“Oh, sir, put me down at once, do!” Annis demanded.

She didn’t quite catch the muttered response, but felt sure it was neither polite nor a promise of compliance, as he merely continued striding purposefully toward the house.

Although it had been some little time since she had been carried in a gentleman’s arms, she remembered the occasion quite well. What she couldn’t recall experiencing, however, when she had foolishly gone and twisted her ankle all those years ago, were the peculiar sensations she was feeling now. There had been no odd fluttering in the pit of her stomach or beneath her rib cage during that one previous occurrence, she felt sure. And why there should be that pulsating heat in the area directly below her cheekbones when the rest of her was still experiencing the lingering effects of the atmosphere in the icehouse, she simply couldn’t imagine.

When at last she felt herself being lowered carefully onto her bed, and those strong arms were no longer providing their support, Annis didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

ANNE ASHLEY

was born and educated in Leicester. She lived for a time in Scotland, but now makes her home in the West Country, with two cats, her two sons and a husband who has a wonderful and very necessary sense of humor. When not pounding away at the keys of her word processor, she likes to relax in her garden, which she has opened to the public on more than one occasion in aid of the village church funds.

A Lady of Rare Quality
Anne Ashley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter One

I t was a full minute before Miss Annis Milbank could recover sufficiently from the shock to exclaim, ‘But, my dear ma’am! What in the world makes you suppose that I am the most appropriate person to aid you? For all that I endeavour to behave as my dear mama would have wished, I remain shockingly outspoken on occasions. In consequence, I’m ill equipped to take upon myself the role of mediator, most especially in such a delicate matter as this.’

Lady Pelham merely smiled that serene smile of hers, as she raised her eyes to study the delightful features framed in a riot of glossy chestnut curls.

Beautifully candid as ever, her goddaughter had spoken no less than the truth. Yet, even though her manners and behaviour were somewhat unorthodox on occasions, and there were those who considered her a little too self-reliant for someone of her tender years, Annis had been blessed with her mother’s serenity, not to mention kindness and understanding, and her father’s determination and sound common sense. These admirable traits, coupled with an abundance of roguish charm, made her the ideal person to adopt the role of envoy.

‘You err, my dear,’ she countered gently. ‘Your not being afraid to speak your mind in this instance might well prove advantageous.’

Annis betrayed her misgivings by lifting one fine brow in a decidedly sceptical arch. ‘Ma’am, if the present Lord Greythorpe resembles his predecessor in character, is it likely he’ll listen to anything I might choose to say?’

‘The truth of the matter is, child, I’ve no notion of what manner of man the current holder of the title might be,’ Lady Pelham confessed as she rose wearily to her feet and went across to the window. ‘Opinions vary. I’ve heard it said that he’s very like his late father in so much as he has a tendency to be cold and unapproachable on occasions; others, so I understand, hold a very different view of him. I myself am endeavouring to keep an open mind.’

Her expression suddenly grave, Lady Pelham swung round to stare at her goddaughter. ‘Please do not imagine I ask this of you lightly,’ she revealed at length. ‘In fact, if I could have turned to any other, a member of my own immediate family, or some close friend here in Bath, I should never have written in such a melodramatic fashion, begging you to visit here without delay. You must have been a little concerned when I offered no explanation in my letter.’

Her lively sense of humour coming to the fore, Annis couldn’t help smiling at this gross understatement. The instant she had received the communication, she hadn’t hesitated to make all haste to Bath. The journey from her Leicestershire home had been achieved swiftly enough, but even so she had been granted ample time to imagine the worst.

On her arrival a short time earlier, she had half-expected to be met with the intelligence that Lady Pelham was gravely ill, or at the very least that some shocking misfortune had befallen Helen, her godmother’s niece. Never in her wildest imaginings had she supposed she had been summoned for the sole purpose of acting as go-between and spokesperson, a role for which she had had no previous experience. Therefore she could only assume the situation must be more dire than she had first supposed.

‘Ma’am, perhaps I have not perfectly understood,’ she felt obliged to admit. ‘You say you received a communication, quite out of the blue, from Helen’s half-brother, inviting you both to spend a few weeks at the family’s country residence in Hampshire, and that Helen herself was not altogether enthusiastic about accepting.’ Annis found it impossible to suppress a wry smile. ‘Well, ma’am, I for one can fully appreciate her feelings on the matter. She appears to me to have gone on well enough without being acknowledged by any member of her late father’s family throughout her life.’

‘Helen feels neither bitter nor resentful towards any member of the Greythorpe family,’ Lady Pelham assured Annis, before subjecting her to a thoughtful stare, as she resumed the seat opposite. ‘Which is something I have strongly suspected that you yourself have experienced increasingly over the years towards your mother’s relatives, my dear.’

Annis’s refusal to be drawn on the irksome topic of her late mother’s close relations ignited a glint of respect in Lady Pelham’s eyes. ‘Do not misunderstand me,’ she went on. ‘I for one felt nothing but admiration for your mama. Unlike my sister and myself, she at least possessed the strength of character to go against her family’s wishes and marry a man of her own choosing. How different Charlotte’s and my life might have been had we possessed the courage to follow a similar path!’

Although she knew a great deal about Lady Pelham and her late sister’s marriages, neither of which had been even a moderately successful alliance, though both blessedly of short duration, Annis felt obliged to have one salient point confirmed at this juncture, and so did not hesitate to ask that all important question.

‘There has never been any doubt in my mind that the Sixth Viscount Greythorpe was indeed Helen’s sire,’ Lady Pelham answered, the conviction in her voice unshakeable. ‘My sister’s behaviour might not have been altogether wise, though understandable in the circumstances. Married to a highly cynical and unapproachable being, many years her senior, was it any wonder she responded to the gentle attentions of the young man commissioned so early in the marriage to paint her portrait? Charlotte freely admitted that she sought the artist’s company frequently during those few weeks he stayed at Greythorpe Manor. But she swore their association never went beyond mild flirtation. It was perhaps unfortunate that Helen was conceived at that time,’ Lady Pelham felt obliged to concede. ‘More unfortunate, still, was that she should have been cursed with the red hair that has not infrequently crowned the heads of certain members of our family down the generations, myself included.’

‘It does seem strange that the late Lord Greythorpe didn’t appreciate this fact himself,’ Annis remarked.

‘He might well have done so,’ Lady Pelham acknowledged, after a moment’s intense thought. ‘A gentleman prone to moods of deep depression he might have been, but I never heard it said he lacked intelligence. He might have taken into account too that it is not uncommon for two people with very dark locks to produced auburn-haired offspring. It was just unfortunate that the artist himself had Titian hair.’

‘Unfortunate, indeed,’ Annis agreed. ‘But if, as you say, Helen feels no bitterness towards her late father’s family, why is she so unwilling to accept the invitation to visit the ancestral pile?’

‘Oh, she isn’t wholly against the notion,’ Lady Pelham corrected gently. ‘It is simply that we had previously accepted an invitation to spend a few days with a friend of Helen’s in Devonshire at the end of February, which was the time Lord Greythorpe proposed for the commencement of the visit to Hampshire. So I wrote back explaining this, and suggested a shorter visit might be more appropriate for Helen’s first stay at Greythorpe Manor.’

‘Is Helen against a protracted sojourn in the country?’ Annis queried when her godmother relapsed into silence.

‘Oh, no. I think, had circumstances been a little different, she might well have been quite happy to oblige her half-brother,’ Lady Pelham revealed, her expression suddenly grim. ‘As things stand, however, it doesn’t suit Helen at all to remain away from Bath for a lengthy period at present.’

Annis’s attention was well and truly captured, for she felt that at last they had arrived at the crux of the matter. Consequently she did not hesitate, yet again, to have her curiosity satisfied.

‘Because shortly before we received Lord Greythorpe’s invitation, Helen’s path was, regrettably, crossed by a handsome, silver-tongued young rogue, who has been paying her marked attention ever since,’ her godmother revealed without a moment’s hesitation.

Annis wasn’t slow to comprehend. ‘A fortune-hunter, ma’am?’

‘Undoubtedly!’ Lady Pelham concurred. ‘Surprisingly, Helen has yet to see him for precisely what he is. However, as you know yourself, she is not prone to folly, and is mature for her years. It is my belief that, given time, she will overcome this foolish infatuation of hers and common sense will prevail, providing she is granted that all important time.’

Once again, Lady Pelham rose from her chair, only this time to pace about the room, clearly revealing her troubled state of mind. ‘My one great fear is that, if forcibly removed from Bath, while she remains utterly besotted, she just might be persuaded into an elopement. Then, I’m afraid, there would be nothing either her trustees or I could do to prevent that young ne’er-do-well, Mr Daniel Draycot, from getting his hands on at least part of her inheritance.’

Such was her perturbed state, she appeared to find it necessary to adjust one of the ornaments on the mantelshelf a fraction of an inch, only to return it a moment later to its former position. ‘You see, my sister Charlotte was determined that Helen, like your own mother, should marry for love. Helen will come into her inheritance unconditionally upon marriage, at least the money left to her by her mother, which is not insubstantial.’

Although Annis perfectly understood her godmother’s concerns, she still considered the problem could be easily resolved. ‘Why not simply do what Helen herself wishes, ma’am, and write to Lord Greythorpe suggesting a shorter visit later in the year? Surely that will satisfy all concerned?’

‘That is precisely what I did do, my dear, and my reply most definitely did not satisfy his lordship. He sent me this in response.’

Lady Pelham went over to the escritoire, and, quickly locating a certain letter, promptly presented it for Annis to read. A moment later she watched her goddaughter’s finely arched dark brows snap together, and the green flecks in the strikingly lovely grey eyes intensify, as they avidly scanned the missive written in a bold and unmistakably masculine hand.

‘The arrogance of the man!’ Annis tossed the letter aside in disgust. ‘Who on earth does he imagine he is, insisting his half-sister pays a visit when it suits his purposes? His maternal grandmother…?’ She paused to consult the missive once more. ‘This Dowager Lady Kilbane is no relation to Helen, after all, so there is no necessity for Helen to be present at the proposed birthday celebration to be held at Greythorpe Manor early in the spring. If I were you, ma’am, when the carriage he clearly intends sending to collect you arrives next week, I’d send it back immediately, with a letter stating in no uncertain terms that you will decide when your niece shall visit Greythorpe Manor.’

‘Believe me, my dear, nothing would afford me greater satisfaction,’ Lady Pelham divulged. ‘I very much fear Lord Deverel Greythorpe is not unlike his father, imperious and uncompromising, having scant regard for the feelings of others. Sadly, though, he is well within his rights to insist upon Helen visiting whenever he chooses.’ She smiled as Annis’s expression turned to one of consternation. ‘The late Lord Greythorpe, for reasons best known to himself, never took steps to divorce my sister after their separation. When he died, guardianship of the daughter he never acknowledged as his own, along with everything else he possessed, passed to his only son and heir, the present holder of the title.’

