Page 73 of The Lady’s No Angel

Sensing she was on the verge of tears, Leo looked down at her and smiled. “You did it, love.”

Angel shook her head, blinking hard. “We did it together. I could have done none of it without you, Leo, or without you, Milly, or you, Toby.”

“Well, never mind all this nattering. For heaven’s sake! Open the blasted chest!” demanded the dowager irritably.

“Clear the table,” Cilly said, taking charge and removing the tea tray as everyone drew their chairs closer.

Carefully, Leo placed the sack over the polished tabletop to protect it and then took the chest from Toby and set it carefully down.

“I don’t suppose you’ve a key?” he asked.

Angel’s lips quirked. “Pops was never much of a one for keys. He showed me how to do without them.”

Kneeling before the table, she inspected the lock before glancing up at Leo. “But I don’t have any tools.”

“Oh, have a hairpin,” Cilly said, plucking one from her coiffure and handing it over.

Angel smiled at her but shook her head. “That won’t be strong enough, I’m afraid. But it’s the right idea.”

“Hetty, bring my knitting box,” Leo’s grandmama ordered.

Hetty sprang to her feet and quickly brought a large box from which oddments of wool and embroidery silks trailed on all sides.

“Help yourself,” the old lady said eagerly as Hetty set it down beside her.

Angel opened the pretty inlaid box and rummaged through the contents. Taking out a pair of fine steel needles of the kind for knitting socks, a bodkin, and a crochet hook, she turned the items in her hand, considering the merits of each. “Could you bend the very end of this a little?” she asked Leo, handing him a needle.

He considered this, taking the needle over to the fireplace. Toby went with him, the two of them muttering for a moment and deliberating about using the firedogs to help with the job. After a few minutes clanging and clattering, Leo brought the needle back.

Angel regarded his handiwork for a moment before deeming it acceptable. Sliding the tip of the needle into the keyhole, she used the bodkin to apply gentle pressure. The lock was old and stiff, and Angel’s hands shook slightly as she wondered what precisely her grandfather had left for her. Frustrated that the dratted thing refused to budge, Angel let out a breath, flexed her stiff fingers, and tried again.

“Shall I try?” Leo asked softly,

She glanced up at him and shook her head resolutely.

He grinned, and Angel laughed a little, realising he had never expected her to let him.

“It’s a simple lock,” she told him through her teeth as she put all her might behind the tools. “It’s just old, and—”

There was a heavy click, and the lock sprang open. Angel gasped, dropping the tools in shock.

“Oh, how exciting!” Hetty squealed, clutching her sister’s arm.

Angel could do nothing but stare at the padlock, now hanging open. Her heart was thudding too hard in her chest. This was what she’d set out to do. To find her inheritance, the treasure Pops had left for her.

Suddenly it was here, before her, and she was afraid to look.

“Go on then, miss,” Milly said, her voice encouraging. “This is your Pops’ gift to you.”

Angel let out a shaky breath. “Come and help me then, Milly. You too, Toby.”

Eagerly, Toby ran to kneel beside her. Milly hesitated until Angel gestured for her to hurry and then gave a laugh and joined her at the table.

“Leo?” Angel looked up at him, her heart giving an extra hard thud behind her ribs as she saw the warmth of his gaze, the pride and happiness shining down upon her.

“Go on, love. This is yours, like Milly said. Open it up.”

“Right then. On the count of three,” Angel said, as Toby and Milly put their hands on the lid. “One, two, three.”