Page 16 of The Lyon Deception

God, she was adorable. He knew he was staring at her like a love-struck fool but he couldn’t help it. Thankfully, her friends returned before he could say or do anything else stupid. The Snowden girls were chattering about something or other, and Sinclair took the opportunity to say his farewells, and with a bow he turned away.

His head was full of questions. How on earth was he to manage the ball? He couldn’t not go, not now he had said he would. And he wanted to. He wanted to take Cat MacKenzie in his arms and dance every dance with her. But what if she discovered who he really was? She was bound to. He would be announced at the door, and then she would know. Or could he sneak in a back door? Dress in disguise?

Sinclair groaned at his own ridiculousness, startling an elderly lady who was walking toward him with a cane. He apologized and moved quickly toward the gate.

It would probably serve him right if she did find out he was her archenemy. He kicked a pebble rather viciously off the path. If his grandfather had been the sort of man who listened to him, cared about him, wanted to help him . . . But it was no use dreaming about the impossible. Lord Armytage was what he was. A selfish, cruel man who wanted to live his life vicariously through Sinclair.

If Sinclair had Cat at his side, his own life could be different. He was sure of it. Ridiculous though the thought was, he knew if she were there he could be the sort of man would could stand up to his grandfather and walk his own road rather than the one he had been forced to follow since his mother died.

Yes, it would be tricky to go to Christopher’s mother’s ball, and he was taking a huge risk, but it would be worth it.

Chapter Nine

“A ball!” Prudence said, her face falling a little at the thought of not being there. “You are lucky.” Then, setting aside her own disappointment like the good friend she was, “I could tell Mr. Sutherland was struck with you. The way he looks at you!”

Cat laughed at that. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, but she was asking herself at the same time, Does he really look at me like that?

“She’s not,” Harriet assured her. “He is enamored of you. He barely noticed us.”

Cat opened her mouth and closed it again.

Perhaps sensing her confusion, Prudence interrupted. “You haven’t told us yet what Mrs. Dove-Lyon said to you. You were just about to when Mr. Sutherland arrived.”

That sobered Cat. After the interview with the Black Widow, she had lain awake all night reliving those moments. “She thinks I should marry him,” she admitted.

The girls gasped. “But then he will own you!” Harriet wailed.

Cat caught her arm and gave it a shake. “Hush, Harriet, everyone will hear.”

“It’s the truth though,” Prudence said more mildly, her eyes searching Cat’s expression. “You can’t put yourself in his power like that.”

“Mrs. Dove-Lyon had a solution to that,” Cat replied. “She said she would make sure the contract had a clause in it, whereby the Master would ensure his grandfather gave Bonnyrigg to me. As some sort of wedding gift.”

“But why would he?” Harriet asked in her practical way. “What is in it for him?”

“I am a duke’s daughter, and Mrs. Dove-Lyon says that Lord Armytage wants his grandson to marry a duke’s daughter. I suppose it isn’t as though he needs the money, so my shaky situation when it comes to a dowry does not matter.”

“I still don’t think it will work,” Harriet said. “He can just say no. His grandfather can’t make him marry you, and why should he?”

Cat sighed. “Maybe it won’t come to that anyway. Maybe when I speak to him face to face, he will be willing to help without expecting me to marry him.”

“Are we going to Marylebone to knock on his door?” Harriet’s eyes lit up. “The carriage is fixed so we can try again.”

Cat knew that was the sensible plan. While Mrs. Dove-Lyon seemed to set on the idea of Cat marrying Sinclair Robertson and had warned her that there were other possible brides waiting in the wings, and that time was ticking, Cat had resisted the idea. Marrying a man she didn’t know and already despised? It would not be a good recipe for happiness. Then again, if by doing so she could save her family? Surely her happiness was a small price to pay for that?

But Harriet was right. It was sensible to speak to the Master face to face and see if she could persuade him to her point of view. If that didn’t work . . . then she might have to consider Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s suggestion.

Of course, just at that moment, Robert Sutherland’s face popped into her head. He was smiling, his eyes warm, and his fair curls framing his handsome face. She swallowed. Cat had never met a man for whom she felt an instant attraction like this. It did not seem to matter that they barely knew each other. Seeing him just now, standing on the path in front of her, had made her quite giddy with excitement and pleasure.

Why had this had to happen now, when there were so many more important things to be doing? A voice whispered in her head You could be truly happy with him. Perhaps that was true, but choosing to pursue her own happiness would mean condemning her family to eviction and misery. How could she do that, even if she wanted to?

But if she met the Master face to face and he agreed to help? Then perhaps, just perhaps, she could have both. Although in Cat’s experience, real life did not usually turn out that way.

“After the ball, we can visit the Master,” she said now to Harriet. “We can try again then.”

“After the ball,” the two girls agreed with serious expressions.

“Do you know I can be quite frightening if I want to be,” Harriet said. “He won’t dare say no to your request.”