Misguidedly, Annis had always assumed that, after Charlotte’s demise, Lady Pelham had become Helen’s guardian, and didn’t attempt to hide her astonishment. ‘I never knew that, ma’am,’ she admitted. ‘It makes one wonder what can have been in the late Lord Greythorpe’s mind. Why did he not transfer guardianship to you after his wife’s death, as he clearly wanted nothing to do with Helen?’

Lady Pelham’s smile was twisted. ‘Whatever the motive, I cannot imagine it was because he had his youngest child’s best interests at heart. No, it is much more likely that he succeeded in putting her very existence from his mind.’

As this seemed highly probable, Annis nodded, before something else occurred to her as rather odd. ‘Why, do you suppose, has the present holder of the title suddenly taken such an interest in his half-sister?’

Clearly at a loss to understand this herself, Lady Pelham shook her head. ‘I do know that he has travelled extensively and was abroad when news of his father’s demise reached him, which is perhaps why he waited almost a year before making contact at all. The ancestral home covers very many acres of Hampshire countryside. There is also a smaller estate in Derbyshire and a fashionable London residence, both of which he has visited in recent months. He must have been kept very busy since his return.’

As this, too, seemed a reasonable enough assumption to make, Annis didn’t dwell on it. Instead she asked, ‘Do you suppose that he, at least, now that his father is dead, is prepared to acknowledge Helen openly as his sibling?’

‘If that is his intention, it could do the child nothing but good. I wouldn’t attempt to suggest that Helen has suffered greatly as a result of her late father’s unnatural behaviour, but there have been occasions when some heartless wretch has questioned her birth within her hearing.’

‘We must hope, ma’am, that her half-brother’s actions will check any future speculation, and that his wife too is disposed to look kindly upon your niece.’

‘Oh, he isn’t married, my dear,’ Lady Pelham disclosed, with a quizzical smile. ‘I cannot quite make up my mind whether that surprises me or not. I met him only once, when he paid an unexpected visit here, offering his condolences, shortly after Charlotte’s death. Whether he did so with his father’s full knowledge and approval, I’m not altogether sure, though I will say this, his expressions of regret at his stepmother’s demise did seem genuine. Understandably, after almost ten years, my memory of him is a little hazy, but I seem to recall thinking him a very serious young man, though not unappealing in a darkly brooding sort of way. And I seem to remember too someone, quite recently, mentioning that he resides with his sister who, if I remember correctly, is close to him in age and, like himself, has never married.’

Lady Pelham once again lowered herself gracefully into the chair, and for several moments stared meditatively at an imaginary spot on the carpet. ‘Helen knows nothing of Lord Greythorpe’s most recent letter. She knows nothing either of the extent of his authority over her.’

Annis was surprised to discover this and didn’t attempt to conceal the fact. ‘Great heavens, ma’am! Why on earth did you keep his guardianship secret?’

Lady Pelham shook her head, as though at a loss to know why herself. ‘The truth of the matter is that, even though I was informed, shortly after her father’s demise, that Deverel Greythorpe had become Helen’s legal guardian, I never gave the matter a second thought. Her father never once attempted to interfere in her upbringing, never attempted to make contact at all, come to that. It never occurred to me to suppose that her half-brother might behave differently.’ A further sigh escaped her. ‘Believe me when I say that I didn’t deliberately keep the guardianship secret from Helen. All the same, I cannot help feeling that it would be a mistake to reveal it at the present time, while she is still viewing a certain unscrupulous young rogue through a rosy haze.’

Annis, having no difficulty understanding this viewpoint, at last began to appreciate the extent of her godmother’s grave concerns. ‘You fear that Helen just might be persuaded into believing a prolonged visit to Greythorpe Manor is a ploy on your and her guardian’s part to separate her from her beau?’

Given her troubles were many at present, Lady Pelham managed a secretive little smile. ‘Not only that, my dear, I sincerely believe it would be a grave mistake to cancel our visit to Devonshire, for I’ve recently discovered that Mr Draycot is, for reasons best known to himself, not at all keen for Helen and I to go there. And I feel sure his objection does not stem from a desire not to be parted from Helen.’

‘How interesting!’ Annis was intrigued. ‘You suspect he fears that you might uncover something unsavoury about him there?’

‘That is precisely what I do think, yes,’ Lady Pelham admitted. ‘And, to be perfectly truthful, what I am hoping. He did on one occasion let fall that he stayed for a short space in that part of the world, though whether in Okehampton itself, where Helen’s friend resides with her parents, I’m not altogether sure. Although I believe Mr Draycot has attempted on more than one occasion to persuade Helen to cancel the visit, declaring he cannot bear to be parted from her even for a few days, she has withstood his pleas thus far, and remains determined to go.’

Lady Pelham returned to her chair as the sound of voices filtered through from the hall. ‘Unless I am much mistaken, Helen has once again come upon Mr Draycot…er…quite by chance, you understand, during her walk in the park, and has, unless my hearing is defective, invited him back for refreshments. You may judge for yourself what manner of man he is. But have a care, Annis, my dear,’ she warned in an undertone. ‘Helen does not expect to discover you here. So you must say your visit is purely impromptu; that you are on your way to stay with friends, and that you simply couldn’t pass so close without visiting us for a day or two. On no account must she discover that I have sent for you.’

As a direct result of that one and only encounter with Mr Daniel Draycot, Annis did not linger in Bath. Within the space of two days, she was travelling across the country again in a hired post-chaise, only through Hampshire this time, a county she had never visited before.

Ordinarily Annis would have found sufficient to capture her attention, even this early in the year, when the countryside was most definitely not looking its best, had it not been for the fact that she was more interested in reaching her destination without delay.

Unfortunately, since her departure from that once-fashionable watering place, the weather had taken a definite turn for the worse. Within the space of twenty-four hours the temperature had plummeted, the country was now being buffeted by a biting-cold east wind, and the leaden sky, which had looked grimly threatening all the morning, was finally adding to the sufferings of hapless travellers by liberally scattering frozen droplets across the landscape.

‘I ought to have bespoken rooms back at that posting-house, instead of foolishly attempting to reach Greythorpe Manor today,’ Annis confided to her sole travelling companion. ‘Both you and the post-boys predicted snow before too long.’

‘You’re not one to ignore sound advice,’ Eliza Disher, ever loyal, countered, ‘leastways, not unless you have good reason. I know well enough that you’re not at all comfortable with this task Lady Pelham has set you. So the sooner it’s over and done with the better you’ll feel, my lamb.’

‘That’s assuming his lordship is willing to receive me,’ Annis responded, smiling despite the fact that she was under no illusion about this herself.

Of course, there was a very real possibility that she might be denied admittance, and the discomforts she had suffered during the past days, travelling about the country at a most unseasonable time of year, would have been for nought.

‘It is true I carry a letter of introduction from my godmother. Whether or not it will suffice, and I shall be granted the interview I seek with the Viscount, is a different matter entirely. Furthermore, as what I wish to discuss is of a very personal nature, I might well be shown the door long before I’m able to state my godmother’s case fully.’

‘I see it this way, Miss Annis, you can do no more than your best,’ the lifelong maid encouraged, thereby winning herself a loving smile from the young woman whom she had helped bring into the world almost twenty-four years before. ‘I know you better than most anyone else does, and know that unless you believed you were doing right to speak up for Lady Pelham, you wouldn’t be here now.’

Silently, she acknowledged the truth of this. Lady Pelham was one of the few members of her own mother’s social class whom Annis openly admired. A widow of many years, Henrietta Pelham was intelligent and good-natured, a lady who had taken her responsibilities as a godmother seriously indeed. It was mainly thanks to her that Annis had been able to sample those entertainments enjoyed only by the most privileged class during the many visits she had made to Bath, both before and since her beloved mother’s demise.

Undertaking this mission now was a way of thanking Lady Pelham for the many kindnesses she had shown towards her over the years, but even so Annis had not made her decision without giving the matter a deal of thought first.

‘Well, Dish, every instinct tells me that Lady Pelham has good reason to be suspicious about Mr Daniel Draycot. A rogue and no mistake! I don’t doubt my godmother’s ability to manage things, providing of course she is granted the opportunity. It’s up to me to do my utmost to ensure that she is given sufficient time to reveal Draycot’s true—’

Annis broke off as the carriage came to an unexpected and abrupt halt in the middle of the road. The snow was nowhere near heavy enough to contemplate abandoning the journey quite yet. So she could only assume that the post-boys, not quite certain of the precise location of Greythorpe Manor, were debating between themselves which fork in the road to take.

Drawing her cloak more tightly about her against the inevitable blast of cold air, Annis let down the window, and demanded an immediate explanation for the delay. An apologetic post-boy was before her almost at once, appearing decidedly ill at ease as he revealed the surprising intelligence that there was what appeared to be a body lying in the road, just up ahead.

Naturally surprised, but not unduly alarmed, Annis alighted from the carriage the instant the steps had been let down, with the fiercely protective Disher close on her heels.

She had grown accustomed throughout her life to being compared with her father. Not only did she resemble him in looks, but, to a certain extent, in character too. Undeniably she had inherited the late Dr Milbank’s acute powers of observation, which she put to good use as she approached the clearly masculine form lying prostrate in the road, and the handsome chestnut gelding standing a mere few yards away from his evidently injured master.

After casting a cursory glance over her left shoulder at the trees that edged the road, Annis dropped to her knees in order to examine the stranger more closely. The blood oozing from a scorched portion of his jacket sleeve, between shoulder and elbow, told its own tale, as did the slight swelling and gash on his forehead. With her maid’s assistance she managed to turn the stranger over on his back. Unfortunately a brief examination of his various pockets did not reveal his identity, merely the fact that the motive for the attack was unlikely to have been robbery.

‘Begging your pardon, miss,’ the agitated post-boy said as Annis, after a closer inspection of the area surrounding the injured man, rose at last to her feet, ‘but we’d best not linger. No saying as who might still be about, lying in wait,’ he added, before he turned, eager, it seemed, to rejoin his colleague and remount his horse.

‘You are not proposing, I trust, to continue the journey and leave this poor fellow here?’ Annis asked, raising her fine, expressive brows in faint hauteur, a gesture that never failed to put Disher in mind of her young mistress’s aristocratic grandmother, in her time a fearsome matriarch whom one had defied at one’s peril.

The look had the desired effect. The injured man was subsequently deposited in the carriage by the two stocky post-boys, though not without a deal of grumbling, and muttering of colourful oaths. Not disposed to linger herself, Annis did not hesitate to order the resumption of the journey once the stranger’s fine gelding had been secured to the back of the conveyance.

‘Are you hoping someone at Greythorpe Manor might know who he is?’ Disher asked, after watching her mistress’s attempt to make the stranger more comfortable by placing a fur muff beneath his injured head, and covering him with a rug.

