Page 50 of Redemption of a Marquess

“Nonsense,” Jeanine said. “You have nothing to fear by leaving me to play cards. I will be nearby with Lord Gordon.”

Lord Gordon puffed out his chest like a ridiculous peacock. “There you have it, Miss Stone.” He rose. “Let me introduce you to Lady Melanie.”

Miss Stone glanced at Jeanine, and Jeanine noted genuine concern in her expression. This was the first time she and Miss Stone had disagreed. Shame wormed its way through her. Miss Stone’s concerns were founded.

“I must remind you, Miss Matheson, that his lordship instructed us to return after one hour.”

A total lie, and one Jeanine hadn’t prepared for.

Miss Stone looked at Lord Gordon. “You will forgive us if we don’t stay long. His lordship has dinner plans, and allowed us to leave only after extracting the promise that we would not be late.”

Irritation flashed in his eyes and he said in a too-genial voice, “Of course, Miss Stone. I shall make it my mission to escort you to your carriage within the allotted hour.”

Miss Stone rose, albeit, Jeanine knew, with reluctance, and accompanied Lord Gordon to a table in the far corner of the room near the balcony. The young lady at the table looked to be barely out of the schoolroom. As soon as Lord Gordon turned his back, Jeanine rose and hurried to the door through which they had entered. She slipped from the room, found the hallway empty, and sprinted in the direction they’d come. A second later, she reached the servants’ stairs and bounded up the winding staircase.

Light spilled around a curve up ahead. Heart pounding, Jeanine raced up the final stairs and burst into a well-lit hallway. She halted, breathing hard, and strained to hear above the rush of blood in her ears. She saw no one. Not surprising. This had to be Lord Gordon’s private chambers. At this time of day, servants might not be allowed on this floor, and most were likely busy with the party.

She tried three doors, found a bedchamber she assumed was Lord Gordon’s, but nothing to indicate what he’d meant when he told her he had a plan to cast Grey out of Society for good. The next door opened to a private study. She headed for the large mahogany desk at the far end of the room. She had been away from the card room fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. By now, Lord Gordon would believe she had left—or perhaps gone to the garden, if he had one. Miss Stone would have joined the search for her. It was unlikely he would think she’d come upstairs, but anxiety knotted her stomach, nonetheless.

She sat down at the desk and began searching through drawers, but found only paper, pen, personal correspondences that seemed meaningless, and business papers concerning properties he held in the north of Scotland. She opened the bottom right drawer and found several envelopes bound together by a ribbon. Jeanine slid aside the bow that covered the center of the top envelope and started at sight of Grey’s first name on the envelope.

With shaking fingers, she tugged the bow free, then untied the ribbon and withdrew the top letter from its envelope.

My dearest Valan,

As usual, I find it easier to put down on paper the words I cannot say. Since becoming your ward, my life had taken on new meaning. It matters not to me what the future holds, so long as we are together. I care nothing for what Society says. I am yours as long as you will have me.

Yours,

Jeanine

Her heart pounded so fiercely, she became lightheaded. She opened a second letter written in a different hand.

My darling Jeanine,

Forget Society. They have never been a friend of mine. I will take you away from here where no one will know us. Never fear, I will not allow harm to come to you or the child you carry… Our child.

Yours forever, Valan

Our child?

Anger twisted through her. She hadn’t written these letters. Since she hadn’t written these letters, it only made sense that Grey hadn’t written the others. And the child that she carried? There was no child. They had never…

Lies. Terrible, vicious lies.

She remembered Lady Fletcher and the girls who had spoken so ill of her and Grey. How many lies were being told about Grey? Now this? But why this?

Then she understood. Lord Gordon had created these terrible lies with the intention of ruining Grey. But why? No one would believe them. Miss Stone lived with them. She could attest to how proper their household ran.

She was not with child. That would prove these were lies. But Grey’s reputation would be destroyed before anybody knew they were lies. A mixture of rage and fear brought tears to her eyes. She would not let Lord Gordon do this.

Jeanine quickly gathered the letters and retied the bow. Grey would know what to do. She stood, then hesitated. She couldn’t give him the letters. He would be furious. Not because Lord Gordon tried to ruin him, but because Lord Gordon’s plan would have ruined her. She didn’t know him well, but that much she did know.

The letters had to be destroyed. But that wouldn’t be enough, she realized with rising panic. Lord Gordon would only write more. How could she stop him?

She swiped at a tear.

She couldn’t. Jeanine thought of Lady Claire. Grey wanted a respectable marriage. She couldn’t allow anything to get in his way, even her.