A Marquess, a Miss and a Mystery Page 19

  * * *

  Nick couldn’t tell what, or more likely who, had put that expression on her face, but he felt heartily sorry for whoever it was. She was something to behold when she was roused.

  He shifted in his chair.

  ‘So, we have a list of suspects. The Duke, his secretary, his doctor and, yes, his chaplain.’

  ‘And Lady Tewkesbury.’

  ‘Hmm...’ He’d assumed that a man was behind it. But it could be a woman, he supposed. If that woman was as clever and as driven as Miss Carmichael.

  ‘In the light of all we’ve learned so far, and, yes...’ he held up his hand in a gesture of surrender ‘...you have uncovered most of it...’

  He had to pause as she treated him to a smile of such radiance it hit him somewhere in the solar plexus. Not many people, he would warrant, had ever seen her smile like that. Or known they’d been the cause of transforming her serious face into something that resembled...well, if she used it more often, men would be falling at her feet. ‘I, er...’ He took in a breath, scrambling for something that would follow on from what he’d been saying before she distracted him. Something about the chaplain. And uncovering something. But thinking about the man brought back a vision of Horatia kneeling at the man’s feet and the salacious conversation that followed.

  Which conjured up images of that mouth doing the most wicked things to his body.

  Which was wrong. Totally wrong. This was Herbert’s sister. Herbert’s sister. A man who was no longer around to guard her from men like him. He cleared his throat as that last reflection cleared his mind.

  ‘Change of plans... Yes, that was what I was going to say. We need to change our plans.’

  She tipped her head to one side, as though awarding him her full attention.

  ‘We were going to use the treasure hunt as cover to search rooms for a code book. But now that we no longer need to, we should take a new tack.’

  ‘Which is?’

  ‘Ah.’ Would she stop looking at him that way if he admitted he hadn’t a clue? ‘I am not completely sure.’

  No. Her eyes hadn’t changed. She was still looking at him as though he could accomplish anything. ‘I need to mull it over,’ he admitted.

  ‘But you will find a way to flush out the guilty party,’ she said with conviction.

  Lord, he hoped so.

  ‘Thank you for being so frank with me,’ she said.

  ‘Well, I’ve learned my lesson. There is no use pretending to know it all around you, is there? You soon saw through me last time I attempted that. Besides, now that I know you better, I...’ He pulled himself up short. He was about to say he trusted her. And he did, when it came to hunting down Herbert’s killer.

  But that was all. All he would allow it to be.

  ‘Anyway, until I come up with a plan, we may as well get the treasure hunt out of the way. Ah, Miss Underwood,’ he said, noting that she was looking their way. ‘May we have a word?’

  Once he’d established that the footmen had successfully raided the local sweet shop and found a carpenter who made ingenious toys from offcuts, he explained that they’d completed the clues and saw no reason not to run the treasure hunt that very afternoon. Which put a smile on Miss Underwood’s face, too.

  ‘I do need to just assemble the relevant footmen and give them their clues and instructions,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘I will see you again at three,’ he said to Horatia, ‘or thereabouts, in the schoolroom.’

  * * *

  Horatia supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised when Lady Tewkesbury said she ought to act as chaperon while she and Lord Devizes were gallivanting all over the house with the children, after what Perceval had said that morning. When it was time to set out, Lady Tewkesbury grumbled all the way up the many flights of stairs and the moment they reached the schoolroom sat down in the first chair she saw, fanning her face and breathing heavily.

  Miss Underwood was already there, as was the Duke himself. He was sitting on the window seat that his daughter had perched on before, gazing down to where she knelt at his feet, petting the little white dog that was never far from Miss Underwood’s side, his features, for once, not looking the slightest bit stern.

  Horatia instinctively dropped into a deferential curtsy, but the Duke barely acknowledged her, so intent was he on his daughter. He did stiffen, however, when Lord Devizes came in some moments later. Miss Underwood went to the Duke’s side and gave him a speaking look. The Duke rose to his feet and stalked across the room.

  ‘I believe that thanks are in order,’ he said to Lord Devizes. ‘You have clearly gone to a lot of effort to help entertain these children.’