‘If he’s from around these parts, and I have every reason to suppose he might well be, then, yes, there’s every chance he’ll be known by someone at the Manor.’ Annis took a moment to study the evident aristocratic lines of a face that, although not handsome, was ruggedly attractive and full of character. ‘His clothes alone suggest a man of some means. His mount too is a fine piece of horseflesh. Moreover, gentlemen with funds aplenty at their disposal usually travel great distances by carriage, not on horseback. That is why I’m inclined to believe he’s local.’

Disher smiled. ‘How you put me in mind of your sainted father at times like these, Miss Annis.’

If she had suspected this praise to be received with any degree of pleasure she was doomed to disappointment. When she attained no response whatsoever, she turned her head, and was surprised to discover deep lines of concern furrowing her young mistress’s intelligent brow. ‘What’s troubling you, miss? Do you suspect the gentleman is badly hurt?’

‘A more thorough examination is needed to be sure, but I wouldn’t have said so, no,’ Annis answered promptly. ‘Clearly he’s been shot, but that I suspect is nought but a scratch. The gash to his head is the more serious injury and, unless I’m very much mistaken, was sustained when he fell from his mount.’ She frowned again, perplexed. ‘What I find hard to understand is the motive for the attack. It certainly wasn’t robbery. You saw yourself the size of the purse I drew from his pocket.’

‘Perhaps we happened along before the robber had time to search for the gentleman’s valuables,’ the maid suggested, ‘and he made a quick getaway before he was seen by the post-boys.’

‘Unlikely, Dish,’ Annis countered. ‘As we didn’t hear the sound of a shot—and neither, I suspect, did the post-boys, otherwise they wouldn’t have been quite so surprised to discover our friend here in the road—it’s reasonable to suppose the incident occurred some little time before we arrived on the scene. This is corroborated by the lack of footprints in the snow. Apart from our own, and the chestnut gelding’s, there were no prints. It began to snow some fifteen minutes ago, no more. So the attack, I imagine, took place shortly before then. Ample time for a would-be robber to rifle through the gentleman’s pockets, I should say.’

As the carriage slowed yet again before passing between the stone pillars of an imposing gateway, Annis’s thoughts turned to more mundane matters. Since their return to the carriage the weather had deteriorated further. It was almost impossible to distinguish between the sweep of the drive and the grass verges, and she couldn’t help feeling a deal of unease about the return journey to town. Time was of the essence. In consequence she didn’t waste a precious second in studying the architectural splendour of the Restoration mansion, when the carriage came to a halt outside the imposing front entrance a few minutes later, but marched resolutely up to the solid oak door.

The footman in smart green livery who came in response to her imperious application of the door-knocker was not slow to divulge his master’s absence from home, or the fact that Viscount Greythorpe rarely saw strangers without an appointment.

Annis, undaunted, merely announced her intention of leaving a letter of introduction, and returning on the morrow, weather permitting, before revealing the more pressing concern of the stranger in her hired conveyance.

Although naturally taken aback, the footman braved the elements and accompanied her back down the steps to the waiting carriage. ‘You evidently recognise the gentleman,’ Annis said when the footman’s jaw dropped perceptively the instant after he had peered into the carriage.

‘Know him, ma’am? I should say so… It’s his lordship!’

Chapter Two

A fter silently acknowledging how incredibly stupid she had been not to have considered the very real possibility that the injured gentleman might just turn out to be none other than the very person she had travelled so far to see, Annis took command of the situation by ordering the stupefied young footman to assist one of the post-boys in lifting his lordship from the carriage.

Even though by no stretch of the imagination had things gone according to plan that day, Annis was determined to maintain the dignified calm that she never failed to exhibit in times of stress, and for which she was much admired. Without experiencing the least reluctance to do so, she followed into the spacious hall, where she caught immediate sight of someone crossing the chequered floor, heading purposefully in her direction, whose mien strongly suggested that he might well turn out to be none other than the iron ruler of the household staff.

Surprisingly he exhibited no shock whatsoever at the means by which his master had entered the Manor. Only when he fixed his steely gaze on her did his expression alter to any significant degree, and he betrayed what looked suspiciously like a flicker of distaste, as though he had detected a slightly unpleasant odour.

“Never, ever, betray diffidence when dealing with servants, Annis,” her mother had once counselled her, “most especially high-ranking ones. Good servants are extremely discerning. They rarely fail to recognise persons of quality, and will respond accordingly.”

Consequently, Annis returned the major-domo’s rather supercilious regard without so much as a blink, even going so far as to raise her pointed little chin slightly, as her mother’s excellent advice filtered through her mind.

‘I came upon this gentleman, whom I am reliably informed is none other than your master, along the road. I do not believe him to be seriously injured. None the less, he will need to be warmed and made comfortable without delay, and quite naturally a doctor must be summoned,’ she advised, and was rewarded a moment later when the butler, seemingly having no difficulty in detecting the dignified authority in her voice, carried out the instructions by summoning several underlings into the hall.

Once she had watched the unconscious master of the house being safely conveyed to the upper floor by way of a handsomely carved wooden staircase, she turned her attention again to the major-domo. ‘Is his lordship’s sister at home?’ she enquired, thereby proving that, although a perfect stranger, she wasn’t completely ignorant about the Viscount’s family.

‘Miss Greythorpe is at present paying a visit to a retired servant residing on the estate, ma’am.’

Annis had no difficulty herself in detecting the slight note of reserve as the butler volunteered at least this snippet of information. In the normal course of events she didn’t doubt for a moment that he would never have dreamed of revealing his mistress’s whereabouts to a complete unknown. The fact of the matter was, though, that circumstances were anything but normal, and protocol must be set aside at least for the present.

The steadfastness of her gaze succeeded in retaining the punctilious servant’s full attention. ‘If your mistress left the house any length of time ago and, more especially, on foot, I would strongly recommend that you take it upon yourself to send out the carriage without delay in order to collect her. The roads are still passable at present, but this, I fear, will soon not be the case. The wind is strengthening as we speak, and drifts will not be long in forming. Which reminds me,’ she added, turning to the post-boy who, having been relieved of the strenuous task of carrying his lordship, had remained in the hall. ‘You must return to town while you’re still able. Secure rooms at the posting-house, and there await my further instructions.’

Finally, Annis focused her attention on her personal maid, who had witnessed proceedings with an appreciative gleam in her kindly eyes for the no-nonsense and dignified manner in which her young mistress had conducted herself in what might have turned out to be a most embarrassing situation.

‘Ensure our overnight bags and my small travelling case are removed from the post-chaise, Dish. Naturally, we cannot think of leaving before Miss Greythorpe returns. No doubt she would appreciate an explanation of how it came about that a complete stranger took it upon herself to convey his lordship back to his home in a post-chaise and four.’

The light of battle replaced the appreciative gleam in Disher’s eyes when the butler looked as if he was about to proffer an alternative suggestion. ‘She’ll appreciate your presence here a deal more if the doctor is unable to visit, Miss Annis. Leastwise, we can see to it that his lordship is as comfortable as may be until the doctor arrives. I’ll take a look at him first if you’re agreeable?’

‘By all means do so, Dish, once you’ve supervised the removal of those bags necessary for our comfort from the carriage,’ Annis urged her. ‘I, in the meantime, intend to await Miss Greythorpe’s return.’ She turned her attention to the butler once more, her own eyes now flashing a challenge. ‘But not in this hall.’

Annis didn’t doubt that even though the iron ruler of the household staff must be troubled by recent events, not to mention puzzled by her unexpected arrival on the scene, he had by this time made up his mind that his lordship’s somewhat unconventional rescuer was, if nothing else, clearly the daughter of a gentleman, for he didn’t hesitate to show her into a small, homely parlour, where Annis wasn’t slow to take advantage of the chair placed by the comfort of a roaring fire, before divulging her full name, and then enquiring his own.

‘Yes, Dunster, I should very much appreciate a dish of tea while I await Miss Greythorpe’s return,’ she promptly replied, after the butler, thawing marginally, had responded to her question and then had made the offer of refreshment. ‘But nothing to eat, I thank you. With luck your mistress will not be long delayed. Then I shall make my way back to town as soon as may be, and eat my dinner there.’

Although her voiced desire to be gone from the Manor without undue delay, thereby not attempting to take advantage of his lordship’s hospitality, had won her a further flicker of approval from the punctilious retainer, Annis wasn’t unduly surprised to be forced to revise her plans a short time later when, having been furnished with the promised refreshment, she was informed that her presence was required immediately in the master bedchamber.

Dunster took it upon himself to act as escort. Whether this singular honour had been bestowed upon her out of deference, or a simple desire to keep a watchful eye on the many valuable items of silver and porcelain to be found gracing various positions en route, Annis wasn’t at all sure. Nor, for that matter, did she care too much, for she took little interest in the richness of her surroundings, wanting only to answer the summons that she was well aware would not have been issued unless necessary.

One glance at his lordship’s arm justified the trust she placed in her maid’s judgement. ‘Yes, Dish,’ she said, settling herself on the edge of the richly draped four-poster bed, the better to examine the injury. ‘There are some threads embedded in the wound. My tweezers, if you please.’

‘I didn’t dare risk probing myself, Miss Annis, not with my eyes,’ Disher admitted. ‘And the wound looks as though it could turn uncommon nasty if mauled about unnecessarily.’

‘It’s certainly inflamed, Dish. But it’s still little more than a scratch, thank goodness! And at least I’ve been spared the necessity of having to probe for a piece of lead shot.’

Out of the corner of her eye Annis saw the butler and another male servant, whom she supposed must be his lordship’s valet, exchange startled glances, as though amazed that ‘a mere slip of a girl’ would ever contemplate attempting such a thing, and smiled to herself before returning her full attention to the injured arm.

‘That’s as much as can be done for the present,’ she announced, a few moments later, after successfully extracting the threads, thoroughly cleansing the inflamed area, and binding the wound up deftly. ‘Has he regained consciousness at all, even for a moment?’

‘Not since he was carried into this chamber, ma’am,’ the valet volunteered. ‘His lordship did not so much as stir when we removed his clothes and placed him in his nightshirt.’

Although not altogether happy to learn this, Annis betrayed none of her concerns as she turned to her maid. ‘I’ll remain with him for the present, Dish. You rest for a while and partake of refreshments. I’m sure Dunster, here, will kindly see to it that you are made comfortable.’

His slight bow in acknowledgement was sufficient to assure Annis that he was prepared, at least for the time being, to leave someone who had shown such presence of mind, and a certain degree of knowledge, in charge of the sickroom. All the same, she had no desire to give the impression that she had any desire to rule the roost, and so requested him to send word the instant his lordship’s sister returned.

The valet, eager, seemingly, to undertake his normal duties, was not slow to follow the others from the room, shaking his head as he did so, while bemoaning the damage to his master’s superbly tailored coat and expensive linen, leaving Annis free to study his lordship in private for the first time.

