She’d been aware the moment Viscount Carlingford arrived. The noise created by both Flossy and Ruby would have alerted the whole house to the fact, even had a footman not been watching out for him.
Rather than go down to greet him along with her father and stepmother, Mercy had remained in her bedchamber, biting her fingernails, all the while reprimanding herself for her cowardice. But since he’d arrived barely an hour before dinner, she told herself she had a perfectly valid excuse.
Now of course, she’d simply made matters worse. Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath, stepped out of her room and headed towards the stairs.
As she got closer to the small drawing room, she could hear voices and wondered whether her father had already broached the subject of their possible fake engagement or was perhaps waiting for her arrival. Swallowing nervously, she lingered at the door for a moment before abruptly realising that her step grandfather was one of those already in the room. With a sudden fear of what might possibly come out of his mouth if left unchecked, she hurriedly pushed open the door and stepped inside.
All eyes turned towards her, and she faltered, her eyes immediately flying towards the Viscount who swiftly got to his feet. They stared at each other, everyone else in the room disappearing for a few heart-stopping moments. He looked very different from the last time she’d seen him, though his attire certainly looked to be somewhat out of date. As he bowed, sheresponded with a small curtsy before looking anxiously to her father.
‘Well, you took your time girl,’ the Reverend boomed. ‘I was beginning to think we’d have to wait until tomorrow morning. But now you’re here, perhaps we can get this whole deuced business settled so I can enjoy my dinner.’
Mercy swallowed a retort rebuking the Reverend for his rudeness, experience telling her it was simply water off a duck’s back. Instead, she seated herself next to her stepmother who took her hand encouragingly.
Her father turned to the Viscount as the maid offered Mercy a glass of punch. ‘Though his manners leave a little to be desired,’ the Earl offered drily, ‘my father-in-law is nevertheless correct, my lord. I believe we owe you an explanation for requesting your presence at such short notice. May I call you Nate?’ At the Viscount’s surprised blink, Christian gave a boyish grin. ‘It’s a tradition in our family, started I believe by the Duke of Blackmore who has no time for ceremonious poppycock as he refers to it.’
Nate shrugged and nodded his head. ‘Certainly, I’ve been called much worse over the years.’ He gave a tight grin.
‘Well, Nate, perhaps I should start by properly introducing my family. This is my wife, Chastity, her father, Augustus, and of course, you’ve met our eldest daughter, Mercedes. We have three other children, all of whom you will likely meet at breakfast.’
The Viscount bent his head. ‘Is your lady wife indisposed?’ he asked the Reverend politely.
‘Almost permanently,’ the clergyman answered with a sigh.
‘Agnes is prone to megrims,’ Chastity interjected. ‘Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to meet her before you leave,’ She ignored her father’s muttered, ‘I wouldn’t hold your breath,’ and smiled warmly.
Christian picked up his glass of wine and took a sip, clearly thinking how to phrase his next words. ‘I believe your quick-thinking kindness prevented my daughter’s abduction from the Black Swan,’ he said carefully at length. ‘But what you are not aware of, is that this man was no simple opportunist fortune hunter, but someone I know from my time in America.’
Nate raised his eyebrows but did not speak, allowing Christian to continue. ‘His name is Oliver Reinhardt. He is a gambler and a liar.’ The Earl then went on to describe everything he’d told his wife earlier, leaving nothing out. Since much of the tale was new to both Mercy and her grandfather, the room was silent until he’d finished.
‘I don’t know exactly what it is that Reinhardt wants of Mercedes,’ Christian finished, taking care to address his last words to Mercy. ‘But my gut tells me it’s something to do with her mother.’
No one spoke for a few seconds as they digested the Earl’s tale. The Reverend was the first to speak. ‘So, you think this blackguard wants Mercy under his control for something more than curtain lectures?’
The Earl nodded, then spread his hands. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t know what.’
‘You think she had something he wanted?’ Mercy asked, fighting a sudden urge to cry. She could remember very little about her mother, but talking about her like this had turned her intosomeone real, and it was the first time the Earl had spoken at length about her death. She watched carefully as he nodded.
‘I do. Though I can’t imagine what it might be. I made limited enquiries into your mother’s background, but other than that she came from Mexico, I unearthed nothing. My suspicion is that Reinhardt had known her for some time – perhaps back when she was in Boston. Mayhap she told him something about her family.’
‘Do you think I still have relatives in Mexico?’ Mercy asked in a small voice. Her father shook his head.
‘That I cannot say. If we can apprehend Reinhardt, perhaps we can persuade him to tell us.’
‘All this is very interesting,’ the Viscount declared, but forgive me, my lord, I do not see what it has to do with me. Naturally, I am overjoyed that I was able to prevent Lady Mercy’s abduction, and if you wish for my continued help, I give it willingly, though I never actually saw this Reinhardt so could not tell you what he looks like.’
‘I sat across the table from the varmint, so once we get to London, we could easily commission a sketch.’
‘London?’ The distaste evident in the Viscount’s voice spoke volumes, as did his accompanying frown. He looked round at the three expectant faces before adding carefully, ‘I think perhaps now would be a good time to tell me what it is you wish of me.’
There was a short silence, then the Earl took a deep breath and told him…
Chapter Fourteen
Mercy never took her eyes off the Viscount’s face throughout her father’s clarification of how they hoped to lure Reinhardt out into the open. His expression remained carefully neutral, though she couldn’t help noticing a tightening of his lips when her father spoke about the proposed fake engagement.
When the Earl finally finished, the only sound in the room was Flossy’s and Ruby’s snoring next to the fire.
‘Pray tell me why anyone with eyes in their head could possibly believe that Lady Mercedes Stanhope would even consider a marriage proposal from someone who looks like me?’ Nate’s voice was harsh, and Mercy flinched. She wanted to tell him that his scar was inconsequential. That once one got to know him as a person, it became hardly noticeable. But he’d lived with the shame of his disfigurement for more than fifteen years, and she knew her platitudes would not be welcome. Nor would he believe her.
