Regency High Society Vol 1: A Hasty Betrothal / A Scandalous Marriage / The Count's Charade / The Rake and the Rebel

‘You, too, Charles? Where have you been all day? And what are you all doing, creeping about the house in this manner?’ She spun angrily round to face Sandford. ‘Robert? Are you searching Westpark for Harriet? You cannot think that she is hidden here, surely?’

‘It appears that some of your men are involved, Judith,’ said Sandford uncomfortably. ‘We are looking for Beckett. I understand that he sleeps here with his uncle—Finchley.’

Ridgeway reached out to take the pistol from Judith’s shaking hand at the same time as Tiptree relieved her of the candlestick. She sank down on to a nearby settle and looked at Sandford in distress.

‘Are you certain—Beckett? But he’s only a gardener—why would he …?’

They left Charles for dead in the lake pavilion, Judith,’ replied Sandford awkwardly. ‘They are clearly dangerous men—and if they’ve got Harriet …!’ His voice trembled and Judith’s shocked eyes travelled to seek Ridgeway’s.

‘You are injured?’ she inquired anxiously, but he shook his head.

‘Bruised—tired—I’ll survive,’ he said, dismissing his pain. ‘Finchley’s room, Judith?’

She rose at once to her feet and pointed to the steep stone stairway that was situated beside the door to the kitchens.

‘The men’s rooms are on the top floor—second or third door—I’m not sure …’

‘Tip—check the rooms,’ instructed Sandford. ‘Try not to wake anyone.’

Tiptree ran lightly up the stairs and disappeared from view as Sandford and Ridgeway turned back in the direction of the kitchens but, once again, they were stayed by a voice from above. This time it was the harsh, stentorian command from Lady Butler that stopped them in their tracks.

‘Stand still, whoever you are!’

‘Mother! gasped Judith, running back into the hall just as Lady Butler, swathed in a massive purple dressing gown, began to descend the stairs.

Sandford, raising his eyebrows in despair and swearing fulsomely under his breath, reluctantly stepped forward to reveal himself. Judith’s mother blanched at the unexpected sight of the viscount coming out of the shadows.

‘Judith! What is the meaning of this?’ she hissed. ‘In your nightwear—go to your room at once, miss!’ and, turning to Sandford, ‘You, sir, how dare you come creeping …’ but Sandford had had enough.

‘Be silent, madam!’ he uttered curtly. ‘You are wasting precious time. Come down, if you must, but kindly keep your comments to yourself! Light some more candles, Judith!’

Lady Butler, silenced by the viscount’s tone, clutched at the banister as she trod heavily down the stairs, then, shakily seating herself on the settle, she watched mutely as Judith hurried to fulfil Sandford’s request. The hall was soon adequately illuminated and, upon perceiving that Sandford was not the only night visitor, her ladyship started with undisguised dismay.

‘Ridgeway …?’ she began, but Sandford gave her a quelling glance and she was once again silent, staring apprehensively at the estate manager as he assisted her daughter in the lighting of more candles.

‘Nobody up on the top floor, guv.’

Tiptree had returned from his mission and Sandford, nodding, motioned Judith to one side.

‘Look after your mother. I didn’t mean to frighten her but we don’t want the whole house woken.’ Then, to Ridgeway, ‘You stay on this side of the door in case one of them comes through—Tiptree, behind me.’

The two men sidled along the passageway and pushed open the heavy oak door that led into the kitchen. They were at once confronted with the unappealing sight of Finchley and Pinter lashed to their chairs with clothes-line, both totally unconscious, but snoring loudly. A sniff at the contents of the tankards on the table in front of the servants provided Tiptree with all the information he needed as to the reason for the old men’s condition.

‘Strong ale, sir—been doped, too, I shouldn’t wonder, if “matey” has had anything to do with it.’

Sandford tried slapping the men’s faces in an attempt to wake them, but to no avail, and Tiptree had to restrain his now furious master from delivering a more violent punishment to the old servants.

‘Leave it, guv,’ he insisted, pulling the viscount away. ‘We don’t know that they’re to blame.’

Breathing heavily, Sandford sank down on to a chair and closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

‘It’s hopeless, hopeless,’ he groaned. ‘He’s ahead of us at every turn—he’d probably left before we even arrived. What now, Tip?’

