aware of just how comprehensively their father adored their mother, Spence couldn’t begin to think why the then Miss Bingley imagined that she would be able to break that bond—or why she would risk attempting to.

‘It seems that my behaviour encouraged Miss Bingley to imagine I had some sort of amatory interest in her,’ Father said in response to Spence’s unanswered question. ‘Nothing could have been further from the truth.’

‘But even if you had thought along those lines, Father,’ Marc said, ‘you did not declare yourself, and subsequently married our mother…’

‘For which we are eternally grateful,’ Spence said, making them all smile and lightening the mood.

‘Marc makes a valid point,’ Susie said. ‘You had made your choice, Papa, and Miss Bingley’s pride should have encouraged her to forget her aspirations and put her disappointment behind her, especially if she still wanted to be admitted to Pemberley.’

‘She thought your father had married beneath himself,’ their mother explained, ‘that he had made a terrible error of judgement, and she felt duty bound to save him from his own impetuosity.’ A wry smile graced their mother’s lips. ‘It seems I bewitched your father with my “fine eyes”.’

‘You still do,’ Father assured her, sending her a loving smile.

‘She sounds unstable,’ Bella said, twisting her lips disdainfully as she echoed Spence’s own thoughts.

‘Your uncle Bingley was very close to his sisters before his marriage,’ Father said. ‘They were virtually inseparable. Your uncle, as you all know, has a very easy going nature, which people have sometimes attempted to exploit, to their regret. Caroline discovered her mistake after what she attempted to do here.’

‘It beggars belief,’ Chris muttered. ‘The lengths some women will go to never fails to astonish me.’

Bella sent him a speaking look and Spence knew she must be thinking about the efforts Chris’s mistress had made to separate him from Bella before their marriage.

‘You were not fooled, Papa,’ Susie said confidently, ‘not even when you found Mama in such a compromising position.’

‘He was not,’ their mother answered, ‘but I didn’t know it at the time, and feared the worst. He looked so grim, so angry, and I thought that he actually believed I would really…’

‘Hush, my love.’ Father sent her an intoxicating smile. ‘Not for a single moment did I imagine you capable of having anything to do with the man. I suspected Caroline’s hand behind it all, so it suited my purpose for her to think I had been duped—at least until we got her to admit to her crime.’

‘We did not tell Charles at the time,’ Mother said, taking up the story. ‘Louisa took Caroline back to London and promised to care for her. Jane was expecting Emma, they had just purchased Campton Park and it was a happy time for them. We had no desire to spoil things, and we assumed Caroline would have the good sense to stay away from Derbyshire. She knew she would not be admitted to Pemberley and that it would upset Charles if she was turned away. But after Wickham’s death the truth couldn’t be kept from them and I have never seen Charles so angry and upset. Or Jane, for that matter.’ She sighed. ‘And now Caroline has turned up on our doorstep and stirred up the past.’

‘Has anyone told Porter?’ Spence asked into the awkward silence. He referred to Wickham’s illegitimate son, who was working as trainee steward at Pemberley. ‘I gather he closely resembles his father, and if Mrs Rochdale should happen to see him…’

‘You tell him, Spence,’ their father replied. ‘You get along well with him. He knows something of our complicated history with Wickham, but not the full particulars. Best he hears it from you. I wouldn’t put it past Caroline to try and recruit him to her cause.’ His expression turned grim. ‘I don’t doubt that she has one.’

‘You think she has come here with the express purpose of causing more trouble, Papa?’ Susie wrinkled her brow. ‘I cannot imagine how she hopes to succeed. Twenty-five years have passed.’

‘I hope she has not come with that intention, my dear,’ Father replied, ‘but I will not underestimate her for a second time. Her mind was supposedly disturbed when she caused trouble here before, and for my friend’s sake we have pretended to believe that was the case.’ Father lifted his shoulders in a negligent shrug. ‘And perhaps it’s the truth. She married her doctor and is supposedly better now, but your mother and I have discussed the matter many times over the years and cannot convince ourselves that there was anything wrong with her in the first place, apart from selfishness and an arrogance that made her determined to have her own way.’ He paused. ‘She tried to drown your aunt Lydia in the lake, which is when we accepted that Charles would have to be told and take responsibility for his sister, which he did.’

‘Good heavens.’ Spence shared a bewildered look with his siblings. ‘She really doesn’t like your family, does she, Mother? Let’s hope our uncle can track her husband down. Then he can come and take her away and we will all be more comfortable. I am sorry that you are stuck with her and that her presence stirs up such unpleasant memories, sir,’ he added, addressing his father.

‘For my part, I shall find it very hard to be civil towards her,’ Bella said.

‘Did you notice the way she tried to get Simon to herself?’ Spence asked. ‘Fortunately, Miss Dayton stole him away. Simon is as easy-going as his father was in his younger days, so I wonder if she means to exploit him and get him to promote her cause, whatever it might be. She must have sensed our hostility earlier but it didn’t seem to affect her, which implies that she is very thick-skinned.’

‘We depend upon you to protect your cousin, Spence,’ their mother said. ‘You and he are especially good friends.’

‘Oh, I dare say I shall manage to steer him clear of his aunt,’ Spence replied lazily, ‘and Miss Dayton too, if I think he’s in danger of falling in love.’ He paused. ‘Again.’

Everyone laughed.

‘Nadia Dayton is charming,’ Marc said. ‘I wish I could say the same for her sister.’

‘Well, if there are no more family skeletons to be revealed,’ Spence said, ‘I had best go in search of Porter. Excuse me please, Mother.’

‘Yes, my dear, you get along.’

‘Let me know if you encounter any problems,’ Father added.

Spence wandered outside, his head spinning as he mulled over the extraordinary revelations of the past half-hour. He expected to discover Tobias Porter in the estate office at this hour, which is precisely where he ran him to ground.

‘What-ho,’ Tobias said, putting his pen aside and stretching. ‘These damned figures seem determined not to tally.’

‘Such is the way with figures the world over,’ Spence replied, slumping into the chair across from Tobias’s desk. ‘Are you for the Lamb?’ he asked, aware that Tobias often visited the local tavern at the end of his working day. Spence sometimes accompanied him.

‘Shortly, unless you have come to give me more work, which I wouldn’t put past you. Then again, perhaps you’re hiding from all the females who are keen to impress you with their beauty and accomplishments.’

‘Actually, I came to talk to you.’ Spence took a moment to choose his next words with care. Tobias appeared to have put his wild ways, his resentments and disappointments behind him, and no longer looked upon a father he had never known with unparalleled hero worship. Even so, this situation required tact. Tobias knowing the man who sired him wasn’t perfect was one thing. Learning what he had tried to do to Spence’s parents was entirely another.

‘Well, you’ve found me, so out with it.’ Tobias grinned, as refreshingly lacking in subservience as always. ‘Some of us have to work for a living, you know.’

‘Hah! You could have fooled me.’ Spence’s smile quickly faded. ‘We have an uninvited guest up at the house.’

‘Ah, I did hear something. All very mysterious, but what is it to me?’

Preparing Tobias for a shock, Spence succinctly repeated everything he had learned from his father. Spence half expected wild denials, anger, anything other than the casual shrug that Tobias offered him when he’d heard it all.

‘You don’t look surprised,’ Spence said.

‘I’ll pretend to be affronted if you like, but truth to tell the more I learn about my late father’s behaviour, the less shocked I am by it. Clearly my mother misled me regarding his character, and everything else about him for that matter. She was blinded to his faults—which were legion, I’m discovering—by love and she believed everything he told her. Anyway, Spence, let me put your mind at rest. If this Mrs Rochdale tries to recruit me to whatever crazy scheme made her come here, you will be the first to hear about it.’

‘I didn’t doubt it for a moment,’ Spence replied, meaning it. ‘But I thought you should hear it from me first, in case she tries to ply you with a highly skewed version of past events. Can’t think why she would, but then I can’t think what made her come here anyway when it must be obvious to her that she wouldn’t be welcome.’

‘Some women never get over their disappointments and can bear grudges for all of England.’

‘I suppose you speak from experience, being the success you are with the fairer sex and leaving dozens of broken hearts casually scattered in your wake.’

Tobias gave a cocky grin. ‘If she does latch onto me, I shall attempt to get some answers for you.’ Tobias leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head. ‘She will likely talk more readily to me, especially if she thinks she has found a sympathetic ear after being frowned at in your drawing room.’

Spence laughed. ‘Women of all ages tend to confide in you.’

Tobias grinned. ‘Is it my fault if ladies find me such a sympathetic soul?’

‘I’d best go and change for dinner.’ Spence stood, shaking his head and still laughing. ‘Try to stay out of trouble if you possibly can.’

‘You ask a lot.’ Tobias stood too and they crossed the lawn, talking and laughing together.

Caroline examined her reflection, nodded her satisfaction at the image that stared back at her and dismissed the maid who’d helped her, the offer of whose services she had been forced to accept. Taking any charity from Eliza Darcy went against the grain, but needs must. She couldn’t have brought her own maid with her, and it had required some ingenuity on her part to escape the woman’s clutches. Caroline was convinced that Albert had employed the woman to spy on her and to restrict her movements when Albert himself was not at home—which was frequently nowadays. It infuriated Caroline that she had to put up with such impediments to her freedom, but she had learned over the years to keep her thoughts to herself. If Albert imagined that she was, as he so condescendingly put it, becoming overwrought, he increased her medication. Whatever it was that he forced her to ingest made her feel relaxed to the point of lethargy, as though everything was too much trouble.

She adjusted the fall of her headdress, pleased with the gown that she had ordered with this occasion in mind. Making a good impression on this first night and winning over her hostile relatives was vital, and things had not gone well so far. Even Jane, always so eager to please, had remained aloof and disapproving while she conducted Caroline to this room. Not that it mattered. Jane didn’t signify. Caroline had come here to achieve peace of mind, and that would be impossible until she could put the past behind her.

The past, all the mortifying events that plagued her mind and made the acceptance of unfulfilled expectations impossible for Caroline, revolved around Pemberley.

And Eliza Bennet.

She shuddered when she thought of the way in which the business with Wickham had gone so very wrong. She had been convinced when she saw her beloved Darcy carrying his unconscious wife away from that summerhouse, his mouth set in a grim, uncompromising line, that he now understood the full extent of the woman’s loose morals and would cast her aside.

Not a bit of it. She let out a low growl of frustration as she dwelt upon her grievances and felt anger surge through her bloodstream, her mind free from the vile potions her husband forced upon her but which she had become adept at pretending to ingest. It wasn’t as though she had intended to kill Lydia Wickham when she encountered her alone at Pemberley’s lake. A red mist of anger had temporarily blurred her vision and made her act out of character, but she would have come to her senses before any real harm had been done.

Probably.

At every turn the wretched Bennets foiled her plans to the point at which she could no longer be held responsible for her actions. The family was enough to try anyone’s patience. The fact that she, Caroline, ought to have married Patrick Shannon was a perfect example of the Bennets’ insupportable assertiveness. She had seen Shannon first in London and made up her mind then and there, once she realised that he would soon be a close neighbour of Darcy’s, that he was the man for her. If she couldn’t have Darcy, at least she could be close to him and admitted to his society.

It scarcely seemed possible, but the woman whose scandalous elopement with Wickham had been glossed over and forgiven failed to appreciate the enormity of her crime. Nor did she have the good manners to fade into widowed respectability when Wickham met the grisly end he so richly deserved. Instead, she brazenly ran to her sister at Pemberley, where she met Shannon and managed to attract his interest, stealing him from beneath Caroline’s nose in much the same way that Lizzy had stolen Darcy from her. If Caroline had temporarily—very temporarily—lost her mind and resorted to violence, was it any wonder? The disappointments, the unfairness, the undignified way in which she had been treated had driven her to take drastic action.

Albert Rochdale’s appointment as her personal physician had been one of the few good services that Charles had unintentionally provided her with. Albert had been gaining a reputation as a medical man with an interest in deranged minds when they first met. Caroline had wanted to laugh out loud. If she had listed all her grievances, Albert would have immediately understood why she had lost her grip on reality. But common sense prevailed and she played Albert’s game, prepared to bide her time.

She just hadn’t realised that it would take so long for an opportunity to present itself to revenge herself on the Darcys once and for all. In those early days Albert had seemed genuinely attracted to her for reasons that had nothing to do with her fictional ailments or her fortune. He liked her for herself, and the boost to Caroline’s self-esteem was its own reward. It had been too long since she had been admired in the manner she deserved, and Caroline basked in the attention. She noticed how women of all ages fawned over Albert. He was charmingly inclined towards them all but it was Caroline, he had assured her, who held the key to his heart.

Of course she had been wrong about his feelings, which had not endured. She knew that now, but hindsight was deucedly annoying and she preferred not to reflect upon the fact that he had been using her every bit as much as she had used him.

She had seldom been allowed to mix freely in society during those early days and, still smarting from events at Pemberley, she had no desire to show her face for fear of being ridiculed as well as ostracized. Her entertainments were restricted to those provided by her sister Louisa, with whom she had lived before her marriage.

Albert was a constant visitor and plied her with attention. Only now did she fully understand that it was the supposed affliction of her mind that had held his interest. She overheard him saying once that it fascinated him to see her behaving like a rational person when he knew for a certainty that the balance of her mind was seriously disturbed. What utter tosh! There was absolutely nothing wrong with her mind, but it frightened her to hear Albert attest that anyone from a less privileged background would have long since been sent to an asylum and wiped from the collective memories of her family’s mind.

Life with Louisa and her terminally boring husband had threatened to make her genuinely ill, so when Albert had gone down on bended knee and proposed, she hadn’t hesitated to accept him. Her damaged pride was salved because this handsome and sophisticated doctor desired her above all the available females in London.

Charles had not attended the small ceremony that took place a mere few weeks after Albert’s proposal. She was too keen to become a married woman to reflect upon the reasons for it being a rushed, sparsely attended affair. She had genuinely believed that Charles would have overcome his temporary annoyance and been there to walk her down the aisle. He would have returned to his customary easy-going manner in his dealings with her, giving her a foothold back into Derbyshire society. But he didn’t come, and she was obliged to have the odious Mr Hurst give her away.

That Charles and Jane could bear a grudge for so long was as surprising as it was undignified. But still, she was here now and would behave so impeccably that her relatives would gradually lower their guard and accept her again.

It was not as though they had anything to get into a dudgeon about, she thought belligerently, sensing the old rage that she thought she had learned to conquer swamping her reason. She breathed slowly and deeply until the feeling subsided and took a small nibble of one of the special biscuits she had brought with her, aware that it would help to calm her.

Caroline ate slowly, reflecting upon the fact that she was the one who had been ill-used and misunderstood. She was the one who’d been tricked into matrimony and been obliged to ingest all manner of potions that had dulled her senses and left her feeling listless and unfulfilled. She would have liked to have had children of her own, but she was absolutely sure that Albert had used his medical knowledge to somehow prevent her from conceiving. He was too wrapped up in his research and with cutting a swathe through the wealthy ranks of the ton in his professional capacity to have time for a family. Not that the physical side of their marriage had lasted for long. Caroline found it distasteful and Albert must have sensed her dislike of the undignified act, because he left her alone after the first month or two.

She had been kept more or less confined to their London home all these years, with a succession of maids appointed by Albert to watch over her. The biscuits had been her lifeline, guaranteed to send her off into a pleasant dreamlike trance when things got too much. Once she became aware of the manner in which they dulled her senses, she had gradually weaned herself off her reliance upon them without Albert’s knowledge, only resorting to their comforting properties in times of extreme strife. She needed to keep her perfectly sane wits about her.

She seldom managed to venture out alone, and she often felt like a prisoner. Albert was attentive but abstracted by his growing practice. Only during recent years had he left her alone for prolonged periods as he chased up new avenues of research connected to his field of interest. She was not supposed to know that Albert had also found solace in the arms of a succession of mistresses. She didn’t care about his peccadilloes, and she was glad to finally be given some small freedoms that came about thanks to his preoccupation with his latest floozy. She had discovered by subversive means that she lived in this part of the world. Charles didn’t know that, of course, so if he decided to send for Albert to take her home, he would have no idea where to find him. She had outsmarted her husband, and nothing would stand in her way now.

It wasn’t quite time to go down yet, so she sat in the window of her chamber and drank in the magnificent view that she had never forgotten—the view from an equally magnificent house that she should be mistress of, if there was any justice in this world.

She sighed, feeling contented despite her grievances in ways that she had forgotten were possible. If Jane and Charles were still being standoffish, she would just have to cultivate the good opinion of their children instead. The girls were both married with families and responsibilities of their own, and their husbands would doubtless disapprove if they were to befriend the prodigal aunt. That left Simon, the target she had decided upon earlier. It was annoying that he had been snatched away from her by the little hussy who had him in her sights, but Caroline hadn’t come this far to be bested by a slip of a girl.

She glanced at the lawns and gasped when she saw Spencer Darcy walking across them with another young man whose appearance gave her quite a start. He was the image of Wickham at the age he had been when she’d last seen him. Had her eyes deceived her? She felt as though she had travelled backwards in time and that Wickham was actually here. Her heart palpitated, and she was again obliged to utilise her deep breathing routine until the ability to think rationally was slowly restored to her. She wondered what Albert would have to say if, despite all his education and complicated medical knowledge, he discovered that she had never been deprived of that ability. Well, not for long anyway.

The young man must be Wickham’s son; there could be no other explanation. She knew that Darcy had given him a position here, which was one of the reasons why she had depended upon his forgiving nature as a means of regaining favour. She wasn’t supposed to know about Wickham’s chequered history, of course. No one ever mentioned Pemberley in her presence or told her anything about the Darcys. She had been reduced to reading Louisa’s private correspondence with Charles in order to keep abreast of matters.

Louisa often left her alone at home, since Caroline made a point of calling at a time when she knew that her sister was routinely engaged to meet with her latest paramour. At her age, she had still not given up her affairs, which Caroline thought rather undignified, to say nothing of desperate. Mind you, Louisa had been foolish to marry a man of Hurst’s limited charm and physical presence. Caroline had warned her against him, but Louisa had been blinded by his wealth and the desire to take up the position within society’s ranks that marriage to such a man would afford her. She had never admitted to Caroline that she regretted her rash decision, but her string of affairs with increasingly younger men from lower walks of life who were attracted by Louisa’s wealth told their own story.

It suited Caroline’s purpose to have Louisa out of the way, and like so many other things, she pretended not to know about her decadent behaviour. Mr Hurst was always at his club in the afternoons, leaving Caroline free to snoop to her heart’s content.

‘Well, well,’ she said aloud, still observing Wickham’s son as he threw back his head and laughed at something Spence said to him. ‘I wonder if that young man knows just how badly his poor papa was abused by this family. Someone really ought to enlighten him.’

Caroline had a genuine smile on her lips as she made her ways downstairs. Her patience, she sensed, was finally on the point of being rewarded. Once again she would recruit a Wickham to aid her cause, only this time she would make sure that he didn’t fail her.

Albert Rochdale rolled onto his back and took the young woman in his arms with him. She landed on top of him, laughing and protesting half-heartedly. Twenty years his junior, the pretty young widow was everything he had ever wanted in a woman and he was a fair way to falling in love with her. He had never loved anything or anyone in his life before, being far too ambitious to make a name for himself in the field of medicine to have time for personal attachments, but he found that realisation both startling and strangely satisfying. Everything he had done in his life, he sensed, had been building up to this moment.

Marianne was cunning, ambitious, and totally dedicated to Albert. He ran his hands over her body and she giggled as the effects of the cannabis they had smoked earlier took hold and caused her to shed her inhibitions.

That was how Albert had first come to know Marianne. His use of cannabis in the treatment of his patients who suffered from delusional paranoia had proven very beneficial. He had used his wife as a subject for his experiments, and the changes in her behaviour had been remarkable. He kept her supplied with the biscuits she liked, their sweetness masking the citrusy taste of the drug. It wouldn’t suit his purpose to have her lucid again, and enquiring too closely about his habits. She had served her purpose. Her situation had interested him on a professional level. Her fortune had tempted him to propose and had enabled him to enhance his position as a doctor to the rich and well-heeled. Her money, wisely invested, had also funded his research to the point at which his opinions were actively sought after by leaders in his field, his knowledge universally respected.

Now he had other plans.

Plans that Marianne had suggested when she offered to supply him with all the cannabis that he would ever need to continue with his research. Before her husband’s mysterious death in Jamaica, the couple had lived in that country and Marianne had all the connections, in partnership with another man, to make the supply chain possible. It didn’t take Albert long to put aside his conscience—such as it was—and accept that there was a healthy profit to be made if he sold off the excess to those who had become dependent upon it.

Marianne explained that they could do this through a network of dealers that she herself had established in England, thereby protecting their own identities and preventing her partner from swindling her. The profits assured him of a steadily increasing fortune that would enable him to keep Marianne in the style to which she deserved to become accustomed. She had taught him to be ruthless and put their own interests first. After a lifetime of genuinely trying to help others and not receiving the same accolades for the breakthroughs he had made as other doctors—advances in the field of diseases of the mind were not generally acknowledged—he felt that he had earned the right.

Of course, he couldn’t leave Caroline high and dry; he wasn’t quite that ruthless. But then again, if she underwent a serious setback and became a danger to herself and others, he would have no alternative but to commit her to an asylum. Charles Bingley and Louisa Hurst might raise mild objections, but they both trusted Albert’s judgement and were more than willing to leave Caroline’s welfare in his capable hands, glad to be absolved of the responsibility.

That was why he had gradually increased her dependency upon cannabis and ensured that her maid never left her alone. Not that she had any friends upon whom she could call, but that wasn’t the point. She was rational for the most part, but Albert was gradually increasing her dosage and her cravings would have become more intense as a result. Albert intended to introduce her to stronger hallucinogenic drugs soon, which would make her behave like a lunatic in front of her sister and the household staff. Once she was addicted, he would withdraw them again and her irrational behaviour would make her a danger to herself and others, leaving commitment as the only viable option.

Albert squeezed Marianne’s waist, pleased that his meticulous plans were going so well.

‘When are you expecting Molineux?’ he asked.

‘Tired of my company already?’ she suggested in a teasing tone.

‘You know better than that.’ He kissed the end of her nose. ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you, my precious, but we need to make sure that our supply line from his plantation is secured.’

‘It has been secure enough up to now,’ Marianne replied.

‘Because you have not asked for the quantities we intend to import. I need to be sure that Molineux can keep his end of the bargain. With him permanently back in England, he may lose control.’

‘I’m told he has people he trusts managing his interests in Jamaica.’

‘Hmm.’ Albert knew that managers left unsupervised too long tended to either become lax in the execution of their duties or ambitious on their own behalves. He needed to assure himself that Molineux had a firm grip on his supply line. More importantly, he needed to ensure that his own name was not connected to Molineux’s in the event of the authorities becoming suspicious.

‘I hear tell that he intends to marry the Dayton girl.’

Albert had no idea to whom Marianne referred, but presumed it must be the daughter of one of the plantation owners in Jamaica. Marianne had sold up and scurried back to England after her husband’s death, and Molineux—an acquaintance of Albert’s from his London club—had introduced them after Albert had mentioned in passing his use of cannabis as part of his medical research. It was broadly accepted that Marianne’s husband had been set upon by slaves who resented not being granted their freedom. The slaves on his plantation were blamed without, as far as Albert was aware, any definitive proof of their guilt being established, and the ringleaders were executed. Marianne seldom referred to the incident, and Albert wasn’t sufficiently interested to ask. The man had been considerably older than Marianne and she did not mourn his death, especially since he hadn’t left her well provided for. The bulk of his estate had been left to his son from his first marriage. Albert intended to treat her a great deal better than that.

The cannabis came into Jamaica from Iran, he understood, and was shipped back to England on boats laden with sugar. Only Molineux knew the precise details, and Albert intended to meet the man for himself to agree terms with him and assure himself that the supply chain would continue to run smoothly.

‘Do you think that this time…?’

Marianne placed a protective hand over her belly and looked wistfully up at Albert. He knew that she was desperate to have a child, his child. Caroline had felt the same way, but Albert had taken measures to ensure that she could never conceive. A child had no place in his plans. But meeting Marianne had caused him to have a change of heart. He would give her absolutely anything her precious heart desired.

‘Perhaps we had better try again,’ he said, sweeping in to kiss her with a wolfish smile on his lips. ‘It wouldn’t do to take chances.’

She giggled and agreed that leaving such an important matter to chance would be negligent. Thoughts of Molineux’s impending arrival were temporarily eradicated from Albert’s mind as he aroused Marianne’s passions. His plans were coming together nicely, and now he had been rewarded for his generous efforts to improve the lot of the insane through the gift of Marianne. He was without question the luckiest man on God’s earth.

Chapter Seven

Simon dressed for dinner, still confused by the dramatic appearance of his aunt and the way it had affected his parents so adversely. His father remained unyieldingly furious. His mother was upset and anxious—a rare situation that probably exacerbated his father’s anger.

Simon tied his neckcloth, unable to shake the feeling that his aunt was here to cause trouble. His father had told him that she never travelled alone and was seldom left to her own devices due to her fragile state of mind. She seemed robust and self-assured enough to Simon, but for the slight dullness he’d noticed in her eyes, but presumably she was putting on an act.

It was baffling. Nadia considered that Mrs Rochdale—Simon couldn’t bring himself to think of her as a relative and had no intention of addressing her in any way other than formally—had come with a specific purpose in mind. Her history indicated that she was adept at creating mayhem. She enjoyed being the centre of attention and clearly bore the Darcys a massive grudge. Simon felt increasingly concerned and went in search of his father, anxious for further clarification. He found him putting the finishing touches to his toilette in a distracted manner. He smiled when Simon entered his room and dismissed his valet.

‘You have questions, I dare say.’ Father sighed. ‘I will answer them if I can, but Caroline has always been a law unto herself and I am as baffled by her appearance, and her nerve in daring to come here at all for that matter, as you must be.’ He lifted a shoulder. ‘Perhaps she has forgotten that she is no longer welcome at Pemberley.’

‘That I somehow doubt. Anyway, how is mother?’ Simon asked, wondering if his father realised that he was inventing excuses for his sister, perhaps because he still felt responsible for her. Simon’s own sisters had both married young, so there had never been any question of him assuming a similar responsibility. His father hadn’t been so fortunate, and had never found it easy to be firm with any of his own children if they transgressed. Presumably a strong-willed sister had run rings around him, and Simon wondered if he blamed his own lenient conduct for Mrs Rochdale’s subsequent behaviour.

‘Your mother is attempting to be strong for my sake, and I am doing the same thing for hers.’ His father’s chuckle owed little to humour. ‘Such is the way of devoted married couples.’

‘I shall have to take your word for it.’

‘I tell you true, Simon, I don’t like this one little bit.’ His father frowned and struck the wainscoting with a clenched fist. ‘Caroline is up to something, you just mark my words. But what and why, after the passage of so much time, is a mystery to me.’ He shook his head. ‘I am at a loss to make sense of it. I thought we had put those days well and truly behind us.’

‘You have set matters in hand to find her husband, I assume.’

‘I have already sent an express to Rochdale’s secretary, but the fact of the matter is that I’ve never taken to the man. I tried not to show it and managed to convince myself it was a good thing that Caroline had found a man to love and care for her. In truth I was glad to be absolved of all responsibility for her. I didn’t even attend their wedding. I just couldn’t bring myself to go. It was too soon after…well, everything that had happened here. Anyway, they set up home in London and I only visited under sufferance, hiding my misgivings about Rochdale, but still…’ Father threw up his hands. ‘There, now you know.’

‘You?’ Simon permitted his surprise to show. ‘You find something to like in everyone you meet, so if you dislike Rochdale there must be something fundamentally bad about the man.’

‘As a general rule I’m a compliant chap, I’d be the first to agree, but with age I have become more discerning. I suppose the business with Caroline taught me the value of caution. I had absolutely no idea that she had formed an attachment to your uncle Darcy, which does not make me appear very observant, or mindful of my duties as head of our family. Caroline was my responsibility. I should have taken more notice and nipped that attraction in the bud. Not that Caroline would have listened to me, but at least I would have had the satisfaction of knowing I’d tried. Or I could have warned Darcy, or…something. I knew my friend didn’t look upon her in that light.’

‘The ladies notice these things,’ Simon said. ‘It is an area in which they excel. Perhaps my aunt Louisa should have warned you. I am sure she knew which way the wind blew.’

His father shrugged, and having tied his neckcloth to his satisfaction, fell into a chair. ‘Perhaps. But the fact remains that I blame myself. That’s why when Rochdale, a renowned professor of medicine with a specialist interest in disorders of the mind, took more than a professional interest in your aunt I was…well, as I just said, I was glad to be shot of the responsibility. By then I had my own estate to manage and Emma had already been born. My priorities had changed and it was a relief to put Caroline to the back of my mind.’

‘You don’t like the man, yet you owe him a debt of gratitude.’ Simon nodded. ‘That makes sense. I recall meeting him once when I was home from school and he was on a brief visit, but I had no idea about…well, about the situation with my aunt.’

‘It’s not that I don’t like him, precisely.’ Father frowned as he attempted to articulate his concerns. ‘I can’t say exactly what it is about him that troubles me. He has made quite a name for himself in his field and is highly respected by his peers. On my duty visits to Caroline, she has always seemed contented and in command of her faculties, but even so…’

‘I shall make up my own mind when he arrives to take his wife home.’

‘Do that. Oh and, Simon.’

‘Yes, Father, what is it?’

‘Be careful of Caroline. Don’t be taken in by her. I noticed earlier that she tried to single you out. There might be a perfectly reasonable explanation for that. You are, after all, her nephew and she might simply want to know you better. But she might also think of you as a potential ally, a voice within the family to support her cause, whatever that might be.’

‘Don’t worry sir, I have her measure. She will not divide us, nor will she persuade me to plead her case with you if it’s a full reconciliation she seeks. Even so, if she wants to talk to me, perhaps I should encourage her to be frank. That way we will have a better idea of her purpose.’

‘Yes, I suppose that might work—but as I say, have a care. She can be very convincing and you are much like I was at your age. You see the best in everyone.’

‘Not really. The attention I get from unmarried females for all the wrong reasons has taught me the value of restraint, and I no longer accept anyone at face value.’

‘I am relieved to hear you say so. Now, come along.’ Father stood and slapped Simon’s shoulder. ‘We had best go down or we will be late. There is to be fishing tomorrow, I understand, but I don’t suppose I can persuade you to join us.’

Simon shuddered. ‘Sorry, Father, but you know I don’t have the patience for it.’

