The Honourable Fortune Hunter (Scandalous Miss Brightwells 5)

Lizzy sucked in a steady breath as the thrill of possibility fizzed through her. Future husband? Theo was the most noble of men. Lady Fenton would surely not be here to bring Lizzy to Theo unless the consequences were honourable.

She glanced at Lady Quamby and was assailed by a moment’s misgiving. Lady Quamby had led her into what turned out to be a trap.

But that had been because Harry was there, waiting.

Lady Fenton wouldn’t lie about who was waiting for her.

And if it were Theo, he’d do the honourable thing. Lizzy was sure of it. He might be a fortune hunter, but he was the most honourable fortune hunter she’d ever met.

“Yes, my dear Lizzy needs to have all her wits about her to enjoy tomorrow as she should,” said Harry, his next words drowned out by the heavy tread of Lord Leighton returning from the upper levels and who now announced peevishly from the landing that Miss Harcourt was not to be found in the nursery.

Lady Fenton put her hand on Lizzy’s arm and nodded to Harry and the ladies. “Come with me, Lizzy, so I might get you what is necessary.” She glanced up at the ill-tempered viscount just entering their midst, and added with a glance at Lizzy, “Please excuse me, Lord Leighton, but I have a young lady to rescue. She’s just become betrothed and the excitement, it appears, has proved a little too overwhelming.” She patted Lady Quamby on the arm, adding, “I heard that Miss Harcourt, also, has retired early for the night. However, my lord, you’ll be happy to hear that my sister has just evinced a strong desire to entertain you for the rest of the evening.”

Chapter 28

Theo had just pulled the carriage door closed and was about to rap on the roof to indicate they were ready to leave with all haste when Amelia put a restraining hand on his arm.

“Wait, Theo. There’s something I want to say.”

“Amelia, did you not see Lord Leighton’s carriage arriving?” While he had to admire her calm, he thought perhaps she did not appreciate the urgency of the situation. Lord Leighton would start looking for her the moment he arrived at Quamby House.

If his lordship apprehended them before they had made good their departure, the damage he could do would be worse than simply abducting Amelia. He touched his throbbing eye. He’d had enough of rancorous thugs using their fists on him to protect the women to whom they’d laid claim.

“I saw him arriving, Theo.” Her voice was very measured though with a distinct breathlessness.

“Then we must leave, now!”

“When we’re ready, Theo. And we’re not all here.”

He looked down at her small, gloved hand resting on his forearm and then into her face. Her eyes were almost black in this light, and for the first time, he was conscious of an air of extraordinary serenity; as if she’d accepted her fate, whatever it was.

But Theo hadn’t risked so much, and given up so much, to be thwarted at the final hurdle.

“Amelia, we will escape him. Trust me!”

“I do trust you, Theo.” She smiled. “I trust you more than I’ve trusted anyone my whole life. You are good and honourable and you deserve the best. You deserve to have what your heart truly desires.”

Now he realised what she meant. But this was not the moment to imperil everything they’d worked towards, purely on account of her needing reassurance of his love. She had that. Love was love, romantic or otherwise. Looking at it in these terms had helped him make the decision he had.

“My heart’s desire? You know what that is! To protect you, Amelia! To atone for leaving Catherine to die alone! It’s self-interest to want to live with my conscience; I admit it.”

“You’re in love with Miss Scott. That’s who you want to live with, Theo. Admit it!”

Even Harry Dalgleish’s knee in the solar plexus hadn’t had such an effect as Amelia’s words.

For a moment, he was speechless.

“Go on, Theo. Admit that I’m right. Tell me you love her if it’s really true.”

He hung his head in misery. So, Amelia had guessed. A

nd now she wanted him to reassure her that he could still live with the arrangement they’d made together. That he might even grow to love her, despite what he felt for Lizzy.

“It’s true, Amelia,” he whispered. “I love her.” He kept his eyes closed for he couldn’t look at Amelia right now. Not when the image of Lizzy’s lovely face, bright with irrepressible humour, danced before him.

“Then she is coming with us.”

“Are you mad?” The words rolled off his tongue before he could recall them, but he didn’t regret the disparagement. He needed to say whatever he could to get Amelia to move. The idea that Lizzy’s beautiful visage would suddenly appear out of the darkness in front of him was, while like a dream come true, in reality, laughable.