How soon will we depart?"

He watched her closely. "I have not yet decided whether I will leave you at the inn. I am certain you are

in some sort of trouble. Will you not let me help?"

His quiet, gentle tone calmed Juliane. If he meant well, he could a.s.sist her in finding Uncle Thedford.

Before she could come to a decision, a clamour caused by the entrance of a crested travelling coach

drawn by three teams drew Mallatt to the window.

Lord Adrian joined him. "d.a.m.nation! It's Mother!"

"Your mother?! I am ruined for certain," Lady Juliane said and fell back into the chair with a look of

utter hopelessness.

Without acknowledging why, Lord Adrian determined this would not be so. "We shall continue the deception. You and the children will be safe at Trees until I can unravel this."

"Are you mad, my lord?" Juliane asked blankly.

"Blessedly so," he laughed. "This will be fit punishment for Mother for hounding me all these years to

marry.

"Mallatt, we had better get our story. Let me see-we were married in France-perfidity kept me from revealing it. Yes," he smiled, warming to his theme, "Mother will love having grandchildren.

"After I have unravelled your mystery, we will leave Trees. Mother will leave me in peace for some time. "Undecidedly so at times, my lady," the valet agreed. "Best to humour him. One never knows what turn he will take when one of these spells. .h.i.ts him."

"Mallatt, finish the packing at once," Lord Adrian ordered.

"Juliane, if I see him first, I will send Andre up. Instruct him to continue in calling me papa. I must go

greet Mother before she demolishes our fine friends."

"Wait, my lord," Juliane said coldly as he reached the door. "I cannot consent to this. If you will not, I must explain to your mother."

"Mallatt, put some reason into her head before I return with Mother," the earl snapped curtly, and

departed.

Lady Juliane turned incredulously to Mallatt. "He does not mean it?"

"On the contrary, my lady, when he gets that particular look, there is no stopping him,"

"But to use us to play such a cruel hoax on his mother..."

"No, my lady, it is your welfare that concerns Lord Adrian. This will not do his mother any harm." He

rolled his eyes expressively.

"He will explain all upon resolution of your troubles, never fear. Come, would it not be best for you and the children to do as he says?"

Lady Juliane paced. She could hear upraised voices below. Obviously Lady Tretain had met her match

in Meg. Lord Tretain's voice could be heard stilling the others. Then steps sounded on the stairs.

Wringing her hands, Lady Juliane turned to Mallatt. "Oh, I cannot. It would be too infamous." She turned to the door and straightened her shoulders.

Mallatt shrugged ruefully. He truly did not like doing this, but she had left him little choice.

Opening the door, Lord Adrian grew very concerned as he watched Mallatt gently place an unconscious

Lady Juliane on the bed.

CHAPTER 11.

"What happened?" demanded Lord Adrian, rushing to the bedside.

"Just a fainting spell, my lord," answered Mallatt calmly. "You know how overtaxed her ladyship has been these days past."

"This is what you mean to present to me as a daughter?" purred Lady Tretain snidely.

Bending close Mallatt whispered, "You requested I implant some common sense, my lord. This," he nodded at a small piece of padded firewood lying on the floor at bedside, "was the only variety that presented itself as having a chance for some degree of success." He nudged the firewood beneath the bed.

"Lady Juliane carries neither hartshorn nor vinaigrette with her. Mallatt said loud enough for Lady Tretain to hear.

"Satter," Lady Tretain said to the abigail who hovered nervously behind her, "fetch my vinaigrette from the coach."

"Would you happen to have carried any laudanum with you?" asked Lord Adrian, well aware of his mother's constant complaints of ailments. She might never use it, but he knew she believed one must have the necessary props to be a.s.sume a successful pose. "I believe Juliane would be better for some."

Not the thing to do, he thought, but it would be to her benefit. Once they arrived at Trees she will be compelled to confide in me.

"Ma mere! Ma mere!" Andre screamed and threw himself on the bed. He shook Lady Juliane with all his might. "Ma mere!" Tears coursed down his cheeks.

Lady Tretain stared in questioning wonder at his panic.

"Andre. Andre, listen to me." Lord Adrian took the boy by the shoulders. "Mama has only fainted. Do you hear me, there is nothing wrong."

Andre searched Lord Adrian's face. Evidently satisfied in what he saw, he reached out and clung to the earl.

Holding the boy close Lord Adrian patted him gently on the back. What terrible event had put such fear in the child? He gazed at Lady Juliane. If only she would trust me.

Lady Tretain could hardly credit the scene before her. The wild tale of her son injured and cared for at a farm cottage with a wife and family, she had easily scoffed at. It was utterly impossible for her son to have been married with children all these years. Why would he have kept the heir from his home?

But, she thought, the boy does go to him as to a father. If it is not love that lights his eyes when my son looks on that "woman," I am TOO old. Best I tread warily until I know the lay of things. My intuition to come at once has proven wise.

"Mallatt, are you finished packing?" Lord Adrian asked curtly.

"Yes, my lord."

"Mother, will you allow us to travel with you?"

"Naturally, my son. When word reached me of your illness, I came expressly to care for you, and I but recently from my own sickbed," she pointed out. Seeing that this had little effect, Lady Tretain sighed.

"You will understand I could not be persuaded of the truth of this supposed family." Seeing her abigail

return, Lady Tretain held out a hand. "Give it to me, Satter," she commanded. "I will attend to it," she looked at her son. "Is it Lady Juliane?" at his nod, she finished adamantly, "myself."

Lord Adrian smiled. "Doing it a bit too brown, are you not, Mother?"

Ignoring him, Lady Tretain held the vinaigrette beneath Lady Juliane's nose. Her son became more

annoyingly like his father every day.

Lord Adrian sat Andre at the foot of the bed and edged his mother aside when Lady Juliane opened her eyes. "Have the laudanum ready, Mother. I do not wish to have her to become overexcited."

When the world swirled before her eyes, Lady Juliane shut them tightly. Very slowly she opened them

once more. The swirl slowly dissipated. Lord Adrian filled her vision. He looked so concerned that she

smiled warmly. Then her head throbbed painfully. She raised a hand to her head.

"What happened?" Lady Juliane asked uncertainly. Touching the lump that had risen on the back of her head, she remembered what hap happened. Anger flared through her.

Seeing the sparks in her eyes, Lord Adrian deemed it wise to still them as quickly as possible. "Here, swallow this," he said and forced a generous spoonful of laudanum into her mouth.

Grimacing at the taste, Juliane coughed. "What was that?"

"Something to soothe your nerves, my dear," a frigid voice informed her. The most formidable woman she had ever seen entered Juliane's vision as she turned her head towardthat implacable voice. The ma.s.sive and elaborately powdered periwig was beyond belief. It must be myimagination, she thought. No one could travel with such a coiffure.

"Mama," Andre said softly as he crept close to her.

"Never fear Andre, I am fine," she comforted him. Juliane attempted to sit up, but everything began to swirl again. She did not resist when Lord Adrian pressed her back to the bed.

"What did you give me?" she accused. Pa.s.sing her hand before her eyes, she sleep was beginning to overwhelm her. Juliane became alarmed when she realized it was difficult to think.

"How am I to care for the children?" she asked, panic putting an edge to her voice.

"You need not worry about them. Meg has agreed to let Alva come and stay with us during our visit to