A Scandalous Deception Read online

  “You’ll stay with me?” Fin asked as they reached the steps, as though he was afraid to let her out of his sight, and she wondered if he had any idea of the inner workings of her mind.

  “For the rest of my life,” she vowed. No matter how short that might be, just as long as she took Aaron with her.

  She led Fin up the steps, slower than normal, as his legs did seem rather wobbly. Heavens, had he ridden all night long to return to her? He truly did mean to keep her safe even to his own detriment. Noble, honorable Fin. Lissy led him down the corridor towards her chambers, then she opened her door wide for him.

  Fin’s brown eyes speared her where she stood. “Felicity St. Claire, I have a feeling all of a sudden that you’ve set your mind on something.”

  Felicity St. Claire. Heavens, it had been a hundred years since anyone had called her that. St. Claire was preferable to Pierce, however. Her life would be so different if she’d only ever been a St. Claire. “The only thing I’ve set my mind on, Phineas Granard, is making certain you get some rest.”

  “And you won’t leave me?” He seemed able to stare right into her soul. “Promise me you won’t leave me.”

  “And go where?” she hedged, laughing just a bit. “Everyone I love is right here at The Chase.”

  “I have a feeling.” Fin shook his head. “An ominous feeling that if I don’t secure your word right now, I’ll be sorry for it the rest of my life.”

  “My word?” she echoed.

  “I can’t lose you, Lissy.” His voice seemed caught in his throat all of a sudden. “After everything, I can’t lose you too. I’ll never survive it. So promise me you won’t leave my side. Give me your word.”

  He hardly seemed like himself, exhausted and nearly broken. So Lissy nodded, she couldn’t help herself. “I promise, Fin. I won’t leave you.”

  “Thank you.” He seemed to sag forward a bit as he stumbled over her threshold.

  Lissy hurried to his side and slid her arm around his back, steadying him. “You almost killed yourself with that ride, didn’t you?”

  “I’m fine,” he said. “I got here first, that’s all that matters.”

  Stubborn man. He could have killed himself. “Take off your jacket and waistcoat, Fin.”

  “Are you going to take advantage of me in my weakened state?”

  Lissy snorted in response. “You are mad.”

  “Wishful thinking, then” he said as he slowly shrugged out of his jacket.

  At that, she couldn’t help but laugh. Though it might be the last time she’d laugh in quite a while.

  Afternoon light poured into Lissy’s room and she blinked her eyes open. Heavens, she hadn’t intended to fall asleep but with Fin’s large, warm body wrapped around hers, sleep had come quite naturally. She started to slide towards the edge of the bed, but Fin’s arm tightened around her waist.

  “You promised,” he whispered.

  Lissy turned back and stared at his handsome face, his eyes closed and his brown hair mussed against his brow. She could happily stare at that face the better part of most days, but today wasn’t most days. “For heaven’s sake, Fin.” She sighed. “I can’t stay in bed all day.”

  “Why not?” he asked, cracking open one eye. “You have somewhere else to be?”

  It really was rather frustrating how well he knew her, but then he had known her the better part of her life. “I’d like to check on Juliet, if you must know.”

  “Very well.” He opened both eyes. “I’ll go with you, then.”

  He was maddening! “Meaning you don’t trust me?”

  Fin pushed up to his elbows, his dark eyes peering right into her soul. “Are you not the same girl who bolted from that inn in the dead of night, making me chase you across Derbyshire?”

  “You didn’t have to chase after me,” she grumbled.

  “Yes, I did,” he said softly, tucking one of her curls behind her ears. “If anything had happened to you, Lissy, I’d—”

  A scratch sounded on her door, halting whatever else he meant to say. Lissy glanced from the mussed counterpane to Fin. “You will scandalize Annie, you know?”

  “I am fully dressed,” he countered.

  Mostly. His jacket, waistcoat and cravat were draped across her chair, rather neatly, a few feet away.

  “Besides,” he continued, “since I have every intention of marrying you, Annie will have to get accustomed to finding me in your bed.”

