How to Seduce a Bride

Chapter Twenty-Two

The honeymoon couple spent a week discovering each other’s bodies, finding how gloriously they fit together. Then, the next week, they passed their time also learning how their minds did the same.

Daisy told her new husband about her trials from the first moment of her father’s arrest to her arrival at Botany Bay. She tried not to talk too much about Tanner, but Leland asked, and so she did. One day he stopped asking, and soon she realized she’d almost forgotten Tanner, because she never had to think of him again. Her new husband had eclipsed him in every way, erasing bad memories, replacing him, until Tanner seemed like a person from a bad dream she’d had long ago and far away.

Leland listened to what his new wife said, and wondered at her courage and buoyant spirit. She’d survived the terrors of being a young girl imprisoned through no fault of her own, facing the horrors of Newgate prison and transportation, and then the consequences of being sold into marriage to a man so far beneath her that if the world had been run right, she’d never have even chanced to see him passing her in the street. Daffyd and his foster brothers and the earl had come through similar trials intact, but Leland couldn’t think of any woman who could have survived with such spirit and grace.

They walked and talked, made love and talked; they danced and sang, rode and drove around the surrounding countryside. They fished in streams and swam in the lake, and slept locked in each other’s arms in the night, even when they didn’t make love. And daily, they thanked each other for being there.

Though Leland joked about it, Daisy heard how his childhood had been plagued by gossip about the adventures of his errant mama, and plagued by his cold martinet of a father, and his mother’s continuing disapproval.

“I had the bad fortune to look like my father,” he explained.

She wondered how he’d survived with such decency and charm. Daisy came to understand at last how his sense of humor had saved him, and she silently vowed that he’d never have to use it for strength again, not if she could help it.

In short, she fell madly in love with him.

He came to respect her as well as continuing to adore her.

They were so happy, they didn’t want to think about returning to London. But they remembered she had an enemy, and they knew they’d never really know peace until they discovered who had falsely accused her and tried to drive her out of the country again.

They returned to London on a sultry morning, and immediately wished they’d stayed in the countryside. An unusual bout of hot weather had settled on the Town, just before the end of the social Season, and it curtailed activity just as surely as a blizzard might have done.

As they drove in through the gate near the Bull and Mouth, they could see London’s streets were simmering. The street criers and barrow mongers positioned themselves in the shade, no matter where their customers were. Business was off, because the streets were empty of everyone except for those drooping poor souls, servants, and travelers who had to be out and about. As they passed the park, they saw it wasn’t particularly crowded, because shade didn’t mean cool in such weather.

At least the front entrance to Leland’s town house was relatively comfortable, because of its marble floors.

As Daisy went upstairs to wash and change into something light, Leland’s Town butler presented him with the post and the messages that had piled up on a silver salver in the front hall since he’d left. He also informed his master that the ton were not very active these days. They sat in their parlors or back gardens fanning themselves. Evening parties were being poorly attended. No one wanted to be at a fashionable crush if it was also a truly suffocating one. Affairs held in the early morning were attended, though. Breakfasts and morning calls were substituted for soirées and balls for those who still hoped to get their unwed daughters married off before the premature ending to the Season. Plans were being made to return to their country homes.

“So we’d best see our old friend Geoff right away, and ready ourselves for some morning callers,” Leland told Daisy when she came down the stairs. “I’ve sent a message to him, and word to Bow Street as well as some of Daffyd’s old cronies on the other side of the law, to see if any new information is known. I want you not only to be safe, but to feel safe. That won’t happen until we know who laid charges against you.”

“And who knifed you,” she said.

