AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ruin me? How can a silly girl ruin a Lord?”
Bentwood smiles.
“By warning others.”
He knew it was me?
“Don’t look so startled, Kat,” he says, “I’ve only just worked out that you sent the note.”
“What note?” Montague demands.
“That a carriage was waiting outside the back gate. You intended to kidnap her, but she knew. Sent a footman with a missive, warning me of illicit activity that would cast a pall on mother’s first festivities since father passed.”
“Is that how she put it?” Lady E. is fascinated.
I’m feeling rather foolish.
“That didn’t ruin me,” Montague reminds. “If you hadn’t played hero that night, all would be well.”
“It wouldn’t have been,” I say. “Abducted or not, I would rather live as a spinster than marry you. Not that I needed to. By the time Bentwood revealed your plan to abduct me, I would have been mortified, claiming I never had, nor ever would have, any desire to marry such a brigand. Your creditors would have loved that.”
“There are always other prospects,” he bites out.
“Not with a revelation of kidnapping.” Bentwood’s smile grows. “Well done, Lady Bentwood. CeCe would be proud.”
“Except it didn’t go as planned.” I look back at my plate, ashamed that Bentwood got tangled in my ploy.
“Fiddle-faddle.” Lady E. brushes my concerns away, as if they are nothing. I sniff, ready to feel sorry for myself, when she says, “Tell us, Montague, what did Lady Bentwood say to you on the deck this afternoon? Did she warn you off?”
“Viciously.”
His smarmy insidiousness snaps at my defences.
“Good,” I say, “you received my message.”
“Really, Bentwood, you should rein her in and tell her what’s what.”
“For?” Bentwood asks.
“She claims she will track me down for a slow, tortuous death if anything happens to you,” Montague whines. “But I have no hand in the shenanigans aboard this vessel.”
“Really!” I snap, crossing my arms and sitting back in a huff.
“The logic may be faulty, but you might see gain in the Earl’s demise,” Lady E. tells Montague. “If you could coerce a very wealthy widow, to take you on.”
“No,” Montague contradicts, eyes set on Lady E. She doesn’t blink. “I know better than to believe I could gain…”
Lady Eleanor turns to me.
“I don’t believe you think he’s capable of murder. Why warn him off?”
“If his life is on the line, he’ll pay close attention and see nothing happens,” I defend.
“Thank you, my dear.” Bentwood is leaning back, surprisingly relaxed.
“There, you see, she doesn’t even think it’s me.” Montague rallies. “I haven’t murdered anyone, or… or…” Shaken, he pulls himself up. “She doesn’t even believe I have.” He points to me, appealing to Bentwood, who just smiles a knowing, rather dangerous smile. My heart skips.
“Why don’t you think he’s responsible?” Lady E. asks me.