His straight-limbed and well-muscled physique clearly revealed a life of comfort, but certainly not one of overindulgence. A second and much closer perusal of his physiognomy did not persuade her to change her former opinion. His features, though undeniably regular, were too sharply defined for him to be considered handsome, though a generous breadth of forehead suggested strongly that he wasn’t lacking intelligence. Although her godmother, Lady Pelham, had mentioned that he had attained the age of thirty in recent weeks, there wasn’t a surfeit of lines about the eyes and mouth, which might well indicate, Annis thought, that he was a gentleman not given to smiling much. It did not automatically follow, though, that he went out of his way to be disagreeable or was totally lacking in humour, and it would be a mistake to assume that this might be so.

Leaning forward, she placed her fingers gently over that deep furrow between coal-black brows, further evidence, she quickly decided, of a serious bent rather than a frivolous one. But of nothing more, she reiterated silently, striving to keep an open mind.

Conscious all the while of the dry, yet not excessive, heat rising steadily through her fingers, she turned her head to gaze absently through the window at the slowly increasing pile of snowflakes gathering on the sill and the now totally white landscape beyond, before returning her attention to her patient, and discovering herself the recipient of a steady, albeit slightly puzzled, gaze.

‘Welcome back, sir,’ she said gently, while removing her hand and rising from the bed. ‘Do you recognise your surroundings?’

‘I do… But I cannot say the same for you, ma’am.’

‘Nor should you,’ Annis responded, instantly liking the husky timbre of the cultured, masculine voice. ‘Suffice it to say that you sustained a fall from your horse and it was I who took it upon myself to return you to your home.’

There was a slight grimace as he raised one of his black brows a fraction. ‘An angel of mercy, I perceive!’

Annis couldn’t forbear a smile at the thread of scepticism she clearly discerned. ‘I have been called many things in my time, sir, but an angel has never numbered amongst them until now.’ She became serious again. ‘How do you feel? As though you have been kicked by a mule, I dare swear.’

‘I feel as if someone is pounding my head with a mallet, certainly.’

‘How many fingers am I holding up?’ Annis asked, after raising one hand.

A faint look of boredom flickered over his features. ‘Three.’

‘And you can see me quite clearly?’

There was a slight pause while blue eyes, of a particular dark and striking shade, travelled over the mass of glossy chestnut curls that framed her face. ‘Perfectly.’

‘In that case I shan’t plague you further for the present.’ Reaching for a certain bottle in her case, Annis carefully measured several drops into a clean glass and added water before slipping her arm beneath his lordship’s broad shoulders. ‘Drink this,’ she coaxed, after successfully raising him slightly. ‘It will help you to sleep. Hopefully your head will feel better when you wake again.’

His lordship required no further prompting. He swallowed the liquid meekly, as though unequal to the task of putting up any form of resistance. He certainly seemed disinclined to attempt further conversation, and during those few minutes his eyes remained open he spoke not a word, though Annis had the feeling that he remained very conscious of her presence, before his heavy lids finally lowered.

A moment later the tranquillity pervading the master bedchamber was broken by the reappearance of none other than the butler, who delivered the welcome news that his mistress had returned safely, and was awaiting Miss Milbank in the parlour. Once again he took it upon himself to act as escort, even going so far as to introduce Annis very graciously, before leaving the two ladies alone together.

As she came forward to take the proffered hand, Annis was immediately struck by the strong resemblance between the Greythorpe siblings. Then her perceptive gaze registered the worry and puzzlement in the blue eyes that the brief and tentative smile of welcome could not quite disguise.

‘I do not know how much you have learned since your return, Miss Greythorpe,’ she said, coming straight to the point in her no-nonsense manner in an attempt to allay what she suspected must surely be the sister’s most pressing concern. ‘But let me assure you that, in my opinion, your brother is not seriously injured. In point of fact, he regained consciousness a few minutes ago, and was quite lucid. He betrayed no signs of impaired vision, though he did complain of a headache, which is perfectly understandable in the circumstances. Furthermore, there are no signs of a significant rise in his temperature.’

Annis took a moment to stare once again through a window at the increasing depth of snow covering the landscape. ‘In view of the fact that it is highly unlikely that the doctor will arrive in the near future, if indeed at all this day, I took it upon myself to tend to your brother’s injuries personally and administer a few drops of laudanum to ensure that he sleeps at least for the next few hours.’

The troubled look that followed this pronouncement was not lost on her either. ‘Do not be alarmed, Miss Greythorpe. My father was a practitioner. And an exceptional one, if I may say so. He saw fit to pass on some of his knowledge and skill to me, at least sufficient for me to do more good than harm.’

The concerned expression faded marginally. ‘Please forgive me, Miss Milbank. You must think me quite rag-mannered. Do sit down. As you can appreciate, I am sure, I am somewhat puzzled by what I’ve discovered since my return. I understand that you came upon my brother lying in the road, and that he had been shot?’

Annis didn’t doubt for a second that the tall, angular woman standing before her was finding it difficult to comprehend just why such a fate should have befallen the head of the household. No matter what others thought about Lord Greythorpe, his sister clearly considered him above reproach.

‘That is correct, ma’am. Perhaps, though, I should begin by explaining why it was that I, a complete stranger, should happen along at a most opportune time,’ Annis said, after once again making herself comfortable in the chair by the hearth. ‘It was with the sole purpose of seeking an interview with Viscount Greythorpe that prompted my visit to this part of the country.’

She could see at once that she had captured her listener’s full attention. ‘Although I am not acquainted with his lordship personally, I have been acquainted with another member of your family for very many years—your sister, Helen. In point of fact, her aunt is my godmother. And it was at Lady Pelham’s behest that I have made this journey into Hampshire.’

Although Sarah Greythorpe was clearly intrigued to learn this, her most pressing concern was to discover more about what had happened to her brother, as she proved when she said, ‘And so it was while you were travelling here to the Manor that you came upon his lordship lying in the road?’

Annis nodded. ‘Quite correct, ma’am. Naturally, never having seen him before, I had no notion of who he might be. It wasn’t until I arrived here that I discovered his identity.’

‘Yes, yes. I can fully appreciate that,’ she said, placing a slightly shaking hand to a forehead that was deeply etched, betraying a lingering anxiety. ‘I just cannot understand who might have wished Deverel harm.’

Although she could fully understand these concerns, Annis, being an immensely practical sort of person, considered the immediate future of far more importance.

‘No doubt we shall discover more when your brother is up and about again. Which I do not envisage will be long delayed. All the same, I did take it upon myself to send for a doctor. What manner of man is your local practitioner?’

The response came without a moment’s delay. ‘Thankfully, an extremely conscientious one.’

‘In that case, he will not hesitate to answer the summons, if he is able.’

All at once Sarah Greythorpe looked troubled again. ‘I have already called upon his services once this day,’ she disclosed. ‘He was with me for a time, attending to an injury sustained by a retired elderly retainer. While on the estate, he received word that his presence was urgently required several miles away. He left just as the first flakes of snow began to fall.’

‘In that case, we would be foolish to suppose that he will manage to call here. Furthermore, he would be very foolish to make the attempt, as the snow is falling harder than ever now. Which brings me to the matter concerning me most at present, Miss Greythorpe. I took it upon myself to remain here until your return, and sent my hired carriage back to town. I very much fear I must take advantage of your kind hospitality by seeking refuge under your roof until the weather improves and my maid and I can be conveyed to the posting-house,’ Annis explained, a moment before the door unexpectedly opened.

She then watched a girl, not long out of the schoolroom, she judged, slip shyly into the room, thereby denying Miss Greythorpe the opportunity to respond, and obliging her reluctant hostess to make known the identity of the new arrival.

Although initially Sarah Greythorpe might not have been altogether happy about being compelled to house two complete strangers for an indefinite period, by the time the evening was well advanced, the slight misgivings she had once harboured had all but disappeared, and she was surprisingly experiencing, given the traumatic events of the day, a feeling of rare contentment as she paid her second visit to her brother’s apartments in the west wing.

The surprising feeling of well-being that had increased with the passing of the hours was given a further boost the instant she entered the master bedchamber to discover the head of the family awake this time, and propped against a mound of pillows, sombrely contemplating the bowl of weak broth set before him on a tray.

As Annis had correctly judged, Viscount Greythorpe could never be accused of being light-minded. None the less, Sarah did not allow that inscrutable expression he invariably maintained to deter her from approaching the bed, for she above anyone knew that her brother was a master at concealing his emotions, and that it was nigh impossible to judge his moods.

‘How are you feeling now, after your long sleep? Better, I trust?’ she asked, showing a deal more animation than she had been wont to display in many a long year.

His lordship regarded her in silence, while he depleted further the contents of the bowl. ‘I’d feel a good deal better if I hadn’t been experiencing the increasing conviction that, during the past hours, my household had been taken over by a perfect stranger, and one who, moreover, I strongly suspect, is a very managing female withal.’

‘Oh, no, no, not managing!’ His sister was all delightful confusion, an attitude he had witnessed all too frequently over the years. ‘I’m certain she has only your best interests at heart.’

He smiled grimly. ‘I am pleased that you retain sense enough not to attempt to deny it, my dear. I should never have believed you had you tried. I know you too well. You would never have had the temerity to insist I drink only water, nor present me with only a bowl of weak broth, after I had fasted for most of the day.’

‘Oh, well…Annis…Miss Milbank assured me it would be necessary to keep your diet light at least for today, as there was just the slight risk you might become feverish,’ Sarah explained in what his lordship considered an unnecessarily coaxing voice, as though she were trying to reason with some unruly child.

‘Doctor Prentiss has not called,’ she continued, when he made no comment. ‘Which is in no way surprising, my dear, in view of the fact that it has snowed for most of the afternoon and evening. And I’m reliably informed by Dunster that there are drifts hereabouts now of six feet and more. If it hadn’t been for Annis’s presence of mind, Louise and I might well have found ourselves stranded at Nanny Berry’s cottage. I really ought not to have considered walking over to see her after luncheon.’ She paused momentarily to make a little helpless gesture with her hand. ‘But you know how difficult I find it, keeping our cousin Louise amused. I thought it would pass the time. And I cannot be sorry that I did so now, for Nanny Berry sustained a fall this morning and twisted her ankle rather badly. It was Dunster who informed me that it was Annis who suggested he send the carriage to collect us.

‘She is such a capable person,’ she went on hurriedly, when he maintained a stony silence throughout this recital of random snippets of information. ‘I cannot tell you what a relief I have found it having her here. We have passed such a very jolly evening, too. Why, I’ve never seen little Louise so animated! Except for those initial few minutes, when they were first introduced, she has not shown the least shyness in Annis’s company.’

His lordship took pity at last. ‘That being the case, I do not imagine that it was your enterprising Miss Milbank who had the temerity to present me with this meagre repast in person a short time ago?’

