Wizard's Daughter (Sherbrooke Brides 10)

Ryder paced the beautiful Aubusson carpet in the library, a splendid room filled with five thousand books covering three walls, floor to ceiling. Ryder remembered his father gently cutting each of the pages, handling all the books with incredible gentleness, placing them carefully on the shelves. "The world is in this room, Ryder," he'd told him.

After the silence stretched long, Nicholas said, defeat leaching out all emotion in his voice, "I will leave right this moment and never return if you believe it the thing to do."

Ryder looked down at a massive globe, spun it slowly, watched England appear, then quickly disappear. So small, he thought, England was so very small, insignificant really, in terms of the size of the earth, but still— He said finally, look­ing over at the young man, "I want to agree with you, Nicholas, I really do, but I cannot. Actually, you will add me to the list of your avengers.

"But I do not believe murder will be done. We will take steps to ensure it does not. Now, I know Rosalind wants you for her husband. I know that Rosalind being what she is, be­ing made how she is, being as loyal as she is, she would doubtless follow you back to Macau if you tried to leave her. Thus, I don't believe I have any choice in how to proceed."

Ryder rubbed his forehead, cursed low and fluent. "You and Rosalind must wed immediately and leave London. What do you think of Wyverly Chase? I know you spent time there before you came to London."

"Yes, nearly a month there, putting repairs into motion, so many needed since my father left that beautiful old estate to rot. As for all the tenant farmers, they were in dreadful straits, but that is being corrected as well. I have an excellent estate manager there to oversee repairs."

"I trust you have sufficient funds to see to all of it?"

"Yes, of course. The penniless boy who left England at the age of twelve made good, sir, as the vernacular goes. You wonder if Wyverly Chase is a good sanctuary. That is what you mean, isn't it, sir? You want Rosalind safe while I sort all this out."

"Yes. Do you think you and Rosalind will be safe there or should you simply leave the country for a time?"

Nicholas marveled at the decency of this man, his logical brain, and the fact that, when it came down to the meat of the matter, he was doing what Nicholas wished him to do. Nicholas wondered if Rosalind would really follow him to Macau. He said slowly, "Wyverly Chase is set atop a lovely hill with open views all around. There is a thick pine and maple forest that ends a good one hundred yards from the house.

"As I said, I have an excellent estate manager, Peter Pritchard, the son of my grandfather's man. I have already hired servants, all local, which bodes well for loyalty to me. The tenant farmers are very pleased with me, as is the town of Wyverly-on-Arden since I've ordered most all our sup­plies from the local merchants. I honestly believe both of us will be safe there until I am able to find out who is behind this."

"You don't wish to take Rosalind on a honeymoon?"

"Not yet, sir. There would be too many risks to her safety. Let her settle into Wyverly first, see what she thinks of the place."

Ryder eyed him a moment. "I hate to tell you this, but it wouldn't matter if Wyverly were a grand palace, she would still redecorate it. She will doubtless redesign and replant the gardens, she will add peacocks, and heaven knows the racket they make."

Nicholas's left eyebrow shot up.

"It's in her blood, she says, whatever blood that is. She was always trying to change Brandon House, and when Jane refused, Rosalind brought herself to our house and made im­mediate plans to change the draperies in my estate room as well as rearrange all my furniture." He grinned. "She has no taste in clothes, but show her a room and she will make it glorious very quickly indeed. But first— I strongly suggest that this wedding take place as quickly as possible. Hmm, it's Thursday. How about Saturday? Do you think it suffi­cient time?"

Nicholas nodded. "I shall visit Bishop Dundridge to pro­cure a special license. I know Rosalind is having her final fit­ting today with the earl and his wife and yours."

Ryder nodded. "I will meet with Willicombe and Cook to see that all is in order for Saturday morning." He paused a moment, then nodded to himself. "We shall invite all your relatives, Nicholas." He quickly raised his hand. "No, this is important. Trust me on this."

"They won't come."

"You are the head of the family. Society would not look kindly upon them if they refused to attend your wedding. And trust me, society will know if they come since I will en­sure that all know."

"But—"

"No, it must be done. Your half brothers and your step­mother must see that it is done, it is over. Douglas and I will be there. It will be all right."

Nicholas left the Sherbrooke town house feeling a bit light-headed. He paid a visit to Sir Robert Peel on Bow Street, then returned to Grillon's Hotel to inform Lee Po of the new plans.

Lee Po raised a thin black brow that was already arched high, sending it nearly into his hair, and said in perfect En­glish, "And I had thought to be bored in this frigid rain-soaked country. But instead, you and your betrothed are both in mortal danger, not to mention the magic and mystery of this Pale place—what an excellent diversion, my lord. You can be sure I shall be on my guard. None of the three half­wit brothers will harm you when I am about."

Nicholas laughed. "Thank you. Now, there is much to be done." Then he told Lee Po about the two men Sir Robert Peel was sending to him.

Rosalind found out quite by accident about the attempt on Nicholas's life. She had raised her hand to knock on the es­tate room door, when she heard Uncle Ryder's low voice and pressed her ear to the door. Uncle Ryder was telling Uncle Douglas about someone firing a gun at Nicholas.

"You fleabrain," she whispered to the absent Nicholas. "You will learn to confide in me if I have to box your ears." But since the debacle was the catalyst for their quick mar­riage, and that was surely very fine, she kept her peace. She had years in front of her to bring Nicholas around to trusting her absolutely. Given his unfortunate childhood, not to men­tion the villains he'd surely had to deal with since he was twelve, she knew it would be small of her not to accept his si­lence, but still, it hurt. What hurt too, but angered her more, was the attempt on his life. She wished she had Richard Vail's neck between her hands.

It was Grayson, told by his father that Rosalind had very likely eavesdropped when he told Uncle Douglas about the murder attempt, who warned Nicholas to stay away. Grayson told him, "Otherwise, she might call it all off and shoot you herself. She's a fine shot, my word on that, so don't take any chances. My father fed her some drivel about a problem at Wyverly Chase and that was why you needed to have the wedding moved to Saturday. Rosalind pretended to believe him, though I know very well she didn't. Truth be told, I don't know what she's thinking right now, she's been very quiet, perhaps too quiet."

Nicholas said, "I would wager every groat in my pocket she's planning something."

Grayson agreed, told him to keep his distance, and wished him the hast of luck.