Helen Dickson - Conspiracy Of Hearts

‘If my father is in danger I should know about it. If you have discovered a conspiracy against the king, which may include him, please tell me.’

‘I wish I could tell you more, but what I have are suspicions, nothing more.’

‘Aye!’ Serena exclaimed irately, clutching the reins tighter as at a threat. ‘My brother said much the same to me before he returned to Italy.’

Kit looked at her sharply. ‘Your brother has been here recently? He gave you warning?’

‘Yes. Andrew has heard rumblings as far away as Rome, which brought him to England to see Father—no doubt to warn him about a scheme he was already aware of,’ she uttered bitterly. ‘He said much the same as yourself—that something ugly is about to manifest itself.’

Kit’s brows drew together as he contemplated this latest information. ‘As early as that! Then it is worse than I thought. Any conspiracy will have been deep laid and well and truly thought out by now—and I suspect Catesby, who is capable of great ambitions and is multitalented in the subtle stratagems of devising a master plot, of being the clever mind behind it. However, I very much doubt that Sir Henry is part of any such scheme.’

Serena was both angry and hurt, strongly suspecting that Andrew had withheld information because he believed such things were not a woman’s concern. But how could it not be when she was the one left alone with their father? If it was her father’s concern, then it was hers also.

‘Why not?’ Serena flared bitterly. ‘It wouldn’t be the first time. I love my father dearly, Lord Brodie, but he has been playing the Catholic cause since he was old enough to understand. He is not likely to stop now—even if it means dragging me in, too.’

‘I’m sure your father loves you too well to involve himself in anything that would cause you harm.’

‘His past behaviour leads me to think otherwise, and if he is involved then so am I by association.’ Serena looked at Kit beseechingly as they rode into the stable yard, her lovely eyes wide and deeply troubled, stirred despite her earlier animosity by what he had confided to her. ‘Lord Brodie, will you speak to him—discover how deeply he is involved? Please tell him of your suspicions and warn him.’

Kit shook his head slowly, jumping down from his horse when a stable lad came to take it from him. ‘If he is embroiled in any conspiracy, then I doubt he would disclose it to me. But after saying that, my instinct tells me most assuredly that he has no hand in any scheme.’

The sky loomed dark and impenetrable, and by the time they reached the house a heavy downpour was unleashed on them. Kit paused, taking Serena’s arm and turning her to face him. Knowing full well what she was going through, he was genuinely reluctant to leave her, but he had been right to speak to her. She must be warned in order to prepare herself should his suspicions be realised.

Serena blinked droplets of rain from her lashes as she looked up at Kit in question, seeing his expression was grave but calm.

‘I won’t speak of this matter again,’ he said, ‘but if it will make you feel easier I will have a word with Sir Henry later.’

It was his tone that caught all Serena’s attention and made her look long at the swarthy, rather saturnine face. As she searched those dark eyes which studied her closely, she realised that Lord Brodie had not spoken to her casually. He was deadly serious about what he had confided to her.

‘Yes, thank you. I would appreciate that. But please don’t involve yourself further on my father’s behalf. It could prove dangerous to you. But what can I do?’

‘There is nothing you can do except wait for events to unfold.’

‘What? Wait for my father to be arrested?’

‘Let us pray it doesn’t come to that.’

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