A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder Read online

  I released a small sigh at the thought of Lily’s wedding.

  George pulled back and gave me a penetrating look. “That sounded nothing like a sigh of pleasure, Frances. Is something wrong?”

  Dearest George. Still in his arms, I reached up to brush back a dark lock of hair. I loved that I had to tip my head back to look into his eyes, but was close enough to see the dark rim surrounding the paler green iris, so full of mystery. It could take years to unravel the mystery of this man, and I would treasure every one.

  Slipping my hand into his, I led him over to the cozy conversation area of a large tea table surrounded by plump sofas and chairs, upholstered in a blue and white print. We settled into one of the sofas. “Just a little trouble with Lily and Leo’s wedding plans. Nothing so terrible, I suppose.”

  He frowned, making two vertical lines appear between his brows. “Please tell me it won’t keep you from joining me at my brother’s home next week. A romantic rendezvous requires the presence of both parties. I can’t do it without you, you know.”

  I placed a hand over my heart. “Ah, yes. You, me, and the dozen people who make up your shooting party. The ambiance leaves me breathless.”

  “I’ve only invited the Evingdons, my sister, and her husband. The rest are neighbors who won’t be staying at the house so I believe I can arrange the ambiance you seek.” His voice dropped to a low growl, sending shivers across my shoulders.

  George was the youngest brother to the Earl of Hartfield, who was currently traveling on the continent with his wife, a second honeymoon of sorts. They set out on their trip a month ago and planned to continue their travels for another. As this was quite some time spent away from the estate, the earl had asked George to check on Risings, to ensure everything continued running smoothly. He agreed, of course, and would be leaving today for a stay of two weeks. And what would two autumn weeks in the country be without a shooting party?

  The prospect of such an event left him as excited as a child with a new puppy. He’d asked me several times to join him, and I finally conceded. Though with Lily’s wedding coming up, I thought I could only spare a week.

  “Actually, this spot of trouble means I may be able to join you even sooner.”

  His brow smoothed as he grinned. “Have they decided to elope then? Wise choice.”

  I shrugged. “As it happens, it’s their only choice.”

  “You’re serious.” He leaned back and took me in with a glance. “Truly? After all their plans they intend to elope?”

  “They must marry soon.” I gave him a meaningful look.

  He responded with a blank stare. “They are marrying soon.”

  Clearly, I needed to work on my facial expressions. “No. I mean they must marry immediately.”

  His raised brows told me he finally understood. “Isn’t your mother on her way as we speak? She’ll be terribly disappointed if she misses the wedding.”

  “As will Leo’s mother, but we couldn’t think of another option. I suggested we put together a small family ceremony in the country, but Harleigh Manor is for sale and thus, unavailable.” I shrugged. “As Leo’s parents have no country home, there is nowhere to gather even a small family party.”

  “They could come to Risings. Plenty of room there.”

  “That’s lovely of you to offer, but your brother is no relation to any of us. We cannot ask him to host a wedding, even a small one. It’s far too much of an imposition.”

  “Correction.” He held up his index finger. “You are soon to be my brother’s sister, a very close relation indeed.” A second finger joined the first. “He is not in residence, thus no imposition at all. And finally”—his ring finger joined the others—“I am already hosting a shooting party as Hartfield has given me leave to entertain as I wish. Another dozen people or so will make no difference.” He gave me a nudge with his shoulder. “Bring them to Risings.”

  I bit my lip, hardly believing my good fortune, or Lily’s good fortune as it were. Perhaps this could work after all. Risings was in Hampshire. Not far at all. We could gather the immediate family quickly. My mother would arrive in just a few days, and both she and Mrs. Kendrick could attend their children’s wedding. This could work. A quick but proper wedding. No disappointed parents. Society none the wiser.

  “If you are in earnest, and you really don’t mind.” I paused, giving him a chance to reconsider, but he merely cocked his head, awaiting my answer.

