Free Lord Iverbrook's Heir by Carola Dunn Page A

Aubrey is doing?” said Delia. “He retires when we do but he is never seen below stairs before noon. He cannot still be sleeping.”
    “I expect he is trying to decide what shade of red to wear today,” said Lord Iverbrook acidly. “I gather he brought no servant, and a fop without a valet must spend the greater part of his time dressing himself. Nor dare he entrust the care of his wardrobe to mere maidservants, and I’ll wager Bannister has better things to occupy his time.”
    Delia looked reproachful. “Just because he is a gentleman of fashion and you do not care how you dress . . ."    She flushed at her mother’s shocked glance. “I beg your pardon, sir,” she stammered.
    “Very true, I do not,” he said cheerfully. “My friends frequently roast me on my unmodishness. Lady Whitton, pray advise me. Will Joshua come to much harm travelling in this weather?”
    “I have already told Jem to set your horses to our barouche, Hugh. You will send for your curricle whenever it suits you. Try to keep Joshua warm and dry and rested. I had Bannister take him his breakfast in his chamber so that he could keep the leg up as long as possible. In a day or two, God willing, he will be as well as ever, though I fear the leg will always pain him.”
    “Thank you, ma’am. If you please, may I come for the curricle myself? I have no intention of abandoning Miss Whitton in the middle of the harvest.”
    “Are you coming back soon, Uncle Hugh?” Peter bounced up and down in his seat. “Will you bring me one of your gentleman’s horses for my own, like you said? Please will you?”
    “You are much too little for a gentleman’s horse,” said Delia scornfully.
    “Timmy Russell says he’s going to get a gentleman's horse and he’s only a little bit bigger’n me."
    Lady Whitton intervened before Delia could animadvert on the general untruthfulness of small boys.
    “If you are done with your breakfast, Peter, go up to Nurse now,” she said. “You may come down to say good-bye to Uncle Hugh later.”
    However, Lady Whitton was the only one to wave good-bye as the carriage rolled down the drive half an hour later, with Tom on the box, Iverbrook and a bundled-up Joshua within. It turned down the lane and she hurried back to her stillroom.
    She did not see the rest of the family until lunch time, when she found both Delia and Selena in the dining room. Sir Aubrey made a grand entrance, spectacular in crimson and pale pink. He apologised for his late appearance and blamed it on the exigencies of his toilette. Selena hid a giggle, but Delia thought the effect well worth the effort and looked at him in awe.
    “Where is Peter, Mama?” asked Selena, helping herself to raspberries and cream. “Is he coming down to lunch?”
    “I’m sure dear Aubrey will not mind if he joins us as usual. I expect Nurse has not noticed the time. Bannister, send Polly for Master Peter, if you please.”
    Bannister returned moments later. “Master Peter is not with Mrs. Finnegan, my lady,” he announced. “It seems she has not seen him since just after breakfast. She thought he was with your ladyship.”
    “No, not since breakfast. Selena? Delia?” They both shook their heads. “I expect he went to see Jem in the stables, the naughty child.”
    “I’ll send Polly, my lady.” They heard him shouting, “Polly, run quick now and see if Master Peter’s in the stables!”
    With a hollow feeling in her stomach, Selena realised what must have happened.
    “No use, Mama,” she whispered. “He swore he would do it by hook or by crook. Iverbrook has abducted Peter!”
     
    Chapter 7
     
    There was a stunned silence.
    “Nonsense!” said Lady Whitton, recovering. “Hugh would not dream of running off with the child.”
    “Besides, he left his curricle here,” pointed out Delia.
    “I expect that was a ruse to divert suspicion,” said Sir Aubrey. “To a gentleman as plump in the pocket as Lord Iverbrook, the loss of a carriage is