‘I’ll let you into a little secret. Most of us tend to fall asleep beneath the nearest stand of trees and it’s the keepers who remain alert and land the fish. We just take the credit for the catch.’

Simon laughed. ‘I would never have guessed.’

They entered the drawing room to find Simon’s mother in close conversation with his aunt Lizzy. No one else was down. Both ladies looked up and smiled at them.

‘Are you all right?’ Father addressed his question to both ladies, but his attention was all for his wife.

‘I was just reassuring Jane about Caroline’s appearance,’ Aunt Lizzy replied. ‘I have already told Will I am glad our shocking secrets are out in the open. Spence has agreed to inform Tobias Porter, just so that there can be no misunderstandings if rumours reach his ears, as rumours so often do when they take on a life of their own and become grossly exaggerated.’

‘I still fail to understand why Caroline felt the need to come here, now of all times,’ Simon’s mother said, frowning.

‘She will be gone again, my dear, just as soon as Albert can be found and made to come and fetch her. But if her presence worries you so much, I will escort her back to London myself.’

‘No, Charles.’ Mother touched his arm. ‘Leave it. I am sure everything will be fine.’

‘Just so long as you are sure. I won’t have you overset for any consideration.’

At that point they were joined by others and the opportunity for further speculation was lost. Simon smiled at his sisters as they entered the room together with their husbands, laughing together at something one of the gentlemen had just said to them.

‘I imagine you wonder what sort of family you married into,’ Father said, ‘which is hardly to be wondered at, given my sister’s rather dramatic entrance.’

‘Had we known, we never would have contemplated such a rash action,’ Ross Enfield replied, earning a playful slap on the arm from his wife, Simon’s sister Ellie.

‘I rather like the idea of a black sheep,’ Emma said. ‘Every family should have one to trot out occasionally and embarrass everyone.’

They all smiled when Ellie agreed with her sister. The conversation became more general when the rest of their guests filtered into the drawing room. Simon noticed Nadia Dayton at once; tall and elegant in an unfussy gown of pale bronze figured silk that enhanced her figure, emphasising her elegant and unique style. He smiled at her over the heads of his sisters and she acknowledged him with a slight inclination of her head before moving further into the room and being greeted by his aunt Darcy.

Mrs Rochdale was one of the last to appear. When she did so, she glided across the room as though she owned it and attached herself to Simon’s mother.

‘It has been too long since we were all together as a family,’ she said.

Simon couldn’t believe her glib attitude and willingness to refer to subjects that would be best avoided. He wondered at her ability to ignore the atmosphere that shrouded her as she entered the room. She ought to feel the muted animosity directed her way, but Simon could see that she was impervious to it.

He was disquieted to observe the frequent occasions upon which her gaze focused upon his uncle Darcy with glistening intensity. Unless Simon missed his guess, a twenty-five-year absence had been insufficient to tamp down her desire for the owner of Pemberley. He shuddered, suddenly very concerned about Mrs Rochdale’s reasons for coming to Derbyshire. That concern strengthened his resolve to discover for himself just what she hoped to achieve from this visit and nip her intentions in the bud. His mother and father had suffered quite enough, and the time had come for him to protect them.

He saw Mrs Rochdale turn her attention to him. She smiled and raised a hand when she observed him standing alone. But now was not the right time to engage her in conversation. He pretended not to notice her and crossed the room and joined Spence.

‘Seems our families have a dark side to their history,’ Spence said, making light of things. ‘Quite delicious, don’t you think? All that plotting and passion.’

‘No I damned well don’t. It’s obvious to me that my mother and father have not recovered. Yours haven’t either, by the looks of things.’

‘True, but there’s no point in taking matters too seriously. It all happened a lifetime ago and there’s nothing the woman can do to rock the boat now.’

‘You say that, but it looks as if Mrs Rochdale hasn’t got over her desire for your father,’ Simon replied. ‘She can’t seem to stop looking at him, but he is totally ignoring her. I think that is a miscalculation. If my aunt is not of sound mind, she will look upon it as a slight and set herself on the road to revenge.’

‘She tried that once before, and we know how it ended.’

‘Even so. She may not be able to come between my uncle and aunt but she could…oh, I don’t know, set fire to the curtains, let all the horses out of the stables, or something equally spiteful.’

‘You’re worrying too much,’ Spence replied airily. ‘If she does harbour unrealistic expectations—which seems almost indecent at her age—but even if she did, she ought to have recovered from youthful regrets by now. If she has not got over her obsession with my father then she will see us here, a close-knit family, and realise that she is wasting her time attempting to come between us.’

‘She must be very thick-skinned not to feel the atmosphere she’s created.’

Spence shrugged. ‘I doubt she feels very much at all. I caught a glimpse of her eyes when I walked past her a moment ago and she’s either been secretly imbibing—’

‘You think she is a drunkard?’ Simon widened his eyes. ‘This keeps getting worse.’

‘I think it more likely that she has been given some sort of medication to keep her emotions in check. She is, after all, married to a doctor.’

‘Perhaps we should ask your uncle Sanford,’ Simon said, referring to the man who married his uncle Darcy’s sister Georgiana. ‘He’s a doctor. Not of the mind, it’s true, but I’m sure he would know.’

‘Perhaps, but short of asking her directly, which he can’t really do, it won’t get us anywhere.’

‘I suppose so. You don’t think she’s planning some sort of symbolic gesture, like killing herself here at Pemberley?’ Simon asked in some alarm.

‘Doubt it very much. Stop worrying. And here’s your Miss Dayton, walking this way with the specific intention of cheering you up, I have no doubt.’ Spence chuckled. ‘And I can tell from the sudden animation in your expression that she’s already having the desired effect. Miss Dayton,’ he added with a sweeping bow when she joined them. ‘How are you enjoying Pemberley?’

‘Very much, thank you. How could I not? The house and grounds are quite magnificent. I fully intend to explore the estate during my stay and behave with total disregard for my social obligations.’

‘Good for you,’ Spence replied with an easy smile. ‘You will manage it well enough, and you won’t have to repeat any of the walks unless one of them especially takes your fancy. There are endless tracks to follow.’

Spence’s attention was taken up by Bella, and Simon found himself once again alone with Nadia. Dinner just happened to be announced at that moment and it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to offer her his arm.

‘Thank you,’ she said, placing her hand on it. ‘I did not come this way in the expectation of being offered your escort.’

‘Perhaps not, but you did save me the trouble of coming to find you since I had quite made up my mind to take you in.’

She smiled. ‘Gallantly said.’

As they walked together into the dining room Simon noticed his aunt being escorted to the table by his father. That was a clever way of keeping her from his uncle Darcy, Simon thought. Coincidentally, they were seated directly across from Simon and Nadia, and since formalities were not observed at Pemberley, there would be nothing to prevent his aunt from engaging him in conversation across the table. The pleasure Simon had anticipated enjoying in Nadia’s compelling company dissipated as his aunt watched him with a determined light in her eyes—eyes that Spence had correctly noticed were dull yet alert. It seemed like a contradiction, but the evidence to the contrary was irrefutable. A shudder passed through Simon and he knew it would be a grave error of judgement to underestimate the black sheep’s determination.

‘You are to be congratulated, Charles,’ he heard Mrs Rochdale remark, her gaze still fixed upon Simon. ‘Your children are a credit to you and I look forward to meeting your daughters’ children tomorrow.’

‘Where is Rochdale?’ his father replied. ‘He will be worried when he learns that you have left London. Presumably you didn’t tell anyone where you intended to go.’

‘I am a grown woman, Charles,’ she replied, an edge to her voice. ‘And I make my own decisions. Albert will not care.’

‘What of Louisa?’

Mrs Rochdale lifted a negligent shoulder, clearly uncomfortable at being quizzed. ‘I doubt whether she will care either.’

If Mrs Rochdale’s words were intended to evoke sympathy, they failed to achieve that objective in Simon’s case. He couldn’t abide self-pity, especially since his aunt had orchestrated her own downfall and had been treated with more consideration than she had any right to expect. He made a point of turning towards Nadia and blocking out the sound of Mrs Rochdale’s piercing voice. He would speak with her, but in private and on his own terms. His cousins all looked upon him as a genial chap who avoided confrontation. That was true, but only because he hadn’t found anything serious enough to confront before now.

His relatives were about to find out that there was more depth to Simon Bingley than they’d realised.

‘I hope you will let me accompany you on your morning walk,’ he said to Nadia. ‘I can make myself useful by showing you the routes that will reward you with the best vistas.’

‘I understood the gentlemen were planning to fish. I should feel guilty if you were kept from the expedition for my sake.’

‘I will let you into a little secret.’ He leaned closer and lowered his voice. ‘I have no patience for fishing. Besides, I always feel rather sorry for the fish.’

‘Oh dear.’ She covered her mouth with a gloved hand. ‘I can quite see that sympathy might hamper your success. However, my father is due to arrive tomorrow and I suppose—’ The laughter abruptly faded from her eyes and Simon could see that she dreaded the forthcoming confrontation. If she was genuinely set against marriage to the man that her father had chosen for her and intended to defy him, he could well understand why and felt doubly determined to distract her.

‘All the more reason to escape. You cannot disagree with him or be forced into any commitments if he cannot find you.’

‘True enough.’ She smiled, a gesture that lit up her entire face and made her look very pretty. ‘Very well then, thank you, we shall be of service to one another.’

The meal came to an end, and Simon was obliged to part with Nadia. He stood and helped her with her chair, watching her walk sedately from the room with the rest of the ladies and wishing that he didn’t have to let her go. He mulled over his feelings for the lively young woman as he helped himself to port and passed the decanter on, wondering if he was using her as a distraction from the problems created for his family by the unexpected appearance of Mrs Rochdale, and felt guilty when he concluded that must partly be the case. He felt great sympathy for her situation, but had no right to interfere. Distracting her was as far as he could in all gentlemanly conscience allow himself to go.

He took a sip of his port, conceding that he liked her very much while simultaneously warning himself not to get too attached. He was no longer the Johnny Raw who fell in love with what Spence described as tiresome predictability. He had reached the age of discretion now—an age at which he could appreciate feminine beauty and wit for its own sake without thinking beyond that point.

Caroline was not satisfied with the way the evening was progressing. Not satisfied at all. She felt unwelcome and as closely and critically watched as she regularly was at home by the spies Albert set to keep her a virtual prisoner. Worse yet, Darcy hadn’t looked upon her with anything other than disdain. He hadn’t looked at her at all until propelled by good manners to do so when she addressed a question to him. But he never instigated conversation with her, or enquired about her activities these past years. His gaze passed over her as if she was a complete stranger who had never meant anything to him at all.

It was insulting and humiliating, yet also challenging.

Darcy, his slovenly wife and their children gave the impression of being a close-knit family. His sons did him credit, she’d grant him that much. All three of them looked so much like their father. The girls were of little interest to Caroline. They were married and no longer lived at Pemberley. It was vexatious that his daughter was now a countess, looked up to and respected, but nowhere near as annoying as the fact that bland Kitty Bennet was herself in the same position. Hearing her addressed here at Pemberley by servants as “my lady” in deferential tones had severely tried Caroline’s patience. She had been obliged to scurry back to her room earlier and munch another of her biscuits until she felt calmer. She had come this far. It wouldn’t do to lose focus now over something that was irritating but relatively unimportant.

Charles had been most unpleasant during the course of dinner, asking all manner of awkward questions as though she was still a young miss beneath his control. It was the most dreadful shame that she hadn’t got to Simon in time to give him no option but to escort her in. She had seen the butler enter the room to announce that dinner was served and thought she had timed her move perfectly. But Charles had intercepted her and the tiresome Miss Dayton had claimed Simon. Even seated across from him, he had barely torn his attention away from the dreary creature in order to respond with civility to the questions she put to him.

Her being unwelcome could not have been made plainer, and the discourtesies shown to her at table would, she suspected, be nothing compared to the manner in which she would be treated by the other ladies now that they had withdrawn. She attached herself to Jane as they left the dining room—or tried to, but Jane had already linked arms with her sister Lydia, and even Caroline felt a little intimidated by that lady when she thought of the time she had tried to drown her. Even she was obliged to admit, with the benefit of hindsight, that her actions in that respect had been ill-advised. But perdition, her patience had been tried to the limit by the Bennet sisters, all of whom appeared determined to thwart her plans.

Lydia sent her an appraising look but had yet to address a single remark to her, making Caroline feel as though she was beneath her notice. That in turn caused the red mist she tried so hard to keep at bay to cloud her vision. It was the red mist she now understood that made her act impetuously. Even so, Lydia’s behaviour rankled. How dare the little madam adopt superior airs? Caroline had a long memory, and recalled the scandal that would have ruined the entire Bennet clan when Lydia eloped with Wickham had Darcy not used his wealth and influence to cover it up. A word in the right ear now and the darling of the literary world would find herself shunned.

Or would she? Caroline had learned from past mistakes and took a moment to consider her options. It had all happened a long time ago, and Lydia had been married to Shannon for more than two decades. Caroline couldn’t prove what she knew to be the truth—and anyway, disclosure might have the opposite effect to the one she intended. Casting doubt upon Lydia’s moral conduct would likely enhance the little tramp’s reputation and increase sales of her books. Allowances were made for artistic temperaments that were denied to the vast majority of the population.

As long as Lydia kept out of Caroline’s way she would be nothing more than an irritation, best left alone to enjoy her so-called fame. Caroline shook her head, recalling how incensed she had been when the now Mrs Shannon’s first novel had been received to critical acclaim, and it seemed as though everywhere she went in London people spoke about little else. Leaving aside the fact that she, Caroline, ought to have become Mrs Shannon—and would have done so if the conniving Lydia Bennet hadn’t stolen Patrick Shannon from beneath her nose—it was infuriating that the Bennet sisters had all done so well for themselves.

Caroline didn’t need Albert’s magical cures to make her well again, always supposing there had been anything seriously wrong with her in the first place. What she needed was plain old fashioned revenge. And finally her patience had paid off. Albert had relaxed his guard and she had been granted readmittance to Pemberley, where she would be in a position to make them all pay. It was simply a question of deciding how exactly to set about doing it.

She sensed all the ladies in her family and Darcy’s watching her as she entered the drawing room. She smiled until her face hurt and seated herself demurely a little away from Eliza Darcy, watching her every move with catlike intensity. Caroline’s diffident conduct and disinclination to put herself forward was rewarded by a reduction in the tension as general conversation resumed. She took little part in it, but nodded and smiled, even managing to thank Eliza when she handed her a cup of coffee.

The doors to the terrace were thrown wide to allow the warm evening air to penetrate the huge room. Caroline set her cup aside and wandered outside, feeling as though she had finally come home. Despite the hostility of her reception, this was where she belonged, and also where she would achieve the peace of mind that had eluded her for the past twenty-five years.

She had been depending upon Charles being more welcoming and his children more supportive once the shock of her arrival had receded. She felt hot and cold all over when she considered the possibility that the younger generation had been told the truth about the events of that summer so long ago. She hadn’t supposed that Darcy or Charles would want their offspring to know, simply because it cast doubt over Eliza’s character. But their reserve implied that they had very likely been given a highly prejudicial account that failed to consider Caroline’s thwarted expectations; expectations for which Darcy’s attentions had been entirely responsible. Far from condemning her, Charles ought to have called Darcy out for his ungentlemanly conduct.

Limited time was now on her side. She would wait for everyone to become accustomed to her presence and relax their guard, then she would decide how to act. Even if Albert discovered her whereabouts, it would take him a few days to get here and take her away again like an unwanted parcel, and a lot could happen in a few days. She threw back her head, closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet-smelling country air, feeling tormented yet somehow at peace.

The sound of piano music alerted her to the fact that the gentlemen must have returned to the drawing room. She walked back inside and saw that Eliza was at the instrument, accounting for the indifferent performance. The moment it came to an end, she took her place and showed the company how it ought to be done. She had spent years perfecting her skill, having little else to do to pass the time, and knew that she excelled. And yet the applause when she came to the end of her piece was disappointingly muted. She took a seat at the back of the room, trying not to pout, and fell to brooding.

Lizzy smiled up at her husband when he slid into bed beside her.

‘Are you all right?’ he asked anxiously.

‘I’m angry at having our lovely party invaded by such an unwelcome guest. I won’t deny it to you, even though I put on a brave face for Jane and Lydia’s sakes.’

‘Caroline seemed to behave well enough.’

Lizzy shook her head against his shoulder. ‘Charles kept her in line at table, but the way she looked at you as though she wanted to eat you whole made my blood boil.’

‘I didn’t notice, since I made a point of not looking at her.’

Lizzy sighed. ‘I know.’

‘You still think she intends to make trouble for us somehow?’

‘I think she came here with that intention, and has planned this for a long time. The prospect of revenge has kept her going all these years. She thinks her treatment has been unjust and cannot—will not—accept that she is the one who misbehaved. Nor will she acknowledge that she has been treated more leniently than she had any right to expect. She probably still thinks that she did you a kindness in attempting to protect you from my evil clutches, and that you and she had an understanding.’

Will laughed. ‘Moonshine!’

‘I know that, but I am a relatively rational person. Caroline, on the other hand, is unwell. I wouldn’t want to think of her consigned to one of those terrible asylums, in spite of the harm she tried to do to me and mine, but if it hadn’t been for Rochdale, that is where she would have ended up. Jane told me that Charles feels guilty because he was so grateful to Rochdale for marrying her and assuming responsibility for her welfare.’

‘I can understand that and I know you are worried about her turning up here and disrupting your party, but try not to fret too much.’ Will tightened his arms around Lizzy. ‘There is absolutely nothing she can do here at Pemberley to cause trouble. Besides, Charles is actively tracking down her husband, who will whisk her away again at the first opportunity.’

‘Let’s hope so.’

‘Spence tells me that Porter took what he had to tell him about his father remarkably calmly. I really don’t think we have to be concerned about his loyalty. He will always be a bit of a rebel at heart, but he’s settling down here. If he continues to give good service, he will assume the position of head steward when Fenton retires at Christmas.’

‘Will that be enough for such a wild spirit? A life of rural respectability. I get the impression that he still enjoys skirting around the edges of the law. He can’t seem to help himself. He’s like his father in that respect.’

Will chuckled. ‘He will be a fool if he lets this opportunity slip, and Porter is nobody’s fool. He has a brain in that head of his.’

‘I hope so because I rather like him, even if looking at him does remind me of his father. They have a strong facial resemblance, but unlike Wickham, Porter is not afraid of hard work.’

‘I will make a point of speaking to him myself tomorrow, just to make sure that we understand one another and to put your mind at rest.’ He kissed Lizzy’s brow. ‘Now go to sleep. We have another long day ahead of us tomorrow.’

Lizzy sighed as she snuggled against her husband’s side. ‘And I must find ways to occupy Mrs Rochdale.’

Chapter Eight

Samuel Molineux procured the best room at the Lamb and left his man to unpack his bags. He found an empty parlour downstairs, sent for pen and ink and dashed off a quick note to Rochdale, telling him of his change in plans and instructing him to wait upon him in Lambton that day. He wanted to be close at hand, to keep Nadia within his sights, and had no time to ride into Derby. Rochdale would have to come to him. He gave the boot boy a penny and had him arrange for his letter to be delivered immediately. He growled when the boy returned and cheekily told him a postillion would ride into Derby with it but required a shilling for his troubles. Samuel deplored the iniquitous cost of living in England and handed over the required shilling with bad grace.

There was nothing for him to do after that but to wait. Being a patient man by nature, he took the opportunity to quiz the landlord about Pemberley.

‘Oh, it’s a grand estate and that’s a fact,’ the landlord told him. ‘We’re all right proud of the Darcy family around these parts, and glad to serve them in any way that we can. They are good masters, treat their tenants well and none of them are above their company. The boys come in here often to enjoy a tankard of ale and pass the time with all and sundry. No airs about them.’

‘Are any of them married or engaged?’

‘Not that I know of, sir.’ The landlord chuckled. ‘Not for want of trying on the part of the young ladies in the district, I don’t mind telling you. The Darcy lads and their cousins are all considered fair game. Young Marcus is their prime target, of course, what with him being the eldest and Darcy’s heir. But the others are well situated, including Simon Bingley, who will inherit Campton Park. That’s a fine estate too, but not anywhere near as large as Pemberley.’

‘I hear they are all at Pemberley at the moment.’

‘Aye, sir. Mrs Darcy always has a house party at this time of the year. It’s become a local tradition. All her family will be there, along with local friends and their families.’

‘It sounds like quite an undertaking.’

‘It is at that, and this year she’s combining it with her traditional open day for the locals. It’s the Darcy way of thanking them for their support. It usually takes place after harvest time, but I think they have other plans for later in the year so they brought it forward. Not that anyone minds. The excuse for a half-day off to make merry is never unwelcome.’

Samuel flexed a brow. He hadn’t known about that. ‘Open day, you say? What do you mean by that?’

‘The Darcys open their grounds to us locals and lay on all manner of entertainments. It’s quite something and we none of us miss it. Not ever.’

‘I see. And when precisely do the Darcys open their doors to all and sundry?’

‘Thinking of going yourself, are you, sir?’ A note of suspicion had entered the landlord’s voice. Damn his impudence! Samuel was a man of substance and didn’t need to mix with the hoi-polloi in order to gain admittance to Pemberley.

‘Idle curiosity. My business affairs will keep me here for a few days and it sounds to me as though you will be closing your doors and skulking off.’

‘You won’t be inconvenienced, sir,’ the landlord replied snidely. ‘Don’t you worry yourself none on that score.’

‘Then I shall not. Worry that is.’

Samuel attempted to smile, but it probably came across more as a grimace. Placating servants was new territory, but it was something he’d been obliged to attempt once or twice since returning to England. He was accustomed to having slaves running around after him in Jamaica—none of whom would dare to question his intentions, or even meet his eye. It had been a very satisfactory arrangement, until the reformers had arrived, demanding that the slaves be given their freedom.

Ha! People who knew nothing about the delicate balance of power in that part of the world refused to listen to those who had the requisite knowledge and the experience of living there. They upset the applecart by giving slaves ideas above their station, spoiling Samuel’s lucrative way of life and making the West Indies a dangerous and unstable place. Freed slaves ran amok, looting and rampaging because they had no idea how to look after themselves. Samuel had had no option but to return home when the slaves organised themselves into bands looking to revenge themselves upon their former masters for perceived iniquities, while others openly vowed to free slaves from plantation owners like Samuel, who had no intention of being told what to do. The mood had turned ugly and Samuel had the good sense to return home and leave his well-paid overseers to keep order.

‘I am expecting a visitor sometime today, a Doctor Rochdale. I will take a turn around the village while I wait but if he arrives while I’m out, send a boy to fetch me.’

‘Right you are,’ the landlord said, less than deferentially.

Samuel clenched his fists and closed his eyes, wishing himself back in Jamaica, where his word had been law. Such an offhand acknowledgement of a direct order would have earned the landlord a well-deserved whipping in the days before he’d left England. It wasn’t only the cost of living that had increased in his absence, he realised. The lower orders appeared to have forgotten the respect due to their betters, and Samuel was obliged to kowtow to the wretched landlord if he didn’t want to find himself out on the streets.

It was insupportable.

The world as Samuel knew it was going to the dogs. He picked up his hat and left the room before his temper got the better of him.

The village was nothing out of the ordinary. He was stared at with some curiosity by knots of people, none of whom seemed especially respectful of a well-dressed man of his stature, further souring Samuel’s mood. He walked as far as the church, then turned to retrace his steps. A smart equipage turned into the Lamb’s mews and Samuel wondered if Rochdale had managed to drag himself from Marianne’s bed and respond to Samuel’s summons already. The fact that someone still respected his authority promised to improve his dour mood, until he realised that his letter would hardly have had time to reach its destination. That fact was born out when he observed Dayton alight from the conveyance.

‘Molineux,’ he said, looking surprised and raising his hat. ‘What the devil are you doing here?’

‘I might ask you the same question. We parted two days ago in London and I understood you were returning directly to Derbyshire.’

Dayton cleared his throat and studied his shuffling feet. ‘Business in London detained me for longer than I had anticipated.’

‘Damn it, man. You can satisfy your mistress any time you like. You have more immediate concerns just now, like ensuring your daughter understands she is engaged to me.’ Samuel’s raised voice had attracted the attention of several of the grooms, who paused in their work to stare at Samuel. ‘That was our agreement,’ he hissed through clenched teeth.

‘You worry too much,’ Dayton said easily. ‘Nadia will do as she’s told. Not that she will need any enticing into marriage with a man of your stature,’ he added so quickly that Samuel’s suspicions were confirmed.

He had been trying to convince himself that Nadia would come to him willingly. Damn it all, the chit ought to fall to her knees in gratitude rather than needing to be coerced into the union. She would live in the lap of luxury as Samuel’s wife, and no one would dare to spread rumours about her misdeeds in Jamaica once she enjoyed the protection of his name. He threw back his head and growled. Gals nowadays seemed to fill their heads with romantic notions that drove all thoughts of duty and responsibility straight out of them.

‘You have left her for two days now at Pemberley with all those single young men of fortune.’ Samuel quietly seethed. ‘Are you mad?’

‘This is only the second day and I shall go there directly and settle things with Nadia.’ Dayton slapped Samuel’s shoulder. ‘In the meantime, I shall wash the dust from my throat. They serve excellent ale here. Do join me.’

‘I might as well,’ Samuel replied, unable to think of an excuse to continue occupying the moral high ground. ‘I am expecting a guest, and you can keep me company until he gets here.’

‘Glad to oblige,’ Dayton replied, pushing his way into the taproom, which was sparsely occupied at that time of day. He raised a hand to the barmaid and indicated that they required two tankards. By the time they had taken chairs close to the open window, the tankards had been deposited on the table between them.

‘Your good health,’ Dayton said, raising his tankard and downing half its contents in one long swallow. ‘Treating you well here, are they?’

‘The service is adequate.’

Dayton chuckled. ‘Takes some getting used to, doesn’t it? We’re accustomed to our word being law.’

Samuel buried his nose in his tankard and grunted an unintelligible response. Dayton was a few years older, but Samuel’s fortune assured him of senior status, despite the fact that Dayton was about to become his father-in-law. For Nadia’s sake he would afford him more respect than Samuel considered was his due, but he most certainly would not permit him to forget who was in charge.

‘Are you missing Jamaica?’ Dayton asked. ‘Can’t say I regret leaving. Having to pay my slaves ate into my profits, which is why I cut my losses, sold up and came home. Well, one of the reasons. It wasn’t safe for my daughters anymore, what with all the turmoil.’

Samuel knew that he’d barely spared the girls a thought and that he had returned home for more pressing reasons, but he allowed the lie to pass uncontested.

‘Things have changed here beyond recognition,’ Samuel complained. ‘No one seems to know the meaning of respect anymore.’

‘True enough, but what’s a man to do? We can’t use the same methods that we employed in Jamaica to keep our retainers honest, more’s the pity.’

Samuel grunted and changed the subject.

Before they had depleted their tankards and asked for refills, Rochdale breezed through the door looking hot and a little dusty. Presumably he had arrived from Derby on horseback. He must have covered the distance damned quickly, which improved Samuel’s mood slightly. At least someone was keen to oblige him. Rochdale shook hands with Dayton once Samuel had made the introduction and signalled to the barmaid for three tankards.

‘Make it two,’ Samuel said curtly. ‘Dayton was just leaving.’

‘Was I?’ Dayton looked vaguely mystified. ‘Oh, very well. I can see you have business to discuss.’ He stood up and reached for his hat. ‘Good day to you, Rochdale. I will send word about the other business, Molineux.’

‘See that you do.’

‘Why the change of plan?’ Rochdale asked, once Dayton had left and the two men had been served with the desired ale.

‘Personal reasons,’ Samuel replied, tired of everyone questioning his motives. ‘Besides, it’s quiet here and no one will suspect us of anything if they see us together. How’s Marianne?’ he added. ‘Sorry to have dragged you away from her fond embrace.’

‘No apology necessary. I shall return to her and tell her what we have agreed. She is, after all, fully involved.’

Samuel chuckled. ‘You lucky dog!’

‘The results of my experiments have been very rewarding,’ Rochdale said, sipping his ale and lowering his voice. ‘I can take considerably more but need to be assured of the safety of the supply line. There is growing unease about the use of ganja here in England, and I would prefer for it not to be known that I use the drug as part of my medicinal cures.’

‘Don’t want to be undercut, more like,’ Samuel said, aware of the drug’s addictive qualities and how profitable the trade could be for a man in Rochdale’s position.

‘Absolutely, but there’s more to it than that. It has remarkable benefits if prescribed to patients with mental diseases in controlled doses. But the balance is sensitive, and in the wrong hands…’

Samuel nodded, pretending to be convinced but fully aware that Rochdale had been swept off his sensible feet by Marianne’s charms. Presumably he wanted to keep his mistress in style and the once fastidiously correct doctor was now willing to cash in on his notoriety.

‘I need to know that the supply chain will not be compromised with you in this country, Molineux. Marianne is equally concerned, but I have assured her that you have matters under control.’

‘I still have my plantation—and unlike Hanson, I’m alive and in control,’ Samuel replied, disliking the fact that he was being cross-questioned by his inferiors. ‘Marianne would have been perceived as the weak link, ripe for exploitation, which is why I have made it known that I have assumed Hanson’s assets in Jamaica.’ Rochdale cleared his throat. ‘In name only. Marianne knows she can trust me. No one will try to disrupt my affairs, and I shall return regularly to ensure that supplies are being brought in at full capacity.’ He kept his feelings of unease about the freed slaves and the possibility of their interrupting the supply line to himself. ‘I just can’t abide being there in such tumultuous times, with former slaves running about all over the place, stirring up trouble.’ He sighed deeply. ‘Things will settle down, the natives will realise they were better off under colonial rule and that will be the end of this nonsense.’

‘If you say so.’

‘I do, Rochdale. I most assuredly do. And to answer your question, our supply line will continue unaffected by the turmoil in Jamaica, you have my assurance in that regard. All the right people are still in position and the necessary palms have been greased.’

‘Good. Is the next shipment imminent?’

‘It is. You will need to be in Liverpool no later than three days from now.’

‘That I can do.’ Rochdale paused to sup his ale. ‘Who is Dayton and why was he here?’

‘He’s my future father-in-law,’ Samuel replied, suspecting that he wasn’t telling Rochdale something he didn’t already know.

‘I wasn’t aware that you were thinking along those lines. Congratulations.’

‘Obliged to you. Dayton’s family are at Pemberley for the week at a house party. Dayton is on his way there now.’

