office for a minute," she said nervously, one hand at her throat.
"Yes, I know," Freddy said grimly, moving forward.
Christiana stepped back to avoid his running her down, but paused abruptly as she realized that she was moving further into the room. Not comfortable, she started to move around him then, suddenly desperate to get back out into the hal , but Freddy quickly blocked her exit, slammed the door closed and locked it with a definitive click.
Chapter Seventeen
Do you know that felow?" Richard asked. They'd just puled up in front of the townhouse and Richard had been about to open the door to get out when he'd noted a man pacing back and forth on the path leading to his front door. The gentleman would walk toward the house as if to seek entrance, stop, shake his head and walk away from it, only to pause halfway to the gate and turn back to approach the door again. The fel ow was wel dressed, with gray hair, and a hat and cane, but his noble appearance was belied by the fact that he appeared to be talking to himself as he repeated the bizarre behavior.
"He looks vaguely familiar," Daniel said, leaning to peer out the window as wel .
"He seems a little troubled about something."
"Grand." Richard sighed, opening the door to get out. "More trouble at my door."
"You do seem to attract it of late," Daniel said dryly as he fol owed him out of the carriage.
"Hmmm," Richard muttered, and headed up the path. When he reached the fel ow, the man had again approached the door and stopped to peer at it as if it were some insurmountable mountain he dearly wished to climb. Richard was about to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention, when the fel ow shook his head again, muttered under his breath and turned abruptly, then leapt several steps back as he found Richard standing there. Richard raised his eyebrows, but asked politely, "Is there something I can assist you with, sir?"
"What?" the man asked with disbelief.
"I am Richard Fairgrave, Earl of Radnor," he offered, holding out one hand. "Can I be of assistance?"
The gentleman peered down at his hand as if it were a snake and then scowled at him grimly. "Surely you jest, my lord. After al you have cost me with your shady dealings, you think to act like you do not know me?"
Richard let his hand drop to his side, his eyes narrowing. This was obviously someone his brother had known and had dealings with. And someone not happy with those dealings, which put him on the list of suspects who might have wanted Dicky-George dead. So far it was a list of one, the man before him.
"Why do we not go inside and discuss this?" Richard suggested, moving past him to open the door.
"Why do you not go in there and fetch the girls back to me while your friend and I wait out here instead."
Richard glanced back to insist they go inside, but paused when he saw the man had moved up next to Daniel and now held a very large black-and-ivory pistol to his side. For his part, Woodrow looked somewhat startled, but not unduly alarmed.
Richard, on the other hand, noted the fine tremor in the man's hand and was worried for him.
"Ha! Not so clever now are you, Dicky?" the man asked grimly. "Now give me my daughters. Al of them. I'm not leaving a one of them here for you to abuse any longer."
"Your daughters?" Daniel asked with interest, half turning toward the man.
Fortunately the action didn't get him shot; Richard had spoken at the same time, saying, "Lord Madison?" in an amazed tone and the old man appeared more interested in him than Daniel, though he kept the gun pointed at Woodrow.
"Save your games, my lord." The man said with dislike. "You have managed to fool me one too many times already. I know you have mistreated my Chrissy. Robert told me everything after the Landons' bal the other night. He said the girls told him that you've treated her terribly and I've sorted it al out from there. You never loved my gel, it was al an act to get your hands on her dower, and now you've somehow swindled me again hoping to force my Suzette into the same position. Wel I won't have it, and I am not leaving my Chrissy in your hands either, marriage or no