Regency: Mischief & Marriage: Secret Heiress / Bartered Bride

‘Eliza, I am ready to leave,’ Lady Sarah said. ‘Lady Julia will see you home if you wish to stay later?’

‘No, thank you, ma’am. I am perfectly ready to leave.’

‘Very well. We shall say goodnight to our friends.’

‘Allow me to summon your carriage, ma’am,’ Lord Seaton said and went off to arrange it.

Lady Sarah smiled as she took her leave of friends, but leaned on Eliza’s arm, and she guessed that her employer was feeling tired.

Lord Seaton was there to see them into the carriage. Eliza sensed that he, too, had realised Lady Sarah was a little done up and his care for her employer pleased her.

‘Good evening, ladies,’ he said and smiled as he stood back to allow the groom to close the door. ‘I shall call very soon.’

‘We shall always be pleased to see you, sir,’ Lady Sarah assured him.

Eliza thanked him but said no more.

When they were settled in the carriage and on their way, she enquired if her employer was unwell.

‘Oh, no, my dear. Just a little tired.’ Lady Sarah gave her a searching look. ‘You did not tell me that you were held up by a wicked highwayman, Eliza?’

‘It really was nothing, ma’am. I did not wish to distress you when there was no need.’

‘But Cheadle’s coachman was concerned for a while that the rogue meant to kidnap you?’

‘No… he merely wished to… apologise.’ Eliza blushed in the darkness of the carriage. She did not wish to lie to her generous employer, but how could she explain without giving Lord Seaton’s secret away? ‘I believe he imagined someone else was in the carriage. It was a mere prank, ma’am—a bet, I believe, between friends.’

‘How very odd.’ Lady Sarah’s expression was troubled. ‘There is some mystery here. The marquis may have an enemy. I believe he is sometimes suspected of being a ruthless gambler and worse.’

‘You say suspected? You do not think it?’

‘I think he may not be as black as he is painted. When he was younger…’ Lady Sarah sighed. ‘That is the past and I must keep an open mind.’

Eliza sensed that her employer could say more, but she made no attempt to press her. Lady Sarah was silent for most of the remainder of their ride home. Eliza had her own thoughts to keep her mind occupied and her employer was entitled to her secrets.

She saw Lady Sarah safely upstairs, made sure she was being looked after by her maid and then went to bed herself. It had been such a strange evening, filled with sharp memories that Eliza knew would tease her for a long time to come.

She had hung her wonderful dress where she could see it, thinking that it must have been the dress that had brought her so many partners at the ball.

It had been exciting for a girl used to the quiet country life, especially her waltz with Daniel Seaton.

No, she must think of him as Lord Seaton! To allow more intimate thoughts of him would be too dangerous. Daniel Seaton had caused her to fall into a bramble bush and then helped her recover. He had held up her coach, ridden off with her and then kissed her. She might have let herself dream of Daniel, but Lord Seaton must marry a rich wife for the sake of his estate.

As such she could never hope to marry a man like Lord Seaton and so must forget the way her heart jolted when he touched her.

Taking her ring from her dressing case, Eliza slipped it on the middle finger of her right hand. As yet she had not worn it—perhaps she was afraid of what she might discover? Supposing she were to find her mother and then learn that she was not wanted—that the lady resented being found? Her life was happy now. It might be better to leave things as they were. Had her mother cared, she would surely not have given her away. Putting the ring away, she turned her mind to other things.

She must be careful when the marquis questioned her the next morning. Lady Sarah had accepted her explanation, but would the marquis press for more details?

Daniel left the assembly after his dance with Miss Henderson. He had attended for the sole purpose of partnering Miss Eliza Bancroft and the sight of her in that white gown had taken his breath away. She looked like one of the Season’s top débutantes and already the tongues had started wagging.

‘Who do you suppose she is?’ one young buck had asked after he returned from escorting Lady Sarah to her carriage. ‘Do you suppose she is an heiress?’

A devil must have been sitting on his shoulder at that moment for Daniel smiled enigmatically and said, ‘Oh, I doubt there is enough for you, Carstairs. You would run through ten thousand in a year and ruin both her and yourself.’

