Page 19 of A Dangerous Engagement

He looked as if he might laugh.

“I beg you not to trouble Lady Blackstone. I believe I should like to go to my room and rest.” And write to her father to send a servant and the carriage for her and Aunt Agnes. Immediately.

Mr.Ratley squeezed her hand. “I shall escort you. But you must speak with Lady Blackstone now that I’ve bungled the business of explaining it all to you.”

He was not smiling now, and his eyes darted about as he stood and walked to the door.

They left the room, with Mr.Ratley holding her hand on his arm in silence.

Once they reached Felicity’s door, he looked into her eyes. “I love you, Felicity. You are just the sort of girl I always wanted to marry. Just know that I love you.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say, “You don’t even know me.” But she bit her lip instead. She nodded and broke away from his touch, entering her room and closing the door.

Felicity’s breath came faster as she closed her eyes. “Oh, what have I done?”

She walked to her bed and lay across it without a thought for wrinkling her dress.

She had pledged to marry a man who was involved in sedition. How could this have happened? And still, she wanted to believe he loved her and all would yet be well. How desperate for love was she to even hope ...? How desperate was she to engage herself to a man she did not know, had only been acquainted with for a few days?

Lady Blackstone, her fiancé, the people at this party, were all traitors to the Crown, to England.

She was cold all over, her mind numb with horror. She stared up at the canopy over her bed.

A knock sounded at the door.

She sat up. “Come in.”

Lady Blackstone swung open the door and strode in even before the summons was out of Felicity’s mouth.

“Felicity, my dear.” She moved to stand in front of her. Lady Blackstone’s expression seemed chiseled from stone. Her eyes were dark, almost black. But then she pasted on a brittle smile.

“Mr.Ratley tells me you are confused about our ideals and plans.” She moved a stool closer to Felicity and sat down. Only then did Felicity notice that Mr.Ratley had also entered the room and was standing near the door.

“You may not realize it, but there are many atrocities being visited on the people of our great nation. You also may not realize that there is a movement afoot to make right the wrongs that have been done. Now, I knew you were an intelligent, kindhearted girl, just the sort of person who would understand what we were trying to do and would join us, seeing the rightness of our actions and our ideals. I saw in you the kind of courage and dignity that would stand up to tyranny of every kind.”

Fierceness seemed to flash from Lady Blackstone’s eyes. Felicity got the impression that she was exerting extra effort to soften her tone, as it went from strident to quiet and back to strident again.

“I also saw in you the perfect soul mate for my dear friend, Mr.Ratley, who wished for a wife to be by his side, supporting him in his noble fight. He wished for a sweet girl, a compliant but wise woman who would love him and receive his love in return. And you are that woman, Felicity.”

Lady Blackstone took hold of Felicity’s hands. Her touch was icy cold. Felicity shivered.

“We have brought you into our fellowship, believing in you, trusting that you would see the good in what we are attempting to do.” Lady Blackstone drew her hands in closer, forcing Felicity to lean in, bringing her face within inches of Lady Blackstone’s. “You will not disappoint us, will you, my dear?” She said the words in a quiet, steely tone.

“As ... as you said, I am confused. Please explain things.”

Lady Blackstone did not release her hands or even loosen her grip. “Mr.Ratley told me he botched the explanation. But just know that all will be done in an upright manner. We shall not allow the kind of confusion and barbarity of the French Revolution. Robespierre was unable to gain control. We shall not make the same mistake, I assure you. Our objectives are clear, our plans are precise, and we will not allow anything ... anything ... to prevent us from attaining our goals.”

Felicity swallowed. A response seemed to be required, so she said, “I see.”

“And since you are engaged to our dear Mr.Ratley, and since you are now privy to our intentions, you must realize ... you are one of us now. You may as well embrace us.”

Lady Blackstone’s smile sent a chill down Felicity’s spine.

Mr.Ratley stepped forward, his eyes wide and his lips parted. He knelt in front of her beside Lady Blackstone and reached for her hand.

“Darling, as I know you love me, I also ask that you trust me. Our cause is noble. Truly, it is. If you will only trust me, I shall protect you, and when our group is in power, we shall be rulers, and your own ideas will be considered and respected in the decision-making of our country. How many other women in history have had such privilege?”

“Of course, of course,” Lady Blackstone said, her voice suddenly placating. “Felicity cares about the poor, and she is loyal to me, but most of all, she is loyal to her husband-to-be.”