The Regency Season: Hidden Desires. Anne Herries
like a ballgown of peach or flame, also evening gowns of emerald green and royal blue, which is always a favourite—and a yellow muslin for mornings. You had a pretty one in town, which I admired. I thought the style became you very well. I do like the puffed sleeves and also the leg of mutton that is popular for day wear.’
‘I like puffed sleeves best of all,’ Lucy agreed. ‘I know the dress you mean. It does suit me. I was wearing that the morning Paul asked me to save him a dance at the ball...’ She flushed. ‘Everyone always thinks Mark was better at everything than his brother, but it isn’t true. Paul waltzes divinely—and he loves poetry. He can quote lines from my favourite poems...’
‘It is always so pleasant when a friend can quote from a poem you love, isn’t it?’ Jenny smiled and squeezed her arm. ‘We always shared a love of poetry, did we not?’
Lucy began to talk happily of poems they both enjoyed and they quoted lines back and forth so that by the time they returned to the house Lucy had laughed several times and her tense unhappy look had gone.
* * *
Dinner had been easier than it had been for some days and when they parted at the end of the evening Jenny felt that her friend was beginning to recover her spirits. She undressed, but felt unready for sleep and perched on the window seat to sit looking out at the moon sailing in a cloudless sky.
She wished again that she’d been able to be of more use to Adam in the matter of the intruder. Why had he seemed familiar to her from a distance? Had she seen his face she might have known him. She wondered if he’d noticed her sooner than she’d noticed him—and whether that was why he’d turned away so quickly.
It occurred to Jenny that if the intruder believed she’d seen him and known him, she might possibly be in some danger herself.
* * *
Adam cursed as he finished his tour of the gardens that evening. He’d put a couple of extra keepers on duty to patrol the grounds, because the intruder might pay another visit during the hours of darkness. If he were truly concerned that the necklace could lead to his being denounced as a thief and a murderer, he would possibly try to discover its whereabouts again. Yet the thought that troubled Adam most was one that had not occurred to him immediately.
Jenny might be in some danger. She had seen very little, but there was a chance she might recall what seemed familiar about the man—and he might believe she’d seen more than she had. If he did, he might consider her a danger to him—and was ruthless enough to sweep away all obstacles in his path.
‘Damn it!’
Why hadn’t he thought of that before? He would have to ride over to Dawlish in the morning and speak to Jenny, because she ought to be on her guard. This man was dangerous and Adam was under no illusions that he would hesitate to murder a woman who could expose him.
It was as he entered the house that he saw Paul about to go upstairs and called to him. Paul hesitated, then came back to him.
‘I’m sorry if I lost my temper earlier, Adam.’
‘You’ve had enough to try you—but take care, Paul. This man may try to kill you next.’
‘What makes you think that? I have no more idea of his identity than you have.’
‘He doesn’t know that and may imagine that Mark told you something of importance,’ Adam said. ‘It is a measure of the devil’s desperation that he came here today when the house was full of guests to try to find that wretched necklace. I almost wish he had.’
‘No! Why?’
‘Because then perhaps other lives would not be at risk. Jenny saw him briefly. If he suspects she saw more than she did...’
‘Yes, I see. If he thought she could identify him, she might be his next victim—as I might if he believed Mark told me about the necklace. Truth to tell, I knew Mark had something on his mind, but did not imagine it was of this nature.’ Paul frowned. ‘You will have to warn her, Adam. This is a hellish affair and gets worse. Miss Hastings must not be allowed to become his victim.’
‘No, indeed. I should not like that at all.’
‘I thought you quite liked her.’
‘She is a sensible young woman. Very different from the young madams that my grandfather has been parading for my benefit. He would not approve, of course, because she has no fortune. He has determined that I shall marry an heiress and I may have to, Paul. His affairs are even worse than I’d imagined. He may be in danger of losing the estate while he lives. I couldn’t stand by and see that happen.’
‘You would not marry money for your own sake, but feel it your duty for his?’ Paul arched his eyebrows.
‘He loves that place,’ Adam said. ‘God forbid that it should come to it—but if it did I might have to find myself an heiress rather than see him go under.’
‘Anyone in mind?’ Paul frowned. ‘Don’t say Lucy Dawlish.’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it. She would never look at me—and I would not tread on your toes, Paul.’
‘Some hope I have of marrying her.’
‘In time, perhaps.’
‘It is impossible. Lucy belongs to Mark.’
‘Must no man have her then? Would you condemn her to remain a spinster for her whole life?’
‘She will marry in time—but not me...never me.’
With that, Paul stormed up the stairs, leaving Adam to stare after him. Paul was in terrible agony, but he must battle it alone for there were no words to comfort him.
Adam walked up the stairs more slowly. In the morning he would ride over and speak to Jenny. She ought to be warned that it was possible she might find herself in some danger.
* * *
‘We shall go riding today, Mama,’ Lucy told her mother on visiting her after taking breakfast in bed. ‘Jenny wishes to speak to Adam and I thought we would ride that way.’
‘Providing that you take a groom with you—and tell him to go armed,’ Lady Dawlish said. ‘I do not wish to frighten you, nor do I truly think you in danger, but we must all take care until that rogue is found and tried for his life.’
‘Please do not worry, Mama,’ Lucy said. ‘Timkins always makes a point of taking a pistol with him just in case. We shall be quite safe with him, I promise you.’
‘Yes, I am sure you will. He has always been devoted to the family, Lucy. Enjoy your ride. I shall speak to Papa about the trip to Bath again today. He is a little reluctant, but I dare say I shall bring him about.’
‘It would be better for all of us. I know I am in mourning and it grieves me truly that Mark should have been robbed of life so cruelly but...poor Jenny deserves a little amusement, do you not think so, Mama? She has had enough unhappiness these past months.’
‘Yes, my love, I do. It is in part for her sake that I mean to convince your father. She has had months of mourning for her father and it is time she was allowed to enjoy her life.’
‘Then I am sure Papa cannot refuse us.’
Lucy kissed her mother’s cheek and went down to the hall, where Jenny was already waiting for her.
‘That habit becomes you,’ Lucy said. ‘The blue brings out the colour of your eyes perfectly.’
‘Papa bought it for me just before he died,’ Jenny said. ‘I put it away because my aunt did not think the colour fitting for a young woman in mourning, but now I may wear what I choose.’
‘Fashions move on so quickly, but something like that is so elegant it is timeless,’ Lucy said slightly envious. ‘This is my old habit. I chose it because it is dark blue and the closest I could come to mourning wear. My favourite riding coat is red and