‘Pemberley?’ Rochdale looked mildly interested. ‘My wife’s family have connections there.’

‘How is your good lady?’ Samuel asked provocatively. He’d met her once and thought her a few farthings short of a shilling. He suspected that Rochdale had married her for that reason. He was interested in her deranged mind and used her to experiment on. Presumably she had now served her purpose and had been replaced in Rochdale’s affections by the comely Marianne.

‘She thrives, thank you for asking,’ Rochdale replied absently. ‘Although I fear that she might experience a setback in the not too distant future. One that even I, with all my considerable skill, will be unable to rectify.’

Samuel laughed, glad for this casual reminder that Rochdale, for all his outward respectability, was as amoral as Samuel himself. He couldn’t abide softheartedness. Men only got ahead if they were ruthless, and there was no room in his world for sentimentality. He was accustomed to his wealth procuring anything he wanted, and it still rankled that Nadia had been unimpressed by his stature.

‘Now, if you will excuse me,’ Rochdale said, standing, ‘I need to return to Derby.’

Samuel watched Rochdale depart, unsure if he completely trusted him, and ordered a glass of brandy. He sipped it slowly when it arrived, attempting for the thousandth time to decide what it was about the disobliging Nadia Dayton that captivated him to the point where he couldn’t think of anything else. Those thoughts had been distracting him from his business affairs lately and left him in a near-permanent state of frustration. But once he had her beneath his control he was sure that he would be himself again.

Men of strength and vision such as himself absolutely had to be in control.

Simon was unsurprised to discover that Nadia was an early riser when he saw her wandering in the grounds the following morning. He planned to approach her from a different path and make it seem as though they had come upon one another by chance. It wouldn’t do for her to suppose he was shadowing her movements—especially since her circumstances were so complicated. He hesitated when he heard her speaking aloud, worried to intrude upon a private conversation with another of the ladies. He discovered his error when he turned the corner and found her entirely alone, speaking to herself. To say that she looked angry and upset would have been a gross understatement, and Simon felt a little concerned for her health.

‘Oh, Mr Bingley.’ She glanced up at him and took a moment to gather herself. ‘I did not see you there.’

‘Am I disturbing you? If so, you can be sure that I shall take another path.’

‘No, not at all.’ But she didn’t sound convincing and still appeared distracted.

‘It’s going to be another lovely day and I am glad to have encountered you. I hope you have not forgotten our engagement. I promised to show you some of the walks.’

‘I hadn’t forgotten,’ she assured him, ‘and hope you have sufficient energy to show me the view from that rise in the ground.’ She pointed in the direction she wanted to take. ‘I can see it from the window of my room, and would enjoy admiring the view from the summit.’

‘With the greatest of pleasure. It will take us about an hour to reach it, but I can assure you that the view is worth the effort. I can arrange for a light picnic, if you are not in a hurry to return to the house,’ he said, suspecting that the angry conversation she’d been conducting with herself had to do with her father’s impending arrival.

‘I am in no hurry at all, if you don’t mind giving up a large part of your day.’

He sent her a puerile smile. ‘I shall meet you back here in half an hour. Will that give you sufficient time?’

‘More than enough.’ She nodded, leaving Simon to suppose that her mother was still in her bed, as most of the ladies would be at this hour, and that she would prefer to escape and explain herself after the event.

‘Excellent.’

Simon watched her leave and then followed her back into the house at a more leisurely pace. He made his way to the kitchens and sweet-talked his aunt’s cook into preparing the promised picnic. Hatless and in shirtsleeves—the day was too warm to allow for formalities—he awaited Nadia with the basket containing their repast resting at his feet. When Nadia joined him, she had changed into a light muslin walking gown and a colourful straw bonnet adorned her head.

‘Punctual,’ he said, smiling at her. ‘I like that. It is a rare quality in either sex, I find.’

‘I agree with you.’ She fell into step beside him as he picked up the basket and they sauntered from the formal gardens onto a chalk path. ‘Tardiness is the height of bad manners and implies that your time is more important than that of the people whom you inconvenience when keeping them waiting. Unfortunately it is an increasingly common failing.’

Simon acknowledged Porter as he crossed their path—deliberately, Simon suspected. He might now be highly respectable, but Tobias had not completely reformed and he was probably keen to know the identity of the attractive young woman whose company Simon fully intended to enjoy.

Simon grinned at Tobias but didn’t pause to make the introduction. He was glad to have learned that Tobias hadn’t shown any outward signs of distress at Spence’s revelations regarding his father’s conduct. Wickham was still a sensitive subject as far as Tobias was concerned, and Simon knew that his uncle Darcy wasn’t entirely confident that Tobias had overcome his obsession with a man he had never known.

‘Who was that?’ Nadia asked as they left Tobias in their wake. ‘I have seen him before about the place. He doesn’t seem to be a guest or a servant.’

‘Very astute of you.’ Simon paused, wondering how forthcoming he ought to be. It was not his secret to tell, but Nadia still looked preoccupied and he felt duty bound to divert her. He settled for a partial truth. ‘Porter is training to take over the stewardship of this estate.’

‘Goodness. He seems very young to assume such an important position.’

‘It is one that his grandfather occupied. I should mention that he is his father’s illegitimate offspring, if that is not an indelicate observation.’

‘Oh, for goodness sake! I appreciate your concern for my sensibilities, but you forget that I have been living amongst what some would describe as savages all these years. I personally wouldn’t describe them as such. They are a remarkably resilient people and I am privileged to have called some of them friends. Not that my family approved of my mixing with them, but still…’

‘I am not surprised to learn of your compassion.’

She acknowledged the compliment with a tilt of her head. ‘Goodness knows, they have had to be strong. Their living conditions are very basic and have not improved much since their liberation. My point is that they live by a different set of standards and I have seen more than my share of base behaviour, no matter how much I was supposed to be shielded from it. Natives rutting at the roadside, taking their pleasures wherever the opportunity arose.’ She shuddered. ‘Given that they had nothing but hard physical labour to look forward to, one cannot blame them for that.’

‘I stand duly chastised,’ Simon said, grinning contritely. ‘Anyway, Porter has something of a chequered past himself, although he assures me he has mended his ways.’ Simon chuckled. ‘With Tobias it’s difficult to be sure. But for my part, I like him very much and hope he makes the most of the opportunity my uncle has so generously offered him.’

They reached a stile, and Simon helped Nadia to negotiate it. She did so nimbly and with elegance, affording him nothing more than a fleeting glimpse of shapely ankles.

‘Now the climb starts,’ he told her. ‘But it is not very steep.’

‘I am not afraid to climb a hill.’

By the time they reached the summit she was breathing heavily, and the exertion had brought a rosy bloom to her cheeks. Simon thought she looked enchanting. She gasped when she paused to observe the view.

‘It’s quite beautiful,’ she said softly. ‘Thank you so very much for bringing me up here and making me forget…well, things. I would never have attempted the climb alone.’

‘Well then, I am glad to have been of use.’ He guided her to a bench that had been hewn from a tree trunk years before. ‘Sit yourself down and I will prepare our feast.’

Chapter Nine

‘Well, well. So that’s the way the wind blows this week.’

Tobias scratched his ear, chuckling as he watched Simon walk off with Miss Dayton. He wondered if Spence was aware that his cousin was in danger of falling in love.

Again.

The Darcy boys had laughed with Tobias about their cousin’s propensity to lose his heart with alarming predictability whenever an attractive female took up residence in the district. His disinclination to introduce her to Tobias had sounded alarm bells, leaving Tobias feeling duty bound to inform Spence about Simon’s preoccupation with the delectable Nadia Dayton. Tobias knew who she was, despite not having been introduced. He considered himself an expert when it came to the fairer sex and could understand why Simon was so enthralled with this particular chit. She wasn’t the prettiest female at the party, but physical beauty had never been the yardstick by which he measured a woman’s desirability. In fact, he found exceedingly beautiful females excessively vain, and they invariably bored him rigid.

Susie Darcy—now Mrs James Tyrell—was a case in point. He’d been attracted to her for reasons he still struggled to comprehend since first taking up his position at Pemberley. Forbidden temptations, he’d subsequently decided. It was human nature to hanker after that which was beyond his reach—although prior to meeting Susie, class consciousness hadn’t held Tobias back from going after whoever took his fancy. He had always struggled when it came to knowing his place. With Susie, it would have been easy, too easy, to tempt her into his arms. In so doing he would have succeeded where his father had failed, and finally wrought revenge upon the Darcy clan in the most devastating fashion imaginable.

Like Susie, Nadia Dayton possessed an indefinable something that held his attention. The word in the servants’ hall had it that she was on the point of becoming engaged to some rich cove whom she actively disliked. Tobias wondered if Simon was aware of the fact. If it was true, it seemed that the commitment didn’t preclude Nadia from taking unchaperoned walks—picnics judging from the basket over Simon’s arm—with a wealthy, unmarried younger man. Was it a last act of rebellion before settling down to a life of dull domesticity with a man old enough to be her father, or was Nadia using Simon to extract herself from the commitment?

Tobias felt uneasy and doubly determined to make sure Spence knew how things stood. Falling temporarily in love was one thing, but Simon didn’t deserve to have his hand forced.

He shrugged off his mild suspicions about the motives of a woman with whom he wasn’t acquainted. He was probably overthinking a perfectly innocent situation.

Tobias turned his mind to the tasks he had to undertake that morning. He rode into Lambton, his thoughts dwelling upon Spence’s revelations regarding Mrs Rochdale’s unexpected arrival. Tobias had formed a closer friendship with Spence than any of Darcy’s other sons or nephews, but he had held back from telling him that he’d already heard one account of his own father’s attempt to discredit Mrs Darcy, aided and abetted by the then Caroline Bingley.

It was she who had instigated the scheme. Not so long ago he would have simply assumed that his father had been manipulated, and that knowledge would have fuelled his determination for revenge. Since his eyes had been opened to the true nature of the man’s character, he’d accepted with calm resignation that his father had been a rogue.

He pushed his horse into a trot on the Lambton road, shuddering as he contemplated the dangerous and vindictive characters of scorned women.

Matters with his mother had come to a head when Tobias had threatened to kill Bella Darcy. He looked back on those days with abhorrence and liked to think that with maturity he had also acquired a degree of worldly wisdom. His relationship with his mother had become difficult, and Tobias, with the benefit of hindsight, blamed her for his desire to avenge a father he had never known.

Instead of allowing Tobias to grow up believing that Porter was his actual father, she had regaled him with tales of Wickham and the wrongs he had suffered at Darcy’s hands before he was old enough to sit astride a horse. At such an impressionable age it was little wonder that he had grown up determined to wreak revenge on behalf of a wronged mother he adored.

It was only after the incident with Bella that Tobias had insisted upon being told the complete truth, having established that his mother and Wickham had never been married—a fact which his ma had singularly failed to mention. Tobias had been angry and upset when he forced her to admit that she had been married to Porter when she fell so desperately in love with Wickham.

His father’s ill-usage, about which Ma spoke constantly, had shaped Tobias’s early years, and instead of using his intelligence to get on legitimately, he’d focused his talents instead upon retaliation. That determination had almost cost him his freedom, to say nothing of preventing him from obtaining legitimate employment and making something of himself.

And yet Darcy, against all odds, had offered him an opportunity that Tobias had no intention of squandering. He thought of Susie and knew a moment’s regret, but no more than that. Tobias wasn’t the settling down type, and even if Susie had tempted him into it she would have had to choose between him and her family and would never have known peace of mind.

Unbeknown to Spence, during his long talks with his mother about Wickham, she had been compelled to tell Tobias about his teaming up with Miss Bingley in an effort to destroy Mrs Darcy. His mother’s account had not mirrored Spence’s and implied that Wickham had been manipulated by a spiteful woman.

He was very curious to know why Mrs Rochdale had chosen to inflict herself on Pemberley after such a long absence, and at precisely the time when Mrs Darcy held her annual house party. The timing seemed highly suspicious, as did the lady herself. Tobias, in his position as a senior servant, had a foot in both camps. He was friendly with the sons of the family and welcome in the servants’ hall. There wasn’t much that went on at Pemberley that the servants didn’t know about. And not being in possession of all the facts was seldom an impediment to their conjectures. He would have to sound out their views on Mrs Rochdale.

His thoughts returned to Miss Dayton. The servants agreed that she was kind and obliging, but her mother and sister were ambitious and inconsiderate. Speculation abounded regarding the father, who was expected that day.

Tobias left his horse at the Lamb and went about his business with the corn merchant. The day was warm and all the talking left him with a dry throat. He popped into the Lamb’s taproom and ordered a tankard of ale from Jessie the barmaid, whose eyes always lit up when she saw Tobias.

‘How’s your mum, then?’ she asked, placing the tankard in front of him and leaning close, her elbows planted on the bar to offer him a good view of her cleavage.

‘She’s well, thanks.’

‘It’s warm. Shouldn’t be surprised if we have a storm though. There’s rain in the air. Shall I see you at Pemberley on the open day?’

‘I’ll be there,’ Tobias replied non-committedly.

As soon as Jessie was required elsewhere, Tobias took the opportunity to slip outside and enjoy the fine weather. He leaned his shoulder against the wall and watched the world go by, contemplating Jessie’s question. His relationship with his mother nowadays was strained. He made a point of calling to see her at least once a week, but it would take a while for his resentments to subside. If she hadn’t shaped his mind, made him feel as though he’d been wronged, his life could have been very different. At least now she had stopped trying to attract wealthy lovers. There was something faintly repulsive about a woman of her age still flaunting herself so blatantly. Tobias threatening to cut all ties with her had had the desired effect—at least so far. He would soon know if she made an exhibition of herself and there would be no second chances.

Tobias was determined to put the bad decisions of the past behind him. He had some money put aside from his previous exploits as an unlicensed banker, and fully intended to purchase a modest house and land of his own within the next ten years. Being Darcy’s steward had renewed his desire for the finer things in life and he had the wits to achieve them, mostly through legitimate means. He chuckled. Some old habits die hard, and he still cut the occasional corner if there was a profit to be made.

He acknowledged a couple of people he knew as they walked past the tavern, going about their business. His tankard was now almost empty. It was time to return to Pemberley and resume his duties. On the point of doing so, conversation reached his ears through the open tavern window. He hadn’t taken much notice of the two gentlemen sitting at a table on the other side of that window, but when he heard Nadia Dayton’s name mentioned, the men were assured of his full and uninvited attention.

They must be her father and the man who wanted to marry the chit, Tobias thought. He chanced a glance through the open window and was hard pressed not to gasp. The would-be bridegroom looked prosperous, judging by the cut of his coat, but he appeared to be the same age as the bride’s father; portly, red of face and white of whiskers. The servants’ gossip was spot on, as always. No wonder Nadia was so reluctant. What the devil had she done in Jamaica that had to be kept secret, he wondered, when the conversation veered in that direction. Tobias scowled, thinking it sounded as though Molineux was aware of the nature of her possible misdeeds and was using that knowledge as a bargaining tool.

Interesting.

Another cove joined the party, and when he was greeted by name Tobias’s curiosity was well and truly piqued. He hadn’t survived on his wits for so many years without learning how to fade into the background when necessary, or to eavesdrop without being found out. Little subterfuge was necessary on this occasion, since the three men didn’t even glance out of the window. He stood to one side of it, just in case one of them happened to do so.

Dayton left the other two and strode from the tavern without looking in Tobias’s direction. It quickly became apparent that Dr Rochdale was unaware of his wife’s presence at Pemberley. It was equally clear that he and his companion were running an illicit trade in cannabis.

He felt a moment’s sympathy for Mrs Rochdale, upon whom he suspected the doctor was testing his drug-based treatments, turning her into an addict in the process. Tobias had dabbled once or twice during his days as a rebel but found that the ingestion of ganja befuddled his thinking, and Tobias disliked being out of control. Besides, it led to stronger addictions such as opium, and Tobias wanted none of it.

Despite Mrs Rochdale’s past indiscretions, Tobias sympathised with her for being landed with such a husband. A husband who had clearly made use of her and now intended to cast her aside like a worn-out shoe. But it was none of his business, and he stored what he now knew about the couple’s behaviour to the back of his mind for later consideration. In the old days he would have used this newfound knowledge for his own advantage, but for now at least, whether or not he told anyone or allowed the Rochdales to resolve their own mess remained to be seen.

He felt mildly surprised that his first and immediate concern was for the Darcys.

Tobias put his empty tankard aside and reclaimed his horse. What he had learned provided him with an opportunity either to line his own pockets or to reinforce his position of trust at Pemberley. He rode back to the estate, thinking about his determination to be his own man and how much he could exploit this situation for that purpose. Rochdale and Molineux were up to their necks in an illicit business that would bring misery to thousands. If their involvement was exposed it would cost them their reputations, their fortunes and their liberties. Surely his silence would be a small price to pay by comparison.

A golden opportunity had fallen into Tobias’s lap.

Nadia felt breathless for reasons that had little to do with the climb and a great deal to do with the intoxicating charm of her companion. She had woken that morning oppressed by an overwhelming sense of doom. Her father would arrive today, and the confrontation over Molineux and her determination not to marry him could no longer be avoided. She had been talking aloud to herself in the gardens earlier, practising arguments that she sensed would fall on deaf ears, when Simon Bingley had come upon her. She’d blushed when it occurred to her that he might have overheard her. Hopefully he had been too far away to hear her justifying the problems she had caused in Jamaica, but even if he had not, he seemed too well-mannered to mention the fact, and his charming company was just the distraction she needed.

‘This is astonishing,’ she said, enjoying the view. ‘So much greenery. So serene. Nothing in Jamaica was green and the heat haze didn’t allow for such clear views.’ She shielded her eyes with her hand. ‘I can see for miles.’

‘I thought you would enjoy it. My cousins and I used to come up here when we were young, and then we’d roll down the hill again.’ He grinned. ‘The damage to our clothing earned us more than one thrashing.’

‘I cannot imagine your father ever having the heart to thrash anyone. He clearly adores you.’

‘Well, I say thrashing, but it was more a stern talking to. Like most stories, it gets exaggerated with the retelling. But actually, to disappoint one’s respected father is more painful than the sting of the birch.’

‘Yes, I suppose it must be.’ Nadia didn’t add that she wouldn’t know since she had little or no respect for her own father. He had done nothing to earn it and constantly rode roughshod over her feelings—especially now, in respect of the most important decision she would ever have to make. Or more to the point, the one that he had made for her.

‘Come and sit down to rest,’ he said, taking her arm. ‘You must be thirsty. There’s lemonade if you would like some.’

‘Please.’

They took a position in a comfortable spot under the shade of a small stand of trees that crowned the hilltop. Simon poured two glasses and handed one to her. She thanked him and took a sip. It was sweet and delicious. Simon’s company was undemanding and he didn’t feel the need to fill the soothing silence with unnecessary chatter. She liked that about him, even if she felt a little self-conscious when she sensed him constantly glancing at her profile, as though searching for imperfections. She was tempted to smile when it occurred to her that he wouldn’t have to look very hard. Her chin was a peculiar shape, her nose was a little too long and she disliked the size of her ears. Her eyes were arguably her best feature; wide and violet, invariably full of curiosity. Her mouth was acceptable too, she supposed, as was the definition of her cheekbones, but she would never be feted as a ravishing beauty, and was perfectly content with that situation.

They dined on cold cuts, fresh crusty bread and pastries, but Nadia had little appetite. Simon noticed and commented.

‘You are preoccupied,’ he said softly.

‘And a poor companion, for which I apologise.’

‘No one granted the privilege of your company could find anything to complain about.’

She flashed a guarded smile and turned to give him her full attention. ‘You are very gracious, but I don’t require flattery.’

‘And I am not offering false praise. I find you interesting, Miss Dayton…Nadia, and I wish there was something I could do to make you smile properly.’

‘My father arrives today and I’m very much afraid that I shall disappoint him.’

‘Why is he so anxious for you to marry a man you do not like?’

She lifted one shoulder. ‘That I could not say, but I fear he has entered into a commitment on my behalf that I don’t have the least intention of honouring.’ She shuddered. ‘I hesitate to disappoint my parents, but I would prefer to starve in the hedgerows than submit to Molineux.’

‘Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Simply refuse to enter into the engagement. I very much doubt if you will be cast out, and I’m sure your family will recover from the disappointment in time.’

‘If only it were that straightforward.’ She sighed and leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees, staring at the wonderful view but no longer able to fully appreciate it. ‘I did something rather foolish and impulsive in Jamaica, you see. Something that Mr Molineux covered up, saving my family from disgrace or worse. And now…well, now my father feels beholden to him.’

‘If Molineux is using your indiscretion to force your father’s hand, and yours, then he is no gentleman. In fact, his actions smack of desperation. Not that I blame anyone for being desperate to marry you, but forcing you into a union against your will is hardly the way to go about it. Winning your affections the old-fashioned way would be a wiser course of action.’

‘Molineux tried to be charming, but it didn’t come naturally to him.’ She gave a brief chuckle. ‘When I didn’t immediately fall down with gratitude just for being noticed by him, he lost all patience.’

‘He sounds very arrogant.’

‘An apt description.’ She shook her head. ‘If I approved of his methods, I would likely do as my father asks, even though the prospect repels me. But I cannot. He has not given his slaves their freedom, and when I tried to point out to him that no man has the right to own another, he all but patted me on the head and told me I couldn’t be expected to understand such complex matters.’ She threw back her head and gave vent to her frustrations with a growl. ‘It was infuriating,’ she said to the sky.

‘I can imagine, but such attitudes are not uncommon among my sex. Women, in case you were not aware, are not supposed to be rational creatures.’

She smiled. ‘I often think that is because we are cleverer than our male counterparts, but they would be devastated if they were required to make that admission.’

‘You do us a disservice,’ he said softly, ‘by tarring us all with the same brush. I applaud intelligence in women and encourage it when I come across it.’ He sent her a puerile grin. ‘It just doesn’t happen very often.’

About to take offence, she realised he was cajoling her out of her fit of the blue devils and laughed instead, swatting his arm with the back of her hand. ‘Beast!’

‘If you don’t marry Molineux,’ Simon said, his expression sobering, ‘you worry that he will bring your indiscretion to light and—’

‘I am not worried for my own sake, but it will reflect very badly upon my family, and upon my sister’s chances of making a good marriage.’

‘Without knowing what it was that you did, I cannot offer any advice. But I am sure that it can’t have been so very bad. You are a good person. I am never wrong about these things.’

‘Not so very good.’ She smiled mischievously. ‘I am here alone with you.’

‘Shocking! However, I shall attempt to behave myself.’

‘How reassuring.’

Nadia threw back her head once more and sighed. She felt so comfortable in Simon’s company, able to speak her mind and be herself. She couldn’t remember the last occasion when that had been possible. She’d had no close friends of either sex in Jamaica, and most people avoided her because they saw her as a radical who was not afraid to make herself unpopular by actively doing what she could to improve the lot of the slaves.

She was tempted to confide in Simon, but held back for fear of disappointing him. Besides, there was nothing he could do to resolve her problems and she had been told never to reveal her shocking secret to anyone. She might be about to disappoint her father, but she would not put her family’s reputation at even greater risk by being indiscreet.

‘Let us not talk about such gloomy matters on such a fine day,’ she said, smiling at him.

‘And let us also not speak of Molineux, whom I have taken in extreme dislike. But,’ he added, glancing up at dark clouds that had begun to gather above them, ‘at risk of spoiling your pleasure, I fear we are in for a storm. We had best return to the house before you are soaked and I am asked to explain myself.’

‘That could prove awkward.’

‘Not so very awkward. If contested, I shall save your honour by offering to marry you myself.’

He spoke light-heartedly, but Nadia, who didn’t find that prospect nearly as alarming as he obviously did, couldn’t enter into the spirit of things.

‘Let’s hope it doesn’t require you to make such a huge sacrifice,’ she said stiffly.

She sensed Simon sending her curious glances as they made the descent. He obviously didn’t understand why she had become suddenly so withdrawn, and she could hardly tell him that her time alone with him, far from diverting her, had only succeeded in adding to her misery. One could not hanker after something one had never known.

Simon helped her over the stile as the first raindrops fell. They scampered across the lawn and almost ran into the young steward they had seen on the outward trip. He tipped his hat to them and looked as though there was something he wanted to say, but Simon took her arm and rushed her towards the house without giving him the opportunity to open his mouth.

They entered through the terrace doors to the drawing room and found the ladies gathered there, all of whom glanced at them with curiosity.

‘Goodness,’ Simon’s aunt said, smiling. ‘We wondered what had become of you, Miss Dayton. I hope my nephew has kept you entertained.’

‘Miss Dayton wanted to see the view from Scar Tor,’ Simon replied.

‘It’s quite a climb,’ Mrs Bingley said, ‘but well worth the effort.’

‘The view was quite remarkable.’ Nadia glanced at her mother and could see that she was furious with her but unable to scold her in such exalted company. Sophia’s gaze swivelled between Nadia and Simon in confusion. Nadia wasn’t surprised when her sister huffed indignantly.

‘Well, ladies, if you will excuse me,’ Simon said affably, ‘I had best go in search of the fishing party and pretend to miss not having been involved.’

Mrs Darcy smiled and shooed him off.

Chapter Ten

Caroline didn’t know what to make of Simon’s obvious interest in the Dayton girl, and she was even less sure why she should care about his fixation. The girl’s connections were respectable enough – and even if they were not, no one would listen to Caroline’s concerns on the matter. Seeing the young people forming affections made her feel ancient. She herself had been younger than Simon was now when she’d settled her interest upon Darcy, only to have him snatched from her grasp by Eliza Bennet. She shuddered at the untimely reminder and closed her eyes until the swirling anger subsided, determined to remain in control of her emotions without resource to the biscuits that calmed her nerves but slowed her brain and muddled her thinking.

Calmer now, she opened her eyes again and returned her thoughts to Simon, her handsome and easy-going nephew. Recruiting him to her cause now seemed unrealistic, mainly because she’d failed to get him alone and regale him with tales of her mistreatment.

Besides, what could she ask him to do for her? Caroline still had no clear idea how to exact the revenge that would give her the satisfaction and peace of mind she craved.

She felt disconcertingly out of place here at Pemberley, well aware that her presence was tolerated under sufferance. She was equally sure that Charles would have sent word to Albert to bring her home. She had three days at best to do something to restore her own self-respect after a quarter of a century of being made to feel like an embarrassing inconvenience. Even Louisa treated her as though she was mentally fragile and never spoke to her about anything even slightly contentious. Mr Hurst sent her scathing looks and didn’t speak to her at all.

She was tired of being treated like a lunatic when she suffered from nothing more debilitating than a mind that had been destroyed by injustice and disappointment. She had come to Pemberley with no clear plan, other than to gain reacceptance and revenge. She had achieved the former. Caroline glanced at Mrs Darcy as she smiled at something one of the ladies had just said to her; relaxed and confident in her position as mistress in this house. Caroline’s house. The house that, if there was any justice in this world, should have been hers.

She would never know any peace until Eliza had been made to suffer a fraction of the discomfort that Caroline herself had been obliged to endure over the past two decades. It was common knowledge within the family that she had been unwell at the time of her supposed transgressions, but no one seemed to have made allowances for that fact or shown her any sympathy. Even Jane had cut all communications.

It was most unjust.

But now here she was again, at her beloved Pemberley with no clear idea of how she intended to exploit that situation. She couldn’t get close enough to Darcy to speak privately with him—and what would she say even if she could? She really hadn’t given the situation the thought it deserved. She had been blinded by the need to be here and exert herself. She realised now that Darcy was too well-established, too powerful for her to be able to make the smallest dent in his prosperity or his reputation. Besides, since she’d arrived Caroline had discovered that she was still fatally attracted to him. She had spent the intervening years blaming him for her travails, but seeing him again had reignited feelings that she had never fully been able to subdue. She had already absolved him from all blame for the way matters had turned out.

Eliza had somehow bewitched him, just as all of her sisters had worked their magic over the influential men they had managed to marry. Men who were far too good for them and who should have had more consideration for their positions within society by not lowering the tone.

The rain shower had stopped as quickly as it had started, and the sun had come out again. The fresh smell of damp grass on a summer’s day wafted into the drawing room through the open doors to the terrace and assailed Caroline’s senses. Tired of being largely ignored, she wandered outside. No one asked her where she was going, and nobody made any effort to join her. She had noticed Wickham’s son sauntering along a nearby path, and took a route that would make their meeting inevitable. She pretended not to notice him as the distance between them closed. She kept her gaze lowered and almost walked straight into him.

‘Hey, steady there.’ He put out his hands and grasped her shoulders to prevent her from stumbling against him. ‘Are you all right?’

Caroline glanced at him at close quarters and inhaled sharply. It was as though someone had turned back time. She was young again and the man smiling at her in that easy, speculative manner was Wickham. She had kept her dealings with Wickham on a business footing, making it clear that she was his social superior and in charge of their liaison. In truth, she had been attracted—deeply attracted—to him, and suspected that he had known it.

Had her heart not been owned by Darcy, would she have followed the Bennet girls’ example and lowered herself to become romantically involved with the rogue? She shuddered, glad that she had resisted that particular temptation, preferring not to dwell upon the fact that Wickham had shown no particular interest in her as a woman, but had been very keen to become intimate with Eliza. What was it about that wretched family that bewitched every man who crossed their path? It was both inexplicable and infuriating.

Caroline brought her thoughts back to the present. Drifting off into reveries was one of the side effects of her illness; one that she tried hard to keep under control. The young man’s resemblance to Wickham really was remarkable, and Caroline wondered at Darcy keeping his son around, a constant reminder to him and his fine-eyed wife of the disaster they had so narrowly avoided all those years ago. But then again, Caroline thought, perhaps Darcy wasn’t that dedicated to Eliza and was merely putting on an act to save face. Appearances were everything to him, as they should be to any gentleman worthy of the name. The opportunity to flaunt past misdemeanours beneath his wife’s nose had perhaps overcome Darcy’s aversion to being constantly reminded of Wickham.

She smiled up into the young man’s handsome face, which was no hardship. ‘Excuse me, I wasn’t looking where I was going.’ She continued to observe him, fascinated and a little intimidated by his powerful aura. ‘You remind me of a man I once knew here at Pemberley.’

‘You have the advantage of me, ma’am.’

He spoke respectfully enough but there was no subservience in his attitude, which would once have rankled. Caroline was left with the unsettling feeling that he had seen through her ruse and knew that she hadn’t crossed his path by accident. She found him fascinating and sensed that he was both clever and dangerous; a potentially formidable ally who would always stay in control. One who ought to be keen to exact revenge for his father’s sake but whose expression gave nothing away about the nature of his thoughts. Should she just walk away and leave things be? Very likely, but she had come this far and couldn’t bring herself to do it.

