Chapter Nineteen

"Where has Miss Townsend and her family gone to?"

Arthur strode into the drawing room and, spying his mother, directed his question to her though there was only Isabella and Captain Harrington in the room also. "Why did they leave? They were only due to depart come the morrow."

Lady Crestwood set down the book she had been holding at once, her eyes rounding. "Gone?"

"They drove away in the carriage only a few minutes ago. I went to their rooms and were told they had already packed to leave early this morning." Dread filled his heart as he saw his mother shake her head. "You do not know?"

"I do not."

"Nor do I," Isabella interjected, though the Captain got to his feet and began to meander slowly across the room, a heavy frown on his face. "Do you mean to say that Abigail has quit this house without so much as a word to you?"

Arthur's heart twisted fiercely. "Yes, it would seem so."

"Then something dreadful has occurred, surely." Captain Harrington rubbed one hand over his chin. "She would not leave without telling you unless there was something untoward."

"But I do not know what it could be!" Lady Crestwood exclaimed, though Isabella immediately sent a look towards Arthur which told him, in no uncertain terms, that she had every idea of what it could be. "You are to be wed very soon! The wedding day is fast approaching and – "

"You did not see Lady Clara attempt to throw herself into Crestwood's arms last night, Mama," Isabella interrupted, as a flush rose up Arthur's chest and into his neck. "I will say that Crestwood dealt with it very well – though I am not certain that everyone believed your statement that she needed to rest and was a little overwhelmed after the waltz."

"What else could I say?" Arthur protested, flinging up his hands. "I did see Miss Townsend thereafter and I should… I should have gone to speak with her at once but then the ball was to come to a close and I was required to make a speech to all of the guests who had come so far to join us and thereafter, she had already retired."

"You were foolish." Captain Harrington spoke pointedly but Arthur did not disagree. "If you saw she was upset – confused, even – then you ought to have made it your duty to go to speak with her. The speech could have waited. "

Arthur nodded and letting out a long breath, ran one hand over his face. "I do not understand at all what happened. I was convinced that Miss Townsend had gone to rest and would be unable to join me for the waltz and that was my only reason for stepping out with Lady Clara. I told her firmly that this was only to satisfy the wagging tongues of the ton rather than because I wished to – and then not only did she speak to me in a most direct and unexpected manner, she then attempted to throw herself into my arms and as I took her from the floor, I saw Miss Townsend in the crowd. If she had truly been resting, then why was she in the ballroom?"

"Does it not seem obvious?" Isabella rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated breath. "Brother, it was all Lady Clara's doing. She clearly wanted to dance with you and was not about to let your betrothed stand in her way."

"But that makes very little sense," Arthur protested, quickly. "Lady Clara has always been embarrassed by her mother's forwardness, has reassured me that she does not want to pursue any connection with me and – "

"And you have believed her," Isabella interrupted. "That was your mistake. You ought never to have done so. I believe that she said all of those things, made out as though her mother was the only one with that particular idea because, in truth, she did want to draw close to you again and thought that to be one way for such a thing to take place. When you became engaged and when she came to this ball, I believe that, in desperation, she tried to kiss you so as to cause a scandal and force your hand. How glad I am that she did not succeed!"

A buzzing rang in Arthur's ears and he sat down suddenly, shock racing through him. Could it be as Isabella said? Had he truly been so blind to it all?

"But why should she choose me?" he rasped, looking up at his sister again as though she would have all the answers he required. "There are plenty of other gentlemen who might accept her."

"Are there?" Lady Crestwood tilted her head and looked up at him, though she had now become a little paler than before. "She is a young lady who has already been engaged. She was then the one who ended the engagement and, thereafter, spoke of you in such cruel, hard terms that she herself has garnered something of a reputation in how she speaks and how she acts. That is something to consider, is it not? What if there is more difficulty in her finding a match than you think?"

It was as though the clouds cleared and, for the first time, Arthur could see exactly what it was that Lady Clara and her mother had been attempting to do. With a groan, he lowered his head to his hands, his heart aching with both regret and anger at his own foolishness, at his own lack of clarity. He had been so busy being wrapped up in his own feelings, in his own thoughts and confusion as regarded Miss Townsend, he had not given Lady Clara's motivations any real thought.

"Though I would not disagree with all that has been said thus far, there is another question I should like to ask." Captain Harrington's voice was thoughtful, filled with doubt and Arthur looked up at his friend.

"What is it?"

"I do not know Lord Townsend well," the Captain began slowly, taking out one thought at a time, "but it seems to me as though he is a gentleman who has very little consideration for his daughters."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, that is so."

"Which is strange, then, that he would hurry off from this house without questioning it, is it not? I would have thought that, given the sort of fellow he is, he would have told Miss Townsend not to be ridiculous and would not have rushed off at her demands, if that is fair. Do you not think so?"

Slowly, Arthur began to nod, his heart quickening. "I do. Lord Townsend's debts are still to be cleared given that I have not married his daughter as yet." His gut twisted fiercely and his breath hitched, silently praying that he would yet have a chance to do so. "He would not want to end this engagement. If Miss Townsend had gone to him with her concerns, you are quite right to suggest that he would have both dismissed them and thereafter, refused to leave early simply because she desired to… which means that he must have been convinced that the connection between myself and Lady Clara was quite real."

"So she must have spoken to him." Isabella looked from Captain Harrington to Arthur. "Lady Clara, I mean, or mayhap her mother?"

"Would he have listened to them?" Arthur bit his lip as Captain Harrington shook his head. "I do not think that he would have done."

"Then someone else must have spoken to him."

In one moment, Arthur's breath rolled in his chest as one name, one face came to mind. One other person who had been present at the ball, who was, no doubt, still present given that he might not yet have taken his leave and one person who, to Arthur's mind, had no intention of doing Arthur any sort of kindness.

