Alex began to enjoy himself. “I mean, Mr Greenaway, that Apple abducted me. At pistol point, if you must know.”
“Ha! The minx! I told you she’d taken the pistol out of my coach, Marje, and you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Be silent, Walter!” Glaring at Alex, Marjorie went into the attack. “So you admit she was with you, Lord Dymond?”
“Never denied it. But if you think I had anything to do with her escape from you, you’re fair and far off.”
“That won’t fadge,” snapped Walter. “If you didn’t help her escape, why didn’t you bring her back?”
Marjorie’s eyes lit with triumph. “Just so. Answer that, if you can, my lord girl-stealing Dymond!”
Alex almost laughed out at this masterly description. “With ease, Miss Greenaway. Apple don’t wish to marry Mr Cumberledge and if I’d brought her back to you, she’d have been constrained to do so. Besides, she wasn’t running away, merely going to London to see Vergette.”
He could see his candour was having the effect of baffling the enemy and congratulated himself on his tactics.
“Vergette?” Walter looked from him to his sister. “I said that too. I knew she’d head for that lawyer fellow. Told you we should have gone there at once.”
Miss Greenaway did not trouble to reply, instead fixing Alex with a hard glare. “You’re aiding and abetting a minor, Lord Dymond.”
“Not for much longer.”
Marjorie looked taken aback. “You’re going to give her back?”
“When she’s past her birthday and only if she wishes it. But that ain’t what I meant.”
Walter Greenaway exploded. “You’ve no right to keep her from us! I’m her guardian and I demand you produce her instantly. Where is she?”
“A very good question, brother. Where is she, Lord Dymond? In London?”
“No, she’s here all right and tight. Keeping out of sight, I don’t doubt. What, did you think I’d less than common sense, Miss Greenaway? Couldn’t jaunter about the country with the chit unchaperoned. Left her with my sister while I did the business with Vergette.”
As he’d confidently expected, this information took the wind out of their sails. Walter spluttered like a landed fish, and Marjorie blinked at him for several moments in a dazed fashion.
Georgy took the opportunity to jump in. “Oh, have you seen him, Alex? Was your mission successful?”
Alex frowned her down. “Tell you later.”
But the intervention had the effect of reviving Marjorie.
“Do you mean to say, sir, you’ve had the effrontery to see Vergette yourself?”
“You’ve no right,” complained Walter again, his voice a whine. “What did you say to him?”
Alex turned to the man. “Told him what was afoot and asked if he’d support Apple, just as she asked me to do.”
Under no circumstances was he going to reveal the substance of Vergette’s discourse to these vultures. They’d find out for themselves soon enough, no doubt.
Marjorie’s colour rose. “You’ve a deal of brass, Lord Dymond, taking it upon yourself to talk to Vergette. Still, I’ll be bound he told you nothing. The wretch is as close as an oyster.”
“Oh, he was forthcoming enough.”
To his intense pleasure, this caused the woman’s cheeks to flame more. He dared swear he’d see sparks coming from her eyes in a moment.
“I don’t believe you! You’re lying just as surely as this Lady Georgiana wretch here lied in the first place.”
Alex’s amusement was quenched. “Hey! Leave my sister out of this!”
“Yes, you horrid creature! How dare you speak of me in that fashion?”
