* * *
He hadno idea how tempting the notion was. Cordelia had contemplated his words all that night and throughout the next day, Sunday, which they had spent in bed together. Now, as they made their way to the St. James Square home of the Duke of Chelmsford the reality of her charity work against what Daedalus did for a living loomed so large in her mind as to render her silent, save for an occasional nod or smile. She gave herself a quick kick. They had come on more important business than her romantic ideas about the duke’s brother. And the closer they drew to the duke’s magnificent townhome, the more pale Daedalus grew.
“You are certain Breadmore has something to with my missing friends?” she asked in an effort to distract him.
“I would wager my best printing press on it. I do not know why I did not catch the notion when we were at Hyde Park.”
“Perhaps you were distracted by removing the man from his horse and dumping him on the bridle path like a sack of fish? Everyone is talking about the incident, you know.”
“If you expect me to apologize…”
“I don’t. He is a horrid man and all but killed your sister, but to kidnap three women simply to marry some gentry woman he hardly knows?”
“A gentry woman whose mother gave birth to three sons. He is not interested in you as a woman, Cordelia, only as a broodmare and an ornamental countess to trot out on special occasions.”
“Bugger that,” she muttered.
Daedalus let loose a bark of laughter. Then suddenly he leaned out the window to stare at a open barouche going the other way. “Damn! That’s Alice and she appears to be in the company of Ravenwood. I must stop them.” He banged on the roof of the carriage.
“No, wait,” Cordelia said. “I will go after them. You can walk to your brother’s from here. Go and do what you must do. He deserves to know the truth, Daedalus. I will meet you back at Lady Camilla’swithLady Alice.”
The carriage had rocked to a stop and Cordelia’s footman peered in the door. “Are you certain, Cordelia? Ravenwood is not fond of you.”
“Yes, but he is even less fond of my brothers. He will not risk another visit from them. Go.” She shoved him toward the door. “We’ll be along shortly. Daedalus?” He turned to her and she pressed an impulsive kiss to his cheek. “Good luck with your brother.”
He climbed out of the carriage and shut the door. “Try not to murder Ravenwood. I am not certain Captain El is in Town at the moment and body disposal without her assistance is such a bother.”
“Do go on,” She waved him off as she and her footman, Andrew, rolled their eyes at him. “Can we catch Lord Ravenwood, Andrew?”
“Yes, miss. I saw which way he went and he is a rather cautious driver.” Andrew stepped up to join the driver on his box and off they went. To be honest, she had not given Ravenwood a great deal of thought after their broken betrothal. What she had felt for him as a young girl was nothing compared to what she felt for Daedalus. Perhaps Ravenwood was not a bad fellow, but she did not want Lady Alice to discover the sort of fellow he might be at such a young age. She was not the sort of girl she ever imagined might catch Ravenwood’s interest. Her dowry was certainly a handsome one, but she had not heard that the viscount was in need of funds, at least not so much in need as to marry a girl just out of the schoolroom.
She shifted on her seat and watched the buildings and streets of London go by. Sitting had grown a bit difficult as parts of her body were quite tender from Saturday and Sunday’s exertions. Sweet aches for sweet memories, especially the memory of Daedalus over her bringing her to exquisite ecstasy again and again. The nature of the road changed and when she glanced out the window she saw they were leaving Town and driving out toward the countryside, Kent perhaps?
“What on earth?” She stuck her head out the window and gazed up the road where she could barely make out the shape of Ravenwood’s barouche. “Has he seen us?” she shouted up to Andrew who looked down at her from the coachman’s bench.
“No, miss.”
“See that he doesn’t. Have you your pistol?”
“Aye, miss. You?”
“Yes. See where they go, drive past, and seek out a way to follow them unawares.” Cordelia’s blood began to chill.
“Aye, miss.” Andrew turned to talk to the coachman.
A man only drove a lady out into the country for two reasons, two reasons sometimes linked—to compromise her into marriage or to have his way with her and toss her aside. Ravenwood had not changed at all, unless she missed her mark. He was capable of anything.
“Not today, you cur,” she muttered as she dragged her case of matched Mantons out from under her seat. “Not bloody likely.”
* * *
His brother had stopped breathing.Daedalus had told him the awful truth about Diana’s life with Breadmore and her even more terrible death. He’d taken Cordelia’s advice and told the story in as calm and non-judgmental way as was possible for him. Eighteen years of held back anger and hurt made it difficult, but he had managed. Or so he thought.
Chelmsford stood behind the desk in his study, Diana’s note in his hand. His shaking hand. Impossible as it seemed, the Duke of Chelmsford could be moved to…some sort of feeling. Daedalus dared not guess what. When his brother finally met his gaze, Daedalus took a step back. Those blue eyes, so like his own, had never held such a host of emotions, at least not since they were children together.
“You have kept this secret for eighteen years?” Chelmsford finally asked, his voice a rough rasp. “You have borne this burden alone for all these years?”
Daedalus shrugged. “I was a child. I made a silly vow to keep our sister’s last secret. At first I said nothing from some sort of childish fervor. Knights of the Round Table and all that.”