Lord Drover.

"It could not be, surely?" he murmured, getting to his feet and walking to the door. "Harrington, come with me, would you?"

"Of course." His friend hurried after him as Isabella got to her feet. "Who is it that you seek?"

"Lord Drover," Arthur replied, growing angry now. "He is the only one I can think of who would do such a thing as this… though he has never explained to me why he holds such a darkness against me. "

Striding out of the room, Arthur grabbed the first footman he saw and demanded to know whether or not he had seen Lord Drover. It took some time but, eventually, Arthur discovered that Lord Drover's carriage had been called and the gentleman was already on his way to depart the house.

Without hesitating, Arthur turned on his heel, strode to the front door with Captain Harrington hard on his heels. The door was opened for him and, stalking outside, Arthur glared at the figure of Lord Drover who was descending the stone steps.

"Drover!"

The man turned, then frowned. "If this is your way of bidding your guests farewell, I – "

"What did you say to Lord Townsend?"

Arthur did not need to wonder whether or not Lord Drover had said anything at all, given the way that the man jerked visibly, though he shrugged thereafter.

"I only told him the truth."

"And what is that?" Unable to contain himself, Arthur reached and grabbed Lord Drover by the front of his coat, hauling himself closer. "What did you say to him that had him driving Abigail away from my house as fast as he could go?"

Lord Drover scowled and jerked backwards, pulling himself out of Arthur's grip, though the restraining hand of Captain Harrington held Arthur back from grabbing at the man again. "Lord Townsend was boasting to me last evening about his many debts and how you were going to pay them all," he spat, his eyes as sharp as blades. "After what I witnessed last evening, I took great pleasure in telling Lord Townsend exactly what was now going to take place between Lady Clara and yourself. Your reputation will be nothing but dirt now, Crestwood and it is just as you deserve. I wish Lady Clara and you the very worst of futures, one that is filled with darkness and discontent."

"Whatever are you talking about, man?" Arthur roared, making Lord Drover move back a step. "There is no engagement between myself and Lady Clara! I was tricked by both herself and her mother into dancing with Lady Clara last evening, though I made it perfectly clear to them both that I had no real desire to do so."

Lord Drover's dark expression began to clear, his eyes rounding at the edges.

" She was the one who threw herself into me! I led her from the ballroom with the explanation that she required rest and a glass of water simply because I was doing my best to save myself from the very situation you are now describing! Do you not understand, Drover? I have no intentions as regards your cousin. I do not want to draw close to her again. She broke my heart but it has healed and is renewed but not because of her." Taking in a breath, he let it out again slowly, his hands still curled into tight fists. "Because of Miss Townsend. It is all because of Abigail. Why ever should you think to tell Lord Townsend such a thing?"

"As I have said," Lord Drover replied, though there was not as much force behind his words now. "It is because I want you to be drawn low, to have your reputation to be as little as it ought to be."

"But he has done nothing deserving of such censure!" Captain Harrington stepped closer, his eyes searching Lord Drover's. "Nothing at all."

"Why do you want my reputation to be smeared, to be mocked at by the ton ? I do not understand why you have always had this animosity towards me." Throwing up his hands, Arthur let them fall helplessly back to his sides. "We were friends back in Eton. We came to London for the Season and it was only after you introduced me to your cousin that… that… "

Arthur's hands uncurled, his jaw going slack as he stared at Lord Drover, seeing how the gentleman closed his eyes, his whole body going rigid. Understanding dawned and Arthur could hardly take it in, could barely accept what it was that he now understood.

"This… this is all because of Lady Clara."

"Why did you have to take her from me?"

Lord Drover opened his eyes and shards spat from them. "I introduced her to you and suddenly, all she could see, all she could think of was you. There was meant to be an understanding between her and me!"

"But you did not tell me such a thing!" Arthur exclaimed, taking a step closer to Lord Drover. "Had you told me that she was your betrothed, then I would never have taken a step near her."

"Except she was not my betrothed," Lord Drover retorted, his face flushing hot. "She was meant to be considering me. I – I will not pretend that I did not care for her but then you step into her sphere and any hope I had of taking her as my bride vanished."

Arthur shook his head, pushing one hand through his hair. "You should have told me." Recalling everything that Lord Drover had ever said or done, he let out a heavy breath. "You tried to ruin my reputation so that Lady Clara would step away from me but instead, she clung to me, determined to be of support to me."

"Of course she did." His lip curling, Lord Drover looked away. "Because she is the most loyal creature anyone might ever wish for."

"And the most manipulative, most cunning and wily creature also." Captain Harrington shook his head as Lord Drover practically growled at him. "Why continue in this pursuit of Lord Crestwood, though? Once Lady Clara ended the engagement, then you were able to step into his place!"

"Except Lady Templeton determined that she ought to return to Lord Crestwood. Even in my presence, she spoke of how Clara ought to beg for your acceptance of her again, Crestwood. The ton does not hold her in high standing due to all of the gossip she spread about you – though they are just as guilty for spreading such stories – and therefore, Lady Templeton urged Clara back towards you. And Clara determined that she would do it."

Arthur scowled and turned away. "Well, now you may go to her and beg her to accept you as her husband, Drover," he said, gesturing to a nearby footman. "For I do not ever want to see her or you again."

Captain Harrington put one hand on Arthur's shoulder. "What is it that you intend to do?"

"I intend to ride to London in the hope that is where they have gone," Arthur replied, as the footman came over. "And I will do whatever I can to explain to Lord Townsend what happened and, thereafter… " Drawing in a breath, he set his shoulders and lifted his chin. "Thereafter, I will tell Miss Townsend that I am in love with her and I want never to let her go from my sight again."