‘I am Mrs Rochdale,’ she replied, suspecting that she wasn’t telling him something he didn’t already know but feeling the need to fill the awkward silence that he seemed perfectly content to have stretch between them. ‘Mr Bingley’s sister. I have not been back to Derbyshire for many years.’ She paused. ‘I believe I knew your father.’

‘Porter?’ He flexed a brow in a taunting manner. ‘He was a good man.’

He knew that wasn’t the person Caroline had been referring to and seemed to enjoy making her squirm. For a moment Caroline was a girl again, attracted to a dangerous man who caused her senses to reel. She felt out of her depth and in urgent need of one of her biscuits to settle her nerves. Porter continued to look at her with a hint of amusement in his expression, waiting for her to speak again. She didn’t have time to bandy words with him and got directly to the point.

‘I refer to a man by the name of Wickham.’

‘I never had the pleasure,’ the young man replied.

‘But you know to whom I refer?’

He tilted his head and regarded her from beneath a thick fringe of dark curls for several long seconds before responding, further testing her nerves to the point that Caroline had almost forgotten why she had been so determined to cross his path. ‘I have heard his father spoken of, since he was once steward of this estate, much as I aspire to be.’

Perdition, he was toying with her! ‘You are the image of the Wickham I remember,’ Caroline said, aware that she was repeating herself and becoming rapidly more anxious. He, on the other hand, remained calm and completely in control of himself. ‘Don’t you ever wonder what he was like?’

‘If I did, you can be sure that my mother would be happy to remind me,’ he replied easily. ‘I am not one for living in the past and regretting things that happened before my time.’

He continued walking. She could either let him go or keep pace with him. Her feet moved of their own accord, making the decision for her, and she followed him away from the house into a quieter part of the grounds.

‘Wickham was not treated well here, and was sent off to London to work in a lowly capacity. I wonder at your forgiving nature.’

‘And I wonder about your interest in my affairs which, frankly, are none of your concern.’

‘Don’t be so impertinent!’ Caroline snapped.

‘You instigated this conversation, Mrs Rochdale, so I assume it must have some purpose.’ He stopped walking abruptly and turned to face her, his gaze searing into her face. ‘What is it that you want from me?’

Caroline felt panic welling up inside her, and knew she was now in very urgent need of a biscuit. She tended to speak without thinking when she became distressed, and she realised that it would be a serious error if her tongue ran away with her on this occasion. Porter was a cool customer. He pretended disinterest in Wickham, but Caroline wasn’t deceived. He wanted revenge for the man who had fathered him every bit as much as Caroline wanted revenge upon Eliza. He was simply more adept at hiding his feelings.

‘I can depend upon your discretion?’

‘That rather depends what it is that you have to tell me. My first loyalty is to my employer.’

‘Mr Darcy?’

‘Who else?’

‘I have no quarrel with Mr Darcy. He and I were once very intimate friends.’

Porter sent her a slow, lazy smile. ‘Is that so?’

‘My dissatisfaction is with his wife.’

‘Because she stole him from you? I find that hard to believe. You were ten times prettier, I’m sure.’ Caroline preened at the compliment. It was so long since anyone had openly admired her that she had forgotten how to absorb such admiration with equanimity. Porter’s lazy smile made her feel both inadequate and flattered. ‘But that was a long time ago now.’

‘Not so very long.’

‘Before I was born.’

Caroline knew a moment’s clarity and realised she had made a massive error in saying even as much as she had. Porter, she belatedly sensed, would not turn against his employers, which is why she was astounded by his next words.

‘What do you intend to do to get your revenge upon Mrs Darcy?’ he asked. ‘I assume that is why you are here.’

‘She deserves to suffer, just as I have suffered all these years.’

Porter threw his head back and sighed. ‘Go home, Mrs Rochdale, before you make matters worse for yourself. Darcy adores his wife and his entire family, and if you harm so much as a hair on the head of any one of them, his retribution will be ruthless.’ He turned away. ‘I shall forget that we had this conversation. Good afternoon to you.’

He walked away and Caroline was left staring at his retreating back, appalled by her lack of discretion. Why in God’s name had she said all those things to him? If he repeated them to Darcy or Charles, she would be finished here. That was the problem with attempting to cut back on the biscuits. She became anxious, and while she could think clearly enough, she couldn’t seem to curb her tongue. It was so frustrating. But even as she calmed down, a rational corner of her brain realised that she had got through to Porter. She was right about him; he was out to avenge his father, but he intended to do so from a position of trust inside Pemberley, where he could strike more effectively.

She strolled back to the house, convinced that she would hear from him again, but this time he would have a proposition for her. And if she rejected him, he had the means to ruin her reputation.

Nadia took tea with the ladies. She fell into conversation with Mrs Shannon and pretended not to notice the angry frowns directed her way by her mother. When the party broke up and the ladies retired to their rooms, Nadia was one of the first to escape. Her reprieve was short-lived, however, since she had barely reached her chamber before her mother followed her into it, her face puce with rage.

‘Whatever do you think you are playing at, young lady, wandering off alone with a gentleman for half the day? I have never been more embarrassed.’

‘What did you think I was doing? Seducing Mr Bingley with my questionable charms?’

There is no need for that sort of talk.’

‘And you are overreacting. No one else in the drawing room seemed to think we had misbehaved. Mr Bingley is, as you say, a gentleman, this is the country and the rules are less rigid.’

‘You are engaged to be married. Your future husband will have something to say on the matter when he hears of your conduct.’

Nadia folded her arms and looked away. ‘I am not engaged. I am sure I would remember if I had entered into a commitment of that nature.’

‘Don’t split hairs with me, my girl. Your father will arrive here today, having agreed terms with Mr Molineux. You know that as well as I do, since Papa told you so himself before he left for London.’

‘He told me, it’s true, but I told him equally forcibly that I have no intention of marrying Molineux.’

Mama’s expression softened. ‘I understand your reluctance, but you only have yourself to blame. If in Jamaica you had not…’

‘The man is a monster.’

‘We will say no more about Mr Bingley, and your father need never know. Just see reason, if only for the sake of the rest of us. It is not just your future that’s hanging in the balance, and I know you are not selfish.’

Nadia folded her hands in her lap, determined not to be manipulated. Mama could see no wrong in Mr Molineux. His wealth, charm and the elegant manners he displayed for her sake had convinced her that Nadia was being deliberately obtuse. Nadia knew it would be a waste of breath to try and explain that the suave sophisticate her mother was so anxious to have for a son-in-law could be a bully and tyrant when he didn’t get his way. Nadia had seen examples of his violent temper with her own eyes and had no intention of becoming his next victim.

‘I will listen to Papa, naturally, but that is the only promise I am prepared to make.’

Mama nodded and stood up. ‘Good girl.’ She patted Nadia’s shoulder as though the matter was now decided. ‘You will live in the lap of luxury. I really cannot understand why you are making such a fuss.’

Alone again, Nadia fumed at the clumsy reminders of what she had so recklessly done in Jamaica and Mama’s determination to see her make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the rest of her family.

She barely had half an hour to sit and ponder her prospects before a maid knocked to tell her that her father had arrived and wished to see her in the morning room. With a resigned sigh, Nadia stood and made her way slowly down the stairs.

‘Ah, there you are, my dear.’

Nadia’s father looked windswept and uncomfortable. She smelled brandy on his breath. He clasped his hands behind his back, making no attempt to embrace his elder daughter. Nadia wasn’t surprised. He had never been one to show affection, always supposing he felt any. He made do with rocking back on his heels and smiling.

‘Good afternoon, Papa.’

‘How are you enjoying Pemberley?’ he asked.

‘Very much. How could I not? The estate is extensive and meticulously kept. I have already been exploring.’

‘Quite so, my dear, and Mr Molineux’s estate will offer you just as many opportunities to ramble.’

‘His estate?’ She flexed a brow, determined not to make things easy for her father. ‘I thought he resided in London.’

‘He does, but he is planning to settle in this area and purchase a country dwelling, so he tells me. Of course he will retain his mansion in London as well.’

‘What is that to me?’ Nadia perched on the edge of a chair. ‘Mr Molineux may do as he pleases. I have no interest in his affairs.’

‘Don’t be obtuse, Nadia.’ A note of impatience entered her father’s tone. ‘He is a very generous gentleman, and thoughtful too. When he learned of your renewed attachment to Derbyshire, he immediately decided to settle in the county as well. I think that very considerate of him.’

Nadia linked her fingers together in her lap and looked directly at her father, who had seated himself across from her, still looking nervous. ‘I don’t like or approve of Mr Molineux,’ she said softly. ‘Why would you force me into such a man’s bed?’

‘There is no occasion for coarse language, Nadia.’

‘On the contrary, Papa, there is every need.’ Nadia straightened her shoulders. ‘We both know why you sent for me. You told me yourself before you left for London that Mr Molineux wished to marry me, and I made it equally clear to you that I have no intention of entering a repulsive union that would make me miserable.’

‘You have little choice in the matter, my dear, unless you wish to become a stranger to your family. Obedient daughters do as they are told. There is no place for obstinate children in my home or my heart.’

‘I don’t think I have ever occupied a place in the latter,’ Nadia said archly, ‘and I will not be manipulated into sacrificing myself on the altar of your ambitions.’

‘What do you mean?’ he asked sharply.

‘I am not a simpleton, Papa. I know that Molineux holds something over you and is trying to compel you to force my hand. For reasons that escape me, Molineux appears to be fixated on me and presumably I form part of your trade agreement. I am a commodity to be used as a bargaining tool.’ The anger that Nadia had been holding in for days broke free of her restraint. ‘Well I won’t do it, and if that means I am cast out and forced to make my own way, then so be it. I am distressed to have it confirmed that my feelings mean so little to you. You would see me wed to a man who will treat me cruelly and make me deeply unhappy.’

‘Nonsense! He is an astute businessman but never cruel.’

Nadia sent her father a contemptuous look and said nothing.

‘You know what he did to cover up that shameful business in Jamaica and save you—save us all—from serious trouble. I’m surprised, frankly, at your ability to overlook that not insignificant fact. You should be ashamed of yourself for the disgrace you brought upon us all and grateful beyond measure to Mr Molineux for intervening.’

‘I agree that it was a shameful business, Papa,’ Nadia replied with asperity. ‘But it is not me who has anything to feel ashamed about.’

‘It’s all very well to have high morals, my girl, but you cannot change the ways of the world, or interfere in men’s business. Your attempting to do so almost resulted in the loss of your liberty and came close to bringing dishonour to your family.’

‘Be that as it may, the matter has been resolved and no shadow hangs over our family’s name.’

‘But rumours abound.’

‘Oh, rumours.’ Nadia flapped a hand. ‘Gossip and innuendo are as rife in Jamaican society as they are anywhere else, but count for little. No one can harm us by spreading rumours, especially as you have sold our plantation and we are settled back in England.’

‘Only thanks to Molineux.’

Nadia blinked. ‘I beg your pardon.’

‘There were setbacks that you know nothing about. Frankly, I was close to dun territory, which is why I was obliged to sell, and to sell quickly.’

Nadia gasped. ‘But I thought…All this time you have allowed me to believe that we left quickly because of what happened. I have been consumed with guilt.’

Her father grunted. ‘Not sufficient guilt for you to make amends by doing as you are told.’

‘Let me get this straight, Papa. You sold our flourishing plantation at a loss for reasons that you probably won’t share with me, and you believe that you have Mr Molineux to thank for saving you from ruin. He didn’t act out of a sense of philanthropy, I can assure you of that. He will get richer thanks to the acquisition of our property, so why…’

‘When we were pressured into freeing our slaves, profits slumped. Then we were targeted by the rampaging freed slaves, and our harvest was destroyed.’

Nadia didn’t blame the slaves for taking their revenge, even if their actions had been ill-advised. ‘Even so, there were sufficient reserves, surely.’

‘There have been other losses.’ Her father mumbled the admission grudgingly. ‘Investments that didn’t do as well as I had hoped. Suffice it to say that if you marry Molineux, he will forgive my debt and I will be in a position to recover my status here, to say nothing of giving your sister the best opportunity to make a good marriage. She cannot do that if her father is in a debtors’ gaol.’

‘You exaggerate, Papa.’ Nadia suppressed a shudder, sensing that he did not. He was a proud man and would not admit to his own lack of judgement willingly. She doubted whether even her mother was aware of the precarious state of their family’s finances. ‘Matters cannot really be that serious.’

He glanced at Nadia’s pretty muslin gown. ‘Silks and muslins don’t pay for themselves, child.’

‘If you mean to make me feel guilty, you are speaking to the wrong daughter. Precious little is spent on my wardrobe.’

‘If you marry Molineux you will be able to spend as much as you like and save your family from an ignominious future.’

‘Why is he so very determined to marry me?’ Nadia asked, perplexed. ‘I have always wondered. I have made it clear to him that I have no interest in him as a man, yet he persisted with his attentions. When that failed to sway me, he sought your intervention.’ Nadia shook her head. ‘I just don’t understand it. I have noticed many other young women making eyes at him. He could have his pick, and any one of them would have made a more biddable bride than I’m ever likely to be.’ A ghost of a smile touched Nadia’s lips, even though there was nothing remotely amusing about the conversation. ‘I never did learn to hold my tongue, and Mr Molineux has had first-hand experience of my stubbornness when I disapprove of something that he says.’

‘Perhaps he enjoys a challenge. And you definitely underestimate your attractiveness, my dear.’ Papa softened his tone. ‘Molineux is waiting close by for word from me. Then he will call here and make a formal proposal. Now you know the circumstances, I feel persuaded that you will do the right thing by us all, just as we stood by you under more fraught conditions.’ Papa stood. ‘I will give you a day to think matters through, but let us be clear on one thing. If you do not do this then you will be dead to me.’

Papa left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

After he’d gone, Nadia sat where she was for a long time, tears of remorse and sorrow streaming down her cheeks. She tried to tell herself that her father had exaggerated, that his circumstances couldn’t possibly be that dire, but she knew he wouldn’t tell her an outright lie. She had asked Papa why he was selling the plantation so fast and so cheaply, but he had brushed her questions aside, citing the liberation of so many slaves and the disruption in the area as his reason. Those were all valid factors, but she had been convinced that he could have obtained more for his property, considerably more, if he’d held his nerve. Since arriving home, she had seen demands arrive for more than one outstanding account. She had supposed they resulted from oversights, but was now no longer so sure.

Molineux was prepared to buy her—and her father was prepared to sell her—in return for preserving her family’s respectability. As things stood, she couldn’t see any way out of her dilemma, and wanted to scream with frustration.

Chapter Eleven

Albert rode back to Derby and Marianne’s welcoming arms, but his joy at being reunited with his mistress was tempered by a waiting message from his secretary.

‘What the devil…’ He read the note and tapped it against his fingers, furious at its contents.

‘What is it?’ Marianne asked as Albert strode into her bedchamber and found her reclining on the daybed beneath the open window, scantily clad and voluptuously appealing.

‘Caroline has disappeared,’ he replied tersely as he bent to kiss her, savouring the taste of her sweet lips. ‘Why the devil do I pay those people so much to watch over her if they allow her to escape?’

‘Calm down, Albert.’ Marianne twirled a lock of her hair around one finger, apparently disinterested in Albert’s domestic problems. ‘It’s not that bad. Presumably she has gone to her sister’s. That is where she usually runs to, is it not?’

‘Not this time. That’s the first place that was checked, and the Hursts haven’t seen her for days.’

‘Well where else would she go?’ Marianne lifted her slender shoulders, the gesture causing her robe to slip from one of them, exposing her bare, creamy skin and making Albert groan. Marianne sent him a coy smile and allowed the robe to slip from the other shoulder too. She would not, Albert knew, want his mind to dwell upon any female other than her. Ordinarily, Albert would be happy to give her his complete attention, but the situation with Caroline was troubling. She was unpredictable and unstable, and could cause problems for him if she didn’t take her medication. ‘Perhaps she’s wandering around London and will return home when she’s ready. Perhaps she already has. It would have taken that message a day to reach you.’

‘And if she has not?’

Albert tried to think rationally. He felt no affection for his wife but cared a great deal about his reputation as a physician. A reputation he intended to continue to strengthen with the help of the profits from the deal he had just negotiated with Molineux. Marianne had no particular interest in marrying again, but with Caroline confined to Bedlam society would feel great sympathy for Albert, who had made sure he’d been seen to do everything in his power to cure his wife’s addled wits over the years. That same society would turn a blind eye to his being seen with his mistress on his arm, given his devotion to Caroline and his despair at his inability to save her. His patience was on the point of being rewarded, and he had more than earned the right to a little joy.

It would do his plans irreparable harm if his wife was found roaming the streets in a state of confusion. Damn it, her dependency upon cannabis should have kept her in a fog of befuddled indifference! That was partly why he had introduced her to the drug. Well, that and the fact that there was nothing wrong with her mind, other than a fierce determination to have her own way.

She had temporarily lost her wits when she was first referred to him, but had quickly recovered, only regressing at any mention of her family, whom she claimed had abandoned her. Talk of Pemberley guaranteed a rant about her ill-usage. Pemberley was a subject he had quickly learned to avoid, unless it suited him to rile her.

‘Perhaps she is dead,’ Marianne said indifferently. ‘And that would resolve all our problems.’

‘Indeed it would.’ But Albert knew that Caroline was tough, a survivor, and he couldn’t be that fortunate. Death, he reasoned, would be kinder than confinement to Bedlam, which was truly a terrible place. The inconvenience of Marianne’s husband and the conscience that prevented him from exploiting his situation in Jamaica had been efficiently dealt with. Perhaps it was time to think along similar lines regarding Caroline.

‘Come here, my love.’ Marianne opened her arms and Albert fell onto the daybed and gathered her to him. ‘Let it be for now. She will either turn up or she will not. I cannot have you scampering off to London; I simply won’t allow it. You would be much better advised to remain here with me and we shall find something to do, I’m absolutely sure of it, to occupy our time.’ She fluttered her lashes at him. ‘Indeed, I shall feel neglected if we do not.’

Albert smiled. Marianne was selfish, knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. It lifted Albert’s spirits to be in her company. He had absolutely no intention of neglecting her or risking the loss of her affections. Quite apart from anything else, they were business partners, and she was at least as ruthless as him in that regard. She had people lined up to sell on the cannabis at a vast profit; something her husband had refused to sanction. His conscientious objections had died along with the man himself, and Marianne became a free spirit, able to do as she pleased. Fortunately, Albert’s attentions pleased her and he had the satisfaction of knowing that she truly loved him.

‘Tell me about Molineux. Did you make a satisfactory arrangement?’ she asked, once Albert had stopped kissing her and allowed her up for air. ‘And more to the point, did he agree to our price?’

‘He did, but he wasn’t happy about it. He’s distracted—on the brink, he hopes, of marrying the Dayton girl.’

‘The pretty one?’

‘No, the other one, I’m told. I’ve not met either of them but that is the impression I got.’

Marianne looked surprised. ‘Good heavens! I remember her. Very outspoken, nothing much to recommend her.’

‘Molineux is smitten.’ He grinned. ‘But I get the impression that the lady isn’t that keen on the union.’

‘Then she’s a fool. The man is richer than Croesus. She will want for nothing.’

‘Young girls dream of falling in love.’

‘Hmm. Well, once the marriage goes ahead, as it undoubtedly will, Molineux’s priorities will change, at least for a while.’ She paused. ‘I’m beginning to wonder if we need him at all.’

Albert was impressed by Marianne’s ruthlessness. ‘The Daytons are at Pemberley for Mrs Darcy’s annual house party. Dayton made quite a thing about having been invited. Anyway, he’s gone there now, presumably to insist upon his daughter accepting Molineux’s proposal. Molineux himself is lingering in Lambton, waiting to be summoned.’

‘Goodness, he is fixated on the girl. The Molineux I knew in Jamaica didn’t change his plans or wait upon anyone else’s pleasure. He was quite a force of nature, and I admired that about him.’ Marianne paused. She had that faraway look in her eye and Albert knew she was plotting something. ‘Your wife’s family will be at Pemberley, which gives you a legitimate excuse to call, since you are in the area.’

‘For what purpose?’ Albert reclined on the daybed and ran his fingers down the length of Marianne’s hip and thigh. ‘I would much prefer to stay here for a few more days and play with you. I am not acquainted with Miss Dayton, and I certainly can’t be seen to interfere in her amatory affairs. It would raise suspicions. Besides, I don’t care who Molineux marries.’ He kissed her soundly. ‘As to cutting Molineux out altogether, I would advise against it, at least for the time being. He’s a powerful man and he knows too much about our affairs to make an enemy out of him. Best keep him on our side, for the time being.’

She pouted. ‘Very well then, we shall.’ She sent him a mischievous smile. ‘For now.’

Simon looked for Nadia the moment he entered the drawing room that evening. He was aware that her father had arrived. Indeed, he had been introduced to him earlier and had not been impressed by the man. Perhaps Simon was biased, but he sensed a weak person whose circumstances were not as comfortable as he would have the world think. He wore the harried air of a man wrestling with debts.

He had made it his business to find out that Nadia and her father had been closeted together in the morning room for a protracted period that afternoon. He couldn’t help but wonder what pressure had been brought to bear upon Nadia. He glanced at her profile as she conversed with his cousin Bella and could sense the despondency that her cheerful expression failed to conceal. Simon was filled with a burning desire to be of service to her. The sheer strength of his feelings astonished him. Her personal affairs were none of his concern and he wouldn’t be thanked for interfering, especially since his actions might be misconstrued. Be that as it may, he was absolutely determined to find out why she was being pressured into matrimony with a man she neither liked nor respected.

Something wasn’t right.

One glance at the rigid set to her features as she averted her face from Bella’s scrutiny was sufficient to confirm his suspicions, but he was prevented from reaching her side by the crush of people around him. He cursed beneath his breath when dinner was announced and he was still nowhere near her. His mood was not improved when his aunt Caroline glided up to him and good manners required him to escort the woman to the table.

‘We have not had an opportunity to get to know one another,’ she said as she settled herself on the chair that Simon held out for her and sent him a wide smile. ‘I hope we can rectify that situation now. I am absolutely determined to make up for lost time and become much better acquainted with my only nephew.’

‘Absolutely,’ Simon replied grudgingly.

He glanced across the table at Nadia, who had been escorted in by Simon’s cousin Arthur and was laughing at something he said to her. But that laughter didn’t reach her eyes and her distraction was self-evident. She looked directly at Simon, and once again he sensed her despondency. He would seek her out after dinner and make her confide in him.

Simon felt a deep connection to Nadia that hadn’t been apparent in his many other fixations during his younger and more irresponsible years. Nadia, he sensed, was being bullied into an unsuitable marriage to atone for…well, something. Regardless of the speculations it would create if his interference came to light, Simon was determined that she would not sacrifice herself on the altar of her father’s ambition. Spence would tell him that his heart was ruling his head yet again, but Simon disagreed. He admired Nadia and felt the aforementioned affinity with her, but he was not in love.

Well, probably not, but he so easily could be.

He had reached the age where he had become more discerning, more conscious of his own prospects and less inclined to rush headlong into something based on infatuation alone. The fact that predatory females were out to trap him at every turn had been brought home to him, but Nadia’s problems were not an elaborate ruse to attract his interest. Quite the reverse, as evidenced by the fact that she had made no effort whatsoever to inveigle her way into his affections.

She was compassionate, intelligent, forthright and outspoken. He admired her tremendously and felt a burning need to be of service to her. Beyond that, he wasn’t prepared to speculate.

Mrs Rochdale seemed determined to engage Simon’s full attention, and politeness required him to pay some attention to what she had to say during the course of dinner. She seemed very interested in Pemberley and all members of the Darcy family, asking him endless questions about their activities.

She seemed a little vague. Her pupils were dilated, she repeated herself without seeming to realise it and sometimes slurred her words. Simon cast a helpless look at his father, who simply lifted one shoulder. Thinking about her behaviour when she had last been here, he was surprised by her sheer effrontery in showing her face again and felt uncomfortable as he wondered what she expected to gain by coming. Her intentions, he sensed, were vindictive.

The meal finally came to an end and the ladies withdrew. Simon waited patiently for his uncle to tire of the port and was the first to leave the dining room when Darcy eventually suggested that they rejoin the ladies. The doors to the terrace were still wide open, it being a fine summer’s evening, and several of the ladies were strolling outside. A quick sweep of the drawing room showed no evidence of Nadia in occupation of it, but neither could he see her russet curls anywhere on the terrace.

He wandered further into the grounds and found her alone, talking to herself, which appeared to be a rather endearing habit of hers, as she sat on a bench beneath an arbour in the rose garden. The intoxicating scent of dozens of varieties in full bloom assailed Simon’s nostrils as he paused to take stock of the female who now occupied so many of his thoughts. Dressed in a gown of yellow silk sparingly edged with cream lace and with her hair dressed in a simple fashion, she looked both delicate and furious.

Simon walked up to her and sat down without being invited. He feared that if he asked permission she might well refuse it, such was her preoccupation.

‘How are you?’ he asked, taking her hand and keeping hold of it. ‘Stupid question. I could tell at dinner that you were very unhappy, that is not to say angry. How can I help?’

‘You cannot. No one can.’ She paused to utter an expansive sigh. ‘Papa has sold me to Molineux.’

‘Sold you?’ Simon thought he must have misheard her. ‘How could he do that?’

‘Very easily, it appears.’ She let out a long breath. ‘You might as well know the shocking truth, since I have already shared so much else with you.’

‘If you are ready to confide in me, then I am more than ready to listen.’ He kept hold of her hand and gave her fingers an encouraging squeeze. ‘I might even be able to suggest a solution to your woes.’

‘That I very much doubt. My father has overreached himself, it seems, and has fallen into debt. That’s why he sold our plantation so quickly. It wasn’t only to do with the unstable conditions now prevailing in Jamaica. Liberated slaves don’t always behave well when they are released from their shackles, but one cannot altogether blame them for that. They have never had to think for themselves before. That sounds terribly patronising, but is true for all that. Anyway, the more hot-headed amongst their number took on leadership roles and encouraged retribution.’

‘And you sympathise with their position?’

‘Any fair-minded person would.’

Simon nodded. ‘You were explaining about your father’s shortage of blunt.’

‘So I was.’ She settled herself into a more comfortable position, plucked absently at a rose and inhaled its perfume, then continued to speak. ‘As I say, I assumed that he feared for our safety and didn’t question his desire to leave so precipitously. I was very keen to return to England and leave the horrors of Jamaica behind me, especially because…well, because I had done something shameful.’ She looked away from him. ‘I have never told anyone, and if I confide in you the chances are that you will lose all respect for me.’

‘Impossible.’ He raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers. ‘Just tell me. I am sure it can’t be so very bad. I am very discreet and you have my word that I won’t repeat what you tell me.’

She looked away from him and Simon sensed her turmoil, but he didn’t continue attempting to persuade her. He knew that she needed to speak about it, but it would be ungentlemanly to force the issue.

‘Cruelty towards the slaves was one of the many things that I despised. The plantation overseers seemed to enjoy their positions of power and the right to inflict harsh punishments arbitrarily.’ He could see the anger of recollection swirling in her eyes as she turned to give him her full attention. ‘Molineux owned the plantation adjoining ours and we couldn’t avoid his society. His overseer was one of the worst offenders when it came to dishing out harsh punishments on the flimsiest of pretexts. He was a huge man who was never seen without a bullwhip in his hand. I came across him one day, laying that whip into a female slave who’d fallen down from exhaustion because she was pregnant and near her time.’

‘The brute!’ Simon exclaimed.

‘My thoughts exactly.’ She shook her head. ‘Something snapped inside me when I saw what he had done. He hadn’t seen me so I went up behind him, grabbed the whip from his hand and tried to turn it on him. Of course, he was much stronger than me and grabbed it back again, but he didn’t dare to use it on me. I pushed him hard and told him precisely what I thought of him. I mean, striking a pregnant woman, how low can one get? He told me to mind my own business and that his master would hear of my interference. The slaves had gathered round and I sensed the mood growing ugly, which is hardly to be wondered at. They all hated that overseer for his cruelty—’

‘Molineux had not freed his slaves?’

‘Oh good heavens no.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘It was not compulsory, and he accused those who did so of being soft. He insisted that the slaves were better off in servitude, where they were cared for and didn’t have to think for themselves.’

‘And this is the man your father would have you marry,’ Simon said softly.

‘Quite. Perhaps now you begin to understand why I am so reluctant. Not that his attitude was anything out of the ordinary. Those who freed their slaves felt pressured into doing so. It certainly wasn’t a voluntary act.’

‘What happened with the overseer?’

‘The slaves took matters into their own hands before I could prevent them. They fell on him and he was kicked and trampled to death.’ She closed her eyes for an expressive moment, no doubt reliving the awful scene in her mind. ‘My father and Molineux were alerted by the commotion and I took responsibility for the man’s death. After all, it was my fault. But it was obvious how he had died, and clear that I couldn’t possibly have done it, so we were left on the horns of a dilemma.’

‘A white man had been murdered and someone had to answer for the crime.’

‘Precisely. I was perfectly ready to tell the authorities what he had been doing. Slaves receiving lashes was customary, and apparently acceptable. But not a heavily pregnant woman. Molineux said that the slaves had killed him and they would have to accept the consequences—which of course meant that their ringleaders would be hanged—but I stood my ground and said I was not going to let that happen. I would own up. Needless to say, Molineux and Papa would have none of it and managed to pass the death off as an accident.’ She looked up at him and sighed. ‘But at least the slaves were not accused, although how they were treated after that I dread to think.’

‘I cannot begin to imagine why you assumed the truth would make me think any less of you,’ he said softly. ‘I am full of admiration for your courage and your willingness to stand up for those who were incapable of protecting themselves.’ He still held her hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘In fact I have seldom been more impressed.’

She gave an elongated sigh. ‘Thank you. I haven’t spoken about it before to anyone. Papa was furious. I have never seen him half so angry, and he made me feel as though it was my fault that we had to return to England, obliging him to sell his plantation so cheaply. I have been riddled with guilt, only to discover today that I have been deceived.’

‘No one can prove what happened in Jamaica now. It sounds to me as if that overseer got what he deserved, and there will be no interest in reopening the enquiry if Molineux is forcing you to marry him by threatening to do so. The situation in Jamaica is volatile and no one will want to make trouble. You are perfectly safe, although I suppose your conscience troubles you.’