  I leaned my head against his shoulder, relieved to have a solution. “Thank you, George. That would take care of everything.”

  “I am always happy to help you in any endeavor. And I’d also hate to exclude a mother from her child’s wedding.”

  A grimace twisted my lips as I gazed up at him. “I confess, the thought of telling my mother she missed the wedding is largely what motivates me.” I shuddered at the thought.

  He nodded. “Yes, I’ve met your mother. I would not want to be the bearer of bad news either.”

  “Well, now neither of us has that onerous task.” I pressed his hand to my cheek. “Thank you, George. You always manage to have the solution to my problems.”

  “You offer the best rewards.” He twined his fingers with mine and brought us both to our feet.

  “I don’t recall offering a reward.”

  “You’ll be joining me at Risings at least a week before I expected you. I’d call that a reward.”

  He pulled his watch from his pocket, unaware he’d removed a letter at the same time. It fell to the floor while he checked the time.

  “Do you leave right now?” I asked.

  “Almost, I have a stop to make first, so I should be off.”

  As he headed toward the entry hall, I picked up his letter and trailed behind him. “Is your stop at Newgate Prison?”

  “What?” He snapped around so quickly I almost ran into him. “No. Why would you ask such a thing?”

  I pulled back in surprise, the letter dangling from my fingers as I handed it to him. “This fell from your pocket.” The lines of tension around his mouth faded as he relaxed his jaw. He took the envelope and shoved it back into his coat.

  “I couldn’t help noticing it came from Newgate. Are you corresponding with a prisoner?”

  He let out a sharp laugh. “Hardly that, but it does relate to my errand. I’m taking it to the Home Office.” He rested a finger against my lips. “Don’t even ask. You know I can’t tell you.”

  “I’m marrying a very mysterious man,” I said, the words distorted by the pressure of his finger on my lips. With a smile, he replaced the finger with his own lips, and I was reminded how much I loved him.

  A few minutes later, I’d seen him out the door and leaned back against it, considering the morning’s events. I’d been presented with a somewhat sticky problem, and with George’s help, managed to work through it. Holding the wedding at Risings was the perfect solution.

  Fiona, George’s sister and my best friend, would be there as her husband, Sir Robert, would be joining the shoot. She’d be a great help. Once I determined how to transport my mother to the country when she arrived, this should be a relatively simple operation. One small wedding to plan. How difficult could that be? Perhaps I’d broken my cycle of highs and lows.

  Chapter 2

  After seeing George out, I returned to the library to share the good news and was surprised to find Lily less than thrilled.

  “I can’t believe you told Mr. Hazelton.”

  Even Leo’s cheeks reddened, and once again he refused to meet my eye.

  Dear, perhaps I shouldn’t have told him. Though I considered George as almost my husband, these three were unaware of our engagement and understandably did not see him as family. I sat down on the window seat, facing my sister and her fiancé.

  And lied.

  “I told him nothing, Lily. I simply stated the two of you were unwilling to wait another eight weeks and were threatening elopement.” I made a mental note to ask George to forget he knew anythin
g about Lily’s condition.

  “So he offered his family home for our wedding ceremony?” Leo looked unconvinced.

  “Well, I did mention my objections to the elopement.” I shrugged. “And then he offered.”

  Lily nodded and seemed to accept the idea, but Leo watched me with suspicion. “It’s possible he just guessed there might be more to your decision than impatience,” I added. “But since he made the offer of hosting the ceremony, and your family, at his brother’s home, he does not appear to be either judging nor condemning your behavior.”

  At this Leo turned an even brighter red, something I hadn’t thought possible.

  “Why do you hesitate?” I spread my hands. “Does this not provide the perfect solution?”

  “I would say it does,” Hetty said from her perch against my desk. “But this is rather a large favor, Frances, don’t you think? I’m just a little surprised at your willingness to accept it.” She eyed me suspiciously. “This is the type of favor a close family member might offer.”

