The Lady Unmasked Read online

  “It was generally best to surrender,” Quent muttered. If one considered slavery preferable to death.

  “He had children?” Hope asked, horror splashed across her face.

  “We shouldn’t have said anything,” Lila said softly. “Please forget that we mentioned anything at all.”

  “I’m afraid we must know now,” Grace said. “Or our minds will conjure up all sorts of unpleasantness and I, for one, would just rather know the truth.”

  “The truth,” Quent began, “is that no man is as large as a mountain or has arms the size of tree trunks.”

  “It could depend on the size of the tree,” Patience said. “A small ash tree is quite possible, I would think.”

  Quent scrubbed a hand down his face. His sisters truly could be infuriating. “Very well, you really want to know? Tell them, Miss Southward, go ahead and tell them what happened to Cynbel and his family. They won’t stop until you do.”

  Lila Southward sucked in a breath, looking quite uncomfortable and Quent wished he hadn’t just lost his temper.

  “Well, the general tortured and killed Cynbel’s wife and children,” she said softly. “He was made to watch before the legion killed him too.”

  “He did curse the general with his dying breath, however,” Miss Matilda added. “And the general died himself within the week.”

  “Oh, well, then, a happy ending,” Garrick said rather brightly. “Let’s do change the subject, shall we? How about the upcoming masquerade?” He smiled at the Southward sisters. “Do you have your costumes already prepared?”

  Miss Matilda shook her head. “Papa would never let us attend such an event, Mr. Garrick. You shall have to tell us all about it afterwards.”

  “Certainly you were there last year,” he pressed.

  “A word with you, Garrick,” Quent said quickly as a bit of panic seized his heart. If Garrick realized the Southward sisters had not been at last year’s Samhain, then he would realize Lila couldn’t possibly be Quent’s missing angel and he might very well try to pursue the brunette – which shouldn’t truly be any of Quent’s business, but…Well, he just didn’t want that outcome for the girl. Lila Southward was too innocent for Sidney Garrick, too sweet and too innocent. And he had to keep his friend from doing something that he shouldn’t.

  Six

  Lord Quentin was suddenly in a mood, though Lila couldn’t quite figure out why. He’d been in a much happier frame of mind the day before. Perhaps he was angry with Mr. Garrick about something. That might explain why his lordship had dragged his friend away from the group, and from the looks of things, why he was blistering Mr. Garrick’s ears.

  “I am sorry for telling that tale,” Lila began, looking at each of Lord Quentin’s sisters with the utmost of sincerity. “It was a horrible thing to tell.”

  “I feel much better knowing the Roman general died within the week,” Grace replied. “That does seem just, does it not?”

  “Oh, will you stop touching those emeralds,” Patience complained, drawing Lila’s attention to Lord Quentin’s other sisters.

  “I can’t help it.” Hope grinned and touched one of her earbobs with the tip of her finger as though to provoke her sister. “Henry says they match my eyes.”

  Grace snorted. “Then they match my eyes too.”

  “And mine,” Patience teased.

  Hope stuck her tongue out at her sisters. “You’re just jealous.”

  “Hardly.” Grace rolled her eyes. “The last thing I want are baubles from a known reprobate.”

  “You’d just better pray Braden doesn’t find out Kilworth gave them to you,” Patience muttered. “Or we’ll all be in for it. You for accepting them and us for keeping your secret.”

  The pretty emerald earbobs Lady Hope was sporting were a gift from Lord Kilworth? That was fairly scandalous, wasn’t it? Especially considering the man’s reputation.

  “Who’s going to tell him?” Hope countered. “Besides, it’s quite unfair that Braden won’t let him court me.”

  Well, he was the same fellow who’d chased Lady Hope through the Serpentine. It was no wonder Lord Bradenham wouldn’t allow the man to court his sister.

  “Probably because of things like inappropriate gifts,” Patience replied.

  Hope scoffed at that. “They’re just so Henry can find me during the masquerade.” Then she sniffed slightly. “Heaven forbid he spend all night looking for me to no avail or falling prey to Quent’s angel or something like that.”