‘Actually, no.’ She smiled at him. ‘Given my time over, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have done anything differently.’

‘Well, there you are then.’

‘I had reached the same conclusion myself, and decided there was nothing Molineux could do to force me to marry him.’ She paused. ‘Then Papa told me about his indebtedness to him, which changes everything.’

‘Excuse me, but are you sure he was telling you the truth? He already knew that you were reluctant to marry the man. Perhaps he decided to add more pressure.’

‘Yes, I think it’s true. I have seen unpaid accounts and other signs of a shortage of funds that I hadn’t properly considered before now. I have been too preoccupied.’ She inhaled deeply. ‘There’s no help for it. I shall have to marry the man.’

‘You could marry me.’ Simon briefly wondered who had made that suggestion, belatedly realising it was him.

‘Don’t joke about such matters!’ she snapped. ‘It isn’t helpful.’

‘I wasn’t jesting,’ Simon said softly, because he realised it was true.

‘Thank you.’ Tears swamped her eyes. ‘But even though you will have a hard time convincing me that you didn’t make that suggestion out of some misguided gentlemanly instinct to protect me and that you wouldn’t live to regret your impulsiveness, I’m afraid you couldn’t afford me. Papa’s debt to Molineux is substantial. I demanded to know how deeply in debt he was, he told me the amount and I couldn’t believe it. I would bankrupt you.’

‘Perhaps it would be worth it.’ Simon tilted her chin backwards and softly kissed her lips. ‘I haven’t had the dubious pleasure of making Molineux’s acquaintance, but he sounds like a vile ogre with a temper to match, and I cannot rid my mind of the possibility that he wants to marry you so that he can take his revenge for what you did to his overseer. He sounds like a man who knows how to bear a grudge.’

‘You cannot think of any other reason why a gentleman would become fixated on a dreary creature like me?’ She was clearly attempting to seem affronted, but Simon was relieved to see a modicum of mischief shining in her previously despondent eyes.

‘On the contrary, it’s about the only aspect of Molineux’s character that I can’t find fault with.’

‘Be careful which damsels in distress you propose to in the future, Simon,’ she said. ‘The next one might not realise that you are being gallant.’ She smiled, looking a little flustered after their brief kiss. She stood up and reclaimed her hand, leaving Simon with no choice but to stand as well.

‘I am resigned to my fate,’ she said, looking away from him. ‘I will go back to the house alone. We had best not be seen together again. It will serve no purpose other than to make me regret my situation more than I already do. Good evening and thank you for listening.’

Before Simon could think of a way to delay her she walked away from him, her posture elegantly upright, and didn’t once look back.

Chapter Twelve

Tobias returned to the small cottage he occupied in Pemberley’s grounds—a haven of tranquillity that came with his position as deputy steward. He had established his own space where he was assured of all the comforts that the female servants from the big house were happy to provide. His fires never died, his belly was never empty, not a speck of dust dared to invade his furniture, his laundry appeared to do itself and a willing body was always on hand to cater for his other appetites.

On the evening of his strange confrontation with Mrs Rochdale, he thanked the girl who delivered his evening meal and ignored her provocative smiles and the excuses she made to linger. Eventually she ran out of things to tidy and took herself off, pouting. Tobias ate without taking much notice of the food he put into his mouth, mulling over all the potentially damaging information he now possessed and trying to decide whether to exploit it for his own gain. He pushed aside his empty plate and took a healthy sip of his wine, his thoughts dwelling upon the irony of his situation. Not so long ago he wouldn’t have hesitated to join Mrs Rochdale in her quest for revenge upon Darcy without stopping to consider the inadvisability of opposing such a powerful man.

But those days were gone. He had too much to lose and became weary of fighting other people’s battles. He glanced around his comfortable room. This was the first time he’d had a home entirely to himself, and he had achieved that privilege by proving his loyalty to an initially sceptical Darcy. Tobias had used his intelligence to ensure the estate prospered, working diligently and earning the respect of even the old hands at Pemberley who had recollections of his grandfather whom they respected, and his father, whom they did not. Success and respectability brought its own rewards, even if he did still sometimes miss the thrill of using his wits to keep one step ahead of the authorities.

Being a fugitive had opened his eyes to the fact that he’d been motivated by a burning desire for revenge on behalf of a father whom he had never met; the exaggerated tales of his mistreatment fuelled by his mother’s prejudices. Tobias grunted, thinking he’d been a fool. It amused and concerned him that Mrs Rochdale, the very woman who had unwittingly orchestrated Wickham’s downfall, seemed to think he would permit history to repeat itself. He threw back his head and laughed aloud, convinced that the lady, to put it charitably, must be soft in the head.

He pondered upon the nature of Molineux and Rochdale’s business affairs and briefly regretted the missed opportunity to line his own pockets. The ruthlessness he had sensed in Molineux would have been sufficient to make Tobias hesitate, even if he’d been tempted to involve himself. He hadn’t survived for as long as he had on the wrong side of the law without learning when he’d met his match.

There would be other opportunities to increase his wealth, he decided, and it was a wise man who knew when to walk away. But if he couldn’t line his own pockets, then he might as well use what he knew to enhance his position at Pemberley and eradicate any residual concerns about his loyalty.

With that thought in mind, Tobias strolled outside and almost collided with Simon, who was sauntering about, looking angry and muttering to himself.

‘Something wrong?’ Tobias asked.

Before Simon could respond they were joined by Spence.

‘That Dayton girl will be the death of me yet,’ Spence muttered. ‘She clings like a limpet. Not the one whom you’ve taken a shine to, Simon. I refer to her younger sister who is in danger of making herself look like a lightskirt.’

‘I noticed her at table,’ Simon replied, laughing. ‘She appears to have given up on Marc and lowered her sights to you.’

Spence blew air through his lips. ‘Her mother needs to check her behaviour.’

Simon kicked at a tuft of grass, his mind clearly miles away.

‘What’s wrong?’ Tobias asked.

‘Nadia Dayton is being manipulated into marrying an ogre,’ Simon replied. ‘I wish there was something I could do to help her.’

‘Stay out of it, Simon,’ Spence said, sighing. ‘I thought you had learned the advisability of discretion at last, especially when it comes to the affairs of a pretty female. You can’t right all the world’s wrongs and I dare say that if Miss Dayton really doesn’t want to marry the chap, she will make the fact clear to her connections. Either way, you won’t be thanked for getting involved, and you could find yourself compromised if you attempt it.’

‘Damn it, Spence, you don’t know anything about her situation, yet you jump to conclusions and treat me like some kind of Johnny Raw!’

Tobias and Spence exchanged a look. Tobias had come to know the boys well and often joined them in the Lamb to enjoy a tankard of ale or two. Simon was a dreamer, always cheerful, which made his obvious depression that much harder to fathom. Tobias knew the identity of Miss Dayton’s suitor, of course, and had at his fingertips the means of preventing the marriage. He felt rather pleased with himself when he hesitated only for a second, and contented himself with just the smallest sigh of regret before giving up any lingering hopes of profiting from Molineux’s activities himself.

‘Come to my cottage, both of you,’ he said, his tone unusually serious. ‘I have an excellent burgundy and a story to tell you.’

Simon and Spence shared a glance and fell into step with Tobias.

‘What have you been up to this time?’ Spence asked.

‘You see,’ Tobias said, grinning at Simon. ‘You’re not the only one he patronises.’

‘I’m not being patronising, it’s merely an observation based on prior behaviour,’ Spence said cheerfully. ‘You will never be entirely respectable, as half our kitchen maids here at Pemberley will likely attest, but we put up with you all the same because you’re endlessly entertaining and we’ve become accustomed to having you around.’

‘And you wish you had the freedom to be me,’ Tobias replied.

Spence offered up a wry smile. ‘That too, sometimes.’

They settled around Tobias’s fire. It wasn’t strictly necessary in such fine weather, but it gave the small room a homely feel. Tobias poured wine for them all and raised his glass to the cousins.

‘Welcome to my humble abode, gentlemen,’ he said, taking a sip.

‘Good health,’ Simon and Spence responded in unison.

‘Now then, Tobias, what’s this all about? Not that we don’t appreciate a respite from the tenacious Sophia Dayton, but still…’

‘The man your Nadia Dayton is being forced to marry,’ Tobias said, his expression turning unnaturally serious, ‘goes by the name of Molineux.’

‘I’m aware that you have eyes and ears everywhere, Tobias,’ Simon said, scratching his head, ‘but how the devil did you come by that piece of information?’

Simon and Spence looked astounded when Tobias related the details of the conversation he had overheard in the Lamb between Molineux and Dayton.

‘Seems our friend Dayton has pockets to let,’ Tobias finished. ‘Not to put too fine a point on it, he’s heavily in debt to Molineux, and my understanding is that Molineux will tear up Dayton’s vowels if Nadia agrees to marry him.’

Tobias and Spence both looked at Simon for confirmation.

‘It’s true,’ Simon said, nodding. ‘She told me as much herself. There’s more, but the debt thing on its own is enough to force her hand. Her sister won’t stand much chance on the marriage mart if she doesn’t have a dowry.’

‘Having the lady’s story independently corroborated don’t help much,’ Spence said sympathetically.

‘Ah-ha, but I’m not finished yet.’ Tobias topped up their glasses, grinning as he fussed with the bottle and dragged out the tension. ‘And this is where it gets even more interesting, not to say damned odd.’

Simon’s mouth fell open when he heard about Rochdale’s involvement in the cannabis smuggling trade. He scratched his head and looked helplessly at Spence.

‘What the hell do you make of that?’ he asked.

‘Rochdale has been using cannabis to calm his patients’ agitation and aggression,’ Spence said, nodding. ‘That much is obvious. It makes sense when you see his wife’s vacant manner at times.’

‘I wouldn’t know anything about it,’ Simon said.

‘It’s nothing new,’ Spence assured him. ‘I once heard of an archaeological site in the Oki Islands near Japan containing cannabis achenes dating back to the Neolithic Age. The drug has an ancient history of ritual use around the world and it’s commonly known to have a calming effect, making it seem as though the world is moving in slow motion. In quantified doses, I can quite see how it would help soothe troubled minds.’

‘But it’s addictive if misused,’ Tobias pointed out.

‘So are most things,’ Spence replied, raising his glass to emphasise his point.

‘You sound as though you approve of Rochdale’s shenanigans,’ Simon said on a note of mild censure.

‘I admire his efforts to try and keep people suffering from mild delusions out of the madhouse, but I don’t approve of his profiting from the addictions of others, and I fully intend to put a stop to his little game.’

‘Your cousin is spoiling for an adventure that will likely get him killed,’ Tobias said caustically.

‘You realise what this means, of course,’ Spence said, ignoring Tobias’s dire prediction and addressing the comment to Simon.

‘Of course!’ Simon thumped his thigh with his clenched fist and grinned. ‘If we can prove that Molineux is involved in criminal activities, even Dayton would have to see that it’s impossible for Nadia to marry him.’ His momentary euphoria gave way to despondency. ‘But how the devil are we supposed to prove it? Why did my aunt suddenly appear here at Pemberley when she knows she is unwelcome? Did Rochdale send her to us for some obscure reason? And why are they bringing the drug into this part of the world?’

‘I can answer your last question,’ Tobias replied. ‘I gather that Rochdale has a mistress in Derby. A widow whose husband had a plantation in Jamaica and warehouses in Derby, near to where she resides. From what I overheard, even Molineux is a little awed by the woman.’

‘She’s the brains behind the operation?’ Spence asked, flexing a brow.

‘That’s the impression I get. She took up the reins after her husband died.’ Tobias shrugged. ‘Perhaps she ran things behind the scenes all along. It’s impossible to know. Rochdale made no secret of the fact that he adores her, so I suspect that he doesn’t have a clue that his wife is close at hand. Anyway, the drugs come into England on ships that dock at Liverpool. From there it’s less than a hundred miles to Derby on a decent road, and the last place that the authorities will look for illegal contraband, especially in premises owned by a respectable widow. The assumption that women have no head for business would work in her favour in that regard, especially if she’s young and attractive. Anyway, I heard Rochdale boast that she has suppliers in this country waiting for his product.’

‘Why does she need Rochdale?’ Spence asked. ‘It sounds as though she is pretty self-sufficient.’

Tobias shrugged. ‘Who knows how the female mind works? Perhaps she actually likes him. It sounds to me as though they are equally amoral. Then again, perhaps she’s set things up so that he will take the blame if her enterprise comes to light. As I said before, she will use her wiles and pretend to be clueless.’

‘How does my aunt feed her addiction without her husband at hand to minister to her needs?’ Simon asked.

‘Easily enough to achieve,’ Tobias replied.

‘I’ve heard of people smoking ganja,’ Simon said, ‘but I can’t see Mrs Rochdale sitting in her room, puffing away on a pipe.’

Tobias grinned. ‘Search her room and I’ll wager you’ll find a large supply of baked biscuits hidden among her possessions.’

‘Goodness,’ Simon said vaguely. ‘I bow to your superior knowledge on the subject, both of you.’

‘I don’t speak from experience,’ Spence replied. ‘I got involved with a discussion group at Cambridge that strayed onto the subject and resulted in a heated debate about the morality behind creating addicts. Cannabis is fairly harmless, but it leads on to more damaging dependencies. Anyway, I became curious, so I did some research.’

Tobias didn’t doubt it. Spence, he knew, was the most intelligent of all the boys, but seldom allowed his innate curiosity and thirst for knowledge to become too apparent.

‘So what do we do now?’ Simon asked, putting his glass aside and rubbing his hands together. ‘We can’t possibly allow Nadia to marry such a man. Should we go to my uncle with what we know?’

‘I’d prefer not to upset my father as things stand,’ Spence said. ‘He’s already worried about Mrs Rochdale’s sudden and unwarranted appearance. Besides, your father has sent for Rochdale, hasn’t he, Simon?’

‘That’s my understanding.’

‘Should be interesting to see if he responds,’ Tobias said. ‘Bingley’s express will take a while to reach him since it will go to London and have to be sent back to Derby.’

‘He will have to respond, unless he wants to burn all his bridges,’ Spence said. ‘If what you heard is correct, Tobias, then he will seek to use the profits to enhance his reputation as a physician, have his wife committed and take up openly with this Mrs Hanson.’

‘Right,’ Simon agreed. ‘So he will have to come here or risk matters spiralling out of his control. He won’t trust his wife to behave rationally without her protectors. Presumably he has people in their London home watching over her and taking care of her needs. But still, if he’s kept her drugged, one wonders at her having the wits to think of coming here, much less finding the will to do so. Clearly she is not as addicted as Rochdale supposes.’

Spence nodded. ‘Either that or she has weaned herself off the drug. I have noticed marked changes in her behaviour since she has been here. Sometimes she seems withdrawn and her eyes are cloudy. At other times she’s alert and seems perfectly normal. It’s deuced odd.’

‘I gather Molineux intends to come and formally propose to Nadia once he receives word that she’s ready to receive him, damn his impudence.’ Tobias and Spence smiled at one another over Simon’s head. ‘He will have quite a shock when he finds Rochdale and his wife here. They are bound to confer.’

‘That won’t help. We can’t listen to their private conversations without risking detection,’ Spence replied, shaking his head. ‘And there’s no guarantee that they will discuss their personal business even if we do somehow manage to eavesdrop. Besides, Molineux is not staying here.’ Spence paused and both Tobias and Simon left him to his cogitations, accepting without question that he was the one most likely to come up with a solution. ‘When is the next shipment due to arrive?’ he asked.

‘Imminently,’ Tobias replied. ‘That was what they met to discuss. It seems Mrs Hanson wanted to amend their terms of business, taking a larger cut for herself. Molineux wasn’t happy about it but she had boxed him into a corner. He arranges the shipment, but Mrs Hanson has the connections to the customers.’

‘No such thing as honour amongst thieves,’ Simon said. ‘We might be able to use that to turn them against one another.’

‘Hmm.’ Spence rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and the side of his face on his clenched fist. ‘Do we know where Mrs Hanson lives?’

‘No, but I’m sure I can find out easily enough,’ Tobias replied. ‘She is a wealthy widow with warehouses in Derby. Can’t be many females in that position. Leave it with me. I shall know by tomorrow, but what good will that do us?’

‘I think we should do two things. Firstly, we should discreetly alert the port authorities in Liverpool about the impending arrival of large quantities of cannabis from Jamaica.’

‘Half the customs’ men are probably on the take,’ Tobias said with a cynical smile.

‘Even so. I don’t much care whose hands the drugs end up in. I just don’t want anyone with connections to Pemberley to benefit.’

‘Agreed,’ Tobias and Simon said together.

‘Besides, if it doesn’t get through, Mrs Hanson will either cut her losses or try to find alternative ports to bring the cargo into. One assumes she already has customs’ men in Liverpool in her pocket so she will need to forge similar contacts elsewhere. Tobias is right about that. Either way, distribution will be affected.’ Spence paused. ‘Once we know where Mrs Hanson lives, we should send a message from Molineux saying that there’s a problem, a leak in their organisation, and that her presence is required here at the Lamb for a consultation. Molineux, we know, is already staying at the inn. We will get Rochdale there too, abducting him if necessary, then make it clear that we know what they’re doing.’

Tobias threw back his head and laughed. ‘You might be the brains of the family, Spence, but it’s clear that you’ve never dealt with desperate men before. We would never get out of there alive. Either that, or they will laugh in our faces and deny everything. In case it had escaped your memory, we have no actual proof.’

‘Fair point.’ Spence fell momentarily silent. ‘Any other bright ideas?’

‘I have a suggestion,’ Tobias replied. ‘Well actually, first there’s something else you need to know.’

He told them about Mrs Rochdale approaching him and her obvious determination to revenge herself upon Mrs Darcy.

‘Hell!’ Spence stood and paced the room, scowling. ‘I didn’t want to involve the pater, but he needs to know about this.’

‘Mine too,’ Simon said. ‘Mrs Rochdale is his sister, which makes her his responsibility. He still feels guilty about what she tried to do to your mother all those years ago, Spence.’

‘There is nothing she can do to harm Mrs Darcy,’ Tobias said passively. ‘She seemed to think that I would welcome the opportunity to take all the risks out of some misguided desire to exact revenge for my father. Her brain isn’t nearly so addled as you suppose, Simon, and she realises that if Mrs Darcy were to meet with some sort of accident, suspicion would immediately fall upon her.’

‘Perhaps she has the wits to realise that, but I maintain that she’s dicked in the nob if she still carries a resentment for a situation that arose a quarter of a century ago,’ Spence replied. ‘What could she possibly hope to gain from harming my mother? Her previous intention was to take her place but no matter how deranged she’s become, she must realise that wouldn’t happen now.’

‘Personal satisfaction, perhaps.’ Tobias threw up his hands. ‘She is definitely unbalanced—but at the same time lucid, if that makes any sense.’

‘Not much,’ Simon complained.

‘What she doesn’t know about is her husband’s plans for her,’ Spence said, grinning at Tobias. ‘If she were to learn about them I think her priorities would change. We know she’s vengeful, but if she discovers that the husband has been using her and now plans to replace her with a younger woman, then I’m sure that her desire for revenge would find a different target.’

‘Undoubtedly,’ Simon agreed, ‘but I still don’t see how we can depend upon a deranged woman to help us, or even if we should.’

‘I think we should confront her, Simon, you and I,’ Spence said. ‘Put our cards on the table, tell her what we know about her reasons for being here and reveal her husband’s plans. She isn’t totally addicted to cannabis, and if she’s had the wits to wean herself off it without her husband being aware, then she could be a help to us.’

‘In what way?’ Simon shook his head. ‘Sorry, Spence, I must be dense but I’m still not with you.’

‘She knows—or at least she suspects—that she’s been held a virtual prisoner all these years, separated from all of her family except for her sister. Your own father, to whom she was once so close, only pays duty visits twice a year.’

‘True,’ Simon conceded. ‘You think her being excluded from the family circle has fuelled her resentment and kept her plotting her revenge against your mother, whom she seems to hold responsible for her disappointments.’

‘She isn’t entirely rational, so I’d say it’s highly likely. I can name a dozen supposedly sane individuals who have harboured grudges for years and for the flimsiest of reasons.’

‘But if I understand it right, it was she who persuaded Wickham to take part in her scheme to discredit my aunt,’ Simon said, frowning.

‘And has subsequently convinced herself that she was manipulated. Delusional people are very good at justifying their actions by laying the blame elsewhere. So are many rational people, come to that.’

‘All right, but—’

‘Damn it, it’s us who are a few farthings short of a shilling!’ Spence slapped his thigh. ‘We’ve uncovered a devious criminal network and we expect a deranged woman to procure the necessary evidence for us. Whatever can we be thinking? It would not only put her in danger, but it would be a cowardly solution. Perdition, we are supposed to be gentlemen.’

‘True,’ Simon agreed. ‘We will have to think of another way. They cannot be allowed to get away with it. If they do, Miss Dayton will finish up married to Molineux, which is unthinkable. There must be something we can do.’

‘You really are spoiling for a fight, aren’t you?’ Tobias said, chuckling. ‘And it’s me who’s supposed to be the renegade.’

‘True, but—’

‘I will find out where Mrs Hanson lives,’ Tobias promised them as the three men stood up, ready to go their separate ways.

‘Shall we tell our fathers?’ Simon asked.

‘Not yet,’ Spence replied. ‘Let’s sleep on it and reconvene tomorrow. Perhaps one of us will have come up with a brilliant master plan by then. Something that doesn’t require an unbalanced woman to take all the risks.’

‘Anything’s possible,’ Tobias said cheerfully, waving them off.

Chapter Thirteen

Lizzy sat with Jane and Lydia half an hour before they were due to dress for dinner in a small parlour where they were guaranteed privacy. Expect they were not. The door opened and Bella joined them. Lizzy rolled her eyes. She ought to have expected her perspicacious daughter to realise they intended to hold a family summit and insist upon being included.

‘Don’t mind me,’ Bella said cheerfully. ‘You won’t know I am here.’

‘I will know, but it would be pointless to ask you to leave,’ Lizzy replied, smiling resignedly.

‘That’s the spirit.’ Bella smiled. ‘We are all naturally curious about Mrs Rochdale’s appearance and I assume that is what you have skulked away to discuss.’

‘We do not skulk, my dear,’ Lizzy gently admonished.

‘How are you, Aunt Jane?’ Bella asked.

‘I was about to make the same enquiry,’ Lizzy said. ‘This must be a terrible strain for you. You too, Lydia.’ Lizzy shook her head. ‘I do wish Caroline had not come. Nothing can change the past, and her presence here makes us all uncomfortable.’

‘For my part, I don’t mind too much,’ Lydia replied. ‘It all happened a long time ago and I really do think that Caroline had lost her senses at the time. I have subsequently enjoyed over twenty years of happiness with Patrick and seldom think about that difficult period in our lives. Caroline, on the other hand, has not been content, I am absolutely sure of it. I have never met her husband, but my instincts tell me that her life has been one of seclusion and dissatisfaction.’ Lydia shrugged. ‘Perhaps that is no more than she deserved, given her behaviour, but even so…’

‘That’s very generous of you, Lydia. Thank you.’

‘I had never met the lady before her sudden arrival here,’ Bella said, seeming to forget that she had promised to stay quiet and listen, ‘and didn’t even know of her existence before her arrival. At first, I took her in dislike, since I could see that her coming had upset you all so badly. But now, well…’ She paused, as though unsure how to articulate her feelings; a rare situation for Lizzy’s gregarious daughter. ‘I can’t say precisely why, but I feel sorry for her. I know she does not deserve my compassion, but it must have taken courage for her to come, and even if she did so with some sort of revenge in mind she must now realise that ambition is both ridiculous and unattainable.’

‘You think she seeks acceptance and forgiveness?’ Lydia asked.

‘You know, Aunt Lydia, I rather think that she does, even though she may not have realised it when she set out from London. Goodness only knows she’s had enough time to reflect upon her behaviour and come to regret it, but no one has given her an opportunity to apologise.’

‘Very insightful, my dear.’ Lizzy turned to Jane. ‘How do you and Charles feel about her being here?’

‘Honestly, I don’t know. Well, actually I do. Charles told me after the business all those years ago that Caroline’s superior attitude had been drummed into her and Louisa by their mother when they were young. Their father was a self-made man from the middle classes, but his mother had ambitions above her station and encouraged her daughters to leave their old friends behind as their fortunes improved and to aim higher.’

‘Ah, that certainly explains a lot,’ Lizzy said. ‘Shades of Wickham, who had grown up expecting more than he was entitled to.’

‘Quite,’ Jane replied. ‘Charles, of course, was not similarly afflicted with such lofty ideals. His character closely mirrored his father’s, I’m told, and anyway he was away at school, so his mother couldn’t influence his attitude. She died before he reached maturity, so she was unable to interfere with his choice of a wife.’

‘That explains a lot,’ Lizzy said.

‘Charles still blames himself, of course, for the way things turned out. He thinks he should have noticed Caroline’s interest in Mr Darcy and discouraged it.’

Lydia smiled and flapped a dismissive hand. ‘Men never notice these things.’

‘You had realised that Caroline looked upon Will as her property almost at once, Jane,’ Lizzy said, ‘but then observing who had taken a liking to whom when we were younger was one of our favourite occupations.’

‘Perhaps all she wants is to be accepted again, even if she doesn’t quite realise it,’ Jane said reflectively. ‘She must have been lonely in London with just Louisa for company. That’s something else Charles feels guilty about.’

‘Well she is here now, and so far she hasn’t misbehaved,’ Lizzy said, ‘so I think we should put our reservations aside and make her feel more welcome.’

Jane smiled. ‘That’s more than generous of you.’

‘But typical of your compassion, Mama,’ Bella said. ‘I will make sure that my cousins know what’s been decided.’

‘And we,’ Lizzy said, linking arms with her sisters, ‘will ensure that our husbands know what we expect of them.’

Nadia slept badly and woke with a pounding headache—the perfect accessory to her dire frame of mind. Today was the day she must either accept Molineux’s proposal or see her family reduced to the status of paupers, which left her with no choice at all. It was grossly unfair, but she couldn’t see any way around the problem. A sleepless night spent tossing and turning as she tried to think of an alternative only served to confirm what she already knew. She would have to marry Molineux, save her father from financial disgrace and secure her ungrateful sister’s future.

She threw back her head and cried out in frustration, belatedly wondering why she hadn’t pressed her father for further details of his financial misdeeds. If she was to resolve the problem, it seemed at least reasonable to ask what had caused it. Poor investments seemed like a flimsy excuse. She knew that their plantation had been successful, even after their slaves had been given their freedom and despite the fact that Papa had sold quickly and cheaply. The profits from that sale should have been sufficient to cover his debts.

Had Molineux somehow encouraged him to mismanage his affairs? Nadia wouldn’t put anything past the manipulative brute. He had told Nadia once, when she refused to smile at him in Jamaica, that he was unaccustomed to failure and always found a way to get what he wanted eventually. A shudder passed through her as she assessed the possibility of being responsible for her father’s travails. If she had been nicer to Molineux, in all probability he would have lost interest in her. But she had rebuffed him, Molineux’s pride had taken a denting and he had looked upon her as a challenge as a consequence.

‘Stupid! Stupid and foolish!’ she said aloud, realising how easy it was to be wise after the event.

Molineux had been popular with the other plantation owners, partly due to his enormous wealth but mostly because he took a hard line against emancipation. Those looking for excuses not to free their slaves were glad to have a strong leader to follow. Nadia’s father had been especially keen to cultivate his friendship—even though he himself had given his slaves their freedom—and Nadia was sure that he would have accepted any financial advice Molineux offered him without bothering to check its validity. But would Molineux really destroy her family’s stability simply because Nadia had rejected him?

She pushed aside the breakfast she had barely touched. Her mind dwelt briefly upon Simon Bingley, the only person who understood precisely how she felt. She recalled the sympathy in his eyes and the touch of his lips on hers that had been far too fleeting, and died a little inside. She was a fair way to falling in love with the future master of Campton Park, which was as unwise as it was futile. Facing a life of servitude irrevocably tied to Molineux would be slightly easier to endure if she had not been offered a brief glimpse of the alternatives. Not that Simon thought of her in that light, she was sure.

But he did propose, a small voice at the back of her head reminded her. Although she knew that he had done that impulsively, as a way of making her smile. He would have been horrified if she’d accepted him.

‘Are you still abed?’ Nadia’s mother bustled into the room without bothering to knock. ‘Come along, child. I shall ring for hot water, then you must dress and look your best. Mr Molineux is expected within the hour.’

‘Then I fail to see why I should look my best,’ Nadia replied mulishly.

‘You are about to enter into a splendid marriage, girl. You will be the envy of your peers, and you will have every luxury at your fingertips. You might show a little gratitude.’

‘And you might show a little sensitivity, Mama,’ Nadia snapped. ‘I am doing this for your sake and Papa’s, otherwise nothing on this earth could persuade me to accept such a man.’

‘I know you don’t like him.’ Mama had the grace to soften her voice and a trace of sympathy flashed through her expression. ‘But when you get to know him better, I am sure that will all change. He is a very powerful gentleman, and he is determined to have you.’

‘He is not a gentleman, Mama, and no matter how wealthy he might be, the doors to the best salons will remain closed to him.’

‘Not with you as his wife, my dear.’ Mama looked horrified when she realised what she had said. ‘But your breeding isn’t why he wants to marry you. He loves you for yourself. I am absolutely sure of it.’

Nadia knew that he didn’t love anyone other than himself, but she also knew that it would be a waste of breath to say so. She blocked out her mother’s never-ending list of Mr Molineux’s good points, even as she admired her imagination in finding so many. Mr Molineux had nothing but his wealth to recommend him, and Nadia failed to consider the accumulation of a fortune—made at the expense of slaves whom he had literally worked to death—as an attribute.

She washed and dressed listlessly. Her mother fussed with her hair, telling her that she looked pretty. Nadia knew from glancing with disinterest at her reflection that she didn’t. She looked pale; her eyes were dull and listless and resigned to the inevitable.

The two of them made their way down the stairs together and Mama ushered Nadia into the morning room. ‘Mrs Darcy has assured me that we will have privacy in here and Mr Molineux will be shown in as soon as he arrives.’

‘Leave me, Mother,’ Nadia said, when her mother seated herself. ‘I will receive him alone.’

‘Oh, I don’t think you should…’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Nadia snapped, losing patience. ‘It’s not as though he can compromise me and then be forced into marrying me.’ She almost laughed aloud at the prospect, feeling light-headed and a little manic.

