Deadly Secrets by M J Marlow (good short books .txt) 📖

waiter handed him a glass and he raised it to Elis. He smiled as he saw Gunther and Fritz, one on either side of her throne. “To the lady Elissa,” he said in his warm voice; “a long and happy life.” The toast over, he approached her and took her hands in his as he bent over to kiss her on the cheek. “I was grieved to hear of your injury, my lovely little lady. I was looking forward to dancing with you at your birthday ball.” His eyes sparkled as he had an idea. He picked her up in his arms and looked over at the musicians. “A waltz, if you please.” Elis put her arms around his neck and he dropped her so that her feet were almost touching the floor. He held her firmly around the waist as they ‘danced’ to the strains of the waltz being played. Elis kissed him on the cheek and he kissed her on the forehead and carried her back to her throne. He had a chair brought for him and spent most of the ball seated at her side talking about those things they enjoyed in common. He had always been very kind to Elis and tonight was no exception. The only women he danced with were his wife or her aunts during the hour he was there. When he left to go he toasted the birthday girl once more and then was gone. “I still can’t believe that’s Milosevic’s sister,” lord Marston said to his friend Dandridge as they watched the angel hold court from her throne. “She’s the most exquisite creature I have ever seen in my life.” He saw her cousins scowling at him. “She has a veritable army of protectors, but I think Alexei can get through them for us.” “So I am to contact him,” Dandridge’s lazy smile made several young ladies nearby swoon, “and tell him his offer is acceptable?” “More than acceptable,” Marston replied. “Any child that can drop into a hole in the ground and come out looking like that is a worthy playmate for our brotherhood.” Elis looked up suddenly and saw them watching her closely. Something about the way they were eyeing her made her skin crawl. She beckoned to Philip and he leaned down so she could ask him his opinion of the pair. She was not surprised when he informed her that lord Marston and lord Dandridge were scum and she should ignore them completely. Elis looked at her bristling cousin and she was pleased to see him being so protective of her. But then all of her cousins were equally protective and she noted that all of them were watching the pair she had noted with expressions of disgust and wariness. If the four of them could agree on disliking this pair, then she would be wise to listen to them. She listened to the music a little longer and then found her uncle. He took her upstairs and she fell asleep with a happy smile on her face. Percival went back downstairs to rejoin the ball. “Remind me to thank Edward for what he did tonight,” he said to his wife. “She fell asleep smiling. Perhaps tonight she will dream happy dreams.” Elis survived having to spend the next four days off of her feet by becoming a little tyrant. She had everyone in the household jumping for her, but not one person would complain about it. Marston and Dandridge finally got fed up trying to get close to her again as one of her cousins, and even some of the household staff, ran interference for her. Jenkins, already swamped with work, found a ‘carpenter’ to make the beds for the little lady’s dogs. Patricia was seated in her room reading and Elis was trying her weight on her foot when the young man arrived. Patricia nearly fainted when she saw who the carpenter was but remained quiet as he shot her a warning look. She shrugged. If the Baron Everley wanted to play peasant, that was his choice. It was even more acceptable when she saw him take one look at the angel doing cautious pirouettes with a delighted smile on her pretty face and he was snared. From that moment on, there was nothing too good for her. The dog beds became a work of art any person would have been proud to claim as their own. “You have only to ask, my lady,” Peter Martin said as he and his man put the beds down at the foot of her bed, “and it is yours.” “They are beautiful, Mr. Martin,” Elis beamed at him. She did not know how to tone down her reactions. She called her dogs to her and pointed to the beds. “Yours, Gunther,” she said to the larger of the pair and pointed to the left one. “Yours, Fritz,” she pointed to the right one. The dogs got on the beds and circled once before settling down with twin grunts of pleasure. “My boys,” she giggled and crouched down to rub their ears. Peter nearly choked as the action pulled the fabric of her dress close to her slim yet curvaceous frame and accentuated every one of those delightful curves. He turned away to find his friend Philip watching him from the doorway. He gathered his tools, murmured something appropriate to Elis, and hurried from the room without another word. Philip followed him, finding him in the stables. “I asked you here to keep an eye on my cousin, Martin,” Philip said testily; “not to eye my cousin.” “Can I help it if she’s a sweet looking female, Pip?” Peter replied. He saw Philip’s dark scowl. “Honestly, Pip! I would never take advantage. It would be sacrilege for a mere mortal to touch that little angel.” He saw his old school friend’s relief. “I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground, as you suggested. Nicholas was right about the wager. Last I heard the bet was up to 2500 