The Most to Lose

by Landon, Laura

  Until then, though, perhaps he could use her to assist him in his plan to ruin Haywood.

  He sat back against the squabs and smiled. Perhaps he should encourage his sister to continue her association with Haywood until he could lure the bastard into his trap.

  His mind suddenly wrapped around a plan, and all the pieces fell into place. All he had to do was make sure his sister didn’t cast Haywood aside for a few more weeks. All he had to do was make Haywood think he was making progress with his sister.

  Hell, he might even enjoy watching the scoundrel think he was gaining ground in his attempt to get a wife with a large enough dowry to pay the staggering amount he owed. Of course, he wouldn’t for one second seriously consider Haywood as his future brother-in-law.

  He wanted to laugh at the thought. There was no way he’d give Cecelia into that murderer’s hands. But if Haywood thought there was a chance…

  Hadleigh outlined every possibility, considered every detail that could go wrong. In the end, though, Haywood’s total demise outweighed any risk he would take. Only Cecelia’s involvement gave him the slightest pause.

  He suffered a twinge of guilt at the thought that she might discover how he’d used her. But she was the perfect pawn. Haywood had already made his intentions known. And for some reason he didn’t understand, his sister hadn’t rejected Haywood as quickly as she rejected other suitors. But she would. If he weren’t so sure she would tire of Haywood, he wouldn’t consider using her in his plan for revenge.

  But in the meantime, he’d watch over her to make sure she didn’t get hurt. When she discovered Haywood only wanted her for her dowry, she’d thank him for interfering in her future. She’d be grateful that he’d saved her from ruining her life. She’d agree that Melisande’s murderer needed to be destroyed.

  Chapter 7

  Do you think Lord Haywood will be here tonight?” Amanda asked when Celie met her amidst the crowd of operagoers. The crush of people moved slowly as they began their ascent up the winding staircase to take their seats in the upper boxes.

  “Yes, he’ll be here because I told him we were going to attend tonight.”

  “That doesn’t mean you’ll see him or get to talk to him,” Amanda said, searching the latecomers walking through the entryway with the same diligence as Celie.

  “Yes, it does. I’ve invited Lord Haywood to join us in Hadleigh’s box.”

  The shocked look on Amanda’s face caused the butterflies in Celie’s stomach to flutter nervously.

  Before she could say anything in her defense, Amanda’s expression turned serious. She none too gently grabbed Celie’s arm and led her to one of the alcoves tucked into the wall at either end of the long hallway beneath the stairway. “You didn’t!” she said, pulling Celie down beside her on the paisley-cushioned bench. “Does your brother know?”

  “No, and unless you tell him, he’ll probably never find out.” Celie smiled nervously. “He had an important committee meeting to attend and said he wouldn’t be able to make it to tonight’s performance.”

  “You don’t think he’ll hear about it?” Amanda asked.

  Celie tried to ignore the frustration she heard in her friend’s voice. “Of course he’ll hear about it. But by the time he does, it will be over and there won’t be anything he can do about it.”

  Amanda gave a loud guffaw. “You know your brother better than that, Celie. It will never be too late for him to react to something the Earl of Haywood does. And this is definitely something that will cause him to take action.”

  Celie tried to watch for Haywood, but Amanda had the view blocked.

  “Is he here yet?” Celie asked, feeling a little more nervous than she had earlier in the day when she’d convinced herself she was finished allowing her brother to control where she went and who she saw.

  Now she wasn’t so sure this was the wisest move she could have made. Especially after the argument they’d had earlier and Hadleigh’s demand that she avoid the Earl of Haywood.

  Amanda looked at the entrance as the door opened and closed to admit any newcomers. “Not yet. But if he intends to come, he’ll be here soon, or he’ll miss the first act.”

  “He’ll be here. He sent a note saying he would.”

  “You’re pretty sure of him, aren’t you?”

  “I have no reason not to be,” she answered. She was sure of him, in more ways than even Amanda realized.

