Page 80 of The Lady’s Sweet Revenge

She thought it might be better to hide away in her room until she was certain his mood had improved. She knew from experience that giving her father time to calm down made his punishments easier.

While she didn’t expect Reese to punish her, she still needed him to be in a better mood than he’d been when he’d run off the night before.

At the swift knock at her door, she frowned. Mrs. Garrison had already brought a tray of food that sat untouched on the table by the door. Harlow hadn’t had an appetite that morning with all the worrying.

When the knock came again, Harlow wondered if it was Reese.

She stood.

“Come in,” she called.

When the door opened and Mrs. Garrison came in, Harlow had to work hard to hide her disappointment. But then she spotted the dress in the woman’s arms.

“They have arrived, m’lady. It’s time.”

Harlow jumped into action.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yes. The earl and the countess have gone to the morning room to meet our guests. We must hurry so you can get out to the gardens.” They’d chosen to put her uncle in the morning room rather than the drawing room as it faced the other side of the house from the gardens.

After the gown was in place, Mrs. Garrison went to work on her hair and the rest of her disguise.

“These red eyes of yours are at least good for something. You look like death.” The woman tutted her disapproval. “The earl looked like a man in mourning before your uncle even arrived.”

“He did?”

“Aye. I don’t know what the two of you are so broken up about, but I hope when this is over, you’ll see to talking it out.”

Reese was upset? Mrs. Garrison hadn’t said he was angry.

“Yes. I promise we will do that. For now, though, I must terrorize the man who betrayed me until he wishes he’d never been born.”

“I pray I never earn your ire, m’lady. Ye are a fierce one, indeed.”

With a smile, Harlow hurried down the servant’s stairs and rushed out to the gardens.

*

As Reese escorted his mother into the morning room, the countess flew into hysterical tears.

“Too late! Too late! The poor dear has passed,” his mother wailed, and he would applaud her later for such a convincing performance. She quieted only slightly before slumping into the nearest chair.

Reese turned a concerned look to the men as he gave them the grim news. He didn’t know which brother had come, but he could tell the older of the two must be Edgar Polk. Reese reached out a hand.

“Welcome to Slains Castle, gentlemen. I’m sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances. I am Lord Breckenridge.”

“Luke Haverston, and this is my uncle, Edgar Polk. I thank you for finding my sister.”

Luke was not so good an actor, for he was smiling instead of looking nervous or struck to hear his sister had died.

“Unfortunately, as my dear mother has said, it is too late. The lass passed peacefully nearly a week ago. I wrote, but of course, ye were already on your way here.”

“Oh dear,” Luke said and Reese wanted to pinch the man for not being more overcome. Fortunately, Edgar didn’t notice for he had crumbled onto the settee and began sobbing in earnest.

“This is all my fault,” he said over and over. Reese looked toward the doorway thinking Harlow would want to see the man’s evident pain at hearing her dead. But she was likely in position for the next step of their plan. Which meant Reese needed to get them to their places.

“Mayhap you would like to see where she is buried. I wasn’t able to have a stone carved with a name, as I didn’t know it. It is only marked with a cross for now. But it may give ye peace to see it.”