He grinned. “No disasters yet.” He glanced at Christopher. “And the goats haven’t eaten their way out of their pen.”
Smiling, Christopher tipped his head Robbie’s way. “That’s always good to know.”
Ellen clearly felt torn, yet… “With all that’s going on, I suspect I had better dine at the manor again tonight.” The look she directed at Christopher, Louisa, and Drake made the statement a question.
Drake nodded. “If you would, that will make our planning easier.”
Ellen looked at Robbie. “Can you make my excuses to Aunt Emma and Uncle Humphrey, and tell Emma not to wait up for me? I can’t say how late I’ll be.”
Robbie hesitated, and Christopher added, “I’ll see your sister safely home.”
Robbie’s face cleared. He nodded to Ellen and grasped his reins. “I’ll tell them.”
He swung into the saddle, saluted them all, then set his horse trotting toward the bridle path that led to the rear boundary of the Hall.
After waiting for Drake to help Louisa up, Christopher handed Ellen into the carriage, then he and Drake followed.
The four settled, Christopher and Ellen on the rearward-facing seat, with Drake and Louisa opposite.
Drake leaned his head against the squabs. “The staff seemed very ready to render us any and all assistance.”
“I think,” Ellen said, “that like Mr. Kirkpatrick, they feel a need to prove themselves, to demonstrate that Rose’s actions are as much an anathema to them as to us or any right-thinking person.”
Louisa softly snorted. “They were also hugely relieved to hear that Rose would not return as their mistress. She’s clearly made no friends among the staff, and it seems that Tilly and Nigel enjoy no better support.”
Christopher, too, leaned back against the leather. “Regardless of their motives, I believe we’re safe in trusting that the Hall staff, Julia, and Kirkpatrick himself will all do their utmost to further our joint aims.”
They returned to the manor to discover that Toby had nothing whatever to report. “No action of any sort either at the inn or around Goffard Hall.”
After filling Toby in on the arrangements thus far, they had Rose brought up from her room.
Once again, they spoke with her in the drawing room.
Drake informed her of Kirkpatrick’s agreement to her continued incarceration at the manor, and that he and all at Goffard Hall, including her acolytes Tilly and Nigel, were committed to the plan to host the card parties as advertised and, after the last party, to use the fake banknotes—by then supposed to have been switched for the genuine article—to capture the villain behind the scheme.
“At this point, the only question remaining is whether you agree to join with everyone else in projecting the façade that the card parties are occurring as expected, in all ways exactly as anticipated, so that the mastermind who lured you into his scheme is, in turn, lured into contacting you to collect what he will believe are his ill-gotten but highly desirable gains.” Drake held Rose’s gaze and arched his brows. “Well? Do we have your oath you will perform as required, or should I summon men to escort you to the Tower?”
The hours spent alone had sobered Rose and drained a great deal of her haughty superiority. She’d listened to Drake with barely a flicker of emotion. Now, she studied him, then said, “As you’re well aware, that’s no real choice.” Still holding his gaze, she dipped her head in acquiescence. “I will promise to do as you ask provided you give me your word that, at worst, I’ll be transported—that I won’t hang for my part in the scheme.”
Drake let a moment elapse, then inclined his head. “You have my assurance that, should you do as we ask, your sentence in this matter will be transportation rather than hanging. Those here will bear witness.”
Rose thought, then nodded. “Very well.”
“Excellent.” Louisa fixed Rose with her pale-green gaze. “You may commence demonstrating your bona fides by telling us about the young gentlemen you were hoping to entertain at the first card party. From how far afield will they come?”
Rose hesitated for only a heartbeat, then complied.
Both Ellen and Louisa peppered her with questions regarding the guests and their anticipated behavior, and she responded readily, especially once Louisa evinced a certain amazement at Rose’s ability to lure young gentlemen to her events.
Rose couldn’t resist preening and, thereafter, volunteered several details neither Ellen nor Louisa had, until then, thought of.
Eventually, Ellen and Louisa exhausted their immediate queries. Louisa looked at Drake. “I believe that’s all we need for the moment.” She returned her gaze to Rose and inclined her head regally. “We will, no doubt, have more questions on Monday.”
Rose very nearly smirked, but then Christopher directed Pendleby and the two footmen to “see their guest to her quarters,” and any inclination Rose had to self-congratulation fled.
She rose and, with a nod to Louisa and Ellen and a faint glare for Drake, went with the footmen.
Pendleby returned moments later to confirm their prisoner was back under lock and key and also to inform them that dinner was awaiting their pleasure.
Knowing better than to goad Mrs. Hambledon, they promptly rose and repaired to the dining room.
Over a mouthwatering four courses, they went over their plans, looking as far ahead as they were able, namely to the end of the third party.
“After that,” Drake observed, “we’ll need to take stock.”
“Presumably,” Christopher said, “we’ll need to wait and see if and when the mastermind takes our bait.”
Drake’s eyes narrowed. “Somehow, I feel certain he will.”
“Granted,” Toby said. “But the critical point for us will be when.”
After dinner, they agreed there was little point in further discussion. They returned to the drawing room and passed a comfortable hour exchanging news and information regarding their families.
Once the tea trolley had arrived and the tea was consumed, Christopher caught Ellen’s eye. “As I promised your brother, I’ll walk you home.”
Ellen met his eyes, read the question and the hope therein, and fought to keep her answering smile from being too revealing. “Thank you.”
She rose, made her farewells to the other three, linked her arm in Christopher’s, and allowed him to steer her toward the front door.
Drake, Louisa, and Toby remained in the drawing room only long enough to allow Christopher and Ellen to be well on their way.
Toby yawned hugely. “I’m for bed. All this thinking, planning, and plotting is tiring.” He looked at Drake. “I don’t know how you do it.”
Drake huffed, rose, and extended his hand to Louisa. “We’ll retire, too. Tomorrow, being Sunday, might be a day of rest, but our past two days have been draining.”
Louisa grasped his hand and allowed him to heave her to her feet. Upright, she tugged the bodice of her gown downward in a vain attempt to make the garment sit better over the bulge of her belly. Then she narrowed her eyes on her husband. “I might rest tomorrow, but be advised that I will not be left at home on Monday or any of the succeeding days.” She linked her arm with Drake’s and leaned on him as they made their way to the door.