He shook his head. “No, I don’t think that matters. More and more I think that it was actually just a purse snatcher who got frightened when I lunged at him. We’ll know soon. Then we can go back home. I’ll have to take you to see my ancestral home, too. My mother will likely be there, but we won’t have to stay long. As for now,” he told her, “I just have to read all my messages; my desk is covered with letters and cards. Then we can sit somewhere cool and wait on events. Why don’t you wait in the back parlor? I hear it’s less hot there. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

He came into the parlor a few minutes later, grinning ear to ear. He waved a letter in his hand. “Guess what?” he asked, grinning. “Daffy’s had a boy! That is to say, his wife, Meg, has had one. A healthy, squalling little brat, Daffyd says. Dark as his father and fair as his mother, he says, with very blue eyes, and the fiend’s own temper, just like his father, too. He’s over the moon about it, and begs us to come see and admire him. I think we should. You’ll like Meg very much. We can go there before I take you to my estate in the north.”

He scanned the letter again, and his smile slipped. “He also asks if I know where Geoff is, because he hasn’t heard from him, and he expected him to be there over a week past.”

Daisy’s head went up and she paled. “No word of him?”

“None,” Leland said, scanning the letter again. His jaw tightened. “Don’t worry yet. There are a thousand things that could account for that. He said he was taking your Helena to her mother’s home up north. He could have gone anywhere from there. He may have stopped off at Egremont, to see how things stood at his estate. It’s not good to leave a place without a master for too long. He has tenants there, and he is a responsible landlord. He may have visited with a friend. Sometimes a letter sent from the north can take days to reach London. Let me go through the rest of my mail to see if I can find the answer, and if not, I’ll pay a call on the earl’s house here. Then, if there’s no word, we can be alarmed.”

“We’ll pay a call on Geoff’s house,” she said. “I can’t bear to sit and wait.”

He hesitated, and then when he spoke, there wasn’t a trace of humor in his voice. “No, I think not. If something has happened to the earl, you are the last person who should be out in the streets right now. I can protect you. But I’d rather not have to.”

She took a deep breath and nodded, once.

“We’ll find out, it’s likely nothing,” he said. “Sit tight, and stay cool. It’s murderously hot outside.”

She shivered at his choice of words. And seeing that, he winced.

Viscount Haye returned to his town house at dusk, looking wilted and walking slowly, lost in thought. When he saw he’d arrived at his own house, he straightened and walked faster. That was what alarmed Daisy the most.

“What has happened to Geoff?” she asked him at once when he walked in, rising from where she’d been sitting on a window seat watching the street.

He ran a finger under his neck cloth and sighed. “What fiend made this fashionable? Sooner put a man in manacles and ask him to swim than to wear this torturous thing on a hot day. Ah well, at least there’s no one around Town to notice that I look like a laborer. I didn’t find out anything,” he told her. “There’s no ransom note. There’s no hint of violence, no accident recorded in the past week going up or down the North Road. And no one from his old days in Botany Bay has heard a word of other violence, either. I met with Bow Street as well. No one knows where he is. That’s good. Because wherever he is, it can’t be because anything dire happened to him.”

“But he is wealthy,” she said. “One of the richest men in England. And he’s kind, and trusting.”

“Yes, he’s wealthy. He’s also more experienced with crime and criminals than most men in England. Don’t forget that. He’ll be fine, he is fine, I’m sure of it. We can’t do more than wait on word from him. I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason for his silence. Even the men I paid to find out about him said that, and they’ve reason to hope for mischief, if only because they’d be better paid if there was any.”

She felt relieved, until she noticed that he stood irresolute, unsmiling.

“But so many ears to the ground can hear anything,” he said. “I learned something else, something that I must resolve.”

“What is it?” she asked fearfully.

“I finally discovered who laid evidence about you. Oh, don’t worry,” he said quickly when he saw her grow paler. “It’s utter nonsense. The powers that be know it. The information is ridiculous, and false. It was given by a fellow named Samuel Starr, recently arrived from Botany Bay.”

