Page 25 of Captivating the Earl (Lords and Ladies in Love 5)

“Good evening, my lords, my lady.” She dipped her usual curtsy.

Lady Wycliff patted the seat next to her. “Join me, Lizzie.”

Her stomach muscles tightened as she made her way across the room. She had barely settled in the settee when Lord Hawkins handed her a glass of sherry that she had not asked for. Did he know there was something afoot that she need brace herself with liquor? “Thank you.”

He nodded and returned to Lord Wycliff.

“Needless to say, I was quite taken back when Lord Hawkins revealed your background.” Lady Wycliff’s demeanor revealed nothing of her thoughts.

Oh, lord. Here it comes. “I am sorry, but you do understand we must dismiss you?”

She might as well go down fighting. “I am sorry for the subterfuge, my lady. I had nowhere to turn once my father left England, and Lady Franklin was good enough to help me out. Please do not hold her responsible. She was merely doing me a favor.”

Lady Wycliff took a sip of her sherry. “His lordship and I have not decided what to do yet. Lord Hawkins tells us he is corresponding with the Home Office to gather more information.” She patted Lizzie’s hand. “You are, of course, welcome to continue with your work, if you so desire.”

Relief flooded her. “Oh, indeed, I do, my lady.”

Lady Wycliff nodded. “Then we will see what happens over the next few days. I believe Lord Hawkins sent his missive to the Home Secretary by special carrier.”

Lizzie’s stomach sunk. What would the Home Office tell him? Would they insist he honor their demand and drag her back to London? He’d said he would not allow her to go to prison, but he obviously had superiors at the Home Office who might order him to do so.

“Thank you, my lady.”

Smith entered and announced dinner. Lord Hawkins extended his elbow to Lizzie. “My lady.”

It was rather odd being addressed as “lady” after two years of simply “Miss Moore.”

She was on tenterhooks throughout the meal. She remained quiet, allowing those around her to converse. Several times she looked up at Lord Hawkins to find him studying her, his expression bland. The man would make a great spy. But then again, perhaps he was.

Once dinner had ended the four of them strolled to the drawing room. Instead of taking her usual seat, she addressed Lady Wycliff. “If you will excuse me, my lady, I would prefer an early evening.”

“Yes, of course.” She smiled brightly at her, easing some of the tension in Lizzie’s body.

Not enough of a release, though.

Lizzie climbed the stairs to her bedchamber and pulled out her satchel from underneath the bed. She gathered the clothes from her armoire and drawers and swept the bottles and jars from the top of her dressing table into a smaller bag.

With a heavy heart, she pinned the money she had saved into the bodice of her dress and pulled on her pelisse. She sat very still and studied the small pink and white china clock on the dresser across the room. Once the clock struck one o’clock in the morning, and she’d not heard any voices or noises from the rest of the house for some time, she stood and picked up her satchels.

Quietly, she made her way down the stairs, avoiding the front door, where one of the footmen stood. The corridor past the kitchens brought her to the back door. Quietly, she released the latch and stepped out into the night air.

Chapter Eleven

“She’s gone.” Hawk strode into the breakfast room, startling Lord Wycliff, who put his coffee cup down with enough clatter to draw the footman’s attention.

“Calm down, man. I assume you mean Lady Elizabeth?”

“The very one. The children’s nurse was looking for her. She asked if I had seen her. When I went to her bedchamber and there was no response, I entered. All her belongings are missing.”

“The poor girl must be terrified if she ran off like that.”

“Terrified or guilty.” Hawk dragged out a chair and sat. “You do understand I must go after her? Since the only people aware of her whereabouts were a select few in the Home Office, there is a good chance it was one of them who made the attempt on her life.”

“For what purpose?”

He picked up his cup of coffee and regarded Wycliff over the rim. “I’ve given this some thought, and I’ve concluded that someone at the Home Office must have been the person working with Loverly. He felt safe once she disappeared because if she had any information damaging to him, she took it with her.”

Wycliff blew out air between his teeth. “I hadn’t thought of that. The girl could be in serious trouble.”