Dangerous Masquerade (Regency Masquerade)

Just as she passed the woodpile at the corner of the house, she heard the horse again. Turning the corner, she saw it tied to a rail under the overhang. It was a familiar chestnut gelding. The horse was breathing heavily, its sides heaving as it gasped. Despite the cold, it was dripping with sweat.

Her pulse began to race, and her heart pounded in her chest. It couldn’t be—Geoffrey was supposed to be in Ireland!

Ria looked around frantically.

Where was he?

Just as she took a couple of steps back toward the shelter of the house, she heard the crunch of snow behind her.

Spinning around, she saw him. As soon as he saw her, he began to shout. At first the words were incomprehensible, he was speaking so quickly and slurring his words, but when he got closer, she began to make out what he was saying.

His voice slowed as he got nearer, “At last I’ve found you. It’s your fault, you bloody bitch. I’m going to make you pay. You know that, don’t you?”

Ria took a step back. “Don’t come any closer. I’m not alone. My maid is inside and the coachman.”

“You’re damn well lying. They’re in the village. You’re here alone.”

Geoffrey must have seen her looking over his shoulder because he said, with childlike glee, a huge smile on his face, “You’re looking for him, ain’t you? I can see it. You’re expecting that bastard to come and rescue you! Well, he won’t! I saw him from the road. He didn’t see me, though—I cut through the fields. By the time he gets back here, it’ll be too late.”

Keeping her voice calm, she asked him, ?

??Too late for what?”

“To save you, of course.”

Her heart in her mouth, Ria said, “But everyone will know it was you.”

Keep him talking, she told herself. Her mouth was dry. Moistening her lips, she continued, trying to make her voice soft and soothing. “You will be wanted for murder. Don’t you want to inherit the manor? If you do this, you won’t be able to.”

“You believe I can’t anyway. You think you’ve seen to that. Do you think I’d forgotten? Or that I’m stupid? It’s all because of you! You’ve ruined it all! You have to pay for that! You have to!”

Geoffrey brought his hand up from his side, and for the first time Ria saw the pistol. He began waving it as he said, “I only wanted what was mine. I told you before it was mine. It’s always been mine! And I’m still going to have it. I can break the trust. I know I can!”

She was sure he had gone mad. His face had become purple with rage, his mouth twisted as he ranted and raved at her.

Averting her gaze from the gun, she kept her tone reasonable. “No. It was Monty’s, and he didn’t want you to have it. His wishes must be respected.”

Geoffrey gulped in air. As he gradually won the struggle to breathe, he calmed. “He’s dead. What do you know of what he would want?”

“Because he told me.”

His lip curled. “Well, he told me the manor would be mine.”

“Did he really? Did he ever say that?”

Geoffrey looked at her. She could see he was thinking, trying to remember. Slowly he said, “Well, no, perhaps not. But my mother did.”

“Geoffrey, it’s not too late. If you leave now, I will forget this ever happened. You know I was setting up a trust fund for you. I will still do that.”

“Mere pittance,” he spat. “Do you think I want your leavings? Anyway, it’s too late. Nothing you give me will ever be enough. I’m not even sure the estate would be enough.”

“What do you mean?”

Almost crying, he told her, “I have debts. Lots of them. I have to pay them back or end up in Newgate.” Plaintively he asked her, “Can you see me in prison? I don’t think I would like it very much.”

Gently she said, “I can help with your debts.”

“I don’t believe you. Why would you? Anyway, I can’t see you selling just about everything.”