Page 81 of A Stranger’s Kiss

Chapter Twenty-Two

Answers

Nicholas leaned against the railing and watched Lady Kendrick from under speculative brows. Lord Randall had arrived with her. He hovered at her side every instant, sitting by her, and now, offering her a glass of red wine. He’d played the attentive fool. A plethora of others had approached the woman, of course. After all, one would expect nothing less from Glasgow’s premiere gossip. Still, while so many had exchanged words, nothing had changed hands.

Deborah made her way through the crowd, her reticule still clutched in her hand.

Nicholas straightened from the railing when Olivia arrived out of breath.

“Nicholas,” she breathed, her green eyes wide. “It’s Lord Randall.”

“Randall?” he repeated.

“The blackmailer. It is Lord Randall.”

The truth struck him, at once. Of course. Such a perfect fit for the man. Nicholas didn’t hesitate. He took the stairs at a run. By the time he arrived at Lady Kendrick’s side, Lord Randall had left her.

“Lord Nicholas,” Lady Kendrick smiled.

Nicholas nodded and scanned the crowd. There. Near the balcony door.

He hurried after him and caught the man by the shoulder just as he stepped into the night air. Lord Randall whirled and swung his cane to strike, but years of brawling and dueling as a rake came to Nicholas’s aid. He ducked and whirled, lifting his leg to execute a vicious kick. The cane flew from Lord Randall’s grasp as he fell, sprawling backwards onto the balcony floor.

“Are you mad, Blair?” Lord Randall spat, attempting to rise.

Nicholas pinned him down with a booted foot to his throat. “You will pay for this.”

“Pay?” Lord Randall hissed as best he could.

“You seek to blackmail your betters, do you?” Nicholas grated. He pressed his boot harder. “Where is the letter?”

“What letter?” Lord Randall breathed heavily.

“This letter,” Olivia answered close behind.

Nicholas glanced sideways as she stepped into view, holding the silver handle of Lord Randall’s cane in her hands. From it, a roll of paper half protruded.

“A hollow cane,” Nicholas snorted. Of course. The man was a devious one, hiding the letter in plain sight.

Olivia glared. “You think to blackmail my cousin? You will pay, Lord Randall. No one interferes with Deborah’s happiness. No one.”

“She is ruined,” Lord Randall seethed. “Soon enough—”

Nicholas silenced him with additional pressure to his foot.

“What is this?”

Nicholas looked over just in time to witness the Duke of Lennox, plucking the letter from Olivia’s hands.

“Nae.” Olivia grabbed for it.

Her grandfather stopped her with a deadly look, then, Mr. Timms and his men pushed their way through the crowd gathered at the balcony door.

“This is the man?” Mr. Timms blinked, surprised.

“Aye,” Nicholas replied with a curt nod. “Take him away.”

“Wait.” The duke held up a hand.

Olivia made a strangled noise and again, reached for the letter, but it was too late. Clearly, the duke had seen enough.

Coldly, he approached Lord Randall. “Blackmail, is it?” Slowly, he knelt on one knee and whispered, “I will ruin you for this, Randall.” He stood and faced Mr. Timms. “As Lord Blair says, take this bastard away.”

Olivia closed her eyes. It was over. At last.