An Honest Deception Read Free

asked.
    Isobel
merely nodded and smiled in reply. Undeterred, Bainstall pressed on. “Letitia,
I must tell you that I do not think that Lady Exencour is one in whom you should
confide. She led you very much astray two years past when you visited her in
London, and you should not place your trust in her now. Although you came to
your senses and returned to your home, Lady Exencour’s influence on your
actions can only be described as ill-advised.”
    There
was silence after this speech as both ladies were so much angered by it as to
be temporarily rendered tongue-tied. Bainstall, fancying himself to have had
the last word on the matter smiled at Letitia. “You must allow yourself to be
guided by me, cousin, and we shall see you respectably settled.”
    The
door had opened silently during this last speech by the baron and Lord Exencour
had entered undetected. He now stood with a gleeful smile on his handsome face,
watching his wife draw breath to embark upon a blistering retort. Electing at
the last moment to cast water rather than oil upon the flames of her wrath, he
cleared his throat and stepped forward.
    “Ah, you
must be Bainstall, Lady Morgan’s cousin. I am Exencour. Lady Morgan has
undoubtedly already introduced you to my wife.” Francis smiled easily and extended
his hand to Bainstall. He then turned to Letitia, effectively cutting off any
comment her cousin might wish to make.
    “Lady
Morgan, you will be happy, I believe, to hear that my search has prospered and
I have been able to locate your bailiff. You are fortunate; he had purchased a
passage to America, and was waiting to take ship in three days’ time, although
I fancy he would have called upon you first in any event. He seems to be an estimable
fellow. I have invited him on your behalf to return to Morgan Park, which he
does with great willingness. He will wait upon you in an hour's time.”
    Letty
was delighted to have Grieves restored to her and opened her mouth to thank Exencour
when she was interrupted by Lord Bainstall.
    “If I
am to meet with your bailiff soon, cousin, perhaps you could have me shown to
my room so that I may change my clothing from this travelling garb.”
    The
other three looked surprised, but unanimously chose to leave the baron to enjoy
his ignorance. The bell was rung and soon Bainstall was being shown to the
green bedchamber.
    “Oh
dear,” said Letty as the door closed behind him.
    “What a
pompous bore,” Isobel burst out. “Letty, he is twice as bad in person as he was
in that dreadful letter.”
    “Yes, I
fear that it will be very difficult to avoid offending him deeply, Isobel, for
it is plain that he feels it is his duty to take my affairs in hand, and
indeed, I do not wish him to do so.”
    “It is
a shame that Morgan Park is not a huge pile like Strancaster,” said Exencour
with a glinting smile. “When my mother wishes to avoid an annoying guest, she
has only to place him in a distant chamber, where the bell most mysteriously refuses
to function. Unable to summon a servant to show him back to the family rooms,
the poor wretch may wander about for days, even risking starvation, in search
of the remainder of the party.”
    “Alas,
Morgan Park is too small to perplex even my cousin for more than a minute or
two,” answered Letty. “We shall have to resort to plain speaking it seems.”
    “Well,
Letty, it is best to begin as you mean to go on,” said Isobel. “And if you are
to manage for yourself now, Lord Bainstall will have to be put in his place. Although
I doubt he will know it when that happens. He seems remarkably thick-witted to me.”
    An hour
later Bainstall descended from his room. He had changed his travelling clothes
for some suitably funereal garments, and looked the picture of a bereaved
relative. He found Letitia in the sitting room.
    “You
must be very weary, Letitia,” he said. “You need not be present for this
interview; I will handle it on your behalf. Please lie down and tend