The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer (best mobile ebook reader TXT) 📕

rid all the way from Maltby—for me!” She caught her breath on a sob, pressing one lifeless hand to her lips.

“For you, madam?” Richard looked an inquiry.

She blushed.

“Yes—he—we—I—”

“I see,” said Richard gravely.

She nodded.

“Yes, and—and the Duke—caught me, and—brought me here—and—and then he came—and saved me!”

The air blowing in from the window stirred the ruffles of my lord’s shirt, and blew a strand of her dark hair across Diana’s face. She caught it back and stared at Richard with a puzzled air.

“Pardon me, sir—but you are so like him!”

“I am his brother,” answered Richard shortly.

Her eyes grew round with surprise.

“His brother, sir? I never knew Mr. Carr had a brother!”

“Mr.—who?” asked Richard.

“Carr. It is not his name, is it? I heard the Duke call him Carstares—and—my lord.”

“He is the Earl of Wyncham,” answered Richard, stretching out a hand to relieve Andrew of the jug of water he was proffering.

“Good—gracious!” gasped Diana. “B-but he said he was a highwayman!”

“Quite true, madam.”

“True? But how—how ridiculous—and how like him!”

She soaked a handkerchief in the water, and bathed my lord’s forehead.

“He is not coming to in the least,” she said nervously. “You are sure ‘tis not—not—”

“Quite. He’ll come round presently. You said he had ridden far?”

“He must have, sir—I wish he were not so pale—he was staying with the O’Hara’s at Maltby.”

“What? The O’Haras?”

“Yes—and he must have ridden from there—and his wound still so tender!” Again she kissed the limp hand.

Over by the window his Grace, his breath recovered, was eyeing Andrew through his quizzing-glass.

“May I inquire what brings you here?” he asked sweetly. “And why you saw fit to bring the saintly Richard?”

“I came because it suited me to do so. I never dreamed you were here— ‘Pon my soul, I did not!”

“Where then did you think I was?”

“Never thought about you at all, my dear fellow. I’m not your squire.”

“Why is Richard here?”

“Lord, what a catechism! He is here because he brought me with him on his way to Wyncham. Have you any objection?”

“It would be useless,” shrugged Tracy. “Have I killed that young fool?”

Andrew looked him over in disgust.

“No, you have not. You have barely touched him, thanks be.”

“Dear me! Why this sudden affection for Carstares?”

Andrew swung round on his heel, remarking over his shoulder:

“He may be a cheat, but he’s a damned fine fellow. By Gad! he nearly pinked you as I entered!” He chuckled at the memory of that glorious moment.

“He nearly pinked me a dozen times,” replied Tracy, binding his arm round more tightly. “He fights like ten devils. But he was fatigued.”

He followed Andrew across the room and stood looking down at his unconscious foe.

Diana’s eyes challenged him.

“Stand back, your Grace! You have no more to do here!”

He drew out his snuffbox and took a pinch.

“So that is how the matter lies, my dear. I did not know that.”

“You pretend that it would have made a difference in your treatment of me?”

“Not the slightest, child,” he replied, shutting the box with a snap. “It has merely come as a slight surprise to me. It seems he has the luck this round.” He walked away again as another great bell-peal sounded through the house.

Andrew, pouring cognac into a glass, paused with bottle held in mid-air.

“Thunder and turf! We are like to be a party! Who now?” He set the glass down and lounged out of the room, bottle in hand. They heard him give an astonished cry and a loud laugh, and the next moment O’Hara strode into the room, booted and spurred and enveloped in a heavy surcoat. He came swiftly upon the little group about my lord and went down on one knee beside him. His eyes seemed to take in everyone at a glance. Then he looked across at Richard.

“Is he alive?”

Richard nodded, not meeting the hard, anxious gaze.

O’Hara bent over his friend.

“He has been wounded?”

Diana answered this.

“Only slightly, Sir Miles, but ‘twas his shoulder again. He was tired after the ride—Mr. Carstares thinks he has fainted from exhaustion.”

O’Hara very gently slipped one arm beneath my lord’s shoulders and the other under his knees, rising with him as easily as if he were carrying a baby. He walked over to the couch, lowering his burden on to the cushions that Diana placed to receive him.

“He will be easier there,” he said, and looked across at her.

“Ye are quite safe, child?”

“Quite—quite— He came just in time—and fought for me.” She dabbed openly at her eyes. “I—I love him so, Sir Miles—and now I hear that he is an Earl!” she sighed.

“Well, child, ‘twill make no difference, I take it. I hope he’ll make ye happy.”

She smiled through her tears very confidently.

O’Hara turned and faced Richard, who was standing a little in the rear, watching his brother’s face. He met O’Hara’s scathing look squarely.

“Well?”

“Nought,” answered the Irishman cuttingly, and walked over to where Lord Andrew was arguing hotly with his brother.

Carstares returned to my lord’s side and stood looking silently down at him.

Diana suddenly gave a little joyful cry.

“He is coming round! He moved his head! Oh, Jack, my dear one, look at me!” She bent over him with eyes alight with love.

My lord’s eyelids flickered and opened, For a moment he stared at her.

“Why—Diana!”

She took his head between her hands and kissed him full on the mouth. Then she raised his head to look into the blue eyes.

My lord’s arm crept round her and held her tight against him. After a moment she disengaged herself and stood aside. Jack’s eyes, still a little bewildered, fell upon his brother. He struggled up on his elbow.