“Samuel… Starr?” Her eyes widened. “Old Blister Me?” she cried. “We called him that because he said it all the time. He was an old pirate; I really think he was one. When he couldn’t go to sea anymore, where he could sail away from his crimes, I suppose, he took up stealing in London. He was very bad at it on land. He was a burly, bald old man, with a tattoo on his cheek like a South Sea Islander, and… But he didn’t dislike me! In fact, I thought we were friends. He had such good stories to tell.” She smiled, remembering. “I always enjoyed talking to him. I didn’t know he’d left the colony…”

She sobered. “Why did he do it? Lie about me, I mean? He knew Tanner died of an accident. He was one of the men who brought him home after it. He saw me then, and even tried to console me. He said I was well out of it, and I know he meant it kindly. Why did he change his mind?”

Leland had pulled off his limp damp neck cloth and now held it as though it were a dead rat, dangling from the ends of his fingers. He shrugged, and didn’t look at her. “Why else?” he asked. “For the money. It seems he was starving. He was an exquisitely inept pickpocket. And someone offered him a sum of money he couldn’t resist. Once he’d had a decent dinner, he began to regret his part. He’s very sorry, he says. Never mind that, if you don’t want to, we won’t press charges against him. He is only a poor old fellow, and abjectly sorry to boot.”

Now he looked at her. “More to the point, he told me who paid him to do it.” Leland’s eyes were stark and dark, haunted by some misery she’d never seen there before. “I’m going to change my clothes, and then go to speak with that someone. This time, if you like, you may come with me. I don’t like it, but you’ll be safe enough, and I do think it would be for the best for all concerned. Especially you. There’s no need for you to be afraid of ghosts. Will you come?”

“Of course,” she said.

He studied her with an unreadable expression. “Very well. Dress in something cool,” he finally said, “… and beautiful.”

Daisy’s eyes grew huge when she saw where Leland stopped his carriage. She looked at him. “Here?” she asked.

In that moment, he looked infinitely weary. “Yes,” he said. “I believe here is where it started, and I know here is where it will end. Nothing to feel bad about,” he added in a soft voice. “Nothing to fear. That I promise. But you should see this, and relieve your mind. I am the one who should be upset,” he said. “If I refuse to be, then so should you. Come, let’s get it over with.”

He gave the reins to his tiger, the boy in livery who rode on the back of the curricle, and stepped down. He took his wife’s hand to help her down from the driver’s seat. “You look lovely,” he said, admiring her new peach-colored muslin gown and matching bonnet. “And wasn’t it delicious to feel the breeze as we drove? It’s the only way to get one today. Let’s drive ’round the park after we’re done here, shall we? I want to show you off, as well as cool you off.”

She smiled, but her hand shook in his, and not from fear of getting down from the high driver’s seat. When she reached the pavement, she breathed a shuddery sigh. “Lead on,” she whispered.

“What a pleasure to see you, sir,” the butler who admitted them at the door said.

“A pleasure to see you again so soon, Fitch,” Leland said. “You’re looking in fine fettle, I must say. You don’t change, someday you must tell me your secret. And here is my lady, Deidre, the new Viscountess Haye. We were married a month past in the West Country, at a church near my country house. I’m planning to have a reception for the villagers and everyone at Haye Hall later this summer, so I can introduce my lady to everyone properly, as well as introducing my home to her.”

The imperturbable butler blinked. “My lady,” he said, when he recovered. He bowed. “A great honor to meet you. I had heard of your nuptials; it was in the papers. May I offer you my very best wishes?”

Daisy nodded. “Thank you,” she said. She shot a puzzled look to Leland where he stood, his lips thinned, his expression impassive.

When the butler straightened, he looked at Leland, and much that wasn’t said seemed to pass between them in that moment. “I will inform your mother that you are here, my lord,” the butler said. “Please come sit in the garden. I’d ask you into the salon, but the heat is perishing there today.”

“Thank you,” Leland said. “Come, Daisy, Fitch is right. We will be cooler in the garden. My mother’s salon is a welter of heavy furniture and heavier fabric. The furniture is priceless, and the fabric, museum quality. Fine for December, but not for today.”

But Daisy only stood, white-faced, looking up at him.

