“You won’t be. Not if you’re careful. The key is to leave before theunmasking at midnight. Like Cinderella, only hopefully without losing a shoe.”
Despite everything, a smile tugged at his lips. “And if this works? If we find what we need to bring them down?”
“Then Rose will be free.” Hale’s expression softened slightly. “She’ll lose everything else—her home, her position, her dowry. She’ll be ruined by association when the truth comes out. But she’ll be alive, and she’ll be free to choose her own path.”
The weight of that settled over Sebastian like a shroud. Even if they succeeded, even if they saved her from White and brought her father to justice, Rose would suffer for it. She would lose everything she’d ever known.
“She’ll hate me,” Sebastian said quietly. “When she learns what I’ve done, who I really am, why I came here—she’ll never forgive me.”
“Maybe. Or maybe she’ll understand that you saved her life.” Hale studied him carefully. “You must do what is right and hope for the best outcome for all of us.”
“I didn’t expect to feel conflicted. But Lady Rose? She’s innocent in all of this. I’m about to wreck her life.”
“Lizzie came to me the night Lady Wentworth died. Terrified, sobbing. Said Lady Wentworth told her to go to the constable if anything happened, to tell them to look closely at Lord Wentworth.” Hale’s voice cracked slightly. “Two days later, she was dead. I should have protected her. Should have gotten her away from here the moment she told me what Lady Wentworth had said.” Hale’s eyes were bright with unshed tears. “Instead, I let her stay, thinking we were safe, thinking Wentworth wouldn’t dare hurt a servant. I was wrong.”
Sebastian felt his own throat tighten. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s why I’m helping you. Not just for justice, though that matters. But because I couldn’t save Lizzie, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let another innocent woman die on my watch.”
They stood in silence for a moment, united in their grief and their determination.
“The ball, then,” Sebastian said finally. “I’ll do it.”
“Good. I’ll have the costume and invitation delivered to my cottage tomorrow. You’ll dress there.” Hale turned to go, then paused. “Faith, Lord Ashford. Have faith.”
After Hale left, Sebastian remained in the stable with Tempest, thinking about how brave he would have to be to go to that ball disguised as another man. He’d not wanted to play a part in a play but it seemed that was all he did of late. Pretend to be someone he was not. And at what cost? To Lady Rose? To himself? To Hale? To all of those hurt by Wentworth? Would this risky decision be the one to bring redemption or would he hang as his father had?
He’d said he would die trying to clear their family name if it came to that. However, the fervor with which he’d planned his revenge was starting to fade. In its place? Lady Rose’s well-being. How could he possibly reconcile the two when they were in opposing directions?
*
The next morning,Sebastian was up and headed to the rose garden as the sun was rising. He had no idea if Rose would come visit him, but he wanted to be there if she managed to get away.
To his surprise, she was already there, sitting on her swing, so pretty that it took his breath away. She jumped to her feet the moment she saw him. He rushed to her, as if his feet had wills of their own. The leap in his heart scared him more than almost anything had in his life.
Seeing your father hanged. Don’t forget that fright.
He managed to keep himself from touching her, but it took every ounce of will he had. Instead, he scrutinized her face for clues to her emotional state. Who knew what she’d had to endure since last he saw her? Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her fingers worried the fabricof her skirt.
“Who did that to you?” Rose blurted out, without preamble.
His throat tightened. The lie he’d practiced felt like ash in his mouth. “The family I lived with after my mother’s death was cruel. Any small infraction was punished.” He forced himself to meet her eyes. “With glee.”
“How could anyone hurt a child like that?” Her voice broke, and she reached toward him before catching herself, her hand hovering in the space between them.
The almost-touch sent heat racing through him. He clenched his fists to keep from closing that distance. “May I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Has your father ever laid a hand on you?” The words came out rougher than he intended.
Her eyes widened. “No. His cruelty comes in words only.” She sank onto the swing, her knuckles white as she gripped the ropes. “Though I don’t think—I don’t think it was the same for my mother.”
Sebastian’s pulse quickened. “What do you mean?”
“I heard her voice again last night.” Rose’s voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “She said, ‘You and your partner could hang for this, and then what happens to Rose’?”
“Do you have any idea what it means?”
