Charlotte tapped her chin as a troubling thought occurred to her.
‘The secret passageway is in your own mansion, my lord,’ she said hesitantly. ‘And these annual house parties involve the same guests year after year. Then we found the key to the passage hidden inside a hollow book here. It clearly connects to the Odd Fellows. What if...’
She faltered before finishing quietly,
‘What if the late baron—your father—was involved with them as well?’
Lord Stanley’s expression darkened.
‘I have considered the possibility.’ His voice lowered. ‘Until now, I assumed Matthew was solely responsible for the corruption surrounding this estate. But if these passageways existed during my father’s lifetime...’ He exhaled slowly. ‘I dislike the conclusion. Nevertheless, I shall search through what remains of his papers.’
She nodded and sank onto a nearby sofa. ‘So how do we expose them?’
‘You must turn your attention to the ladies. Women hear and notice far more than men suppose. Speak with them. Draw them out if you can. No more following dangerous men around.’ He gave her a pointed look.
Charlotte bristled immediately. ‘I have managed perfectly well thus far—’
One raised brow from him, clearly recalling the catastrophe in Lord Boulton’s bedchamber, caused her to amend with reluctant dignity, ‘—though perhaps not flawlessly.’
A glimmer of amusement flickered in his eyes.
‘I shall speak with the ladies,’ she conceded. ‘In fact, I already know precisely where to begin.’
‘Of course you do,’ he murmured dryly. ‘There truly is no stopping you, is there?’
‘Not the slightest chance.’ She replied primly.
Yet another difficulty occurred to her, and her confidence dimmed. ‘It may prove harder than you think. Governesses are generally invisible to society. Most ladies scarcely acknowledge our existence.’
At that, Lord Stanley gave one of those rare smiles that transformed his entire countenance.
‘You are forgetting one rather important detail.’
Charlotte eyed him warily. ‘And what is that?’
‘You are no longer merely the governess.’ He stepped nearer as he spoke. ‘You are my fiancée. Whether they like it or not, that grants you influence.’
Charlotte instinctively retreated a step. ‘I hope you remember that this engagement is entirely fictitious, my lord.’
He gave a low chuckle. ‘But I confess—I find myself rather enjoying the charade.’
‘You, sir, are laying it on rather thick with this besotted-fiancé act. If you continue overacting in such a manner, people will grow suspicious,’ she finished waspishly, planting her hands upon her hips.
Then, with the faintest trace of mischief, he added, ‘My dear Miss Lucas, if you persist in appearing so lovely’—hisgaze flickered briefly towards her gown—‘I shall soon forget our engagement is fictitious myself.’
Charlotte stared at him in disbelief.
He had made his position abundantly clear. A match founded upon deception was abhorrent to him, and matrimony to a governess doubly so. Surely he was teasing her?
No matter how convincing his besotted-fiancé act became, she would not permit it to turn her head. She refused to behave like one of the simpering ladies already imagining themselves in love after a few flattering looks and well-timed compliments.
‘You informed Tom that I was to become his aunt. The poor child will be heartbroken when he discovers the truth.’
He looked faintly abashed.
‘Minerva was present,’ he said after a moment. ‘I was obliged to make the performance convincing. I shall speak to him once this is all over. He will recover well enough, I assure you.’
She sighed in relief, softened somewhat by his obvious affection for his nephew.
