Dangerous Masquerade (Regency Masquerade)

nt gift, but she’d said the ring was enough.

Then there was what she had told him about putting the estate into a trust. If that was true…

Shrugging, he reached for the familiar blue box. He then looked at the papers on the desk. Presumably if he read them he’d know everything. But did he want to? Did he need to? He realized it didn’t matter what they said. He’d want Ria regardless.

As he looked at them, they slipped from the desk to the floor. He bent, picked them up, and placed them back on the desk.

Just as he went to turn, the sheets of paper once again fell to the floor, this time scattering as they landed.

He frowned, then looked over at the windows on the far wall. None were open, so there was no explanation for the papers falling. He picked them up again, opened one of the desk drawers, put the papers inside and closed it.

As he turned to leave, he heard a thud. Turning, he saw the desk drawer now on the floor and the papers lying around it.

He remembered the day in the entry hall when the vase of flowers had fallen for no apparent reason. While the butler had said it was the wind, the footman seemed to believe it was a ghost.

Now that he thought about it, Ria had said nothing to him. While Flowerday had brushed off the worst of the flowers, she had looked around the hall as though searching for something—or someone.

He contemplated the papers for a moment, then, leaving them on the floor, he walked to the open library door. As he neared it, the door slammed shut. Turning the handle, he attempted to open it. It opened slightly but then closed. It was definitely unlocked. He tried once more but couldn’t open it. He gave up and knocked loudly. No one came.

Thoughtfully he looked back at the papers on the floor. Walking back to the desk, he gazed down at them. After glancing around, then shaking his head, he bent over and once again picked them up, putting the empty drawer back in the desk as he did so. After taking the documents over to the chair by the fire, he sat down.

Picking up the first paper, he saw it was a legal document advising Ria that Geoffrey Danielson was contesting his uncle’s will on the grounds the marriage had not been consummated. So his outlandish theory wasn’t so bizarre after all. He’d been right.

As he read the court’s instructions to Ria concerning the necessity of a physical examination, his grip on the paper tightened. Unwilling to think about her having to undergo such a procedure, he turned to the second document. It looked like a draft of plans for the estate, including evicting the ladies and raising the tenants’ rents.

From what Ria said, the ladies had no other relatives and very little income. If they were removed from the manor, he dreaded to think what would happen to them—they’d probably be thrown on the mercy, or otherwise, of the parish. As for the tenants, there was no way they could meet the increase.

Reading the papers, his regret at what he had said to Ria, how he’d behaved, grew tenfold along with his guilt. He should have listened to her. He should have given her a chance to explain.

It was now obvious why she had attended the masquerade. Though how had she known what Geoffrey planned? He cast a thoughtful eye about the room, then focused on the closed library door.

Turning over the list of instructions, he saw the final document was a letter from Ria to him. Jaw clenched, he noticed she addressed him as Lord Arden and then went on to admit that what she did was wrong. However, she knew her husband hadn’t wanted Geoffrey to inherit, and her intent was to protect the aunts, cousins and estate tenants. According to the letter, he could decide whether to lay the matter before a magistrate.

He sighed heavily. She was correct. In the eyes of the law, she had not been St. James’s wife, but what she’d done was in the best interests of everyone except Geoffrey.

She also told him that she was Honey. And that she’d attended the masquerade knowing he would be there.

And finally she released him from their engagement. As he read those words, his muscles went rigid—it was as though every part of his body rose up in horror and yelled No!

Luc gasped for breath. Once he felt somewhat calmer, he gathered the papers together, walked over to the desk, and put them all in the drawer, except for the letter Ria had written to him. After one last look he tossed it into the fire.

Watching the paper curl up, blacken, then burst into flames, he wished he’d read it when she first gave it to him. Was their attachment like that paper, now a pile of ash?

One more piece of paper drifted to the floor, carried from the mantle by a non-existent breeze. Bowing to the inevitable, he stooped and picked it up.

On it were directions to Underwood Farm near Bishop Malton. With a smile, he slipped the paper into his pocket.

This time when he tried the library door it opened effortlessly. With a final perplexed glance at the room, he left.

On arrival at Lyons House, he gave orders to his coachman, instructed his valet to quickly pack a valise, then made his way to the study where he wrote a brief message for Devon.

He returned outside to find the coach standing ready with fresh horses, his bag lashed on top, and his bay horse tethered at the back. He climbed in and without hesitation set off to find his lady.

29

Geoffrey Danielson slowly crept toward the dark house. It was dawn, and there was no sign of life or movement, but to be sure he kept to the shadows.

His breath caught when he heard the sound of a door opening. Moving further back into the shadows, he watched as a maid walked out the back door and over to the woodpile. She gathered an armful of wood and went back inside. Just as he was going to move again she came back out. Geoffrey cursed under his breath.