by Lucy Adams
She nodded wordlessly and handed it to him, studying him carefully as he bent over her card. What was it about him that was different this evening? He was, as far as she could tell, just as he had always been, but yet there was something nagging at her mind that told her she had to look again.
And then, it came to her. A swift gasp escaped from her but, hurriedly, Titania turned it into a cough, which she then begged his pardon for, forcing an embarrassed smile onto her lips.
“Are you quite all right, Miss Wells?” Lord Huckleby asked, dropping the dance card so that it dangled from her wrist once more. “Might I fetch you something to drink?”
Titania, whose heart was beating with such ferocity that she was sure Lord Huckleby could hear it, gave a small wave of her hand. “I believe I am quite all right, Lord Huckleby, I thank you.”
He peered at her, as though dissatisfied by her answer. “Are you certain?”
“More than certain,” she answered, suddenly desperate for him to depart so that she might seek out Lord Carroway. “What dances did you choose, Lord Huckleby?”
He grinned at her, his eyes dancing with something that Titania found she did not much like. Looking down at her dance card, her breath caught in her chest as she took in that he had written his name down for both her waltzes.
“Lord Huckleby,” she stated, looking up at him and forcing a calmness to her voice that she did not feel. “You cannot put yourself down for both waltzes. You know that the ton will take notice and that comments will be made.”
He shrugged, as though it did not matter to him at all what other people said. “I intend for the beau monde to be entirely aware of my intentions, Miss Wells,” he said, taking a step closer to her, his eyes fixed upon hers. “Does that not please you?”
She swallowed hard, feeling her stomach begin to tighten with anxiousness. “Lord Huckleby, given that you have not spoken to either myself or my mother about any particular intentions, I cannot understand what it is that you believe yourself to be doing by such an act as this.” She let her dance card go and lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated by his sharp gaze. “I will not dance with you for both waltzes, Lord Huckleby.”
His eyes narrowed. “You will, Miss Wells,” he replied, lowering his head just a little so that the warning in his voice could not be mistaken. “I am not a gentleman used to being refused.”
A noise of derision escaped her, making Lord Huckleby’s gaze narrow further still. “I do not think, Lord Huckleby, that stating such a thing will make me any more likely to do as you wish,” she replied, unswerving in her answer. “I will not dance both waltzes with you, given that you have not spoken of your intentions to me and that, even if you had done so, I would not accept them from you. I have already begun to be courted by another, and it is to him that I intend to remain loyal.”
Lord Huckleby let out his breath in a hiss, his frame tightening with apparent frustration. “Do not tell me that you would choose a viscount over an earl, Miss Wells.”
She tipped her head gently, feeling a sudden reassurance fill her heart. “I would choose kindness over attempts at fear, Lord Huckleby,” she replied, aware that she was infuriating him but finding that she did not care. “I would choose understanding and consideration over arrogance and selfishness. In short, Lord Huckleby, yes, I would choose Lord Carroway over you. In fact, that is precisely what I have done.” Bobbing a curtsy, she forced a tight smile to her face. “Good evening, my Lord.”
Walking away from him, Titania pressed one hand against her heart, feeling it beat with such a fierceness that it was almost painful. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she hurried away, trying to remember where Lord Carroway was hiding himself. She knew now. She knew that Lord Huckleby was none other than Ravel, but that knowledge had to be pressed down and set aside so that it would not overwhelm her. Once she had found Lord Carroway, she could speak to him of what she had seen and allow him to proceed as he needed.
It had come to her in a sudden thrill of awareness, realizing that Lord Huckleby had set his hair to the opposite side of his head than usual. It had flopped over his left temple instead of his right, which meant that, most likely, he was hiding something beneath it. She did not have to guess what it was, believing that he was hiding a bruise that would prove him to be Ravel, the one who had attacked Lord Carroway and had sent men to steal the vial from her.
“I hardly think that you are going to be able to escape, Miss Wells.”