‘No, I expect that was Dish…I mean Disher, Miss Milbank’s companion and personal maid,’ Sarah explained. ‘It was she who sat with you for most of the evening. But it was Annis herself who took care of you earlier in the day. It was, in fact, she who discovered you in the road, and took it upon herself to return you safely home.’

‘Yes, so Flitwick informed me not so long ago,’ his lordship responded, after his mind’s eye had successfully summoned up a clear image of chestnut curls framing a highly pleasing, if not conventionally beautiful, countenance. ‘I did not recognise her. She is not, I think, from around these parts?’

‘No, Deverel, she is not,’ Sarah confirmed, appearing slightly troubled again. ‘She has lived all her life in the Shires. In point of fact, it was with the very intention of seeking you out that brought her here.’

He betrayed a marked degree of interest now. ‘Indeed?’

Unfortunately the slight edge of disapproval in his tone was not lost on her, and was more than sufficient to assure Sarah that he was not altogether pleased to learn this; and although she fully appreciated his policy of not admitting perfect strangers to the house, she found herself instantly coming to their unexpected guest’s defence.

‘I would be the first to admit that Miss Milbank is not what one might consider a…er…conventional young woman, Deverel. In point of fact, I think it would be fair to say that she is quite out of the common way. But let me assure you there is absolutely nothing in her manner to suggest that she is anything other than a very proper person. Why, even Dunster took it upon himself to order her baggage placed in the green bedchamber, would you believe? And as I have heard you remark on several occasions, you can rely on our butler to know what’s what.’

‘The green bedchamber, eh? Approval, indeed!’ his lordship was obliged to concede, raising a brow.

Sarah quickly nodded in agreement. ‘I cannot tell you the precise reason why she wishes to see you, Deverel, and I feel fairly certain that she wouldn’t have satisfied my curiosity if I’d had the temerity to ask. But what I can tell you is that Lady Henrietta Pelham is none other than her godmother. So I can only assume her business with you must have something to do with Helen.’

If she had expected this information to reassure him, she soon realised her mistake when the line between his jet brows grew very much more pronounced, a clear indication that his initial curiosity had been overshadowed by a strong feeling of annoyance. Those who knew the Viscount well could testify to his being a fair and, for the most part, tolerant man. The one thing he would not countenance, however, was interference in his personal concerns.

‘In that case, Sarah, you had best go and assure our unexpected guest that she shall be granted the interview she desires directly after breakfast tomorrow.’ The smile that curled one corner of his mouth was neither pleasant nor of long duration. ‘Whether she enjoys the experience or not is a different matter entirely.’

Chapter Three

W hether or not it was having enjoyed a good night’s rest in possibly the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in in her life that had resulted in a feeling of utter contentment, Annis wasn’t perfectly sure. She only knew she felt not a whit disturbed at the prospect of being obliged to remain at the Manor at least for a further day, and possibly a good deal longer. In fact, she was very much looking forward to spending more time with those two charming females whose delightful company she would never have been privileged to enjoy in the normal course of events.

All the same, Annis was nothing if not a realist. She was well aware that perhaps not everyone residing at Greythorpe Manor might be pleased to be housing an uninvited guest. Nor was she prepared to forget what had necessitated her visit to the county in the first place. Consequently, after savouring the rare treat of a leisurely breakfast in bed, she didn’t delay in answering the summons to join the master of the house in the library.

Seemingly content to maintain the role of personal escort, Dunster was on hand to show her the way to the handsome book-lined room on the ground floor, where the master of the house stood sentinel-like by the window, surveying his acreage of snow-covered park land.

For several moments, after his butler had announced his visitor and had withdrawn, his lordship didn’t move so much as a muscle. Then, very slowly, he turned, and subjected Annis to a prolonged stare, which was no less disturbingly direct than her own could be on occasions.

Just what flaws in her person his thorough appraisal had managed to locate, Annis had no way of knowing, for his expression remained quite inscrutable as he came slowly round the desk towards her, gesturing towards a chair by the hearth as he did so and inviting her to sit down.

‘Firstly, Miss Milbank, I must thank you for the singular service you rendered me yesterday. But for your timely assistance, my case might have become dire indeed.’

‘You do not appear to be suffering unduly after your unfortunate experience,’ Annis responded, having some difficulty deciding whether he was genuinely grateful, or merely adhering to the social niceties by offering his thanks.

‘But for your intervention, Miss Milbank, I might well be suffering a deal more than a few bruises and a sore arm.’

‘You make too much of it, sir,’ she responded, raising a hand and moving it swiftly through the air, as though attempting to rid herself of a troublesome insect.

‘Not according to what my sister and servants tell me,’ he countered, his voice, like his gaze, revealing nothing of what was really passing through his mind.

‘Then let us both thank Providence, sir,’ Annis suggested, all at once sensing that Viscount Greythorpe was a gentleman who favoured plain speaking. ‘The unexpected encounter has been as much to my benefit as yours. Had I not come upon you lying in the road, I might well have been denied, outright, the interview I’m being granted now.’

For an instant something that might well have been akin to approval flickered in the depths of deep blue eyes. It was gone too quickly for Annis to be certain. None the less, she considered it a modest victory. At least she had succeeded in piercing that inscrutable mask, if only briefly. Just what could lurk, hidden from the world at large, behind that impassive façade she might never be granted the opportunity to discover. There was one thing of which she was absolutely certain now, though—the master of Greythorpe Manor was not so coolly detached as he might wish to appear.

‘It wasn’t until last night,’ she began, ‘while I was lying in bed, that I began to appreciate, perhaps for the very first time, that any gentleman who places a high value on his reputation must of necessity remain on his guard. Females, of course, need to be extra-vigilant. But there are pitfalls for the unwary of both sexes,’ she continued, gazing thoughtfully into the fire, and thereby missing the quite different flicker this time that glinted in his lordship’s eyes. ‘Here am I, a complete stranger… How can you possibly be sure I am who I say I am, seeking you out for a legitimate reason, and not some designing harpy out to entrap you for personal gain?’

If his lordship was taken aback by the indelicate choice of language, he certainly betrayed no sign of it. ‘Be easy on that score,’ he said, his intense gaze not wavering for a second. ‘I have no doubt that you are Miss Annis Milbank of the Shires. And not, I am persuaded, come here for reasons of your own.’ If possible, his gaze grew marginally more searching. ‘Nor, I am persuaded, did you agree to come here altogether willingly, but at Lady Pelham’s personal request.’

She could not help but admire his perspicacity. Seemingly his sister had passed on what little information Annis had been willing to divulge the previous evening, and he had deduced correctly that she was here at someone else’s behest, though whether he was altogether pleased about it was a different matter entirely. She strongly suspected that he was not, and was doing his utmost to conceal the fact.

The suspicion did not, however, deter her from assuring him that he was perfectly correct. ‘Indeed, yes, sir, a circumstance I should now be in a position to prove, if I hadn’t foolishly overlooked the fact yesterday that I had, for safekeeping, placed my godmother’s letter of introduction in one of those bags now awaiting my arrival at the posting-house in your local town. Furthermore,’ she added when he made no response, ‘you are perfectly correct in your assumption. I did indeed undertake this mission most reluctantly.’

Curiosity evidently had managed to get the better of him, because he put in rather sharply, ‘Why so?’

‘Because I consider I’m not the most suitable person to adopt the role of emissary. I am on occasions too plain-spoken for some people’s tastes.’ She shrugged. ‘Lady Pelham, however, thought differently, possibly because her long and close friendship with my late mother resulted in my own extensive knowledge of her private concerns.’

‘Miss Milbank,’ he said after a further prolonged silence, during which she was yet again subjected to close scrutiny, ‘I do not boggle at plain-speaking. You may fulfil your designated role with impunity.’

Thus assured, Annis didn’t hesitate to reveal the dilemma besetting Lady Henrietta Pelham. She deliberately refrained from embellishing the reasons why her godmother considered it detrimental to visit Greythorpe Manor at the present time with explanations of her own. Yet, surprisingly enough, it was precisely her own views on the matter that he sought the instant she had revealed all.

‘Come, Miss Milbank,’ he urged, when she continued to regard him with just a hint of suspicion in what he considered a refreshingly direct gaze for one of her sex. ‘I do appreciate you were in Draycot’s company for a brief period only, and on that single occasion. Nevertheless, I cannot believe he departed from your godmother’s home without leaving an impression upon you.’

He detected just a hint of a smile playing about the sweet curve of her lips, before she turned her head to watch the flames dancing in the hearth. For several moments the only sounds he detected in the room was his own even breathing matching the steady ticking of the mantel-clock; and the strong suspicion that Annis Milbank was for the most part a very restful young woman passed through his mind a moment before she admitted,

‘My every instinct tells me my godmother isn’t very far out in her assessment of that particular person’s character, sir. I cannot imagine Mr Draycot would ever concern himself overmuch about the feelings of others.’

She turned her head to look at him, her gaze so prolonged that his lordship had little difficulty in detecting the flecks of green contained in the depths of her lovely grey eyes. ‘It is also my opinion that Lady Pelham has assessed the situation perfectly. It might indeed prove to be a grave error if Helen is forcibly removed from Draycot’s sphere at the present time.’

‘So, you too believe my sister might be persuaded to elope?’

‘I sincerely believe it’s a distinct possibility, yes,’ she answered, scrupulously truthful. Her sigh was clearly audible. ‘Yesterday evening, I found myself on numerous occasions comparing Helen with your cousin Louise. There is less than two years between them, and yet the difference is quite marked. Unlike Louise, your sister doesn’t lack self-confidence and is mature beyond her years.’

‘And yet, from what you tell me, she’s singularly failed to appreciate she has become the target of some gazetted fortune-hunter,’ he countered, rapier-sharp.

‘True. But I didn’t attempt to suggest she lacks any of those less favourable feminine attributes,’ Annis parried, with equal swiftness. ‘What female on the verge of womanhood would not feel highly gratified to become the sole object of a handsome man’s attentions? Draycot’s a veritable Adonis, sir! Why, even I found myself blinking several times when he walked into Godmama’s parlour! And you may be sure that a handsome face hasn’t caused so much as a fluttering in my breast for years!’

It could well have been a trick of the light, but Annis felt sure she detected what looked suspiciously like a twitch at one side of his lordship’s mouth, before he raised a shapely hand to massage his chin, as though giving due consideration to what he had just learned.

‘Sir, I wouldn’t dream of attempting to suggest your sister is so well adjusted that she doesn’t require guidance,’ she went on, when he continued to gaze meditatively at some imaginary spot on the hearth rug. ‘But what I do believe is that eventually sense will prevail and she will see Draycot for precisely what he is. Lady Pelham is wishful for Helen to attend the party here at the beginning of April, and become acquainted with her Greythorpe relations. What she’s endeavouring to do is not reveal her opinion of Draycot, and give the impression that she has any intention of removing Helen from his sphere by insisting they accept your invitation to spend several weeks here.’

