Free The Outcast's Redemption (The Infamous Arrandales) by Sarah Mallory Page A

imagined herself emerging from the bedroom to descend the stairs. Her fingers would be on the rail as she crossed the landing, long before she reached the top step. Her companion let his breath go with a hiss.
    ‘I have had enough of this place. Let us go.’ He put out his hand, but let it drop, his lip curling when Grace shrank away. ‘No doubt you will feel safer if I go first.’
    Silently she followed him down the stairs. When they reached the bottom he stood for a moment, looking down at the flagstones as if reliving the awful sight of his wife lying there.
    ‘You said you had just come in,’ she said, trying to think logically. ‘From the front entrance?’
    ‘No, the garden door, that way.’ He indicated a shadowy passage set beneath the stairs. ‘I had taken the key with me. I was in a foul temper and wanted to avoid seeing anyone.’ He looked down at the flags again. ‘I found her just here, on the floor.’
    Grace looked at the spot where he was standing, then she looked up at the landing almost directly above them.
    ‘You are thinking, Miss Duncombe, that she might have fallen from the balcony, rather than tumbled down the stairs. I remember the injuries to her head were commensurate with such a fall.’
    Grace put her hands to her mouth.
    ‘That could not have been an accident.’ She read agreement in his eyes and closed her own, shuddering. ‘Oh, poor woman.’
    ‘Quite.’ He sighed. ‘I beg your pardon, I have said too much. I never intended you to know the full horror of it. Come, let me take you outside.’
    She did not resist as he caught her arm—more gently this time—and led her to the door. When they reached the front steps she stopped and dragged in a long, steadying breath. The sun still shone brightly, a few feet away Robert Jones was holding the two horses. It was only minutes since they had gone into the house, but she felt as if she had come out into a different world. When she spoke she was surprised at how calm she sounded.
    ‘Thank you, Mr Arrandale, you may release me now, I am not going to faint.’
    His hand dropped. ‘I am glad to hear it.’
    Grace set off towards the horses. Without a mounting block she had no choice but to allow him to throw her up into the saddle and she made herself comfortable while he scrambled up on to his borrowed mount. When he thanked Jones for holding the horses the servant lost himself in a tangle of words.
    ‘It was nothing, Master—Mr Arr—I mean...’
    ‘You may be easy, Jones. Miss Duncombe knows who I am now.’
    The man looked as if a great weight had been taken from his shoulders.
    ‘Well that’s a mercy. I’ll wish ’ee both good day, then, sir. Miss Duncombe.’
    They trotted away. Grace’s head was bursting. Speculation, arguments, doubts whirled about and they were halfway across the park before she broke the silence.
    ‘If you are innocent, you should have stayed and defended yourself.’
    ‘I know.’
    ‘So why did you flee the country?’
    ‘My father insisted I leave. He and my wife’s cousin bundled me out of the house before I could think clearly. My father had...connections at Sizewell who would take me across to France.’
    ‘Do you mean smugglers?’
    He nodded. ‘The weather was bad so I remained at an inn on the quay for a few days. It gave me a chance to think it all through. I had just decided to turn back when word reached me that the diamonds were missing and the Sawstons were bringing a prosecution against me for theft and murder. Thus I am as you see me, Miss Duncombe. A fugitive with a price on his head.’
    They had reached the gap in the paling and Wolf stopped to let Grace go first. He wondered what she thought of him now. He was somewhat encouraged when she waited on the road for him to join her.
    ‘Well,’ he said, as they moved off towards the vicarage. ‘You now hold my life in your hands.’
    She threw him a troubled look. ‘Pray do not joke about it, Mr Arrandale. It is not a