Lanora heard the door click shut. She winced. The heavy footsteps entered Mr. Lethbridge’s office. She rested her chin on her knees. If Grace could see her, she’d be horrified, but she’d also laugh. It was like Lanora to get into such an intractable situation.
“How is the building business, Finch?”
Finch? That was the name of the foreman directing the building of the home for displaced women. Lanora was suddenly glad of her place under the desk.
“You mean the not-building business?” Finch said, his voice recognizable now that she’d heard his name.
“Exactly.”
“People been asking questions. You ever going to give me the funds? That Darington fellow wrote me direct, you know. I’m pretending I can’t read, but he’ll figure it’s you, eventually. You aren’t paying me enough to hang for you.”
“I told you, the money is tied up. I made some rather…questionable investments. I have a fortune coming to me soon, though.”
Mr. Lethbridge had used Darington’s funds?
“If you say so, Lethbridge,” Finch said. “I can’t see no one handing you a fortune, though.”
“No one needs to hand it to me. I’m going to take it, in the form of an heiress soon to come under my control. If you have any notion how impressionable sixteen-year-old girls are, you know she’ll be mine soon enough, and a marquess’s fortune with her.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, I can’t see no pretty young thing agreeing to wed you either, impressionable or no.”
“She will. It will be me or no man. I’ll see she’s unfit for anyone else, if it comes to it.”
Lanora’s mouth dropped open, but she quickly shut it. Was Mr. Lethbridge talking about compromising some poor young woman about to become his ward, forcing her to marry him and using her money to pay off his debts? The fiend. She had to discover who the unfortunate girl was and put a stop to his despicable plan.
“You do what you have to, Lethbridge,” Finch said. “Just wanted you to know people been asking questions. I’ll need that money before long.”
“Use some of what I paid you to stop building to start back up. I’ll replace it.”
“I don’t think so. Get me the funds before Darington sends the watch after me, or I’ll talk and you’ll swing.”
“Yes, fine, you have made your point. Was that all?”
“All I have to say.”
“Then get out, and try not to come here. It’s suspicious. People will see you.”
Finch grunted. Footsteps crossed the room again. The door opened. Lanora stayed as still as she could, her mind reeling.
What sort of man took his client’s money, slated to build a home for women, and lost it, then plotted to seduce some innocent girl given into his care? And none of it explained why Mr. Lethbridge was having Lord William followed. Lanora finally understood the lack of progress on the women’s home, but so many new questions had sprung up to replace that conundrum.
She realized the sounds of muttering and paper shuffling had increased. Mr. Lethbridge came out of his office, closed the door, and crossed the room. Her heart thudded. The outer door shut and a key turned in the lock. After a shocked moment of silence, she slipped from beneath the desk. She ran to the door, but it wouldn’t open. She was trapped.
