Page 77 of The Rogue's Runaway Bride
Her expression somber, Mrs. Johnstone spoke in a low voice. “I’ve made numerous inquiries about the city, and what I’ve learned... shall we say it is a most troubling development.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“What in blazeshave you heard?” Reading the concern in Mrs. Johnstone’s eyes, Jon knew thattroublinghad to be an understatement.
“To begin with the most immediate issue, it would appear that Belle’s aunt has not stopped her scheming.” Mrs. Johnstone poured herself another cup of tea and plopped in two cubes of sugar as she went on to explain the new intelligence she had gleaned. “The shrew has planted a rumor to explain Belle’s sudden absence from society.”
Jon considered her words. “And what might that be?”
Belle’s face paled. “What sort of lies is she spreading?”
Mrs. Johnstone appeared to hesitate. “She is claiming that ye’re no longer staying with her.” Again, she hesitated. Her lip curled with a look of utter distaste for what she had to say. “The woman has implied that ye ran off with Kentsworth.”
“Good heavens.” Her face paled to the hue of freshly washed linen, but Belle remained steady. She met his eyes. “If these tales reach my family, my mother will be beside herself.”
“Indeed.” Jon thought to reach out to her, to comfort her, but held back. “I will send word to them.”
“I believe they are in the midst of a river cruise at the moment. Mama’s latest correspondence indicated they would depart for England following their tour of the Nile basin.” Belle laced her fingers together, as she tended to do when she was on edge. “The telegrams were delivered to my aunt’s residence. Sheand Gideon will be privy to whatever information my mother might relay.”
“Your brother is in New York, is he not?” Jon went on.
She nodded. “Jeremy could not spare the time away from the business.”
A situation with which I am well acquainted. Raking a hand through his hair, he did not give voice to the thought.
Jon caught her hand in his, reassuring her. “I will arrange a telegram. With discretion, of course.”
“We will find a way,” Mrs. Johnstone spoke up. “I also have contacts who will be useful in getting a message to yer family.” She rose and went to the window, looking out into the twilight. “Mrs. Gilroy mentioned that Heathy was agitated this morning, but neither of ye could determine the cause.”
Belle’s mouth thinned to a seam. “Something had definitely stirred him up, but we did not see anyone.”
“How frightening,” Ellie said.
“I suspect the dog’s barking scared them off,” Mrs. Johnstone said.
Bloody hell.“You think someone was here.”
Her expression taut with concern, she nodded. “I’m fairly certain of it. A quick stroll around the grounds revealed areas where the shrubs have slight damage, as if someone was looking for a way into the house.”
“There seemed to be no cause for alarm. It wasn’t as if there was an attempt at entry,” Belle said. “We suspected a neighbor’s dog may have gotten loose.”
“That may indeed have been the case. But it is also possible that whatever set the wee beast to sounding the alert was not an animal.” She made her way back to the window and motioned them to join her. “Do you see what I see?”
Jon surveyed the landscape surrounding the house. “A cluster of broken branches.”
“It’s entirely possible that someone was there,” Mrs. Johnstone said. “The dog might’ve sent him running.”
“Have you learned anything that suggests he knows she’s here?” he asked.
“No,” Mrs. Johnstone replied. “But he’s still searching.”
“He will not give up,” Belle said.
“Ye’re right,” Mrs. Johnstone agreed. “It might be helpful if we understood precisely why yer aunt would spread such a lie. What is her part in their plan?”
“I’m convinced she is the one who put the scheme into play,” Belle said. “Now that I know she was lying to me, she has a great deal at risk. My father will see to it that she pays for what she has done.”
“Ye were wise to run from them,” Mrs. Johnstone said. “There’s reason to believe they are quite dangerous.”
