The Second Lady Emily by Allison Lane

Author:Allison Lane [Lane, Allison]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1998-10-10T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

“You are mad, Potts!” sputtered Lord Raeburn, his face purple with indignation.

“I know what I saw, my lord,” insisted the farmer implacably.

“My daughter would never behave so dishonorably.” But his voice lacked conviction.

“Ask her to explain why she didn’t discover Lord Randolph’s body until the next day.”

Jaime Potts watched complacently as Lord Raeburn’s face darkened even further. He hadn’t meant to put the touch on Raeburn. Everyone knew better than to annoy the man’s daughter. But his luck had turned sour, threatening him with debtor’s prison if he didn’t come up with some cash. He’d considered selling his information to Lord Thurston, but the man would hardly complain about an action that had saved his life. Miss Raeburn would never do, of course. She’d see him in debtor’s prison before lifting a finger to help him, even if that meant exposing his tale to public scrutiny. But Lord Raeburn was different. Since the man hadn’t been there, the careful wording that condemned Fay’s actions without actually lying would go unnoticed. Raeburn wouldn’t want his own name tarnished by his daughter’s misdeeds. And a Swell would never miss thirty pounds. Or so he’d thought.

“I won’t pay you a farthing,” snapped the baron. “If Fay has erred, she will make a public confession and restitution. But she won’t be cowed by your drunken fantasies. Wait here while I fetch her. Let’s see if you dare accuse her to her face.”

Potts frowned once Lord Raeburn left the room. This was not going as planned. He had expected Raeburn to give up the paltry sum to save his family name from disgrace. Miss Raeburn needn’t have known anything about it. Would Raeburn arrest him for blackmail? Not that it mattered. The choice had come down to transportation or debtor’s prison. He’d chance the first to escape the second. And it was too late to turn back.

What would she do? Rumors had long hinted that she was a witch. She might ill-wish his farm. Even worse, Potts was one of the Broadbanks tenants, so she could make trouble for him once she became lady of the manor. Ignoring the voice that berated him for joining that card game at the Blue Parrot, he pondered how to approach this confrontation. Would Raeburn really expose his own daughter, or was he bluffing? Should Potts change tactics and approach Lord Thurston or Lord Broadbanks instead?

But that alternative was no more viable than before. Broadbanks had caught him lying in the past, so he would never believe this tale. And though Thurston and Fay were betrothed, it was an arranged match, so he might not care for her enough to cover any misdeeds.

It was too late to change course anyway. Raeburn had already heard his accusations. Recanting at this point would leave him in even worse trouble. Damn his luck of late! What was taking the man so long?

The door opened, admitting Fay. “So you believe you saw something odd?” she asked, her sultry voice raising the temperature of the room several degrees.

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