  Meaning he didn’t have any intention of leaving her bed at the moment. A scratch sounded once more and Lissy heaved a sigh. “Come,” she called half-heartedly.

  Her maid strode through the door and stopped in her tracks when she spotted Fin and her cheeks pinkened instantly. “I—I,” she began. “I am sorry, my lady. I—”

  “Lord Carraway was just napping, Annie,” Lissy explained, though it explained very little.

  “U-um, well, Mr. Beckford was asking for you in his study.”

  “Staveley must have arrived. We’ll be right there,” Fin said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

  “We?” Lissy echoed.

  He reached for his discarded waistcoat. “Until Aaron Pierce has been dealt with, I don’t intend to let you out of my sight.”

  Her heart warmed at his words, even if he was being his overbearing self. “You are very stubborn, my lord. Do you know that?”

  He shot her a smile that warmed her to her toes. “Which makes us the perfect match, does it not?”

  The perfect match? Aside from their stubbornness, they were as different as night and day.

  With her arm draped around his, Fin led Lissy through Prestwick Chase until they reached the ducal study. He released her arm and directed her over the threshold of Luke’s borrowed domain. He expected to find Staveley sitting before Luke, explaining about Pierce’s presence in England; but the local magistrate Sir Nigel Mycroft, a thin man with graying hair and soft eyes, occupied the seat instead. The man’s three not-so-thin sons lined the walls, all sporting rather serious expressions.

  Luke and Sir Nigel came to their feet and the older man smiled in Lissy’s direction. “My lady, always so nice to see you.” Then his eyes met Fin’s and he nodded. “Carraway.”

  “Has Staveley filled you all in?” Fin asked.

  “Staveley?” Luke frowned. “What the devil does he have to do with any of this?”

  Fin shook his head. He must have done a rather poor job of explaining things this morning. “So he hasn’t arrived here yet?”

  “I can’t imagine my brother-in-law anywhere other than his own library,” Luke continued. “What is this about, Phineas?”

  Damn it all, Fin would have to start at the beginning. He gestured towards one of Luke’s empty chairs. “Do sit down, sweetheart,” he said to Lissy. “I think this might take a while.”

  She was shaking just a bit, but she did as he asked. Fin followed after her, and grasped the back of the chair in his hands, hoping his presence would offer her any support she needed.

  “Lady Felicity is in trouble,” he began.

  “Beckford said as much,” Sir Nigel replied. “It’s the sort of trouble she’s in that we don’t understand.”

  And Fin had to find a way to explain the situation without revealing too much of Lissy’s most private torment. “Well, you all know she married an American captain several years ago, while she was in Boston, visiting her mother’s family.”

  “Yes,” Sir Nigel agreed. “That is what Lady Juliet said at the time.”

  Fin took a deep breath. “What Lady Juliet didn’t say, what she didn’t even know, was the terrible circumstances Lady Felicity found herself in while in Boston. Aaron Pierce is the most vicious and evil man I’ve ever heard of.”

  All eyes shifted to Lissy but she didn’t even squirm in her seat. Good for her.

  “Vicious and evil?” Charles Mycroft, the magistrate’s oldest son asked.

  Fin nodded. “I have seen quite a bit of the world, but nothing prepared me for Lad
y Felicity’s horrific tale. To have survived her ordeal, she is the strongest lady of my acquaintance. And I am simply in awe of her resilience.”

  Luke frowned at hearing these words. No doubt the man would want a better explanation than that at some point, but not in front of Sir Nigel and his sons. The general brushstrokes would have to do for now.

  “She was tormented and tortured,” Fin continued. “In order to survive, escape was her only option. She rather ingenuously tricked him into believing she had died and then she fled home to England.”

  “Tricked him?” Sir Nigel asked.

  “I left him a suicide note,” Lissy said, her voice small and timid in this group of men. “There was so much blood in the room, I imagine the story was easily believed.”

