The Second Lady Southvale Page 17

  Celia gave herself away with that single query, although she didn’t yet know it. Rosalind’s breath escaped on a long slow sigh of satisfaction, for suddenly it was quite clear that her suspicions about the real events of the past year were correct. She smiled at Celia. ‘Come, now, Lady Southvale, how can you possibly not remember Dom Rodrigo? He was the gentleman you shared such intimate moments with at Falmouth and with whom you’ve been near Lisbon for the past year or more.’

  Celia’s eyes were veiled. ‘I don’t know a Dom Rodrigo,’ she said again, but there was disquiet in her glance.

  Another draft of cold, damp air made Rosalind shiver, and she glanced up for a moment as the rain lashed the roof. Water was dripping in many places now, and she could hear it falling into the nearby pit, the sounds echoing chillingly through the shadows. She returned her attention fully to Celia. ‘Why bother to deny him, my lady? You were never on that Irish ship, were you? For the past twelve months and more you’ve been living with him on his estates near Lisbon. The shipwreck cannot have come into your original plans, but it must have come as a welcome bonus, for it made it so easy for you to claim to have been saved and then to return to the life you’d so casually set aside for your own selfish pleasures.’

  ‘What a wildly improbable story, Miss Carberry.’

  ‘But fairly close to the mark, I think.’

  ‘You’d have to prove it, of course.’ Celia smiled. ‘How very tiresome for you, my dear, to have guessed the truth, but not to be able to do anything about it.’

  Rosalind drew a long breath. ‘So, you admit it?’

  ‘I see little point in denying it any longer, since you’ve, er, rumbled me, as they say. I will deny it all to anyone else, of course, and will say that you’re just lying about me out of jealous spite.’ Celia’s eyes were a vivid lilac as another flash of lightning lit the skies outside. ‘You’re right about the shipwreck; it was indeed a bonus, but I’d intended to be lost overboard anyway. I didn’t go on the ship, but my baggage did, and so did a local Falmouth girl I’d paid handsomely for her services. She was dressed in my clothes, with a veiled hat to conceal her face, and she entered the cabin that was reserved for me. Then she left in her own clothes just before the ship sailed. When the ship arrived in Ireland, my absence would have been put down to my having been lost overboard during the crossing.’

  ‘Didn’t you care how much grief and pain you caused? Philip suffered tortures of grief over you, and I’ve no doubt that your family in Ireland thought themselves bereaved as well.’

  Celia shrugged. ‘I was infatuated with Rodrigo and wanted to be with him.’

  ‘Not infatuated enough to simply inform Philip that you were leaving him for your lover. No, you laid your plans very carefully, always intending to return if things didn’t go as you wished.’

  ‘I don’t believe in burning my bridges, Miss Carberry,’ replied the other smoothly.

  ‘Oh, I’ve come to realize that, my lady.’

  ‘Yes, you probably have, but Philip still intends to take me back, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.’

  ‘Why did you decide to return?’

  ‘Because Rodrigo and I had grown tired of each other, and because I’d begun to yearn for the delights of London. Lisbon is a very dull place, Miss Carberry, and can’t hold a candle to this city. When I told Rodrigo I wished to return, he was only too willing to be of assistance. It was his letter that Philip received, for he said that it would be more convincing if the letter was in a hand Philip didn’t know. I’m sure he was right, for it added weight to the tale of lost memory and caring strangers in a foreign land.’ The lilac eyes sharpened and rested warningly on Rosalind. ‘Don’t think of trying to prove anything against me through Rodrigo, Miss Carberry, for he will deny everything. He doesn’t want me back, and I don’t wish to go to him, so we aren’t going to oblige your aspirations by betraying ourselves.’

  Rosalind looked at her with loathing. ‘Philip really doesn’t deserve a creature like you,’ she said quietly, her words clear in a momentary break in the rain.