‘Back to Beldale, sir—can’t do anything until it’s light. At least we know who’s behind it all.’

‘Do we, Tip—but do we?’ His lordship’s voice was weary as he led the way back into the hall, where another distasteful sight met his eyes.

Judith was on her knees, attempting to pacify her distraught mother who was now moaning loudly and rocking herself from side to side, demanding to know what was to become of them all. Ridgeway stepped forward to meet the viscount, thankfully leaving the old woman to Judith’s administrations.

‘What is it, old man?’ he said, quickly taking note of his cousin’s dejected air. ‘You did not find them?’

‘Finchley …’ began Sandford, his tone heavy, then he staggered back in surprise as a suddenly upright Lady Butler elbowed Ridgeway aside and all but threw herself at him.

‘He lies! Whatever he has told you—it is all lies!’ she panted, clutching at his lapels.

Ridgeway gripped her roughly by the arm as Sandford wrenched himself away from her clawing hands and Judith stared at her mother in shock.

‘Wh-what are you saying, Mother?’ she gasped. ‘Do you know something about all this?’

‘Nothing—nothing!’ wailed Lady Butler, vainly trying to pull herself away from Ridgeway’s grip. ‘I tell you the man lies—he’s an incompetent old fool—you cannot believe a word …’

Her voice trailed away weakly as Sandford, eyes glittering, reached out and took hold of the neck of her night-rail.

You despicable old woman!’ he ground out. ‘It was you! My God, it was you all the time! What a fool I’ve been—where is she? If you’ve hurt her I’ll kill you—I swear I’ll kill you myself!’

‘Robert! For God’s sake!’ came Judith’s voice in protest, as both she and Ridgeway leapt to extricate Lady Butler from the viscount’s furious grasp while Tiptree struggled to hold his master back.

‘It’s your own fault!’ spluttered the woman, from the comparative safety of the settle where Ridgeway and Judith had finally managed to deposit her. ‘You should have married Judith—I didn’t mean any harm…’

Judith stepped away from her mother in dismay, her hands covering her trembling lips.

‘What are you saying?’ she whispered. ‘Are you to blame for Harriet’s disappearance?’

‘No, I am not,’ rejoined the old woman obstinately. ‘I didn’t tell him to take her away. I only wanted to put Sandford in dislike of her—make her look cheap and common—which she is!’ She stared defiantly at the grim-faced viscount who was still fighting to remove himself from Tiptree’s iron hold.

‘Have done, guv, do,’ said the groom, in exasperation. ‘You’ve the whole night to spare. If you want to find out where Miss Cordell is, you’ve got to hear her out.’

At these words Sandford ceased his struggles and Tiptree at once released him.

Lady Butler shook her head. ‘I don’t know where he has taken her. I never intended anyone to get hurt—Beldale was a mistake. Beckett should never have …!’

‘You were responsible for Lord William’s accident!’ Judith, horrified, collapsed into Ridgeway’s outstretched arms. ‘Mother! What have you done?’

‘I didn’t do anything—I merely pointed out to Finchley how much better off we would all be once you became countess—Beckett took it upon himself to feed Beldale’s horse with one of his potions and Beldale went down. No one expected him to recover—well, he is very old.’ Lady Butler shrugged, as four pairs of eyes stared at her in shocked incredulity. ‘When Sandford came home with her I could see that I would have little difficulty in showing her up for what she is—having her fall into the lake was just a lucky chance. Beckett happened to see her on the path, but the fool let the whore’s brat get away—and he told me that his lordship here only laughed when he saw her appalling state—so you must see that it was necessary for me to think of something else.’

‘I can’t believe I’m listening to this,’ groaned Sandford, with his head in his hands, as Lady Butler nodded at her audience in cheerful unconcern. ‘You arranged Miss Cordell’s mishap in the woods?’

‘Well, it is true that I wrote the note—rather a clever idea, I thought.’ She shrank back as Sandford moved angrily towards her. ‘And I did help Elspeth to give her the pink biscuits. That was very tricky—because Elspeth …’ At these words Judith gave a frightened gasp. ‘I would never have allowed her to eat one, my dear—surely you do not think that?’