“An earl? Is he married?”
“No, as a matter of fact, he’s not.”
“One of your suitors, Margaretha? Surely you don’t want to introduce me to him. Perhaps he will prefer me over you.” Anne smirked.
“If he does, I don’t mind.” Margaretha smiled pleasantly.
“Is something wrong with him? He must be vile and ill-favored.”
“Some say he is handsome, but you may see for yourself.” Margaretha changed the subject of conversation, asking Anne about her father and mother, Margaretha’s uncle and aunt, Lord Rupert and Lady Anne. Some might have thought it strange they gave their daughter the same name as her mother, but she looked so much like her, it seemed appropriate.
“Father and Mother are well, as usual. I decided to come and visit you, Margaretha, since dear Jaspar is away. I am never so discontent as when Jaspar is away. I miss him so much.”
Anne sighed dramatically as she spoke of her brother. Margaretha had never understood the way Anne fawned over her younger brother, Jaspar. He was a year younger than Margaretha, and he had ever been as insufferable as most young boys, more so even than her own brothers. He was so accustomed to getting his own way, he expected everyone to give him whatever he wanted.
“I think you shall be . . . too distracted to be discontent here with us, Anne.” Margaretha smiled. But perhaps she was being wicked by not telling Anne to flee for her life. Knowing Anne, she would make such a loud fuss that Lord Claybrook would hear of it and realize Margaretha knew what he was planning.
No, she couldn’t risk revealing the truth to Anne.
Anne followed her into the castle, asking Margaretha, “Do you think my hair looks well? Perhaps your maid could pin it up a bit higher.”
Margaretha turned her attention to her cousin’s silky, light brown locks as they walked. “Anne, your hair is beautiful, as always.” Not a hair was out of place, even though she had ridden five miles from her parents’ country house.
“He is an earl, after all. If you don’t want him, and if he is sufficiently wealthy, I might take him off your hands.” Anne smiled when she didn’t think Margaretha was looking.
Margaretha had no illusions that her cousin would respect the fact that Lord Claybrook was her suitor. But she hardly cared, and at the moment she didn’t have time to dwell on her cousin’s lack of loyalty.
As they drew closer and closer to where Lord Claybrook would be waiting, Margaretha had to concentrate on not appearing nervous. She had to remember how she had treated Lord Claybrook before and behave exactly the same way. She could not allow herself to excite his suspicion or their plans would not work.
Taking a steadying breath, hardly listening to Anne’s complaints about how dirty the roads were and how her gelding had soiled his legs and her dress, Margaretha entered the Great Hall with her cousin beside her.
Lord Claybrook stood to welcome them.
Margaretha’s blood went cold at the sight of him, but she forced herself to smile even as part of her wanted to demand that he explain how he could pretend goodness while his heart was as black as the devil himself. She must focus on the part she was playing.
“Lord Claybrook, may I introduce my cousin, Lady Anne? She is the daughter of Lord Rupert Gerstenberg. Anne, this is Rowland Fortescue, Earl of Claybrook.”
“It is my pleasure to meet such a lovely young lady, one who is also Lady Margaretha’s relation.” Lord Claybrook smiled as he bowed over Anne’s hand and kissed it.
Anne’s eyes were wide, and there was a definite hint of interest in her upraised, arched brows. She began talking with Lord Claybrook in her most superficially charming way, asking him about himself and complimenting him with smiles of her own. But Margaretha barely heard what they were saying. Her mind was flitting to Colin, probably hiding in the library, to Bezilo warning the guards of the impending attack by Claybrook’s men, and to her father, wherever he was. When would he come to save them?
“Lady Margaretha, you look thoughtful.” Claybrook’s thin lips curled in a slow smile.
“Oh, I was only thinking about the ride my mother said you wanted to take me on. But since my cousin Anne is here, let us stay and chat, or perhaps play a game of chess.”
He gave her a sharp look out of the corner of his eye. Or was she only imagining it?
“I think it will be just as well to stay here and take a ride another time.” He was studying her.
She smiled. “Thank you, Lord Claybrook. I don’t particularly feel up to an outing today.”
He was wearing another elaborate hat today, but the liripipe wound around the hat and then was secured to his shoulder, to make it more suitable for riding, she supposed.
A movement in the corner of the room caught her attention. One of Claybrook’s guards was watching them, standing near the door to the corridor. Had Lord Claybrook always had a guard stationed nearby?