Historical Romance – The Best Of The Year. Кэрол Мортимер

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СКАЧАТЬ should like to meet somewhere—do you walk or ride?’

      ‘Sometimes I walk with my maid in Hyde Park on fine afternoons.’

      ‘Can you trust her?’

      ‘Yes, with my life.’

      ‘Then meet me one day this week—perhaps tomorrow.’

      ‘I am not sure. Perhaps the following day?’

      ‘I will visit the park every day between two and three,’ he said. ‘Do not despair, Madeline. I will find a way to free you from Lethbridge.’

      She smiled, but said nothing, sitting back in her carriage. Hallam told the man to drive on and then went back into the house.

      It was time to seek out Lethbridge and discover what kind of a man he was—and why he was so fortunate at the card tables.

      * * *

      Hal had rescued her from the marquis. She trembled as she recalled the way he’d looked at her. At first he’d blamed her for her shocking behaviour, but he’d understood once she’d told him that her husband had forced her to flirt with the marquis. He’d asked her to run away with him...he must still care for her a little, if only sufficiently to protect her from her husband’s spite.

      If only she dared to run away. And yet could she ever find happiness after the pain Lethbridge had inflicted on her? There were times when she thought she had been scarred too deeply. He had done such things to her...things that shamed her and made her feel unworthy of a good man’s love.

      Madeline lay in bed for some time, wondering whether her husband would come to her in a rage, and, when in the early hours of the morning, she heard him enter the house, she tensed to receive the onslaught. However, he did not enter her room and after half an hour or so she fell into a deep sleep.

      * * *

      It was morning when her maid drew back the curtains and presented her with a tray of hot chocolate and sweet rolls.

      ‘Did you sleep well, my lady?’ Sally asked.

      ‘Yes, I did eventually.’ Madeline sat up and smiled at her. ‘Has my husband asked for me?’

      ‘No, I do not think so, ma’am.’

      ‘Very well. I shall get up when I’ve eaten my breakfast. Is it a nice day?’

      ‘A little wet this morning,’ Sally replied, ‘but Cook says it will clear this afternoon.’

      ‘We might go walking this afternoon,’ Madeline said. ‘I shall decide later.’

      Sally nodded and left her to the enjoyment of her hot chocolate. She was just finishing her rolls and honey when the door to the dressing room opened and Lethbridge entered her room. Madeline put her tray to one side and waited, expecting the tirade to begin. She was surprised when her husband looked at her with a wry smile.

      ‘It seems that you have charmed Rochdale, madam,’ he said. ‘I invited him to a card evening next week and he accepted. He does not yet know that he is to be my only guest. You must have intrigued him for he told me to give you his best wishes and tell you that he looked forward to seeing you soon.’

      ‘Oh...’ Madeline was surprised for she had quite expected the marquis to refuse after the scene in the garden. ‘May I have the rest of Papa’s notes now?’

      ‘Later,’ he said and glared at her. ‘I do not see why you want them. I shall not ruin my wife’s father. Unless...’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Do you think to get them and then leave me?’

      ‘No, of course not,’ she said, but her cheeks were warm.

      ‘You are ungrateful, Madeline. Why I bother with you I do not know. I could find a dozen willing women to fill your place—and I’ll warrant they would give me a child in return for what you have.’

      She raised her head. ‘Yes, I dare say they might. Yet I have never refused you, sir.’

      ‘I’ve paid for you and I intend to get my money’s worth out of you yet. If I can’t get a son from you, I’ll bring the boy my mistress bore me here. She’s a whore, but worth two of a sourpuss like you. If she were a lady, I would marry her. I dare say her son would make me a better heir than any you could give me. At least he would have some spirit in him.’

      Madeline felt the colour drain from her cheeks in shock. How could he say such cruel things to her?

      ‘Why do you not divorce me?’ she asked, her throat tight with misery. ‘You could marry again and get yourself a legitimate heir.’

      ‘Maybe I shall,’ Lethbridge said. ‘God knows, I am sick of your pale face and your complaints. Yet I may need you again to persuade Rochdale to my way of thinking. Behave yourself and do as I tell you and I may give you your father’s notes and your freedom.’

      Madeline watched as he walked from the bedchamber. What did he want of her now? She had cheapened herself by flirting with the marquis and she knew that Rochdale would not be denied a second time. She’d imagined he would be angry and refuse her husband’s invitation to dine, but he had accepted and sent her a message. Was it some kind of a veiled threat?

      Was he imagining that he could seduce her under her husband’s nose—perhaps with Lethbridge’s permission?

      What did her husband want from the marquis? He had always been possessive and jealous, but now it was almost as if he were prepared to give her to Rochdale—but in exchange for what?

      Madeline shuddered. She had felt sick and ashamed after that encounter in the garden. He had meant to force himself on her, she was certain, and might have succeeded if Hallam had not arrived in time.

      She would not allow it to happen. Madeline knew that her husband still held the biggest part of her father’s debt to him and nothing would make him part with it. He’d promised to give it to her if the marquis accepted his invitation, but now he wanted more from her. It was always the same; he would never keep his promises whatever she did.

      She would not give him what he asked of her. The very idea of allowing the marquis to paw at and kiss her made her feel ill. Was Lethbridge trying to humiliate her, because she had been cold to him—or was there a deeper reason for his hints?

      * * *

      Lethbridge was a cheat. Hallam was as certain as he could be without proof that the count had been systematically robbing his friends at the card table, perhaps for months or even years. He was not certain whether Lethbridge marked the pack or kept important cards tucked into the frills at the ends of his sleeves. He was almost certain that he’d seen a card disappear into the count’s sleeve, but he’d also noticed him stroking the corner of a card as if feeling for a mark, though he could not have sworn to either at this stage.

      What was certain was that the count was very careful if he was cheating. He usually lost the first couple of hands and then began to win steadily throughout the evening. He was said to have the devil’s own luck, but it seemed no one suspected him of cheating—though Hallam had seen someone else watching him closely at the table.

      He decided to seek Captain Mainwaring out and ask him his opinion. After searching СКАЧАТЬ