03 Dangerous Illusions by Amanda Scott

Author:Amanda Scott [Scott, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-07-22T16:00:00+00:00

Fourteen

GIDEON RECEIVED DAINTRY’S LETTERS with only a small degree of surprise, for he had long since understood that she did not concern herself much with notions of propriety. Nonetheless, he did not reply to them. Her father did not share her notions, and he had no wish to figure, since he had written the first letter, as the instigator of a clandestine correspondence.

That she and the other ladies meant to confront Seacourt and expected Jervaulx, not to mention himself, to support them, he found disquieting. He smiled at her naive assumption that he could influence his father, and though he knew he could not, decided he must certainly attend the Assize Court on Thursday, so that she should not think he had basely deserted them. And, too, despite all her independent airs and graces, she was vulnerable and all too likely to make a fool of herself if he were not there to protect her from the consequences of her own impulsiveness.

What his father would make of his presence, he could not imagine, nor did he attempt to do so, but Thursday morning found him at Launceston Castle in the ancient county capital, where Dukes of Cornwall still came to receive their feudal dues, and where assize courts had been held since the twelfth century.

There was a great deal of traffic since Thursday was a market day, but he was able without much difficulty to pass through the town gate of the castle and drive his curricle straight inside, past the jail and onto the castle green, where the Assize Court building was located. Court was already in session when he entered, but although Sea-court was seated near the front, he saw no sign of the ladies or St. Merryn before he found a place in the second row. Jervaulx, the sole magistrate, was seated behind the high bench, and looked sharply at him for a brief instant before returning his attention to the case at hand.

Once Lady Ophelia’s carriage had passed the Launceston sheep market and made its way down the hill, Daintry could see the ancient south gate of the castle ahead.

“There it is, ma’am.”

“Yes,” Lady Ophelia said. “We will go round to the north gate and right in, too, for I’ve no mind to present myself or you gels to the populace at large as a spectacle. I do wish your father had seen fit to accompany us, or even your brother.”

Susan had been silent, as usual, but at these words she murmured, “Papa is so angry with me. ’Tis a pity Melissa cried so when we wanted her to stay with Annie, and insisted upon going to stay with Charlotte, or we need not have seen him today.”

Daintry said pacifically, “He agreed to allow Melissa to stay at Tuscombe Park until this business is settled, which must mean he expects Jervaulx to decide in your favor, love, so cheer up. We will have Deverill on our side, at all events, and Aunt Ophelia has arranged for Sir Lionel Werring to plead your case.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.