Trickles of dread raced down her spine.“You followed him?”
Charlotte gave a tentative nod.“He’s…” She closed her eyes.“I don’t know how else to say this.He’s a criminal.He’s a thief, to be exact.I saw him.Well, I didn’t actually see him stealing.But I did see him meet up with a group of men, heard their plans to steal a merchant’s wife’s jewels.I lost them before I could catch him in the actual act, but I heard enough to know he’s intimately involved.”Charlotte cringed as she slumped back in her seat.
He was a thief?
A numb buzzing made it difficult to think as she attempted to understand.All his promises of her money remaining her own.Had those been true?
Of course, they hadn’t.
He stole women’s jewelry.Was she the next target?
She brought trembling fingers to her mouth.“Do you think that he intends to steal from me?”
“Does he know about your dowry?”
“Yes.I…” She swiped a hand over her eyes.She’d been foolishly honest.With her intentions, her problems, her concerns.
Her stomach lurched as she considered the way he’d kissed her last night.Had that been a fiction too?
An ache in her chest made it difficult to breathe and her hand lifted to cover her heart.
Charlotte rose, crossing to Priscilla’s chair and wrapping her friend in her arms.“Don’t fret.”
Priscilla blinked up at her friend.“Don’t fret?The noose tightens every day with Eugene, and Viscount Ware was my last hope.”
“No.We’ll find someone else.”
She shook her head, her chin tucking into her chest.“Eugene hardly allows me to leave the house and he’s grown increasingly suspicious with all the visits and the outings.I…”
She’d been so certain she’d successfully made a match.Priscilla had been pleased with her own cleverness, she could confess that.She’d thought…
She’d thought herself a worthy steward of all her father had built and placed in her hands.She’d wanted…
She’d wanted to honor him and his trust by making certain she chose the right man.
Tears stung her eyes as she looked down at her lap.“What do I do, Charlotte?”
Charlotte squeezed harder.“I’m going to go see Mona and we’ll make a plan.Surely we can find a man in need of a dowry who will be willing to make a?—”
The door banged open with such force, both women jumped.
Eugene stood in the doorway, his breath coming out in short gasps, his face a blotchy red as he stood in the entrance of the room.“Get out,” he said, not even looking at Charlotte.
Priscilla stood, moving in front of Charlotte.“Eugene, you cannot speak to her?—”
“Enough,” his voice cut as he moved forward, stopping just inches from Priscilla, his hand wrapping about her upper arm as he yanked her forward.“I’ve had enough, Priscilla.”
Spit flew from his beefy lips, spraying her cheeks, before he pivoted back toward the door, his hand still about her arm, half dragging her toward the doorway.
“Stop,” she cried, attempting to pull her arm from his grasp, which only made him pull harder.
“My lord,” Charlotte cried, reaching for her other arm.“Please.”
Eugene’s response was to yank harder.“Get out of my house,” he commanded as he looked back at Charlotte.He made it out of the morning room and started for the stairs.To Priscilla he growled, “Don’t think I didn’t hear enough to know what you’ve planned.You scheming little—” His breath was hot on her cheek as he yanked her face close to his.
“Eugene,” she started, her tone pleading.“There’s no need to be so angry.I?—”
“You plan to marry another man right under my nose.”