‘Yet she is determined that Helen should spend those few days in Devon next week,’ he parried, but Annis wasn’t in the least discomposed by the sharpness of the response.

‘And very well it was managed too,’ she praised, determined to reveal her admiration for the method her godmother had so cleverly adopted. ‘You must remember, sir, that that particular invitation was issued and accepted long before Draycot’s arrival in Bath. And, incidentally, before your first communication was received by Lady Pelham,’ she reminded him.

‘Initially Helen had been overjoyed to think she would be present at her best friend’s birthday celebration. Quite naturally, after Draycot had crossed her path, and tried his utmost to persuade her not to leave Bath, she did begin to have second thoughts about attending the party. Cleverly, Lady Pelham didn’t attempt to remonstrate. She merely said she had no intention of changing her own plans, and that Helen was at liberty to remain behind, if she so wished, providing she stayed in the home of one of Lady Pelham’s close friends. Which resulted in Helen finally deciding herself to accompany her aunt into Devon, despite Mr Draycot’s opposition.

‘Furthermore, during my short stay in Bath, Helen herself revealed that during the time she was still debating on whether to attend her friend’s party, your invitation to stay here at Greythorpe arrived.’ Annis couldn’t suppress a half-smile. ‘Even Helen herself considered it most odd that a gentleman who, in one breath, had been professing himself heartbroken at the mere thought of being parted from her for so much as a long weekend should, in the next, be actively encouraging her to enjoy a protracted stay with relations in Hampshire. I’m as one with my godmother. There is something decidedly smoky about Draycot. And he definitely has a very good reason for not wishing Helen and Godmama to visit Devon.’

The long silence that followed was broken when the Viscount unexpectedly asked, ‘Okehampton is where this forthcoming party is taking place, I believe you said?’

Annis nodded as she watched him rise to his feet, his brow once more furrowed by deep lines of thought as he turned to take up his former stance before one of the windows. When he attempted to say nothing further, she took it to mean that he considered the interview at an end, and was not unduly sorry herself. She had completed the task for which she had been entrusted, and to press the matter further, she strongly suspected, would avail her nothing.

‘Be assured, Miss Milbank, I shall consider carefully what you have told me, and let you know my decision in due course,’ he announced, when the silence was once again broken by the rustling of Annis’s skirts this time, as she rose to her feet. ‘After all, there is no immediate hurry. You won’t be going anywhere for a day or two, I suspect.’

Still unable to decide whether or not he resented this, Annis went across to the door, as content as he appeared to be himself to bring the interview to an end. Then she be-thought herself of another matter, and delved into her pocket, capturing his full attention once again when she tossed the heavy purse down upon his desk.

‘Yours, I believe, sir. I removed it from your pocket when you lay unconscious in the road, and omitted to put it back.’ Annis found herself unable to resist a further smile as she watched his blue eyes focus on the filled leather pouch. ‘Whatever the reason behind the attack upon you, it certainly wasn’t robbery. A further mystery that requires solving, I’m thinking.’

His lordship watched her quietly leave the room before retrieving his property from the desk. ‘Yes, Miss Annis Milbank,’ he murmured, tossing the purse in one hand as though attempting to assess its contents. ‘And no less intriguing than the young woman who retained my property for safekeeping.’

Annis was not destined to cross the Viscount’s path again until that evening, when she joined the family in the small parlour just prior to dinner. Miss Greythorpe had once again proved to be a gracious hostess, keeping her entertained for the majority of the afternoon by taking her on a leisurely tour of the Manor. Louise in particular had proved to be lively company, chuckling constantly at Annis’s less-than-flattering observations about the portraits of the Greythorpe ancestors lining the walls of the picture gallery.

So it came as something of a surprise to Annis to detect a degree of constraint in the atmosphere the instant she entered the comfortable little room where she had spent part of the day plying a needle, while conversing about nothing in particular, or listening to Louise’s highly commendable efforts on the instrument in the corner of the room.

If anything, the atmosphere became a fraction more strained when they took their places in the small, informal dining room, and it wasn’t too difficult for Annis to appreciate why this should be. Although Sarah Greythorpe had been gracious in welcoming a stranger under her roof, there was a definite reserve in her character. Like his lordship, Sarah was not garrulous by nature, and Annis suspected that brother and sister had been content to pass their evenings together in companionable silence. Perhaps both had put themselves out to make slight adjustments in their lifestyle with the advent of Louise’s arrival, but even so it wasn’t to be expected that two such reserved characters would have much in common with a girl of Louise’s age, most especially his lordship, who was clearly finding his young cousin’s natural shyness in his presence somewhat difficult to overcome.

Seized by a benevolent whim, Annis decided to come to his rescue by addressing a remark directly at Louise, thereby forcing the girl to make conversation. ‘I believe you mentioned your parents are at present enjoying an extensive tour of Italy, Louise. When are you expecting them to return?’

‘Late spring,’ was the only response forthcoming.

‘And I seem to recall you mentioned earlier today that you have a brother up at Oxford?’ Annis persisted, determined to see at least a return of a semblance of the girl whose company she had enjoyed earlier in the day.

‘Yes, Tom. In his last letter he said he would try to get down to see me quite soon.’ If anything, she looked more forlorn than before. ‘But I do not think it will be this weekend.’

‘Unlikely,’ his lordship agreed. ‘Only a fool would attempt travelling any distance before a significant thaw.’

‘And with luck that will not be too long in coming,’ Annis put in quickly before his lordship, unintentionally or otherwise, could dampen poor Louise’s spirits further. ‘Then at least you will not be confined to the house, and will no doubt enjoy a good gallop across the park.’

She could see at once by Louise’s crestfallen expression that she had blundered, even before the girl admitted, ‘I don’t ride. I—I don’t like horses.’

‘I’m afraid our cousin suffered a bad fall a year or so ago, and broke her collar bone,’ Sarah explained. ‘As a result she is somewhat nervous round horses now.’

‘Very understandable,’ Annis hurriedly sympathised, thereby successfully recapturing Louise’s attention before the girl could observe the look of impatience that momentarily flickered over his lordship’s features.

Annis strongly suspected he was one of those people who had little sympathy for anyone who made no attempt to overcome his or her fears, and to a certain extent she agreed with this viewpoint. Yet at the same time she could appreciate Louise’s wariness, and decided to voice her further support.

‘Horses, of course, even the most well behaved among them, can be notoriously unpredictable creatures—forever twitching and snorting when one least expects it. And if that isn’t bad enough, you then get the biters and those that do their level best to tread on the toes of the unwary. Worst of all are the kickers!’

Annis wasn’t at all surprised to have retained Louise’s full attention. Evidently the girl wasn’t accustomed to having someone speaking out on her behalf, and she continued to stare across the table in a mixture of gratitude and reverence. Sarah, perhaps finding it a pleasant change not having to seek out topics to keep the dinnertime conversation going, was lending more than a polite ear. His lordship’s gaze too was firmly fixed in Annis’s direction, though there was unmistakably more than just a hint of a suspicious gleam flickering in that razor-sharp stare of his—a suggestion, possibly, of staunch disapproval.

Undeterred by what she strongly suspected might be one listener’s disapprobation, Annis warmed to the subject. ‘My late grandfather once owned a notorious kicker, a beautiful grey hunter, fearless, but downright ruthless to any hapless soul who happened to approach him from the rear. Of course Grandpapa, being Grandpapa, didn’t waste an opportunity to make use of the creature’s failing. I recall quite clearly that morning, and I couldn’t have been more than ten years old at the time, when a close neighbour by the name of McGregor came to call. Being aware of his neighbour’s avaricious tendencies, Grandpapa easily tempted him by tossing a shiny golden guinea down in the line of fire, as it were. To this day I still don’t know how the poor man avoided ending head first in the water trough.’

‘Your grandsire would appear to have been something of a jester, Miss Milbank,’ his lordship remarked drily, after his sister’s ladylike attempts to stifle her chuckles and his cousin’s more open merriment had faded.

‘He could be an out-and-out rascal when it suited his purposes, sir,’ Annis revealed, with total honesty. ‘At the age of fourteen he took it upon himself to run away from school and spent months going about the country from fair to fair with a band of travelling entertainers, would you believe?’

‘Good heavens!’ Sarah exclaimed, appearing genuinely shocked. ‘What on earth possessed him to do such a thing? Anything might have befallen him.’

Annis shrugged. ‘I suspect much did. He always swore he learned more in those few months than at any other time in his life. And, of course, to a certain extent running away served his purpose.

‘His father was intent on him pursuing a career in the church,’ she went on to explain, when his lordship raised one black brow, a clear indication that he was curious to discover more himself now. ‘It was a nonsensical notion, for a more inappropriate person to take holy orders would have been difficult to find. When eventually he was tracked down, his father and mother were so overjoyed to have him safely back in the bosom of the family that they allowed him his way and agreed to his joining the navy, providing he finished his education first. Sadly for Grandpapa, his dream of a career at sea was destined never to be realised. Fate intervened. His elder brother died in a smallpox outbreak, and Grandfather was then groomed to step into his father’s shoes, and inherit the property. He became a considerable landowner who, to do him justice, took his responsibilities very seriously. All the same, he never forgot what he learned during those few months he spent with horse-traders, gypsies and entertainers.

‘In fact, after dinner,’ she added, addressing herself once again directly to Louise, ‘I shall endeavour to entertain you by revealing a little something he learned during that period of unholy adventure.’

Whether it was simply because Louise found dining in his lordship’s presence something of an ordeal, or she was genuinely eager to discover precisely what it was the late Josiah Milbank in his reprehensible youth had been taught by fairground folk that induced her not to delay in finishing her meal was difficult to judge. Nevertheless, it seemed to Annis that in no time at all she was returning to the small parlour with the ladies of the house. Surprisingly enough, the master himself was not far behind them, though whether this attentiveness on his part was prompted by a determination to prove himself the perfect host even to an uninvited guest, or a desire to keep a watchful eye on proceedings, was equally impossible to judge.

Once the tea things had been removed, Dunster, always on hand to cater for every need, was not slow to provide Annis with the items she requested; and although she might have wished that the three dainty porcelain vessels he placed down on the table in order for her to perform her trick might not have appeared quite so expensive or delicate, it wasn’t long before she was concentrating hard and inducing the ladies of the house to part with their money.

‘A perfect example of the quickness of the hand deceiving the eye,’ his lordship drawled, after watching the pile of coins at Annis’s elbow growing steadily taller. ‘Or is it simply a case of fools and their money, etcetera?’ he added, if not looking precisely amused by proceedings, at least not appearing wholly disapproving.