  “Until now,” Fin added. “Pierce has somehow arrived in London, looking for Lady Felicity.” He met Luke’s gaze. “I happened upon Lord Staveley last night at a coaching inn. He was headed here to warn you of Pierce’s imminent arrival.”

  “How the devil would Staveley know any of this?” Luke shook his head.

  “He said your sister…” Fin let his voice trail off when Luke snorted.

  “Well, that explains it.” Luke heaved a sigh. “So what do we do, Carraway? Just wait for Pierce to show up at The Chase?”

  “I’m certainly not going to ever let him harm her again. I think waiting for him here, being ready for him, is our best chance.”

  “I do not relish getting involved in any man’s marriage, Carraway,” Sir Nigel heaved a sigh. “That’s between him and God.”

  Which would be most people’s feelings on the matter without hearing the horrific details, Fin was certain. But he wasn’t quite ready to concede that point. He turned his attention to the magistrate and said, “I was on my way to London to see what could be done about the marriage. Her guardian was never asked for permission for her to marry, sir, and I believe there are grounds for an annulment.”

  “Meaning you plan to use your influence to gain her one,” the magistrate said.

  Fin would use anything and everything at his disposal. “You were a friend of her father’s. He isn’t here to protect her.”

  “But we are,” Sir Nigel finished for him.

  “But we are,” Fin agreed.

  “Very well.” The magistrate sighed. “What do you want from us, Carraway?”

  “I would like each entrance of The Chase to be guarded by one of our rifles or pistols. I don’t want Pierce to get past us or take us by surprise.”

  “You think that’s necessary?” the magistrate’s youngest son, Howard, asked. “Pistols and hunting rifles? You think this American fellow can siege the castle, as it were?”

  “I only wish there were more of us.”

  “I thought we were just going to see her,” Heaton said, as he crouched down beside Aaron in a copse of trees not far from Felicity’s family seat.

  Against the backdrop of the waning light, Aaron gestured towards a burly fellow with a rifle, leaning next to a side door of the manor house. “The place doesn’t look very welcoming.”

  “Odd,” Heaton agreed. “The English I’ve met so far have seemed much friendlier than that. Do you think that fellow from last night lied to you? He said he was going to return to London but he could have started for here instead.”

  That was one thing Aaron was certain hadn’t happened. The scholar from last night had been quite dead when Aaron deposited him in that cupboard. The fellow he’d been talking to, however, was another matter. Aaron had been foolish not to realize that the night before. “Perhaps,” he replied instead of discussing the possibilities with Heaton any further. “But it’s of little consequence. If my wife is truly holed up in there, a few men with rifles aren’t going to stop me.”

  His business partner sighed. “We could try the diplomatic approach. Drive up to the house and simply ask to see the lady.”

  Was Heaton really that naïve? If there were armed men at the manor’s entrances, they’d most likely shoot Aaron on sight. Still, the suggestion might get the man out of Aaron’s hair. “Why don’t you wait for me back at the inn, and I’ll try that.”

  The inn where they’d acquired rooms this afternoon was certainly within walking distance of Prestwick Chase.

  “You’d rather see her alone.” Heaton frowned.

  “Well, she is my wife.” Even if the man had been sweet on Felicity in those early days.

  After a moment, his old friend agreed with a nod of his head. “All right, then. I’ll wait for you back at the inn.” Then he pushed back to his feet, dusted his hands on his trousers, and left Aaron alone in his hiding place.

  Lissy felt like a specimen in a traveling circus. Sir Nigel and his sons kept glancing at her across the dinner table as though she was an unnatural curiosity that hadn’t yet been explained. They could look all they wanted to. They could think her the worst sort of liar, if they liked. They could never understand what she’d endured and she didn’t owe any of them an explanation for her choices.

  “You’re certain Staveley said Captain Pierce was headed to Prestwick Chase?” Juliet asked Fin, lifting her turtle soup to her lips.

  “More than certain,” Fin replied. “He said Caroline sent him to warn us.”