‘As you wish, my dear.’

Her mother stood but loitered in the open doorway, as though trying to find the appropriate words of encouragement, probably concerned that she would refuse Molineux if left alone with him. She was so very sorely tempted. The English language wasn’t extensive enough to contain any phrase that would make Nadia look upon the forthcoming interview with anything other than abject horror, she realised as her mother finally left the room, closing the door behind her.

Nadia was not left to pace up and down muttering imprecations beneath her breath for long. Soon—far too soon—the door opened and Molineux was announced. He bounded into the room, larger than Nadia recalled, impeccably attired, red in the face and beaming with triumph. It didn’t surprise Nadia to discover that he wasn’t a gracious winner.

‘Miss Dayton. Nadia.’ He bowed over her hand. ‘I trust I find you well.’

‘You do not. I have a headache and would have preferred to remain in bed.’ She turned away from him, the sight of his portly form abhorrent to her.

‘I am sorry you feel unwell, my dear, but I hope the question I have come to ask you will aid your recovery.’

‘That I very much doubt.’

Nadia fumed inwardly, wondering if he was so full of self-importance that he actually believed she would welcome his proposal. Or could it be that Papa had not made it clear how disinclined she still was to accept him? Her father, she was fast learning, was a coward who valued Molineux’s friendship too much to risk offending him.

‘Nadia,’ he said softly. ‘Please do me the courtesy of giving me your full attention and listening to what I have to say.’

‘Oh, very well.’ She swirled to face him, her muslin skirts whipping around her ankles with an angry swish that perfectly reflected her frame of mind. ‘Say what you have come to say and let’s get it over with.’

‘So very gracious.’

‘If you require graciousness, Mr Molineux, propose to a lady who would welcome your interest. I have made it abundantly clear to you that I am not that lady, and I fail to understand why you persist. It is not gentlemanly.’ He scowled at the implied insult. ‘Why do you want to marry a woman who doesn’t even so much as like you?’

He winced and spread his hands. ‘I wish I knew. I have tried to put thoughts of you from my mind, but I can’t seem to manage it. It’s perplexing.’

‘Perhaps you should have tried a little harder.’ She fell into a chair and managed a wan smile. ‘It’s not as though I am beautiful. I’m not even particularly pretty. I certainly don’t keep my opinions to myself and will never make a biddable wife. I honestly cannot see what the attraction is.’

‘Perhaps I enjoy a challenge.’

‘Or perhaps you derive pleasure from pain. I have heard of people like you.’ Nadia lifted a shoulder. ‘I don’t like you, Mr Molineux, and I certainly don’t approve of the way in which you treat your slaves in Jamaica. I believe I told you so, quite forcibly, but it made no difference. Perhaps their pain gives you pleasure too. Either way, you will never listen to my point of view since I am a woman and naturally cannot be expected to have two sensible thoughts in succession.’

‘Be assured that I will always take your opinions into account, my dear.’

‘So you will free your slaves?’

He shook his head. ‘Alas, it is not that easy.’

‘It’s as I thought then,’ she said glumly. ‘You will listen to me only if my opinion matches your own. Let us not prolong this interview, Mr Molineux. I will marry you because I have no choice in the matter. My father owes you money and you will not release him from his debt unless you have me in your bed. So you have effectively purchased me and now I am one of your slaves.’ She lifted her chin and sent him an imperious look. ‘I hope that makes you satisfied.’

‘If I was not so desperately in love with you, I would not have resorted to such methods,’ he said, running a hand through his sparse hair. ‘I did try to win you over in Jamaica, you must grant me that much.’

‘But I did not return your interest and you refused to be gainsaid.’

‘Ouch!’ He smiled at her but the gesture seemed strained and she could sense malevolence lurking just beneath his polished exterior. He wasn’t accustomed to anyone speaking their mind and Nadia knew such impudence would not be permitted once they were wed. ‘You will come to enjoy my company when we know one another better, my dear.’ He raised her hand to his lips and slobbered over it. ‘Matters are agreed between us, then?’

She nodded reluctantly, unable to speak.

‘Very well. I shall withdraw and allow you to enjoy the rest of this week. I shall arrange for us to be married quickly by special licence. I see no profit in delay. In the meantime, I shall stay in the village inn and look for suitable estates to purchase. If I see anything that I think might suit, I shall send word so that you can look at it too before I make a decision.’ Again he attempted to smile but she snatched her hand from his grasp and turned away. ‘You see, I shall make a very considerate husband.’

She rang the bell to have him shown out and watched the door shut behind him, feeling close to despair. She knew now, or suspected, why he was so keen to have her for his wife. He was fascinated with her, but also intended to punish her. Punish her for the loss of his overseer and for daring to defy him.

Nadia returned to her room and sobbed with self-pity until her throat felt raw and she had no tears left.

Caroline sat beside the lake, completely alone, in the very spot where she had attempted to drown Lydia all those years ago. She wondered if being there would undermine her precarious state of mind, but the ghosts of past misdemeanours failed to materialise. She had a book in her lap but didn’t open it. Instead she watched the rippling water turning various shades of turquoise as the sun beat down on its surface.

She had returned to the drawing room the previous evening, following her ill-advised conversation with Tobias Porter, to a reception that she hadn’t anticipated. Jane had smiled at her and invited her to sit beside her while Lizzy poured coffee and handed Caroline’s cup to her personally. Still reeling from her reckless encounter with Porter, Caroline hadn’t known how to respond at first. She had been made to feel unwelcome since her arrival but now, as though by common consent, everyone in the room was suddenly going out of their way to include her in their conversations.

When the card tables were placed, she found herself in the same set as Darcy. He seemed more relaxed and smiled at her several times, even going so far as to ask her if she still played cards in London. Charles had reverted to his old, affable self and a lot of the tension her arrival had created appeared to have eased.

That very morning she had happened upon Lydia when she was alone. Expecting her to turn her back and leave the room, she was surprised when the now Mrs Shannon engaged Caroline in conversation about a recent visit to Italy she had undertaken. It was most peculiar. Why the sudden turnabout? She had tried to kill Lydia—admittedly when the balance of her mind was overset—but still. Even the passage of twenty-five years would be insufficient for Caroline to forgive if the shoe had been on the other foot.

Caroline had declined an invitation to accompany the other ladies on an excursion that morning since she urgently needed to think matters through. She had not eaten one of her biscuits so far, and had now gone a full day without resorting to one; the longest time ever. Her mind was clear as a consequence and she didn’t ache all over or feel anxious, as she had when she first forced herself to do without her crutch.

She wondered now what madness had made her confront Porter. She wondered too why she had lived for revenge all these years and what she hoped to achieve by it. Now that she was back at Pemberley and amongst family who seemed ready to accept her for the person she had become, rather than the vengeful female of yesteryear, she felt an enveloping sense of peace that had evaded her for decades.

She could quite see that her behaviour had been rash and that she was fortunate to have been given a second chance to make amends. Being able to think without the fog of cannabis brought a clarity that had persistently eluded her. Albert would come and whisk her away again, she knew, as soon as Charles’s express reached him. But, in the meantime, if Porter told Darcy what she had said to him, her brief reprieve would come to an immediate end.

‘Idiot!’ she muttered aloud.

‘Mrs Rochdale, are we disturbing you?’ She glanced up nervously, not having heard anyone approaching. Her nephew Simon and Spencer Darcy stood in front of her, both in shirtsleeves and hatless, looking so much like Charles and Darcy in their younger days that she gasped. ‘Do we find you here all alone? You did not go with the other ladies?’

‘No, I preferred to sit and contemplate.’

‘And we are intruding upon your solitary reverie,’ Spence said.

‘Not at all. I have grown accustomed to being alone over the years, but it doesn’t follow that the company of two handsome young men is unwelcome.’

She patted the bench and they obediently took up positions on either side of her.

‘Mrs Rochdale,’ Spence said, clearing his throat. ‘We are glad to have found you alone. There is something we need to talk to you about. Something that is rather delicate.’

‘We have dithered about telling you, but we have decided that you deserve to know,’ Simon added.

‘I see.’ She felt intrigued and a little wary. ‘Well, here you find me, so please satisfy my curiosity.’

‘Please don’t be offended, but we are aware of the nature of your conversation with Tobias Porter yesterday.’ Her spirits slumped and she thought longingly of the stash of biscuits hidden in her room. The two young men were here to upbraid her, and she deserved nothing less. She opened her mouth to speak, to attempt to explain, but Spence silenced her with a wave. ‘Our fathers have told us what happened all those years ago to drive a wedge between you.’

‘Oh, I—’

‘You have not been well, Mrs Rochdale,’ Simon said gently. ‘That has been made very clear to us. You were temporarily deprived of your wits and acted out of character, but we believe that you are better now.’

‘Yes, I am completely recovered,’ she said in a dignified manner. ‘What is this all about, Simon? Do you mean to embarrass me in an effort to drive me away?’

‘Quite the contrary.’ It was Spence who answered her. ‘In fact, we need your help.’

‘My help? Good heavens. In what respect?’

‘Forgive the indelicacy, Mrs Rochdale,’ Spence replied, ‘but we are aware that your husband has made you dependent upon cannabis and it is to your credit that you have managed to wean yourself off that addiction.’

‘You are your mother’s son through and through,’ she said bitterly. ‘Mean and vindictive.’

‘We have not introduced this subject in order to make you uncomfortable, madam,’ Spence said politely. ‘Would you like us to leave you, or do you want to hear what it is that we have to say?’

Caroline took a moment to consider, embarrassment waging full-scale warfare with curiosity deep within her core. She sensed no real malevolence about them and curiosity won the day. ‘I am perfectly willing to hear you out,’ she replied stiffly.

‘Very well then, but be warned, the conversation will be personal and distressing.’

‘Ha!’ She looked away from Spence. ‘I am on intimate terms with distressing.’

‘And with being misunderstood,’ Simon suggested.

‘Yes, that too.’ She smiled at Simon and much of the rigidity left her shoulders.

‘Your husband was not your husband when he took responsibility for your treatment after you had been sent back to London,’ Spence said briskly. ‘You subsequently married him and he continued to treat you, gradually ensuring that your dependency upon cannabis grew.’

Caroline swivelled her head and fixed Spence with a hard look. ‘You have no idea what you are talking about,’ she retorted.

‘No, at least not from first-hand experience,’ Simon replied, ‘but we speak the truth and you have sufficient intelligence to realise that. We are also aware that you have fought the dependency without your husband’s knowledge, which must have taken courage and strength of will. I can assure you that we admire your tenacity.’

Caroline folded her hands in her lap. ‘I assume there is a point to this conversation, other than to make me feel inadequate.’

Spence glanced at Simon, who nodded. ‘Excuse me, but we wanted to be assured that you were in a state to listen. It seems that you are. I apologise, there’s no easy way to tell you this—but then again perhaps you already know, or suspect.’ Spence paused but when Caroline made no attempt to break the ensuing silence and remained relatively calm, he continued. ‘Your husband has been experimenting with the use of cannabis on patients with disturbed minds, and he used you as a subject to conduct those experiments on without your knowledge.’

‘My husband is a caring physician. Without him, I’m sure I would have been committed to an asylum, perhaps with just cause, given…’ She flapped a hand. ‘However, I am well aware of the fact, mainly because he seldom wastes an opportunity to remind me that he saved me from a terrible fate,’ she said, a bitter edge to her voice.

‘I’m so sorry, madam,’ Simon said softly. ‘Whatever you did, you didn’t deserve to live under such threats all these years.’

‘Why did you wean yourself off the drug?’ Spence asked. ‘It cannot have been easy.’

‘It made me delusional.’ She gave a little laugh. ‘I started imagining that I was hearing voices telling me to do things. But I also seemed to have built up a resistance, and gradually it no longer made me quite so suggestable. Something made me hide the fact from Albert. As you suggest, perhaps I suspected that he didn’t want me to regain my wits. During that period I realised Albert was putting the idea of the voices into my head while I was…well, in a susceptible and mellow frame of mind brought on by what he described as my medication.’ She gave a disdainful snort. ‘He kept telling me that I was insane and only his remedies stood between me and the asylum.’

‘That must have been terrifying!’ Simon cried, looking appalled.

‘I was no longer quite as susceptible as he appeared to think, but clear thinking also had its disadvantages. It made me grow suspicious. Why was it so important to him that I should remain detached from reality? Anyway, I felt he would have no use for me if he knew I had regained my senses and worried about what he might do to rid himself of me.’

Caroline wondered at her need to confide in these two young men, to say nothing of admitting to the half-formed possibilities that had long been lingering at the back of her mind. Simon was her relative, but even so, she barely knew him and the change in the attitude towards her here at Pemberley might have been a deliberate ploy to catch her with her guard down. Even so, the sympathy in their expressions couldn’t be feigned and it was a relief to talk about problems, bottled up for so long, to gentlemen who would, she hoped, respect her confidence.

‘I didn’t know what to do or whom to speak to about my fears.’ Having started talking, Caroline seemed unable to stop. ‘I knew Charles wouldn’t listen. He had absolved himself of all responsibility for me and believed whatever Albert told him about my state of health.’

‘So you decided to help yourself?’ Spence suggested.

‘Yes, I suppose I did.’ Caroline lifted one shoulder. ‘I knew if Albert realised that I wasn’t taking the drug, he would deliberately upset me until I felt compelled to resume. The slightest little thing can set me back, or so he always made me believe. It suited him to have me behaving irrationally, so I played along, biding my time.’

‘Why did you come here?’ Spence asked.

She shrugged. ‘I felt I needed to be back at the scene of my fall from grace. I didn’t come with the intention of gaining revenge on your mother, let me assure you at least of that much.’ She sent Spence an earnest look. ‘But once I was here, away from my familiar routine, I started feeling out of control once again.’ She shook her head. ‘It was stupid. I realised that as soon as I approached Tobias Porter—and I only did so because he reminded me so much of Wickham. It was as though I was no longer responsible for my own actions, which made me doubt my sanity.’ She gave a little laugh. ‘I shouldn’t have come. No one wants me here.’

‘You’re wrong about that,’ Simon said softly. ‘I for one am glad to have made your acquaintance. What happened in the past is behind you now, yet it seems to have stayed with you all these years. Perhaps coming here will help to put things in perspective.’

‘I believe you are right.’ Caroline sat a little straighter and smiled at her nephew. ‘It isn’t healthy to harbour grudges, but now that I’m away from Albert and thinking for myself, I can see that he actively encouraged me to do so. He told me at every opportunity that I had been ill-used, abandoned by my family and had every right to feel put upon.’

‘He wanted you to feel that you were the one who’d been wronged?’ Simon scowled. ‘I don’t understand. Why?’

‘Because he wanted to control her,’ Spence replied. ‘To make her completely dependent upon him.’

‘Very possibly. Albert certainly likes to be the one in charge.’ Caroline smiled at Spence. ‘And now that I am here at Pemberley and away from him, I can see that quite clearly. Everyone here has treated me with far more generosity than I deserve.’

‘Everyone you tried to harm all those years ago has gone on to live a full and happy life,’ Simon said. ‘I suspect the same cannot be said for you, but coming here will hopefully afford you the peace of mind you haven’t known for years. Perhaps not ever.’

Caroline covered Simon’s hand with her own. ‘I rather think that it might,’ she said softly, feeling a lightness of heart she hadn’t known for years, if ever, as she turned her face up to the gentle breeze.

‘Do you have any idea what your husband’s plans are for the future?’ Spence asked after a short break in the conversation that gave Caroline an opportunity to regain a modicum of control over her emotions.

‘Ha! Whatever they are, I will have no place in them. I was always a means to an end. He wanted my fortune in order to further his research. I knew it at the time, but I was so keen to be married and treated like a normal person instead of a burden to my family that I accepted his proposal.’

‘Not to put too fine a point on it,’ Spence said. ‘We happen to know that he and his mistress—’

‘Spence!’ Simon warned.

‘It’s quite all right, Simon. I am well aware of my husband’s penchant for females of a certain type.’

‘And you don’t mind?’

‘Not in the least,’ she replied absently. ‘Do go on, Spence. I am curious to know what he has got himself involved in.’

‘Well, if you’re sure. They are smuggling large quantities of cannabis into the country in order for your husband to further his research, but mostly to sell it on and earn a handsome profit. That will enhance his career and enable him to keep his mistress in style.’

‘Ah, so he has finally found one whose affections he returns.’ Caroline felt indifferent about Spence’s revelation, and a little relieved. ‘Goodness alone knows, there have been enough women in his past—but of course I am not supposed to know about them. Who is she?’

‘You would be better advised to ask where. And the answer is close by in Derby. Your husband is with her at this moment.’

‘And Charles will no doubt send for him to come and take me home. I shall be sorry to spoil his pleasure.’ A modicum of fear washed through her. Albert, when his plans were disrupted, was not a pleasant person to be around, and if she had outlived her usefulness… ‘Why are you telling me this?’

‘Because you could be in danger,’ Simon replied. ‘If he thinks you are rational, he will want you out of the way. We aim to stop his illegal activities but—’

‘How?’

Spence blinked at her. ‘I beg your pardon.’

She met his gaze and held it. ‘How do you intend to stop them?’

‘We are making plans,’ Simon said vaguely. ‘But in the meantime, it’s essential that you remain here at Pemberley, where you will be safe.’

Caroline was left with the impression that they had no clear idea how to proceed, or what they were up against. ‘Does my brother know about this business?’ she asked.

Simon and Spence shared a glance. ‘Not at present. We will tell our fathers if we think they need to know, but we would prefer to resolve the matter ourselves. As I say,’ Spence continued, ‘we have only told you as much as we have so that you can be prepared.’

Caroline sent them an assessing look. ‘You mentioned that Albert has a partner in this sorry affair. Who is he?’

When Spence mentioned Molineux’s name, it began to make more sense.

‘Ah, so your Miss Dayton will be obliged to marry Albert’s partner in crime if he isn’t stopped.’ Caroline smiled at Simon. ‘I have noticed your interest in the young lady, and now I understand why you are so keen to stop his criminal activities and expose him for the rogue that he is. Please allow me to help you.’

‘No, ma’am,’ Spence said firmly. ‘Befriend Miss Dayton and keep each other safe. That is all the help we require from you. Simon and I will resolve this matter and involve our fathers only if absolutely necessary.’

Chapter Fourteen

‘This just came for you, sir.’

Albert took the letter that Marianne’s footman presented to him, a sense of foreboding trickling down his spine for reasons that were not immediately apparent to him. He broke the seal, quickly read the contents of Bingley’s express and was unable to hold back a series of expletives.

‘Good God! It’s not possible,’ he muttered, waving the intrigued footman from the room. ‘There must be some mistake.’

‘What is it?’ Marianne asked, on a note of mild concern. ‘Has one of your wealthy patients had the bad manners to die?’

‘Worse. This note’s from Bingley.’ Albert stood up and walked to the window, struggling to suppress his anger and growing concern. How dare Caroline defy him! He read the letter again but the devastating news that it delivered hadn’t changed. ‘It seems that Caroline has turned up unannounced at Pemberley and caused quite a stir.’

‘Goodness. How did that happen?’ Marianne seemed amused. Since she didn’t understand the full implication of Caroline’s impulsiveness, he couldn’t blame her for that. ‘I thought you kept her a virtual prisoner.’

‘I do.’ Albert threw his head back and growled. ‘I did. Heads will roll for this.’

Marianne put her book aside. ‘If she is out of her wits, how did she make her way to Pemberley alone? What made her even think to try it?’

Albert had perhaps exaggerated Caroline’s condition and Marianne was unaware that there wasn’t actually anything seriously wrong with his wife. She had been imbued with a sense of entitlement at her mother’s knee that resulted in bizarre behaviour when she didn’t get her way. That trait explained her actions all those years previously when Darcy passed her over in favour of a lady whom Caroline considered unworthy.

‘I wish I knew,’ Albert said in response to his mistress’s question.

More to the point, he would dearly love to know how she managed it when addicted to the cannabis he’d been feeding to her. Her brain should be befuddled and she ought to be completely incapable of thinking clearly, let alone doing anything for herself.

‘I don’t suppose she’s welcome at Pemberley, but they can’t very well throw her out on the street,’ Albert mused aloud. ‘She will not behave rationally once she gets a toehold in the place and is obliged to watch Mrs Darcy so comfortably settled in the house that she once looked upon as her own.’

‘This could work in our favour. Her family won’t question your eventual decision to have her committed when they see how she conducts herself, so her rebellion will ease your concerns about what you must do. I know you are conflicted about Caroline.’ Marianne looked up at Albert and sent him a sensual smile as she patted the seat beside her. The moment Albert took possession of it, Marianne slipped onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘Don’t look so worried, my dear. This is providence.’

Albert kissed her neck, but he was preoccupied, seriously worried by Caroline’s assertiveness. Did she know this was the week of Mrs Darcy’s house party, or was her timing coincidental? He wondered about her nerve at showing her face, and if he had overplayed his hand by insisting that she had been badly treated by her family. Marianne was right in one respect. If she behaved irrationally then it would strengthen Albert’s case. But what if she did not? Why hadn’t he noticed that the cannabis was no longer having the desired effect? Presumably because he’d stopped paying her much attention. He had become accustomed to his wife remaining quiet and doing and believing whatever he told her to.

‘I shall have to go and collect her and take her back to London.’ He sighed and kissed Marianne. ‘Sorry, my love, but there’s no help for that.’

Marianne sniffed. ‘You might leave it a day or two and let them get a better idea of her irrational ways.’

‘Best not. I need her back where she belongs so that we can concentrate on the arrival of the next shipment.’

‘Well then, if you must go, we’d best make the most of the rest of the evening.’

That was an invitation Albert was happy to accept. He swept Marianne into his arms and carried her, laughing and half-heartedly protesting, to her bedchamber. They didn’t leave it again until the following morning.

Albert set off early for Pemberley and settled back in his carriage to think this latest development through, free from Marianne’s beguiling distractions. Charles Bingley had never once questioned his treatment of and affection for his sister, and it was in Albert’s best interests to ensure that situation endured. He didn’t seriously imagine that Caroline had been anything other than an unwelcome embarrassment at Pemberley, but he disliked the fact that she’d found sufficient strength of will to defy him. He had underestimated her. Albert firmed his jaw. She had just brought her commitment to Bedlam forward and had no one to blame for that situation but herself.

Marianne didn’t cling or become jealous. She was far too self-assured to doubt her place in Albert’s affections. Even so, Albert knew she resented his leaving her and giving Caroline his undivided attention when he was supposed to be with her. Marianne would come to see that everything he did was with their future together at the forefront of his mind. She would be assured of his full and undivided attention once the inconvenience of a disobedient wife had been attended to. Once the next shipment—their most ambitious to date—had been distributed they would be wealthy beyond their wildest dreams and Albert would be free to pursue his research.

Marianne had a yen to travel, and Albert would naturally accompany her. He had been working non-stop these past twenty-five years and had earned a respite. He had enough assistants to continue with the experiments he had set up. They did more of the laborious studies than he did nowadays and didn’t need him looking over their shoulders every second of the day. He would naturally take the credit for any breakthroughs they made in the treatment of diseases of the mind, as was his right, but in the meantime, he would also enjoy a well-earned sabbatical.

On the brink of embarking upon the future he had long planned with a beautiful woman who could only enhance his standing and make him the envy of his colleagues, Albert was in a jovial frame of mind as his carriage turned onto Pemberley’s long driveway. The rolling expanse of fields and woodland, extending as far as the eye could see, appeared tranquil and orderly beneath a strong summer sun. Albert had always admired the estate, but for obvious reasons he had never been a guest at Pemberley and hadn’t even set foot inside the magnificent mansion that came into view as the carriage negotiated a final bend in the driveway.

He would purchase a country property for himself and Marianne in due time, but he knew a moment’s resentment when it occurred to him that despite his new-found wealth in prospect, he would never be able to afford anything nearly so grand as Pemberley. Darcy had inherited Pemberley and hadn’t had to do a thing to earn his status as a gentleman of consequence. Albert, on the other hand, had been required to toil away for years to achieve the recognition he craved.

Life was definitely not fair.

Albert put aside his petty jealousies, reminding himself that he had earned Marianne’s devotion, which was worth considerably more to him than bricks and mortar. The carriage came to a halt at Pemberley’s imposing entrance portico and Charles Bingley bounded down the steps before Albert had alighted from the conveyance.

‘My dear chap.’ Charles extended his hand, not looking as relieved to see him as Albert had anticipated. Caroline had become an embarrassment to her family and Albert had undertaken the journey to Pemberley secure in the knowledge that Charles would be anxious to hand her back and absolve himself of any further responsibility. Presumably he had the sensitivity to keep his true feelings under close guard. ‘It’s good of you to come so quickly. I hope we have not pulled you away from anything important.’

Albert took Charles’s hand in a firm grasp and painted a concerned expression onto his face. ‘Naturally I came the moment I received your note. I cannot apologise enough for Caroline imposing herself on you. It must be excruciatingly embarrassing for everyone to have her here, especially Mrs Darcy.’

Charles led the way into the magnificent entrance vestibule, where a stately butler stood statue-like, awaiting instructions. Albert was left with the disquieting feeling that the man was covertly judging him.

‘Not at all. We were simply concerned, and unsure of what we should do. We assumed that word would reach you of her disappearance and wanted you to know that she was safe here with us.’ He led the way into a drawing room, so opulent that Albert felt a little intimidated by its splendour. The doors to the terrace were thrown wide and Albert could see a number of guests strolling in the grounds. Of his wife there was no sign. Presumably Charles had taken the precaution of confining her to her room. ‘Here are Jane and Lizzy.’

Jane Bingley stood and greeted Albert with reserved politeness. Albert had never felt confident that he enjoyed Mrs Bingley’s complete approval, which seemed like ingratitude on her part, given that Albert had relieved her husband of his sister and her unpredictable moods. Albert had taken Caroline on because he found the erratic workings of a self-centred mind fascinating. Her fortune was equally compelling—not to say vital in the funding of his research—but her relatives didn’t know that.

Albert bestowed his most charming smile upon the lady of the house as she took his outstretched hand. It was vital that he win the approval of all these people, especially Mrs Darcy, whom he supposed had more reason than most to resent having Caroline foisted upon her, especially at a time like this.

‘Welcome, Doctor Rochdale,’ Mrs Darcy said politely. ‘We have not had occasion to meet before now, but I am happy to rectify that situation. I hope you have not had to travel far.’

‘I was in Derby pursuing my research, ma’am,’ he replied, thinking that wasn’t altogether untrue. He planned to spend the rest of his days researching new ways in which to give Marianne pleasure. ‘Your express went to London and was forwarded on to me from there, Charles, otherwise I would have been here before now. I am so very sorry…’

‘Well, you are here now,’ Charles replied.

‘Do sit down,’ Mrs Darcy invited. ‘My husband is about the place somewhere and will join us directly. As you can see, we have a houseful.’

‘All the more reason for Caroline not to have embarrassed you with her presence. I cannot apologise enough.’

‘No apology is necessary,’ Mrs Darcy replied graciously. ‘In the meantime, I am sure you would welcome some refreshments after travelling on such a warm day.’

She stood to ring the bell and the butler who earlier appeared to have disapproved of Albert responded to the summons. Once he had left again, Albert decided that the time had come to take control of the situation.

‘I shall gladly take a cup of tea, ma’am,’ he said, ‘but then I really ought to see Caroline. I am rather concerned about her rash behaviour, truth be told. It’s obvious to me that she’s taken a turn for the worse and I blame myself for not having her properly supervised. I thought she was having a good spell, you see.’

‘Her state of mind fluctuates?’ Charles asked, frowning.

‘Unfortunately very much so, yes. Her mind is fragile and the slightest thing can set her back. I try not to leave her alone any more than can be helped. She depends upon me so much, you see. But sometimes—far more often than I would like—duty and commitments take me away from home. However, I ensure there are plenty of people she is familiar with to take care of her needs. How she slipped past them and got herself all the way to Derbyshire, and why she felt the need to come here at all, is a mystery to me.’

‘Perhaps she wanted to reacquaint herself with her family.’

Albert turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice and observed a young man who was the image of Charles Bingley stroll through the open doorway. He was the one who had spoken, but another young man was at his side.

‘My son, Simon and his cousin Spencer Darcy,’ Charles said. ‘This is Doctor Rochdale, Simon. Your aunt’s husband.’

Albert stood and both young men shook his hand.

‘Ah, tea, excellent,’ Spence said, falling into a chair beside his mother.

‘My son is always hungry,’ Mrs Darcy said with an affectionate smile.

‘It’s been hours since breakfast,’ Spence objected, returning her smile. ‘Some of us left our beds at an indecently early hour, I’ll have you know.’

Albert watched the affectionate interaction between mother and son, and the unspoken understanding between Charles and Simon, and felt a moment’s regret for not having had children himself. But committing Caroline, which Albert had always known would become necessary at some point, would have been more difficult with grown children around to voice objections.

The family made conversation as the refreshments were consumed, ensuring that Albert was included. Other family members drifted in and out of the room. Albert was introduced to them all but struggled to remember who everybody was, despite the fact that the names were all familiar to him. Caroline took an avid interest in her estranged family and their friends, keeping up to date with marriages and births thanks to her sister Louisa. It had often surprised Albert that such a fragile mind could keep these things ordered. He glanced at the lady who had been introduced as the Countess of Cheshire. It had set Caroline’s recovery back for months and she raved like a lunatic Albert pretended her to be when she realised that one of the Bennet sisters—her nemeses—had become a countess.

There was no mistaking Darcy’s authoritative figure when he entered from the terrace. He and Albert had met once in London, shortly after he became responsible for Caroline’s treatment but before they were married. Darcy was there to support Charles, who had been very distraught over Caroline’s behaviour, which had threatened not only Darcy’s marriage but his friendship with Bingley.

That friendship had endured, which was not surprising given that they had married sisters. That was something else that Albert both envied and resented. He had never had any time to forge close friendships. He had been too ambitious to make a name for himself in the medical field—a highly competitive arena in which colleagues were constantly attempting to eclipse one another with breakthroughs in their research.

Albert had given up a great deal in his quest for recognition. Perhaps unreasonably, he held Caroline partially responsible for the sacrifices he had been required to make. He would have to whisk her away from Derbyshire and make sure she was more closely guarded back in London. It was deuced inconvenient and extremely concerning. If she had behaved rationally here—as appeared likely, given that no one seemed put out by her presence—it would be that much harder to convince her family that there was no help for her and that she required committing for her own safety.

