Candice Hern Read Online Free PDF Page B

undiscovered, for in daylight or dark, a diamond yet sparkles.
    The Busybody
    E leanor turned on her heel and headed up the stairs. She stepped into the drawing room and stood before the window, pretending to watch something on the street below. She heard Mr. Westover follow her, but kept her back to him. Her hands shook and she had no idea how long she could keep her tears at bay.
    Oh, Belinda.
    “Mrs. Tennant?”
    She acknowledged his presence with a lift of her chin, but did not turn around. She would not break down in front of this troublemaking ninnyhammer.
    “Mrs. Tennant, I am so very sorry about what has happened. I understand that you feel it necessary to follow your niece, and I will do anything in my power to help you find her. But I do not believe it would be wise for me to accompany you.”
    Eleanor sighed. He was surely the most contrary, troublesome man she’d ever met, but she did not have time or energy to fight with him now. All she could think of was poor Belinda, being seduced by Barkwith, facing abandonment and ruin, having her heart smashed to bits by that cad.
    No. She could not, would not allow that to happen. Belinda was a foolish, featherbrained girl, to be sure; but Eleanor was inordinately fond of the child and hated to imagine the heartbreak in store for her. Eleanor must find the girl and bring her back home while her reputation, if not her virtue, was still intact.
    But she did not have the resources to do it alone.
    She took a deep breath and turned away from the window. “I do not care what you may or may not think is wise, Mr. Westover. In fact, you are the very last person whose opinion I would trust just now.”
    He had the good sense to blush, but not enough to keep quiet. “That’s as may be, but at least let me help. You must allow me to provide whatever transportation you require, as well as all traveling expenses.”
    Good heavens, she had not even thought how she was to pay for such a journey. She would have to hire a carriage, horses, postboys, and, depending on how long it took to track them down, rooms at various inns. And meals. And tolls. And bribes, no doubt, to get information she needed. It would all be quite expensive, much more than she could everafford. Perhaps she could prevail on her cousin Constance to help.
    “It is the least I can do,” Mr. Westover said.
    Eleanor studied him from across the room. As she had already noted, he was beautifully dressed, his bottle-green coat perfectly tailored, precise to a pin. There was the Mayfair mansion, too. Mr. Westover no doubt had a small fortune at his disposal.
    “Yes,” she said, making an impulsive decision, “I believe you have the right of it. It is indeed the least you can do. I accept your offer of transportation.”
    “Good. Now, I assume there is no time to waste. Do you have any idea how long ago they might have left London?”
    “She was here this morning when I left to pay a visit to my cousin, shortly before I came to Westover House. At least I…oh, dear. No, come to think of it, I did not see her. She did not come down for breakfast. I assumed she took a tray in her room.” Eleanor looked beyond him to where Mrs. Davies stood hovering in the doorway, and raised her brows in question.
    “Lord bless me, Miz Tennant, but I could swear her bed hadn’t been slept in.” The housekeeper blinked back tears. “And when I asked Tilly if she’d taken in her morning chocolate, she said Miss Belinda told her last night to let her sleep late this morning, and not to disturb her until she rang.”
    “Dear God, she must have left during the night,” Eleanor said. “They could be halfway to Scotland by now.”
    “Not quite so far as that.” Mr. Westover moved toward the door. “But they have a hell of a head start. I’ll dash back home and round up one of my father’s traveling coaches. Do you suppose they took the stage, or does Barkwith keep his own carriage?”
    “I have no idea.” Eleanor suddenly