“You’ll do nothing unless I allow it to be so. Besides, who would possibly be sending missives to a common fluff like you?” She tore open the parchment and scanned its contents. “Lioncroft! I should’ve known.”
“What’s he say, Mother? Er, that is…” Susan colored slightly. “Shouldn’t you hand it to Evangeline?”
“He asks her to meet him in his office to discuss a matter of some import. What matter is that, Miss Pemberton?”
“I—I’m sure I don’t know.”
“Well, you’re to find out immediately. And while you’re finding out, you’re to do whatever it takes to secure a vision that will put to rest any concern over my daughter’s marital future once and for all. Is that clear?”
“I apologize, Lady Stanton, but I—”
“Today, Miss Pemberton. You resolve this today, or you will be returned to your stepfather. Is that understood?”
Understood? How was she supposed to discover the truth from the one man whose touch brought her fever, but no visions? Fingers clenched, Evangeline swallowed her retort and nodded.
“Good. Susan, you are to accompany her.”
“I don’t wish to go near him unless I know for certain—”
“You are to wait in the hallway for Miss Pemberton to give you a signal as to which way the wind blows. If he is to be hung, we leave on the morrow. If he is to escape justice yet again, we shall move forward with the compromise. Immediately.”
“Mother, I’m notreadyto be compromised. Can’t we wait at least until after Jane’s birthday celebration tomorrow?”
“No. If he is innocent, you are to take Miss Pemberton’s place in his office, and she will remove herself to the corridor, where she will shout for you as though she has no idea where you have gone. And then I shall come from the opposite corridor and surprise the two of you alone. Jane’s birthday tomorrow can double as an engagement ball, as far as I’m concerned.”
Susan sighed dramatically and dragged herself up from the sofa. “Very well. Off I go.” When she reached the doorway, she paused to glance over her shoulder at Evangeline. “Ready to trap me a rich husband?”
No, Evangeline was not.
She glanced at Lady Stanton, whose brittle smile frosted the air around them.
“If you prefer your stepfather’s company to ours,” Lady Stanton said, “I can arrange for you to get your wish.”
Evangeline’s muscles twitched as though preparing to flee for safety. She preferred death over her stepfather. Which meant somehow, some way, she would have to do the impossible.
Chapter 20
For the first time since Evangeline’s arrival at Blackberry Manor, the worst thing about being alone with Mr. Lioncroft in his office had nothing to do with his propensity for violent outbursts or drugging kisses. No, the worst thing about being alone with Mr. Lioncroft in his office was the knowledge Susan Stanton lurked outside in the corridor, ready to burst in and ensnare him for herself.
Not that Evangeline was jealous, of course. She considered herself a reasonable woman. Reasonable women did not begrudge an accomplished young lady marrying an attractive bachelor. Especially if she had no desire for the altar herself.
However, she wasn’t feeling reasonable at the moment.
Not with her spine pressed against the closed oak door, her skin flushed, her palms damp—and him just sitting there behind his desk, calm as you please, scratching a pen across parchment without so much as glancing up to see who had entered his domain.
“Whom are you writing now?” her traitorous voice queried. “Summoning your mistress?”
He glanced up, his eyes dark, intense, heated. “I find myself between mistresses at the moment.”
“Don’t expect me to fill that role,” she blurted out, then blushed. Curse her tongue.
He replaced the pen, leaned back in his chair, smiled. “You are the one who brought up the topic. Did you come here for an assignation?”
Oh, Lord. Had she?
“No,” she snapped, arms crossing beneath her bodice. “Why did you call for me?”
“Why did you come?”