Damn it, why now! After all these years, why did Caroline decide to reconcile herself with her relations mere days before Albert’s plans were due to reach fruition? It was almost as though Caroline had known about the arrangement he’d had in mind for her all along and timed her revenge to perfection.

Albert shook his head to dislodge such unlikely speculations. Caroline’s timing was nothing more than coincidence and would not be allowed to interfere with Albert’s future with Marianne. Thoughts of her waiting for his return reinforced Albert’s determination. He straightened his shoulders and smiled at the company, but inside he quietly seethed.

‘Thank you for the tea, Mrs Darcy,’ Albert said, declining a second pastry. ‘But I fear Caroline and I have inconvenienced you for quite long enough. If I can be taken to her, I shall arrange for us to leave for London at once. If we go now, we should be able to get halfway at least before nightfall.’

‘Not a bit of it!’ Charles surprised Albert with the strength of his objection. ‘Caroline’s behaviour has been impeccable and there is absolutely no need for you to spirit her away.’

‘But your note…you sounded put out.…’

‘I was shocked to see her, I won’t deny it, but Lizzy and Darcy have been most gracious in taking her in. Caroline seems like her old self again and has caused no problems. You are to be congratulated, Rochdale, in that your treatment appears to have worked.’

‘I am relieved to hear you say so,’ Albert replied, although he was anything but. He had assumed that the Darcys and Bingleys would be desperate to see the back of their unwelcome guest. Instead, Caroline appeared to have settled her differences with both families. It was worrying, all the more so since they obviously thought she was perfectly sane. ‘I would not have her embarrass you. But you should be aware that Caroline can be unpredictable. She is still very fragile and the slightest little thing can make her irrational.’

‘We have seen no sign of it,’ Simon said. ‘Quite the reverse, in fact.’

‘I shall have a room prepared for you, Doctor Rochdale,’ Mrs Darcy said. ‘Do stay for a day or two so that you can see the improvements in Caroline for yourself.’

Damn it, Albert didn’t have a day or two to spare! The shipment could arrive at any moment, and he would be needed to ensure its safe onward transportation to their dealers. He didn’t trust any of their intermediaries not to help themselves if left unsupervised. Besides, he had promised Marianne, and she wouldn’t take kindly to being neglected. But he had no excuse to refuse this invitation. There was nothing else for it. He would accept, make sure he drugged Caroline the moment he got her alone, and then she would do peculiar things, providing Albert with an excuse to whip her away from Pemberley the following day. Caroline, Albert knew from experience, wouldn’t question his authority for long. He knew exactly how to handle her.

‘You are very kind, ma’am,’ Albert replied courteously. ‘If you are absolutely sure…’

‘Perfectly so.’

Caroline was pleased when her efforts to befriend Nadia Dayton were favourably received.

‘It is such a lovely day, Miss Dayton,’ she said, when she found her alone and brooding in the conservatory. ‘Far too nice to remain indoors. Shall we walk around the lake together?’

‘With pleasure,’ Miss Dayton replied, looking grateful for the distraction.

As they set off together, Caroline felt morose. Albert would most likely arrive today, and she was furious with herself for feeling nervous. She simply would not permit her husband to make decisions on her behalf, not anymore, but his personality was overbearing and she worried about his reaction if she defied him. She noticed his carriage kicking up a trail of dust along Pemberley’s driveway as she and Miss Dayton reached the furthest point from the house and her spirits plummeted. He had come much sooner than expected.

‘Who is that joining us?’ Miss Dayton asked, peering across the expanse of water that separated them from the formal grounds and the front of the house. ‘You look as though you know who it is, and have turned quite pale. Are you quite well, Mrs Rochdale? We can sit down if you are feeling dizzy. The sun is incredibly warm.’

‘My husband,’ Caroline replied, swallowing down her anxiety and quashing the instinctive need for one of her calming biscuits. She refused to fall at the first hurdle and allow Albert to dictate her behaviour. Simon and Spence had confided in her, which was a huge step forward. They wouldn’t have shared their worries with a lunatic, would they? The thought gave her courage and she straightened her shoulders. ‘Here to take me back to London, I have no doubt.’

‘Your nephew mentioned to me that he hoped you would stay with us for a little longer. He complains that he barely knows you.’

‘Did he indeed?’

‘Since we have become friends and you have kindly sympathised with my plight regarding the odious Mr Molineux, I’m afraid I can’t do without you, so your husband has had a wasted journey.’

Caroline smiled. ‘You make everything sound so straightforward.’

‘It doesn’t need to be complicated.’

‘That’s because you are not aware of the circumstances that created the rift between myself and the rest of my family.’

‘I certainly noticed some tension when you arrived, I won’t deny it. But everyone seems comfortable now, and it must please you to be reunited with your relatives. Simon tells me that he had never met you before.’

‘No, that pleasure has been denied me until now. He is certainly a fine young man, the image of his father at that age and equally amiable. I am very pleased with him.’ Caroline paused. ‘Sorry. That was crass of me. I know you like him too but are now committed elsewhere.’

Anger flashed through Miss Dayton’s eyes. ‘Let’s not talk about unpleasant matters on such a lovely day.’ She smiled at the gaggle of ducks gliding across the surface of the lake. ‘Would that all family life could be so simple,’ she said, almost to herself.

‘You are not married yet. Perhaps something will happen to prevent the union from going ahead.’

Miss Dayton sent her a sharp yet guarded look. ‘Do you know something that I don’t?’ she asked. ‘Little short of death will deter Molineux, so pray do not tempt me into doing something quite that drastic. He isn’t worth hanging for.’

They paused at the end of the lake and both smiled. Caroline realised with a jolt that she’d never had any female friends, other than Louisa, who was her sister and so didn’t really count. There had never been anyone in her younger days with whom she could giggle and exchange confidences for long before her mother deemed the association beneath her and ordered her to cut the young woman in question.

She had thought about her attitude frequently over the intervening years—God alone knew, she had precious little else to do with her time other than to reflect—and she had come to the conclusion that she had been aloof because she actually felt inadequate. Her father had accrued his fortune through trade—a situation that Mama had forbidden them to talk about, as though they ought to be ashamed of his endeavours. Caroline had done as she was told, denied her humble origins and looked down on the likes of Eliza’s uncle, who lived in Cheapside.

It seemed rather foolish looking back and probably hadn’t deceived the gentry, but at the time she had been desperate to be accepted by society’s elite. Marriage to Darcy would have completed the transformation from cit’s daughter to lady of quality. No one would dare to look down on the mistress of this fabulous estate, as evidenced by Eliza’s acceptance and the respectful manner in which she was treated everywhere she went.

A moment’s anger filtered past Caroline’s guard but she ruthlessly suppressed it, reminding herself that the grudge she had borne for so long was partly responsible for her own unhappiness this past quarter of a century. It was time to put the past behind her once and for all and live out the rest of her days without putting on airs.

Having Miss Dayton talking so frankly with her was refreshing. She sensed that her new friend was urgently in need of a confidante too, and it gave Caroline a purpose. Or at least it had. Albert’s arrival had spoiled their intimacy and she knew that she couldn’t postpone the confrontation with him indefinitely.

‘I suppose I had best face the music,’ she said, not realising she had spoken aloud until Miss Dayton sent her a worried look.

‘You don’t want to see your husband?’

‘I rather think he doesn’t want to see me,’ she surprised herself by replying, not stopping to filter her words. ‘He will be angry because I came here without his permission—’

‘You require his permission to travel?’ Miss Dayton raised a brow. ‘You are his wife, but not his chattel, and I hope you will tell him so.’ She covered her mouth with one hand but her fingers failed to conceal her smile. ‘I apologise, it is none of my concern. It’s just that I cannot abide men who think they own their wives, or anyone else for that matter. But still,’ she added with a wistful sigh, ‘I am about to marry such a man, so I suppose I shall eventually become accustomed to it.’

‘I wish there was something I could do to help you avoid that fate,’ Caroline said, meaning it. For the first time in her recollection, she felt the need to put the concerns of another person ahead of her own. That was progress, surely? An indication that she wasn’t nearly as unstable as Albert implied.

‘Thank you, but there is nothing anyone can do for me. ‘I, however,’ she added, linking her arm through Caroline’s as they turned in the direction of the house, ‘can make myself useful by staying with you while you confront your husband. He will not attempt to bully you if I am there. Men of his ilk are very careful to hide their proclivities from others, and I predict that he will behave with decorum and charm. I know you will have to face him alone eventually but if he sees that you are making friends and enjoying yourself, I am perfectly sure that his anger will not endure.’

Caroline wasn’t sure of any such thing, but refrained from making that admission. ‘You’re probably right.’

She straightened her shoulders as the house came back into view, nervous but pleased that she still felt in control of her emotions at this vital moment without relying on her magic biscuits. They could hear voices coming from the drawing room and Caroline recognised Albert’s rather high-pitched laughter. She froze for a second but Miss Dayton’s quizzical look had her moving forward again with determination. She had been cowed by Albert for quite long enough, she decided, attempting to quell the antics of the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach. The time had come to stand up for herself. From what Simon had said, it seemed that his latest mistress was serious. If Albert’s affections were engaged, Caroline would become an inconvenience—an impediment to his plans. There was nothing she could do about that, but she could make it clear to him that she was no longer quite so easy to dominate.

‘Are you ready?’ Miss Dayton asked, tightening her grip on Caroline’s arm and giving it a reassuring squeeze, probably sensing her momentary hesitation. Miss Dayton appeared to be a perceptive young woman and Caroline liked her very much.

‘Absolutely,’ she replied, putting up her chin and walking sedately through the open doors. ‘Albert,’ she said, affecting surprise. ‘Whatever are you doing here?’

‘My dear, are you quite well?’ Albert leapt from his chair and took her free hand in a convincing display of concern. Caroline snatched her hand back again, not caring how impolite the gesture seemed to others in the room. ‘I had no idea you intended to leave home and not tell anyone where you were going. I was worried out of my wits when word reached me.’

‘Well, as you can see, I am perfectly well, and have settled comfortably with my family. You should not have put yourself out on my account.’

‘I beg to differ.’ He glanced at Miss Dayton and had the goodness to stop speaking so that Caroline could make the introduction.

‘I am indebted to you, Miss Dayton, for taking care of my wife.’

‘Good heavens, Doctor Rochdale, what a curious thing to say. Your wife is charming company and hasn’t needed me to take care of her.’

Caroline wanted to applaud, but kept her expression impassive as she enjoyed a modicum of revenge for all the indignities she had suffered at this man’s hands.

‘Do sit down, Caroline, and have some tea,’ Mrs Darcy said. ‘You too, Miss Dayton. You must both be parched after your walk on such a warm day.’

Caroline took a seat as far away from Albert’s chair as possible. Miss Dayton took the one beside her. It just happened to be next to Simon’s, but since the selection made it impossible for Albert to sit anywhere near her, Caroline didn’t mind about Miss Dayton’s motives. In fact, she was surprised to find that she would very much like to see Miss Dayton and her nephew free to follow their hearts.

Her desire to put their happiness ahead of her own problems showed there was no longer anything seriously wrong with her, if there ever had been. Her impulsive act of selflessness gave her the courage to face a situation that she had been dreading. Opposing Albert in her mind when he was not present to cow her with his superior attitude that sometimes made her doubt her own name was all well and good. She had never tried to actually put that defiance into practice before now and wondered if he would chip away at her resolve by making her doubt her own sanity. The caring yet superior manner that had once made her feel safe and cherished now disgusted her.

When the party in the drawing room broke up and everyone went their separate ways, Caroline knew that she could no longer avoid the confrontation with Albert. She ascended the stairs and he followed her to her room, closing the door firmly behind him and dismissing the maid who was there waiting to help Caroline change her attire.

‘Come back later,’ he snapped.

‘Really, Albert, is that any way to speak to servants?’ Caroline asked, when the girl scurried off. ‘I am surprised at you.’

‘What are you doing here?’ he demanded to know, towering over her with clenched fists as she perched decorously on the edge of the window seat. ‘Whatever possessed you to come?’

‘Why do you care?’ she replied dismissively. ‘I never ask you where you are or what you are doing.’

‘You know you aren’t well,’ he said, creasing his brow and moderating his tone when she didn’t immediately answer his question, or at the very least apologise for not asking his permission for her trip to Derbyshire. ‘You also know that you behave irrationally when deprived of your medication. You cannot be trusted.’

‘Perhaps not by you, but everyone here appears pleased to see me, and I them.’

‘Then why did Charles send me such a worried note, asking me to come at once?’ he asked with a superior smile.

‘That was when I first arrived and everyone thought…Well, I’m not sure what they thought I would do, but it didn’t take them long to realise that I am no threat to anyone. You saw that yourself just now. We are all comfortable together and I am not embarrassing anyone.’

Albert narrowed his eyes at her. ‘You haven’t been taking your medication.’ He crouched down beside her and attempted to take her hand but she snatched it away again. ‘You know you become irrational without it.’

‘I know you say I do, but I am managing perfectly well, thank you.’ The dressing gong sounded. ‘Now, kindly ring the bell for my maid to return and take yourself off elsewhere. Return to your mistress tomorrow—’

‘My mistress?’ She could see a combination of surprise and fear in his expression and worried that she had pushed him too far. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Oh, don’t deny it, Albert,’ she said wearily. ‘I am well aware what you get up to. I have known for years and it really couldn’t matter to me less. Rest assured that I shall not embarrass you by making a fuss. Leave me here with my relatives for the rest of the week and I will return to London at the end of this party alone, just as I managed to get here without your help.’

Albert scratched his head, looking totally perplexed. She enjoyed having the upper hand for the first time ever, wondering at the same time if it had been wise to anger him. She had seen how vindictive he could be when crossed, but was enjoying her moment of victory too much to care about his planned retribution.

‘We shall talk later, my dear, after dinner when we can be sure of privacy.’ He kissed her brow and left the room, looking deeply worried.

Chapter Fifteen

Simon and Spence slipped away from the entertainments laid on by Simon’s aunt the following afternoon and met with Tobias in a quiet area of the grounds where they could be reasonably assured of privacy.

‘The summons has been sent to Mrs Hanson,’ Tobias told them. ‘She will be here tomorrow.’

‘If she responds,’ Simon pointed out, not convinced that she actually would.

‘She will have to,’ Tobias replied confidently. ‘We suspect that her husband was the original mastermind, which is probably what got him killed. For a woman to assume control, she must show herself to be forceful, and be prepared to deal with problems that arise without hiding behind a man.’

‘But Molineux is her partner.’

‘All the more reason to exert her authority. He will assume that she’ll be easy to manipulate. Women who try to compete with men on equal terms have to be twice as tough and ruthless as the men in question.’

Simon conceded the point with a shrug, aware that Tobias was telling the truth.

‘All well and good,’ Spence said, ‘but we still haven’t decided how to act once the woman arrives. These people have got away with what they’re doing for a long time and they aren’t stupid. Just because we’re gathering them all in one place, they’re hardly likely to condemn themselves with their own words.’

‘Doctor Rochdale has arrived, I understand,’ Tobias said.

‘He has, and he’s finding it hard to disguise his anger at his wife’s lucid behaviour,’ Simon said, a bitter edge to his voice. ‘He has told my father for years that Caroline’s mind is very delicate and that she cannot be upset since it triggers one of her episodes, whatever that means. Now the reputation that means so much to him could be called into question. Anyway, they are both still here. Rochdale’s inability to despatch his wife back to London, where she will be safely out of the way, must be causing him problems. We know the shipment is due imminently and that Mrs Hanson will need him to arrange its distribution.’ Simon chuckled. ‘I predict trouble in paradise.’

‘He’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t.’ Tobias nodded his approval. ‘I gather from his coachman that he didn’t intend to return to London with Mrs Rochdale.’

‘Mrs Rochdale isn’t going anywhere.’

The three young men, who’d assumed that they had the small courtyard at the back of the kitchen garden entirely to themselves, turned as one at the sound of a quietly determined feminine voice.

‘Mrs Rochdale.’ Spence, the first to recover from their collective surprise, smiled at her. ‘I did not realise you were there. Or you either, Miss Dayton.’

‘Evidently,’ Mrs Rochdale replied, smiling.

‘What are you doing here?’ Simon addressed the question to Nadia, wishing his heart hadn’t stuttered at the sight of her. Wishing she hadn’t been manipulated into accepting Molineux. Wishing so many things.

‘Caroline has confided in me,’ Nadia replied calmly. ‘She has told me everything.’

Simon narrowed his eyes at both ladies. ‘She should not have worried you, or got your hopes up.’

‘Caroline and I agreed to rise early.’ Nadia blithely ignored Simon’s chastisement. ‘She was particularly keen to avoid being interrogated by her odious husband—who, I am sure she will not mind me saying, is a bully and a brute—and naturally she is terrified of him.’

‘Well, that certainly used to be the case,’ Mrs Rochdale said, smiling as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. ‘But I politely declined his invitation to return to London and resume taking the medicines that assure him of my docility.’ She seemed smugly satisfied with her act of defiance. ‘I have never questioned his treatment of my presumed insanity, and he doesn’t know how to react to my lucidity or my acceptance here at Pemberley. Albert puts great stock by the respect accorded to him as a pathfinding doctor, and would hate to have that reputation tarnished as a result of a public spat with his wife, especially if he can no longer pass off her behaviour as the product of a warped mind.’

‘Well said,’ Simon said softly. ‘It must have taken courage to stand up to him.’

Mrs Rochdale swallowed. ‘It was long overdue, because it has taken me years to realise that I was being manipulated, you see.’

Simon nodded. He did see, all too clearly, and was not impressed by the view.

‘Caroline retired early and locked her door so that he couldn’t get her alone last night.’ Nadia beamed. ‘And thus far this morning he has also been unsuccessful.’

‘We make no apology for following you gentlemen,’ Mrs Rochdale said. ‘It is obvious that you require our help, and we are here to offer it.’

‘Out of the question!’ Spence snapped.

‘Ah, so you have already thought of a way to make the miscreants admit to their misdeeds.’ Caroline smiled at them. ‘Please tell us all about it.’

Simon shared a helpless look with the other men. Spence shrugged, and indicated a bench close by.

‘We’ve been outmanoeuvred. Be seated, ladies,’ he said with a flourishing bow.

Simon waited until they had settled themselves side by side on the small bench. The gentlemen then pulled up another and lowered their backsides onto it.

‘My aunt should not have told you about Molineux’s little game and raised your hopes.’

‘Tosh!’ Nadia said impatiently, sitting forward, breathless and alert. ‘I have more invested in the truth coming out than you do, and I refuse to be kept out of things.’

Simon’s gaze lingered upon her profile. Upon eyes that widened in curiosity and expectation. Upon her lips, shiny and moist, as they parted and curved upwards into an intoxicating smile that curdled Simon’s insides and made him determined to save her from the not-so-tender attentions of a man like Molineux, who most definitely did not deserve her. He shifted his position on the uncomfortable wooden bench, anxious to conceal his very obvious reaction to her sensuality.

‘Tobias should take the credit for what we have learned about Molineux and your husband,’ Simon told his aunt. ‘He has a happy knack for being in the right place at the right time and is an accomplished eavesdropper.’

Tobias grinned, stood and swept a bow. The ladies smiled and applauded politely.

‘You mean to unmask Molineux’s involvement so that even Papa will no longer be able to force me into matrimony with such a man.’ Simon had only just mastered control of his previous reaction to Nadia’s provocation, but the uncontrived hope in her expression undid all his good work. He crossed his legs and rested his hands in his lap, touched to see tears of gratitude sparkling on her long lashes. ‘Thank you.’

Simon sent her a softly intimate smile. ‘The pleasure is entirely mine. Although we haven’t done anything yet and it may all come to nothing anyway, so your thanks are premature. Please don’t get your hopes up. I should hate for you to be disappointed, which is partly why we didn’t want you to know.’

‘Tell me everything,’ Nadia said, looking endearingly determined. ‘Caroline has told me the bare bones of it, but I want to hear you tell it.’

Tobias did the honours and by the time he ran out of words, Nadia looked furious.

‘You are angry,’ Simon said, stating the obvious.

‘I am angry because I know how it’s managed from the Jamaican end,’ she said, puffing out her cheeks with indignation. ‘I understand as well why Molineux was so incensed when his chief overseer died unexpectedly. Molineux trusted him absolutely, and he would have been a key player. The man didn’t have a moral bone in his body and was on good terms with all the sea captains who put into Kingston.’ She paused to reflect. ‘I thought Molineux’s anger was out of all proportion at the time. Death is nothing out of the ordinary in that part of the world—diseases, disputes, criminality all play their part in depleting the population, and men like Molineux look upon it pragmatically, secure in the knowledge that there are plenty of others ready and willing to take the place of those who depart this world.’ She flapped a hand. ‘A normal person would have felt sadness at the demise of a man he had worked closely with for some years, but there is no place in Molineux’s world for sentimentality.’

‘Life is cheap,’ Spence said softly.

‘Quite. Anyway, the man who took over from the dead overseer was equally unprincipled and seemed very pleased with his new position. Perhaps now I understand why. It wasn’t just a promotion. He must have known about the smuggling—if he wasn’t already involved with it in some way, and receiving a cut for ensuring the drug’s smooth onward transmission.’

‘The drug is what Albert has been feeding to me all these years,’ Mrs Rochdale said through gritted teeth. ‘I knew it, but I couldn’t find the strength to question its debilitating qualities, which I suppose was the entire point. I became addicted and went through life in a permanent daze.’

‘I admire you for weaning yourself off of it,’ Spence said. ‘It can’t have been easy. How did you do it?’

‘Not intentionally. I knew that Albert had long since stopped feeling any affection for me, if indeed he ever had, but I believed him when he said that my mind was unbalanced. I mean, what other reason could possibly account for my irrational behaviour?’ She shook her head, clearly not expecting an answer. ‘I accepted everything he told me without question, until a few months ago when I was unwell. Being physically sick must have rid my system of the drug. I felt fragile, decidedly odd and very afraid. Fortunately, Albert was away so I couldn’t ask him what was happening to me, as I otherwise would have done. Had he been there, he would have known and made sure I remained addicted.’

‘You must have been bewildered,’ Simon said.

‘I was, but after a night of shivering and shaking, I woke feeling relatively clear-headed for the first time in a very long while. It caused me to question Albert’s behaviour and my own fragilities, about which he never failed to remind me until I simply believed he must be right. He is, after all, a leading authority in his field. Even so, I slowly ate less and less of the biscuits that Albert forced on me, suffering through the withdrawal period without realising what I was putting myself through. Eventually, I found that I was lucid, my head clear and my body stronger than it had ever been.’ She smiled at the three men listening avidly to her account. ‘It felt as if I was slowly emerging from a long hibernation and claiming back responsibility for myself. I could see things so clearly and wanted to live again.’

‘Your husband’s reaction?’ Tobias asked.

‘I’d begun to realise what had happened to me by that stage and I realised that he didn’t want me to be well. I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to fight him over it and so I made it appear as though I was still withdrawn from the world. Not that he was home that often, and when he did honour me with his presence, he took precious little notice of me.’ She shrugged, attempting to give the impression of not caring when she must be hurting a great deal inside at the loss of all those years. ‘One of the benefits of always having done what I was told was that it never occurred to him I would…well, get better.’

‘I admire your strength of will,’ Simon said, meaning it.

‘He wanted you never to question his activities or realise that you were in fact perfectly rational?’ Spence suggested.

‘I would imagine so.’ She smiled. ‘His reaction when he arrived here yesterday and saw for himself that I have outwitted him was both terrifying and liberating, if that makes any kind of sense.’ All three men nodded. ‘However, I know I shall not be allowed to get away with it indefinitely. He will find a way to exert his authority and probably force worse treatments on me.’ She shuddered. ‘Albert does not like to have his authority questioned—especially not by me. Don’t be taken in by all that charm and supposed concern for my welfare. It isn’t genuine. I cannot stay here forever and the moment he gets me to himself again…’ She shuddered. ‘Well, I don’t care to think about how he will react.’

‘That is why we intend to help you to expose him and Molineux for the criminals they are,’ Nadia said with determination. ‘You must be able to see that we both have a vested interest in having them brought to account for their crimes.’

‘Quite so,’ Simon said, ‘but it could be dangerous, and we will not permit either of you to place yourselves at risk.’

‘Heaven forbid,’ Nadia said with the sweetest of smiles that set alarm bells ringing in Simon’s head. ‘All the same, kindly have the goodness to explain how you plan to have them admit to their misdeeds.’

‘Ah well, that’s the thing.’ Spence sent an uncertain look Simon’s way. ‘I’ve been thinking about our original ideas and upon reflection am not sure if they will serve.’

‘What ideas?’ Mrs Rochdale asked.

‘We have sent your husband’s mistress an urgent summons from Molineux, pretending that something has gone wrong with the shipment and that they need to discuss the matter in person, it being too sensitive to commit anything to writing.’

‘Tobias took a look inside Molineux’s room at the inn and found an example of his handwriting,’ Simon added, grinning. ‘I’m not sure how he managed it and think it better not to ask.’ Actually, he knew very well but preferred not to explain to Nadia and his aunt that the barmaid was besotted with Tobias and would do anything he asked her to. ‘He’s mimicked his hand and signature closely enough to be confident that Mrs Hanson won’t question it, always supposing she’s familiar with his writing.’

‘Mrs Hanson will arrive here tomorrow afternoon,’ Spence said, taking up the story. ‘We will find a way to get Rochdale and Dayton there as well. Simon will invite Rochdale to join him at the tavern for a tankard of ale; a request that he could hardly refuse from his wife’s nephew, especially if he implies that he wants to discuss your behaviour during your visit here, Mrs Rochdale.’

She nodded. ‘That will certainly tempt him,’ she said. ‘If he thinks one member of the family considers me to be deranged he won’t hesitate to exploit that situation.’

‘When he arrives, we plan for him to catch a glimpse of his mistress with Molineux. Naturally he will wonder what’s going on,’ Tobias explained, ‘and excuse himself from Simon in order to find out.’

‘I will invite Dayton to the Lamb separately,’ Spence said, sharing a look with his fellow conspirators. ‘We were just now discussing how best to get them to admit to their dishonesty in front of Dayton.’

Simon watched Nadia and his aunt share a complicit look.

‘It seems as though you are in urgent need of our help, in that case,’ Nadia said. ‘Or my help, to be more precise.’

‘No!’ All three men said together.

‘Absolutely not,’ Simon added alone. ‘They are unpredictable and won’t hesitate to use violence if they think their misdeeds have been exposed. It’s simply too dangerous.’

‘Do stop being so annoyingly protective!’ Nadia snapped impatiently. ‘Use the intelligence those expensive educations are supposed to have brought out in you all and take a moment to consider. With Mrs Hanson there, the meeting will have to take place in a private parlour. I dare say you are familiar with the layout of the tavern and know which one will be offered to them.’

The three men looked at one another and nodded in unison.

‘I can make an educated guess,’ Tobias said, ‘if only to prove that my education didn’t go entirely to waste. Not that mine was anything like as fancy as theirs,’ he added, jerking a thumb at Spence and Simon, ‘which only goes to show that I must have more natural intelligence than either of them, despite their fancy degrees.’

‘Don’t push your luck, Porter,’ Spence said, grinning.

Nadia tutted impatiently. ‘Concentrate on the matter in hand, gentlemen. It’s vitally important to Caroline and me, even if you three look upon it as a diversion.’

‘I can assure you that is not the case,’ Simon replied softly.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said contritely. ‘I’m anxious not to squander this opportunity to evade Molineux’s clutches, and it’s making me nervous. Anyway, the tavern. Presumably there is an adjoining room in which you can conceal yourselves and listen while I encourage the scoundrels to boast about their achievements. With you strong gentlemen just next door ready to rush to my rescue, nothing can possibly happen to me.’

‘She has a point,’ Tobias said.

‘Certainly she does,’ Mrs Rochdale agreed. ‘I can assure you that Albert has a very low opinion of the female sex as a whole. We are incapable of thinking for ourselves and he certainly doesn’t consider any one of us capable of gainsaying even the dullest of men. He will be infuriated when he learns that Nadia knows of their plans, but I’m sure he will also find it hard to resist boasting about his brilliance.’

‘Not so very brilliant if Miss Dayton knows about it,’ Tobias pointed out.

‘I will say that I had arranged to meet one of the other ladies in the village. I couldn’t find her so went to the tavern to ask if she was waiting for me there. I recognised Molineux’s voice coming from the parlour and became curious, so I listened.’

‘Will he believe it?’ Simon asked dubiously.

Nadia shrugged. ‘I would imagine so, especially when Doctor Rochdale’s mistress discovers that her summons didn’t come from Molineux. They will be rattled and they won’t know what to think.’

‘Even so, I don’t like it,’ Simon said frowning. ‘Any number of things could go wrong.’

‘The room next to the best private parlour is small and the walls are thin,’ Tobias pointed out. ‘We should be able to hear what’s being said, and even if we can’t, we can pretend that we did. It’s your decision, gentlemen, but I can’t think of a better way.’

‘If you do this, Miss Dayton,’ Simon said, ‘you need to go prepared to defend yourself. If one of them threatens you before we can get to you, I don’t care to think of the consequences. Carry a dagger in your reticule, and—’

‘A dagger?’ She raised both brows. ‘I don’t think I could bring myself to deliberately stab anyone.’

‘If it’s you or him, I think you will find that self-preservation kicks in,’ Tobias said.

‘Well, I suppose Molineux isn’t aware of my disinclination for violence, especially since he holds me responsible for the death of his overseer.’ A whimsical smile graced her lips, filling Simon with a desperate urge to whisk her away from danger. Even so, he understood her need to prove herself, especially since they had failed to come up with an alternative plan. ‘Perhaps he considers me to be more ruthless than I actually am. Possibly that’s true. If doing this saves me from marrying the brute, then I think it safe to say that I can manage a little ruthlessness.’ She looked at them each in turn. ‘What do you say, gentlemen?’

‘I suppose we have no choice,’ Simon groused, ‘but we need to make sure that we can hear what’s being said so that we can intervene immediately, if necessary.’

Lizzy sat with Jane in the drawing room after dinner that evening. The other ladies were conducting a conversation amongst themselves and the sisters were assured of a moment’s privacy. Lizzy was well aware of the subject Jane most wanted to discuss.

‘I am so grateful to you for agreeing to make Caroline welcome, Lizzy. It cannot have been easy for you, even after all this time. I am not sure I could have been so generous in your position.’

‘And I am equally sure that you could.’ Lizzy patted Jane’s hand. ‘There is more depth to Caroline’s character than I realised, and I have taken that husband of hers in extreme dislike.’ She frowned. ‘I can’t precisely say why, but a part of me wonders if he has deliberately hampered Caroline’s recovery for reasons of his own, rather than helping her.’

