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‘He certainly is,’ Drew agreed. ‘Shall we lock him up until we can take him before the Justice?’
Mark laughed. ‘I am the Justice.’
‘I had forgot. Is there a lock-up in the village?’
‘Yes, close by the church. He will be safe enough there while we send for his wife’s relations. Or we could tell his mother. I wonder why he has never told her himself, since she wants him married.’
‘Perhaps she does not like Portuguese ladies,’ Drew said. ‘Some of these old aristocrats are like that, they want good English blood in their line.’
‘No, I beg you, no.’ Bolsover was shaking with terror.
‘Then you have only one course open to you,’ Mark said. ‘Leave Hadlea, abandon your torment of Miss Cavenhurst and take yourself off where the law cannot find you. I will not answer for the consequences, if you do not. Be on the afternoon stage.’
‘If I do not?’
‘It is up to you, of course,’ Mark said. ‘But I should not like to be in your shoes when Estaban finds you.’ He turned to Drew. ‘Shall we leave him to think about it?’
‘You are too lenient, my friend, but as I am anxious to be on my way, let us give him the same chance we would give the fox. Run or suffer the consequences.’
Mark was thoughtful as they returned to the carriage. ‘There is a man called Estaban working at Witherington House,’ he said. ‘It cannot be a coincidence, can it?’
‘Unlikely, I should say.’
‘He must know where Bolsover is or why would he be here?’
‘Not our problem, my friend.’ The carriage drew up at the Manor. ‘I will leave you to tell Sir Edward the good news. I intend to spirit Isabel away somewhere where we can be alone.’
The door was opened by Sophie, who squealed at the sight of Drew and raced back to the drawing room. ‘Papa, Mama, Issie. Lord Wyndham is here and he has Mr Ashton with him.’
Isabel rushed out to the hall and stopped to stare at Drew. ‘Is it really you?’
He smiled. ‘If it is not, I do not know who else it might be.’ He took her hand and bowed over it. ‘How are you, sweetheart?’
She looked from him to Mark. ‘Mark?’
‘Do not mind me,’ he said. ‘I will go and speak to your parents and Jane.’
‘Jane is not here, she has gone to Witherington. She spends all her time there these days.’
He would have liked to have turned round and gone straight to her, but courtesy demanded he speak to Sir Edward and Lady Cavenhurst first. He went into the drawing room and bowed to them both. ‘Good morning, Sir Edward. My lady. I hope you will forgive me for arriving so early, but I have good tidings and could not wait to tell you.’
‘Sophie said Mr Ashton was with you.’
‘So he is. He is talking to Isabel. No doubt they will join us shortly.’
Sir Edward rose angrily. ‘You mean you have left them alone together?’
‘Yes, but please allow them a few minutes while I explain.’
Sir Edward blustered, but subsided.
‘The first thing I have to tell you is that you no longer have anything to fear from Lord Bolsover. His dastardly past has been uncovered and he has been discredited. He will not be bothering you again. You are out of debt and Greystone is safe.’
‘Merciful Lord,’ her ladyship said.
‘That is indeed good news,’ Sir Edward added. ‘But how has that come about?’
‘Through the good offices of my friend, Mr Ashton. It is he you have to thank.’
‘Oh. You had better tell us the whole.’
‘I will leave that to Drew, he knows the details. I intend to go to Witherington House to speak to Jane, if you will excuse me.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Lady Cavenhurst said. ‘She will be much relieved.’
He bowed and left, passing Drew and Isabel in the hall. They had their arms round each other and were kissing. ‘All yours,’ he said, laughing, and went out to the carriage with a lighter heart than he had had for a very long time.
* * *
Paolo Estaban was proving an asset. He was young and strong and made himself useful in all manner of ways. He had already identified what needed doing before Jane could ask him. Wobbly shelves, window catches, vegetables to brought in from the garden, Bonny to be groomed, all dealt with as if by magic. And the name Witherington House would soon be painted on the side of the trap. He had talked to Jane of his home and hinted of a terrible wrong, but most of the time he kept his thoughts to himself.