“Yes,” he said, putting his hand over hers where it lay on his arm. “Unpleasant for me, but not out of character for her. At least the nonsense will end, here and now. I want you to hear it from her own lips.”

He looked at the butler. “Fitch, please send to my mother. And there’s no need to mention that my wife accompanies me.”

“Certainly, my lord,” the butler said, and led them through the stifling house to the garden in back. “I’ll tell the viscountess at once,” he said, and left Leland and Daisy on a terrace overlooking a neat square of a garden shaded by ancient lacy leafed elms.

Daisy couldn’t sit. She stood by the stone balustrade and watched Leland prowl, pacing back and forth. She didn’t try to speak to him. He seemed too preoccupied by his own thoughts to listen. Then she saw his head go up and his nostrils become pinched, as though he smelled something distasteful.

“Haye,” the viscountess said as she came out on to the terrace. “How good to see you.” She wore a white gown, and with her fair hair and skin, the only color she had was in her deep blue eyes, so like her son’s. Except they were devoid of expression. That searching blue gaze found Daisy. “How charming. You’ve brought me a guest. Have we met before? You do look familiar. Forgive me for not remembering,” she said to Daisy, “but at my age, one does tend to forget the names of new acquaintances.”

“Really?” Leland said in cool amused tones. “How odd, considering how involved you made yourself in her life. You must learn to remember her name. This is my lady wife, Daisy, Mama. I’m surprised you don’t remember what she looks like. You certainly did recall her name when you paid poor old Samuel Starr to testify against her. Oh, I see what it is. You paid someone else to ask him. Of course. You never would stoop to actually speaking with someone like him. You must recall his name, though. You got it from some seedy persons. And then you paid him to lay information against my wife in an effort to have her arrested for the murder of her husband.”

She stood stock-still, staring at her son.

He waved a hand as though to bat away a gnat. “I haven’t the time to play today, Mama. I simply came to you with the truth. Useless to ask why you did it. I can guess. I’m here to ask you to apologize to my lady. And to vow you’ll never meddle in my affairs, or hers, again. If you do not,” he said in a steely voice, “I must ask you to remove yourself from this house. I own it, if you recall. But you may stay on if you keep far from us. I’d ask you to leave England altogether, only I don’t want more gossip. And, if you do ever return to Haye Hall, you can only take up residence in the dower house. I never intend to sleep under the same roof as you again, and would certainly not ask my wife to do so. I’m sure you understand. My wife’s comfort, peace of mind, and safety are paramount to me, you see. And your presence ensures that she won’t have that.”

He turned and paced a step, then wheeled around to face his mother again. “For shame, madam,” he said angrily. “What a beastly thing to do. Not clever, not witty, just pure troublemaking. Whatever possessed you? Surely it wasn’t done for my welfare? You’ve never concerned yourself with that before. And how misguided that would have been. You must have discovered that my wife is wellborn, and her transportation a travesty of justice, as all now admit. You also know that I could have married far beneath me, instead of being lucky enough to wed this beautiful young woman who foolishly consented to be my wife. It couldn’t have been to protect the family name, either. Hers has far less scandal attached to it than ours. And not only because of my reputation. I remind you that yours is similarly sullied. So, why then?”

His mother stood tall, rigid. “I never meant the girl harm,” she said haughtily.

“Nonsense,” Leland said. “What would you call trying to arrange her arrest and deportation? And I remind you, madam, that she is not a ‘girl,’ she is my wife. Never forget that again. I can understand, if never condone, your attempting to have her deported. You didn’t know her, after all. Hard as it is for me to believe, I concede it may have been misplaced and belated concern for me. But why the devil arrange to have me skewered that evening in the park?”

Now his mother sneered. “I had nothing to do with the assault on you. I may not be a doting mother, but I do not want your death. In fact, I had it investigated. My sources tell me it was a random incident. The fellow who did it confessed as much to his friends, and then fled the city. He was only a petty criminal who lost his head when you frightened him. I may have done many things, but I would not harm you, Haye. You have committed follies yourself, but you are nevertheless a credit to your name: Your tenants thrive, the estate does well, you pay your debts and increase the family fortune. In fact, you uphold the title as your brother, alas, could not.”

