“You are an opportunist of the worst sort, Nettlesby,” she spat. “I shall ask Lord Frank to cut your friendship immediately.”
Nettlesby laughed again. “Oh! Your defense of him is almost touching, my dear—”
“I am yourdearnothing!”
“—but you clearly do not know your precious family as well as you think you do. Frank has grand plans, you see. But his debts are atrocious and piling up by the day. He needs the marquisate and its deep funds at his disposal. Of course, you panting after that wretched doctor threatens to derail everything. So he asked me to step in. Your sister may not have condoned her husband’s plan, but she also has done nothing to stop it.”
Was this true?
It couldn’t be.
But what had Margaret said not an hour past?
I feel that I am on a knife’s edge.
Was Margaret truly so desperate?
Nettlesby did not misread her stunned shock.
“I can see you are finally understanding the reality of this situation.”
“Was Dr. Whitaker’s accident not truly an accident either?” The question dropped from her lips.
Nettlesby shrugged. “Frank still insists it was, though I think he would have welcomed the doctor’s death.”
“How despicable!”
“It is the way of the world, my dear.” Nettlesby snorted. “Never fear, however, I am a most willing accomplice in this. I am in need of a wife, and you—” He tugged on her curl again. “—are decidedly lovely.”
Lottie’s jaw dropped. She stepped back, looking Nettlesby up and down. And then, because she couldn’t help it, she met Alex’s eyes behind his lordship.
Nettlesby frowned and whirled, following her gaze.
He yelped in surprise to find Alex’s angry glare and Grandmère’s censorious eyebrows staring him down.
“This has tae be the mostglaikit, numbskull thing I’ve heard in years!” Alex advanced on Nettlesby, causing the man to stumble back in retreat. Alex stopped beside Lottie.
“Indeed,” Grandmère agreed, joining them. She raked Nettlesby from head to toe. “This news is most distressing.”
Nettlesby swiveled his head between them all, eyes wide.
“How did you think this would play out, my lord?” Lottie asked. “Have you been reading Gothic novels?”
“Aye,” Alex agreed. “Did ye suppose ye could simply be caught with a lady, perhaps even force a kiss upon her, and she would thereforehavetae marry ye? That’s absurd. The real world doesnae work like that.”
“Or were you planning to actually assault me?!” Lottie shook her head. “No one can force me to marry where I do not wish. I would have to be foolish in the extreme to marry a man who had injured my person in an attempt to entrap me into marriage!”
“Now, see here, Lady Charlotte—” Nettlesby took a step toward Lottie and then thought the better of it when Alex growled and placed his walking stick in front of Lottie like a fence.
“Keep your distance,” Alex warned.
Nettlesby glared at him and then turned back to Lottie. “Your family will not allow you to wed this man.” He jerked a thumb toward Alex.
Grandmère coughed. “I would not be so sure of that. Our Charlotte is nearly four and twenty. We cannot prevent her from marrying where she wishes.”
Lottie gave her grandmother a grateful look before looking back at Nettlesby.
The man had to be lying. Frank would never sanction this. She and her brother-in-law might not see eye to eye at times, but Frank would never be so callous, would he?
