Lord Finchley and Lord Preston looked at each other. “I do not know,” Lord Finchley replied, after some moments. “We have cousins here in London with us; I could ask them if they had anyone determined to cause them difficulties.”
“You would have to ask discreetly,” Lord Preston said, as Eleanor nodded her agreement. “And with great care. We do not want to alarm them.”
“Indeed.” Lord Finchley looked back at Eleanor. “You think that there might be someone known to our family behind this?”
Eleanor spread out her hands. “Someone who knows your family and is aware of your sister’s present circumstances, yes. So it may very well be that someone connected to your family – extended or otherwise – has found out about her circumstances and is now doing what they can to gain from it.”
Lord Finchley scowled. “They are a coward, are they not? Hiding in the shadows, demanding such things as this from me!” Throwing out one hand towards the note, he looked again at Eleanor. “The last time they asked me for enough money to purchase a box at the theatre. Whether or not they will do such a thing as that, I cannot say, but all the same, the demand was there. This time, they demand enough money to purchase a pair of greys.”
“Horses?” Eleanor frowned. “Then would that not be simple enough to discover?”
“In what way?”
She shrugged. “It would be easy enough to discover which gentleman has purchased horses recently, surely? So once the money is given, you would only have to wait for a short while before making quiet enquiries.”
Catherine shook her head. “No, for they will not purchase them here, surely? They would send the horses to their estate, wherever that might be.”
“And make it all the more difficult to find them,” Lord Preston muttered, looking back at Catherine. “You are very wise in your thinking, Lady Catherine.”
A blush touched Catherine’s cheeks as Eleanor frowned, thinking hard. “I thank you.”
“Then we must follow the money wherever it is to be taken,” she said, as Lord Finchley ran one hand over his chin. “Does the note say where you are to deliver the money to?”
Lord Finchley shook his head. “Not as yet. Another note will be delivered shortly, it says. That will tell me what I am to do… but I cannot keep doing this. At present, the money does not trouble me, but in time, it will. If I am to continually give this much coin away, then what will become of my fortune? Of my estate?”
Eleanor rose to her feet, hearing the desperation in his voice. Hoping that Lord Preston and Catherine would not think poorly of her for doing so, given that it was most improper, she drew near to Lord Finchley and, sitting in the seat beside him, set one hand on his arm. When he lifted his head and looked at her, she smiled quietly, trying to encourage him. “It will not come to that,” she promised, fully aware that she could make no such assurances given their lack of certainty. “We are in this together now, are we not? And that means that, together, we will not onlyfind the truth but also the person behind it all – and we shall stop their game and put an end to their threats.” When his eyes melded to hers, Eleanor’s heart began to quicken, seeing all that she might have… or might lose. “Wemust.”
12
Preston grimaced as the carriage approached Lord Welton’s townhouse. “I do not like this, Finchley.”
“Nor do I,” Rupert agreed, heavily, his shoulders rounding. “But what else is to be done?”
His brother did not answer him, telling Rupert that he also could not think of what there might possibly be to do other than to fulfil the next demand.
“We will have to speak to our cousins this evening,” Preston muttered, looking out of the window. “Delicately, of course.”
Rupert nodded. The money sat in a small bag beside him, the large amount hidden away. The note had been displeasing indeed, demanding the money required for the purchase of two very fine horses. It had also stated that, if he did not give him the correct sum, then the consequences would be severe – and Rupert had not been in any doubt as to what that had meant. Thus, he had been forced to make enquiries about London, wanting to determine the price for two such steeds. They had not been cheap, he had discovered, but what choice did he have but to do as was demanded?
“Where are you to set that bag again?”
Glancing at it as the carriage came to a stop, Rupert scowled. “I am to leave it in the carriage,” he replied, darkly. “The driver has been informed that he is not to obstruct anyone who comes to it.” The note had specified that, should the driver make any attempt to follow the person collecting the money, he would be in danger of losing his life, and Rupert did not want any harm to come to anyone connected to him.
Which was why he was greatly displeased with Lady Eleanor’s determination to help him.
“Here we are, then.” With a nod, Lord Preston gestured to the house. “Are you quite ready?”
Rupert looked down at the money again and then sighed. “Yes, I suppose so.”
Preston’s lips quirked. “You know, I am sure, that she was never going to be set back from this. It is quite clear to me that she still cares for you very deeply, brother.”
“As I care for her,” Rupert answered, as they both climbed down from the carriage. “But I must protect her. I want her to do nothing other than to stay back from it all, but she will not.”
“Because of what could be taken from her, if this does not come to an end,” his brother replied, setting one hand on his shoulder for a moment. “I do hope you are grateful for such a devotion, brother. It is rare indeed.”
Rupert swallowed hard, said nothing, and walked towards the house, telling himself not to look over his shoulder even though that was all he desperately wanted to do. Yes, he did value what he had in his connection with Lady Eleanor, for if it had not been so very precious, then he would not feel the loss of it so keenly.
“Do you think her carriage is there?” he asked, as Preston shrugged. “I do not like this plan.”