  “Angel?” Tilly echoed. “Lord Quentin has an angel?”

  “Who’s to say she even exists?” Grace asked.

  They weren’t making any sense at all, were they? Lila frowned. “I don’t think I understand what you mean.”

  Patience released a sigh and glanced briefly at her sisters. “The whole reason for this year’s masquerade is so Quent can find his angel again,” she said, not that it made any more sense now than it had a few moments ago.

  He was looking for an angel?

  “A girl who disappeared on him last year,” Grace added, which was a bit more helpful, even if it did sting Lila’s heart. “Or so he thinks. I’m not at all certain that anything happened last year and think he’d be much better off seeing what’s right in front of him.”

  “She disappeared?” Lila asked as dread started to settle in her heart. Lord Quentin had met some girl at last year’s masquerade? Was that before or after he’d kissed Lila?

  “Well…” Hope glanced over her shoulder as though to make certain her brother and Mr. Garrick couldn’t overhear her. “Quent’s been…Oh, what’s the word?”

  “Obsessed?” Patience suggested.

  Hope’s eyes lit with amusement. “Perfect. Quent’s been obsessed with finding the mysterious girl who kissed him at last year’s masquerade and then vanished.”

  “His angel,” Grace added. “Who may very well be a figment of his imagination.”

  Lila’s heart began to pound. “His angel kissed him?” she asked softly. Was she his angel? Or had he kissed another girl that night?

  Hope nodded. “The girl was dressed as an angel, apparently. All flowing white. And she danced with him, then kissed him before disappearing into the crowd never to be seen again.”

  Oh, heavens. Lila had run off right after their kiss, afraid of what she might do if she’d stayed in his arms any longer, and knowing she had to get home before Papa realized she was gone.

  Lord Quentin had been obsessed with finding her ever since? He hadn’t realized it was her that he’d danced with? She’d thought for sure he’d known. How could he not know? True, she had worn a mask, like everyone else at the masquerade; but they’d had a conversation while they danced. It had never even crossed her mind until right now that he hadn’t realized she was the girl in his arms.

  “All flowing white?” Tilly met her gaze, and Lila knew her sister had figured out who Lord Quentin’s angel was too. She and Tilly did share a room, after all; and Tilly had seen Lila when she’d returned home from Marisdùn that night, wearing Mama’s old shimmery white dress. Lila hadn’t been dressed as an angel though. She wasn’t sure where Lord Quentin had come up with that. Had he been quite deep in his cups? Is that why he didn’t remember things properly?

  “Just missing a halo,” Grace replied.

  And a set of angel wings. Lila’s mouth had gone dry and she glanced over to where Lord Quentin and Mr. Garrick were still engaged in some deep conversation, not paying the girls any attention at all. Heavens. How did he not know he’d danced with and kissed her? How could he think she was some mysterious angel he’d never met before?

  Tilly seemed to realize Lila’s distress so she added, “At Marisdùn, she might very well have been a ghost.”

  “That is one theory,” Patience agreed. “He doesn’t seem to care as long as he finds her again.”

  “It’s the whole reason he’s even hosting the party this year,” Hope said. “To duplicate the event so he can find his elusive angel.”r />
  Lila thought she might be ill. “I, um, forgot I’d promised Papa I’d call on Mrs. Macon with him this afternoon.” She started to inch away from the group.

  Tilly looked at her as though she’d lost her mind, which was a distinct possibility. Visiting Mrs. Macon wouldn’t ever be on the top of her list, but Lila couldn’t stay with the Posts and Mr. Garrick at the ruins. Not right now, not when her whole world had just been turned upside down.

  “Um,” Tilly began as slid closer to her sister. “I completely forgot too. We’d best be on our way.”

  She truly was the best sister anyone could ever hope to have.

  “Oh.” Grace frowned. “Well, I hope you’ll come visit us once we arrive at Braewood.”

  Lila would most definitely visit when they were in residence at Braewood. After all, Callie would be there and it had been entirely too long since she’d seen her dearest friend. “Of course. Of course.” Besides, she wouldn’t have to worry about running into Lord Quentin at Braewood. She wasn’t certain she could face seeing him again.