  “Where the devil is Staveley, I’d like to know,” Luke complained, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head. “I would have thought the man should have been here hours ago.”

  “Perhaps he encountered trouble on the road like Fin and I did,” Lissy suggested.

  “Or got a late start,” Fin added in. “Though he did seem anxious to arrive when I saw him last night.”

  Luke scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “So odd she would send him. Doesn’t make any sense at all.”

  Truly, Lissy was surprised at that too. Lord Staveley was such a nice man, with a generous heart; but he spent more time in his library than he did out of it. He hardly seemed the sort who would race through the countryside on a mission.

  Juliet sighed a bit. “I do hope he’s all right.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine,” Luke replied. “I just wish he’d hurry along.”

  “Well—” Sir Nigel cleared his throat “— my boys and I can stay through the night, but we can’t stay forever, Beckford.”

  “We can re-evaluate the situation in the morning.” Luke nodded toward the magistrate. “But for now, we appreciate you being here with us.”

  “Yes,” Juliet added. “I’m certain my father would appreciate everything you’re doing, sir.”

  “I appreciate it too, Sir Nigel,” Lissy said softly. And she did. Even though the magistrate and his sons didn’t seem to understand how Lissy had ended up in this particular situation, and even though they seemed uncomfortable about lending their support, they were still lending it just the same.

  “You know,” the magistrate began, a wistful smile on his face, “I still remember that little blonded-headed imp who ran around this place with more energy than sense.” He laughed at some memory floating about his mind. “You didn’t have a care in the world. You even made your father laugh more often than not in those days.” He heaved a slight sigh. “I wish you still didn’t have a care in the world, my lady. We’ll do what we can to help in that regard.”

  Lissy’s heart lifted, and she brushed a tear from her cheek. How kind Sir Nigel was.

  The Peak District was blanketed in darkness, and though Fin had slept many hours that afternoon, he was grateful when the second footman relieved him of his post at The Chase’s front door. He’d sleep a few more hours at Lissy’s side, then relieve the servant, just as Luke, the magistrate, his sons and the rest of the male staff would be doing at their respective posts to ensure that a fresh pair of eyes would keep watch on every entrance.

  He navigated the darkened corridors of the manor and descended the steps that led to the family wing. He didn’t bother knocking, for fear that he’d wake her. But as he stepped into her chambers he stopped in his tracks when he heard…r />
  “One more step, cockchafer,” Lissy growled, “and I’ll shoot you right between your eyes.”

  “Felicty!” Fin’s mouth fell open. He’d never heard her utter something so vulgar in all of his days.

  “Oh, Fin!” She dropped something heavy onto her bed and then rushed across the floor to him, throwing her arms around his middle. “I thought you were him.”

  He held her trembling body against his and kissed the top of her head. “Where the devil did you learn such a vile word?”

  She looked up at him in the darkness and said very meekly, “Luke. But I think I’m supposed to have forgotten that he taught it to me.”

  “I should say so.” Fin shook his head, then focused on the next part of the threat she’d issued. “Do you have a pistol in here?”

  “Just in case,” she admitted, dropping her eyes to his chest.

  “Sweetheart, Pierce won’t make it this far. There are armed men at each entrance.”

  She nodded in agreement. “I know. I just needed that bit of security, being alone in here.”

  “Well, I’m here, now.” Fin kissed her brow. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Then he directed her back toward the bed and retrieved a dueling pistol from the top of her counterpane. Damn it all, he was lucky he hadn’t shot him or herself, for that matter. “We are not sleeping with this, Lissy.”

  “But, Fin,” she started to protest.

  “I won’t have one of us wake up without a head in the morning.” That sounded perfectly ridiculous. He hadn’t gotten a ton of sleep however. “I mean, I won’t have one of us never wake up again.” So he put the pistol on a nearby table, then climbed into bed bedside her.

  “You’re going to sleep in your clothes?” she asked around a yawn, rolling over in the bed to snuggle against him.