  “The two of you are causing quite a stir, you know. Not only because of the long time the two of you spent alone in Lady Cushing’s garden the other night, but you’ve been seen riding through Hyde Park together nearly every afternoon since. Then, last night, everyone noticed he chose you as his dinner partner at Lady Rossely’s ball.”

  Celie tried to avoid looking Amanda in the eyes. She knew if she did, her best friend would see more than Celie intended.

  Her tactic didn’t work.

  “Celie, look at me.”

  Celie hesitated, then slowly lifted her chin.

  “Oh, blast it all.” Amanda’s eyes were as round as saucers. “How could you?”

  Celie was shocked. “How could I what?”

  “I mean, we’re not talking about just anyone, you realize. We’re talking about the Earl of Haywood.”

  “Just what is wrong with the Earl of Haywood?”

  Celie was prepared to be angry with her best friend, but couldn’t when she replied, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing, except…”

  Celie waited for Amanda to continue.

  “Except, what?”

  “Celie, he’s your brother’s most bitter enemy. Nothing good will come of an association with him. Besides, I thought there was a secret love you’ve always dreamed you’d—”

  Amanda’s eyes opened even wider. “Oh,” she whispered as if she had a difficult time saying even that much.

  “Don’t read anything into this, Amanda. I simply enjoy Lord Haywood’s company. I simply—”

  “You’ve fallen in love with him, haven’t you?” Amanda peeked around the corner of the alcove to make sure no one was close enough to overhear their conversation.

  “I haven’t fallen in love with him,” Celie started to deny, but Amanda stopped her from finishing.

  “Of course you haven’t fallen in love with him, because you’ve always been in love with him.”

  Celie cleared her throat. “I admit I’ve always considered Lord Haywood very appealing.”

  “That’s an understatement considering the way you’ve always talked about the man of your dreams. And now I know why!”

  “You think he’s special, too, don’t you?”

  “I think he’s very special. So special, in fact, that your association with him may cause your brother to disown you.”

  Celie wanted to tell Amanda that Hadleigh would never do that—except she wasn’t sure. She wanted to tell Amanda that she thought Hadleigh had changed since Jonah had returned—except the opposite seemed to be true. She wanted to tell Amanda that she didn’t care if her brother disowned her—except she did. She had to…because her dowry was probably the only reason Jonah was paying her such attention.

  Everyone knew his father and brother had left him a staggering amount of debts. Rumors circulated since he’d returned that his first order of business, as soon as he was well enough to leave his bed, was to find a bride with a large enough dowry to save him from losing all his entailed property. Who was there in all of London with a larger dowry than she?

  “Hadleigh will never disown me,” she said with a greater amount of confidence than she felt.

  “He probably won’t,” Amanda said, leaning forward for a better view of the operagoers entering the theater, “because one of them will be dead after the duel they’ll fight when your brother arrives to find Haywood alone with his sister.”

  “Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” Celie said, praying that wasn’t a possibility. “Hadleigh won’t be here, and even if he comes, I won’t be alone. You’ll be there.”

&nb
sp; Amanda rolled her eyes. “Oh, that will certainly help. He’s always considered me your partner in crime. All that’s saved me from being banned from existence is that he can’t quite figure out which one of us is the mastermind behind all our schemes.”

  “Yes, he can,” Celie said, trying to add a little humor. “He knows it’s you.”

  “Well, if he does…” Amanda said, peeking around the opening once more. She gave a little squeal, then pulled back inside and pressed her back against the wall. “If he has any doubts as to which one of us is the worst, then neither of us is likely to survive the night.”

  Celie swallowed hard. Amanda’s eyes filled with terror and her lips pressed tight as if clamping them together was the only way she could hold back her scream. “Why?”

  “Because your brother is here,” she said, pulling back into the alcove. “He is standing in the middle of the lobby talking to Lord Riverton and his wife.”

  “Damn!” Celie sucked in a shaky breath. “He told me he wouldn’t be here.”

