“But there was a man in that vision, too! A brown-haired gentleman ...”
“My oldest friend, Benedict Hawkins. It was he who persuaded me to stay and assist them both. When your sister, now his fiancé, learned that I would be travelling on to Wales, she passed me a letter to give to you. However, as you know, I spent the first several days of my stay believing you to be a Miss Parry. Even more confusingly, your sister had told me that you were only a distant second cousin to the Parrys – scarcely a relation at all. However, you, in fact, were introduced to me as Mr and Mrs Parry’s beloved niece.”
“Well, of course, dear Rose is our niece,” Aunt Parry broke in. “‘Scarcely a relation?’ Pah. What nonsense!”
Rose’s eyes stung as she tightened her grasp on her sister’s letter, but she aimed a watery smile at her aunt – her true aunt by love and care, if not by blood. She would never wish to deny that connection.
“At any rate,” Mr Aubrey continued, “it was all most perplexing, and as other important matters kept on popping up and distracting my attention ...”
“But the vision Griff sent me was real,” Rose said. “Elinor truly was alone with that man ... but she’s safe, after all.” She frowned, suddenly worrying once more. “They really are to be married now? You’re certain?”
“Indeed.” Mr Aubrey grimaced. “I may assure you that my friend is utterly besotted with her in a fashion I couldn’t yet comprehend at that point, admirable though your sister is. They have also come into the possession of a small fortune, I believe, although I didn’t follow all of the details. I’m sure she will have covered them in her letter.”
“And he truly isn’t a rake after all.” Rose’s shoulders sagged with relief. Then her eyes narrowed. “That means that Griff has only ever shown true visions, even when we had to set the scene for him as we did earlier, with those scenes that Chalmers and the others played out to mislead Sir Gareth tonight. Your theory about Griff’s powers was incorrect, and whatever he showed you must have been true as well.”
“But ... surely, the vision that I saw ...” A frown drew Mr Aubrey’s brows together. Then he blinked and drew a deep breath, his eyes widening. “Well! I see.”
Surprisingly, he looked more intrigued than irritated by the revelation of his own error. Rose had no time to discuss it further, though. She was too eager to read her sister’s letter. With fingers that shook, she broke open the seal.
Her uncle spoke behind her. “Ah, Aubrey? And dear Rose? A new visitor has arrived. You may wish to choose another room to speak privately with—”
“Never mind all the tedious formalities, man!” boomed an unfamiliar voice with a strong northern accent. “Just let me through to my misbehaving grandson and his mysterious fiancée!”
Chapter 28
Rose’s gaze flew to her supposed fiancé and found him closing his eyes with an expression of exquisite pain. Mr Aubrey pinched the bridge of his nose, drawing a long, deep breath ... and she realised that it was her turn to stand between him and oncoming danger.
Lowering Elinor’s letter to savour later, she turned to face the doorway, where Mr Aubrey’s man-of-business was hovering apologetically behind a tall, spare, silver-haired gentleman with bright green eyes, a dangerous-looking walking stick, and the most outrageously garish orange waistcoat that she had ever seen.
Her mouth curved in an instinctive smile at the sight of him – so it was for the sake of both his grandson and himself that she said, as she sank into a respectful curtsey, “Sir Toby, it is an honour to meet you, but you needn’t fear for your grandson, I promise. It was never a true betrothal or he would have told you himself rather than allowing the news to reach you by any other means. Mr Aubrey was only doing me a great favour in aid of righting a terrible injustice.”
At her words, multiple voices erupted around the room.
Clearing his throat, Mr Aubrey said, “Actually ...”
Miss Thomas said, “Wait, truly? I was convinced Georgie must have been mistaken about that part.”
Aunt Parry moved forwards in alarm. “Sir Toby, please disregard everything that my niece has just said. I must inform you that not only have your grandson and my niece been meeting with some intimacy across the last week, Mr Aubrey has also agreed in front of a large gathering of people ...”
But Sir Toby disregarded all the rest, his silvering eyebrows rising high as he studied Rose with an analytical expression she’d grown to know in the last week from a different pair of eyes. “Well, lass, I think you’d better tell me the whole story. But I’ll take some refreshment while you’re at it, if you please. I’ve been on the road ever since the news reached London, and with barely any stops along the way. When I heard I’d find all of you here, I’d no mind to wait any longer for my answers.”
Over Sir Toby’s shoulder, Chalmers mouthed silently at his employer, “I did try ...”
“Don’t worry, Chalmers.” Mr Aubrey sighed. “My grandfather is a force of nature, and we all know it by now.”
“You certainly must have tea,” Rose said firmly to Sir Toby. “Miss Thomas?” She turned to her hostess, who was still staring in outright disbelief between Rose and Mr Aubrey. “Might we prevail upon you for a pot of tea and refreshments for Sir Toby? And perhaps Mr Aubrey and I could speak to him somewhere more private? I do think he deserves to know everything.”
“Indeed.” Miss Thomas blinked rapidly. “You already know the way to the drawing room, I believe.”
“We do. Thank you.” With a grateful smile, Rose took the courtly arm Sir Toby offered her and guided him out of the room with his grandson following behind, carrying a long candle from the sideboard’s candelabra.
Aunt Parry did not follow, but she called warningly after Rose, “Your uncle and I will be having our own private conversation with Sir Toby afterwards, my dear.”
Rose winced, and Sir Toby startled her by sliding her a mischievous wink. “I’ve missed quite the adventure, haven’t I?”
“There was truly no need for you to come, Grandfather. I had it all in hand,” said Mr Aubrey as they stepped into the drawing room and he moved to light the candelabra there.
The sky outside the windows was not yet fully dark, but the candles lit the creases around his grandfather’s eyes and lips as he snorted. “No need? What nonsense. Now you’re sounding like your fusspot parents! I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” He planted himself upon one long couch, propped his walking stick beside him, and patted the seat beside him invitingly. “Now, young lady, sit down and tell me everything, beginning with your name.”