  Quent didn’t care about any of Garrick’s excuses. Honestly, he didn’t even let his friend get a word in edgewise. He just didn’t want the man giving his attention to Miss Southward, not if he… Where was Miss Southward? And Miss Matilda for that matter?

  He ignored whatever ramblings his friend uttered and turned back to where his sisters were gathered in a fairly suspicious huddle. “Where is Miss Southward?”

  An expression he couldn’t quite identify flashed across Grace’s face. “She was needed at the vicarage all of a sudden.”

  “All of a sudden?”

  Patience shrugged. “They hurried off before we could stop them.”

  “They’re both gone?” Garrick asked, sounding quite dejected.

  “What happened?” Quent demanded. “I can’t imagine her not saying goodbye.” That wasn’t like Lila Southward at all. Had his sisters done something to upset the girl?

  The triplets all exchanged a set of glances that only served to strengthen Quent’s apprehension. Finally, Hope’s shoulders sagged and she said, “Everything was perfectly fine until…”

  “Until what?” he nearly barked.

  “Until we mentioned your angel,” Grace finished. “You said you wanted us to see if we could help you find out who she was.”

  If his sister had slugged him in the gut he’d have felt it less than the sudden distress that swamped him now. Why the devil would they tell Lila Southward about his angel? Had they lost their blonde heads? All three of them? “Why the devil did you do that?” Damn it all! Things had been going so nicely with his brunette, but now…

  “You did think she might be your angel,” Garrick added, which only filled Quent with uncontained fury.

  “She’s not my damned angel! She didn’t even attend last year’s masquerade,” he barked. “I just didn’t want you to flirt with the girl.”

  Garrick’s eyes widened in surprise. “Well, all you had to do was say so, old man.”

  Quent turned his attention back to his sisters. “What did you say to her? Tell me now.”

  Grace tipped her chin slightly in the air. “I don’t know why you care one way or the other, since you’re so certain she’s not your angel. And that’s the whole reason we’re here.”

  “He did nearly drool when he first saw her yesterday,” Patience tossed in.

  Quent was going to slowly murder them. All three of them. “What did you say to her?” he ground out.

  “Nothing much,” Hope said.

  That Quent didn’t believe in the least. However, Patience had the loosest lips of the trio, so Quent focused his attention on her. “What did you say?” he cajoled.

  Patience squirmed a bit in her pink muslin. “We just told her you were looking for the girl who kissed you and then disappeared last year.”

  “Put that way,” Garrick began, “it does not do much for your reputation as a kisser.”

  He glared at his friend. “Stubble it, will you?”

  “We had no idea that would make her run off,” Hope said with a wince. “We rather like her.”

  “Much better than some figment of your imagination, in any event,” Grace added.

  “My angel is not a figment of my imagination,” he growled, annoyed to still be uttering those words for nearly a year. But there he was, saying them again, anyway. He had not imagined his angel. She was as real in his arms as any girl before her had ever been. More real, in fact. His angel had felt like she belonged in his arms, like she was supposed to be there. She felt…Well, like nothing he’d ever experienced before or since. It had, without contest, been the most magical experience of his life.

  “There were so many people last year,” Garrick began. “She truly could be anyone. And I saw him after he was already searching for her. He was of sound mind.”

  For the first time that day, Garrick was being helpful. “Thank you,” Quent muttered.

  “And I suppose you hadn’t indulged in even a drop to drink at the masquerade?” Grace asked with a slightly waspish tone to her voice.

  “More than a drop, I’m certain,” Garrick replied.

  “Well, then, Mr. Garrick, I’m afraid your account cannot be considered as evidence in regards to Quent’s angel’s existence.”

  Garrick frowned at the girl and then shot Quent a bemused expression. “Is she always like this?”

  “More so all the time,” he grumbled.

  “I’m simply saying,” Grace continued, “that you do seem to like Lila Southward—” she shrugged “—and it would be a shame to focus on an angel who may or may not exist when a very real girl is right under your nose.”

