“I have brought your Great Aunt Penelope to stay. She will be your chaperone.”
Bella stared at him in horror. “Oh, but she is always so cross,” she said mournfully.
Jeremy shrugged. “She doesn’t ride, though.”
“You will be polite to Lady Penelope at dinner or take your meals in the schoolroom from now on. Now go upstairs to your governess and get ready for dinner.”
Nicholas’s lips twitched as his glum wards left the room. Their youthful exuberance would soon return. They made him smile and quite lifted his spirits. Determined to protect them from possible danger, he left the library in search of Abercrombie.
He found him in the staff quarters, about to eat his evening meal. Gesturing to him not to rise, Nicholas asked him, “Did the footman deliver my message to Mr. Warren?”
“He did, my lord. I made sure of it.”
“Did Warren tell you where he was going?”
“He received a note, then said he needed to ride out and speak to Vano.”
“What did the he want with Warren?”
“He didn’t say.”
Nicholas nodded. “Never mind. Enjoy your meal.”
He returned to the library. Perhaps he had missed Warren’s note. He went over to search through the papers on his desk.
***
Carrie’s journey with Gwen to Surrey was delayed after one of the horses picked up a stone. They’d taken the opportunity for a cup of tea at a nearby inn, and an hour later, were back on the road, but Carrie remained tense the whole way. She begged Gwen to tell her all the details concerning her uncle’s past.
“I’m surprised he’s returned,” Carrie said finally. “Wouldn’t he fear arrest?”
“Apparently, Bow Street arrested and hanged two of the men involved in the murder some years ago, so he might consider himself safe from prosecution.”
“But why risk it? He has no home in England. You say he lost it because of his gambling debts.”
“He gambled away his entire inheritance.”
“But why is Nicholas so afraid he might hurt us?”
“It is more a matter of gaining control of Bella and Jeremy’s inheritance.”
“The money is tied up in a trust, and Jeremy is now Baron Leeming. How could he?”
Gwen shrugged. “The estate won’t be in your brother’s hands for years. I’m sure there are ways around the trust if you are devious enough.”
Carrie drew in a sharp breath as something occurred to her. “Nicholas thinks Uncle Simon might harm Jeremy. Might even…” Her throat tightened, and she couldn’t say the words. “But that’s so horrible. Can he really be that wicked?”
“I don’t know, Carrie. Desperate men do desperate things.”
“But to harm his family.”
Gwen took her hand. “Let’s not dwell on it. We might be wrong about the man. Maybe he’s turned over a new leaf.”
“Yes, that might be it.” Although he’d been charming to her at the ball, Carrie couldn’t bring herself to believe it.
Without Jeremy in his way, Simon was next in line for the barony. Her uncle was like a dark shadow hovering over them. Would Nicholas be able to deal with such a dangerous man? Could he be hurt? At the thought, she shivered and put a hand to her mouth to stop crying out and turned to stare out the window at the passing landscape. The horses’ pace was too slow. Nicholas’s coach traveled much faster. Where was he now? Might he be on the way to Elm Park with Aunt Penelope? She didn’t care if Nicholas was angry with her for coming; she couldn’t wait to see him again, to reassure herself they were all safe.
Chapter Eighteen
