Page 52 of Earl Crazy
Tilly’s knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the settee, blinking away the tears that rushed to her eyes. Phee hadneverspoken to her in such a harsh tone before, and it hit her like a blow. “Phee?”
Phee’s face softened. “I beg your pardon, dearest, but this matter is between Lord Fairmont and Lord Prestwick, and youwilllet them speak.”
Kit’s jaw had gone tight at the accusation, but he met Lord Fairmont’s gaze without flinching. “Someone attempted to abscond with Lady Harriett tonight, but it wasn’t me, Fairmont. I came upon Lord Wyle trying to drag your sister into the carriage.”
“Lord Wyle,” Lord Fairmont repeated flatly. “That’s curious, Prestwick, because I didn’t see Lord Wyle there. I saw my sister in hysterics, an unmarked black carriage, and you, bloody and panting, and this young lady.” He nodded at Tilly. “Whom I’ve never seen before in my life!”
Was Lord Fairmont accusing her of something, as well? She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Kit got there first. “This young lady is Miss Mathilda Templeton, and you owe her your thanks, Fairmont. If it weren’t for her, Wyle would be on his way to Gretna Green with Lady Harriett by now.”
“I don’t understand how we could have so mistaken Lord Wyle’s character!” Lady Fosberry interrupted, wringing her hands. “Why, I’ve never heard a single word against him, not even a breath of scandal about him! How could this have happened?”
“You can’t mean to say you believe Prestwick, Aunt!” Lord Fairmont turned on Lady Fosberry, incredulous. “Lord Wyle is the Nonesuch, for God’s sake, and Prestwick is a notorious rake! Imagine my shock when I returned to England to find the gentleman to whom I’d promised my sister had a list of scandals to his name longer than my arm!”
“I don’t deny it.” Kit’s face had gone pale, but he remained calm, and met Lord Fairmont’s gaze steadily. “But while I may be a rake, Fairmont, I’m not a despoiler of innocents, or a kidnapper.”
“Very well, Prestwick. If it’s as you say, then perhaps you’d care to explain what you were doing out on the drive at two o’clock in the morning, and pray, don’t insult my intelligence by saying you just happened to be there.”
A tense silence fell, and might have gone on for some time as they all squirmed in their seats, but Lady Fosberry broke it. “I’d like to know that, as well.”
“As would I,” Phee said. “I was under the impression, Tilly, that you were tucked safely into your bed. What were you doing outside in the drive in the middle of the night?”
Phee was utterly furious with her. There was no mistaking the anger, the disappointment in her eyes, yet she was still holding Tilly’s hand, and she gave it a little squeeze now, as if to reassure her.
But Tilly didn’t have a single reassuring word to offer her sister in return. She might have lied, and said Lucius had woken her, and she’d taken him out to do his business, but that wouldn’t explain why Kit had been there, would it?
She opened her mouth, even as she had no idea on earth what to say, but once again, Kit saved her. “Lucius has taken to visiting the cottage recently, and he appeared on my doorstep tonight. I found Miss Mathilda in the rose garden when I brought him back. She’d taken him out, and he’d gotten away from her.”
That was… well, yes, that would do, wouldn’t it?
Phee had been as rigid as a fireplace poker beside her since they’d sat down, but at this explanation, some of the tension drained from her body. She believed Kit’s story, then. That should have reassured Tilly, but somehow, it only made her feel worse.
How many times was she going to have to lie to her sister?
Phee deserved better than that. She deserved the truth.
She glanced down at her hands, her cheeks hot with shame, but her head jerked back up when Lady Fosberry cleared her throat, and she found her ladyship’s keen gaze on her, as if she could see right through her.
Tilly caught her breath.
Sheknew. Lady Fosberry knew Kit’s story for the lie it was.
But she didn’t say a word. She only stared at Tilly, her head cocked to the side, her expression unreadable.
Lord Fairmont wasn’t so inscrutable, however. “You expect me to believe, Prestwick, that both you and Miss Mathilda just happened to be in the rose garden at the same time Lord Wyle—whom I’ll remind you I neither saw, nor heard—was attempting to kidnap my sister? Rather a stunning coincidence, isn’t it?”
“Coincidental yes, but true all the same. Who the devil do you suppose ripped my arm to shreds, if not Wyle?” Kit held up his bloody arm. “Do you suppose your sister hit me with the riding crop?”
The very suggestion that sweet, gentle Harriett would strike anyone was ludicrous, but Lord Fairmont remained unmoved. “Certainly she would, if she was forced to defend herself. I’d sooner believe that than the lies you’ve told tonight.”
“I’m not lying, Fairmont. If you don’t believe me, ask your sister herself when she awakes. She’ll tell you the same thing. I realize you’re distraught, but if you’d take a moment to think, you’ll see there’s no reason in the world for me to abscond with Lady Harriett.”
“Is that so? Because I can think of fifty thousand reasons why you—”
“I don’t need your bloody money, Fairmont!” Kit gritted out between clenched teeth. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t have to kidnap her to marry her. We were promised to each other years ago. You arranged the match yourself. Or have you forgotten?”
“I’ve forgotten nothing. Not the agreement between us, and not the letter that was waiting for me when I returned to Fairmont House earlier this week—the letter that announced your intention to court my sister this season.”
Kit threw his hands up into the air. “And what of it? I did intend to court her when I first arrived in London, but then…” He glanced at Tilly. “I changed my mind. Lady Harriett is lovely, but we don’t suit.”