  Miss Underwood beamed at him, though the Duke could not see her, since she was still standing by his daughter.

  ‘You should know that I didn’t do it to gain your approval,’ drawled Lord Devizes. He inched closer to Horatia. ‘It simply gave me a perfect excuse to be alone with this adorable creature.’

  Horatia’s face grew hot. The Duke’s grew stormy. Miss Underwood’s smile vanished. And Lady Tewkesbury gave a disapproving sniff.

  ‘Lord Devizes, do you have the first clue,’ said Miss Underwood, breaking through the tension that was mounting between the adults. ‘The children are all so excited and are longing for the treasure hunt to begin.’

  ‘Of course,’ he said, bestowing one of his knee-melting smiles in her direction, which caused the Duke to make a low, menacing noise in his throat that, coming from a lesser man, would have been described as a growl.

  With a flourish, Lord Devizes withdrew two sheets of paper from one of his pockets.

  ‘First of all, you children need to form into two teams.’

  ‘Boys against girls,’ cried the two little boys who’d been torturing the smaller girls the last time Horatia had been up here. The girls looked as though that suited them fine.

  ‘And which of you two ladies,’ he said to the governesses, ‘will be supervising which team?’

  They looked at each other. ‘We ought really to look after our own charges,’ said the taller, thinner of the two. ‘Only we each have children of each sex.’

  ‘I can look after the girls,’ said the nursemaid, hoisting the baby on to her hip. ‘If you like.’

  ‘Then that’s settled,’ said Lord Devizes before anyone could raise any objections. ‘Here is your first clue,’ he said, handing one sheet of paper to her. ‘Which of you wishes to take the clue for the boys’ team?’ he then added, holding out the other sheet in the space between the two governesses.

  The shorter one grabbed it and, beckoning the boys of the nursery party, went over to the desk, the taller governess hot on her heels.

  The Duke’s daughter, who’d been reading the clue over the shoulder of the nursemaid, suddenly said, ‘Oh!’ And then, checking the end of the room where the boys were still watching the two governesses quarrelling over who should be in charge, beckoned the other girls to her side.

  ‘I know where that is,’ Horatia heard her inform the girls, although she had kept her voice low so that the boys wouldn’t overhear. ‘Come on,’ she said and dashed to the door.

  ‘And that is our cue, I think,’ said Lord Devizes, ‘to leave also.’ He held out his arm to Horatia. ‘Lady Tewkesbury,’ he said, holding out his other arm.

  ‘I can’t,’ whimpered Lady Tewkesbury, raising her hand to her forehead. ‘I simply cannot go charging all over the house after a pack of—’ She broke off as the boys, with an assortment of hunting cries, went charging past the adults who were standing by the door. ‘No,’ she said again with more determination. ‘I will not be a party to...that.’

  ‘Don’t you worry, Lady Tewkesbury,’ said Miss Underwood. ‘I can act as chaperon to Miss Carmichael, if you really think it is necessary for her to have one.’

  ‘As if you have not enough to do,’ growle
d the Duke.

  ‘No, truly, I should love to see Livvy trouncing those horrid boys...’ She bit her lip and cast an appalled look at Lord Devizes. ‘I didn’t mean...that is, I’m sure your nephews are...’

  To Horatia’s surprise, Lord Devizes laughed with what sounded like genuine amusement. ‘No need to apologise,’ he said. ‘They are horrid at that age. Perfect monsters, in fact. And Livvy, if that is her name?’ Miss Underwood nodded. ‘Is going to thoroughly enjoy...er...trouncing them. And will become, if I am not very much mistaken, a heroine in the eyes of the other girls.’

  The Duke’s frown eased by about a hundredth of an inch. And Horatia knew exactly why. Because it was the approval of society’s females Livvy needed to acquire. And no matter what had passed between them all this far, or what motives had driven their parents to position them close to her, after today, they were likely to start forming genuine friendships.

  ‘Shall we?’ Lord Devizes held out his arm again and this time Horatia lay her hand on it without hesitation.

