Historical Romance – The Best Of The Year. Кэрол Мортимер

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      Hallam stared at the innkeeper. He was looking back at him with suspicion in his eyes and a slightly hostile manner.

      ‘And who might you be, sir, if I may make so bold?’

      ‘I am Major Ravenscar and a friend of the countess. She wrote to me, telling me that I might find her here, sir. Will you please ask her if she will see me?’

      ‘Ah...would you mind a showin’ me the letter, sir?’

      ‘Here, read it for yourself,’ Hallam said and thrust it at him. ‘It bears her seal. For God’s sake, tell me she is here and safe!’

      Hobbis stared at the seal, which had been broken, but could still be seen for what it was, then shook his head. ‘You must be the cove what my brother asked me to enquire after. The lady ain’t here, sir. She left yesterday afternoon, my brother and her maid with her.’

      ‘Where did she go?’ Hallam asked. ‘Was it to her father’s home?’

      ‘I wouldn’t rightly know about that, sir. My brother told me they was goin’ into the country, but he’d bring the chaise back and take his horse what he keeps here. He’ll know where they’re at when he returns, but it will be a few days yet, I reckon.’

      Hallam cursed beneath his breath. ‘Are you certain you know nothing more? I assure you I only wish to help her.’

      ‘That’s what the other cove said what came askin’ after her. I told him she’d gone and no more—I’ve told you more, but I can’t tell you what I don’t know. My brother spoke of going to East Anglia, but that’s all I can tell you.’

      ‘The other person who came enquiring—what sort of a man was he?’

      ‘I don’t rightly know, sir. Spoke with a bit of an accent, he did. Might have been from the north, but he weren’t no gentleman, nor were he from London. Looked as if he were a servant to a gentleman, if you ask me.’

      ‘Thank you.’

      Hallam frowned. Lethbridge was dead and his servants believed their mistress to be out of town. Who else might look for her? He could think of only one man who might try to trace her—the Marquis of Rochdale. If he’d been prepared to forgive a large debt at the card tables for a night with Lethbridge’s wife, he must want her almost to the point of obsession. Now that Lethbridge was dead, he could gain nothing by taking his wife.

      It was unnatural for a man to be so obsessed and Hal wondered what could be behind his desire to pursue a woman who did not want him—or was that it? Was it simply that he believed she had snubbed him and was determined to make her suffer for her pride?

      The man must be deranged, surely?

      Or was there some other reason? If there were, Hal could not fathom it. Yet he believed that Rochdale must be the man who was making enquiries about Madeline’s whereabouts.

      Yes, he would try to find her now that the count was dead, for he would think her vulnerable and alone. Hallam guessed that the marquis had sent one of his servants to look for Madeline—but how could he have known she was here? Had he had someone watching the house? Or agents searching for her?

      If Rochdale was searching for her, it meant she was not as safe as Hallam had supposed. Somehow he had to find her before the evil marquis did.

      ‘If you hear anything, will you let me know, please?’ Hallam said and gave Hobbis a gold coin. ‘If your brother returns, please tell him that Major Ravenscar is searching for the countess—and warn him that a very unpleasant gentleman may also be looking for her. He is dangerous and not to be trusted if he comes here.’

      ‘Right you are, sir. I’ll send word to your lodgings as soon as I hear.’

      Hallam thanked him and left the inn. He walked home deep in thought, unaware that he was being shadowed. Hobbis had seemed genuine, but was he hiding something? East Anglia was a large place with many isolated dwellings and he could search for months and not find Maddie.

      Where could she have gone? For the moment he was lost, unable to think of anyone she knew in that part of the country.

      His arm was hurting quite a bit and he needed food. He would return to his lodgings and enjoy the meal his landlady had promised. After that he would make a plan of campaign. He was too impatient to sit around waiting for Hobbis’s brother to return.

      Perhaps if he wrote to her father and told him she might be in danger, he would provide a clue as to where she might have sought a refuge...yet that would take time and he was on fire to see her.

      * * *

      ‘That is the house just ahead,’ Thomas said and steadied his horses. ‘Your friend will be expecting you, ma’am, for I took the liberty of sending a groom to warn her when we reached the inn last night.’

      ‘You sent a groom?’ Madeline said. His thoughtfulness overwhelmed her and she said, ‘You must keep an account of what you spend on my behalf, Thomas. I shall find the means to repay you.’

      ‘It cost me nought but a bit of time, for I cleaned the stables in his place and he was glad to do it.’

      Madeline accepted his word, but she still felt indebted to him for he must have been tired after driving them for the past two days, and was not used to such a manual job. However, he wanted no thanks and, once again, she could only smile and think how fortunate she was to have such friends.

      She was a little apprehensive as to what her former governess would think at having three guests thrust upon her, but as the chaise drew up in the yard, the front door of the large, rambling farmhouse flew open and a woman came running out.

      ‘Miss Maddie, is it truly you?’ she cried. ‘Oh, lord above, how good it is to see you. Come in, come in to the warm, my dove—and your friends with you. My Bert is at work, but he will be as pleased as can be for me to have you stay, for he says I never stop talking of you.’

      ‘Hattie,’ Madeline said and her eyes stung with tears. ‘I am so glad to be here. May I truly stay for a while—just until I can find some employment?’

      ‘Employment—what’s this?’ asked the good woman, who was a deal plumper than she had used to be. ‘You’ll do no such thing while I have breath in my body. You have a home with me—and your friends too, though they might prefer their own cottage?’

      ‘They are not yet married, though I believe it is what they both wish for,’ Madeline said and laughed. ‘We shall stay with you for a time, but then we must find a place we can manage ourselves—and perhaps I shall find some kind of work. I might take in sewing.’

      ‘We’ll talk of that another time,’ Hattie Jenkins said. ‘Come to the fire and warm yourselves for it is cold enough to freeze and I dare say we’ll have snow before long.’

      Maddie laughed. She’d always been fond of her former governess and missed her company when she had left to marry. Their letters had been infrequent after she married for the count did not approve of her having a friend he considered below his wife in the social scale.

      ‘It is so good to see you,’ Madeline said and smiled. ‘I missed our conversations. Reading poetry together...’

      ‘I’ve СКАЧАТЬ