Richard glanced around at his comment and opened his mouth as if to respond, but no words came out. He just stood there frozen for a heartbeat, and then in the next second grabbed Daniel by the arm and sent them both crashing to the side. It was so unexpected, Daniel didn't even have a chance to try to break his fall; he was just suddenly slamming into the ground amid a cacophony of screams and shouts as the people around them scrambled to get out of the way.
It was only when he heard the loud thunder of horses' hooves and the trundle of a carriage's wheels as they raced past that Daniel understood that Richard had been trying to get them out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. A faint breeze as the carriage passed told him how close they had come to being trampled and Daniel lay still and closed his eyes as he waited for his heart to stop racing.
"Are you all right, my lord?" someone asked the Radnor driver, Daniel thought, but didn't move until Richard said his name with concern. Releasing his breath on a groan then, Daniel pushed himself to a sitting position, muttering, "Yes. Thanks to you."
"It was a yellow bounder, my lord," the Radnor driver announced grimly and glared in the direction the post chaise had gone. "Probably rented. The postillion didn't even try to steer clear of ye. In fact, it looked almost like he was aiming for the two of ye."
Hearing Richard grunt a response, Daniel got to his feet and quickly brushed down his clothes even as Richard rose to do the same. Daniel finished and glanced to Richard as he straightened, frowning as he noted the line of blood trailing from the other man's forehead.
"You're bleeding," Daniel said with concern. "You must have knocked your head as we fell."
Richard raised a hand to his forehead, grimaced when he felt the scrape there, and then wiped the blood away with a sigh. When he then started toward the carriage, Daniel followed.
"Father has been punishing himself for what happened and my having to marry Dicky?"
Suzette blinked at Christiana's question, a little confused as to where it had come from. They had spent the morning having quite useless and unhelpful interviews with the staff in the hopes of learning something that might help determine who the blackmailer was and who had poisoned George. The task had been a complete waste of time so far and after the last interview with one of the upstairs maids, Suzette and Christiana had come down to the office and somehow got on the topic of the men, and then Lisa and the books she read.
Christiana had been scandalized that Suzette had read the banned book about the prostitute, Fanny, but had been positively horrified at the news that the book was actually young Lisa's and that she had read the book as well. Exasperated, Suzette had pointed out that Lisa was nearly twenty, no longer a child and should already have been settled with a husband and having children. Suzette really had no clue how that had led to Christiana's question about their father punishing himself.
"Yes," she said finally, her mouth tightening with anger at just the thought of the man whose gambling had both landed Christiana in her miserable marriage with Dicky and was now forcing Suzette to marry as well. That anger showed in her voice as she snapped, "And so he should. I was actually feeling sorry for him, but then he went and did it again."
"That may not be true," Christiana said quietly. "He may not have gambled at all."
"What?" Suzette glanced at her sharply.
"Richard said there are rumors that Dicky had befriended a certain owner of a gaming hell reputed to drug its patrons and fleece them," Christiana said quietly. "He suspects it's possible that is what happened to Father."
The air slid out of Suzette's lungs in one sharp whoosh at these words and her mind was suddenly filled with memories of the morning she and Lisa had arrived in London. Biting her lip she said, "When we found him at the townhouse, Father kept saying he was sorry, and he didn't know how it had happened, that his memories were a jumble and he didn't even recall how he'd ended up at the gaming hell, just waking up there both times to learn he'd gambled us into ruin."
Christiana breathed out a little sigh and said, "He probably didn't gamble at all."
"Oh God." Suzette dropped weakly back in her chair. "I was so cruel to him the morning we arrived in London. I said some awful things."
"It is understandable under the circumstances," Christiana assured her. "How were you to know Dicky may have drugged him to bring about his downfall?"
"Damn Dicky!" Suzette sat upright again, anger sizzling up her spine. "If he weren't already dead, I think I'd kill him myself."
"Hmm." Christiana was silent for a moment, but then said, "Although, if it weren't for Dicky and what he'd got up to, I wouldn't now be married to Richard and you might never have met and proposed to Daniel."
