Lady Knightley's Secret. ANNE ASHLEY
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them. Evadne was in her element, and it rather amused Elizabeth to discover just how much pleasure her sister derived from playing the hostess.
There was no denying that she was extremely adept at the role, dismissing such mundane entertainments as cards or charades as commonplace, and encouraging most of her guests to join in one of her, now, famous treasure hunts. Only Lord Chiltham, the Rector and his wife refused to be tempted. Names were written on pieces of paper and placed in a bowl, and Richard, his being the first name to be drawn out, found himself partnered with Caroline Westbridge, which seemed not to displease either of them. The Rector’s daughter was teamed up with the very handsome son of the local squire, which left Edward Chiltham to make up the last pairing with Elizabeth.
She was not too disappointed at this. Edward was an amiable enough young man, if a trifle light-minded, but the bright glint in his eyes, which suggested that he had been imbibing rather too freely of his brother’s port, did cause her a moment’s disquiet.
Handing each pair a folded sheet of paper on which was written their first clue, Evadne started each couple off at ten-minute intervals. Elizabeth and Edward were the last to begin and it didn’t take Elizabeth very long to realise that she would be doing most of the searching and solving of clues on her own, as Edward appeared far more interested in reducing the levels in the decanters placed in the various rooms.
By the time she had discovered the whereabouts of the fifth clue, taped to the back of the mantel-clock in the Yellow Salon, Edward had succumbed to his excesses and had fallen sound asleep on the sofa; whereas Richard and Caroline, having satisfactorily completed the hunt in record time, were making their way back along the gallery towards the head of the stairs.
‘Evadne is quite famous for her treasure hunts, and I must say it does make a pleasant change from sitting down and playing cards.’
‘Yes, most enjoyable,’ Richard concurred. ‘But I think someone should drop Lady Chiltham a hint to play her games only during the summer months. Some of these rooms are confoundedly draughty!’
Caroline laughingly agreed. ‘I must say my bedchamber is not the most comfortable of rooms. Fortunately my visit this time is only a brief one,’ she confided, smiling up at his handsome face.
She had been a close neighbour of the Knightleys for almost sixteen years. Richard had been little more than a boy when she had first gone to live in Hampshire with her husband. She had liked his brother very much, and Richard’s sister-in-law had been a particular friend. Their deaths had upset her deeply; but she had never doubted Richard’s ability to take his brother’s place as head of the family. He had inherited the Knightley temperament, steadfast and reliable, and had already won the respect of his tenants and estate workers during the few short months he had been back in England.
‘How long do you intend to remain in Devon?’ His sudden scowl surprised her. ‘I’m sorry, Richard. I didn’t mean to pry.’
‘No, no. I wasn’t thinking that,’ he hurriedly assured her, his attractive smile erasing the lines in his forehead. ‘I really haven’t given it much thought…Another week, maybe two.’
‘Lord and Lady Dartwood seem a charming couple,’ she remarked after a moment’s silence.
‘Yes, they are. I’ve known the Viscount for some time, of course. Before he came into the title he was in the army. We spent several years together out in the Peninsula. But this is the first time I’ve met his wife.’
‘Am I right in thinking that she and Miss Beresford were at school together?’
‘Yes, yes, they were. The Viscountess thinks a great deal of her.’
Caroline paused for a moment before descending the stairs. ‘I had the pleasure of speaking to her earlier and thought her a most charming and likeable young woman.’
She chanced to glance up at him as he opened the drawing-room door for her and caught a look in his eyes, a strange mixture of tenderness and what appeared suspiciously like exasperation, and couldn’t help but wonder whether the Dartwoods’ hospitality was the reason he seemed disinclined to leave Devonshire, or something else entirely.
‘How quick you have been!’ Evadne exclaimed as they entered the room. ‘I can see I’m going to have to make the clues more difficult in future.’
She then invited them to play a game or two of whist while they awaited the others. The Rector’s daughter and her partner were the next to return; but half an hour later there was still no sign of Elizabeth and Edward.
Richard glanced up at the clock. It was getting quite late and he didn’t wish to delay his departure too long. His coachman, no longer a young man, was not as dependable as he had once been, and might well lose his way on the unfamiliar roads. ‘I think I’d better go in search of Miss Beresford,’ he announced, rising to his feet. ‘It’s time we were taking our leave.’
Evadne, betraying a moment’s alarm, rose also and drew him to one side. ‘I haven’t as yet been given the opportunity, but I was hoping to persuade Elizabeth to remain here with me tonight.’ She couldn’t mistake the surprised look in his eyes and smiled dazzlingly up at him. ‘Yes, I’m sure, Richard, you have gathered by now that relations between my sister and me have not been—well, very good. And I wish to rectify this.’
She paused as though expecting a response, but when he remained silent, staring down at her almost quizzically, she added, ‘Like most family disagreements, ours grew out of all proportion. My mother was deeply upset when Elizabeth suddenly took it into her head to live with our grandmother and, naturally, I took Mama’s part. But I never intended the estrangement between Elizabeth and myself to continue all these years. So very unnecessary! So foolish!’
His expression changed instantly to one of approval. ‘Far be it from me to throw a rub in your way, but I think it only right and proper that I go in search of her and inform her that I intend to leave.’
‘Oh, no, don’t do that!’ Placing a restraining hand on his arm, she stared into his dark eyes with a look of entreaty in her own. ‘She’ll very likely wish to go with you, and I shall be denied the opportunity to speak to her alone. I cannot abandon my other guests, and was hoping to have a long talk after the others have gone. I cannot expect to heal the breach in five minutes and if, after she has heard me out, she is still determined to leave, then I shall return her safely to Dartwood Manor in my own carriage.’
In the face of these assurances Richard couldn’t find it within himself to thwart her plans. He saw no earthly reason why he should remain, though, and after saying he would order his own carriage brought round from the stables, he made his farewells and went out into the hall.
As a young footman helped him on with his coat, Richard heard the sound of a door closing and turned in time to glimpse a flash of Elizabeth’s dark blue velvet cloak before she disappeared down a narrow passageway. Where on earth was she going? he wondered. Evidently she had gone hopelessly wrong somewhere in the hunt, for all the clues and answers were to be found on the upper floor.
‘Where does that lead?’
The footman turned his head in the direction of Sir Richard’s pointing finger. ‘The kitchen area, sir, and the cellar.’
‘Good heavens! She has got herself hopelessly lost!’
‘I beg your pardon, sir?’
‘Nothing. Don’t bother to order my carriage just yet,’ he called over his shoulder as he set off across the hall. ‘I’ll arrange for it to be brought round later.’
The passageway was dimly lit and, like the rest of the house, prone to draughts. Picking up a candle off an old wooden table placed against the wall, he turned the corner, and was about to open the door on his left, when he saw a faint glimmer of light through an open doorway at the very end of the passage. Shielding the candle flame with his cupped hand, he approached the door and, seeing a series of stone steps, realised it must lead to the cellar.
‘Miss Beresford,’ he called. There was no response, so he