Page 75 of Cloaked in Beauty

A throat cleared, and all gazes turned to Stefan Anderson. “I’m sorry to interrupt this lovely moment, but the sooner Scarlett signs the will, the sooner she’ll be out of danger.”

Leah Radcliffe nodded. “Yes. Let’s get this business done, shall we? I’m eager to dispel the cloud looming over Letty’s head.”

The signing concluded in a matter of minutes. Anderson provided four copies of the document. One for Letty. One for him to keep on file with his records. One to file with the court should Drake attempt to contest it, and one to be delivered to Drake Radcliffe as proof that he no longer had anything to gain by hurting Letty. That one Philip intended to deliver himself. Not only to ensure Drake Radcliffe received it, but to give the man an extra few things to consider. Like the fact that the Pinkertons had opened a case on him and planned to see him behind bars before the year was out. Should he wish to avoid prison, he might consider an extended stay abroad.

Philip tucked the folded papers into his coat and headed for the front hall. Letty hurried after him and placed her hand on his arm before he could reach for the door.

“Philip, wait.”

He turned toward her, glad to see that no one but Rusty had followed. A piece of hair had fallen along her cheek, likely a casualty from the locket excitement. Tenderness welled inside him, and before he could talk himself out of it, he lifted a hand and tucked the stray strand behind her ear.

She reached up and covered his hand with her own. “Promise me you’ll be careful. Uncle Drake is ruthless. He’s not to be trusted.”

He smiled, partially to reassure her, but mostly because her concern touched the dark places inside that had been lonely for far too long. “I know. I’ll keep my wits about me.”

“You still owe me a conversation.”

He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “I haven’t forgotten.” Though the longer he stood here, the harder it would be to remember that particular conversation wasn’t supposed to end in a marriage proposal.

Gently, he tugged his hand away from hers and pivoted toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.” He glanced over his shoulder. “And then you’ll be free.”

Free to bring Scarlett Radcliffe back to life and figure out who she would be.

Philip collected Steele and rode to a large estate on the edge of town. Dark-gray stone rose from the ground to form a house built to impress, not to welcome. The stone radiated no warmth, only cold superiority. A crushed-shell path crunched beneath his feet as he made his way to the front door after leaving his mount with a groom. Tall, imposing hedges barbed with long thorns surrounded the fortress.

What kind of a man surrounded his home with thornbushes?

Philip clenched his jaw. The same kind who hired men to kill his niece.

A stodgy butler showed him into a receiving room, then left to fetch Mr. Radcliffe. Philip expected to be left to cool his heels a good long while so was surprised when Drake Radcliffe made a prompt appearance.

“Mr. Carmichael! How pleased I am to make your acquaintance.” A middle-aged man who looked like he’d enjoyed too much wine and not enough exercise over the last decade strode into the room bearing a wide smile and cold eyes. “It’s good to finally meet the man responsible for bringing my beloved niece home safely.”

Philip wasn’t in the mood to play pretend. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the will he’d been tasked to deliver. He held it out to Radcliffe. “Your niece is no longer your concern. She has come of age, claimed her inheritance, and crafted a will that removes you as a beneficiary. In the event of her death, you won’t receive a single penny.”

Radcliffe clasped the edge of the papers, but Philip held fast to his end, not yet ready to relinquish them.

“You should know that the Pinkertons have opened an investigation into allegations that you hired assassins to eliminate Miss Radcliffe so you could claim her inheritance. It’s only a matter of time before we collect enough evidence to convict you.”

Philip released his end of the folded will, sending Radcliffe tottering backward a step.

The man’s face darkened as he quickly regained his lost ground and thrust himself forward. “How dare you insinuate that I would harm my niece! Did my lovely sister-in-law bat her eyes at you and get you to believe her lies? She’s a snake in lamb’s clothing, that one. I don’t know what my brother ever saw in her. I’m thrilled that Scarlett is home safe, and while I find it sad that her mother and grandmother have poisoned her against me to the point that she would write me out of this new will, I bear her no ill will. You see, Mr. Carmichael, I learned some very valuable lessons from my brother before his untimely death. The most important being . . .” His false affability fell away to reveal a cunning smile. “Always have a contingency plan.”

A quiet shuffle sounded behind Philip. He reached for his gun, but before he could turn, something hard slammed against his head. The world went black as Philip crumpled to the carpet.

35

Letty had expected to feel like a bird finally let out of its cage when she signed the new will this morning. Light of heart. Free of spirit. Eager to explore surroundings that had been closed off to her for years. However, she felt none of that.

A heaviness she couldn’t explain had settled over her heart about an hour ago. Not long after Philip left. Had she lived under a cloud so long, she didn’t trust the sunshine? Or was something else at play?

She glanced at her mother, who was working on some correspondence at the writing desk in the corner of the sitting room. Her pen looped over the page in graceful, consistent arcs. Her attention focused. Her expression serenely contemplative. As if no outward unpleasantness existed. Either Mama was well-practiced at hiding her discomfort, or she truly believed their troubles to be over.

Letty closed the journal containing her mother’s letters with a sigh. Her eyes might have been moving across the lines, but her mind hadn’t absorbed anything for the last quarter hour.

Is my faith so weak that I cannot let go of the fear even when the danger has passed?

Rusty whined and nudged her skirt with his head. Letty set the notebook aside and rubbed her pet’s ears. Maybe it was being stuck indoors for the last two days that had her insides in knots. She itched to saddle Shadow and race her over the fields with Rusty loping at their side. Maybe then the tightness around her lungs would ease, and she’d be able to breathe again.