That comment surprised Augusta. A small bubble of happiness rose in her. "Meredith was concerned?"

"Meredith does not know you are gone. She is still busy in the schoolroom."

"Oh." The tiny bubble of happiness collapsed in on itself.

"What I meant was, what sort of example do you think this kind of behavior sets for my daughter?"

"But if she does not even know I am gone, Harry, I cannot see a problem."

"It is just chance she was not aware of your having left the house alone."

"Yes, of course. I see what you mean." Augusta felt some of her initial defiance crumple. "You are quite right, of course. I have set a very poor example. I shall very likely set more such examples in the future, my lord. I am, after all, a Northumberland Ballinger, not a Hampshire Ballinger."

Harry came to his feet in a swift, dangerous motion that made Augusta take a hasty step back.

"Damn it to hell, Augusta, you will cease using the reputation of your family as an excuse for your own behavior, do you comprehend me?"

A chill went through her. Harry was very angry indeed and Augusta knew it was not just because she had gone out riding in the face of an oncoming storm. "Yes, my lord. You make yourself quite clear."

He drove his fingers through his damp hair in a gesture of frustrated fury. "Stop looking at me as though you are the last Northumberland Ballinger standing on the castle ramparts preparing to fight the enemy. I am not your enemy, Augusta."

"You sound like one at the moment. Do you think you will feel obliged to lecture me during the whole of our married life, Graystone? It presents an unhappy prospect, does it not?"

He turned back to survey the blaze he had started. "I have some small confidence that you will eventually develop the ability to control your impulsive inclinations, madam."

"How very reassuring. I regret you were forced to come after me this afternoon, my lord."

"So do I."

Augusta studied the strong set of his broad shoulders. "You had best tell me the worst of it straightaway, Harry. I know 'tis not solely my riding off unescorted this afternoon that has you in this mood. What did you discover in Richard's poem?"

He turned around slowly and gave her a hooded, brooding glance. "We have agreed that you are in no way responsible for your brother's actions, have we not?"

A coldness clutched at her insides. No, Richard. You were no traitor. I do not care what they say. Augusta forced herself to lift one shoulder in a negligent gesture. "As you wish. What was in the poem, my lord?"

"It appears to be a message to the effect that the man we called the Spider was a member of a club called the Saber."

Augusta frowned. "I do not believe I have ever heard of it."

"That is hardly surprising. It was a small gentleman's club that catered to military types. The premises were off St. James Street. It did not last long." Harry paused. "There was a fire, I believe. Some two years ago, as I recall. The building was destroyed and the club was never revived by its members, to the best of my knowledge."

"I do not recall Richard ever mentioning that he was a member of this Saber Club."

"He may not have been. But somehow he found out that the Spider was. Unfortunately, he does not tell me the identity of the bastard in that damned poem. Only that he was a member of the club."

Augusta considered that. "But if you had a list of the members you might be able to figure out which one was the Spider? Is that what you are thinking?"

" 'Tis precisely what I was thinking." Harry's brow rose. "You are very shrewd, my dear."

"Perhaps I missed my calling. I might have made you an excellent intelligence agent, my lord."

"Do you even mention the possibility, Augusta. The very thought of you working for me as an agent is enough to keep me awake nights."

"What will you do now?"

"I shall make some inquiries, see if the proprietor of the club can be found. He might still have a list of the members or be able to recall their names. It might be possible to track down some of them."

"You are very determined to find this creature you call the Spider, are you not?"

"Yes."

Augusta heard the frightening lack of emotion in his words and felt cold again. She gazed into the fire behind Harry. "Now that you have studied Richard's poem, you are more convinced than ever that he was a traitor, are you not?"

"The matter is not yet resolved and probably never will be, Augusta. As you said, there is the possibility your brother was trying to get the information to the authorities."

"But not very likely."

"No."

"As usual, you are depressingly honest, my lord." Augusta summoned a weary smile. "I shall, of course, form my own opinion."

Harry inclined his head gravely. "Of course. You must continue to believe as you wish on the matter. Whether or not Richard was a traitor is no longer of great consequence to anyone."

"Except to me." Augusta drew herself up bravely. "I shall continue to believe in his innocence, my lord. Just as he would have continued to believe in mine were the situation reversed. We Northumberland Ballingers always stuck together, you know. We would have trusted each other to hell and back. I shall not turn my back on my family, even though all I have left are the memories."

"You have a new family now, Augusta." Harry's voice was harsh in the small room.

"Do I? I think not, my lord. I have a daughter who cannot bring herself to call me Mama because I am not as pretty as her real mother. And I have a husband who cannot bring himself to risk loving me because I might turn out to be too much like the other Lady Graystones who have gone before me."

"For God's sake, Augusta. Meredith is but a child and she has only known you for a few brief weeks. You must give her time."

"And you, Harry? How much time will you require to decide that I am not like my predecessors? How long will I go about feeling as though I am being constantly tested and judged and perhaps found wanting?"

Harry was suddenly behind her, his hand on her shoulder. He turned her around to face him and Augusta looked up into his stark face.

"Damnation, Augusta, what do you want from me?"

"I want what I had when I was growing up. I want to be part of a real family again. I want the love and the laughter and the trust." From out of nowhere the tears came, burning in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks.

Harry groaned and pulled her into his arms. "Please, Augusta. Do not cry. All will be well. You will see. 'Tis only that you are overwrought today because of the matter of the poem. But nothing has altered between us because of it."

"Yes, my lord." She sniffed into the warm wool of his jacket.

"But it would be best, my dear, if you did not go on making comparisons between your dashing Northumberland Ballinger ancestors and the members of your new family. You must accustom yourself to the realization that the earls of Graystone have always tended to be a rather dull, unemotional lot. But that does not mean that I do not care about you or that Meredith is not learning to accept you as her mother."

Augusta sniffed one last time and raised her head. She managed to summon a smile. "Yes, of course. You must forgive my stupid tears. I do not know what came over me. My spirits have been very low today. The weather, no doubt."

Harry smiled quizzically as he handed her a snowy white handkerchief. "No doubt. Why do you not come over to the fire and warm yourself? It will be a while before this storm passes. You can spend the time telling me your plans for the house party."

"Just the sort of topic to distract a woman of frivolous temperament, my lord. By all means, let us discuss my plans for the house party."

"Augusta…" Harry broke off, scowling.