The Heiress - Lynsay Sands [100]
“What the devil does that letter say?” Robert asked, standing to come around the table.
Daniel snatched the letter and shoved it in his pocket. No one else would ever see it if he had anything to say about it. It was a cruel, nasty piece of work that made the beautiful interlude he and Suzette had shared seem like something lewd and sordid. A literary snake in the Eden he’d found in her arms.
Robert hesitated, but after a moment returned with resignation to his seat.
“And certainly she would believe no man would want her to wife after reading those cruel insults,” Lady Woodrow said now. “This fellow who suddenly appeared to claim her must have seemed like a knight in shining armor in the dire straits she is in, what with the need to marry to pay off the markers and avoid scandal.”
“His name is Jeremy Danvers,” Lisa reminded them. “He was on her dance card at the Landons’ ball, but Richard’s arrival at the ball made her refuse the dance. She came and got me and dragged me to Christiana instead of dancing with him.”
“Danvers?” Robert echoed. “Well he would certainly fill out Suzette’s requirements. He has a barony and land but no money to run it.”
“It wasn’t just that,” Christiana said unhappily. “And it wasn’t just the shame or the fear that no one else would marry her either. Father said Suzette is worried that there may be other . . . consequences of the event in the stable and she wished to ensure all would be well on that end.”
“What consequences?” Richard asked, and it was a question Daniel was wondering himself.
When Lisa merely shook her head and flushed, Daniel frowned. He almost repeated the question himself to make her answer it, but then it suddenly hit him, as unexpectedly and sharply as the bullet had struck him in the back. It took his breath away just as effectively too. Suzette could be with child.
Daniel was on his feet at once and heading for the inn door. Whether it was the restorative power of the food, or the bracing effect of the blood suddenly thundering in his veins, he didn’t know, but his earlier weakness was gone now and his mind was as sharp as a knife blade and focused only on one thing. He had to get to Suzette. Daniel was so focused on this he barely heard the commotion behind him and was only aware that he was being followed when Robert spoke.
“Danvers,” the man said with disgust as they stepped out of the inn. “I knew he needed coin but didn’t think him the sort to sink this low.”
“We will stop him,” Richard said firmly, drawing Daniel’s attention to his presence as well.
“We will,” Lady Woodrow agreed, making them all stop and turn to see her leading Lisa and Christiana out of the inn. “According to the girls, Danvers’s carriage only has two horses. We will travel in two carriages with four horses each and catch up to them in no time. The maids can follow more slowly.”
Daniel scowled. “It would be faster if we men followed on horseback.”
“Riding horseback might aggravate your wound. Besides, then you’d just have to wait for us anyway or return to collect us,” Lady Woodrow pointed out sensibly, before adding, “And do you really think Suzette will listen to you after that letter supposedly from you?”
“Richard and Robert can explain—”
“She will listen more readily to a woman at this point,” his mother said gently as she led the girls to where the men stood. “Besides, you are injured and the men may be busy with Danvers and his driver. The man has already proven himself willing to kill to gain her dower. He will not give her up easily.” She shook her head. “It is better if we all go, then together we can tackle any situation that arises.”
When Daniel hesitated, she reached up to caress his cheek. “We will catch them up, son. I promise. I would not risk your happiness and a possible grandbaby. You must know that?”
Daniel clucked with irritation at the delay, but knew it might be the smartest tack to take. With two carriages and four horses each they should catch up well before Gretna Green. And the women