by Rose Pearson
“Unhand me at once!” Phillip exclaimed, shaking his arm free. “You are already pushing past the bounds of propriety, Lord Darnsley, and I tell you now I will not stand for it.”
An ugly expression appeared over Lord Darnsley’s face, his lip curling. “Lady Harmonia is to wed me,” he said, loudly enough for the other gentlemen to hear. “She has agreed to my court, and I am here to tell you to step aside.”
Phillip heard a few gasps come from behind him but simply rolled his eyes, a sigh leaking from the corner of his mouth. “Truly, Lord Darnsley? You are going to try and pull the wool over my eyes in order to get your hands on the one woman’s dowry you think might be available to you?”
A flash of anger rippled over Lord Darnsley’s expression.
“I know that Lady Harmonia has told you no such thing,” Phillip continued, calmly. “You cannot think me as foolish as to believe you, Lord Darnsley! Unfortunately, I know you better than that, even though we are barely acquainted.” Giving Lord Darnsley a knowing look, Phillip shook his head in a pitying manner, hoping to show that he was not in the least bit concerned about Lord Darnsley’s claim. “It is time for you to go now, I think.”
“We are to be wed!” Lord Darnsley exclaimed, the words spitting from his mouth. “No matter what it is you believe of Lady Harmonia, she is playing you false. Already we have set a date, and the banns are due to be called very soon.”
Phillip’s jaw clenched, his hands going white as he clasped them together in a desperate attempt to keep a rein on his anger. He wanted nothing more than to plant Lord Darnsley a facer, but a quiet voice reminded him that this would bring nothing but scandal to himself and to Lady Harmonia. Lord Marshall’s quietening hand brought Phillip a measure of comfort, calming his furious rage.
“Lord Darnsley,” he said, quietly, turning around to face the gentleman once more. “Enough of this nonsense. I will not hear another word of it from you.” Lord Darnsley made to speak, but Phillip cut him off with a slice of his hand. “I said, enough,” he said, firmly. “You are speaking of Lady Harmonia in a way that she does not deserve,” he continued, once he was sure that Lord Darnsley had buttoned his lips again. “I will not have her name dragged through the mud.”
Lord Marshall cleared his throat and took a step forward, moving closer to Lord Darnsley. Phillip appreciated his presence, glad that his friend was willing to stand by him when Lord Darnsley was making such accusations.
“None of us here will believe a thing you say about Lady Harmonia, Lord Darnsley,” Lord Marshall said, loudly. “We know Lord Newford and the kind of man he is. In addition, we also know the Duke’s daughters and how each of them carried themselves blamelessly through society. If I were you, I would heed Lord Newford’s warnings and silence yourself before you come to any kind of harm.”
Lord Darnsley sneered openly at them both. “I speak of what I know.”
“No,” Phillip exclaimed, stepping forward as his hands grew desperate to wring Lord Darnsley’s neck. “You speak evil, Lord Darnsley. We are aware of your debts, of your gambling and other more disgusting habits. Do not think that you can hide yourself from us in any way for I assure you that your deeds are well known amongst the gentlemen of the ton.”
To Phillip’s satisfaction, he saw Lord Darnsley’s face pale slightly as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
“Now,” he finished, stepping even closer, “if you dare speak another word against Lady Harmonia, I will call you out for it. Do you understand me? It will be pistols at dawn, and I warn you that I am a remarkable shot.”
“That he is,” Lord Marshall agreed, glancing behind him as the other gentlemen began to make noises of agreement. “So, what shall it be, Lord Darnsley? Have you any more to say or do you find yourself suddenly mute?”
Phillip held Lord Darnsley’s gaze steadily, aware of the mutinous look in the man’s eyes. Lady Harmonia had every right to be concerned over Lord Darnsley’s behavior, given the sheer cruelty that seemed to ooze from him. He waited for a few more seconds before lifting his chin and making to move closer – only for Lord Darnsley to step away.
