Sherbrooke Twins (Sherbrooke Brides 8)

Corrie was smiling even as she quickened her pace. She heard the mare whinny, heard Bad Boy stomping. She came to the paddock, leaned her arms against the wooden railing, and looked toward James.

No, she saw immediately, it wasn’t James, it was Jason. How could she have been deceived even for an instant, no matter that he was standing some thirty feet away, examining Bad Boy’s front hoof?

Where was James? He should be here. But then she knew, and her heart plummeted. He was in danger.

She shouted, “Jason! Where is James?”

Jason dropped Bad Boy’s hoof and strode over to her. “Good morning, Corrie. I expected James to be here before now. He’s probably in the estate room reviewing documents with Father. He’ll be here sooner or later. Stay, Corrie, James would want you to.”

She was torn. James was on his way here. Very well, she’d wait. She settled herself on the paddock railing. Two minutes passed. “I can’t do this. Something’s wrong.” Jason, who’d been breathing a heartfelt sigh of relief, froze in his tracks. She said to the back of his head, “Forgive me, Jason, but I’m worried. I’ll go look for him. I’m afraid. You must be careful too, Jason. This man who is after James, he might not know that you are not he.”

Jason turned and walked to her, squeezed her arm. “Yes, I know, and yes, I understand you very well. I will be surrounded by people. But I wish you would stay here, where James knows you are. He’s probably still in the house; when he comes, he’ll bring Judith here with him.” He grinned up at her there, still seated on the railing. “If she’s going to be the wife of a horse breeder, she should understand what it’s all about.” Then he took her hands in his and separated them, held them tightly. “Don’t, Corrie. Everything will be all right, I promise you.”

“But you can’t know, you-”

“Ah, Mrs. Trelawny is here in her very smart landau. Excellent. Stay still, Corrie, and stop worrying.” He gave her another pat and shouted, “Lovejoy, let’s see how the mare’s doing. That’s right, that’s right, bring her out, slowly, SLOWLY! All right, that’s fine. Hold her still now.”

Bad Boy wanted the mare desperately. Jason had covered Bad Boy’s front hooves with soft cotton stockings so he wouldn’t hurt her. Corrie felt for the derringer in her pocket and was reassured. She watched, paying no attention to the trembling horses, her ears alert for James’s voice. Where the devil was he? Was he with Judith? She looked up to see Jason pull his watch out of his pocket, say something to Lovejoy, then come striding toward her. She would have sworn there was worry on his face, but when he looked at her, it was gone.

“I have an appointment with one of the Bow Street Runners. Stay here, trust James to come for you, I mean it. It’s important you remain here, Corrie.”

She watched him nearly break into a run toward the hall. Something was wrong, very wrong indeed. She was to stay here? Why, in heaven’s name?

DOUGLAS RAISED HIS head at the gentle tap on the estate room door. He paused only a moment before calling, “Come.”

The door opened quietly to show Annabelle Trelawny’s smiling face as she leaned into the room. “Oh, forgive me, my lord. I’m looking for my dear William.” She stepped into the room now, looked around. “Oh dear, don’t tell me that you’re alone?”

“Do come in, Annabelle. Yes, I’m quite alone.”

“I thought William might be with you. He is very fond of you, enjoys being in your company.”

“And I enjoy his company as well. You did not receive my message, Annabelle? I had a lad take it to y

ou several hours ago, telling you that Hollis left to execute an errand for me today. I didn’t think you would wish to spend time here without his being present.”

“What errand did you send him on, my lord?”

If he considered her question impertinent, Douglas gave no sign. He said easily, “There is information coming in at Eastbourne. I believe it will answer most of our questions. I am very sorry Hollis isn’t here, Annabelle.”

“As am I, to be sure. However, my lord, I would pray that you not underestimate your own charms.”

“My charms, Annabelle?”

She pulled a long-barreled dueling pistol from her cloak pocket. “As a matter of fact, my lord, I am delighted Hollis isn’t here. He would have been in the way, would have tried to save you, and who knows? I might have had to shoot him.

“That you sent him away, I thank you, my lord. I am relieved.” She smiled at him. “Let me also thank you for sending the lad. I knew everything had to come to an end soon, but the right circumstances hadn’t yet presented themselves. But now all is as I would wish it. William is gone, Lady Alexandra is off visiting Lady Maybella, and Jason is at the paddocks. It is now just you and me. It will happen now.” She looked quickly through the crack in the door, then turned back to him. “No, my lord, do not move. I am quite a good shot. I fancied you were getting close, perhaps you were even ready to set a trap for me, my lord, but here I am, springing it before you were ready.”

Douglas sat back in his chair, his arms behind his head. “You duped us all, madam. You have a rare talent.”

“You only say so because you were the one deceived, my lord.”

“Tell me, Annabelle. Were the stories you told my wife about Miss Plimpton anywhere near the truth?”

She laughed. “Ah. William’s precious Miss Plimpton. I never met her, of course, but I suspect you figured that out, didn’t you?”

“Yes, a pity. I did not lie. I am glad that Hollis isn’t here. You also deceived him.”

Douglas looked at her with such contempt that she shouted, “I had to use the old man! There was no one else to give me entrée into this wretched house.”