Nicholas lips were pressed together in athin line as he watched Lord Drummond cross the ballroom, and thenhe glared at the Duke of Westbrook. Alexandra let out a breath.Nicholas, all powerful and lean grace, hauled her onto the dancefloor.
She stepped on Nicholas’s foot, apologized.“I believe Lord Drummond is telling the truth. Greed is his onlymaster, not conspiracy.”
“Stop being nervous. Didn’t I tell youeverything is going to work out perfectly?”
“You have told me nothing. I have justwitnessed an altercation with Lord Drummond and your family andwasn’t told beforehand. I’m upset because you have left me in thedark all day.”
“The exchange with Lord Drummond was acalculated provocation and he passed with flying colors. Yet, whatyou should be feeling is embarrassment for me.”
She choked. “How is that?”
“You left me impotent by knocking out thewretch with the scar with an ink bottle. If word got around”
Alexandra laughed. “By the way, I’ve inviteda surprise guest tomorrow for tea.”
“Who?”
“Lady Jane Dabney Winthrop.” Alexandrasummarized the confrontation in the dressing room. A swiftrevelation occurred to her. Eyes widening, she said, “Leave it toyou, Nicholas to make me laugh and distract me.”
“I’d like to distract you other ways, but wehave other more important issues to address.” Nicholas angled hishead to the top of the stairs. “Your stepmother and Willean havearrived.”
On cue, Duke Richard Rutland bowed to LadyUrsula Sutherland. He guided her and her son, Willean to the farcorner of the ballroom where a drape covered an exit. A footmanheld back the drape and opened the door so they could enter Lordand Lady Somer’s private quarters. Nicholas’s father was solicitousand flattering. Ursula could not refuse, and enamored with the Dukeof Rutland’s sole attention.
Patting Alexandra’s hand, Nicholas steeredher into the room and toward the trio. To finally face Ursula andWillean. So many years, so many emotions. She stopped.
Nicholas whispered in her ear. “You nevertold me about the enormous black mole on your stepmother’s cheek.Looks like a hairy spider sunk its fangs into her skin permanently,planting itself there.”
“I know what you are doing, Nicholas.”
“You can do it, Alexandra. I’m behind you.My father has arrangements in play. Trust me. She cannot hurt youanymore.” He propelled her forward.
When Alexandra entered, Lady Ursula’s facewent through a myriad of changes from shock, to hatred, to glaring.“So here is the thief who broke into my home. I will have youarrested for robbing me.”
“Really?” said Alexandra, reassured byNicholas’s strong presence as he moved beside her.
“What about your kidnapping of AlexandraSutherland?” said Nicholas.
Lady Ursula’s voice held a rasp of acidity.“Lord Rutland. What would ever give you such thoughts?”
Willean cursed. “This woman is a liar and animposter.”
“An imposter? What motivated you to put meon a Portuguese slaver, Lady Ursula?” said Alexandra.
“I do not know anything about what you speakof, whoever you claim to be,” said Ursula.
“To reinforce any skepticism, I am LadyAlexandra Sutherland as proven by documents taken from my own home,and true heiress to the Sutherland holdings that you stole from meas a child.”
Ursula snorted, looked rabidly about. “Youare an imposter, parading around, impersonating a child who diedyears ago. Those documents are worthless. You’d never be able toprove it.”
“You killed Molly and you poisoned myfather,” Alexandra said through angry tears.
Ursula’s laugher trilled across the room.“Stephen’s bones have been cold for seventeen years. All you haveis the ramblings of a madwoman. No one in their right mind wouldever listen to a beggared fortune hunter and her tales.”
A disturbance came from the opposite side ofthe room. Doors opened. Soldiers filed in, and then the Kingappeared, followed by her father’s butler, Andrew Baines. LadyUrsula’s face flashed horror. Shocked, Alexandra fell into a deepcurtsy as well as everyone else. “Your Majesty.”
Willean bowed, and started shaking.
“You are an evil woman, Lady Ursula, and thewhole world will know it,” said Alexandra emboldened by thepresence of the King. “There was one eye witness to your crime,Andrew Baines. He also heard you bragging about what you did toMolly. He even produced the bottle of poison that you used to killmy father.”
