Page 86 of A Treacherous Treasure

Still, he couldn’t let his mother and sister be alone with him.

As he went down the stairs, he heard his mother’s voice. Gilbert Heywood was already in the sitting room.

“Good day. I hope you are well,” Gilbert was saying.

Thomas strode into the room. “To what do we owe this unexpected call?”

“Darling, don’t be rude,” Mother said quietly. “Won’t you sit down, Mr. Heywood? I was just about to ring for tea.”

Mother did just that, and Thomas had time to study Gilbert. He was also glancing pointedly at Thomas every few moments. And if Thomas had to guess, he would say something had occurred that Gilbert was none too pleased with. Had he been visited by the Bow Street Runners?

“I have been to call on Mrs. Rebecca Heywood,” he said.

Thomas raised his brows as if to say, “And how does that concern me?”

“That woman utterly refused to sell Heywood House to me,” Gilbert Heywood said.

Mother looked startled, leaning away from the man.

“It is understandable that you look perplexed,” Gilbert Heywood said. “To think of an interloper such as she, who was only married to my cousin for two years, refusing to sell to the rightful owners. She probably thinks that chest of gold, which was taken by my great-uncle in the course of duty as a sea captain in the king’s navy, should be given to her as well.”

“Sir, you mistake me if you think I take your side against Rebecca Heywood,” Mother said. “She is a dear friend of our family and I will not have you speaking against her.”

“Did you know that she gave me every encouragement and yet refused me when I asked for her hand in marriage? It was a perfectly good situation for her, who is only a tradesman’s daughter, and yet she refused.”

“Sir, I think it is time for you to take your leave,” Thomas said, rising from his chair.

Gilbert Heywood hesitated, then stood to his feet. “I see she had taken you in, but no doubt it is due to the feud between you and my cousin. You could not bear to be bested by Arthur, who took your fiancé from you, who as it turned out was a hoyden, and worse.”

Thomas took a step toward Gilbert Heywood. “Get out. Now.”

“Oh my.” Mother was turning pale.

At that moment, he noticed Rebecca and Caroline standing in the doorway. Rebecca jumped back as Gilbert Heywood came toward her.

“I am leaving, but Heywood House shall be mine.” He shook his finger at Rebecca. “And I shall make sure this woman’s reputation is ruined.”

“Get out,” Thomas ordered. Coming up behind the man and taking him by the shoulder, he pushed him toward the door.

Gilbert turned and held up his forearms in a defensive posture. “How dare you, sir?” He cleared his throat, raised his chin in the air, and walked out.

Rebecca looked quite shaken as she held onto Caroline.

“That man accosted Rebecca!” Caroline cried. “She was telling me about it when we came inside and heard his voice.”

“My dear!” Mother said. “Come and sit down.”

“What did he do?” Thomas felt the heat rising into his forehead.

“He only grabbed my wrist and held it.”

Caroline took hold of her wrist as if it were made of porcelain. “There are bruises here! Look at what he did!”

A red fog covered Thomas’s vision as he strode the short way through the entrance hall and out the door.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rebecca felt her cheeks begin to burn as Caroline called attention to the bruises on her skin. Indeed, she hadn’t known there were bruises until Caroline pointed them out.