The Countess Page 0,107

angrier than she'd expected.

"Oh, yes," Freddy said with amusement. "He drugged your father and dragged him to the gaming hel to make him think he'd gambled so deep he would accept an offer of marriage for you in exchange for George's supposedly paying off markers he already held. And he did the same again, this time to force Suzette to be married to one of his friends. The markers were to be George's payment for acting as procurer."

"Who was the friend who was supposed to marry Suzette?" Christiana asked curiously.

"Does it matter? She's set her mind on marrying that damned Woodrow," he pointed out dryly, and then shook his head. "Were George stil alive he would have arranged an accident for the man or some other such thing, but the stupid bastard went and hired idiots to kil his brother. They failed him and now Richard is back and poisoned him to get his title back."

"Richard did not poison him," Christiana said firmly.

"Wel someone did," Freddy snapped.

"Yes, but it wasn't Richard," she assured him and then tilted her head in question.

"How did you know he was poisoned?"

"Because I saw him die," he said grimly. "He dragged me into his office the morning your sisters arrived to crow about the latest success of his plans. He was sure they were there about your father's latest apparent faux pas," he explained, and then continued, "Once assured I was properly impressed with his cleverness, George sent me for snuff. When I got back the whiskey was there, and he was clawing at his throat, then he died right there in front of me."

He grimaced. "Wel , I know trouble when I see it and got myself out of there right quick. Told the cook I was unwel and his lordship had excused me to recover, then came in here to await the hue and cry that he was dead. But there was none," he added with exasperation. "When I final y ventured out it was to be told his lordship was feeling unwel and resting abed. I came back to my room to try to puzzle that one out. I knew damned right wel the man was dead. So I waited until the servants were al abed and you were at the bal and then snuck upstairs to see for myself, but as I started up the hal your bedroom door opened. I ducked into the guest bedroom across from yours and watched through the cracked door as a man came out carrying George over his shoulder with a second man fol owing. I recognized the one man as Lord Woodrow and while George's body obstructed my view of the other man's face, when Woodrow cal ed him Richard I knew he wasn't dead after al

."

"I stood there in that room for a long time that night, watching the comings and goings as a plan formed in my mind. I could blackmail Radnor about George's death, take the markers and force your father to pay his debts, and then head for the continent." He fel silent, his lips twisting with displeasure.

"And it would have worked perfectly. By this time tomorrow I would have the blackmail money. The money for the gaming debt would have fol owed and then I'd be on my way."

"Except for Suzette and myself," she murmured.

"Aye," he agreed grimly, his gaze scouring her with displeasure.

"You realize she knows I went in search of you and wil soon worry that I have not returned," Christiana pointed out quietly. "You may as wel release me and just go. I promise if you do that no one wil pursue you."

"I'm sure you think that a very kind offer," he said dryly. "However, I am not going anywhere without the money."

anywhere without the money."

"Do you real y expect my husband simply to pay, knowing it is you?"

"He doesn't know," Freddy pointed out. "And he wil pay. In fact, I think I wil just up the price now that I have an added bargaining chip in you."

"Me?" she asked with surprise.

"Aye. Judging by the caterwauling that's been coming from your room the last couple nights, I think it's safe to say he wil pay handsomely for your safe return."

Christiana flushed and glanced away. She was definitely going to have to stuff a bit of cloth or something in her mouth when she and Richard were alone. It was too humiliating to know everyone could hear them.

A tearing sound caught her ear and she turned back,