A gasp of fright escaped from her lips as she turned around to see Lord Huckleby advancing towards her as she hurried to the ballroom door, forgetting completely where Lord Carroway had hidden himself.
“I do not know what you mean, Lord Huckleby,” she lied, knowing that she had to find some excuse as to why she had been leaving the ballroom. “I am simply going to the powder room.” She did not run but remained standing, turning around to face him as he drew near. “Why are you following me in such a manner?”
Lord Huckleby glared at her, his expression dark. “I am not an idiot, Miss Wells,” he grated angrily. “I saw something in your eyes. An awareness, I think. If you are being courted by Lord Carroway, then it is most likely that he has told you the truth about his endeavors. Besides which, he was recovering at your mother’s house, was he not?”
Titania forced a look of surprise to her face, feeling her heart sink inwardly as she did so. Lord Huckleby had a sharp mind. It should not come as a surprise to her that he had surmised that she knew more than she had said, but still, she had to pretend otherwise.
“You will say nothing,” Lord Huckleby grated, reaching out and grasping her arm, making her gasp with fright. “I will not allow myself to be captured, Titania. Therefore, you must come with me.”
“I shall do no such thing,” Titania hissed, trying to wrench her arm away from him but finding his grip much too strong. There were only one or two guests near to them and, as the music began to play for the first dance, the guests hurried to the floor, giving Lord Huckleby his chance to force Titania out of the ballroom door.
“I should have had you killed the moment I first became aware of what you had seen,” Lord Huckleby muttered darkly, as he pushed her into a small, dark room that was not lit by even a single candle. “Foolishly, I did not.” He shoved her, hard, and Titania fell back onto a couch, her hands grasping tightly to it as though it might protect her in some way. “Your beauty was something I wished to have for myself. I thought you could be the decoration on my arm, but it seems you were determined to do otherwise. That vial you had in your possession was of the greatest importance to me, and yet you decided to show it to Lord Carroway.” He gritted his teeth, his anger evident as the moonlight streamed through the window, making him a shadowy, threatening figure that loomed over her. “Because of you, Titania, all of my plans are at an end.”
“Ravel,” she whispered, her mouth going dry as he laughed harshly.
“That is the name they gave me, yes,” he admitted, taking a step back to find a candle so that he could light it. “Working for the French has been much more profitable than simply remaining an English gentleman.”
Titania’s stomach turned over. “You did all of this for wealth?”
He shrugged, setting the now-lit candle on the table between them, his features lit up in a rather ominous fashion. “They have paid me well. When England falls, I shall have the prestige and the gratitude I deserve.”
“From the French.”
He shrugged again, looking down at her. “You shall have to learn to like it, Miss Wells, for it is there that you shall spend the rest of your days.”
Swallowing hard, Titania pushed herself up into a straighter seated position, her hands trembling as she forced them to settle in her lap. “I shall do no such thing.”
“Yes, you shall,” Lord Huckleby countered quickly. “Else I shall kill both you and Lord Carroway and leave your bodies here in England to rot.”
Fear crashed over her, but Titania drew i
n three long breaths, pushing away the buzzing in her head and trying to think clearly. “I will not go with you, Lord Huckleby,” she replied in as firm a voice as she could muster. “I would rather die than be a traitor.”
Lord Huckleby snorted. “Then I shall kill Lord Carroway.”
A silent scream lodged in Titania’s throat, and she found herself looking down helplessly at her hands, not at all certain what she ought to say.
“Although I confess that I fear it may take a few attempts before he succumbs completely, given how well he fought the last time,” Lord Huckleby continued airily, as though he were talking about something entirely benign. “Now, Miss Wells, if you do not wish for that to occur, then you will tell me how to remove both yourself and I from this house without being seen. If you make a sound, then I shall stab you, hard, and you will have no means to escape then.” He took a step forward and leaned over her. “Your life blood will drain from you and soak into your mother’s fine rugs.” He chuckled darkly, and Titania shuddered.