"That's true," Suzette realized with dismay. She probably never would have met Daniel without Dicky's actions bringing it about. Or perhaps she would have, but only in passing, never exchanging more than polite greetings and having no idea the passion that could burn between them. The idea was rather startling, almost scary really. She couldn't imagine never having experienced his kisses and caresses or anticipating everything else she was looking forward to in the future. Well, mostly looking forward to, Suzette supposed. She was still worried about the pain and blood. While Daniel had assured her it wasn't like that, he also had never bedded a virgin, so what did he know? On the other hand, Christiana had been a virgin until very recently with Richard. Eyeing her speculatively, she asked, "So you are content with Richard?"
"I think we might have a good marriage," Christiana answered carefully.
Suzette snorted at the prim words. "Oh, give over. A good marriage? I've heard the moaning and groaning coming from your room, both the night Dicky died and last night as well. Oh Richard, oh . . . oh . . . yes . . . ooooooh." She rolled her eyes. "Then you scream like you're fit to die."
"You could hear us?" Christiana asked with horror.
"I'm sure the whole house can hear you," she said dryly. "He roars like a lion, and you squeal like a stuck pig." Suzette paused and then added, "Which I suppose is an apt description from what I read in Fanny's book." When Christiana didn't comment, she asked, "Did it hurt very much the first time he stuck his maypole in your tender parts?"
"His maypole?" Christiana gasped, her eyes gone wide.
"That's what Fanny called it. Well, one of the things," she added with a shrug and then repeated, "Did it hurt?"
Christiana groaned and covered her suddenly flushed face. She also didn't answer.
"Well?" Suzette asked persistently. Good Lord, what were big sisters for if not to help at times like this?
"A little perhaps," Christiana admitted finally. Her hands dropped from her face and she stiffened her spine as if headed to her own execution.
Suzette ignored that and said, "Hmm, Fanny fainted from the pain . . . And there was a great deal of blood, which suggests pain as well."
"Anyway, what happens in the bedroom is only a portion of marriage, Suzette," Christiana pointed out. "I must deal with him out of the bedroom as well and begin to think I may be able to."
Suzette recognized an effort to change the topic when she saw one, but let Christiana get away with it. She always had been the most squeamish of the three of them. Eyeing her sister, she said quietly, "He seems to treat you much more kindly than Dicky did. And he upheld the marriage to prevent us all from being cast into scandal." When Christiana nodded, Suzette admitted, "I thought at first that he avoided scandal as well, but Lisa is right, men do not suffer scandal like we women do and he probably did uphold it for your sake, which is really very chivalrous. Much more chivalrous than Daniel's marrying me for money."
When Christiana frowned, Suzette realized how bitter her words sounded and glanced away with a frown of her own. She was a little bitter about it, which was just silly when that was exactly what she'd been looking for, a man in straits dire enough that he would be willing to marry her for her dower and agree to leave her control of part of it, as well as allow her to lead her own life if she chose. Why d
id Daniel's agreeing to do just that suddenly bother her?
"Are you having second thoughts about marrying Daniel?" Christiana asked quietly.
Suzette swallowed and considered the question. Second thoughts? No. She wanted to marry him. She had come to like him and enjoy his company and . . . she just wished he really wanted to marry her in return.
"Perhaps Richard would be willing to cover Father's gambling debts. If we even need to cover them. If we prove he was drugged and didn't gamble at all--"
"Nay, 'tis fine. I doubt it would be that easy to prove and we have enough on our plate at the moment," Suzette said, the words tumbling quickly from her lips. Forcing a smile, she steered them firmly away from the uncomfortable subject and said, "Speaking of which, we should really get back to our task. Who have we not yet talked to?"
Chapter Nine
Do you know that fellow?"
Daniel leaned toward the carriage window to peer out at the man Richard was indicating. An older gentleman was pacing back and forth on the path in front of Richard's townhouse. He was well dressed, with gray hair, and had a hat and cane, but his noble appearance was belied by the fact that he appeared to be talking to himself as he paced.
