Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

C arswell paced in his room. He’d come so late in the night and had been so tired that he’d slept all the way through breakfast. The musicale was in less than an hour with a short period after to ready themselves for the masquerade ball. Ladies and gentlemen were already arriving as evidenced by the frequency of conveyances below his bedroom window. And yet he could not bring himself to join everyone in the drawing room.

Memories of raucous laughter assaulted him. While he knew most of the laughter at the Richmonds’ ball had been directed at Kaye, it had still mortified him. How could he face all of that again?

He stopped before the mirror and straightened his snowy white cravat. Something was missing, but no matter how hard he stared at the mirror it did not yield any answers.

Slowly, he removed Beth’s necklace from his pocket. Light glinted off the silver and the flash jogged his memory. Glancing back at the mirror he confirmed what he’d suspected. He’d forgotten to place his ruby stick pin and matching ring.

He reached for the pin with his right hand, cursing when his clumsy thumb and pointer finger failed to grasp the jeweled piece. There were even more reasons to fear today's performance. At least at the Richmonds’ ball he’d been healthy and whole. Now, if his voice did not disappoint his shriveled hand would. Then again, Beth would be the one at the keys, not him, and she would play masterfully.

Thoughts of her warm gaze and tender hands as she’d helped him with his glove or massaged the cramp out of his hand filled his heart. It would not matter what sort of derision he drew from others if he could win back Beth’s love for himself. That was all that really mattered.

Gently he grasped the stickpin with his left hand and placed the beautiful piece precisely in the center of the folds of his cravat. Exactness had always brought comfort in times of upheaval, and today was no different.

A rap on the door startled him as he reached for the gold ring set with a similar ruby and he clumsily knocked the band of gold to the floor.

“Come in,” he called tersely as he bent to see where the ring had landed.

“Not the side of you I expected to see when I entered,” Kaye said, “but I suppose one must not be picky when invited into another gentleman’s room.”

Carswell shot up, casting his friend a glare. “Well, if you had not startled me and made me drop the end of my stick pin, you would not have gotten a front row view of my backside.”

Kaye chuckled as he stooped to pick up the errant ring. “Here, allow me.” With deft fingers he slipped the ring onto Carswell’s pinky finger.

Carswell inspected his work in the mirror.

“Do I pass, Captain?” Kaye smirked.

A smile pulled at Carswell’s lips. “I suppose it will do, Lieutenant . Probably should have thought of making you my batman long ago.”

Kaye clapped him on the back. “Too late now, my friend. Instead let's settle for being brothers-in-law.”

The smile fell from Carswell’s face. “Do not put the cart ahead of the horse. I do not even know if Beth wants to see me.”

“Oh, she does.”

Laughter danced in Kaye’s eyes but Carswell decided not to question it.

When they finally made their way into the drawing room, Carswell was stunned to see how many people Mrs. Waverly had invited. How were they ever to seat this many people in the music room? They’d have to bring every chair in the house.

Several officers Carswell had served with greeted him and he lost himself in catching up with old comrades. Beth had yet to appear, but Kaye insisted she would, if only to appease her aunt’s desire for her to play.

A quarter hour went by and still no Beth. Finally, she appeared resplendent in a fine red dress, Julianna at her side in a similar gown. But before he could approach them, the butler entered and drew everyone’s attention.

“His Grace, the Duke of Rothes.”

The whole room went so silent that Kaye’s groan could be heard by everyone. Carswell shot him a look but his eyes were glued to the door.

A smug-looking Mr. Caleb Waverly entered with a gentleman in a bath chair being pushed by a servant. His Grace was young; too young to be in such a state, but he seemed used to his condition.

Once inside the doors, the servant stopped. Without warning the walking stick in the duke’s hands swung over his shoulder as if he were wielding it like a soldier did a rifle. It hit the servant’s knuckles and pain creased his features. Whether the duke had meant to or not, Carswell did not know, but the servant paid it no mind and merely continued forward into the crowded room.

General and Mrs. Waverly approached hesitantly. As their quiet conversation ensued, the rest of the room slowly returned to normal activity.

“What the devil is he doing here?” Kaye hissed.

Carswell shifted toward Kaye. “You cannot expect Mr. Caleb Waverly to stay away forever. This is his uncle’s home. If he behaves himself, there is no reason he should not be here.”

“Not him. The Duke of Rothes.”

“Oh no!” Julianna exclaimed from Carswell’s right.

He spun to look at her, only to lock eyes with Beth. His breath caught in his throat. She was even more lovely than he remembered. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks rosy, whether from embarrassment or the warmth in the crowded room he did not know.

Kaye nodded. “He is my friend’s worst enemy, and by extension must be mine as well.”

“Is this the dastardly duke that tried to ruin Mr. Bailey’s life?” Julianna asked, her eyes wide.

Carswell glanced between the pair. This was a story he’d not heard. “James Bailey, your friend from your days at Eton?”

Kaye nodded. “The very one. And it seems Rothes is well acquainted with Mr. Caleb Waverly.”

Beth spoke up for the first time. “Caleb helped on a case for His Grace a few months ago, but he was not the primary barrister as he’s still in training. I am unsure how he garnered such good will.”

“I am not sure any attention from the Duke of Rothes can be considered good,” Kaye said, just as His Grace’s gaze fell on Beth.

The man’s eyes raked over her figure, not a hint of remorse in how thoroughly he ogled her. Hot anger rose up and nearly choked Carswell as he stepped between her and the duke, blocking his vision. Rothes glared at him before his attention pulled to Carswell’s left.

The duke's glare from seconds before seemed almost happy compared to the pure hatred pouring out of his eyes when he caught sight of Kaye. Then slowly, a devilish grin spread across his lips.

“I think he may have made a bargain with ol’ Scrat himself for my soul.” Kaye’s murmured words drew confused glances from all of them.

“Do you mean Caleb?” Julianna asked.

“Yes.”

“But that would mean…”

Carswell understood. If Kaye considered the duke to be as nefarious as the devil they might all suffer.

“He’s come to rain fury down our heads.” Kaye gave one curt nod.

“Do be reasonable,” Beth said. “The Duke of Rothes is only a man, a rather frail one by the looks of it.”

Kaye shook his head slowly. “Don’t let his current position fool you. He is as nasty as they come and wields his power as a peer like he does that cane—swift and ruthless. Brace yourself, for his presence here will bring no good. I am sure he will have nothing but criticisms for any of the performances this afternoon, and insults for the performers.”