Olympia gazed at him in startled surprise. "Lady Kirkdale was with you at the Isle of Flame?"
"Yes, of course," Gifford said irritably. "There were a number of guests there, and she came along as Demetria's companion. She has been Demetria's very great friend for several years. It was Lady Kirkdale who later introduced Demetria to Beaumont, you know."
"I see."
Gifford's hand clenched and unclenched. "Madam, your loyalty to your husband is laudable, but I must tell you that you have a sadly misguided view of him. I regret to inform you that, based on what I know of him, it is impossible to believe that he married you because he loved you."
"I really do not wish to discuss such a personal matter, sir."
Gifford gave her a pitying look. "My poor, naive lady. What could you, an innocent who has spent all her life in the country, know of a man like Chillhurst?"
"Nonsense. I assure you I am not nearly as naive as you believe. I received an excellent and far-reaching education, thanks to my aunts and I have pursued my own studies quite diligently. I am very much a woman of the world."
"Then you must realize that he married you only because he believed you could find the secret of the Lightbourne diary."
"Rubbish. My husband would never marry for such a paltry reason. He is not at all interested in the missing treasure. He has no need of it. He is a very wealthy man in his own right."
"Do you not comprehend? Money is the only thing Chillhurst does care about. A man like that can never have enough to satisfy him."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I spent nearly a month in his household," Gifford's voice rose in exasperation. "I learned a great deal about Chillhurst in that time and the most important thing I learned is that he has no warmth or feeling in him for anything or anyone except his business affairs. He's a damned cold fish."
"Chillhurst is not a cold fish and I will thank you not to insult him. Furthermore, I assure you that he did not marry me to obtain the secret of the diary. I would very much appreciate it if you would refrain from spreading such a wicked rumor."
"But it must be the reason he married you. Why else would a man like that marry a woman with no fortune?"
"Mr. Seaton, please do not say anything more. I am sure you will regret it."
Gifford seized her upper arms and gazed down at her with grave concern. "Lady Chillhurst," he began and then paused. His voice thickened with emotion as he continued. "My dear Olympia, if I may be so bold. I know what you must be going through. You are an innocent pawn in this matter. I would be honored if you would allow me to aid you in any way that I can."
"Take your hands off my wife." Jared's voice was as cold as the steel blade of the Guardian. "Or I will very likely kill you here and now, Seaton, rather than at a more convenient time."
"Chillhurst." Gifford released Olympia and swung around to confront Jared.
"Jared, you decided to attend the ball, after all," Olympia said. "I am so glad."
Jared ignored her. "I warned you to stay away from my wife, Seaton," he said very softly.
"You bloody bastard." Gifford's voice was laced with disgust. "So you finally decided to put in an appearance tonight. Everyone wondered if you would bother. I trust you realize that your poor wife has been thoroughly humiliated by your absence?"
"Nonsense," Olympia said briskly. "I was not in the least embarrassed."
Neither man paid any attention to her. Jared regarded Gifford with an expression of cold boredom. But Olympia saw the dangerous gleam in his eye.
"I shall deal with you later, Seaton." Jared took Olympia's arm.
"I shall look forward to it." Gifford inclined his head in a mocking little bow. "But we both know that you will never find a convenient time in your appointment journal to meet me, will you? You certainly could not find one the last time."
Olympia was well aware that Jared's temper was on a very short leash. "Mr. Seaton, hush. Pray, do not say another word, I beg you. My husband is very slow to anger but I fear that you are pushing him to the very brink of his control."
Gifford's expression turned scornful. "You need not concern yourself on my account, Lady Chillhurst. There is no danger of a duel. Your husband does not believe in taking such risks in the name of honor, do you, Chillhurst?"
Olympia began to panic. "Mr. Seaton, you do not know what you are doing."
"I think he knows very well what he is doing," Jared said. "Come, my dear. I grow weary of the conversation." He took Olympia's arm and started walking back toward the ballroom.
"Yes, of course." Olympia was so relieved that no challenge had been issued that she picked up her emerald skirts and almost broke into a run.
Jared glanced down at her, amused. "Are you in such a hurry to dance with me, then, madam? I am honored."
"Oh, Jared, I thought for a moment there that you would allow Mr. Seaton to goad you into a stupid duel." Olympia smiled tremulously. "I was very concerned."
"You need not be concerned, my dear."
"Thank heavens. I must say, I never cease to be amazed at the degree of restraint you are able to exert over your darker passions, sir. It is most impressive."
"Thank you. I make every effort. Most of the time."
She gave him an apologetic glance. "I was afraid you would be deeply offended by some of the nonsense Mr. Seaton was spouting."
"May I inquire what you were doing out in the gardens with him?"
"Heavens, I almost forgot." The excitement Olympia had experienced earlier returned. "I went out there because Mr. Seaton wished to speak privately with me."
"So I concluded." Jared drew her to a halt just outside the glittering ballroom. "A great many other people here tonight apparently came to the same conclusion. There was certainly no shortage of whispers as I walked into the room."
"Oh, dear."
"Perhaps you will enlighten me as to the nature of this very private conversation?"
"Yes, of course." Olympia was almost bubbling now. "Jared, you will never credit what I have discovered. Gifford Seaton and his sister are the direct descendents of Captain Edward Yorke. They have possession of the other half of the treasure map."
"Good lord." Whatever Jared had been expecting to hear, that was obviously not it. He stared at her, astounded. "Are you certain?"
"Absolutely certain." Olympia smiled proudly. "I began to suspect the truth after I heard a brief history of his family and after I learned that Mr. Seaton was as interested in maps of the West Indies as I was. Then I chanced to see his watch and recognized the motif of the design on it."
"What motif is that?"
"It is a picture of a sea serpent." Olympia could not keep the triumph from her voice. "The same sort of sea serpent that is pictured on the prow of the ship on one of the endpapers of the Lightbourne diary."
"The emblem of Yorke's ship?"
"Precisely. Tonight I confronted him with my information and he admitted that he was, indeed, Yorke's great-grandson. That is what we were discussing out in the gardens."
"Bloody hell."
"He and Demetria are descendents of Yorke's daughter and that is why they do not bear Yorke's name."
Jared looked thoughtful. "So someone really was after the map all along."
"Yes." Olympia touched his arm. "Please do not be offended, Jared, but I must tell you that the reason Demetria arranged to meet you three years ago was so that her brother could search for the missing portion of the map."
"She persuaded Hartwell to introduce her to me solely so that idiot brother of hers could look for a legendary treasure map?" Jared sounded thoroughly disgusted.
"I'm certain Mr. Hartwell did not know her true intentions," Olympia said quickly.
"Then again, perhaps he did and thought to use the knowledge in some manner in the future." Jared said. "Perhaps he was as taken with her beauty as every other man generally is. But that is neither here nor there now."