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She winced. “But this is our only hope.”
He frowned, and she could see him trying to think of an answer, a solution that would work. But at last, he nodded. “As absurd as it is, aye. It’s our only hope.”
She pressed her palm to his cheek. “This time I ask that you trustme. I believe in Lila.”
He sighed. “God help us both, then.”
Justine turned and faced the room. She wasn’t shaking anymore. “Je,all right. We haven’t very long. My mother is attempting to force Amelia and me to return to St. Edys as we speak.”
“Then let’s get started,” Lila said.
“This is so veryexciting,” Lady Iddesleigh gushed.
“I think I may be ill,” Amelia muttered.
“Why do these things always happen inmyhouse?” Beck demanded of no one.
Justine looked at William. He tried to give her an encouraging smile. She tried to return one.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
LILATOLDVALENTINshe needed fifty pounds.
“Why?” He was lying in their bed, his feet crossed at the ankles, one arm behind his head to pillow it.
“An actor needs a proper suit of clothing.”
Valentin frowned. “What actor?”
“He is a friend of Lord Iddesleigh’s governess, Mr. Donovan.”
Valentin’s brow crinkled. “My English is not what it once was, but I thought a governess was female.”
“She is. I mean, a governess is. He’s not exactly a...” She waved her hand. “Let me start from the beginning.”
She explained to Valentin that she’d had a long talk with the Earl of Iddesleigh, and Mr. Donovan, the tutor, governor, manservant—whatever he was—had been present. He’d suggested he knew someone who could play the part of the frantic father, and rather convincingly at that. Lord Douglas would pay him a good wage for the work, but Lila had realized she needed to have him properly outfitted when in Scotland.
Valentin listened, then rolled off the bed, went to his things, rummaged through a leather bag and produced the fifty pounds. “You are the most clever of them all, my darling...but are you certain this scheme will work?”
“No,” she said honestly. “I rather think it’s doomed to fail. But it’s my only chance. And if I can’t make it work, I fear Dante Robuchard will see to it that there is no work for me in Europe. And...I really hate to lose.”
Valentin wrapped his hands around her waist. “Tell me the plan again.”
“The actor will go to the village of Hamilton and make a show of searching for Miss Althea Simpson. He will proclaim her to be his love, will announce that he’s been told there is a child,hischild. When word reaches Mr. Simpson, he will deny it. He is obviously trying to profit from his daughter’s mistake.”
“His daughter may well deny it, too. What would possibly entice her to agree that this stranger is the one?”
“That’s the tricky part, isn’t it? She won’t deny it if we reach her first. When Mr. Simpson trots her out to deny that this poor stranger is the father of her bastard child, we hope to be there with the true father. She won’t denyhim. After all, she was trying to reach him.”
“How do you propose to find the true father?”
Lila hadn’t worked all that out. “We need her to tell us who he is. We bring the true father forward, the truth is known and Lord Douglas is free to marry the princess. That is, if Robuchard can be convinced.”
Valentin nuzzled her neck. “My darling Lila...you do realize this sounds like a poorly written play in some run-down theater, don’t you?”
She laughed. “I knew you’d understand.”
“I understand well enough that I’m going with you. I don’t want you caught up in any bad dealings.”
