Page 3 of Wicked By Design

She had just ruined his life. Certainly, she had taken his choices away, presuming he did not turn his back on her, and he would be well within his rights to be contemplating shaking her until her teeth rattled. Yet he said nothing to defend himself, but she felt his gaze upon her, burning with rage. The heat of his fury was so white-hot she wondered everyone present did not burst into flames then and there, but a moment later Hetty appeared, and then Gideon, and they were hurried away, out of the public eye.

Hatherley Hall, Little Valentine, East Sussex,5thSeptember 1816

Cilly had always wondered about the phrase ‘the air was so thick one might cut it with a knife.’ It seemed rather far-fetched to describe something so impossible. Tonight, however, she believed it could be done.

The silence in the parlour back at Hatherley Hall was so loud it seemed to vibrate in Cilly’s ears. Rivington had said not a word since their discovery on the terrace and, as yet, Cilly had been unable to meet his eyes. She was oddly calm. The worst was over. She had done it. She had ruined herself.

No one seemed to know what to say. They all waited in tense stillness, as though waiting for a bell to ring so that the performance might continue. The trouble was, Cilly had not scripted this part, and things might go horribly wrong.

Hetty reached over and took her hand, squeezing her fingers whilst staring daggers at Lord Rivington. Cilly had maintained her attention until now, but she could only manage her sister for so long.

“You bastard!” Hetty growled, glaring at him.

“Hetty!” her grandmother exclaimed in shock.

“Well, he is. Everyone knows it and now—”

“Hetty. Don’t.”

Hetty gazed at Cilly in shock, unused to her usually biddable sister sounding so… forceful.

The man they had been waiting for entered the room, his expression grim. Gideon’s gaze went directly to his brother.

“You promised,” he said, his voice thick with rage. “You swore upon your honour you would not ruin Hetty’s sister, and barely a few weeks later—”

“He didn’t.”

Cilly instantly became the focus of everyone's attention. Her chin up, she freed her fingers from Hetty's firm hold and stood.

“What are you saying?” Hetty asked, confusion drawing her brows together.

Cilly folded her arms about herself and stood a little taller. “Lord Rivington kept his promise to you, Gideon.”

“Cilly, you’re upset,” Hetty said gently, concern in her voice. “Everyone saw what he did. He ruined you.”

“No, he didn’t. I ruined him!” Cilly said furiously. “Lord, I am so tired of you all looking at me like I’m so sweet and nice and good. Well, I’m not. I devised this entire wicked plan. I bribed one of the serving girls to ensure everyone came onto the terrace, I unpicked the seams of my gown and sewed them loosely so I could pull them apart easily, and I lured Lord Rivington onto the terrace. I kissed him. I made everyone believe he was a wicked seducer. I ruined myself on purpose. So there.”

If anything, the silence in the room seemed to ring louder in her ears. Her grandmother, her sister, Gideon… they all stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief.

She folded her arms tighter, glaring back at everyone defiantly. Everyone but Rivington.

“Cilly!” Hetty was staring at her like she’d never seen her before. “This was your plan? This? Don’t you know he does nothing honourable? He ruined that other girl and didn’t marry her, why should you be any different?”

“I never believed that,” Cilly replied staunchly, though right at this moment her heart was beating in her ears, and she was finding it hard to believe she had put everything, her entire future, at risk upon the strength of her belief in him. If she were wrong—

“I believe I should like a moment alone with Lady Cecilia.”

Cilly jolted, Rivington’s deep voice acting upon her nerves like a jab with a red-hot poker. They were the first words he’d spoken since they’d been discovered. She suspected he had not trusted himself to speak before now, probably in case he was tempted to murder her.

“Damian, I’m so very—” Gideon began, his expression taut with regret.

“Alone!” Rivington barked out.

Cilly jumped.

“I’m not certain that is a good idea,” Hetty said, her worried gaze darting from Cilly to her new brother-in-law and back again.

“It’s all right, Hetty. Leave us,” Cilly said, relieved her voice sounded calm because everything inside her was indulging in a fit of hysteria. There seemed to be a small but powerful whirlwind spinning in her brain, and the entire evening had become like a peculiar waking dream, where impossible things happened and one might sprout wings and fly at any moment. She could only hope.