  ‘I’m still his wife, my dear, and he’s such an honorable man that he won’t hesitate to welcome me back into his arms. I don’t really care what his feelings are toward you; they are of no consequence. His duty lies with me, and it won’t be long before I’ve won him back entirely. As I said before, I have the marriage bed in which to convince him, and I intend to share it with him tonight.’ Celia gave a taunting smile. ‘I’m given to understand that you’ll have left London by then, Miss Carberry, but if you haven’t, I shall still lay claim to my husband, make no mistake of that. I’ll tell him that I thought you’d gone and that I wouldn’t have dreamed of causing you further humiliation by actually arriving in the house before you’d gone. He’ll believe me, my dear, for I’m an excellent actress. Take my advice, be out of Southvale House before seven o’clock this evening, for that is when I intend to return to my husband’s loving arms.’

  ‘Is that an ultimatum?’

  ‘Take it as you please, but if you’re still there, be prepared to see how effortlessly I can win him back. You’ll cease to matter within a few minutes of my return, Miss Carberry.’

  Rosalind held her gaze. ‘And how long will it be before you’re bored again, my lady? How long will it be before Dom Rodrigo enters your life? Maybe I should stay here in London, to be on hand when next you betray your marriage vows. You’ve covered your tracks very well this time, but maybe next time you’ll slip up. He’s worth fighting for, Lady Southvale, and it seems to me that I shouldn’t give up hope of eventually winning him.’ Rosalind hardly knew the thought was in her head, and she certainly didn’t know if she meant it, but it was worth saying simply for the effect it produced.

  ‘Don’t stay here if you wish to retain a shred of your reputation, my dear,’ Celia hissed. ‘Society’s sympathy will be with me, and I won’t lose an opportunity to stain your name or compromise you if I possibly can.’ Then she smiled. ‘But I doubt very much if you’ll carry out your threat, you’re far too noble and proper for that.’

  ‘Can you be sure?’

  ‘I think so. You’re already preparing to bow gracefully out of Philip’s life, and that proves to me that you’re a virtuous and high-principled young lady. You’re a credit to your parents and to your nation, Miss Carberry, and I shall always be eternally grateful to both.’ Celia adjusted her hood, for the rain had dwindled away now, although the storm itself still growled across the sky nearby. ‘Goodbye, my dear, I trust you suffer the tortures of mal de mer all the way home, as well as the tortures of knowing I’m in Philip’s loving arms. Remember now, be gone from that house by seven this evening, or I will crush your heart completely.’

  Holding her hood in place, Celia slipped out of the icehouse. For a moment Rosalind didn’t follow, but then she left as well. She paused outside, for she could see Celia hurrying away toward Piccadilly and the northern gates of the park.

  The noise of the busy London thoroughfare carried an air that seemed to have been washed clean by the storm. A sea of umbrellas bobbed along the pavements, and the clink of pattens was clearly audible. Stagecoaches, wagons, and other vehicles splashed along through deep puddles, and another distant roll of thunder proclaimed the storm’s retreat to the south of the river.

  Celia went out through the park gates and made her way across the street toward Gerald’s house, which Rosalind could see quite well from the icehouse mound. As Celia went up the steps to the door, it opened, and Gerald himself emerged, looking very stylish in a fawn coat and top hat, cream breeches, and peacock-colored waistcoat. He paused on seeing his sister, and they exchanged a few brief, rather angry-seeming words; then he hurried on down to the curricle that was waiting at the curb, unnoticed previously because Rosalind’s attention had been solely upon Celia. He drove off eastward along Piccadilly, cracking the whip to bring the two horses up to a smart pace, and Celia went into the house.

  Rosalind turne
d away, retracing her steps across the wet grass toward Southvale House. So much she’d guessed about Celia was now confirmed, but at the same time it was impossible to prove. Oh, if only there was some way of giving Philip undeniable evidence of his wife’s infidelities and heartless scheming, but Celia Beaufort was a clever woman and had covered her tracks very carefully indeed.

