“Thank you, my lord.”
Just then, there was a pounding on the door. Landry whipped round and stared into the great hall in horror. Marley put the fork down and said, “I’ll manage it, my lord.”
“Good man,” Landry whispered as Marley strode past him.
He hid behind the doorframe as his butler answered the door.
“I must see Landry this instant, I do not care if he is busy, it is of the utmost importance.”
Landry shuddered. It was Manderbey. He sounded angry. He was such a large man, he could pick him up and throw him across the room if he chose. He’d never done such a thing, but there was always a first time!
“I am sorry, my lord, but Lord Landry fell down the stairs this morning and is currently unconscious,” his butler said.
Unconscious? That was good, very good indeed. A person who lay unconscious could not be interrogated or thrown across a room. An unconscious person must be left alone. Marley really was so clever. He ought to give the fellow another raise.
“Does a physician attend him?” Manderbey asked.
“He is on his way as we speak, my lord. He is attended by the housekeeper until that gentleman arrives.”
“I see. Bad luck, that. Of course I hope he makes a speedy recovery. Send updates to my house, I would like to keep apprised of the situation and be alerted immediately when he regains consciousness. I really do have something of import that must be discussed between us.”
“Of course, my lord.”
Landry listened to Manderbey depart and then tiptoed to the windows and peered out. The lord got on his horse looking very annoyed. He wanted to be informed the moment he regained consciousness! He would come back!
Marley returned to the dining room. “He is gone, my lord.”
“Yes, yes, very good,” Landry said. “Marley, that was an excellent notion about me falling down the stairs and becoming unconscious. I will take to my bed. Let nobody in! Everybody is to know I lay quite unconscious and can see nobody. I cannot answer any questions—I am entirely indisposed!”
“Very good, my lord. Shall I send up a tea tray?”
“Jolly notion, yes, I will lie in bed with tea. And perhaps a drop of laudanum for my nerves.”
Landry hurried above stairs and called for his valet. In not many more minutes, he was safe underneath his down covers and there he would stay until he was assured it was safe to come out.
*
Leland had anunsuccessful visit to Landry’s house. The fellow had somehow managed to fling himself down the stairs with such violence that he was currently unconscious. It was most unfortunate, not only for Landry himself, but for the information Leland was sure he had.
He’d returned home as the weather did not admit for taking his horse to the park and he had no wish to be beset with questions or looks at his club. He was fairly sure that his interest in Lady Winsome had been noted and that this talk about Landry compromising her would be widely known by now. The dowager swore she’d told nobody, but she’d received a note from one of her friends asking about the situation. It made Leland wonder if somebody else had been inside the house and made the same leaps of judgment his grandmother had.
In any case, Apollo had made clear his opinion of the weather. Hedid not suppose any horse liked to be out in pouring rain, but his own seemed to take a particular offense to it. He kept pulling his head to attempt to look behind him. Leland was sure it was in an effort to catch his eye and let him know he was blamed for the discomfort.
The last thing he had expected upon his return was to find St. John awaiting him. He was there, though, with the dowager in the drawing room. If he were looking for money again, he would be sorely disappointed.
“There he is,” the dowager said to Leland. “Well? Did Lord Landry admit his part in this shameful business?”
“Lord Landry is currently unconscious, having somehow fallen down the stairs at his house,” Leland said gruffly. “As well, I am quite sure there has been no shameful business.”
“Come now, Cousin, you cannot always have your way,” St. John said. “The facts will not bend, not even to a marquess.”
“If I’d been able to see Landry, I am certain I would have ascertained the facts. As it is, I will be forced to visit the duke’s house and speak to Lady Winsome directly. I’d rather not do it, as it must be an affront to the lady to be questioned on such a matter, but unless Landry wakes up sometime soon, I will need to. Something needs to be said to quell these ridiculous rumors.”
St. John was shaking his head vigorously. “I just heard at White’s that the duke has taken Lady Winsome to some old relation in Kent, leaving the youngest sister to the care of one of the older sisters. Not surprising, what else is one to do with an errant daughter?” St. John paused, then said, “Unless of course he will wish to send her further away. All the way to Brazil with me, perhaps?”
“Do not be absurd,” Leland said.
“Well now,” the dowager said, “I do like Lady Winsome and wish her settled reasonably. She cannot become a duchess, not after this. If Landry does not come through, then perhaps it is not the worst idea. St. John could certainly use the added infusion of funds and he reallyought to have a wife if he is to be an ambassador. There are duties only a hostess can perform.”