pounds.” “If either of those bastards come near my cousin again,” Philip said stiffly; “I’ll hand them their heads.” His frown deepened as he saw Huntley arriving. “Damnation. What does that prig want? Wait for me, Everley. I have something more to discuss with you.” He hurried to the house and arrived just in time to hear Huntley ordering Jenkins to call the lady and her niece to the Study. “I believe this is their house, Huntley.” “Lord Philip,” Huntley choked. “I was not aware that you were here.” “Obviously,” Philip snapped. “Jenkins,” he turned to the butler. “Please inform my aunt and my cousin that Mr. Huntley would like a moment of their time, if they are free. We will be in the Study.” He walked in and Huntley followed. Philip closed the door and sat down. “What is it, Huntley?” He held up his hand as the man started to argue. “Anything that happens in this home is my business now. My aunt has asked me to reside here with her and run the estate until my cousin Daniel can take up the reins himself.” He saw the man choke. “So you will run every business past me first before you bother either my aunt or my cousin with it. Is that clear?” “Of course, Lord Philip.” Huntley nodded. He pulled a file out of his briefcase. “Lady Kensington asked me to look into Lady Elissa’s inheritance. She was worried that your cousin was not receiving everything that was her due.” Philip nodded and he sighed. “It seems, sir, that your cousin was her parents’ sole heir. They left her brother and sister each a lump sum for continued schooling and that was it.” He looked uneasy. “Lady Natasha is fine; her husband’s estate is quite sufficient for her and the child’s needs. But the boy has come to the end of his monies and begun petitioning the firm handling his parents’ estates for funds.” “So has he been made aware of this arrangement?” Philip frowned. Like everyone else in the family, he was more than aware of Alexei’s treatment of his sisters. “Unfortunately, yes,” Huntley replied. “Your aunt has decided that your cousin should be made aware of the situation.” “No,” Philip told him bluntly. Huntley looked at him stunned. “Elissa is not to hear one word about this.” He held his hand up and Huntley quieted. “You will contact the firm and tell them if Milosevic contacts them again, they are to direct him to you. And this is what you are to tell him, Huntley.” He laid out his directions and Huntley was impressed. He had known the Duke’s heir could be heavy handed but this was sheer torture he was proposing be done to the temperamental artist. “Can you handle this for us, Huntley.” “With great pleasure, Lord Philip,” Huntley told him. “I have never liked that insufferable prig.” “Huntley!” Philip smiled at him. “I have been mistaken in you all these years. I was convinced that you were the insufferable prig.” He saw the man nod and realized what was going on. “You were assigned to her, weren’t you?” “Yes, lord Philip,” the man nodded, letting his usual manner slip so the younger man could get a glimpse at the real man underneath. “My superiors have learned that young Milosevic has involved himself with some very nasty people to earn pocket money. We believe he is working as a courier of information and supplies. His benefactors are the kind of people…” “Who would not think twice about using either of his sisters as leverage against him?” Philip finished. He was not pleased when Huntley nodded. There was a knock on the door. “I am trusting you not to tell Elissa about her being the sole heir. If she asks about her brother’s circumstances, tell her he is well off and leave it at that.” “Lord Philip,” Huntley nodded stiffly. “Any man who would deliberately involve that pretty child in such nastiness should be strung up by their privates. Pardon my bluntness, my lord.” “You would not be the only one of us who feels that way, Huntley,” Philip nodded. He opened the door and his aunt and cousin came into the room. “Aunt, I believe Huntley has that information you wanted on Elissa’s inheritance.” He saw the irritation flash in her dark eyes and wondered why he was trying to keep secrets. Something is up with her, he thought as he nodded to the man. “I’ll just sit in on this interview, if you don’t mind, Huntley.” Huntley nodded and then waited for the ladies to sit. Then Philip sat down and he sat. He pulled out the file again and handed it to Elissa. She looked it over and her eyes grew round as she saw exactly how much the inheritance she had been given by her parents had grown over the past ten years. She looked at the man in confusion. Her father had been a concert violinist, how was it possible for him to have that kind of money set aside. “Your mother had her inheritance from our parents and grandparents, Elissa,” Patricia told her, “and your father was well paid for his work.” She saw the sum and smiled. “You are a young lady of means.” “And Alexei?” Elissa looked at the solicitor. “Your parents saw to your brother,” Huntley told the girl. He hated lying to her but she was not to know, if he could see to it. She looked relieved and nodded. “These funds are in a trust and the firm that handles it has agreed to transfer it to our firm. Your uncle has asked your cousin Philip to be your trustee,” he saw Philip’s quick flash of astonishment. “Until you are twenty five, or married to a man your cousin approves of, he will be in charge of your inheritance.” “That’s all right,” Elis said