Page 66 of The Unfortunate Debutante
“No!” all the men in the room shouted in unison.
“Are you mad?” Downshire asked, glaring at him. “No one will breathe a word about this to Emma until we have absolute proof that Lockhart was behind the death of her father. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” they all said in unison.
Simeon adjusted his green jacket. “While you were gone,” he said, “a colleague of mine discovered that Lockhart isn’t working at any law office in town, and no one can find his place of lodging. Furthermore, a man fitting Lockhart’s description has been hiring a band of ruffians from the rookeries.”
“For what purpose?” Jonathon asked. “What does Lockhart intend to do?”
Simeon rose and walked over to a large window, overlooking the gardens. “Lockhart has come to town, not for employment, but to hire mercenaries.”
“It doesn’t make sense. What does he hope to gain?” Downshire asked.
Simeon felt his hands ball into clenched fists. “He wants Emma.”
“If that’s his end game, then we’ll depart for Scotland tomorrow,” Downshire asserted.
“No,” Benedict stated. “With enough men, they could easily overpower your traveling party.”
Downshire tossed his arms up in the air. “Then I’ll hire a militia.”
“And what of Rachel and baby Matthew? You would put them in danger?” Jonathon questioned.
“It’s not safe to travel now,” Benedict asserted.
Leaning back against the edge of his desk, Downshire asked, “Then what do we do?”
“There’s a place we could take Emma where she would be protected,” Benedict said.
Downshire eyed him with concern. “Where?”
“It’s best that you don’t know,” Jonathon stated firmly. “It’s not a place we discuss lightly.”
Simeon didn’t dare ask for more details. Instead, he suggested, “I could go along to guard Emma.”
Benedict started laughing but turned it into a cough when his gaze landed on Simeon. “Trust me, Wentworth, Emma will be well-protected.”
“So, it’s settled,” Downshire declared. “You will take Emma to an undisclosed location, and we will wait out Lockhart. Eventually, he will run out of money and hopefully scurry far away from town.”
“First, let me speak to Eliza, but it shouldn’t be a problem,” Benedict said. “We all have a fierce desire to keep Emma safe.”
After a long moment of somber silence, Benedict declared, “I shall take my leave.”
“As shall I,” Jonathon said as they both walked towards the door.
Simeon leaned back against the sill. He wasn’t ready to leave until he had a chance to see Emma again, especially if he wasn’t going to see her for a while.
“Care to join us, Wentworth?” Benedict asked, standing in the doorway.
“I was hoping to speak to Emma before I depart,” he answered.
Downshire let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. But no courting nonsense. Just speak to her and be done with it.”
“As I have stated on numerous occasions, I have no intention of courting your ward.”
With a knowing gaze, Benedict teased, “Didn’t you offer for her already?”
“I did, but that was only because I fell on top of her near Gunther’s. Neither one of usactuallywanted to marry.”