  The Duke nodded at his wife, then extended his arm to Lady Tewkesbury. ‘Allow me to escort you to the terrace. I am sure I can find you a shaded spot where you may sit and sip a cooling drink, and watch the game in progress on the lawn. It should prove very soothing.’

  ‘Oh, that does sound pleasant,’ said Lady Tewkesbury, taking his arm.

  And all five of them left the nursery.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  ‘Um...where should we head for first?’ Miss Underwood had waited until the Duke and Lady Tewkesbury had descended the first set of stairs leading in the direction of the main bulk of the house, before tentatively asking the question.

  ‘The yellow salon,’ said Lord Devizes.

  Ah, yes, Horatia remembered the clue he’d written, about finding a second clue under something blue.

  ‘It really is good of you,’ Miss Underwood said, ‘to favour Livvy this way...’

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘Do not fall into the error of thinking I am being good.’

  ‘Then, why...?’

  ‘Anyone who knows me well could tell you that I cannot help getting up to mischief whenever I can. But bullying is something I cannot abide. And those boys of my sisters are, as you pointed out, well on the way to becoming little monsters. It is about time that they learned that they cannot always win by dint of using their muscles.’ A tightening of his jaw betrayed the fact that he felt very strongly about the subject.

  For a moment, Horatia saw him in the guise of a knight errant, going about slaying...well, not dragons, but perhaps bullies, to save damsels from...only that wasn’t right either. He was giving the girls a chance to prove they were just as good as the boys, not rescuing them, precisely.

  And from the look on her face, Miss Underwood was thinking pretty much the same.

  ‘It is such a pity,’ she said, ‘that you are at odds with Oliver. That is, my fiancé. I know that what your father did created a huge amount of...that is, I suppose it isn’t my place to say anything. Only I am sure he would prefer it if you could get on...’

  ‘Do you, indeed?’

  Horatia had never seen Lord Devizes looking so cold. If she’d been Miss Underwood, and he’d turned that glacial look upon her, she would have shivered.

  But Miss Underwood only smiled and shook her head. ‘You are so alike,’ she said, giving him a look that was almost affectionate.

  ‘We are nothing alike!’

  ‘That’s exactly what Oliver said,’ said Miss Underwood with amusement. ‘One day...’

  But Horatia wasn’t paying attention any longer. Because she could hear a most peculiar noise. As though a horde of invisible children were running, giggling, down the staircase behind them. And from the look on his face, Lord Devizes had heard it, as well. Only there were no children in sight.

  ‘It’s the children,’ said Miss Underwood, noting the way Horatia and Nick were looking all round in confusion. Even the dog had pricked up its ears and was looking about in a bewildered way. ‘Well, to be more specific, the girls, I should think. Using the servants’ staircase which is on the other side of that wall there,’ she said, waving one arm in the direction of the wall from which, now Horatia was thinking more clearly, the sound of footsteps had really come, ‘to reach wherever they think the next clue will be, so that the boys can’t follow.’

  ‘The...servants’ staircase?’ Horatia felt Nick’s arm tense beneath her hand.

  ‘Yes. Livvy claims to know all of what she calls the secret staircases and corridors. And all the best hiding places, too. She used to run away from her governess and hide whenever she could. Apparently, Theakstone Court is riddled with them.’

  ‘So.’ Nick’s eyes narrowed as though he was trying to work something out. ‘You think she has managed to reach the yellow salon and find the clue, and is on the way to discovering the next one already?’

  Miss Underwood cocked her head. ‘From the direction those footsteps are heading, I would say yes. If the next clue happens to be in the portrait gallery.’

  Lord Devizes made no comment, but started striding off in the direction of the portrait gallery. They arrived in time to see the footman stationed at the foot of the portrait of King Charles in all his ermined glory, handing over a bag of sweets and a sheet of paper to an exultant Livvy.

  ‘Oh, dear, at this rate the treasure hunt will be over in less than an hour,’ said Horatia.

  ‘Yes, and then we shall have to find something else to occupy the children.’

  ‘The main prize is a selection of toys,’ said Nick. ‘I should think they will keep them occupied for some time.’

