The Countess Page 0,78

bother to try to stop her, but waited silently as she read it. She had meant to tel them at some point. Suzette's reading the letter was as good a way to bring up the subject as any.

"I knew it!" Suzette exclaimed suddenly.

"You knew what?" Lisa asked curiously.

"I knew there was something going on," Suzette explained, her tone distracted as she continued to read.

"Why? What's going on?" Lisa asked, turning narrowed eyes on Christiana.

"Dicky's dead," Suzette announced. "I knew he was. The man was cold as stone when we left for the bal ."

Lisa blinked in dismay. "Whatever are you talking about? Dicky's fine. He's in the carriage with Daniel and Robert."

"That's Richard," Suzette muttered, continuing to read.

"What? I don't understand." Her gaze slid to Christiana. "What is she talking about, Chrissy?"

"The man I married - "

"Murder!" Suzette squawked suddenly. "Dicky wasn't murdered."

"Of course he wasn't," Lisa said with exasperation. "He's alive and fine."

Suzette ignored their younger sister and waved the letter with disgust. "I wouldn't even bother to show this to Richard. It's al just claptrap. Threatening to tel everyone Richard murdered George to get his title and name back. What nonsense."

"Yes, I know, but the other business is true enough, and even that would cause a scandal if what George did got out," Christiana said unhappily as Suzette continued reading. "I need to tel Richard about this and the sooner the better. Suzie, bang on the wal and tel the driver to stop."

Suzette lowered the letter and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think it's better if we wait until we reach Radnor? We must be almost there by now and if that chest the men insisted on loading themselves holds what I think it does, we definitely need to leave it at Radnor and not take it back to town."

"What does the chest hold?" Lisa asked at once.

"George," Christiana answered, verifying Suzette's thoughts.

"Who's George?" Lisa asked with a frown.

"Dicky," Suzette answered.

"What? " Lisa squawked, and bounced on her seat impatiently. "You aren't making any sense! I demand someone explain what's going on this instant."

Christiana and Suzette exchanged a glance and then Christiana sighed and sat back. Suzette was right, they probably were almost at Radnor. Richard had said they should arrive before dark and that was almost upon them. And they did need to get George there and leave him. She certainly didn't want him back in the master bedroom in town. It was a bit disturbing to sleep in the room next to your dead, not quite legal y wed, husband.

"Is someone going to explain?" Lisa asked grimly.

"Ask her," Suzette said dryly. "I have an idea of what's happened, but am not sure of al the specifics."

When Lisa and Suzette both turned to her, Christiana grimaced and said, "I was going to tel you this yesterday, but wanted you both together to explain, and then with the sudden need to pack and the trip and everything, there never seemed a good time to - "

"Yes, yes, you were going to tel us," Suzette interrupted impatiently. "Just get to it."

Christiana took a breath and then said abruptly, "The man I married was an imposter. It was Richard's twin brother George."

"But he's dead," Lisa protested.

"He is now," Christiana said grimly, and then sighed and said, "Just listen and let me explain."

When Lisa and Suzette both nodded, Christiana quickly explained things as clearly and concisely as she could. She then sat back and waited expectantly.

Lisa was the first to speak. Releasing a deep sigh, she said, "It's just like one of those books I read." Turning on Suzette she added, "And you said they were al nonsense and wouldn't happen in real life."

Christiana blinked. "It is not like one of your novels."

"It is," Lisa insisted. "George was the evil vil ain, you are the beautiful heroine, and Richard is the brave hero who loves and rescues you."

"There is no love," Christiana said firmly.

"Of course there is. Why else would he marry you?"

"Because he's a good man who doesn't wish to see us pay for his brother's sins."

"Oh, he's so good," Lisa gasped. "You have to love him, Chrissy."

"For heaven's sake, Lisa," Suzette said with exasperation. "He is saving himself from scandal too."

"Men do not real y suffer from scandal," Lisa said grimly. "It is only the female who does. Why, when word got out that Lord Mortis had assaulted and deflowered Penelope Pureheart, the scandal barely touched him. He was stil welcomed into the finest homes and free to go