‘Who’s goin’ to kill who, Lizzy?’ Fortunately Jimmy was the first on the scene, and his matter-of-fact demand seemed to bring the frightened woman back to herself. She took a deep breath and struggled into a sitting position.
‘Me brother, John,’ she clarified in a whisper. ‘I…I…don’t rightly know who they’re goin’ to ‘ush, but it’s whoever Miss Chastity’s getting leg shackled to.’
∞∞∞
Christian watched Mercy lead Chastity’s younger sister away in bemusement. ‘Is she always like that?’ he questioned doubtfully.
‘No, mostly she’s worse,’ Chastity murmured, seating herself on the bench facing the Serpentine lake. ‘In truth, my lord, I’m entirely certain you have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for.’ She said the last ruefully. ‘The only reassurance I can give you is that I am relatively normal. That is, when compared to many others in my family, not the general population.’
The Earl gave a bark of laughter as he sat down next to her. ‘You think I am jesting,’ she continued flatly.
‘I have no idea what to think,’ confessed Christian. ‘I only know that since our first meeting, my life has been turned upside down, and I have the feeling that things will never be as they were.’
‘Oh, I’m certain of it,’ replied Chastity glumly.
‘Why so Friday faced?’ he questioned softly, turning to face her. She regarded him through her lashes for a second before coming to a sudden decision.
‘I should tell you first that I have completely turned my back on affairs of the heart,’ she declared loftily, watching for his reaction. To her disappointment, other than raising his eyebrows quizzically, he said nothing.
‘My point is that I am not in need of the hearts and flowers you are clearly reluctant to dispense.’
‘Ah,’ murmured the Earl. She glanced over at him and waited for a second, however it appeared he’d said all he was going to.
‘But,’ she continued, putting a great deal of emphasis on the conjunction, ‘at the very least, I expect us to be civil to one another…’ She paused and bit her lip before shaking her head. ‘No, that’s not correct. I wish us to at least be friends. Mercy needs that, andIneed that.’ She looked over at him. ‘I cannot live in an icehouse,’ she added quietly.
∞∞∞
It took another full five minutes to get the full story from Lizzy.
‘Where’s Malcolm?’ queried the Reverend, feeling every one of his sixty-one years.
Jimmy shook his head. ‘We can’t spare the time to look for him,’ the young man determined after thinking for a second. ‘We have to warn his lordship and her grace and the rest of ‘em.’ He grimaced anxiously. ‘Did they intend to walk the length of Rotten Row?’
Reverend Shackleford shrugged. ‘I assume so. Tare an’ hounds, what a deuced scrape. Surely there won’t be an attempt on his life in such a public place?’
‘This is not the busiest time of day in Hyde Park, Sir,’ Percy interjected. ‘It would be the perfect time to shoot someone and simply slip away before anyone realises what has happened.’
Jimmy looked over at the clock on the wall. ‘I estimate we have nearly two hours until the light begins to fade,’ he predicted. ‘Once dusk sets in, it will be too late for even the best marksman to use a pistol. So if he intends to strike, he will do so very soon.’ He turned to the Reverend. ‘I’ll head towards Rotton Row this very minute. There’s no time to have a horse saddled, so I’ll go on foot. Sir, you stay here and wait for Malcolm and his grace. Get two horses ready in the meantime. As soon as either returns, direct them to Hyde Park. Hopefully, at least one of them will arrive back before it gets dark.’
With that, he nodded his head, pulled on his cap and ran out of the front doo
∞∞∞
‘I should very much like us to be friends, Miss Shackleford,’ Christian Stanhope offered quietly. Chastity stared back at him, fighting an irrational disappointment. What did she expect? That he would get down on one knee? Then she stopped thinking altogether as he reached down and took her hand. It was the first time they had touched.
‘My life before Mercy came into it was almost devoid of any female companionship save that of necessity,’ he stated bluntly. ‘I was an only child. My mother died in the birthing of me so for the majority of my childhood, it was just me and my father. He purchased a commission for me at fifteen, which took everything he had. From then on, I spent most of my life at sea until I was forced to make a new start in the Americas.’ He paused, and she became aware that his thumb was stroking the inside of her palm. She resisted the urge to lift her other hand and cup his cheek.
‘I first went to Boston, then on to New York. I freely admit I was driven, working seventeen hours a day for seven days a week. Gradually, my wealth increased which only served to make me more determined. I was ruthless, ambitious and single minded. The occasional dinner party was the only time I was actually present in any lady’s company.’ He paused and smiled causing her heart to do a sudden flip. ‘Until Mercy.’ He stared intently at Chastity. ‘She changed my life. Gave me something to live for other than money.’
‘So you were not married to her mother?’ Chastity questioned softly. Christian shook his head.
‘A dalliance of one night. She died of consumption not long after leaving Mercy on my doorstep.’ He gave a rueful chuckle. ‘Perhaps you can imagine the difficulty I had in the early days,’ he murmured. ‘But I would lay my life down for her in an instant.’ He looked down at their entwined hands, and Chastity felt as if the world had vanished save for the two of them.
‘I am telling you this to explain my harsh words to you the other night,’ he explained carefully. ‘I’ve had no dealings with women. In truth, the whole female species baffles me–Mercy included–and quite frankly, the thought of being wed terrifies me.’ He raised his eyes until they met hers. ‘I’m unsure how to be a husband, but it’s my hope you will teach me.’
Chastity stared back at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She wanted to throw herself into his arms. ‘I do not have all the answers,’ she said huskily at length. ‘And indeed my experience of men is as lacking as yours with women.’ She chuckled softly. ‘We must needs teach each other I think, my lord.’
A sudden shout brought them both back from their cocoon. Looking over Christian’s shoulder, Chastity saw Jimmy running towards them. She frowned as the Earl swivelled round to look. Jimmy was gesticulating frantically. Then everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She watched her fiancé let go of her hand and turn to glance over his right shoulder, then she felt his hands on her arms, dragging her off the seat to the ground. As she fell backwards she caught sight of a tall man standing under a tree. Her brain struggled to process the sight of a pistol aimed directly at them.
