“He is very protective of you,” Dalmere said. “It’s very… sweet.”
Lisbeth gave a small laugh. “Yes. He is very attentive.”
“I can’t blame him. You are a beautiful young lady, and beautiful things should always be kept safe.” He smiled and then pointed towards a large, half-filled balloon. “It looks like it will be some time before it is ready to lift off the ground. Shall we walk around and enjoy the sights?”
Lisbeth smiled. “That would be delightful.” She had not been to Vauxhall in an age, before she was married if she remembered correctly.
She did need to talk to Dalmere about his part in the speculation. She could even reveal to him that she had found the ledger. She planned to go public with the matter on the morrow, anyway.
He would no doubt be very pleased to know she intended to return the investors’ capital even though she legally did not have to. She had decided last night to do this so she could help those who had lost their loved ones because of Nathaniel, and to help Bellamy. Giving him back the money his brother, Henry, had invested would mean that in some small way she could atone for the trouble she had put him through, and he could forget about the wagers and their agreement.
Lisbeth looked around her as Dalmere pointed out the sights. She did not realize how far from the entrance they had wandered until he led her to a small marquee.
“I thought we might take some refreshment before heading back to the balloon.”
“Oh, that sounds very nice. Thank you.”
He smiled at her before opening the flap of the tent and ushering her through. “We wouldn’t want you to miss out on your just desserts, Lady Blackhurst,” he said, his tone low and quiet.
Unease filled her, quickly followed by fear when she saw the look in Dalmere’s eyes. “What do you mean by that?” Her heart was beating so loudly she could hear it echoing around the tented room.
“Let me show you, you Blackhurst witch!”
Chapter Eighteen
The smile she’dfelt playing about her lips all day fell away at the sound of Dalmere’s words. Stunned, Lisbeth whirled around. A shocked gasp escaped her lips at the sight that confronted her.
Dalmere stood at the entrance to the supper tent. His usually emotionless, yet angelic face was gone, instead replaced by an ugly red-blotched fury. His eyes burned dark with hatred.
For her.
Her mind seemed to be having trouble comprehending what was happening. “I beg your pardon?”
“You can beg all you like; it will not save you,” Dalmere replied.
Danger emanated from him in waves. She stepped back until her legs hit a small table laden with a tea service. The cups clattered on their saucers, the sound extraordinarily loud in the silence of the tent.
He smiled at her but it was a horrid, nasty twist of his lips.
Terror gripped her. Quickly followed by anger. It surged through her body bubbling up her throat like one of the many fountains outside. “How dare you speak to me like this,” she yelled at him. She would have stormed out but he’d crossed his arms over his chest daring her to try and get past him. Her body was shaking but she was not sure if the source was from her anger or her fear. Probably both. “I have done nothing to you, Lord Dalmere, and I don’t appreciate being spoken to in this matter. Now, step aside. I wish to leave.”
He took a step towards her. “You won’t be going anywhere becauseIdon’t appreciate that you and your rotten, scheming husband tried to ruin me,” he said. His fierce whisper was calm and controlled. His eyes were narrowed and focused totally on her.
Taking slow, even breaths to hide her fear, she stepped to the left and back to keep some distance between them.
“I had nothing to do with the speculation,” she explained.
He took a step forward.
She took another step back.
“So you say, but you happily kept all the money, didn’t you? It was supposed to be returned to us, to all of us, but you just had to cut us all a little deeper.”
“Dalmere, you have it all wrong.” Lisbeth put her hand up to stop him coming any closer. “If you will let me explain—”
He shook his head. “There is nothing you can say that can undo what you’ve done.”
“We found the ledger!” she blurted out in a panic. “My housekeeper found it only yesterday. I have an appointment with my solicitors tomorrow to settle the matter.”
