“Yes, Your Grace. I believe she and Lady Miranda arrived home a short time ago. They are in the drawing room with several dozen boxes of hats. A moment.” Peabody whirled and disappeared, moving with unusual speed for a man so old.
Lord Marsh looked to Nick, anxiety etched across his features. “You must find her. Please,” he implored. “She is all I have left of my brother. I love her as if she were my own.”
“Yes, Your Grace?” Arabella came through the doorway and gave her brother an impudent lift of her chin in response to his summons. She calmly clasped her hands before her and waited.
Miranda followed, a question on her lovely face. She nodded briefly to her brother and Rowan, hesitating for a moment at the sight of Colin.
Nick watched Arabella closely—she looked a bit smug and exceedingly proud of herself. He doubted it was over a stylish new hat she’d bought.
“What has happened, Your Grace?” Arabella clasped her hands tighter, but her face remained bland, her tone a polite inquiry.
“My cousin has gone missing,” Rowan said roughly. “She has disappeared.”
Arabella’s right hand twitched and she quickly hid it in her skirts.
Nick saw the slight movement. That’s when he knew.
“I beg you all, leave us,” he hissed, barely able to stop himself from rushing towards Arabella and shaking her.
Colin stood, his eyes on Nick but only nodded his head. “We’ll wait in the drawing room.” He made his way over to Miranda, hesitated, then took her elbow.
“Whatever you need.” Cam squeezed his shoulder.
Lord Marsh stood and allowed Rowan to lead him to the door.
A flicker of fear crossed his sister’s features as the group exited the room, but then she composed herself. “Has Jane Emily finally run off?” She smiled sweetly, ignoring the outraged gasp of Rowan who had not quite cleared the room. “I did warn you Nick.”
“I saw her just this morning.” Nick kept his eyes on Arabella. “I know we aren’t supposed to see each other before the wedding, but I snuck into the garden. She said she had a surprise for me.” He saw Rowan move back into the room out of the corner of his eye.
“Well, she most certainly did, brother.” Arabella shot him a look of concern, but there was something else in her gaze.Triumph. “Though I’m not surprised in the least that she’s left you.”
“Leave?” Rowan sputtered, looking at Arabella with disdain. “How dare you. My cousin would never do such a thing.”
“Of course,youwould defend her,” Arabella hissed. “Lord knows, your family isnothingif nothonorable.”
Nick felt the blood leave his face. “Rowan, shut the door.” How horrible it was to watch someone you loved betray you for his or her own ends. How had Bella found out? How could she possibly know?
“What have you done?” Nick said to Arabella before turning to Rowan. “Stay. Sit. If only to keep me from throttling my sister.”
Settling into a nearby chair, Rowan regarded Nick with confusion. “As you wish, Your Grace.”
A vein pulsed in Arabella’s temple as her hands fluttered out and landed on the top of a paisley patterned sofa. She wavered a bit, hearing the ferocity of his tone but stood firm.
Nick set his glass down on the table before him and stood to face his sister.
She lifted her head bravely, but after one look at Nick’s face, her gaze fell to her hands and she clung to the back of the sofa.
“She is a charlatan,” his sister said under her breath, the tremor in her voice apparent. “She has played you false.”
“Liar.” Rowan nearly jumped out of his chair, but Nick’s raised hand stayed him.
“I never told you, Bella,” he said softly, “that Jemhada suitor in Bermuda. Earlier today, when we argued, you mentioned such, and you made reference to Jem’s mother, which I also never told you about. Then there is the matter of our family’s honor. I believe you called my intended’s father atraitor.”
Rowan made a gasp of surprise. “What are you talking about?” His voice shook. “Why would you say such a—” His mouth shut tightly as he looked at Nick expectantly.
Arabella had gone deathly pale. Her lips parted slightly as she watched him approach her. She blinked, her pupils dilated with fear, no longer triumphant.
“Tell me, sister, how you came to learn those things about my future wife.” He kept his tone intentionally light, hoping he would not shake his beloved sister to death in front of Rowan. “What did you do?”
