To Love a Tormented Earl - Bridget Barton Page 0,96

to the gentleman who faced the three of them as they crouched listening behind a hedge.

The gentleman, the same cherubic-haired one who had sought out Edward Emery, frowned as he recognized Miss d’Este.

After a pause he gave a quick bow.

‘I say—’ he began.

‘Shh!’ Miss d’Este hissed. ‘They’ll hear you.’

With that admonishment, she turned back to put her ear against the hedge again.

Emilia gave Lord Ferriston an apologetic look, but after all, who were they to gainsay the actions of the granddaughter of His Majesty the King?

Lord Ferriston took another step toward them, but it was clear he was unsettled and did not know what to do.

‘Did my uncle know of the blackmail, Charlotte?’

‘Twas Max’s voice, Emilia realized. The surprise of Ferriston accosting them had distracted her long enough for him to join the conversation beyond without her noticing.

Beyond the hedge Lady Charlotte reacted with shock, as well, demanding to know what Max was doing there. Then the conversation seemed to turn in circles for a few minutes, without any satisfying progress, so that Emilia began to feel quite desperate.

And then:

‘Nicholas?’

‘Nicholas Reid?’

‘The very same, sir.’

Emilia exchanged a wide-eyed look with Alice and then Miss d’Este squeezed her arm and whispered, ‘Tis better than a serial!’

Ferriston moved closer and leaned his ear to hedge above her now.

He shall bear witness, as well, and that can only be to the good.

She made sure to give the lord room.

Beyond the hedge, the new voice declared, ‘If it’s the truth you want, sir, I’ve something to contribute to it.’

Emilia held her breath, but the desire to see what was happening was more than she could withstand. With careful movements, shuffling her feet to avoid making sounds with her steps, she crept to the edge of the bush and peered around. Miss d’Este soon joined her.

The tableau before her might have been a scene from an opera. Indeed, Emilia’s mind began composing music even as she watched.

Roberts stood near Charlotte, though the lady leaned away from him now. Across from both was Maximilian, and to the latter’s right, Edward Emery. And emerging from an allée between the two pairs, there arrived a tall, dark man with a stormy look to his countenance There was no doubt the famous footman, Nicholas, who Max had suspected of the whole sordid blackmail scheme in the beginning.‘Lady Charlotte is anything but “untouched,”’ Nicholas said. ‘And I can assure you of this, my lords, because I am the one who touched her.’

Charlotte cried out and covered her face, and Edward made a pained noise.

Nicholas announced, ‘Lady Charlotte has been my lover these past three years.’

Miss d’Este smothered a squeal, and with the other hand gripped Emilia’s forearm so hard that despite the gloves they both wore, Emilia felt certain there would be bruises.

Then Lord Ferriston straightened up from leaning against the hedge and marched into the little square before Emilia could react.

‘Lady Charlotte, is this true?’ Ferriston demanded.

‘Oh!’ Charlotte howled, stumbling away from him.

Nicholas, reacting to Ferriston’s abrupt entrance, made a scoffing noise. Then he said, ‘I assure you, my lord, I’ve nothing to gain by confessing it. I thought the minx loved me, you see, but she disabused me of that notion not ten hours ago.’

***

There were gasps all around.

‘How dare you, man!’ choked Edward, his body stiff with outrage.

‘Ten hours ago, you say?’ Ferriston put in. ‘How coincidental. She scorned my love for her some three hours past.’

Max stifled a snort.

‘It seems she cast us both off in favour of this gentleman,’ Ferriston said with a wave at Roberts.

‘More’s the pity for her,’ the lieutenant said. ‘In case you have yet to suss it out for yourself, Lady Charlotte, you are not the only liar here. I am no heir to Ceastre at all, but a loyal friend to Maximilian Emery.’

Charlotte’s eyes, wide and shining, darted from Roberts to Max’s face. ‘You odious cads.’

‘And what of the blackmail?’ Max demanded, pleased now that Ferriston would act as another witness. He still hoped Emilia had managed to bring Miss d’Este within earshot, but even if she had not, Lord Ferriston would do just as well.

‘A scheme of Lady Charlotte’s,’ Nicholas said.

‘Blackmail?’ Ferriston muttered.

‘His lordship saw us together,’ Nicholas said to Ferriston with a gesture at Max. ‘She thought it clever to accuse him of violence against her.’

‘She tried to force me into marrying her. Did you know of it, Uncle?’ Max said.

Edward groaned and wiped a hand over his forehead, all the fight leaving his frame. ‘Not at first,’ he