Taken aback by her presence, he watched as she lowered a tray to one of the only uncluttered tables and then poured hot brown liquid into an irritatingly fragile teacup.
“One sugar, no cream?” She asked.
He nodded. “Yes.”
Louisa had always been cordial enough to him, but it was odd that she would suddenly decide he would want her maternal affection.
Had she decided to make amends for the past?
“Thank you.” He accepted the cup. As Felicity had told him more than once, tea was always a good idea.
The Wedding Day
“Is it true the Viscount and those other lords captured the person trying to murder his lordship?” Susan finished pinning the elaborate knot on the crown of Felicity’s head and began winding the ivy around it. Several small white flowers lay out on parchment, waiting to be attached to the coiffure as well.
Felicity frowned. “He did. But where did you hear about that?” Despite their attempts to keep the attacks mostly private, news of it had apparently spread like wildfire.
Susan paused and tapped a finger to her chin. “I believe one of the delivery men told cook about it.”
Felicity rolled her eyes in dismay. Not a day had passed after the Vauxhall incident before the news had been made public. They might just as well have sent details to the Gazette.
Apparently, the servants at Byrd House weren’t as discreet as Bethany believed them to be.
But…
Felicity closed her eyes, a troubling memory teasing her.
“I understand you had quite the harrowing experience at Vauxhall last night.”
Lady Crestwood had known… How had she known?
Felicity supposed word could have traveled from Chaswick’s household to Crestwood’s household, but…
Lady Crestwood’s son was Axel’s father’s spare. But if her and Axel’s child was born a son, and legitimate, their child would usurp the younger brother.
And when Lord Crestwood died, Axel would take over the earldom, leaving Conner a mere mister.
Felicity stared at herself in the mirror, a horrific possibility striking her.
Was ensuring her own son his father’s title reason enough to murder his older brother?
A tingling sensation crawled along her shoulders.
Lady Crestwood would have known about the attack if she’d been the person behind it.
She could have added the poison to Axel’s whiskey with no one being the wiser.
“I need to get to the church.” Felicity bolted off of the chair, and it would have toppled over if Susan hadn’t caught it.
“You have plenty of time.”
“But… I need to talk to Axel—” This morning would be Lady Crestwood’s last opportunity to ensure their child wasn’t born legitimately. “I need—”
Felicity’s chest tightened.
“But you don’t have any shoes on yet!” Susan held up a hand.
Shoes. And it was her wedding day. And what if she was wrong?
