"Yes, you've told me so already. But in those months, did you do nothing to verify his totals?"

Mr. Trent blinked owlishly at her.

"No one ever told me to do so. I did make certain that income exceeded expenditures, and the picture has improved considerably since I came aboard, as you can surely see!"

"You've done an admirable job at that, certainly," said Frederica soothingly, realizing that she had p.r.i.c.ked his pride yet again.

"And of course you had no way of knowing that Lord Sea brooke would ask for this sort of investigation into his uncle's finances." She sighed. The quarterly books had merely echoed the ledger: money had 13een bled from the estate for unknown reasons, beginning three years ago and continuing almost to the time of the previous Carol's death.

"May I see those other papers you brought?"

"Ah, now here you'll find I've done a bit of investigating after all," said Mr. Trent proudly, digging into his satchel. He beamed at her as he handed them across the desk.

"When word came from Mr. Culpepper a week ago, I did some exploring and found that the old earl had more than just the one strongbox in his study. He also had a safe of sorts in his bedchamber." HIS smile faded.

"But it contained only these deeds, no money. And they aren't even for the land around Brookeside."

Frederica examined the doc.u.ments curiously. "No, you are right, they are from another county ent'trely--Cornwall, in fact. Nor do they represent a great deal of land, for all he apparently paid for them." She looked at them carefully, noting the dates of purchase.

"This is certainly where the money went, however, for the first purchase coincides with the time he began mortgaging the Sea brooke lands. Hmm." She pondered for a moment, then glanced back at the ledger. An investment had been noted on that date. In sudden excitement, she asked,

"Have we any way of knowing what this land is now worth?"

Mr. Trent looked perplexed.

"I suppose Mr. Culpepper, his lordship's man of business, could find out," he said uncertainly.

"Take these to him at once, Mr. Trent! I believe we may well have solved Lord Sea brooke's riddle--and perhaps his financial difficulties, as well!"

BY EARLY AFrERNOON, Lord Sea brooke had secured the acceptance of nearly two dozen people, all among the more unconventional members of the ton, to attend his spur-of-the moment rout. It was to be an informal affair, and he had advised everyone that they were free to spread word of it to whoever they might encounter.

While he could not expect a crush, his a.s.sembly should be well attended, he thought with satisfaction. He needed the distraction. The flood of congratulations and well wishes he received in the course of his calls had done little to dispel his unease over his inappropriate feelings towards Miss Cherrystone. If anything, his doubts had been increased.

Gavin wished he had a confidant, someone who might advise him about the matter. He now realized, as though for the first time, that although he had numerous acquaintances whose company he enjoyed, he had no really close friends. He supposed his years as a soldier and later as a spy of sorts, must account for it. Odd that he had never noticed it before. Mentally cataloguing everyone he knew, he was forced to admit that the only person he felt comfortable confiding in was Cherry--and she would obviously not do in this case!

Still, he had been reminded in the course of his visits that numerous of his acquaintances had made marriages of convenience and sc.r.a.ped along quite comfortably.

Surely he could do so as well? In fact, as he headed back to Sea brooke House, he almost managed to convince himself that he was doing the only possible thing in marrying an heiress. It was what Society expected, and it would allow him and, more importantly, Christabel (whom he had casually mentioned during nearly every call) to move in the convivial circle he eunently enjoyed. If Miss Chesterton was not a complete crosspatch, perhaps she would come to enjoy it, too.

It was in this precariously settled frame of mind that he entered the house and went at once to the library. There he found Mr. Trent awaiting him. He should be grateful, he supposed, that Cherry had already returned to the nursery; ruthlessly, he ignored the pang of disappointment he felt at her absence. Only then did he rice that his steward was smiling broadly.

"Praise be you're back, my lord, for I've been fair bursting to tell you the good news," he exclaimed at once.

"Of course, it was Miss Cherrystone's idea to check out those deeds--an exceptional young woman, my lord, I must say." Gavin nodded in complete agreement with that sentiment before prodding the man to continue. "Deeds?"