He did not bow, he did not speak, he did not so much as glare at Phillip. Instead, Lord Darnsley turned his back on them all and strode from the room, finally exiting Whites altogether.
Letting out a long breath, Phillip turned to Lord Marshall and saw the surprise on his face.
“Not a good man, is he?” Lord Marshall muttered, rubbing one hand across his brow. “To even so much as think of such lies so as to drag Lady Harmonia’s name through the gutter in order to try and stop your courtship is terrible indeed, never mind actually attempting to announce those lies as if anyone would believe them! Thankfully I know these gentlemen will not listen to a word he has to say about her, so you need not have any concern there.”
“That is a relief,” Phillip replied, still upset and angry over what Lord Darnsely had tried to do. “I would say that Lord Darnsley is becoming somewhat desperate to get Lady Harmonia’s dowry. Obviously, he is now well aware that the truths about his debts and the like are now slowly worming their way through society.”
Lord Marshall nodded, his mouth one thin line as he studied Phillip carefully. “It appears as though he regards you as being the one to blame for all this,” he said, slowly. “You spoke about his debts in front of other gentlemen and, in addition, are courting Lady Harmonia. I cannot think that he has good intentions towards you, old man. If he can get you out of the way then, to his mind, there might still be a chance that Lady Harmonia will return to him.”
Hearing the warning in his friend’s voice, Phillip gave him a wry smile. “I agree. The man is just foolhardy enough to try to do whatever he can to take me away from Lady Harmonia, although I know that she will not have him. He certainly will appear to ignore everything she tells him.” He let out a long sigh and rubbed one hand over his eyes, feeling the tension slowly build within him once more, his head beginning to throb. “It seems I will need to be on my guard.”
“Yes, you will,” Lord Marshall said firmly, handing Phillip his glass of port. “Have no doubt about this, Newford. That man has trouble on his mind.”
---
Lord Luke Darnsley grated his teeth together in frustration, his hands tightening into fists as he paced back and forth outside Whites. He’d had everything under control, everything laid out just as he’d planned. Now, it was slowly shattering around him into tiny pieces, his life fragmenting right before his eyes.
He wanted nothing more than to storm back into Whites, grab Lord Newford by the throat and slam him, hard, against the wall until Lord Newford begged for mercy. He wanted to demand that Lord Newford stay away from Lady Harmonia, the lady who had been destined to belong to Luke but now appeared to have changed her allegiance. Of course, Luke knew that he could do no such thing to Lord Newford, since he was surrounded by his friends. Most likely, if he threatened Lord Newford, the man would use his friends to remind Luke of just how weak he was. Luke gritted his teeth again, hard, his whole body lined with tension.
He had to either force Lady Harmonia to wed him or rid her of the leeching Lord Newford. Lady Harmonia appeared rather stubborn of late, although he was quite sure she’d come around in time, especially if Lord Newford was no longer courting her. Mayhap she’d be heartbroken over the loss of Lord Newford’s attentions and then, in her sadness, she’d turn to him again. Pausing in his steps, Luke frowned as he thought carefully about what to do in order to force such a situation. Lord Newford had not taken kindly to him attempting to speak to him about Lady Harmonia, which meant that he would have to simply act. Surely then, with Lord Newford gone entirely, Lady Harmonia would turn back into Luke’s arms! It was not, of course, that he cared for the girl but that her dowry was substantial enough to cover his debts and set him back on good standing once more. Luke had never particularly cared about which of the sisters he married, but Lady Harmonia had seemed the most amiable towards him and the most willing. As far as he was conce
rned, there had been an understanding between them for some years, and it was not one that Lady Harmonia could simply turn her back on because she’d had her head turned by one man’s attentions.
If it came to it, Luke had every intention of forcing Lady Harmonia into a situation where she’d have very little choice but to wed him. He could not let her go, not when her money was so very near. But, hopefully, with Lord Newford out of the way, Lady Harmonia would have the blinkers removed from her eyes and turn back to Luke once again.
Now, all he had to do was rid himself of Lord Newford.
