“He has. It seems you’re not to be suffered to retain one penny of your own fortune once you and Lord Godfrey marry.” There was a bitter, angry twist to Eloisa’s lips. “Godfrey gets it all, with the likely exception of my father, who no doubt gets all his debts paid, and probably a generous portion of your fortune into the bargain.”
“Why should your father get any of Lucy’s fortune when she marries?” Lady Felicia asked. “You don’t mean to suggest—”
“That my father is selling Lucy to Lord Godfrey? Yes, that’s what I mean to suggest.” Eloisa came around the side of the desk and kneeled beside Lucy’s chair. “You need to leave this house at once, Lucy. Leave London.”
Lucy shook her head, but her brain was sluggish with shock. “I can’t leave you and Aunt Jarvis. Your father will know, Eloisa. He’ll know you helped me, and then what will become of you?”
Eloisa took Lucy’s hand, the papers still clutched in her other fist. “Please, Lucy. My father must mean the marriage to happen soon, or he wouldn’t have drawn up the settlements. I’m begging you.”
“Eloisa’s right, Lucy.” Lady Felicia abandoned the desk and came to kneel on the other side of Lucy’s chair. “My brother and Edmund won’t let anything happen to Eloisa or her mother. I promise you we’ll take—”
A thundering crash cut Lady Felicia off, and all three ladies shot to their feet.
“My father.” Eloisa froze, her face going so white Lucy was certain she’d swoon.
One breath, two…
Another crash, like the pounding of fists on a heavy wooden door, coming from the entryway. There was a slam, and then male voices echoing in the hallway.
“Quickly.” Lady Felicia snatched the papers from Eloisa’s hand. She ran over to the desk and shoved them back into the drawer, then began frantically tidying the papers on the surface. “Quick! Help me.”
Eloisa shook her head. “It’s too late.”
Indeed, it was too late. None of them had time to draw another breath before footsteps were rushing down the hallway. Heavy footsteps—men’s dress pumps echoing on marble floors.
“They’ve seen the lamplight.” Lucy, Eloisa, and Lady Felicia all jerked their heads toward the door at once. The study door was open a crack, and a narrow beam of light from the lamp was spilling into the hallway.
Lucy’s heart was thundering in her chest. She swayed, and reached out to grip the back of the chair beside her.
So, this is what a real swoon feels like.…
The men burst into the room, each of them looking positively murderous, but when they saw the ladies standing there, they came to a skidding halt.
Lucy stared at them, her entire body shaking.
It wasn’t Uncle Jarvis or Lord Godfrey.
“Sebastian. Thank God.”
It took a moment for Lucy to realize it wasn’t Lady Felicia who’d said it, but Eloisa.
“Eloisa.” Lord Vale darted across the room, his face as pale as death, and without the slightest hesitation gathered Eloisa into his arms.
Lord Markham wasn’t far behind him. He was at Lady Felicia’s side in an instant, his dark eyes burning in his white face. He slid his arms around her, letting out a long, deep breath when she turned into him and buried her face in his shoulder.
Lucy felt more than saw all these dramas unfold. She was conscious of movement, of the soft murmur of soothing words, but her attention was fixed on one face, one man only.
“Ciaran, I—”
She wanted to say she was sorry, that she was grateful to him—so grateful he’d come for her, so grateful he was her friend—but she never got the chance because he was there, his warm body wrapped around hers, his big hands stroking her hair.
Lucy didn’t realize she was sobbing until Ciaran’s gentle fingers touched her lips. “Shhh. It’s all right. I’ve got you.” He kept whispering to her, his lips in her hair until the fear subsided, and she relaxed against him.
As soon as she was calm, he eased her a little away from him so he could see her face. “You’ll come with me tonight?”
Lucy gazed up into those devastating blue eyes. For a fleeting moment she thought of Brighton, of the feeling of cool water caressing her skin. All those mornings, alone in the water, and she’d never been in danger of drowning…
Until now.