‘I have never liked him much either, which is why I make excuses not to accompany Charles when he goes to London to visit his sister. There is just something about him that makes him seem too good to be true. But as to hampering Caroline’s recovery, whatever can you mean?’

‘I don’t actually think there was ever anything wrong with her mind other than her extreme jealousy of me—and all of us Bennets for that matter. She considered us inferior, but we all made very good marriages. Anyway, her resentment became an obsession and she behaved very irrationally.’ Lizzy paused, attempting to articulate her half-formed thoughts. ‘I rather think she is as sane as you or me, although it suits her husband’s purpose to have the world think otherwise.’

‘Because he is possessive?’ Jane shook her head. ‘I don’t see it myself.’

‘We shall probably never know why, but I suspect that after all these years Caroline is finally ready to fight back. He should have been pleased to see her looking and acting so well and accepted by her family again but he had trouble hiding his annoyance. You have told me once that Rochdale often said that it was his dearest wish to see her reunited with us all here in Derbyshire, but if that is the case he has an extremely odd way of showing it. Anyway, it’s not really our business.’

‘I think that Caroline has had enough of being kept hidden away as though we are all ashamed of her,’ Jane said. ‘Which of course we were all those years ago, but it isn’t healthy to bear grudges. Charles and I have talked about it, obviously, and provided that her health remains stable, she is welcome to visit us here in Derbyshire if she so wishes. He intends to write to Louisa and ask her opinion.’

‘Well, I am glad that Caroline and Miss Dayton seem to have formed a friendship,’ Lizzy said, glancing across the room at those two ladies, who sat with their heads almost touching, talking and laughing intently. ‘And I am glad too, to have put the past well and truly behind us once and for all. Now, shall we have some music when the gentlemen rejoin us?’

Chapter Sixteen

Albert was fit to be tied. He really didn’t have time to waste at Pemberley, charming and sophisticated though the company was. Worse yet, he had been here for two days and still hadn’t managed to speak with his wife alone. She locked her door at night, and short of hammering on it, demanding admittance and rousing the entire household in the process, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Her sudden desire to avoid his company was very concerning. During the daylight hours, she always attached herself to one of the other ladies, usually either Jane or Miss Dayton, and never seemed to be by herself.

He strode outside that afternoon, determined to find her and separate her from whichever lady she was with. Caroline was going back to London and she was going immediately. Albert’s presence was urgently required at Liverpool docks, and time was of the essence. Damn his wife and her sudden bid for independence! She appeared to have precious little gratitude for the way in which he had saved her from the madhouse. That was what came from showing compassion—a salutary lesson. Well, no more of that. She’d made life more difficult for him by reintegrating herself with her family, but she was still Albert’s wife and if he decided it was necessary to commit her almost as soon as she returned to London, there was precious little any of them could do to stop him.

He strode outside, still feeling furious, but was obliged to rearrange his features into an expression of polite affability when Simon Bingley accosted him.

‘Ah, there you are,’ he said, convivial when previously his attitude towards Albert had remained reserved. ‘I’m for the village and the tavern,’ he said. ‘Care to join me? A break from my aunt’s entertainments is essential, experience has taught me. Besides, it is beyond time that we became better acquainted.’

Albert had no choice but to accept, which meant that another opportunity to corner Caroline was lost to him. Even so, perhaps he could use their time in the tavern to sway Simon to his point of view. Plant seeds in his mind about Caroline’s violent mood swings and irrational behaviour. It wouldn’t hurt to have a family member on his side. He tapped his fingers against his thigh, thinking of Marianne’s expectations and how unwise it would be to disappoint her, thinking too of Liverpool docks and the fortune they would lose if he wasn’t there to ensure the safe onward transportation of the cargo. No one could be trusted nowadays.

Perhaps he should leave Caroline here, since she was so well ensconced, and return for her once he had attended to his business affairs. Yes, that would be the best solution, but Albert wasn’t happy about being inconvenienced and was no longer sure that he had complete control over his wife, which was damned worrying.

Simon looked at him expectantly and he smiled at the younger man. ‘With the greatest of pleasure,’ he said affably, accepting his invitation and thinking that he would set out for Liverpool at first light.

A short time later the two men arrived at the tavern. Albert noticed Spence Darcy and Dayton already in the taproom, but before he had an opportunity to join them, a familiar female voice raised in anger reached his ears from a private room. Albert froze on the spot, thinking his ears must be deceiving him, but urgently needing to be reassured. Excusing himself, Albert went to discover what was going on and was astounded when he entered the room in question to find Molineux and Marianne facing one another across a small table, the latter’s face puce with rage.

‘What do you mean, you didn’t send it? That’s your signature, is it not?’ She flourished a letter beneath Molineux’s nose. ‘I have almost broken my neck getting here so quickly and now…’ She glanced up when Albert walked in and transferred her scowl to him. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked.

‘That is what I would like to know,’ Albert replied, closing the door and joining Marianne’s side of the table. ‘Why are you here, my love?’

‘Ask him.’ She pointed an accusatory finger at Molineux and passed a letter to Albert. He read it quickly and frowned.

‘Why did you send for her? If there was a problem, you knew I was at Pemberley. You could have summoned me on some pretext.’

‘As I keep trying to explain, if someone would have the courtesy to listen,’ Molineux bellowed. ‘I did not send for her. How many more times?’

They all sat down and took a moment to rein in their tempers.

‘Then who did?’ Albert muttered, too worried and mystified to concern himself about having deserted Simon. ‘And why?’

‘As to the who, that would be me.’

Molineux jumped to his feet and his jaw almost hit the floor when Miss Dayton calmly walked through the door, leaving it open behind her.

‘What the devil…?’ Molineux gaped like a fish and was unable to utter an intelligible sentence.

‘This is your future wife?’ Marianne frowned at Molineux. ‘You told her?’

‘Of course I did not. She knows nothing.’

‘Whatever it is that I don’t know,’ Miss Dayton replied, calmly taking the seat closest to the door, ‘it had the effect of bringing you all here and getting you into a tizzy. Oh, excuse me, where are my manners. Won’t you introduce me to your lady friend, Doctor Rochdale? I have just come from your wife and she didn’t mention that you’d been sufficiently ill-mannered to bring your mistress to the district.’

‘This is not a social gathering, so kindly tell me what’s going on and why you are here, Miss Dayton,’ Molineux demanded, his face like thunder.

‘She can’t be here alone,’ Marianne said. ‘Look outside and see who is with her.’

Albert shot through the door and glanced into the taproom, where Simon and Spence, as well as Dayton, sat at a table supping ale. He returned to the room, closed the door and shook his head.

‘I am trying to establish the facts,’ Miss Dayton replied, adjusting her position in her chair and delicately folding her hands in her lap ‘but no one seems willing to tell me why you have all gone into the drug smuggling trade.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Albert snapped, recovering first from his shock but feeling deeply disturbed by the lady’s knowledge of their business affairs. Someone had loose lips, and he had yet to be convinced that it wasn’t Molineux. He was besotted with the woman and had probably not been able to resist boasting. ‘She is as delusional as my wife. No one will listen to the ravings of a lunatic.’

‘It suits you to have the authority to declare anyone who stands in your way a lunatic, I dare say,’ Miss Dayton replied. ‘However, I know for a fact that Molineux’s man is responsible for smuggling cannabis onto ships that put into Kingston bound for Liverpool.’ She turned to face Molineux. ‘It explains why you were so angry when your cruel overseer met the end he so richly deserved. You had to find someone else whom you trusted enough to take over, which inconvenienced you considerably and would no doubt have accounted for your foul mood that had absolutely nothing to do with grief.’

‘You have had too much sun, my dear,’ Molineux said in a patronising tone that didn’t entirely conceal his anger.

‘What are we to do with her?’ Marianne asked. ‘We cannot risk her shouting about this matter to anyone who will listen.’

‘Well, which is it to be?’ Miss Dayton asked sweetly. ‘Either I am suffering from delusions brought on by the exposure to too much sun or I am a risk to you all because I know too much about a business you are at pains to deny.’

‘You are playing a dangerous game, my dear,’ Albert said, thinking how ridiculous and empty the threat sounded the moment it passed his lips.

‘You cannot commit me in order to silence me,’ Miss Dayton pointed out helpfully.

‘You will soon be my wife,’ Molineux reminded her, ‘and will learn to do as you are told. And our relationship will prevent you from testifying against me in a court of law.’

‘I hope you are not still expecting me to marry you now that I know what you are,’ Miss Dayton said disdainfully.

‘She needs to meet with an accident,’ Marianne said dispassionately. ‘She knows too much.’

‘I didn’t, not for sure, but I do now. You have just confirmed your complicity by expressing your desire to be rid of me.’

‘Is there a back way out of here?’ Albert asked.

‘You will not harm a hair on her head,’ Molineux said with authority. ‘Besides, use the brains you were born with, man. She is a guest of the Darcys. If she goes missing, no stone will be left unturned until she is found. I’m sure she was seen entering this tavern, as any lady of quality is likely to have been, and the landlord will remember us meeting in this room.’

‘Oh dear, I am so sorry to have disrupted your plans.’ Miss Dayton showed no fear and appeared to be enjoying herself. Either she was exceedingly stupid or had a means of escape already at her fingertips. The thought made Albert uncomfortable, but he was damned if he would admit that a mere chit of a girl had got him doubting his own name. ‘I can see that I am being quite the bother, and now of all times, when your largest shipment yet is due to dock at any time.’

‘How the devil…’ Molineux’s jaw fell open and he didn’t complete his question.

‘Women really cannot be depended upon to behave themselves, can they Doctor Rochdale?’ Miss Dayton asked sympathetically. ‘Your wife is not doing as she’s told and now here I am, making you realise that you are none of you quite as clever as you think you are. The authorities have been made aware of your little game, so instead of trying to come up with ways to get rid of me, I would suggest you think about your own skins and disappear while you are still at liberty to do so.’

‘Wherever I go, you go too,’ Molineux said, standing and grabbing Nadia’s arm. ‘I have a special licence in my pocket and you cannot avoid becoming my wife.’

‘Certainly I can. No one can force me to say “I will”, since I most emphatically will not. And since you will be a fugitive, running from the law, you can hardly demand that my father repays his debt to you. That, in case you have forgotten, is the only reason why I agreed to marry you, and I am much obliged to you for removing that obstacle and making it possible for me to withdraw from the engagement.’

‘We will not be running for long,’ Albert said, anger and despair sweeping through him as he accepted that they had been outwitted. ‘We are too powerful to be stopped.’

Marianne looked at him with a combination of anger and bewilderment. ‘How has it come to this?’ she asked. ‘We might be able to start again but all our assets in this country will be forfeit.’

‘Only if there is definitive proof of what we have done, and there is none,’ Molineux said. ‘Besides, much of my wealth is invested overseas. I have warned you time and again about putting all your assets in one place.’

‘Perhaps we should simply remain here,’ Albert said. ‘This shipment will be forfeit, of course, but there is nothing to connect us directly to it. We can recover and start again when the fuss dies down.’

‘I’m damned if I’ll give it up,’ Molineux roared. ‘Even if the authorities have been alerted, we can either bribe or outwit the customs officials. We have done it often enough before. We are panicking needlessly, I tell you.’

‘I am not willing to take the risk. Our intermediaries, the few who are trusted with our identities, will squeal to save their own necks if it comes to it,’ Marianne said, ‘and I am not willing to risk going to gaol, or worse.’

‘No, I suppose you are right,’ Molineux said reluctantly. ‘It’s impossible to buy loyalty nowadays.’

Albert watched Miss Dayton, her head swivelling as she followed the conversation. A red mist of rage blurred his vision as he thought longingly about wringing her elegant, interfering neck. He would likely have done so had not Molineux still been so stubbornly determined to marry her. Ye gods, the man must have it bad for the chit, and Albert reluctantly admitted to himself that he understood why. There was something about her, a strong, independent spirit and determination not to be tamed that appealed to him, even if he was still perfectly willing to silence her forever.

‘Come along, Nadia.’ Molineux tightened his hold on her forearm and hauled her to her feet. ‘We shall leave English shores today and get the captain of our vessel to marry us. By the time you are missed we shall be long gone.’ He turned to Marianne. ‘I shall be in touch. This consignment is lost to us but I will arrange for others to be sent in through a different route. This is one of the possible setbacks that we envisaged, but it will not be the end of us.’

He turned towards the door, still holding onto Miss Dayton’s arm. He would likely leave bruises, but Albert thought that was less than she deserved.

Albert groaned when the door was blocked by the form of Darcy’s under-keeper, Spence Darcy and Simon Bingley. Dayton was there too, looking befuddled by what he had obviously overheard. Now Albert understood why Miss Dayton had seemed so unconcerned about the threats levelled against her. This was a quiet part of the inn and he hadn’t supposed they would be overheard. How wrong he had been. By taking the bait laid by Miss Dayton’s taunts and talking openly about their smuggling operation, they had played directly into her friends’ hands.

Foolish, foolish, foolish! Albert threw his head back and closed his eyes. It had been a trap, but they had been so shocked by Miss Dayton’s appearance that none of them had bothered to speak with caution. If they had said nothing and denied her claims, they would be safe now. But these young men had been clever. Too clever. They understood Molineux’s fixation with Miss Dayton and had turned it against him.

All of that paled into insignificance when the gentlemen in the doorway parted and then reformed in a protective half-circle around the lady who stepped forward.

‘Caroline!’

Albert’s wife sent him a vindictive smile.

‘Let her go,’ Simon said in a mordant tone, nodding at Molineux who still kept a firm hold of Miss Dayton’s arm. ‘The game is up.’

‘Don’t be an ass, Molineux, and unhand my daughter,’ Dayton added, scowling. ‘You cannot get the better of us all.’

‘She is mine. Mine I tell you!’ His voice was loud enough to rattle rafters that had been in place for hundreds of years.

‘You cannot seriously believe that I will allow the wedding to go ahead now that I know what you are.’

‘I have your vowels.’

‘You cannot collect on a debt from inside a gaol, which is where you will be if you remain in this country,’ Spence told him. ‘I strongly advise you all to go abroad for a prolonged period. As Miss Dayton just rightly informed you, I have already told the authorities of your activities. The seizure of your cargo in Liverpool will prove your involvement, and if you remain in this country you will be arrested. Let Miss Dayton go, Molineux, and get out of here. All of you.’

‘Damn you to hell!’ Molineux roared, thrusting Miss Dayton aside, and striding through the collection of people in the doorway, who parted to make way for him. Simon caught hold of Miss Dayton before her legs collapsed beneath her.

‘Come, my dear,’ Albert said softly, taking Marianne’s arm. ‘We shall live to fight another day.’

With a venomous glare at Caroline and Miss Dayton, Marianne followed Albert from the room.

‘You have not heard the last of this,’ she hissed, turning back to point a finger at Caroline.

Chapter Seventeen

‘Devil take it, I missed all the excitement!’ Luke complained when the party returned to Pemberley and Simon and Spence between them explained to their parents and Spence’s brothers the events of the afternoon.

‘You should have told me, Spence,’ his father said in a tone of mild admonishment.

‘We had it covered, Father. Tobias overheard Molineux and Rochdale talking at the Lamb, so it was his show in many respects. I think he wanted to prove beyond any further doubt that he’s loyal to you.’

Darcy nodded. ‘Possibly. There were opportunities aplenty there for a man with his former proclivities. I imagine he must have been tempted, and it’s to his credit that he resisted and stood fast in his transformation from poacher to gamekeeper. I shall make a point of thanking him.’

‘What will Caroline do now?’ Spence’s mother asked.

‘It’s too soon to say,’ his uncle Charles replied. ‘She is in her room at present, but has just told us of the horrible way in which Rochdale kept her dependent upon his drugs. I should have noticed.’ He lowered his head and ran a distracted hand through his hair. ‘I hold myself entirely to blame in that regard.’

‘It is not your fault, my dear,’ Aunt Jane replied. ‘We all washed our hands of her after her behaviour here all that time ago, and had no difficulty in believing that she was out of her wits.’ She sighed. ‘It was the only explanation that made any sense.’

‘I assumed that her mind was still unbalanced because that is what Rochdale told me every time I visited,’ Uncle Charles added. Spence couldn’t decide if he was attempting to justify his behaviour or blame himself for his neglect. ‘I never thought to consult Caroline, I suppose because I assumed that she wasn’t capable of knowing what was best for her.’ He threw his head back and sighed. ‘That was wrong of me. I should not have been taken in by Rochdale’s caring attitude.’

‘He is a doctor who specialises in mental disorders, Father,’ Simon reminded him. ‘You would not have entrusted your sister to his care had you doubted his abilities.’

‘True, but even so…’

‘We can mend bridges with Caroline now that matters are resolved,’ Aunt Jane said. ‘She must come back to Campton Park with us when we leave here, and we will give her as much time as she needs to consider her future.’

‘What will happen to their house in London?’ Spence asked. ‘Presumably it will be forfeit since the crown will claim that it was paid for with the proceeds of crime.’

‘And I shall counterclaim by pointing out that my sister was directly involved with exposing the crimes in question,’ Uncle Charles replied, straightening his shoulders. ‘That is one way in which I can and will be of service to my sister. Besides, I can prove that her dowry likely paid for that house. If she doesn’t want to stay in London, with all its unpleasant memories, I will help her sell up and find something else that suits her, wherever she prefers to live.’

‘I am very pleased that Miss Dayton will not be forced into marrying that horrible man,’ Mother said, sending Simon a significant look. ‘She deserves much better, and I can quite understand why she was so determined to face up to him today. In her situation I would have done the exact same thing.’

‘Yes,’ Simon replied. ‘She does deserve to be happy.’

Exhausted by the events of the day and the courage she had found from somewhere to confront the smugglers, Nadia’s legs had buckled beneath her the moment Molineux released her arm and thrust her brutally aside. The stark possessiveness in his expression had truly frightened her, and she had seriously thought for a minute that he really did intend to drag her along with him. Common sense had prevailed, but she shuddered when she recalled his warning that it wasn’t over. The Molineux she had known in Jamaica had always had the last word in any dispute, and nothing had ever been more important to him than having her as his wife.

His threat had been a hollow one, she took pleasure in reminding herself. He would be too busy evading capture to have time to worry about her. She had her freedom and thoughts of submitting to such a vile man no longer held the power to horrify her. She could scarcely believe her good fortune, and lay on her bed taking a moment to recover from her ordeal. She had just got rid of her mother and sister, who had both been bursting with curiosity and bombarded her with questions. Not that it had been an ordeal; not really, and she had enjoyed sending Molineux and Caroline’s horrible husband scurrying away with their tails between their legs.

She avoided her father on the return journey to Pemberley, her contempt for him obvious in her demeanour. He had treated her abominably, had shown weakness and was no longer worthy of her respect.

She fell asleep wondering what to do with a future that now appeared to have endless possibilities, waking again when the dressing gong sounded. Her maid came to help her dress, and tonight her pink silk gown with its Brussels lace flounces and low cut bodice trimmed with tiny pink sapphires entirely matched her mood. She had not worn the gown before and knew that it displayed her figure to its best advantage. The colour ought to clash with her hair, but somehow did not, and perfectly reflected her joyful state of mind. Freedom had never tasted sweeter.

She was late entering the drawing room, and wondered as she did so how many of its occupants knew of the afternoon’s events. Everyone greeted her with varying degrees of civility. Simon Bingley merely stared at her and looked lost for words. She had worn her new gown in the hope of impressing him, she admitted to herself, but after that initial approving glance, he appeared to go out of his way to avoid speaking with her.

When the gentlemen re-entered the drawing room at the end of the meal, Nadia noticed that Simon wasn’t amongst their number. Curious to know what had become of him, she reminded herself that it was none of her business. She had obviously misinterpreted his interest in her. She had allowed her feelings for him to become too apparent and he had distanced himself in order to evade an embarrassing scene. Well, of course a gentleman of his stature wouldn’t have an abiding interest in her, she reminded herself curtly, especially since she had told him that she was a murderess.

The walls of the commodious drawing room felt as though they were closing in on her and when the card tables were placed, she took the opportunity to slip outside. No one would miss her. She glanced around. Several others had taken advantage of the warm evening air and were strolling on the terrace. She noticed once again that Simon wasn’t among them. Goodness, he really was avoiding her. Her heart broke a little when it occurred to her that she had become an embarrassment, requiring him to hide away in that bastion of male exclusivity, the billiards room. Part of her wanted to beard him there and tell him he had nothing to fear from her, but pride held her back.

She wandered further into the grounds bathed in twilight, with no particular destination in mind. The churring song of a male nightjar sounded discordant yet somehow soothing as her feet guided her to the secluded courtyard beyond the kitchen gardens where their earlier confrontation had taken place. She stopped in her tracks when she heard a mumbled voice coming from within and knew that she had found Simon. But to whom was he speaking? Her spirits plummeted when it occurred to her that she might have intruded upon an assignation. She ought to leave but instead glanced around the wall and discovered that he was talking to himself.

‘That is the first sign of madness, I am told,’ she said, immediately wishing the words back. He might think she was making fun of his aunt. ‘Besides, speaking to oneself is my prerogative.’

Simon whirled around and a slow, somnolent smile graced his rugged features. ‘Hello,’ he said.

‘Am I disturbing your solitary reverie? You appeared to be involved in a very heated discussion with yourself.’

‘You are and I was.’ He took her arm before she could leave him alone again. ‘I should have known that you would find me here.’

‘I can assure you that I didn’t set out to look for you.’ Had she? ‘In fact, I had not noticed your absence.’ She resolved to do penance later for the outright lie, but her pride was important to her. She would not have survived her brief engagement to Molineux without having it to fall back on.

‘Nevertheless you found me, and since I am a great believer in fate, your arrival has solved my difficulty for me.’

‘Fate?’ She raised a brow, wondering if he was intoxicated. He was certainly talking in riddles.

‘How are you feeling after your ordeal?’

‘Exultant. How could I not be after seeing the back of Molineux?’

‘Even so, you were very brave and I expect his ardency frightened you. Not that I can blame him for his possessiveness. Not where you are concerned.’

‘Really, Simon, there is no need to pay me false compliments. I am well aware of my many shortcomings, the foremost of which is outspokenness. Anyway,’ she added, sighing as they traversed the length of the courtyard and turned to retrace their steps, ‘what difficulty did my arrival resolve, other than to prevent you from conducting two sides of a conversation simultaneously, and presumably defeating your own argument?’

‘My cousins tease me,’ he replied. ‘Spence especially.’

‘You and he are very close. It stands to reason that he will make fun of you, and you of him.’

‘We are similar in age but very different people, which is why we get along so well. They say that opposites attract. Anyway, they all tease me about falling in love far too easily.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘They have a point. I can’t seem to help myself if I meet a lady whose company I enjoy. I am told that I am like my father in that respect.’

‘Is it such a very bad thing?’ Nadia asked, wondering if he was attempting to warn her off.

‘Absolutely not. I am of the opinion that we gentlemen have a duty to admire the fairer sex. However, with maturity I have learned the wisdom of discretion, which is why I know without a shadow of a doubt that I have fallen deeply and most desperately in love.’ He paused to gently touch her cheek with the tips of his fingers. ‘With you.’

‘Yes, I see, but…What?’ Nadia abruptly stopped walking and looked up at him with incredulity. ‘Did I just hear you right?’

‘Now you understand why I was giving myself a strict talking to. You have only just got rid of the unwelcome attentions of one man, and here I am, tempted to plague you in a similar fashion.’ He shook his head. ‘I am a cad.’

Nadia smiled radiantly. ‘I thought you were avoiding me tonight because you did not like me.’

‘Quite the reverse, I do assure you.’

‘You imagine, I suppose, that I will doubt your sincerity because you have thought yourself to be in love so often in the past and are honest enough to make that admission?’

‘Well, don’t you?’

‘No.’ Nadia said simply. ‘And I cannot believe that you think of yourself in the same light as Molineux. You are both men, but that is where the similarities end. Besides, you are a gentleman. He most decidedly is not.’

‘You would consider becoming my wife?’ he asked, sounding endearingly unsure of himself.

‘I very well might, were I to hear a declaration,’ she replied with a whimsical smile, feeling ready to burst with happiness.

‘My father told me once, not so very long ago, that although he regularly fell in love, he knew the moment he set eyes on my mother, that he had found the one, the only one who would make him truly happy. I felt much the same indefinable something drawing me to you when I first saw you, but you were promised to Molineux. I would have snatched you away from him, gentlemanly conduct be damned, but for the fact that it would have bankrupted your family and estranged you from them. However, I procrastinate.’ He took her hand and held her captive with his gaze. ‘Nadia, I love you with all my heart and vow to honour and protect you for the rest of our days. Will you do me the very great honour of becoming my wife?’

‘Not too much protecting, if it’s all the same to you. You should be aware that I have a mind of my own and tend to be impulsive. There, now that you know, I shall permit you to withdraw your offer in the light of my confession.’

‘Not a chance!’

‘I give you fair warning, I will not make a biddable wife.’

‘Don’t tease me, my love, and give me your answer. No doubt you require time to think about it. I have sprung this upon you, which was not my intention.’

‘Then it’s just as well that I…well, chanced upon you. Yes,’ she said, standing on her toes and recklessly throwing her arms around his neck. ‘I felt that same indefinable something you mentioned a moment ago when we were first introduced too, which made the prospect of marriage to Molineux that much harder to contemplate. Of course I will marry you, if you are absolutely sure.’ She sent him a capricious smile. ‘Only to annoy my sister, mind, who came here with the sole intention of snaring you or one of your cousins. She will likely never speak to me again, which in itself will be a blessing of sorts.’

Simon laughed, pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. ‘My love,’ he said, when he finally released her, took her hand and led her back towards the house, ‘I can see that you will be an endless source of delight. Now, shall we break the news to our families? I suppose I should have asked your father’s permission to address you, but I dare say he will overlook my bad manners.’

‘I really don’t care,’ Nadia replied, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked. ‘He lost the right to my respect when he tried to sell me to get himself out of debt.’

‘I think him the most odious of fellows,’ Simon replied.

‘Well, Jane,’ Lizzy said pensively, watching Simon and Miss Dayton approaching the house, hand in hand. ‘It looks as if we may have another wedding to plan.’

Jane’s smile illuminated her lovely face. ‘I am so glad,’ she said.

‘Are you pleased with Simon’s choice?’

‘Delighted. I noticed his interest in her the first time they were introduced and hoped something might come of it. Then I learned that she was soon to be engaged and put the matter from my head. However, it has all turned out as it should, Simon looks delighted and I look forward to welcoming my son’s bride to Campton Park.’

The End

About the Author

Hi, I do hope you enjoyed Simon Bingley’s Resolve. If so, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. I’d love to hear what you thought of this particular novel – what you enjoyed most about it and what you didn’t like. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Reach me at wendysoliman@rocketmail.com

I’m a British author, brought up on the Isle of Wight, but now live in Andorra. I share my life with my long-suffering husband and a rescued dog of indeterminate pedigree named Jake Bentley after the hero in one of my books. Both Jakes are handsome mongrels with independent spirits and wild streaks.

I’ve had over sixty books published, ranging from Regency romance, (my first love), to contemporary women’s fiction and marine crime mysteries.

When not writing I walk miles with my dog, make half-hearted visits to the gym, read other people’s tomes…oh, and I’m on a one woman mission to keep the wine trade profitable!

Check out all of my books, and learn more about me from my website: http:www.wendysoliman.com

Or on my Amazon author page author.to/wendys

Follow me on twitter @wendyswriter or on Facebook: Wendy Soliman - Author

Also available from this Author

Historical Romance

Stand Alone Regencies

Lady Hartley’s Inheritance

Duty’s Destiny

A Reason to Rebel

Forgotten Heiress

For Want of a Reputation

Christmas at Castleray

Ava’s Passion

Lady Mysterious

Disinherited

Divided Loyalties

A Scandalous Proposition

The Perfect Impostor

Game of Dukes

Lady Impetuous

Sacrificial Bride

Dukes and Indiscretions

Never Dare a Duke

Dangerous Dukes Vols 1-4

To Defy a Duke / The Duke’s Legacy / A Duke by Default / Of Dukes and Deceptions

Mrs. Darcy Entertains Series Boxset

Miss Bingley’s Revenge / Colonel Fitzwilliam’s Dilemma / Miss Darcy’s Passion / Kitty Bennet’s Despair / Lydia Wickham’s Journal

Pemberley – The Next Generation Series Vols 1 – 3 Boxset

Emma Bingley’s Romantic Nature / Naomi Sanford’s Compassionate Nature / Bella Darcy’s Impetuous Nature

Pemberley – The Next Generation Series Vols 4 – 6 Boxset

Eleanor Bingley’s Rebellious Nature / Rosie Turner’s Contrary Nature / Susie Darcy’s Tenacious Nature

Simon Bingley’s Resolve

Ducal Encounters Series 1

At the Duke’s Discretion

With the Duke’s Approval

Portrait of a Duke

For the Duke’s Pleasure

In the Duke’s Estimation

Captivating the Duke

Ducal Encounters Series 2

Reunited with the Duke

Christmas with the Duke

Representing the Duke

Safeguarding the Duke

Acting for the Duke

Emulating the Duke

Ducal Encounters Series 3

Conspiring with the Duke

Dedicated to the Duke

Impugning the Duke’s Honour

By Order of the Duke

Supporting the Duke

Protecting the Duke’s Interests

Ducal Encounters Series 4

As the Duke’s Agent

Masquerading with the Duke

On the Duke’s Authority

Carlton House Cartel

Chance

The Forsters

Compromising the Marquess

Beguiling the Barrister

Finessing the Contessa

Romancing the Runaway

Victorian Vigilante Series Boxset

Saving Grace / Heirs and Graces / With Good Grace / Fall From Grace / Social Graces / Elegance and Grace

Riley Rochester Investigates Series

Death of a Debutante

Death of a Courtesan

Death of a Prosecutor

Death of a Scoundrel

Death of an Artist

Death of a Recluse

Death of a Matriarch

Perceptions Series

A Sense of Belonging

A Sense of Purpose

A Sense of Misgiving

A Sense of Injustice

A Sense of Turmoil

Contemporary Titles

English Contemporary Romance Boxset: Reinventing Radleigh/ Shalimar/Silver Lining

English Contemporary Romance Boxset 2: Name of the Game / Downsizing / Topspin

The Hunter Files Boxset: Unfinished Business /

Risky Business/ Lethal Business