Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

“ I s everything ready?” Stephen asked, pouring Elizabeth more hot chocolate before she could ask for it. The days before they could reasonably hold the hunting party had slid by in a rush of preparations and he was still certain they would have missed some crucial detail.

“Mrs. Cope has been working for days on the food,” Selina said promptly, nodding across the table at Elizabeth. “We’ve spoken to her just this morning about the first dinner party, haven’t we sister?”

“Indeed we have,” Elizabeth said confidently. He had been certain that putting the two of them in charge of the catering would work well. Selina was forthright enough that she would not realize she was basically leading Elizabeth’s decisions, and she had run events for him before so she was well used to what was expected. It was as subtle a way as he could manage to give his wife the support she needed in learning how to manage social events. “I am particularly excited for all the pies she has put together for the main event. Selina suggested a focus on game meats to celebrate the hunt..”

“And Elizabeth suggested that we represent all the different game from the estate in a wonderful feast,” Selina added enthusiastically. “It will impress everyone, I am sure.”

“I think it will be talked about for months,” Diana said cheerfully. “And I cannot wait to have one of the quail pies, they are so very dainty and Mrs. Cope put an entire egg into each one!”

Stephen turned his attention to Herbert, who was watching Elizabeth with a pinched expression. No matter what he said to his brother he could not shake him of his conviction that Elizabeth had been party to the poisoning and it certainly hadn’t helped that they had not been able to present him with an alternative suspect.

“How are the grounds?”

“The groundskeepers say that there is plenty of action for when we want it,” Herbert said. “I still think that being around Barnes blood with guns out is courting trouble, Stephen.”

Stephen frowned, but he felt Elizabeth place a hand on his arm and held back his temper. It was not the time for them to be fighting amongst themselves, not when they had such deadly foes at their doorstep. “No matter how sure of himself Dudley is, he will not be willing to risk the noose by shooting me in front of a party of witnesses,” he said calmly. “Keep an eye on the guns being brought in and out of the house, though. See if you can keep track on how many each has brought with them. I want to know if anyone is carrying guns that would not be expected for the event, smaller ones for instance. Easy to hide on the person.”

Elizabeth’s grip grew tight on his arm and he glanced at her and smiled reassuringly.

Perhaps not as reassuringly as he would have liked. Her return smile was thin and forced.

“Are you expecting someone to try to shoot you, Stephen?” Selina asked, her face paler than normal.

“No. I do not expect any danger,” Stephen said, mostly truthfully. He was not convinced that Dudley Barnes would not take advantage of their proximity to try something but he was certain that he would not endanger himself to do so. And so long as Stephen was smarter and faster than him there was nothing to worry about. “But I will not take any risks with our safety. We are inviting the wolf into our home, everyone will be careful. Especially you, Herbert. You wounded him once. We will not risk him taking vengeance.”

Herbert nodded. “Very well. I will go see that the servants are prepared for the evening.”

The others rose too, but Stephen pulled Elizabeth to his side before she could leave and kissed her hand. “Do not be afraid, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I will protect you.”

“I have no doubt,” she said. “But who shall protect you?”

“Your fiery heart will protect me,” he said, rising to pull her against his chest in an embrace. “I know that you are worried about your brother being here, but I have taken every precaution. We will be safe and we will find a way to entrap him. He will no longer be a danger to you after this hunting trip. To you or to the rest of the family.”

“Or to you,” Elizabeth said, her eyes ablaze. “I am worried about what he will do to you, Stephen. He has tried already once!”

“And I have no doubt he has many ideas on how to try again, but I am also sure that I will be one step ahead of him. Have faith in me, wife.”

“I do,” she said, leaning against his chest then, exhausted and feeling small and delicate in his arms. “But I also know how dangerous he is.”

“As do I, vividly.” Stephen kissed the top of her head. “Come. Perceval and Celia will arrive soon, they promised me they would come as early as they could so that we would more thoroughly prepare. You will feel better when I have Perceval at my side and you can have Celia at yours telling you all the many dangers he and I have faced together.”

“Oh god,” Elizabeth said, slipping her hand into his. “You are simply convincing me that the Marquess encourages you to terrible feats of danger, Stephen.”

“Perhaps,” he laughed, kissing her knuckles. “But he would never do anything to annoy his wife.”

“Ah yes, a very wise man,” she said, taking his arm. “I hope you learn much from him, Your Grace.”

“I’d rather learn much from you, Your Grace,” he said lowly in her ear, and delighted in her blush as they left the room together.

“You never have the best cigars, old boy,” Perceval complained, rooting through Stephen’s cigar box in search of his favorite brand. Stephen snorted a little. He had made it a point of principle never to stock the foul-smelling things that Perceval had formed such an attachment to when he had been doing business in Denmark and his friend could never seem to understand his stubbornness on the fact.

“I have no desire for my house to smell like an unwashed cow farm,” Stephen said briskly. “Have one of my cheroots and be done with it.”

Perceval made a face as though he had been told to eat a cake of soap, but gave up his search and selected a fine specimen to cut and light. “You have no taste, Westall.”

