Page 34 of Lyon on the Loose

He moved closer. “Not at all. From what I’ve learned, your mother’s been overprotective of you—possibly because you are the youngest—and you have been almost a prisoner here in Mundlingham Castle. What could you know of the outside world except what you read in books and journals, or from snippets of information brought by occasional visitors? You understood the idea of men, but not the reality. Then Oscar Treadwell came along—passably good-looking, although nowhere near as handsome as me, obviously—and he befriended you, gave you confidence in your abilities, and tempted you with a vision of freedom. Is it surprising that you took the first opportunity of escape?”

“Kind of you to give me the benefit of the doubt, but I like to think I was not quite as ill-informed as you imply. I have, perhaps, lacked worldly experience, for which I entirely blame Mama. I don’t consider myself particularly vulnerable or weak, but I do confess to being soft-hearted. In all the books which detail what’s proper for a young lady, that has never been seen as a weakness but as a virtue.”

She sighed, then squared her shoulders. “I should write letters of complaint to those authors, informing them that young ladies must protect themselves against attacks upon their tender feelings, and that being soft-hearted is the first step toward being taken advantage of.”

“Miss Felicity Ashby—I am truly proud of you.”

If it hadn’t been for what he was about to do, he would have taken her in his arms and kissed her senseless. But there was still the issue of the sapphire necklace lying between them. And having just outlined the despicable behavior of Oscar Treadwell, Roland had no intention of following a similar path by taking advantage of Lissy’s soft heart. He wanted to kiss her again—and the need was driving him close to madness—but if he did, he would be no better than the aforementioned gentleman.

She clasped her hands together and raised her eyebrows. “So—since I have ruled out murder, and since we don’t wish to involve the authorities for fear of investigations that could embarrass us both, how do you suggest we deal with Oscar?”

He gave her an encouraging smile. “I’m flattered that you came to me, sweet lady. I have decided that I will always do my best in any situation, just as my brother Leo does. I never before thought of myself as a particularly useful person—and may I remind you that you didn’t either—but I am beginning to believe I may have some resources at my disposal. I promise to devise a foolproof plan—complete with a viable alternative.”

She laid her hand on his arm, and the thrill of her touch charged through his veins like molten metal—hot, glorious, and decidedly dangerous. He swallowed.

Her eyes were large and shining. He could so easily lose himself in their blue depths. “I knew I could rely on you,” she breathed.

Those were the words he would like engraved on his tombstone. But alas, in this instance, they would not be true. He would be leaving as soon as he gained possession of the necklace.

“Why the serious face, Roland? You’re making me anxious.”

“I am simply pondering the possibilities—that is all. Now then—it appears I will have to attend tomorrow’s costume ball. Only you can know this. Instruct all your servants and your brothers to detain anyone bringing a message to the castle. That way, you can get a note back to Treadwell via his messenger to meet you in the castle’s solar, the room you now use for sewing. Nobody’s likely to disturb us there. Tell him to come up at nine o’clock precisely. The ball will be in full swing by then, and everyone should be too occupied to notice you slipping away. He’ll expect an ambush if he has any sense, so you’ll have to come up with some excuse, such as your Mama won’t let you leave the castle.”

He was certain Lissy could word her request so that Treadwell would believe her to be alone, frightened, and vulnerable. Damn the man for trying to take advantage of her! It made him want to grind his teeth.

“I’ll be in the room a good half-hour before either you or Treadwell arrives, and I’ll escort the gentleman out, under threat of being handed over to the constables if he attempts to make a scene. I shall endeavor not to plant a fist in his face, as I know you are averse to violence.”

She bit her lip. “Will the constables be present? It will cause an awful furor, and Mama will be upset that her ball has been spoiled.”

“I shall ensure that doesn’t happen. We must dispatch Treadwell as swiftly and unobtrusively as possible. I’ll simply truss him up and walk him out of the castle and into the town, where I shall arrange for him to be incarcerated in the lock-up. Then I’ll be back to reassure you that the coast is clear.”

“He can still tell tales. There’ll be a trial, I assume?”

“There certainly will. But I’m not without influence—by which I mean my brother is an earl. Curious—I never thought I would be proud of that fact.” He gave a half smile. “At any rate, I’ll take the stand and testify against Treadwell. Your name need never be mentioned. We’ll present him as a disgruntled former employee with an axe to grind. I’ll locate our original coachman, who will testify that Treadwell stole the coach. Highway robbery is still an offense punishable by death.”

He paused, aware that Lissy was hanging on his every word. He was promising much. But would he be able to deliver on his promises?

“In fact, that is the argument I shall use to silence Treadwell. I dislike bargaining with felons, but in this instance, I’m certain it will work. If the man so much as breathes your name, I’ll see him tried as a highwayman. If he holds his tongue, I will do what I can to spare his neck. How does that sound?”

“It certainly sounds like a good plan, Roland. It’s an awful lot of trouble for you to go to, though.”

She was looking at him searchingly, and the air between them fairly bristled with the words he wanted to say. But he mustn’t confess his feelings—not now. He couldn’t give her false hope. There could be nothing between them if he was going to complete his mission for Mrs. Dove-Lyon and rescue his reputation among his peers.

“I am doing what any gentleman would for a damsel in distress. I apologize—not in distress. You have shown a good deal of backbone in the face of adversity, and I admire you for it.”

Any gentleman indeed! Surely, no other gentleman was quite so invested in her fate as he. Even though it was uncomfortable to admit it.

She had that admiring expression on her face again; he must stop flattering her. She was more than capable of kissing him, he suspected, and if she did, he didn’t know whether he would have the willpower to stop her.

A heavy silence fell between them. She turned away and gazed out through the narrow panes of the coach house window. Then, in a soft voice, she asked, “Did you not say there was a further plan, should the first go awry?”

Devil take it. He was going to have to make the offer—even though he knew it would never work between them, particularly when she discovered what he truly was.

He took a deep breath. “As I mentioned once before, you will have the protection of my name if there’s any threat of scandal. We will be married and face down our detractors. I shall do my best to persuade your family that it’s the only sensible course of action, though you will need to convince them too, because I’m not certain your brothers trust me.”

“I’m not sure I do either—I seem to have a talent for trusting the wrong people. But in this instance, you’re the only person I can turn to. Avoiding scandal is a poor reason for marriage, in anyone’s book. I’m no more keen on the idea than you seem to be.”

The chill in her tone pierced him. He was already letting her down—shooting painful little arrows into her heart. But it was for the best. She must not get too close—and she must understand that marriage to him would be an expedient, nothing more . . . even though he understood that he would be winning a prize beyond riches. How could he ever expect forgiveness for stealing her mother’s sapphire necklace?