Page 80 of Souvenir of Love

“I had no idea you were in the area, madame.”

“I would not expect you to be aware of all the comings and goings at Moreham Hall.” Madeleine smiled, her previous good humor replaced by a mask of practiced politeness. “I am visiting my son-in-law and my daughter. Alix is with child. But I’m sure you have already heard.”

“You mustsobe looking forward to being agrandmother.”

“Yes, though I am much too young to ever be taken for one.” Madeleine laughed. “Indeed, I am thinking of becoming a mother again.”

“You are expecting?” Anne let her eyes slip to Madeleine’s trim, beribboned waist.

“Of course not.” She laughed again, the sound clearly forced. “Lord Rothwell has asked me to marry him. You know His Lordship, do you not? I’ve heard rumors you two were quite friendly at one time.”

“Yes, we were,” Anne said, reminding herselfshewas the one who’d turned him away. Older, attractive, but all those children… Besides, she’d had Moreham on her hook. Or so she’d thought. “So, we may expect a gala wedding next season?” She didn’t wait for an answer, but went straight for the jugular. “And speaking of seasons, how ispoorElizabeth?”

Madeleine’s dark eyes hardened, but her voice remained light. “Elizabeth? How kind of you to ask afterdearElizabeth. She is doing well, having a lovely summer, quite the social butterfly.”

“Moreham has been entertaining? With Lady Alix in her delicate condition, isn’t it rather a strain?”

“His Lordship hasn’t been entertaining. Elizabeth has been visiting. She’s been away for over two weeks, staying with her friend Arabella Norcroft. Such a fine, upstanding family.” Madeleine waved her hand, the one with the leash wrapped round it, inadvertently pulling the pug up short. He yipped,and she turned, completely missing the puzzled expression on Anne’s face.

“The Norcrofts, you say? The Norcrofts of Hartsdale?”

“Do you know them?”

“A passing acquaintance,” Anne replied smoothly. “Elizabeth has been visiting with them for the past two weeks?”

“Yes, and she sends back the most entertaining letters. Such a clever girl.”

“Clever,” Anne echoed, thinking Elizabeth Harcrest must be extremely clever if she’d deceived her family into believing she was staying with the Norcrofts. Or was Madeleine lying to make it seem the girl had been accepted back into some circles of society?

“Well, Lady Anne, I really must be going. You must pay a call on me at the hall sometime,” Madeleine said in a vague way that indicatedsometimemeantnever.

“Oh, I will.” Anne waved after her.I will indeed.

Thirty

Elizabeth leaned toward James as the carriage door swung closed. “It doesn’t seem right to have Joley riding as our coachman. He was a confidant of the king, a minister, a nobleman of the highest rank. Shouldn’t he be riding in here, with us?”

“It feels peculiar, but it’s for the best. Think about it—no one looks at a coachman. If we’re stopped, the gendarmes will glance at him, at his papers, and then focus their attention on us. The villainous Englishmen.”

“I suppose.”

“Thanks to everyone’s skillful handiwork, no one will connect Amaury de Joley with our new coachman, Armand Duval. No one even knows Joley’s been in the area.”

“Thinking about him sitting up there after everything he’s been through, living in a hole, stealing to survive?—”

“If he’s discovered, you must deny you knew he was a member of our company,” James interrupted gently, covering her hand with his.

“I will not.” She drew her hand back, horrified.

“You will.”

“I won’t. We’ve come to save him, not to throw him to the wolves.”

“Elizabeth.” He gripped her hand again. “If Joley is discovered, there will be little we or anyone can do to save him. And if he’s found riding with us, clearly a member of our company, the revolutionaries will addspyandcollaborator with the Englishto his list of crimes.”

“They’ll add that to his list of crimes whether he’s riding as our guest or our coachman. You’re afraid for yourself.”

His grip tightened. “Look at me, Elizabeth. Look at the scar on my face.”