Luke’s pacing resumed as he walked up and down the street just outside Whites. The laughter from within echoed out onto the street, forcing anger into Luke’s soul. He was not a part of that, would never be a part of that, for he was now considered not worthy to be touched since he had so many debts. All of London would know of it soon enough, and he was quite sure that the Duke himself, Lady Harmonia’s father, had at least heard a few rumors. Not that it mattered particularly, for Luke was aware that the man had grown somewhat soft over the last few years and would allow Lady Harmonia anything she wanted – even if that was to marry a man with barely tuppence to rub together.
The dark night was, slowly, beginning to consider returning to the dawn and Luke knew he would have to act quickly. The shade would be his cover, the gloom hiding him from Lord Newford until it was too late. He had very little idea as to whether or not the man would walk to his residence or hail a hackney which meant that he needed to set off at once.
His strides were purposeful as he made his way along the street, frustrated that he had very little coin left which he could not spend on even a hackney. Sweat trickled down his back as he dodged small beggar boys running along the streets, ready to pick whatever pocket they could. His mind swelled with the idea held within, his veins running with a few found hope and expectancy.
And yet, it was no small matter, what he was about to do. He would have to run almost at once, whilst the smoke was still clearing so that no-one would know of his presence. A great many things occurred during the night, when men hid in shadows and thieves ran amok. So long as he was not discovered, then no-one could blame him for what occurred. It would just be an unfortunate happening.
It took Luke some time to return to the residence he occupied – a townhouse that belonged to some obscure relation that allowed him to lodge there when he came to town. It was sparsely decorated and a skeleton staff, but Luke had not been able to find better lodgings or even hire more servants. He had no money with which to do such a thing.
The pistol was easy enough to find, although Luke was careful to ensure that it was loaded correctly. He would only have one shot and that shot would have to be the right one. Swapping his clean white shirt for a darker one, Luke opted for a long black coat and pulled a cap down over his face, discarding his gentleman’s derby hat. It was best he was an anonymous as possible.
No-one moved within the house as he took his leave again. It was late enough for the butler and footman to have gone to bed and Luke knew they would not rise again till the morning. It was best that there was no-one aware of his movements.
His legs were tired as he hurried down the street, but urgency pushed him on. He had made it his business to know as much about Lord Newford as possible, in the hope that something might flair up that he could use to blackmail the man to stay away from Lady Harmonia, but much to his frustration, there had been nothing of note. At least now, however, he knew where the man lived. Grateful for the lamplighters, Luke hurried his way through the cobbled streets of London, anticipation growing with every step.
A swirling mist curled around Luke’s ankles as he waited across the street from Lord Newford’s home. It was cold and damp, the air itself leaving a cool moisture against his skin. Luke was breathing quietly now, keeping himself hidden as best he could behind a waiting hackney. The driver was apparently sound asleep, his snores breaking the silence. Luke could not find anywhere else to hide himself and had to hope that, in the confusion that would follow, he would easily be able to make his escape.
The driver snored and snuffled loudly, the horse snorting for a moment before returning to silence. The pistol was cool in his hand as Luke waited, desperately hoping that Lord Newford had not returned home already.
It seemed hours before a hackney rolled across the cobbled streets. The first lights of dawn were already beginning to spread across the sky, making Luke shiver with anxiety. He did not want anyone to see his face or be easily able to identify him. This had to be done quickly.
“Thank you, my man.”
Lord Newford’s voice echoed across the street towards Luke and, hearing it, Luke stumbled out from his hiding place. The street was still mostly dark, and Luke hurried across the road, coming around to where Lord Newford was about to climb the steps. The miserable light from the lanterns was just enough for Luke to see by.
He had to get this right.
“Ho! There!”
His voice was low but loud enough for Lord Newford to stop and turn around. Luke did not hesitate. Lifting the pistol, he sucked in a breath, narrowed his gaze and pulled the trigger.
The sound of the shot echoed around the street, mingled with Lord Newford’s sudden, guttural cry. Luke didn’t wait to see what had happened to the man, knowing he had to get away from this place and straight back to his own home as soon as possible.