“I have too much taste, Stapleton.”

“You’re worried about something,” Perceval said, puffing a stream of tobacco smoke. They were seated in Stephen’s study and Perceval was now looking at the ceiling and making smoke circles with unerring accuracy. “I can see in your face that all is not well.”

“You are perceptive as ever,” Stephen said, lighting his own cigar but not drawing on it. “Barnes accepted my invitation, but I fear he has some devilry planned. He moved against me recently, and his failure may drive him to desperate heights.”

Perceval frowned, still looking upwards. “Must the hunt continue?”

“More now than before. I must have information on what he is planning next. We cannot be taken unawares, not after what nearly happened. I will not be surprised, I will not lose anyone else to the Barnes’ thirst for blood and treachery.”

Stephen took to his feet and paced up and down before his desk, his fist clenched so hard that he crushed the cigar in it. “It may get bloody, Perceval. You have a wife. You should think hard before you decide to see it through.”

Perceval stood and crossed to him, taking the burning mess of cigar from his hand and dropping it in the ash tray. “I have your back, Westall. Always.”

Stephen felt a little tension leave his shoulders and nodded at his friend. “Be careful.”

“I shall. Careful is what I do. You shall be bold and wrathful and I shall carefully follow behind preventing all who try to stab you in the back and picking up the mess.”

Stephen laughed. “Like old days?”

“Like old days,” Perceval clasped his hand. “We go into the fire.”

Barnes and Seymour arrived at the same time, around the middle of the afternoon as some of the other guests were trickling in. Stephen ensured that he was the one standing at the door to greet them as they walked up the path.

Seymour was a serious sort. If he had not been so set against Stephen’s own political plans he had often thought that they might find themselves well suited as friends, but as it was he was an annoyingly perceptive and dogged opponent. He seemed tired already of his company as Dudley trailed him to the door.

“Westall,” Seymour said with a brief nod. “Thank you for the invitation. I was delighted to accept as we are to be closer acquainted through our wives.”

“Indeed,” Stephen said with an answering nod. “I am glad of the opportunity to speak with you outside the parliament, Seymour. Welcome to Westall Estate. I see you have travelled with Lord Barnes.”

Dudley smiled at him, a slow offensively impudent smile. “We might as well have, it would have been quite foolish to take separate carriages as we were coming from the same place.”

“Of course,” Stephen said calmly, ignoring the fact that Barnes did not even nod his head. “The hunting party shall begin in earnest tomorrow, however tonight I am throwing a small dinner party. I hope you shall enjoy dining with us.”

“I shall be delighted to,” Seymour said earnestly. “I have not yet met your family, Westall, and I have heard nothing but good reports on them.”

Stephen smiled and nodded. “Carter will take you to your room,” he said, gesturing at a valet. “Dinner will be at seven, but there will be drinks in the drawing room from six. Please join us when you are comfortable.”

Carter took Seymour’s bags and led him into the house. Barnes went to follow but Stephen raised a hand to stop him.

“Lord Barnes,” he said coldly. “Not so fast if you please, sir. We have much to discuss.”

“Do we?” Dudley said insolently. “I can’t think of a single thing you could have to say that I would find at all interesting.”

“I suggest that you think hard then,” Stephen said. “I shall speak with you in private.”

“I see no need of that,” Dudley said, starting to move past him but Stephen stepped in front of him and blocked the way, lowering his voice.

“If you would rather that I speak loudly and freely now in front of all who can hear us than I shall. I have nothing to lose by doing it. Consider whether there is anything you would rather hide and follow me to my study.”

He stalked away, sure that Dudley would follow.

He did.

Once the study door was closed, Dudley took a chair and flung himself into it, lounging easily backwards. “Is there any need of such dramatics between family?” he asked.

“Is there any need for arsenic between brothers?” Stephen countered, viciously pleased as the color ebbed from Dudley’s face. “Indeed. I know all. I know everything you intended to do with your sordid little plan. I did think better of you, Barnes. I thought you at least had the nerve to attack me to my face and not hide behind a child to do so.”

Dudley gritted his teeth, his lips thinning into a white line. “What do you intend to do?”

“So far I intend to keep the peace,” Stephen said. “But remember this, brother . I am not a forgiving man. I remember my injuries and those who have injured me. I am patient and I am more cunning than you. I suggest that you stop trying to find a reason to start this feud anew and accept the peace that we have found before you discover what will happen to those who truly anger me.”

Their eyes met for a long moment. Stephen wanted nothing more than to tear out the young coward’s throat. To hurt him the way he had planned on hurting Elizabeth, the way he had planned to ruin Stephen’s family and hurt all those he loved.

Something in his gaze seemed to shake Dudley, for he looked uneasy for the first time Stephen could ever remember seeing.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said slowly. “But of course I shall seek to preserve the peace.”

“Good,” Stephen said coldly. “Get out of my office. There will be a man outside who will show you to your room. I suggest that you wait until dinner to rejoin the party.”

He turned his back, keeping watch on Dudley in the reflection on the polished clock he kept on his desk until the man rose and stormed from the room.

Whatever happened next, he had tried his best.