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“Baker’s damned good. Been around a long time. The combination of him and that stallion you just described would be enough for Lanston to take the Derby.” Nick’s worried gaze drifted to his daughter. “If Nickie weren’t racing.”
“But I am racing.” Nicole’s chin came up. “And I don’t intend to back out.”
“I don’t think they expect you to, Miss Aldridge,” Saxon mused aloud. “I think they expect you to race as planned— with one alteration.”
“They expect me to throw the race.”
“Precisely. My guess is they’ll approach you tomorrow during your final practice and pressure you to do just that.”
“Let them. I won’t cooperate.”
Despite the gravity of the moment, Saxon’s lips twitched. “I rather suspected you wouldn’t.”
“Nicole—” Dustin began.
“Dustin, please.” Nicole gazed up at him, her heart in her eyes. “Don’t ask me to withdraw from that race. Certainly don’t ask me to throw it. You and Papa know how much winning the Derby means to me. Please don’t ask me to discard my dreams and my principles.” She glanced from Dustin to her father. “Papa, I can’t. I can’t and I won’t.”
For a long moment, silence prevailed.
Oddly, it was Saxon who broke the silence. “Forgive me for intruding, my lord, but there’s another aspect of this situation we have yet to discuss, that being the matter of proof. The way things stand, we have nothing but Blaker’s word that Lanston is running this scheme. True, Aldridge saw the earl meet with Cooper, but that in itself is evidence of nothing. And yes, it’s safe to assume these criminals believe Aldridge heard far more damning information than, in fact, he did, and that they intend to eliminate him because of it. But, with Aldridge allegedly missing, no attempt on his life has yet been made. In fact, the only culprits who have inflicted actual violence—at least, violence we can attest to firsthand—are Archer and Parrish. There could be countless more offenders involved in this conspiracy, including, for example, someone right here at Tyreham. Remember, we have yet to resolve that possibility, despite my discreet inquiries. And observations,” Saxon added, with a pointed glance at Nicole. “I did keep my promise to you, Miss Aldridge. Over the past week, I’ve observed Raggert as often as I conceivably could without neglecting my responsibility to the young marquis. But, aside from being more than a tad overbearing, Raggert has done nothing either illegal or unethical. He hasn’t even left the estate, other than on his day off. So the question of how many others, and which particular others, are involved in this scheme, remains. And, to be frank, I’d like to see each and every one of them join Archer and Parrish in Newgate.” He turned back to Dustin. “Wouldn’t you, my lord?”
“You know I would.” Dustin’s eyes narrowed. “What is it you’re suggesting, Saxon?”
“A plan of our own, sir. A chance for Lord Lanston to undo himself. Let his hoodlums approach Stoddard and fail to gain his cooperation. That should put the earl in a fine state of panic. He can’t very well break into Tyreham and do the boy harm—not that any of us would allow it. So he’ll have to withdraw his mount or lose his money. In either case, he’s bound to be agitated—and vulnerable. Trapped like that, there’s no telling what he might do.”
“And we’ll be there to see him do it.”
“Precisely, my lord.”
“But there’s no guarantee Lanston will betray himself as we hope.”
“No, sir, there isn’t. On the other hand, we can’t very well seize the man with no firsthand proof of his crimes.”
Dustin nodded, weighing the options, considering the risks and the potential gains.
In the end, it was the imploring look in Nicole’s eyes that spawned his decision.
Slowly, he turned to meet Nick’s troubled stare. “If I were to instruct Saxon to move to your cottage, to travel with us to Epsom, and to remain with Nicole every minute—lest those thugs approach her—and if I were to vow that I would personally kill anyone who laid a hand on her, would you agree to let her race as planned?”
“Would you?” Nick shot back. “Given how much you love her?”
“Because of how much I love her—yes. If the conditions I outlined were implemented, I would let her race.”
Nick swallowed convulsively.
“Papa,” Nicole beseeched, her eyes damp with emotion. “The whole reason we brought Alden Stoddard to life was because you refused to do the very things you’re now contemplating I do, compromise my ethics or surrender my ideals. Can you ask any less of me than you asked of yourself?”
“All right,” Nick relented, slicing the air with his palm. “I’ll probably age ten years between now and Derby Day, but, yes. Run the bloody race.”
“Thank you, Papa.” Nicole ran to him, hugged him tightly.
Then, she stepped away, walked over to her future husband. “Thank you,” she whispered, raising up to kiss his cheek. “You’re my very own miracle, too.”
Seventeen
“AH, THERE’S LORD TYREHAM. Thank you, lad.”
Every muscle in Dustin’s body went rigid at the sound of Lanston’s approaching voice. Not that the bastard’s arrival at Epsom came as any great shock. Thanks to Saxon’s shrewd predictions, Dustin had been stationed in the stands since dawn, steeling himself for precisely this moment throughout the entirety of Nicole’s final practice. It was Saxon’s belief that Lanston would surface today, ostensibly to chat with Dustin, actually to divert his attention so Archer and Parrish could find Stoddard and do their dirty work.