Annis raised the porcelain cup in her right hand to reveal the tiny pebble, which resulted in both Sarah and Louise having once again to dip into their purses for pennies to add to the pile on the corner of the table. ‘Don’t be too disheartened, ladies,’ she said cheerily. ‘It’s all in a good cause, remember? I am relying on you to place my winnings in the poor box. There may be no sign of a thaw yet, but I very much doubt I shall still be here to perform the deed myself after church on Sunday.’

Receiving no response, Annis raised her eyes in time to see Sarah’s smile fade and to discover Louise looking downright crestfallen. It was rather flattering to think that neither lady was eager for her departure. His lordship’s thoughts on the matter of her leaving, on the other hand, were impossible to gauge. His expression remained as impassive as ever, as he continued to regard her steadily from beneath half-closed lids.

‘Do you not care to try your luck, sir?’ she invited, but he was not to be tempted.

‘I do not object to games of chance, Miss Milbank,’ he freely admitted. ‘But I am not so gullible as to partake in those where there is not the remotest possibility of winning. A game or two of picquet is a different matter entirely, however.’

His lordship watched a dimple appear in response to this challenge, before a perfectly sculptured feminine mouth curled into the most natural, roguish smile he had ever seen in his life.

‘You amaze me, sir! Dare you risk challenging a person who from the cradle has been tutored by a master of deception, and who is possibly conversant with at least a dozen ways to cheat at cards?’

His lordship’s response to this deliberate provocation was merely to rise to his feet and saunter across to the gaming-table, from which he drew out a fresh pack of cards, before gesturing with one shapely hand, inviting her to join him.

After a moment’s indecision Annis obliged, though she had little doubt he had definite reasons for singling her out for particular attention. That he was intent on putting her through some kind of test seemed the most obvious conclusion to draw. This was borne out when he quickly suggested a change of game, one involving a deal more skill.

It swiftly became obvious, too, that he was no mean player himself, skilled and, more importantly, remarkably controlled. Moderate sums of money certainly changed hands at frequent intervals, and by the time the evening was fast drawing to a close honours were more or less evenly divided.

‘My compliments, Miss Milbank. You have proved a worthy opponent,’ he announced, forestalling her as she made to rise in order to return to the ladies before finally retiring for the night.

He regarded her in silence for a moment, with just a suspicion of a twitching smile. ‘Given what you’ve revealed about your grandfather this evening, and your evident close bond with the aforementioned worthy gentleman, I should have been astonished if you hadn’t received a deal of instruction in how to fleece your fellow man,’ he surprised her by saying, thereby finally responding to the provocative remark she had voiced earlier. ‘And I should be equally astonished if you were ever to indulge in the reprehensible practice yourself for personal gain.’

‘How well you know me already, sir!’ Annis responded, raising her eyes to discover his lordship quite openly smiling now.

The sight was so unexpected that it caught her completely off guard, and although she would never have indulged in flights of fancy by admitting to a quickening of breath, or a suddenly increased pulse rate, she certainly felt something within her stir, a sensation that was totally novel and therefore impossible to define.

His lordship might never number among the most handsome men she had ever met, but his smile went some way in placing him among those that were quite out of the common way, she swiftly decided. And, she suspected too, not easily forgotten.

Chapter Four

I t was after spending a third night luxuriating in the comfort of a four-poster bed that Annis woke to discover clear evidence that the thaw had at some point during the night well and truly set in.

She was in no way surprised to detect the gentle tinkle-tinkle of water running along the guttering, or to see droplets of melted snow following each other in rapid succession down the panes of glass on her bedchamber windows, for Dr Prentiss, having braved the elements and safely negotiated the numerous snowdrifts, had managed to pay a belated call the previous afternoon. After a brief and favourable examination of his lordship, he had joined the ladies in the parlour, and had assured one and all that he had detected a definite rise in temperature during his journey to the Manor, and had declared he’d be surprised if there wasn’t a thaw before too long.

Although disinclined to make snap judgements about people, Annis had made up her mind long before he had left the house that she rather liked the good doctor. Conscientious, and possessed of a gentle reassuring manner that could not help but put the most nervous patient swiftly at ease, Dr Prentiss had put her forcibly in mind of her own father. Consequently his accurate prediction on the weather came as no surprise. What did rather astonish her, though, was the disappointment she was now experiencing at having no valid reason for remaining at the Manor.

‘Ah, Dish!’ she announced, turning her head as the door opened to discover her loyal maid-cum-companion entering the room. ‘Time to pack our belongings, I think.’

‘Can’t see any reason not to set out for the town this morning, miss,’ Disher responded, after depositing the pitcher of hot water on the washstand. ‘According to one of the stable-lads, the roads are all clear, or clear enough for travel, at any rate.’

‘That is good news,’ Annis replied, lying quite convincingly. She had no intention of revealing how disappointed she felt at the prospect of leaving the Manor, especially as the reason for the unexpected swell of malcontent continued to allude her.

‘Do you want me to ring for your breakfast tray, miss?’

‘I’d much prefer to break my fast in the parlour,’ Annis admitted. ‘However, given the fact that I’ve been assured his lordship prefers his own company for the first meal of the day, it might be as well to pander to his whims, especially as I find myself obliged to take advantage of his generosity still further by begging the use of a carriage to convey us to town.’

‘Do you imagine there’s a chance he might refuse?’

‘Had you asked me that very question directly after I’d perused the blunt letter he’d written to Lady Pelham, Dish, I would have been inclined to suggest there was a very strong possibility he might do precisely that. Now, however, I can safely say, “Certainly not”, with total conviction.’

Absently plucking at the bed covers, Annis began to consider his lordship’s character still further. ‘I should imagine only those select few who number among his closest friends are privileged to know his lordship really well. Notwithstanding, if I’ve discovered anything during our enforced stay here, it’s that Viscount Greythorpe is far from the austere, humourless being one might imagine him to be at first sight. He’s certainly an intelligent man who, I suspect, rarely acts without due consideration. I think, too, that anyone would be extremely foolish to underestimate him; it would come as no great surprise to me, either, to discover that he could be quite ruthless if crossed. First and foremost though, Dish, his lordship is a gentleman, born and bred. He would never see a lady stranded, or turn away without offering his support. Ergo, I harbour no fears that we shall find ourselves obliged to walk to the posting-house in town later this morning.’

Although firmly convinced that her reading of his lordship’s character was accurate, as far as was reasonably possible to judge on so short an acquaintance, Annis wasn’t unduly surprised to be the recipient of that severe frown of his, when she had the temerity to sweep into his private sanctum, unannounced, a little over an hour later. After all, he was essentially a very private man who, if his daily routine was any indication, preferred to spend much of his time alone. Personally she saw nothing amiss with this preference for his own company and, as a guest in his house, would never have dreamt of interrupting at a time when he was clearly working had the need to do so not been absolutely necessary.

‘Forgive the intrusion, my lord,’ she said, boldly slipping into the chair on the opposite side of his desk, after he had belatedly risen to his feet, acknowledging her arrival with the briefest of nods. ‘But, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate, given the favourable change in the weather, I didn’t wish to delay in speaking with you this morning.’

For answer his lordship merely reseated himself, before placing the letter he had been perusing to one side, and paying her the common courtesy of at least favouring her with his full attention, even if his expression remained serious, and not wholly welcoming.

‘Loath though I am to do so, sir, I must beg another favour by requesting the use of a carriage to convey me and my maid to the local town, as there is no reason now for us to remain, and I refuse to take advantage of your kind hospitality further by outstaying the gracious welcome you and your sister have extended thus far to a complete stranger.’

‘There is absolutely no likelihood of your outstaying your welcome,’ his lordship surprised her by responding, before confounding her further by adding, ‘But is not your request of a carriage a little—how shall I put it—precipitate? You had a purpose in coming here, Miss Milbank,’ he reminded her, when she made no attempt whatsoever to conceal her puzzlement. ‘You’ll forgive my saying so, but your attitude this morning is inclined to give the impression that you imagine you’ve been wholly successful in your endeavours, and that I shall be happy to acquiesce to Lady Pelham’s wishes on the matter of my half-sister?’

Annis couldn’t help but admire his directness, and his quite remarkable perspicacity. If the truth were known, she supposed she had been a little presumptuous. Having quickly come to the conclusion that he was in no way an unreasonable person, she supposed she had, indeed, taken it for granted that he would oblige Lady Pelham in this instance by not exerting his authority.

‘Seemingly, sir, I have assumed too much in believing just that,’ she admitted, acknowledging the truth of the accusation without preamble. ‘However, if this is not the case, I cannot imagine there is anything further I can do to make you change your mind, so my remaining cannot possibly serve any useful purpose to either of us.’

‘You err, child,’ he returned swiftly. ‘Your remaining would serve a very useful purpose indeed.’

Startled though she was by the admission, Annis didn’t fail to observe the same odd smile briefly pulling at one corner of his mouth as she had glimpsed on several occasions during the past two evenings, when they had been playing cards together. Whether or not his evident amusement this time had been engendered by her inability to conceal her bewilderment, she had no way of knowing. Notwithstanding, she decided to leave him in no doubt on that score.

‘I am totally at a loss to understand why you should think so, sir.’

His immediate response was to rise to his feet and take up the exact stance by the window that he had adopted during their former meeting in the room. He was undeniably an impressive figure in both height and breadth, and yet surprisingly enough Annis had never found him in any way intimidating. In fact, the opposite was true. The Viscount exuded a quiet dignity that she found oddly comforting and unerringly familiar, because it brought forcibly to mind that special aura she had never failed to detect whenever her late mother had entered a room.

‘Firstly permit me to deal with the matter of my half-sister. I shall not pretend to be overjoyed about the current situation,’ he began slowly, as though choosing each word with extreme care. ‘Nor can I bring myself to wholeheartedly approve of the way Lady Pelham hopes to deal with the matter of my sister’s foolish infatuation. None the less, I do fully appreciate that she believes she is acting in the girl’s best interests. It is beyond question too that her knowledge of Helen’s character is second to none. Consequently, I am prepared not to interfere at this juncture.’

Annis felt a wave of relief wash over her. ‘You will not regret your decision, sir.’

‘I sincerely trust you prove to be right,’ he returned almost brusquely, as he resumed his seat at the desk, his eyes never wavering from hers for an instant. ‘But so that we do not misunderstand each other, I shall speak plainly. Unlike yourself, I am not well acquainted with Lady Pelham. I have never heard anything to the lady’s discredit. In fact, the opposite is true. Common report would have me believe that, having been a widow for many years, she is positively shrouded in respectability. Even so, she would be a rare being indeed if she was without flaw. Therefore I cannot help wondering if this disinclination on her part to pay an extended visit here at this time stems solely from the honest belief that she is acting in her niece’s best interests. It could also be an attempt on her part to continue caring for Helen without outside interference.’

Annis could quite appreciate these reservations, and did not hesitate to offer what reassurance she could, while maintaining the absolute truth. ‘If you are asking me whether or not Lady Pelham resents the fact that you are Helen’s legal guardian, then all I can tell you is that she never admitted as much to me at any time during my recent stay with her. The overall impression I gained was that she welcomes this interest you are taking in your sister.’