"He looks vaguely familiar," Daniel said slowly, noting the man's facial features, but unable to place the fellow. "He seems a little troubled about something."
"Grand." Richard opened the carriage door to get out. "More trouble at my door."
"You do seem to attract it of late," Daniel commented on a dry laugh as he followed him.
When they reached the man, he was again paused before the townhouse door. He stood and stared at it briefly, and then muttering under his breath, the fellow suddenly turned. He just as suddenly paused and jumped back when he found Richard standing in his path.
Daniel peered at the man curiously as Richard asked, "Is there something I can assist you with, sir?"
For some reason the question made the man's eyes widen incredulously. "What?"
"I am Lord Radnor." He held out one hand. "Can I be of assistance?"
Daniel couldn't help noticing that the gentleman stared at the offered hand as if it were a viper. He then scowled and said grimly, "Surely you jest, my lord. After all you have cost me with your shady dealings, you think to act like you do not know me?"
Daniel raised his eyebrows at this response as Richard let his hand drop to his side. It seemed obvious to him that this man must have had dealings with Dicky this last year and--not unnaturally--was mistaking Richard for his brother.
"Why do we not go inside and discuss this?" Richard moved past the man.
The fellow turned to watch him open the door, then suddenly whirled back and started forward. Daniel thought the man was simply going to leave and took a moment to debate whether to stop him or not. After all, they may gain some information from him about George's doings as Dicky this last year, he thought. But before he could make up his mind, the older man jerked a black and ivory pistol from inside his jacket and instead of passing Daniel, stopped and pressed the weapon to his side. Glancing back toward Richard then, the man said, "Why do you not go in there and fetch the girls back to me while your friend and I wait out here instead."
Daniel was a bit startled by this unexpected turn of events, but not much alarmed for two reasons. First of all, they were standing on the street in plain view of anyone passing and no sane person would pull the trigger there. Of course, the fellow had been talking to himself, so perhaps he wasn't all that sane. But Daniel also wasn't that worried because the man was obviously a member of the nobility and he'd mentioned the girls who could only be the Madison sisters. Daniel was beginning to suspect he knew who the man was and why he'd looked familiar. And if he was right, he was pretty sure that the likelihood of being shot wasn't very high. Well, at least not on purpose, Daniel corrected himself wryly, as he noted the way the man's hand was trembling.
Richard turned back, and then paused as he took in the situation.
"Ha! Not so clever now are you, Dicky?" the armed man asked grimly. "Now give me my daughters. All of them. I'm not leaving a one of them here for you to abuse any longer."
"Your daughters?" Daniel asked with interest, his suspicions proven correct. The man was Cedrick Madison, Suzette's father. He looked familiar because he shared some of the same facial features as his lovely daughter, though they were much softer on her.
"Lord Madison?" Richard asked, sounding more amazed. Obviously, he didn't see the resemblance.
Madison appeared more interested in Richard than anything else, though he kept the gun pressed into Daniel's side as he sneered, "Save your games, my lord. You have managed to fool me one too many times already. I know you have mistreated my Chrissy. Robert told me everything after the Landons' ball the other night. He said the girls told him that you've treated her terribly and I've sorted it all out from there. You never loved my gel, it was all an act to get your hands on her dower, and now you've somehow swindled me again hoping to force my Suzette into the same position. Well I won't have it, and I am not leaving my Chrissy in your hands either, marriage or no marriage. I'll have it annulled. I'll take it to the King himself if I have to. Now fetch me all three girls before I lose my patience."
"Father?"
All three men glanced to the woman hurrying up the path toward them: Lisa Madison with Robert Langley on her heels.
"Father, what are you doing pointing that pistol at Suzette's fiance? Put that away before you hurt someone."
"Nay," Lord Madison said firmly, grabbing her arm with his free hand and urging her to the side to keep her out of harm's way as he dug the pistol more firmly into Daniel's stomach. "I'll not let Suzette marry this blackguard. No doubt he's a friend of that devil's there, which means he'll be as bad as Dicky. Now, be a good girl and fetch your sisters, girl. We are leaving here and going back to Madison. I've sold the townhouse to pay the debts. There is no need for Suzette to marry anyone."