  A hint of a smirk played at the corner of her lips. Aunt Hetty saw George as the perfect match for me and had hopes of a marriage between us. Knowing I had the power to send her into transports of delight tempted me sorely to tell her the truth, but with Lily and Leo in this awkward position, it was perhaps not the right time.

  “Mr. Hazelton is such a close friend to us all, he feels part of the family. And for Lily and Leo’s sake, or more for their mothers’ sake, I chose not to look too closely at the propriety of accepting his offer.” I raised a brow. “Call me a coward if you must, but I’d rather not have to explain to them why their children eloped.”

  Hetty’s smile gave way to a look of horror at the prospect of such a task. “No, I cannot blame you for that. But it brings to mind another bit of trouble. Daisy will be arriving with your brother in only three days. If we are all gone to Hampshire, how is she to know where to find us?”

  Daisy was my mother. Though she’d been christened Marguerite, her father, an amateur botanist, quickly dubbed her Daisy, a name that bothered her not a whit until we all moved to New York, and Mother tried to break into the Knickerbocker society. To her, the name Daisy seemed too indicative of the lower classes. But her secret slipped out, and much to her disappointment, once she was known as Daisy, the name stuck.

  “Leo’s parents won’t know either,” Lily said. She’d perked up a bit as if she was just beginning to realize this plan might actually work.

  “Can you send a message to your parents, Leo?” I asked. “I understand they have gone to visit one of your father’s factories.”

  “I’d rather not give them too much warning,” he said. “My mother would likely drag my father back home so she could orchestrate the proceedings or attempt to change our minds.” His lips twitched upward on one side. “Now it is my turn to be called cowardly, but I’d prefer to leave instructions with the butler and have them come to Risings upon their return home.”

  Lily nodded her agreement, and I suppose I understood. Armed with a plan, they wanted nothing to interfere with it. Even a well-intentioned mother.

  Which left only our mother to worry about.

  “I suppose I can do my part and take care of Daisy,” Hetty said.

  I turned to see her taking a deep breath as if bracing herself against the onslaught of my mother’s ire.

  “Define ‘take care of,’ ” I said. Visions of Hetty locking Mother in a spare guest room passed through my mind.

  “I’ll stay behind to meet them, tell them about the change in plans, and escort them to Risings the following day.”

  “That’s very kind of you, Mrs. Chesney.” Leo looked doubtful. “Though I don’t know how else we’d manage it, are you certain you don’t mind?”

  “I’m sure, my dear boy.” She leaned forward and patted his hand. “Lily’s brother, Alonzo, is accompanying Daisy on this trip. He’ll be a great help to me.”

  “What about Leo’s sisters?” Lily asked. “And Mr. Treadwell.” She turned to Leo. “He’s to be your best man, is he not?”

  Leo had not yet caught Lily’s excitement. His brow furrowed when he turned to me. “As long as you’re confident Mr. Hazelton won’t consider it an intrusion, I can see this is a much better solution than eloping.” The taut line of his jaw relaxed as he squeezed Lily’s hand. “And I would very much like to have my family at our wedding.”

  “They were all included in Mr. Hazelton’s invitation, so you can be assured they’ll be welcome.” I glanced around at my partners in intrigue. “Are we all agreed to this plan?”

  “Agreed,” Leo said with authority. “And thank you, Lady Harleigh.”

  I received nods from Lily and Hetty, and that was that. I left it to Leo to take care of the travel arrangements and round up his siblings. We had our own arrangements to make, and we’d best see to our packing.

  * * *

  Leo shared my love of organization, and between the two of us, we managed to shuttle a mass of luggage, five maids, a valet, one nanny, and one eight-year-old to Victoria Station in time to board the train to the town of Harroway early the following morning. The adult guests, we assumed, could manage their own transport to the station.

  Yet, as the time drew near to depart, six of us found ourselves on the platform, tapping our toes as we waited for Leo’s elder sister, Eliza, and her husband, Arthur.

