The Countess Page 0,106

to myself for now."

Daniel relaxed and nodded. "Thank you."

Madison turned to Richard then, his gaze moving slowly over his features, and then he shook his head. "You look remarkably like Dicky."

"We were twins," he pointed out quietly.

"Aye, wel , there is a difference in the eyes. When you looked into his they were usual y empty or calculating. Yours . . ." He shook his head, apparently unable to come up with a way to describe the difference.

"Perhaps we should move inside now," Richard suggested, his gaze sliding to the road as a carriage passed.

"Aye. Let's go in. I could use a cup of tea nice and sweet. I got myself al wound up to come here and now feel quite worn out," Madison admitted.

"Tea it is, then," Richard said, opening the door and leading the smal group into the house.

"What are you doing? Unlock that," Christiana snapped, trying to grab the key from Freddy, but he merely caught her hand with one of his own, while his other dropped the key in a pocket.

"Shut up and sit down while I figure out what to do," Freddy barked, pushing her toward the bed. Christiana stumbled back under his push, landing in an ungraceful heap on the edge of the bed, but promptly sprang back to her feet. "I demand you unlock that door this instant and let me - " The rest of her words died as he slapped her face and pushed her down on the bed again.

"I said sit down and shut up," he growled, looming over her to prevent her rising again. "I need to think what to do."

Her hand clasped to the spot where he'd slapped her, Christiana stared at him for a moment, and then slowly let her hand slide away. "You are the blackmailer."

"Yes, and I want that money. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life as some lackey to the gentry, helping them pul on their drawers and pul off their boots."

"You knew what George had done to his brother from the start?" Christiana asked, though she was sure she already knew the answer to that.

"Yes, yes," he said on an impatient sigh. "I knew from the beginning and was paid wel to keep my mouth shut. You and your sister had the right of it."

Christiana jerked back as the words struck her. "How do you know what my sister and I were talking about? You were listening?"

"I was in the office trying to find something when I heard your voices approaching the door. I slipped out through the French doors but left one cracked open to hear when you left so I could continue my search and instead heard a whole lot more." He grimaced with irritation, but went on, "The moment I realized you were heading to look for me I rushed around the house to try to get here before you, but was not quick enough."

realized you were heading to look for me I rushed around the house to try to get here before you, but was not quick enough."

He turned his back to her then and paced the floor a couple times. Christiana glanced around, hoping to see something to use as a weapon, but real y the room was as sparse as a monk's cel . Glancing back to the man, she asked curiously,

"What were you looking for in the office?"

He hesitated and then apparently decided there was no harm in tel ing her and admitted, "Your father's marker. Between that and the blackmail money, I can set myself up wel in France or Spain. Have a good life as a man of means." He sighed at the thought.

"Why would Dicky have the marker?" Christiana asked.

He scowled her way and then propped his hands on his hips. "Bloody women, always asking questions, just have to know everything. I suppose you won't shut up and give me a moment's peace until you know everything?"

"Probably not," she admitted unsympathetical y.

His mouth twisted and he snapped, "Fine. I knew al from the start. I knew when George hired those men to kil his brother, I knew he then stepped into his shoes and pretended to be him, enjoying his wealth and title in his place. I knew when John Butterworth told George about the dowers for you and your sisters. I - "

"So it was al for the dowers," Christiana interrupted with disgust. While she'd suspected it for quite a while, actual y hearing the words made her

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