Page 103 of Winterset
I grew cold but tried to cover it.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Markham continued, stalking closer, like a cat toying with its prey, “I understand why you’d want to keep Miss Lockwood for yourself. She isuncommonlybeautiful. Unfortunately for you, though, she already signed a marriage contract with me.”
“Cavendish,” I said, finally seeing his true identity.
“Yes.” His mouth curled into a sinister smile. “I believe we finally understand one another. Where is she, Jennings?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Yes, you do.” He shoved the letter into my chest. “And if you know what’s good for you, you will return what rightfully belongs to me.”
“I can’t. I sent her away,” I said, thinking quickly. “That is why I wrote her a letter instead of telling her.”
He grinned like he found my attempt to protect her amusing. “I find that difficult to believe, but fine. I’ll play along. I will give you one week to retrieve my property and return it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Well, I would say you’d live to regret it, but you probably won’t.”
I wouldn’t regret it, or I wouldn’tlive?
His gaze raked down my form with chilling coldness, and I knew the answer. “Within the week, Jennings,” he said, then shouldered past me into the entrance hall.
I followed immediately after him, watching to ensure he climbed into his carriage. As soon as his conveyance was outside the gate, I shouted for the servants.
They joined me seconds later. “Sir?” Bexley said.
“Cavendish is Lord Markham?”
“He is, sir,” Bexley said gravely.
“How is that possible?”
“Well, hewasMr. Cavendish, but after the deaths of his father and elder brother, he inherited the family title and is now called Lord Markham.”
“I know how titles work. What I am wondering is why I am only now finding this out? Why did you not tell me sooner?” I looked to Mrs. Owensby, who was wringing her apron.
“You didn’t disclose your guest list. You never made any mention of him to us before tonight either.”
I hadn’t. Why would I have? There had been no reason to talk to my servants about my new friend. But then my mind went back to Bexley’s reaction upon Markham’s arrival. How had I been so blind? “When he showed up tonight, you recognized him. Why did you not say anything?”
“I wanted to, sir, but when I went to stow your guest’s coats and I told Mrs. Owensby and Charlie about his being here, we decided it was best not to alert you. If we had, you might have acted differently and made him suspicious. We did not want to risk Kate’s safety.”
I raked my hands through my hair. Considering how I felt right now, they’d been right not to tell me. Had I known Markham’s true identity earlier tonight, I would not have been able to keep my composure.
“How did you learn who he was?” Charlie asked.
“Markham found a letter I wrote to Kate in the bin, thus proving she is alive. He has demanded that I deliver her to him within the week.”
“You can’t,” Mrs. Owensby all but cried.
“Iwon’t.” But now that he knew Kate was alive, how could I possibly keep her safe?
Kate
Light crept under the priest-hidedoor, signaling morning.
At last!