“Am I dreaming? Dick!” His voice was full of a great joy.

Richard went quickly to him, trying to put him back on the cushions.

“My dear Jack—no, no—lie still!”

“Lie still?” cried my lord, swinging his feet to the ground. “Not a bit of it! I am well enough, but a trifle dizzy. How in thunder did you come here? Surely ‘twas you knocked up my sword? Yes? Interfering young cub! Give me your arm a minute!”

“But why do you want to get up?” pleaded a soft voice in his ear.

“So that I can take you in my arms, sweetheart,” he answered, and proceeded to do so.

Then his glance, wandering round the room, alighted on the heated group by the table; Andrew vociferously indignant, Tracy coolly sarcastic, and O’Hara furious.

“Tare an’ ouns!” ejaculated my lord. “Where did they all spring from?”

“I don’t quite know!” laughed Diana. “Sir Miles came a few minutes ago—the other gentleman came with Mr. Carstares.”

“Ay, I remember him—‘tis Andrew, eh, Dick? Zounds! how he has grown! But what in the world are they all fighting over? Miles! Miles, I say!”

O’Hara wheeled round, surprised.

“Oho! Ye are up, are ye.” He crossed to his side. “Then sit down!”

“Since you are all so insistent, I will. How did you come here?”

O’Hara went round to the back of the couch to arrange a cushion beneath the hurt shoulder, and leaned his arms upon the back, looking down with a laugh in his eyes.

“Faith, I rode!”

“But how did you know? Where—”

“‘Twas all on account of that young rascal David,” he said. “Molly fretted and fumed all the way to the Frasers, vowing the child would be neglected, and what not, and we’d not been in the house above an hour or so, when up she jumps and says she knows that something has happened at home, and nothing will suffice but that I must drive her back. We arrived just as Beauleigh was setting out. He told us the whole tale, and of course I had Blue Peter saddled in the twinkling of an eye and was off after ye. But, what with taking wrong turns and me horse not happening to be made of lightning, I couldn’t arrive until now.”

“You cannot have been so long after me,” said Jack. “For I wasted full half-an-hour outside here, trying to find an opening in the hedge for Jenny to get through. She is now stalled in a shed at the bottom of the lawn with my cloak over her. I’ll swear she’s thirsty, too.”

“I’ll see to that,” promised O’Hara.

Andrew came across the room and bowed awkwardly to my lord, stammering a little. Carstares held out his hand.

“Lord, Andy! I scarce knew you!”

After a moment’s hesitation, Andrew took the outstretched hand and answered, laughingly. But my lord had not failed to notice the hesitation, short though it had been.

“I—beg your pardon. I had forgot,” he said stiffly.

Andrew sat down beside him, rather red about the ears.

“Oh, stuff, Jack! I’m a clumsy fool, but I did not mean that!”

Richard stepped forward into the full light of the candles.

“If you will all listen to me one moment, I shall be greatly obliged,” he said steadily.

Lord John started forward.

“Dick!” he cried, warningly, and would have gone to him, but for O’Hara’s hand on his shoulder, dragging him back.

“Ah, now, be aisy,” growled Miles. “Let the man say it!”

“Hold your tongue, O’Hara! Dick, wait one moment! I want to speak to you!”

Richard never glanced at him.

“I am about to tell you something that should have been told—seven years ago—”

“Once and for all, I forbid it!” snapped my lord, trying to disengage himself from O’Hara’s grip.

Miles leant over him.

“See here, me boy, if ye don’t keep a still tongue in your head, its meself that’ll be gagging you, and that’s that!”

My lord swore at him.

Diana laid a gentle hand on his arm.

“Please, John! Please be still! Why should not Mr. Carstares speak?”

“You don’t know what he would do!” fumed Jack.

“In fact, Miss Beauleigh, Sir Miles and Andrew are completely in the dark,” drawled the Duke. “Shall I tell the tale, Richard?”

“Thank you, I shall not require your assistance,” was the cold rejoinder. “But I must ask you to be quiet, John.”

“I will not! You must n—”

“That will do,” decided O’Hara, and placed a relentless hand over his mouth. “Go on, Carstares!”

“For the sake of Miss Beauleigh, I will tell you that seven years ago my brother and I went to a card-party. I cheated. He took the blame. He has borne it ever since because I was too much a coward to confess. That is all I have to say.”

“‘Twas for that ye wanted to see me on Friday?” shot out O’Hara.

Richard nodded, dully.

“Yes, I was going to tell you then.”

“H’m! I’m glad ye had decided to play the man’s part for once!”

With a furious oath Jack wrenched himself free and rounded on his friend.

“You take too much upon yourself, O’Hara!”

He rose unsteadily and walked to Richard’s side.

“Dick has told you much, but not all. You none of you know the reasons we had for acting as we did. But you know him well enough to believe that it needed very strong reasons to induce him to allow me take the blame. If anyone has aught to say in the matter, I shall be glad if he will say it to me—now!” His eyes flashed menacingly as they swept the company, and rested for an instant on O’Hara’s unyielding countenance. Then he turned and held out his hand to his brother with his own peculiarly wistful smile.

“Can you bear to speak to me?” muttered Richard, with face averted.

“Gad, Dick, don’t be ridiculous!” He grasped the unwilling