A Lady's Guide to Courtship

XXXVIII. Meddling

Dear Lady Weis,

I have to be honest and say that I abhor the idea of caging the cat.

It may simply be lonely, thus the disappearances.

Caging it, I fear, would not merely fail to abolish its loneliness, but you will deny its freedom as well.

I do hope you reconsider.

From someone who does not have a cat but does love his freedom,

William Hayward, Lord of Wakefield

*****

"Do not look so surprised, Miss Randolph," Thomas said, walking into the room to sit on the chaise. "I gather you are quite surprised of my presence. I do not do this very often, after all."

He watched her turn to face him, her eyes curious and scared. Her body was stiff as if it was ready to run any moment and escape.

"I am a very curious individual, and unlike my brother, I have means to... let us say, look into things." He smiled when her jaw twitched. "Would you like to play a guessing game?" He rested his chin on the tips of two fingers.

She did not reply. She did not even move.

Thomas let out a low chuckle, looking at her up and down. "Do you not want to guess why I am here?"

Again, no reply.

"Very well, then, I shall start," he feigned to think deeply as he tapped one finger against his chin. "You grew up in Granville." She did move, but merely a twitch. He was enjoying this. "Your parents were merchants, but were very bad at the business. They were buried with debts." He watched as she carefully let out a shaky breath. "They sent you to Sheills for a season, hoping you'd land yourself a lord. You failed them. Then you were whisked away to Willowfair eight years ago." Finally her eyes betrayed her and Thomas saw them move in panic. "But they died, did they not? Despite what you told everyone in Wickhurst, you are an orphan."

The way she managed to cover the panic was astounding. In merely a blink, she managed a smile. But he would not be fooled by the arrogant mien she was trying to muster.

"Am I doing a marvellous job?" he asked. This time he got a reply. She shrugged. "Then shall I continue?" Her nose flared, this time in anger. "You did try to work as a governess for the Osegods to pay your parents' debts. A very powerful family, the Osegods. They treated you well. That is, until you found yourself in love with Alan Osegod himself."

"Stop," she finally said in a cold, eerie voice.

"Ah, but I am enjoying this, Miss Randolph. Very much so, in fact. Now, where was I?" He stood to his feet to walk to the corner to pour himself a glass of brandy. "He took you in as his mistress. He gave you everything your parents could never have afforded. Finally you were able to pay half of the debts. But something happened." He paused to sip from his glass. When he turned, he saw her standing in the middle of the room looking as pale as paper. "Something forced you to disappear from Willowfair."

He slowly made his way back to the chaise.

"You disappeared for three years, but more than two years ago, you came to Wickhurst for another chance of a season. No one knows you here. You tried to bury the past. But the money was running out and this time you knew the easiest way to secure one and you found another lover. You became friends with the Everards. But fate can truly be cruel, yes? Your lover hurt you when he caught you stealing from him." He clucked his tongue, shaking his head. "Suddenly you found yourself nearly at death's door until my brother found you. The rest, as they say, is history."