“Which brother?” Leland asked. “Martin, yes. I can see that. Though he may improve with time. But Daffyd is intelligent and well balanced.”

“Don’t be absurd,” she said, her own nostrils pinching. “I meant your legitimate brother. But you likely know that very well.” She turned her gaze on Daisy. “Understand please,” she told Daisy, ignoring her son. “I bear you no ill will. In fact,” she said, with a slight icy smile, “I congratulate you. You are exactly fit to marry him.”

Leland gave a cough of a laugh. “Now that that was deftly done-an insult wrapped in a compliment, ambiguous, but offensive. And untrue. She is far above me, and leagues above you. Now tell her that you won’t ever meddle in her life again.”

“Done,” his mother said. “I won’t, my dear,” she told Daisy. “Why should I? You have married my son, and with that, pleased me very well.” For the first time, she showed emotion. She was smiling and seemed genuinely pleased.

Leland frowned. “I can’t guess your game,” he said slowly. “But wait!” he said. “Now maybe I can. You didn’t want to harm Daisy. That I believe, if only because you wouldn’t want to be blackmailed for it one day. Nor did you do it to save me, of course not. Why the devil did I keep trying to believe you care a jot for me? You only wanted her out of the way. So if we take that and spin it out further, realizing that you weren’t considering me at all, not only because you never have done, but because I didn’t seem to be courting her…”

His eyes opened wide. “Good God! It was Geoff you were trying to protect from Daisy! The earl! He was the one you wanted her to keep away from. Because-” He stopped and shook his head. “Lord, madam,” he said ruefully, “you fly high. But he’ll never ask you, you mistake your prey this time. He doesn’t care for your sort at all.”

Her chin went up. “Do you think so? I do not. Time will tell. You are clever, Haye. But you don’t know everything. He is a gentleman born, and in need of a wife. You cannot know what he would consider a fit mate. I believe I can. Now, enough, if you please. I have apologized and I promise not to meddle in your affairs again. Your ban on me living with you doesn’t concern me at all. I have no intention of doing so. You may save the dower house for whatever you wish. I will never set a foot there. I have funds, and friends on the Continent, and this house in London, which you say I may keep if I leave you alone. That, I can promise. So. What else do you want of me?”

“I? Nothing. Just as well, that’s all I ever got from you. Good morning, Mama. My wife and I were just leaving.”

“Go in good health,” she said. “I never wished you harm.”

“But you almost caused it,” he said. “Because to harm my wife in any way is to do the same to me. But you never understood that, did you?”

“I have ever been unfortunate in my dealings with men,” she said. “I wish you daughters,” she told Daisy. “Because I cannot think to wish you better than that.”

“I want to have your son’s sons and his daughters,” Daisy said, straightening her back. “Only know this: Do not disturb my husband again. Remember,” she said coldly, “I own a pistol and can use a knife.”

The viscountess’s eyes widened, and she stepped back.

“Forgive me, my lord,” Daisy told Leland with sincerity. “But I get very emotional when someone I love is threatened.”

He laughed. “She does,” he told his mother. “Remember that. Good day, madam.”

Leland took Daisy’s hand and they walked out of his mother’s house together. He said nothing until his curricle was two blocks away. He spoke then, through clenched teeth.

“You’re always apologizing to me because you were in prison,” he told Daisy, without turning his gaze from the horses he drove. “I never wanted you to; now you understand why. On balance, my love, you now must admit that I had the worse upbringing, and it is my family who has the worst criminal. Forgive me, and let’s end this here, shall we?”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” he asked, as he turned the curricle to enter the park.

“For you,” she said.

They rode in silence for a while, going down green paths, not speaking because they both were thinking so hard.

“Do you think Geoff will ever…?” she began.

“Fall victim to her? No.”

