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His face was shocked with a shifting combination of concern and tenderness. ‘My dearest Miss Leigh, I cannot dishonour you so.’

‘But I am already dishonoured and I need you to restore my honour. Please kiss me, Mr Asprey.’ She had stood to face him and each took a step towards the other as if drawn together by an invisible thread. He took her hands and Angelica lifted her face, still stained with tears. This time she was overflowing with feeling and longing for his arms, for his lips.

‘Miss Leigh, are you sure? I did not envisage our first kiss to be like this.’ He was smiling down at her, but he was troubled too. In the crook of his arm Angelica leant into him, excited yet consoled and murmured into his chest, ‘I did not wish it this way either, but my wishes have been overborne.’ Without another word, he bent his head and met her lips. Warm and soft and compelling, she felt her whole being flood with desire, focussed on this passionate meeting of their bodies at last. He smelled of heathery wool and fresh air and the brandy they had just drunk. She could feel his heart beating and her own slowed to match its steady rhythm. Stretching up on tiptoes, she slid her arms around his neck and held him as tightly as he held her and they kissed with a fervour she had only dreamed of. She abandoned herself to the moment, hardly knowing where her body and soul ended and his began.

When they eventually parted, he led her to the chair and sat beside her, still holding her hand. She felt the colour rise to her cheeks as she met his eyes full of amusement and desire. ‘You do realise, Miss Leigh, that you’ve left me no alternative but to make an honest woman of you?’

Angelica gasped and dropped her gaze. Could he mean that? Was it a proposal of marriage after all? She was in such tumult, her voice had a catch of emotion she could not name. ‘When you hear what I have to say, you may not think it.’

‘Let me be the judge of that. Tell me now, what wickedness has transpired with that hell-born rake?’

Angelica’s heart was in his hands and she knew she could not keep anything from him. She related her story and how she could not see any way to protect him from Lord Rackham’s malevolence. Ivor Asprey was on his feet again, his softness replaced with white-hot anger. It alarmed her, but excited her too, to see this eminently cool, disciplined man so impassioned. ‘So he’s blackmailing you to prostitute yourself to save my reputation!’

‘I first tried to offer him some gold coin!’

He turned sharply towards her, his hands raked through his hair, making him look quite wild. ‘You tried to bribe a Member of His Majesty’s Government? You’re a dangerous woman and I can’t let you out of my sight for a moment!’

‘But what was I to do?’

‘It is not your business!’ His voice was emphatic. ‘Did it ever occur to you that I would risk everything for you? What is my reputation if I cannot have the woman I love by my side?’

This was the first time he had actually said the words the woman I love and Angelica felt a lurch of happiness. She looked at him but could not speak. He was still pacing. She recognised the wild youth that his nephew had suggested was banished by guilt and grief. Angelica realised she was seeing the raw heart of the man, and it thrilled her. Ivor Asprey stopped pacing and a hard martial light in his eyes spelled danger. He said in a voice filled with emotion, ‘There is only one way. Stay here, Miss Leigh.’ And he strode out of the door, calling to Mr Digby as he passed his desk. ‘I want you for my second.’

Angelica flew out of her chair and started to run after him. She was gripped with the worst dread of all, that the man she loved was about to risk everything and challenge Lord Rackham to a duel. Things were suddenly a great deal worse.

‘Go back to Digby and Mary, Miss Leigh! This is no one’s business but mine.’ And he strode down the corridor to Lord Rackham’s rooms.

‘Mr Digby, we have to stop this!’ she sobbed, terrified at the thought of losing him to death or exile. Mary had leapt to her side.

‘Now, do sit down, Miss Leigh. This is really between the men. It’s a matter of honour you see.’ Nicholas Digby’s voice was calm but emphatic.

‘No! I don’t see. What could be more important than life? Please will you stop them, Mr Digby? Please.’

His face was serious and drawn with anxiety. ‘As Mr Asprey says, this is his business and his alone. As his second I have a duty to see if there is another way for honour to be satisfied, but I don’t hold out much hope. This has been a long time coming.’

‘Where will this take place?’ Her face was full of anguish.

‘I cannot tell you that, even if I knew. Women are to be kept from this business at all costs.’

‘How can you say that, Mr Digby? You a radical, too! Mr Asprey and his work are far too important to be left to the chance of a bullet, his life hanging by a thread – and all to satisfy some outmoded concept of honour!’

‘Miss Leigh, you do not understand. This is part of an ancient chivalric code. He is protecting the woman he loves and he is acting to maintain his own sense of honour in the face of unforgiveable provocation. Even a Godwinian as I am would do the same. It is men’s business.’

Angelica picked up her portmanteau and, grabbing Mary’s hand, dashed from the room. She must think what could be done. She could not bear to allow that her behaviour might be the cause of the greatest tragedy of all. There was only one thought in her mind. She had to stop this disaster from happening.

11

LOVE AND HONOUR

Angelica bundled Mary into the chaise and they subsided on the seat as Mr Brunner set off for home. Her mind was reeling with the events of the past hour but the overriding certainty was that she had to find a way of preventing the duel. She appeared unusually distrait and Mary grasped her hand in concern. ‘Miss Angelica, do not distress yourself so. You must leave Mr Asprey and Mr Digby to work things out.’

‘Oh, Mary! It’s all my fault. If Mr Asprey has challenged Lord Rackham and asked Mr Digby to be his second, he’s serious about it!’ She heard her voice ending in a kind of wail.

Mary was more matter of fact in most things and she scoffed, ‘Didn’t think Mr Asprey such a cod’s head but wouldn’t put anything past that wicked lord.’

‘But Mary, what can be done?’

‘Nothing, Miss Angelica. Let them get satisfaction by taking a pop at each other, might shake up their jingle-brains if nothing else.’