  A very real girl who would quite simply end Quent’s freedom the same way Callie had done Braden’s. Not that he wanted to utter those words to his sisters who would not appreciate such a sentiment. Besides, none of this was Grace, Hope or Patience’s concern and Quent frowned at the trio. “Until I ask for your counsel on the matter, why don’t the three of you attend to your own affairs?”

  “You’re his angel. I know you are,” Tilly accused as she tugged Lila at a hurried pace back towards the vicarage. “Really, Lila! You kissed him?”

  “Shh!” Lila looked back towards the Post sisters, hoping they were too far away to overhear Tilly’s words. Her sister did appear to be in a temper, though there was no reason for her to be upset. She hadn’t just had her heart broken in a million pieces. Lila yanked free of her sister’s hold and held her ground.

  Tilly turned around and looked her up and down. “Does Callie know?”

  No one knew, not even, apparently, Lord Quentin. Lila held in a sob as she shook her head. “I didn’t tell anyone.” She’d been so embarrassed by her wantonness, she certainly hadn’t even dreamt of telling her sister what she’d done.

  “Why not?” her sister narrowed her eyes slightly.

  She’d been so elated by that kiss and then he’d left Ravenglass and…Well, she hadn’t wanted to tell her sister what a wanton she obviously was. She hadn’t wanted to tell anyone that. She shrugged in response. “I wasn’t quite certain if it had actually happened.”

  “Silly Lila.” Her sister slid her arm around Lila’s shoulders. “It must have happened. And he’s come back for you.”

  “He didn’t come back for me.” Lila couldn’t help but wince. “He came back to find someone who doesn’t even exist.”

  “But you do exist,” her sister laughed, oblivious to how Lila’s heart was littered around the ground at their feet.

  Trying to explain this to Tilly would be difficult. It would be easier, of course, if her heart wasn’t in shatters. She was in love with Lord Quentin. She had been since the first moment she’d met him. But…he wasn’t in love with her. He was obsessed with a girl who didn’t even exist. It didn’t matter that the girl he was looking for was Lila. If there was really something between them, he’d have returned for Lila not some mysterious angel, even if they were one in the same. Odd, it
was odd to be jealous of herself, but that’s exactly what Lila was experiencing. “Not like that, I don’t.”

  “You’re not making any sense at all.”

  Lila heaved a sigh and tried her best to make Tilly understand. “If he didn’t know me,” she began,” I suppose it would be different. Romantic, even. But he does know me. And he didn’t return to Ravenglass for me, Tilly. He returned to Ravenglass for someone else entirely, even if she is me; but she’s not, if that makes any sense at all.”

  “I think you should tell him.” Tilly frowned.

  That was ridiculous. Lila snorted even though it wasn’t ladylike. “Should I show up at Marisdùn and say ‘Lord Quentin, I am your vanished angel. I thought you should know?’”

  “Well.” Tilly shrugged, “I’d probably put more thought into it than that. Something more romantic.” Then her face lit up. “I’d show up at the masquerade wearing Mama’s old gown again and then I’d let him find me and then I’d take off my mask and say, ‘You’ve been looking for me, my lord?’”

  Lila was not about to do that. The entire suggestion was ludicrous. Show up in the same mask and gown and let him find her? Then what? Watch his face fall when he realized his angel wasn’t who he’d hoped for? Lila was not about to let him break her heart like that. She wouldn’t be able to take it.

  There was nothing more heartbreaking than the feeling of unrequited love, and Lila did not want to feel the emptiness in the pit of her stomach or the ache in her heart, not if she could help it. Therefore, she silently vowed, she would do her very best to keep from encountering Lord Quentin Post while he was in Ravenglass. And with any luck, he’d return to London as soon as he realized his angel truly had disappeared forever.

  Seven

  Quent and the triplets encountered Garrick, who had slid away from them earlier in the day, just as they arrived at Marisdùn, Bendle greeted them at the door, informed them that David Thorn had arrived during their absence, and that a certain pink ribbon had been discovered in the middle of the grand staircase earlier in the day.