The driver of the other hackney, the one who had been asleep, suddenly came to life. Leaping down from his seat, he rushed over to where Lord Newford lay, joining the first hackney driver.
It seemed that all the attention was on Lord Newford and Luke took his opportunity. Turning his back on Lord Newford, he took to his heels and ran as fast as he could down the street and back towards his home.
Suddenly shouts caught his ears and terror clutched at his heart. Was he about to be caught? Discovered?
His breath was coming fast now. Seeing an alleyway, Luke ducked into it, praying that the gloom and the shadows would wrap themselves around him, hiding him completely. For a few moments, there was no other sound except that of his own breathing – and then, there came running feet.
Pressing himself hard against the stone wall, Luke closed his eyes and held his breath. There came no hand gripping his, no shout of recognition. In fact, the feet ran straight past him, apparently not even seeing the alleyway.
Luke swallowed hard, letting out a long breath. He had done it. He had succeeded. Lord Newford was, he hoped, no longer of this earth and soon, Lady Harmonia would be his. Everything would fall into place, just as he had hoped.
Calming himself down as best he could, Luke put his pistol back into its holder and wrapped his coat around himself. Stepping out from the alley, he pulled his hat down a little more firmly on his head and began to walk smartly back in the direction of his own home. No-one stopped him. No-one questioned him. He remained entirely anonymous.
As dawn began to spread its light over the town of London, Luke finally reached his front door. Satisfaction spread through him like a warm glow, bringing a smile to his face. Stepping inside, he closed the door and locked it tightly, leaning back against it as he chuckled to himself. He had succeeded, he was quite sure of it. Lord Newford would no longer present a problem.
Chapter Fifteen
“Good morning!”
Harmonia looked up and smiled as her sister walked in and sat down at the dining table, quickly followed by her father.
“You are awake early, Harmonia,” her father commented, as the footman served him his usual breakfast plate. “Are you quite all right?”
“More than all right, father,” Harmonia assured him, aware that he was worried about her since her confrontation with Luke some days ago. “I was simply awake early this morning.”
Her father studied her for a moment longer before nodding, turning his attention towards his breakfast.
“Would you care to come out for a walk with me?” Amelia asked, pourin
g herself a cup of tea. “I thought to get a new ribbon for my daughter and perhaps a new book for myself.”
“That would be lovely,” Harmonia replied, with a quick smile. “I can be ready in a few minutes.”
Her father cleared his throat. “You will be careful, will you not?”
“Of course, papa,” Harmonia said at once, reaching for his hand and pressing it lightly “We shall take a footman with us, if you wish it.”
“Yes, do,” the Duke replied, some of the tension leaving his features. “And let me know the moment you return home. I confess I am still a little anxious over Luke’s behavior towards you.”
Harmonia could not pretend that she did not feel the same anxiety as her father, but she was determined that it would not keep her hiding away indoors. “I am sure Luke will be sound asleep, papa,” she said, as Amelia nodded in agreement. “After all, most of the ton will still be abed even by the time Amelia and I return home!”
The Duke gave her a small smile and let go of Harmonia’s hand. “Very good. Do not be too long, however. My nerves are not what they once were!”
Getting up from her chair, Harmonia kissed her father’s cheek and, with a promise to be back within a couple of hours, quit the room in search of her bonnet.
“Do you think that Luke will be in town this morning?”
Amelia, evidently surprised at the question, glanced over at Harmonia. “No, I should not think so but, even if he is, we have the footman and the maid with us.”
Letting out a long breath, Harmonia tried to shake off some of the tension she felt. It was strange to realize just how much of an impact Luke’s words had made on her.
“Are you still worried about him?”
Harmonia nodded, looping her arm through her sister’s. “Yes, I am.”
“That is quite understandable,” Amelia replied, calmly. “But I think that he is mostly talk. He tries to intimidate those he wants to do his bidding with his words and with his ire, but you have not given in.”