Dangerous in Diamonds - Madeline Hunter [98]
“He is in the corner chamber, sir. The solar.” The butler’s lips folded in on themselves, and he permitted himself a momentary expression of disapproval. “And, sir, he has a pistol with him.”
Castleford sighed, but it did little to relieve his irritation. The drama of chasing after a few trespassers in the country had clearly gone to Edwards’s head. Left to his own judgment—a mistake, that, quite clearly—he had dug up the worst judgment possible.
He strode toward the stairs. He sensed a shadow and looked back to see Daphne following him.
“Stay here. Or on the terrace. Or”—he threw up his arms in exasperation—“or anywhere but up there.”
“Why?”
“Because I command it.”
That amused her so much that she giggled.
The butler had not moved, and now he raised a hand to garner attention. “Your Grace, I forgot to mention that yesterday Mr. Edwards sent a letter by messenger to Lady Hawkeswell. She immediately came here and visited Mr. Edwards and his guest.”
Daphne’s mirth dissolved into a curious, worried frown.
“How good of you to shout that through the house, you fool,” Castleford said. “Display such indiscretion again, and you will be back to serving as a footman. Or maybe a dog boy.”
The butler reddened and visibly shrank. Castleford continued up the stairs. Soft footfalls hurried up behind him.
“Mr. Edwards is here?” Daphne asked his back. “He called for Verity? What has happened? Since he was at my house, I think that I have a right to know.”
He just kept going. There was no way to keep her out of this now. Edwards would just have to protect himself from her wrath as best he could.
He strode through the main drawing room to the door to the chamber at its end. He tried to enter but found the door locked.
“Edwards, open the damned door.”
“Sir!” Edwards’s muffled voice expressed alarm, then came closer. “It might be best if I do not, Your Grace.”
“For your sake, undoubtedly so. You will open it anyway. Now.”
A long silence followed. So long that Castleford thought he might have to call up several footmen to break the door down.
“There has been an alarming development, Your Grace,” Edwards’s voice said. “I need your word as a gentleman that you will not repeat anything told to you, if I let you in.”
“I know what has happened, and it is so ordinary that it is boring me to death already. So open the door, and we will deal with the very normal disaster that your seclusion in Middlesex has wrought.”
The door did open then. Edwards faced him with a peeved expression. “You do not know anything, actually. I need your word, sir. I really do.”
“You are becoming tiresome. Fine, you have my word.” He pushed past Edwards, moving him aside with one arm. “Ah. As I expected. Your mystery guest is dear Miss Johnson.”
“Katherine, what are you doing here?” Daphne exclaimed, riding in on his coattails.
Miss Johnson appeared most distressed. Daphne appeared astonished. Mr. Edwards appeared brave but worried.
“Permit me to explain, Mrs. Joyes, and save us all twenty minutes of wearisome dodging and euphemisms,” Castleford said. “They are having an affair. My secretary made himself very much at home at The Rarest Blooms.” He turned to Edwards. “Did your conscience or nature force your hand, so that now you must do the right thing? Perhaps Mrs. Hill threatened to unman you with her butcher knife if you did not?”
Miss Johnson began crying. Daphne went to comfort her.
Edwards drew himself taller. “Your assumptions are indeed ordinary and boring, Your Grace. I assure you, when I have a disaster, I can do better than that.”
“It is all my fault,” Miss Johnson cried. “I should have told you, my love.” She looked forlornly at Daphne. “And you too. And Verity, certainly, since she was so kind to me.”
Daphne suddenly appeared alarmed. “Is that why you called for Verity, so you could finally tell her what you have been hiding?” She looked at Castleford. “Verity is the one who sent Katherine to The Rarest Blooms. She was the