Page 70 of To Marry A Matchmaker

‘He knew what he had to do to stop being pressed. I informed him of the actions required several times,’ Robert ground out. ‘He refused to listen or take any heed of my advice.’

Henri put her hand to her throat and her knees buckled. Robert was Sebastian’s main creditor, the man pushing Sebastian to the brink? She stumbled over to the armchair as her stomach roiled.

‘You? You hold his paper? Then you are to blame for this!’ Henri cried. ‘You were the creditor who had pushed Sebastian to this?’

‘It seemed prudent.’ Robert pulled at his cuffs stubbornly. A faint flush appeared on his cheeks. ‘I wanted his situation to be brought home to him. All he needed to do was to clear his debts and the obstacle to my ward would have been removed. He refused. I then asked him to quit the neighbourhood. He refused. I was left with no choice.’

Henri rolled her eyes heavenwards. He’d pushed and pushed Sebastian until Sebastian had had to act. ‘I’m pleased to have seen such a master at work. And you said that I’d no business meddling.’

‘I took prudent steps.’

‘Prudent! When has prudency ever had anything to do with love?’

Robert gave her a knowing look and she knew he, too, remembered those highly imprudent moments in the garden this morning.

Henri started to pace the drawing room, trying to think and to keep her mind from going back to those moments. ‘Sebastian is singularly lacking in imagination. He should be easy to find.’

‘On that we are agreed, but he has had the wit to arrange a marriage with a very wealthy young lady.’

‘Only because his creditors were pressing.’ Henri glared at Robert, who developed an interest in the carpet. ‘But I want to find them. I want to make sure that Sebastian does the decent thing and that Sophie understands everyone in my family will stand by her.’

He lifted his eyes. ‘Why?’

Henri held out her hands. ‘You seem to feel that somehow I contributed to this débâcle. I want to find them so I can have the pleasure of wringing his neck. This is a thousand times worse than the pugs.’

‘Gretna Green is the usual destination in these cases,’ Aunt Frances declared. ‘We’d best start there.’

‘I’ve already sent my man and Mrs Ravel in pursuit. They’ve taken the express to Carlisle.’

Henri put her hand to her throat. Mrs Ravel was already speeding her way towards Carlisle. Robert had come here not to find out about Sebastian’s whereabouts, but to punish her. But there was something that was not right. A detail. Why would Sebastian borrow her aunt’s carriage when he could simply take the train?

‘No, Sebastian will not go to Gretna Green,’ Henri said, tapping her fingers together. ‘Sebastian always has said that he would never elope to Gretna. It is far too plebeian. And Jedburgh is easier to get to from Corbridge if one is going by carriage. He wants you to waste time searching around Gretna Green. And he borrowed Aunt’s carriage to go visiting. It is better sprung for travelling. Details are important, Montemorcy. Instinct.’

She tilted her chin in the air and dared Robert to argue differently.

‘The logic of your mind always impresses, Thorndike,’ Robert said sarcastically.

‘You are right, Henrietta. I’d forgotten about Jedburgh,’ Aunt Frances said far too quickly. ‘Only a month ago, the farmer’s daughter and the butcher’s son went up there and returned wed. Of course, her mother insisted on a church blessing of the marriage. But it was the talk of the ball.’

‘And he will not go to the Continent, not without securing his funds first,’ Robert said, stalking about the room. ‘But a Scottish marriage is not what I would have wanted for Sophie. They can go through a proper church marriage.’

‘But what does Sophie want? ‘ Henri said, crossing her arms and looking hard at Robert. ‘Even my cousin is not that insensible to society’s dictates. He knows that he cannot just ruin a débutante and he needs her funds. I do hope Sophie knew what she was doing. Did she take anything with her?’

‘Apparently a frying pan. Why Sophie would want such an article, I have no idea. Sophie can’t cook.’

A frying pan. Henri winced, remembering her conversation with Sophie about men who were unsafe in carriages. ‘And if Sophie doesn’t want to marry?’

‘They will have to be made to understand what is at stake,’ her aunt said. ‘If this Ravel chit is ruined, then he will do the decent thing…or else.’

‘Reluctantly, I agree with Lady Frances. Cawburn will not be allowed to ruin my ward. Either he is stopped or they marry. My promise to Sophie’s father compels me.’

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