"Yes, my lord. I didn't think much of them, but Miss Cherrystone, she figured out what they were right away. I took them to Mr. Culpepperas she suggested, and he was able to trace them in under an hour. He wishes to acquaint you with the details himself, but it seems your uncle bought some old copper mines in Cornwall that have begun producing again over the past year or DARING DECEFrION so. He died before the profits came in, and as he bought them through an agent, there was some confusion over who the owner was. You are a very wealthy man, my lord!"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

l:~w_~mmA ~. ACI-W_. ~ the foot of the stairs just in time to hear Mr.

Trent's last words and almost cursed to herself. She had so wanted to be the one to tell Lord Sea brooke the good news! Why had he returned just then, when she had run up to the nursery to check on Christabel and to tidy her mousy wig? She was tempted to flee back up the stairs, but before she could do so, the earl turned and saw her.

"It seems I owe you yet another debt of grat.i.tude, Cherry," he said, coming forward.

"I'll have to see if I can find any other problems for you to solve for me!"

She retreated a step, fearing a repet.i.tion of yesterday's hug. Her heart was pounding so, she would never manage to maintain her composure were he to embrace her again!

"I--I am happy to be of service, my lord," she said breathlessly. To her relief, Lord Sea brooke made no move to touch her. Still grinning, he said,

"At the very least, you must receive a substantial bonus for this morning's work. I shall go at once to Culpepper's office to learn all the particulars, and I'll inform you of them when I return. Will you come to the library this evening?" Something in his expression told her that he was recalling the other occasions when they had met there. "I thought you were expecting guests tonight,"

she said quickly, very much aware of Mr. Trent's interest in their conversation. The man might not be clever, but he was no fool, either. The last thing she needed was another spate of gossip!

The earl smacked his forehead with one hand. "So I am! And now I really do have something to celebrate. Which reminds me, I have told all of my acquaintance about my niece, who is newly come to live with me." He gave her a significant look.

"I should like to introduce her to them tonight, if you will consent to bring her down. Will you, Miss Cherrystone?"

Frederica realized with a start that the gathering must have originally been planned as a sort of betrothal party--and that Lord Sea brooke saw that event as nothing worthy of celebration.

What would this sudden discovery of wealth do to his wedding plans?

she wondered.

He was still watching her expectantly, and she abruptly abandoned that line of thought.

"It is highly irregular to allow a child to attend an a.s.sembly my lord, but in the circ.u.mstances I think no one would take it amiss, providing Christabel stay a very short time only. But I--I fear I have nothing suitable to wear,"

she finished lamely, realizing how inappropriate it would be for she herself to appear at this particular event.

"Wear something of Amity's," suggested the earl.

"You are much the same size as she was. Do say you'll come!" His eyes held a boyish appeal that she could not possibly resist.

"Very well," she said, for she could hardly refuse.

"But only for a little while .... " Surely no harm could come of a brief appearance as Christabel's nanny. She would tell him the truth tomorrow. No later than tomorrow.

Frederica wAxrm~ until she heard a steady hum of voices below before descending to the ballroom.

She hoped that with so many people in attendance, she might manage to slip in with Christabel and sit in some inconspicuous corner while the earl introduced the child about. Then she and her charge could retire to the nursery again before anyone noticed her.

The dress she wore was one of Amity's plainest, though still much finer than any she had brought along in her role of nanny. It was with some regret that she had resisted one of the more elaborate gowns, firmly telling herself that Miss Cherrystone would never be comfortable in such a dress. Clad in a simple blue poplin, she felt that she looked as she should: a prim nanny dressed up in her Sunday best to mix with her betters.

Stifling a chuckle at the thought, she stooped to straighten the bow on Christabel's dress and take her firmly by the hand before entering the ballroom by a side door.

There, she stopped short. How on earth had Lord Sea brooke managed to gather so many people on such short notice? The large room was by no means filled to capacity, but it appeared to Frederica's inexperienced eyes that half of the ton must be present.

As they moved farther into the room, she realized that there were, in fact, probably no more than forty or fifty people in attendance, all talking animatedly. Christabel chattered excitedly to her, but Frederica scarcely heard her as she scanned the room in search of the earl.