His lordship’s regard had never been more keen. ‘Does Helen herself know the extent of my authority over her?’

Annis could see no benefit in attempting to conceal the truth, and so shook her head. ‘To be honest, sir, it came as a mighty shock to me, so I can only imagine how Helen herself will feel when she learns. But let me assure you that Lady Pelham has not deliberately concealed the truth from her. It was simply that it never crossed her mind to suppose that you would behave any differently than your father, so the matter of your guardianship was never really an issue. Given the stance you have adopted, though, my lord, she fully intends to tell Helen. But she will choose her moment with care.’

Again his look was intense, as he said, ‘Clearly you hold your godmother in high regard, Miss Milbank.’

‘Indeed I do,’ she didn’t hesitate to affirm. ‘She is without doubt the most level-headed female of my acquaintance. Furthermore, I know her to be a person of her word. She fully intends to bring Helen here at the end of March in order that you may become acquainted in advance of the party.’

When he merely regarded her in silence, Annis thought he must consider the interview at an end, and was about to rise to her feet when he forestalled her by saying, ‘You, I believe, have been honest with me, Miss Milbank, so I shall be equally frank. I have several reasons for wishing to become acquainted with my half-sister, not least of which is the benefit, I believe, a closer relationship will eventually bring to Sarah. It cannot have escaped your notice,’ he continued in response to her questioning look, ‘that my elder sister is essentially a very private person, very much the introvert. I thought a period of several weeks in which to become better acquainted before the rest of the family descends upon us could only be beneficial to them both.’

A sigh escaped him as he lowered his eyes to study the heavy signet ring on his right hand. ‘However, I cannot in all honesty say that having our young cousin to stay during these past weeks has turned out to be the overwhelming success I had hoped. I do not think you need me to tell you that my sister and cousin have little in common, and although Sarah is genuinely fond of Louise, she finds entertaining the girl something of a trial on occasions, so perhaps I was foolish to suppose that she might find much in common with Helen.’

‘Given that they were kept apart through no fault of their own, it would be nice to think that eventually they will rub along together reasonably well,’ Annis said, feeling that some response from her was required. ‘It will take time, I should imagine, for any deep sisterly bond to develop, however.’

‘Quite so, Miss Milbank! And time, sadly, is not on my side.’ Once again she became the sole object of that most strikingly direct violet-eyed gaze. ‘But Providence, it would seem, most definitely is. She chose to bring to my door someone who is…’ here his lordship paused to shake his head, and for the first time ever in her presence to smile broadly in what seemed to be genuine, wry amusement ‘…blessed with an innate ability to communicate with people on their own level, and make them feel almost instantly less inhibited. No one could have failed to notice that your presence here, Miss Milbank, has been nothing other than highly beneficial. You have, in the most natural manner possible, bridged the divide between my sister and our cousin, which has resulted in a far more relaxed atmosphere prevailing.’

Annis could never recall being complimented in quite the same way before, and while she felt extremely flattered, she had the feeling she had yet to hear the reason for the unexpected praise.

The Viscount chose not to keep her in ignorance for very long. ‘If at all possible, I should very much like to maintain that atmosphere,’ he continued, ‘most especially for Sarah’s sake. She will have much to occupy her during the weeks ahead, with all the preparations for our grandmother’s birthday celebration. So, as I’m sure you can appreciate, having someone on hand to help entertain Louise would lighten her load considerably.’

Once again his lordship smiled, more broadly than he had done before. ‘Not perhaps the most gracious invitation you have ever received, Miss Milbank. But I wish to be as honest with you as you have been with me. My invitation is not merely a gesture of politeness on my part. I do have quite definite reasons for wishing you to remain. Furthermore, I do not want you to harbour the notion that I am seeking some sort of quid pro quo. Nothing could be further from my mind. Be assured that whatever your decision, my resolve not to insist on Helen’s staying with us during these next few weeks will stand.’

Annis continued to hold his gaze across the desk, until he unexpectedly rose to his feet and returned to the window to stare out at what she suspected was for him a favourite view of the estate. She was not quite certain whether it was altogether sensible for her to remain, at least not for the prolonged stay he was proposing. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t immediately understand why she should suddenly be plagued by uncertainty, when only a short time before she had been desperately striving to quell the swell of disappointment at having no valid reason for remaining at the Manor. It was so unlike her to be so contrary, not knowing her own mind.

He began speaking again, and she paid him the common courtesy of concentrating on what he had to say. ‘I do appreciate, Miss Milbank, that you might have commitments back in Leicestershire that make it impossible for you to extend your visit, so I shall not press you. Will you at least do me the honour of taking a day or two to think it over. In the meantime, I shall deal with the matter of the expenses you may have incurred at the inn, and ensure the rest of your belongings are collected and brought here without delay. It is the very least I can do in return for the service you rendered me on your arrival.’

Receiving no response, the Viscount turned in time to catch a surprisingly arresting look in what he had considered from the first to be wonderfully clear and strikingly lovely grey-green eyes.

‘Receiving no outright refusal leads me to hope that I may at least look forward to your company for at least a further week, perhaps?’

‘Until then, sir, certainly,’ Annis finally agreed, drawing her eyes away from the imaginary spot on the wall directly above his left shoulder. ‘It will at least grant me the opportunity to attempt to satisfy what some have stigmatised as my insatiable curiosity.’

His lordship didn’t attempt to curb his. ‘I think I must ask you to explain, Miss Milbank.’

‘I shall make a point, sir, of returning to the place where I came upon you three days ago. It’s just possible I might uncover something that would offer a clue as to the identity of your attacker.’

His lordship shrugged, betraying his distinct lack of concern. ‘I should imagine we have seen the last of the fellow. None the less, if you are intent on investigating, I shall escort you. In fact, I insist upon it, Miss Milbank, in the unlikely event that the rogue is lingering in the locale. Could you be ready to accompany me out in—say—an hour? We could travel in my phaeton. Or would you find an open carriage too cold at this time of year?’

‘On the contrary—ideal, sir!’ she didn’t hesitate to assure him, as she rose from the chair. ‘It shall enable me to see more of the countryside.’

Annis didn’t delay in returning to the bedchamber. Nor did she delay in revealing her revised plans to her faithful maid.

‘Staying, miss…? Whatever for?’ Disher demanded, exercising all the familiarity permitted to a lifelong, devoted servant. ‘I mind you were set against the whole idea of coming here in the first place. I would have thought you’d have been glad to be gone.’

‘Yes, and so should I. But the truth of the matter is, Dish, when I awoke this morning, and discovered I had no valid reason for not packing my bags and leaving, I felt hugely disappointed,’ Annis admitted, prepared now to reveal at least some, if not all, of the contrasting feelings she had been experiencing that morning.

She took a moment to stare about the room that, she had been reliably informed, was one of the best guest bedchambers in the house. And she could well believe it! The quality of the chintz curtains and matching bed hangings was unmistakable; the various pieces of walnut furniture dotted about the room had been produced by the finest craftsmen; and the wall and floor coverings had been selected without the least consideration for expense.

‘Look about you, Dish,’ she urged. ‘This bedchamber must be four times the size of the one I use back home, and yet I feel not a whit out of place here. Almost from the moment I set foot inside Greythorpe Manor, I have felt inordinately comfortable in my surroundings, even in those sumptuously furnished rooms that are used only on special occasions. I simply do not understand it!’ She shook her head, genuinely puzzled. ‘I know that I’m the daughter of a gentleman, and have been accustomed to command most every comfort throughout my life. And I am fully aware that there is a great deal of difference between comfort and out-and-out luxury, Dish, and yet I feel completely at ease here… It’s almost as if it’s…it’s my own home.’

The maid shrugged. ‘Well, that’s in no way surprising, Miss Annis, if you take a moment to consider. You’re your mother’s daughter, after all. It’s in your blood to appreciate the finer things in life. There’s no denying this is a very elegant house. But it cannot compare with the mansion your sainted mother grew up in, at least not in size. Tavistoke Court must be almost three times the size of this place, miss.’

‘I’ll need to take your word for that, Dish, because it’s unlikely I’ll ever receive an invitation to visit that particular grandiose dwelling,’ Annis returned, before she paused to consider for a moment. ‘And, to be truthful, I suppose rank curiosity was responsible in part for my agreeing to come here on Godmama’s behalf. I wanted to more than just glimpse the kind of house Mama grew up in. Of course I never imagined I would be granted the opportunity to sample such luxury for so many days.’

An element of concern was easily discernible in the maid’s homely features. ‘That’s understandable, miss. But it wouldn’t do for you to become too comfortable with this way of life.’

Annis didn’t pretend to misunderstand. ‘Don’t worry, Dish, I’m too much of a realist even to attempt to delude myself. His lordship’s reasons for wishing me to stay are honourable enough, if not wholly flattering, as he himself was the first to admit. He believes my presence will be beneficial to the ladies of the house. He has no interest in me, personally.’

Disher, however, was not altogether convinced that her engaging young mistress, who had proved to be an exceptionally good judge of character in recent years, not to mention uncannily accurate in her predictions, was correct in her judgement about everything.

The loyal maid was by no means the only servant inclined to ponder that day over his lordship’s actions. An hour later the head groom, Wilks, began to do just that when he caught his first sight of the young woman who had taken care of the Viscount in his time of need. This action alone would have ensured that Wilks regarded Miss Milbank in a favourable light; and he was forced to own, as he watched her trip lightly across the stable-yard, that she was a pretty enough young woman whose voluminous fur-lined cloak, he suspected, hid a trim, shapely figure. All the same, she was hardly in his lordship’s usual style!

Wilks, like Dunster, was a devoted servant. He had worked for the Greythorpe family most all his life, and had sat the present holder of the title on his very first pony. Compared to the other servants of long standing, Wilks possibly knew his lordship’s ways better than most, and had undoubtedly forged the closest bond with the present master of Greythorpe Manor. He invariably travelled with him whenever the Viscount took it into his head to visit the capital, so he had seen often enough the type of female who found favour in his lordship’s eyes.

Undoubtedly the Viscount’s tastes ran to golden-haired lovelies. His mistresses, and there had been several over the years, had all been acknowledged beauties. Even his flirts, those ladies who might or might not have shared his bed, but who had been his chosen companions at the theatre and at leading social events, had all been sophisticated ladies of rank and style, not innocent young females who might easily misunderstand the reasons why they had been singled out for particular attention.

And that, if what the most recent household gossip to reach the realm of the stables was to be believed, was the truth of the matter, Wilks reflected, nimbly jumping up on the perch at the back of the phaeton, a moment after his lordship had taken up the reins. Astonishingly enough, it was none other than the Viscount himself who had wished Miss Milbank to extend her stay with the family.

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