fell from Gideon’s lips. “I’m a murderer, Haslemere, remember? Not a scoundrel.”
“Damn it, Darlington, will you stop saying that? We both know you’re neither. I only ask because I can’t imagine anything less than love would induce me to marry a lady with such a mother. But none of that matters. No, the issue here is that Cecilia is distracting you from your betrothed, and it’s bound to make a mess of things. I’m amazed it hasn’t already.”
“Are you suggesting I dismiss her?” Cecilia did distract him, more so every day, yet Gideon couldn’t bear the idea of letting her go.
“I’m suggesting you find another place for her, yes. I’ll take her on, if you like. Oh, she’s a bit of a termagant, but I’m rather fond of her all the same. One can’t help but admire a lady who puts Mrs. Honeywell in her place.”
Haslemere grinned, and for some reason it set Gideon’s teeth on edge. “Fond of her, are you? How fond? Improperly fond?”
It was a bloody unfair question, and one Gideon knew he had no right to ask. Haslemere might be one of London’s most dashing rakes, but at his heart he was a gentleman. There were certain lines he wouldn’t cross, and trifling with a servant was one of them.
But if Haslemere was offended, he didn’t show it. “Fond enough to offer her a place at Haslemere House. I can take her over there myself tomorrow morning, and have her out of Mrs. Honeywell’s way before breakfast. You must see you can’t keep Cecilia at Darlington Castle after you’re wed—”
“No. Cecilia stays here.” Gideon was cursing his own foolishness before the words were out of his mouth, but he just…he couldn’t let her go.
“No?” Haslemere stared at him. “Why the devil not?”
Why, indeed? It was the ideal solution, really, the perfect way to get Cecilia out from underfoot without depriving her of a place, which would be unfair of him. It wasn’t her fault she drove him to distraction, heated the blood in his veins, haunted his dreams—
Yet as perfect as it was, Gideon found himself desperately floundering for a believable explanation for why it wouldn’t do. “I can’t let her go now, Haslemere, not when Isabella’s so attached to her.” He was half-ashamed of using his niece as an excuse, but then again, it was the truth, wasn’t it?
“Ah. Isabella, is it? I suppose there isn’t a single servant in all of Darlington Castle aside from Cecilia Isabella can tolerate.”
“It’s truer than you might think. Cecilia has a way with her. She, ah…she sings to Isabella, and it calms her. Cecilia has a surprisingly sweet singing voice, despite the occasional sharp edge to her tongue.”
Haslemere huffed out a breath, but Gideon had hit upon just the right argument. Haslemere, much like everyone else who frequented Darlington Castle, was Isabella’s devoted slave, and he wouldn’t dream of depriving her of the only servant who could soothe her.
Still, Haslemere cast Gideon an uneasy look. “You realize you’re putting Cecilia at risk by keeping her here, don’t you, Darlington? Mrs. Honeywell is a low, malicious woman, and she doesn’t appreciate her daughter being slighted. If she chooses to take offense—and she likely will—it won’t be you who catches the razor edge of her ire. It will be Cecilia.”
Gideon opened his mouth, but closed it again when he realized Haslemere was right. If Mrs. Honeywell had the opportunity, she’d make Cecilia suffer for his folly. He didn’t like the idea of Cecilia suffering—not for his sake, or anyone else’s. He didn’t like it at all.
“No, she won’t.” Gideon tossed back the rest of his port. “I’ll make certain Cecilia’s kept out of Mrs. Honeywell’s way. The woman can rage all she likes, but she won’t get the chance to harm Cecilia.”
* * * *
Mrs. Honeywell did choose to take offense, and despite Gideon’s best efforts, she found a way to vent her frustrations. Her revenge, when it came, was swift, brutal, and utterly unexpected.
By the time Gideon realized it was coming, it was already too late.
It happened in the drawing room the following evening, while Miss Honeywell was performing on the pianoforte for a small group of neighbors and guests who’d been invited to a lavish supper that evening to celebrate the impending nuptials.
Cecilia shouldn’t have been anywhere near the drawing room. Gideon had taken Haslemere’s warning to heart, and instructed Mrs. Briggs to keep Cecilia and Amy safely out of the way in the kitchens until the guests