“You are trying to fill me with fear, but I will not allow it to take hold of me,” Titania told him, aware that she was lying but determined not to allow Lord Huckleby to see the true effect his words were having upon her. “I shall not leave this house without making as many people as I can aware of what your intentions are and the truth of your identity, for it is not only my life at stake but a good many others.” Holding his gaze, Titania squeezed her fingers together, forcing herself to take in a steadying breath. “You work for the enemy. Your plan was to bring down the royal family, and if I allow you to force me to leave this place without making so much as a sound, then what good am I to my King and to my country? You may be willing to betray them, Lord Huckleby, but I am not.”
Lord Huckleby leaned forward, the very air in the room seeming to fill with his presence. Titania felt herself tremble with fright as he did so, finding that she could not look away from him even if she wished to.
“Then your body shall be discovered here, in this very room, with the button left beside you,” he said, referring to the button that Lord Carroway had so often found in his attempts to chase and capture Ravel. “Lord Carroway will know that he has failed again, and that, this time, he has lost more than ever before.”
Before Titania could answer, the door behind Lord Huckleby flew open and slammed against the wall. She jumped, scrambling back against the cushions as Lord Huckleby turned around.
“I have not lost anything yet,” came the voice of Lord Carroway, standing framed in the doorway. “Now step away from Miss Wells and face me alone, Ravel. The time for your reckoning has come.”
Chapter Sixteen
Edward had been watching Titania closely, hidden in the shadows of the alcove Lady Whitehaven had led him to. Lady Whitehaven had informed him, quite succinctly, that she now knew everything about the very difficult situation which both he and her daughter found themselves in, but instead of losing her temper or hurrying Titania back to the estate as he thought she might do, she had surprised him by doing all she could to help.
Edward suspected that Lady Whitehaven might be aware of the growing affection between himself and Titania and had, in her own mind, decided that her daughter’s happiness would be worth going through the trouble of aiding him with the capture of Ravel. Either that or she knew that Titania was rather stubborn and would fight against any edict to remove herself from Edward’s company. In that way, Edward found himself both appreciative for Lady Whitehaven’s decision and Titania’s determination.
He had settled into his alcove with his eyes firmly fixed on Titania, marveling at the grace and the poise with which she moved. When she smiled, he found his heart lifting in his chest, his mind filling with delight at the mere sight of her. They had shared so much the last few days and the intimacy between them had grown steadily and with such force that it was almost unbelievable. Had Lady Whitehaven and the surgeon not been present some days ago, when he had been speaking to Titania whilst resting from what had been a very difficult ordeal, he would have bent his head to kiss her and, immediately thereafter, sought to make her his bride. It felt more than right to do such a thing, for he knew in his heart that there could be no one else like Titania, no one who could become so dear to him. To make her his wife, to bring her back to his estate and perhaps to settle into a life without the army had suddenly become a much more delightful prospect, and Edward knew with certainty that this was what he desired. Titania was enchanting, strong, and fiercely determined, and within that, he knew, was a growing affection for him – one that he could not help but return. He had never encountered any one like her before, and he was certain he would not find anyone like her again. Therefore, Edward knew that he had to ask her to be his wife and found himself growing ever more eager to do so.
That had been the only thought in his mind, right up until the moment that Lord Huckleby had come to stand in front of Titania. The way he had grasped her dance card with such a possessive manner had taken him aback, and seeing the way that Titania had frowned, he felt himself grow tense. It was not because he had thought that Lord Huckleby had anything to do with the French, but merely because he disliked how he spoke and treated Titania.
However, when Titania had retreated, her eyes wide and flared with a sudden fright, he had risen from his seat in the alcove and had begun to hurry towards her, the pain in his side nagging at him as he did so. Yes, he had recovered a great deal, but the wound was not yet well enough healed for him to move at any great speed. It tugged at him as he had moved towards her – but it had not been in enough time to prevent Lord Huckleby from grasping her arm and propelling her towards the door.
