The Countess Page 0,85

of the room at once.

"Real y, my lady, I think you would do better to simply wait here as they wish.

They left some time ago, directly after seeing you ladies upstairs. You wil never catch up to them," the man argued, hurrying after them when Suzette and Lisa fol owed her.

Al three women ignored him.

Chapter Fourteen

They're going to be very, very angry."

Richard grimaced at Robert's prediction, knowing the man was right. But real y, leaving the women behind was the best choice. Christiana and her sisters could now relax and enjoy themselves together at Radnor and be out of harm's way while he, Daniel and Robert hunted down their blackmailer. Besides, it seemed ridiculous to drag the maids, the chests, and al three carriages back to London when they would just have to make the return journey in a couple of days' time for Suzette and Daniel to marry. And they could travel much more swiftly with just the one carriage. They had taken Woodrow's carriage because it was the fastest. They were making good time. They'd stopped at three different inns along the way to change horses, but were stil more than three quarters of the way back to London and Richard was sure it wasn't yet midnight.

"They wil get over their anger," Daniel said now, not sounding at al worried about Suzette's reaction to their defection. Robert just shook his head. "Trust me. I have known the Madison sisters al my life. You wil not get off easily for this. Either of you." He let that sink in and then glanced to Richard. "I was glad to see Christiana stand up for herself and make you listen back at the house. It was a good sign."

"How so?" Richard asked curiously, recal ing his surprise when he'd placed her in the carriage and she'd suddenly snapped at him.

"She is being herself with you. It shows she isn't afraid of you as I think she was with Dicky . . . er . . . George," he corrected himself. "The one time I saw them together after the wedding she was as jumpy as a cat. I feared he was taking his fists to her, but she assured me he wasn't."

"Did you believe her?" Richard asked, frowning at the possibility that George may have beaten Christiana on top of everything else.

"Yes. Christiana is a terrible liar and I'm sure she was tel ing the truth, but she was stil afraid of the man." He shook his head. "Perhaps she just feared what would happen if he did lose his temper."

Richard scowled. No one should have to live in fear. A body should feel safe in their own home.

"That doesn't matter now though," Robert said after a moment. "The good news is she doesn't appear to fear you the same way. I think the two of you wil make a fine match."

"Thank you," Richard said dryly, but was secretly quite pleased with Robert's words. Christiana was proving to be intel igent, passionate and capable. words. Christiana was proving to be intel igent, passionate and capable.

He liked the woman, and suspected he could more than like her with a little time.

"Does Christiana like - " Richard began, and then grabbed for something to hold on to as a loud crack preceded the carriage suddenly pitching to the side. The next moments were a chaos of shouts, and whinnies as the three men were tossed about. The carriage seemed to rol and crash end over end, and then everything suddenly went stil and silent.

For one moment, Richard was too dazed to be quite sure what had happened and where he was, but then he heard a groan beneath him and realized the lumpy something he was lying on was either Daniel or Robert. He also became aware that something heavy lay on top of him, making it hard to breathe. Grimacing, he lifted a hand to touch whatever it was and was rewarded with another groan and a heel or elbow - he wasn't sure which in the darkness -

dug into his groin as whoever was on top of him began to struggle to get off.

"Lord Woodrow?"

The darkness surrounding them was suddenly relieved when the carriage door was yanked open above them and the driver peered in with a lit lantern in hand. It was then Richard realized the carriage had come to a halt on its side. He grunted as the man on top of him unintentional y jabbed him