“She is very beautiful,” Daisy said doubtfully.

“So is a snowfall. And if it ever looks like he’s about to succumb, I’ll speak with him, never fear. Did you feel that? The wind is finally moving. It looks like a storm coming. Good, it will clear the air. Let’s go home.”

They drove out of the park and returned to their home as the sky darkened and a brisk fresh breeze began blowing. When he got to his house, Leland handed the reins to his tiger. As thunder rattled, Leland took Daisy’s hand, and they ran into the hall, laughing, racing the rain. They got inside just as the first fat drops began falling.

“I can’t dry you off properly here,” Leland said tenderly, his hands on Daisy’s shoulders as he looked at her rain-spattered gown. “Shall we go upstairs and do it right?”

“My lord,” his butler said from behind him, just as Daisy reached up on tiptoe to kiss her husband. “You’ve company. I’ve asked them to wait in the parlor.”

“Indeed?” Leland said, his attention caught. His butler was smiling. He would never have asked anyone in without permission unless it was someone close. “You go change, and wait for me,” he told Daisy. “I’ll just see who it is.”

“Thank you,” she said pertly, “but I’d like to know too. A little damp won’t kill me. Curiosity will.”

He smiled. “Then let’s assuage it as soon as we can, and get on with things, shall we?”

They walked, hand in hand, into the salon. When Daisy saw who was getting up from a chair, she gave out a whoop, and ran to him. “Geoff,” she cried. “You’re safe; you’re well. Oh, I’m so relieved!”

“I’m safe, and better than well,” he said with a grin. “I couldn’t send word, and then when I could, I decided I’d rather bring the news in person. I was on my way up north with Helena, when something happened.”

“What?” Daisy asked.

He smiled, and looking behind him she saw her old companion, Helena Masters, dressed in a beautiful russet gown, rising from a chair. She was smiling.

“What happened,” Geoff said, “was that I realized I never wanted to let her go out of my life. May I present my new countess, Lady Egremont? We were married over the border at Gretna, and then returned to stay on awhile at her mother’s house, getting everyone ready for the remove to London and then Egremont. Now I’ve a wife, a mother-in-law, and two more delightful children. You see, on our way up north, we talked, we reminisced; we found so much in common. I couldn’t let her go. And luckily, she consented to stay with me. I’m very happy.”

“As am I,” Helena said softly. “I never dared hope…”

“She never dared anything,” the earl said fondly. “Always trying to keep her ‘place,’ when her only true place is by my side. I was the one who had to make the push to get to know her. I’m very glad you two married or else I’d never have had the chance to be alone with Helena.”

Helena smiled. “I never thought to be so happy again. We both loved and lost and yet found that we could love again.”

The earl looked at her lovingly. “I couldn’t find a soul mate in Botany Bay or in London. But sometimes life gives us a second chance, and when I saw I’d found one, I acted before Fate could intervene. Now, little as I enjoy the ton, I want the world to know! We’ll have a more formal wedding here and then another reception at Egremont soon after. They will be the sort of gala affairs I always avoided in the past. Just exactly what I want now to show the world my great good luck. You must attend,” he told Daisy and Leland. “For now, you may congratulate me.”

“Oh Geoff,” Daisy said, as she embraced a tearful Helena. “I’ll do more than that. I applaud you!”

“Well done,” Leland said, shaking the earl’s hand. “We are both pleased.” He exchanged a sparkling look with Daisy. “And vastly relieved. Now, shall we celebrate?”

“Gladly,” the earl said. “And by the way, you two look happier than I’ve ever seen either of you before. I congratulate you, too, and hope you don’t mind that the gossip about me may overshadow whatever anyone says about your marriage.”

“We are stunned and overset to think that we have been so thoroughly, deliciously upstaged,” Leland said. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you,” the earl said.

“You’re welcome,” Daisy said. “Now, let’s celebrate!”

They all laughed, and then they celebrated, and kept on doing both through all the many long and merry years that were to come.