  The sound of a whip cracking made Rosalind stop, for it sounded like Gerald’s, and it came from St James’s Place. She moved to stand close to a nearby tree, watching the house, for if Gerald had called, she had no desire to return. She was wet and cold and in fear of catching a chill, but the thought of another confrontation with him was even more disagreeable. As she watched, he suddenly appeared on the terrace, going to stand by the summerhouse, his gaze scanning the park. She moved hastily behind the tree, remaining absolutely still. Celia had obviously told him of the encounter in the icehouse, and it seemed that he must have called to explain his part. The fact that he was looking at the park meant that it was she, Rosalind, that he’d come to see. Surely he didn’t still intend to press his attentions upon her? Was he so insensitive? Or was it simply that he was so arrogantly sure of himself that he was convinced she’d be persuaded in the end? She could only conclude that it was a little of both, for he hadn’t hesitated the day before to tell her that he wished to be more than just her friend, and he’d said it when she’d just emerged in tears from facing Philip in the library. Celia’s brother was as loathsome and unpleasant as Celia herself.

  At last he went away from the terrace, and a few minutes later she heard his curricle driving into St James’s Place. She hurried gladly toward the house, for she was now very cold and uncomfortable indeed.

  Richardson was in the entrance hall as she made her way toward the staircase. His rather surprised glance flickered over her wet, somewhat bedraggled appearance, but he bowed politely, holding out a small silver tray upon which lay a folded sheet of paper.

  ‘Mr Beaufort called, madam, and he waited for a while, but then had to leave. He asked me to give you this.’

  She took it reluctantly and read. ‘Miss Carberry. Under the circumstances, I’m sure you will agree that we should talk. I will call again in one hour’s time, when I trust you will receive me and allow me to explain. Gerald Beaufort.’ Well, he trusted in vain, for she had no intention of receiving him or of allowing him to explain anything to her.

  The butler was still waiting, and she nodded at him. ‘That will be all, Richardson. I shall not be sending a reply.’

  ‘Madam.’ He bowed and began to withdraw, but then paused, clearing his throat a little deferentially. ‘Begging your pardon, madam …’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘I wish to say how very sorry I am that you will be leaving us.’

  ‘Thank you very much, Richardson.’

  ‘Madam.’ He bowed again and then moved away in the direction of the kitchens.

  Rosalind began to go up the staircase, but as she did so, Katherine hurried down excitedly. She seemed to be almost bursting to say something, and her peach-and-white-striped gown fluttered.

  ‘Oh, there you are at last, Rosalind. I seem to have been waiting an age for you to come back. Wherever have you been?’ She halted, looking in astonishment at Rosalind’s damp cloak and rainswept hair.

  ‘I’ve been in the park,’ replied Rosalind.

  ‘In this weather? Oh, no matter, for I have something very important to tell you.’

  ‘And I have something important to tell you,’ Rosalind said quietly. ‘Celia is in London; I’ve just spoken to her.’

  Katherine stared at her. ‘She’s actually here?’

  ‘Yes. I saw her from my bedroom window just after you’d gone to look for the letter, and I followed her across the park to the icehouse, where we’d both coincidentally decided to shelter from the worst of the storm. She intends to come here at seven this evening, whether I am still here or not. She’s so very confident, Katherine, and I believe she could lie her way out of any situation.’

  Katherine recovered a little from the shock of learning that Celia was so near, and she suddenly seized Rosalind’s hands reassuringly. ‘She can’t lie her way out of everything, and I promise you that she’s about to be undone.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘The Portuguese letter was from Dom Rodrigo de Freire. Annie recognized his writing. There were other letters, you see, written before Celia left that last time for Falmouth, and they prove that she was being unfaithful to Philip. There’s real proof, Rosalind, so you and Philip may not have to part, after all!’

  21

  ‘Do you really mean it?’ whispered Rosalind, hardly daring to hope.

  Katherine didn’t reply immediately, for her great-aunt’s maid hurried down past them, vanishing in the direction of the kitchen. ‘We can’t talk here, let’s go to your room. Annie’s there and can help you with your clothes while we talk. But, yes, I do mean it, I mean every word.’ Taking Rosalind’s hand, she ushered her up the staircase.

  Annie hurried anxiously forward the moment they entered the pagoda room. ‘Oh, Miss Carberry, I’d have said something about the letters if I’d realized, but you said his lordship didn’t love you anymore, so I didn’t think the letters would serve any purpose for you. I didn’t know she was still alive, truly I didn’t, for the letters don’t say anything about going to Portugal, just about meeting in Falmouth. You do believe me, don’t you?’

