“Her sense of duty would never permit her to do so, no matter her father’s wrongdoing.”
“In that case, we’ve got to come up with something else – some other way in which to extricate Miss Russell from this hold Mr. Cooper has on her. In case her plan doesnae work.”
“Just give me the word and I’ll have him picked up,” Guthrie said.
Blayne knit his brow. “Mr. Cooper isnae so different from ye, Guthrie. He made a bargain, that’s all. Threatening him or worse wouldnae be right.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“I’m nae sure. It would help if I knew how much Lord Elkins was hoping to make from this wretched agreement.” Blayne looked at Daisy. “Any idea?”
Daisy gave a small nod. “Miss Russell mentioned two thousand pounds.”
Blayne puffed out a breath. He’d feared as much. A hopeless laugh almost escaped him. “If I recall, Charlotte has two sisters, both of whom are married to wealthy men. Surely they can offer assistance.”
“She has written to them both.”
“As for acquiring a new fiancée for Mr. Cooper,” Blayne went on, “there must be a woman of noble birth who would leap at the chance to marry a man as wealthy as he.”
“Anything’s possible,” Guthrie said.
“I suggest we start with yer wife,” Blayne said.
“What?” Guthrie sputtered.
Ignoring him for a moment, Blayne gave his attention to Claus. “Can ye please make sure Daisy gets back to Russell House safely?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Claus said. He placed his arm around Daisy’s shoulders and steered her out of the room.
The door closed and Guthrie crossed to the side table where he proceeded to pour a large glass of brandy. He took a deep swallow. “Now then. Why don’t you tell me what your plan is and how Regina fits into it.”
Blayne arched a brow. “She’s connected socially, is she not?”
“She was before her father was hanged for murder and she decided to marry me.”
“Does she not socialize with the other duchesses?”
“Occasionally,” Guthrie confessed.
“Well, then. There you are.”
“I don’t quite follow.”
Blayne let a smile slide into place. “I’m sure these ladies can find a fifth daughter of a Lord Somethingorother who would be happy to secure her future by marrying a rich American.”
“I’ll be sure to put Regina to the task as soon as I get home,” Guthrie said. He grabbed his burgundy velvet top hat off a nearby table and donned it with a flourish. “We’ll save Miss Russell. No doubt about that.”
Blayne answered with a stiff nod. In spite of the odds against them, he had to believe success was possible.
12
Five days later, Charlotte still hadn’t solved her dilemma. And time to do so was swiftly running out. She sighed as she went to meet her parents for dinner. The last thing she felt like right now was being sociable, but neither did she want them to think she was sulking upstairs in her bedchamber. Having written her sisters, she’d hoped they might have been able to come to her aid financially, but she’d not yet heard back from either. As for finding a suitable candidate willing to marry Mr. Cooper on short notice, she was no closer to coming up with a viable option now than she had been when she’d made her bargain with him. And with only two days left, she was starting to see the hopelessness of her situation.
“I thought we might visit the modiste together tomorrow,” Mama said when Charlotte met her parents in the parlor. “Mr. Cooper did suggest that he means to propose to you soon, and when it comes to ordering wedding gowns, there really is no time to waste.”
“I’ve had a word with my secretary this afternoon,” Papa said. “He will make sure invitations are prepared so they can be sent out as soon as you and Mr. Cooper settle on a date.”
“Your father and I both agree that St. George’s would be the best venue,” Mama said.