“Lord Carroway?”
Edward turned from where he stood, staring after Lord Huckleby, to see Lady Whitehaven approaching him, her expression one of fright.
“He is gone this way,” he said quickly, gesturing towards the door. “I know not where.”
Lady Whitehaven reached out and grasped his arm. “Who?” she asked, as Edward saw Titania’s two sisters and cousin coming towards them. “Who has taken her?”
“Lord Huckleby,” Edward replied in a low voice. “I must go in search of them. I do not think that he will have left the house, for someone would have seen them go and your daughter would not leave willingly.”
“Nor in silence,” Lady Whitehaven agreed, although her eyes were filled with fear. Turning to her daughters, she gave them a small smile, reminding Edward that they did not know the intricacies of what was happening all around them.
“Merry, you, Catherine, and Dinah must continue to ensure that our guests enjoy themselves,” she said in a calm voice. “Lord Carroway and I must speak privately for a moment.”
Edward’s heart lurched as Merry’s eyes widened and she turned towards him, although a smile crept across her face as she did so. He knew what they thought he and their mother would be discussing, and he found himself wishing desperately that such a thing was about to occur.
“I quite understand, Mama,” Merry said clearly, looking back towards Lady Whitehaven. “Take as much time as you need.”
“And Dinah,” Lady Whitehaven said, her tone now a trifle more severe. “You are not to hide yourself away in the corner. Engage with our guests, if you please.” She waited until the girl had given her a small, jerky nod before turning back to Edward, whose urgency was rising steadily.
“This way,” he said, urging her towards the door. “As I have said, I do not think that he will have left the house, although it might be wise to ask a footman if—”
He did not get to finish his sentence for Lady Whitehaven hurried away from him at once and began to speak in rapid tones to a nearby footman. Edward waited impatiently, his heart quailing a little within him. He prayed that Titania would be unharmed by the time they found her.
“No, Lord Huckleby and Titania have not been seen leaving the house,” Lady Whitehaven said, coming back to him. “Then where can they be?”
Edward l
ooked along the hallway. It ran from one side to the other, with the ballroom behind him and most of the doors were tightly closed – but there was one that lay in the shadows, as though hiding itself from his sight.
“He will have taken her somewhere here,” he murmured, gesturing to the doors and the other rooms. “He will try to convince her to leave quietly or he will threaten her in some fashion. We must go at once.”
Lady Whitehaven nodded. “I will go to one side if you will take the other,” she said hurriedly, stepping away from him. “I do hope Titania is…” She shook her head, unable to say more, but Edward did not pause to give her any words of encouragement. His need to find Titania was too great.
“We must be quiet,” he murmured, moving to the first door and seeing Lady Whitehaven move across the to the other side of the ballroom, listening carefully at the doors as he did. His instincts told him to hurry to the door farther away from him, the one hidden in shadows, and so he did so at once, moving quickly but quietly, with the growing urgency deep within his heart.
His instincts proved to be correct again, as he heard the unmistakable voice of Lord Huckleby coming from within. Gesturing wildly to Lady Whitehaven, he saw her lift her head and nod, coming towards him at once and bringing two footmen with her.
“He is in here,” Edward whispered, his voice barely audible.
“And Titania?”
Edward swallowed hard, knowing that Lord Huckleby must be speaking to someone but not being certain about the state of mind or of body that Titania was in.
And then, he heard her voice, as clear as crystal, coming from within.
“You are trying to fill me with fear, but I will not allow it to take a hold of me,” he heard her say, wanting to shout aloud with relief as he heard her speak. “I shall not leave this house without making as many people as I can aware of what your intentions are and the truth of your identity, for it is not only my life at stake but a good many others. You work for the enemy. Your plan was to bring down the royal family, and if I allow you to force me to leave this place without making so much as a sound, then what good am I to my King and to my country? You may be willing to betray them, Lord Huckleby, but I am not.”