  ‘Oh, yes, yes, of course,’ said Miss Underwood. ‘I should have—’ She broke off, her face falling. ‘Now what?’ she muttered as Mrs Manderville, the housekeeper, came scurrying in their direction.

  ‘It is His Grace,’ said the woman, without preamble, twisting her hands together.

  ‘Oliver? What has happened? Has he met with an accident?’

  ‘No, no, not His Grace. His Grace. The Archbishop. He has just arrived.’

  ‘But he isn’t due until tomorrow!’

  ‘Exactly,’ said the housekeeper. ‘And although I have his room prepared...’

  ‘Of course you have. You are always so efficient. Nevertheless, I suppose I should come and greet him. Is that what Oliver says?’

  ‘Bullimore has gone to inform His Grace. I came straight to fetch you.’

  ‘Yes. He may well wish to speak to us both together...oh,’ said Miss Underwood, turning to Horatia in a way that suggested she’d almost forgotten about her and Nick and the treasure hunt. ‘I ought to go and meet the Archbishop. He has agreed to marry us, at very short notice, and since he’s arrived a day early, it might mean—’ She broke off and sighed. ‘Well, I don’t know what it might mean. And though I did promise to chaperon you...’

  ‘I am sure I have no need of chaperonage,’ said Horatia. ‘Lord Devizes is hardly going to attempt to ravish me in broad daylight, is he?’

  The housekeeper gave Horatia a very frosty stare. Miss Underwood looked a bit shocked. ‘No, no, the very idea! And I would never suggest...’ She glanced up at Lord Devizes a touch apologetically. ‘It is just a question of observing the proprieties. You understand.’

  ‘Perfectly,’ said Lord Devizes with a completely expressionless face. ‘You may go and meet your archbishop with a completely easy conscience. And for my part, I solemnly swear not to attempt the ravishment of Miss Carmichael or anyone else during the course of the treasure hunt.’

  ‘I...’ Miss Underwood blushed. ‘You have a very odd sense of humour.’

  Lord Devizes gave her what Horatia could only consider a rather ironic bow. But it served its purpose, for Miss Underwood and the housekeeper and the dog went trotting off together without a backward glance.

  ‘Well,’
said Horatia, once they were out of earshot. ‘That leaves us free to get on with our own hunt.’

  ‘Our hunt? Ah,’ said Lord Devizes, with a nod of comprehension. ‘So, where do you plan to start?’

  Horatia blinked up at him. He was asking her what she wished to do? He wasn’t going to dictate terms?

  ‘Lady Tewkesbury’s room.’

  ‘And might I enquire as to why? It is only,’ he said diffidently, ‘that you persuaded me we had no need to search for a code book, but would do better to observe the behaviour of anyone who might be considered to be behaving suspiciously.’

  ‘Yes. But then I saw the flaw in that plan. Which is the difficulty of working out what constitutes suspicious behaviour. When they are all such good actors.’

  ‘Actors?’

  ‘Yes. You know very well what I mean,’ she said, with exasperation at his pretending not to understand. ‘Just about all the ladies here can say smiling things to your face, then say cutting things behind your back. Which I would never have guessed they were saying, had I not only overheard them...’

  ‘This happened during your come-out?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I am sorry for that...’

  ‘Yes, well, thank you, but it taught me a valuable lesson. Which I remembered just in time. That all of them are two-faced enough to carry off this kind of deception. And so, I thought—’ she said, then broke off. ‘Look!’

  She pointed along the gallery, to where the girls had all suddenly gone surging away from the footman and then, one by one, appeared to vanish through the wall.

  ‘Well, that saves us wasting time searching for the door to this secret passage,’ said Lord Devizes. ‘All we need to do is follow the children. And, since we can be said to have a special interest in the outcome of the treasure hunt, nobody is going to be at all surprised at us doing so. Shall we?’

  She didn’t bother answering. Just hitched up her skirts and dashed off after the children, before the secret door could close. It turned out to be in the form of a slight alcove, rather similar to the one into which she’d dragged Lord Devizes, when she’d been trying to hide from the Duke.