"You sold your townhouse?" Daniel asked with the first real alarm he'd felt since the man had whipped out his pistol.
"Aye." Lord Madison's smile was just plain mean as he glanced from Daniel to Richard. "The two of you didn't think I'd do that, did you? But I'd sell the estate itself before I let you rope another one of my girls into a miserable marriage." He stood a little straighter and added, "And I will see Chrissy out of her marriage as well."
"Oh Father," Lisa said with a sigh. "That wasn't necessary at all. Daniel agreed to let Suzette keep half her dower to pay off the debt and use the rest as she wished. He is not the devil Dicky was."
"And actually, Richard here is not the villain you think he is either," Langley added as he urged Lisa away to take her place at Madison's side. He then bent his head close and began to murmur. Daniel heard enough to know he was explaining the situation to the man and simply waited for him to finish. It took a bit of time, but eventually Madison lowered his gun and squawked, "What?"
Robert nodded solemnly. "Chrissy is very happy with the Earl of Radnor. This one," he added firmly. "And Daniel is a good and honorable man. He'll make Suzette a fine husband."
Daniel snorted at the words, his tone full of disgust as he said, "Only if he doesn't tell her he sold the damned townhouse to make good on his debts. If she finds that out Suzette is just contrary enough that she may very well not marry me."
"I'm sure Lord Madison will keep that information to himself for now," Richard said, bringing a look of surprise to the older man's face.
"Why would I do that?" Madison asked with amazement. "If Suzette doesn't wish to marry him, I will not let her be forced into it."
Richard gave him a pained smile. "Under normal circumstances I would agree with you. However, after what I interrupted in the parlor between the two of them this morning, honor demands he marry her, and as her brother-in-law I feel it my duty to ensure he does."
"Eh?" Madison's eyes shot to Daniel just as he began to grin at the recollection of what Richard had walked in on that m
orning before they'd left. Suzette had just crawled onto his lap and he'd lifted her skirts to keep them from hampering her as she straddled his thighs, but he'd deliberately lifted it high enough to bare her bottom and had been pinching the tender flesh and considering doing much more when Richard had entered. Most scandalous. The girl was as good as ruined if it got out, and he'd damn well blab that tidbit all over town if necessary to get her to marry him. Suzette was not going to escape him now when he'd finally settled on marrying her.
Realizing that everyone was staring at him, he nodded easily. "I'd forgotten about that. Yes, she has to marry me to avoid ruin."
"You're sure he's a good and honorable man?" Lord Madison asked Robert doubtfully.
"Positive," Robert assured him, obviously fighting a grin. "Truly, just look how eager he is to do the right thing."
Daniel beamed at the old man when he looked his way again, appearing as pleased as he was at the idea of marrying Suzette and finally bedding the beautiful, passionate firebrand.
"Besides," Robert continued. "The fact that Suzie allowed him to take liberties with her proves she is not averse to the marriage. However, she can be contrary. It may be best to allow her to continue thinking for now that the marriage is necessary."
"Hmm." Madison grimaced. "Of the three of them she has always been the most stubborn and difficult." He glanced to Daniel. "Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into? She won't make life easy."
"Perhaps not," Daniel said, and thought it an understatement. Suzette would never make life easy, but nothing easy was worth having and he added, "But life shall certainly never be boring with her either."
Madison relaxed and nodded solemnly. "There is much to be said for that. She is like her mother, and that woman had me hopping to keep up with her from the day we wed. Never regretted marrying her even for a moment."
"So you won't tell her that there is no need to marry?" Daniel asked hopefully.
Madison pursed his lips, his gaze moving first to Lisa, who nodded solemnly, then to each of the men before he heaved a sigh. "I shall talk to her, and if Suzie doesn't seem averse to marrying you, I will keep the sale of the townhouse to myself for now."