  “Well, he is.” Amanda looked back out to the lobby. “And so is Lord Haywood. He’s right behind him.”

  “Oh.” Celie clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle a moan. Or a scream of horror.

  “Now what?”

  “How should I know?” Celie said as the panic inside her bubbled until she thought she might be ill.

  “I suggest you go out to face the music,” Amanda said.

  Celie tried to come up with a solution that would keep her from having to face the two at the same time. If she could just get Hadleigh off by himself, she might have a chance to plead with him to behave and not cause a scene. But she didn’t know how she could manage that if the two were in the lobby together.

  No, on second thought, she might stand a better chance if she told Hadleigh she’d invited Lord Haywood while His Grace was surrounded by the esteemed members of the ton, several of whom he’d have to face in the House tomorrow morning. She would rely on his pride to stop him from making a scene.

  Celie took a shaky breath and rose to her feet. “All right. Let’s go.”

  “What’s this let’s term? If you think I’m going to accompany you—”

  “Of course you’re going to accompany me. You’re my best friend. You’re my—”

  “I’m going to visit the retiring room. I’ll probably need to be there for at least thirty minutes. Or until the shouting stops.”

  “You wouldn’t!” Her desperation must have been transparent because a harsh breath rushed from Amanda’s mouth and her shoulders sagged in resignation.

  “All right. But you owe me, Celie, and I’m going to collect someday!”

  “Yes. Yes! Now let’s get out there. You just divert Hadleigh. Keep him from killing me. And from killing Lord Haywood.”

  Celie couldn’t believe the word that came from Amanda’s mouth when she walked out of the small alcove. Someday she’d have to ask her what that particular term meant.

  They walked through the lobby toward where Hadleigh and Jonah stood. They were barely an arm’s length away from one another.

  Celie knew this was going to be one of the longest nights of her life. She prayed all of them survived until morning.

  Jonah had assumed when Celie invited him to sit in their box for the opera that Hadleigh either wouldn’t be in attendance or that he knew about it and she’d somehow forced him to agree. But one glance at the surprised look on Hadleigh’s face when they entered the theater at the same time told Jonah his presence was not only a surprise but an unpleasant one.

  Jonah envisioned the sight of Cecelia and him together was as pleasant as salt poured onto an open wound. A nagging sense of doom settled over him as he swore under his breath and prepared to endure a torturous evening.

  Until it was over, he’d take pleasure in the fact that his presence had the power to put a scowl of immense magnitude on Hadleigh’s face tonight.

  He stepped forward when he saw Celie and her friend walk toward him from the other side of the lobby and smiled.

  There was nothing insincere about his smile. Celie did that to him—turned his insides warm. Bloody hell, but she was unique. Every time he looked at her, he wanted to touch her, hold her. Kiss her.

  “Lady Amanda. Lady Cecelia. Good evening.”

  “Good evening, Lord Haywood,” Lady Amanda and Celie said in unison.

  “Hadleigh.”

  “Haywood, I wasn’t aware you were joining us tonight.”

  Jonah arched his brows in what he hoped was a condescending gesture. “Weren’t you?”

  “No, I wasn’t.” He cast a severe look in his sister’s direction.

  “Have you seen La Traviata before, Your Grace?” Lady Amanda said, forcing Hadleigh to shift his glare from his sister.

  Facing his sister’s friend did little to improve his disposition.

  “No, but I am familiar with Verdi’s works. I attended his Rigoletto last year when I traveled to Italy.”

  Hadleigh turned back to his sister to make another comment, but Lady Amanda prevented anything he intended to say by asking him another question.

  “Were you as impressed with Rigoletto as the rest of Europe seems to have been?”

  Hadleigh gave Lady Amanda an aristocratic look of boredom that would have sent most young ladies in society running for cover, but it didn’t seem to bother Lady Amanda in the least.

  “Actually, no. I wasn’t impressed. I find Verdi far too emotional for my taste.”