  Leo craned his neck, hoping to spot his sister in the stream of fellow travelers. “Are you certain Eliza said they’d meet us?” This was the third time Leo had asked the question of Anne, his younger sister, and each time she answered with an increasing level of heat.

  “They are adults, Leo. If they don’t arrive in time, I’m confident they can find their way to Risings without us.”

  All the Kendrick siblings, at least the ones I’d met, resembled one another. The sisters both had a softer version of Leo’s chiseled features. All three had a downward tip to their noses, brown wavy hair, and the same eye color—coffee with a dollop of cream, yet I’d never say their eyes were alike. Leo’s were round and wide and the proverbial window to his soul. One had only to look into his eyes to know his mind and heart. Clara, the youngest had half-moon-shaped eyes that sparkled and tipped upward at the corners as if they were smiling even before she did.

  At the moment, Anne’s could only be described as impatient, and I didn’t think it was all due to her sister’s tardiness.

  “Miss Kendrick’s right, old man. I think we should board.” The suggestion came from Ernest Treadwell, another member of our party. We had a slight acquaintance as we moved in the same social circles. In his mid-twenties, he was tall, lean, fair, and wore an air of entitlement, hardly unusual among the young men of his class. The second son of a viscount, he would neither inherit the title nor ever want for money, as the family was enormously wealthy and his allowance generous. Nothing was expected of him but charm and good manners. He could meet those expectations when he chose to do so. He struck me as an odd friend for Leo, but they’d been close since their school days, so there must be something to Treadwell I didn’t quite see.

  Leo finally agreed we should wait no longer, but as Treadwell assisted the misses Kendrick into the train car, someone hailed Leo from farther down the platform. The Durants had finally arrived.

  “Just in time,” Leo said. He took my arm and assisted me up the step to the train, then turned to provide the same service for his sister.

  Once inside, Arthur Durant slipped across the compartment with a nod to acknowledge the group, while Eliza stood in the doorway blocking Leo’s entrance. Shifting her to the side, he moved around her and introduced the two of us.

  Eliza had her mother’s good looks—a flawless complexion, rounded cheeks, pointed chin, and golden-brown hair—combined with the same wide, brown eyes as Leo. Hers narrowed upon spotting Treadwell.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Durant.” Treadwell touched the brim of his hat and gave her a crooked smile. “So pleased you could join us.”<
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  With a sniff, Eliza took a seat next to me. “Forgive us for being so tardy,” she said. “I had such a difficult time convincing Durant to accompany me. He was most determined to stay at home and see to business.”

  “Right. Seems as though someone ought to.” Durant had removed his hat and overcoat and balanced a document case on his knees. The lines between his dark brows led me to believe the scowl he wore was of a permanent nature. It made him look older than I suspected him to be, but with a beard covering his jawline and chin, and spectacles blurring his eyes, I found it difficult to venture a guess at his age, though his disposition was easy to read. I might pity Eliza if she did not look equally irritable.

  As Leo hadn’t known how many of his siblings would be traveling with us, he’d taken a first-class compartment in a Pullman car. This was fortunate since we were eight now that the Durants had arrived. There was plenty of room inside for all of us, but I was still pleased I’d decided to have Rose travel with Nanny, Bridget, and the other maids. Rose’s manners were good, but I didn’t know if they’d stretch to accommodate the two-hour trip.

  I needn’t have concerned myself. The train was barely underway when the bickering began between Leo’s younger sisters.

  I’d met Clara and Anne at my first dinner with Leo’s parents. Anne had impressed me as an intelligent young woman, not yet married at the age of twenty-three. I felt certain she’d love nothing more than to join her father in the world of business. As that was not an option, she occupied herself with lectures, committees, and reading. Leo’s youngest sister, Clara, not yet eighteen, wanted nothing more than parties, balls, and fetes. Hardly uncommon pursuits at her age. Though they had their differences, they had seemed well-mannered and got on as well as any two sisters might. I now suspected that amity was due to the presence of their parents.