‘Want her for yourself, do you?’ Carstairs looked at him suspiciously. ‘So she is a secret heiress and you’re in the know.’

‘Did I say that?’ Daniel suddenly felt uneasy as he saw the gleam in the other man’s eyes. He realised the young fool was convinced Eliza was an heiress, but shrugged it off. No doubt someone would tell him the truth before long.

As he walked home, Daniel’s thoughts were divided between the way Eliza had felt in his arms, her smile and the scent of her—and what he ought to say to the marquis when they met. Cheadle was unlikely to confess if he had conspired in the despicable trade of stealing and selling young women.

He still hadn’t spoken to Lord Roberts and was feeling less and less inclined towards a convenient marriage. It would be ridiculous to toss away his one chance of saving his estate because of a young woman’s smile. Eliza might have set his body aflame with a need so strong that it had taken all his willpower to stop himself sweeping her up in his arms and running off with her to a spot where he could make love to her.

He frowned, cursing himself for a fool. Love was surely no more than a fleeting thing. The wise course would be to seek Lord Roberts out first thing in the morning, and yet Daniel knew that he would wait. He had won a thousand guineas at play that evening. Perhaps the bank would accept it as a down payment on his most pressing debts.

Chapter Five

Eliza woke with a sigh on her lips. Her dream had been so enjoyable. She had been living at a pleasant house in the country. In the garden children were playing and she had been aware of a feeling of deep content.

The feeling faded as she recalled that the Marquis of Cheadle was calling that morning. He would want to know every detail of what had happened when a masked highwayman held his carriage at pistol point, and there was so much she could never tell him.

Had she been able to avoid what must obviously be an awkward interview, she would have done so. However, she suspected that the marquis did not give up easily. He was determined to have the truth and she must try to oblige him, without giving Daniel’s secret away.

Oh dear, she was beginning to think of Lord Seaton as Daniel. She suspected that he had been at the centre of her happy dream the previous night and knew she was being very silly. Kate had told her that he was a consummate flirt, though not precisely a rake. He had a mistress and might consider she was fair game, for a companion was not off bounds as a girl like Kate Henderson would be.

A part of her felt that she had known him for years. She both liked and trusted him despite his brief adventure as a highwayman, yet she must not like him too much.

Dressing in a simple grey gown that was far more suitable for her situation than the gown she had worn the previous evening, she went along the hall to see if her employer needed anything. It would be best for all concerned if she put Lord Seaton out of her mind.

Both Eliza and Lady Sarah were in the parlour when the marquis was announced at a quarter to noon. Eliza felt a sinking sensation in her stomach as he was shown into the elegant room.

However, the marquis seemed a perfectly polite gentleman, enquiring after the ladies’ health before sitting down and turning his attention to Eliza.

‘Well, Miss Bancroft, perhaps you could explain to me what happened that day? My coachman says that the rogue rode off with you. He was fearful for your safety, but you returned a short while later seeming none the worse for your ordeal.’ His gaze narrowed intently. ‘Could you explain that little mystery, please?’

Eliza glanced at Lady Sarah and then took a deep breath. ‘I am not perfectly certain what was intended, sir. The… gentleman seemed interested in discovering what I was doing in your carriage, sir.’ Her cheeks felt hot as she avoided his eyes. ‘I hardly like to say what was implied…’

‘Indeed?’ The marquis was silent for a moment, then, ‘May I hazard a guess that the rogue imagined you my mistress?’

‘I think something of the kind was in his mind. When I denied it I was allowed to return to the carriage.’

‘I see.’ The marquis stood up and took a little turn about the parlour before coming back to her. ‘It would seem the rogue claims to have knowledge of me. I must have made an enemy. Were you robbed, Miss Bancroft? I shall repay whatever was stolen, for it was clearly I or someone close to me he meant to rob.’

‘No. My purse was returned to me and a ring that is precious to me. It is all I have of my mother, you see.’

‘And he did not harm or insult you in any way?’

‘Not at all, sir.’ Eliza faltered. ‘I thought it a foolish prank—perhaps for a wager?’