  The maid was almost in tears, and Rosalind put a reassuring hand on her arm. ‘Yes, of course I believe you, Annie.’

  ‘I thought that his lordship was still in love with her and that he wanted her back again. I’d have said about the letters straightaway if I’d known he loved you and wanted you to be his wife.’

  Katherine went to sit down by the fire. ‘You help Miss Carberry with her wet things, Annie, and I’ll explain what’s happened since I found the letter in the library.’

  ‘Yes, Miss Katherine.’ The maid began to remove Rosalind’s cloak and then unhook the gown.

  Katherine looked at Rosalind. ‘I brought the letter back here to show you, but you’d vanished. Annie was here, however, and happened to see me reading it. To my utter astonishment, she said that the writing belonged to Dom Rodrigo de Freire, even though it purports to be from a Dom João Something-or-other. It’s very distinctive writing, look.’ She took the now crumpled letter from her sleeve and held it out to Rosalind.

  The writing sloped noticeably and the loops were so long that they touched the lines above and below. It was very clear and legible, except for the signature, which was quite obviously a disguised scrawl.

  Katherine watched her. ‘You can see why Annie recognized it, can’t you?’

  ‘Yes, but I don’t know how she knew it was from him.’

  ‘Ah, well, let Annie explain that.’

  The maid helped Rosalind to put on a dry wrap and then led her to the dressing table to begin unpinning her wet hair. ‘It was like this, Miss Carberry, Lady Southvale was always a very difficult mistress, never satisfied or pleased with anything I did, and as I’ve told you before, she liked to threaten me with dismissal without a reference. What I didn’t tell you is that on the day she left for Falmouth that last time, she really did dismiss me. I think now that she must have thought I’d found out about her affair with Dom Rodrigo and wanted me safely out of the way. I hadn’t found out, though; in fact, I didn’t know anything about it at all. Anyway, that last morning she told me that she no longer required my services, and that when she left, she expected me to immediately remove myself from Greys, which is where the family was in residence at the time. No one thought anything of her leaving without me, for she seldom took me on her visits to Ireland. I think now it was because she often met her lovers on the way.’

  Rosalind looked quickly at her. ‘Do go on, Annie.’

  ‘And so I decided not to say anything to anyone about having been dismissed. Lady Southvale hadn’t had time to tell anyone, be
cause she was already very late leaving on account of the carriage needing a last-minute repair, so I knew that I’d be safe from discovery until she returned. She was due to be away for two months or more, and that meant two months’ money for Mam. You do understand, don’t you, madam?’

  Rosalind nodded. ‘Yes, Annie, I understand.’

  ‘Well, only a few days after she’d left for Falmouth, his lordship suddenly decided to have Greys redecorated throughout, starting with her ladyship’s rooms. He, Miss Katherine, and Lady Eleanor removed here to Southvale House, and most of the servants were to follow a few days later, when the redecorating was under way. I happened to be in her ladyship’s dressing-room when the workmen had to move a very large wardrobe in order to paper the wall behind it. There was a little hiding place there, with a bundle of letters tied up with red ribbon. I took it without the men even seeing, and went to my own room to see what the letters were.’

  Annie blushed a little. ‘I know I shouldn’t have read them, Miss Carberry, but I’m afraid I did. They began from when her ladyship had been in Brighton a few months earlier, and the last one was dated only a few days before she left. They were quite clearly the letters of a lover, and there was no mistaking that she’d been committing adultery with him. They didn’t say about running away to Portugal together, though, just that they’d spend time together in Falmouth. I decided that I could use the letters to make her ladyship give me the reference I needed to find another position, and so I hid them, ready for when she came back. I meant to tell her I’d give them to his lordship unless she wrote out properly for me.’

  Annie lowered her eyes ashamedly. ‘It would have been blackmail if I’d done it, I know that, but I was desperate for myself and for my family. Anyway, as it happened, I didn’t have to use them, because news reached London shortly afterward that she’d been lost in the shipwreck, and I didn’t think any more about the letters. I haven’t said any of this to anyone until today, Miss Carberry, for I knew that I shouldn’t really be here anymore. Lady Southvale dismissed me, and Lord Southvale doesn’t know she did.’