Page 24 of Captivating the Earl (Lords and Ladies in Love 5)

With shaky legs, she returned to her seat. Gone was the flirting, rakish earl she’d come to know over the past week. In his place was a terrifying officer of the Crown.

Hawkins drew up the chair alongside her and sat. He took her ice-cold hands in his warm ones. “First of all, they will not put you into prison. That is, unless you conspired with your father.”

She drew back, her eyes wide. “No. No. No. No.” She shook her head, and the tears welled in her eyes.

“Lizzie, I would have the absolute truth from you.” He spoke softly, but his tone was hard. This was not the friendly man who had taken her to the village, or who had carried her home after she was thrown from Magpie. This man was not going to be swayed by tears and female swooning.

“I knew nothing about it until right before he was caught.” Her voice cracked, and she stopped speaking. She lowered her head, her chin quivering. If she did not calm herself, it would only make things worse.

Hawkins dipped his head so he could see her eyes. “I will not bring you to London until I am sure there is something you know that might help their investigation. Treason is a very serious crime, as you are well aware, and if there were other people involved in your father’s activities, it is very important for the Crown to pursue this.”

Lizzie pulled free from Hawkins and swiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I assure you, my lord. I know nothing. The night my father fled England was the first time I learned anything about this.

“There were whispers at a few balls I had attended earlier that week, but nothing that made me believe it had anything to do with my father.

“How is it—” She cleared her throat since the words came out a squeak. “How is it they found me?”

Hawk stood and rested his hands on his hips. “If the Home Office has any reason to believe a traitor has not been identified, no matter how long ago the crime, they will continue their investigation.”

Lizzie nodded and took a deep breath, dreading the answer she might receive. “What will you do now, my lord?” She looked up at him, at his rock-hard chin, tightened lips, and piercing deep brown eyes.

“For the present, nothing.”

She would have breathed a sigh of relief if she truly thought nothing would come of this. But she had no expectations that Lord Hawkins cared one whit about what happened to her. “I see.”

“You do realize this presents new questions as to why your saddle was tampered with.”

“Why? No one knows who I am. Well, no one until that letter arrived.” She gestured with her head toward the missive still in his hand.

“We cannot be sure about that. Are you certain you know nothing about your father’s activities? Anything he might have mentioned that you didn’t think much of at the time? Any letters or missives he attempted to hide from you? Names he might have mentioned that you had not heard before?”

Lizzie thought back to the time it had all happened. Until the night her father had told her what he’d done and the reason why, she had lived in a rose-colored world. All her time and attention had been taken up with balls, parties, gowns, and slippers. Foolish girl that she’d been.

What had hurt the most was when she’d demanded to know why he’d done such a thing and he had finally admitted he was penniless, and the money he’d received for selling secrets had paid for her Season.

She had been mortified and had been plagued with guilt ever since.

“Nothing I can think of, but you must understand, I had no reason to believe anything nefarious was going on.”

He continued to stare at her until she was shifting in her seat again.

“Very well.”

She stood, hoping her legs would hold her up. But she had to leave the room before she either screamed or burst into hysterical tears. She rubbed her forehead where her headache had returned with a vengeance. “I have duties to attend to, my lord. May I be excused?”

He gave her a curt nod. “Since I have been charged by the Home Secretary with returning you to London, I must insist you remain in the house until I determine what is to be done.”

Gathering her skirts about her, she nodded and swept past him. Once she was on the other side of the breakfast room door, she leaned against it and took a deep breath. She fought to keep her breakfast down. Dear Lord, what do I do now?

She hurried past the library, not wishing to engage in conversation with Lord Wycliff. What she really did not want to hear was that her employment had come to an end.

After a quick wash to her face and hands, hoping it would help calm her nerves, she made her way to the nursery to lose her mind in dealing with the children.

When Lizzie entered the drawing room in anticipation of dinner, Lord Hawkins and Lord Wycliff were engaged in a deep conversation that ceased the moment they spotted her. They both bowed in her direction. “Good evening, my lady.”

Well. So, they were acknowledging her title. All the fear and questions she’d managed to put aside while she dealt with reading, ar

ithmetic, history, and geography now rose to the forefront. This was the first time she was in the company of Lord and Lady Wycliff since Hawkins had received his letter.