His Christmas Countess

* * *

Grant had expected Kate to comment on his absence from her bed, perhaps to fuss that he was overworking, but she did neither. It was as though she was holding herself back from him, but he could not decide whether it was because she was frightened, or ashamed or simply could not trust him with her secret. In the small hours of the night he had lain awake, alone in his big bed, and fought back the suspicion that she did not care for him after all, that seeing Baybrook had rekindled her feelings for the other man.

Now he looked down the length of the breakfast table and felt all his affection for her welling up, forcing back the suspicion and the anger. She was not Madeleine. He should try to trust her and he would not question her, let her see his doubts and how his faith had been shaken.

‘My lord.’

He looked up from the sirloin that he was mangling and could not help but smile at the dignified way she addressed him whenever the staff were present. She did not call him my lord when she was screaming his name in the throes of passion, her limbs tangled with his, her nails raking his back.

‘My lady?’

‘I think I would like to take a small trip, have a day or two away from London. I am not feeling quite myself and the weather is so fine, I thought the sea air would do me good.’

‘Brighton?’ Grant suggested. ‘It should not be difficult to get good lodgings at this time of year, but it will be devilishly cold.’

‘I really wanted to go now. To Southend-on-Sea, I thought. So much closer.’

‘Southend? It is certainly respectable, but isn’t it a trifle...dull?’

‘I only want the fresh air and it will do the children good, don’t you think? We could go on the steamer easily in the day.’

‘I doubt I can get away immediately.’

‘If Charlie comes, then Mr Gough can provide a male escort and I’ll have Jeannie and Wilson. I could even take one of the footmen.’ Kate looked anxious, not like someone planning a short holiday.

‘Very well, if that would please you.’ He looked directly at her. ‘I’ll miss you. I know I haven’t been very good company these past few days, but even so, the house will seem empty without you.’

Kate was colouring up. Where had this sudden urge to go into Essex come from? Did she just want to get away from him, or was there some more sinister reason? He felt suspicion flare.

‘Thank you.’ She managed a very creditable impression of pleasure tinged with concern. ‘If you are sure? Well, then, I’ll speak to everyone and organise it. If I write to the Ship Inn for rooms, I should hear tomorrow and we can set out the day after. We had accepted very few invitations for the next few days. London is becoming very quiet now.’

The Ship Inn? Did she know the town or had she been doing some research? he wondered. ‘Certainly, and do use Bolton to book the steamer tickets and so forth. He can send your regrets for the various engagements and I’ll see which I want to go to by myself.’

‘The first post, my lord.’ Grimswade proffered a salver.

‘If you’ll excuse me, I’ll take these off to the study and deal with them.’ He stood as he spoke, the letters in one hand, one with the distinctive handwriting of his solicitor’s head clerk on the top.

He broke the seal as soon as the door was closed behind him and drew out the letter from Martin enclosed in the wrapper.

Lord Baybrook spent a week as the guest of Sir Henry Harding, baronet, at his estate, Belchamps Hall, in the parish of Hawkwell, Essex, in the period specified. I am unable, as yet, to provide you with details of Sir Henry’s character and means, but I am able to confirm that he is a married man with a sister named Catherine Jane Penelope.

I have sent my assistant by this evening’s mail coach to Rayleigh, the nearest town, with instructions to discover as much as possible of Sir Henry’s situation within the day.

Grant reached for Cary’s road book from the shelves beside the desk and opened it on the map of southern England. Hawkwell was apparently too small to be shown, but if it was close to Rayleigh, it was also close to Southend. Not more than five or so miles, he estimated by eye. If Kate was going to Southend, then he was going to Rayleigh.

* * *

The steamer was an adventure, at least for Charlie, who was so thrilled that he was rendered speechless, although not still. Mr Gough got Kate, Jeannie, Wilson and the baby settled in the warm shelter of the first-class saloon with Giles the footman to watch over them and was then towed from one end of the vessel to the other by his charge. Kate knew this because, with great regularity, Charlie would erupt into the saloon, compose himself with an effort and inform her of some riveting fact concerning the engines or the weight of coal consumed or the potential speed of the ship, then rush out again to interrogate some unfortunate seaman.