  Lady Amanda gave him a smile that didn’t at all resemble humor, but something near to condescension. Her words confirmed it. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” she said in what didn’t seem at all to be a question.

  Jonah sensed a fury building in Hadleigh. It was obvious that Lady Amanda was diverting Hadleigh’s attention intentionally, and the idea that she was playing mediator struck him as humorous. How very brave of her. Or foolish.

  “Did you enjoy Rigoletto, Lady Amanda?” Jonah asked, admiring her courage.

  “Actually, I did. Very much. I find certain of his arias heart-wrenchingly passionate. But then, I’ve been told the fact that I have a heart exposes me to such emotions.”

  “As opposed to people who supposedly don’t have hearts?” Hadleigh growled between clenched teeth.

  Lady Amanda’s face lit in a gleaming smile. “I think you understand perfectly.”

  The two men glared at each other for several long seconds; then Hadleigh turned his gaze to Amanda. She simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Jonah wanted to laugh out loud but knew such a reaction would only add more fuel to the explosive situation.

  Hadleigh quickly returned his attention to Lady Amanda as if he refused to allow her the last word. But it was already too late. Celie’s friend was expounding on the beauty of Verdi’s other works.

  Jonah chose to ignore the hostility emanating from the two. Why should he waste any of his energy worrying about the Duke of Hadleigh when he had the opportunity to spend several hours sitting next to Celie?

  “May I escort you to your brother’s box?” he said, extending his arm for her to take.

  She smiled and placed her hand atop his.

  His heart did a somersault before settling back into place.

  “I should probably explain about my brother,” she began, but he stopped her.

  “There’s no need. I’ve known him equally as long as you and am as aware of what drives his emotions as anyone.”

  “You mean Melisande,” she said, looking back to where her friend still had Hadleigh trapped in conversation.

  Jonah followed her gaze back to Hadleigh and Lady Amanda and thought that the discussion between the two looked as if it were turning more…confrontational.

  “Yes, Melisande.”

  “Everything always returns to Melisande, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, somehow she’s able to reach out from the grave and cause trouble.”

  “Speaking of Melisande,” she said. “I intended to warn
you about something.”

  Jonah paused en route to the staircase. “Warn me?”

  “Yes, concerning Melisande’s mother. If you happen to attend the same function, please take care to avoid her. Since Melisande’s death, she’s lost her grasp of reality.”

  He regretted hearing that. Lady Kendall had idolized Melisande as much as Hadleigh had. He didn’t doubt that she had difficulties adjusting to her daughter’s death.

  Celie continued. “At Lady Farthington’s ball, she insisted Melisande had come with them and refused to leave until Melisande was ready to go home. Lord Kendall finally convinced his wife that Melisande had already left.”

  A heavy weight pressed against his chest. So much had happened as a result of that night. So many people were still affected by Melisande’s actions. Jonah wondered when it would end. If it would ever end.

  “Thank you for the warning,” he said. “I appreciate your concern.

  She smiled at him, and he led her across the lobby, then up the winding staircase.

  Several people took note of them as they made their way to Hadleigh’s private box. It was impossible to avoid the stares.

  “Does it bother you that people watch us,” Jonah asked, feeling her fingers tighten against his arm.

  “No. Does it you?”

  Jonah laughed. “No. Why would it bother me?”

  “Because I’m sure everyone is questioning why you are with me.”

  “Why would anyone question that?”

  She was uncomfortable, and Jonah knew she was struggling to find the right words.

  “Everyone knows there are many other eligible females who would come without the problems associated with me.”

  “You mean the problems associated with your brother.”

  “Yes. Everyone is aware of the hostility between you.” She paused. “Up ahead,” she said, keeping a smile on her face that hid the seriousness in her voice, “are Camile and Rosalind Attkisson. They are both very beautiful and will come with huge dowries when they marry.”

  “The reason you are telling me this is because?”

  “Because they are confused as to why you are with me instead of one of them.”