Page 33 of A Dangerous Engagement

Suddenly, someone was running toward her from the opposite end of the corridor. Had the servant girl reported her? Were they coming after her?

O God! Help me get to my room!She tried to hurry, but her knees were so weak.Don’t let me faint.

Just as she reached her door, the figure emerged from the dark corridor.

“Mr.Merrick.” She sighed.

But why was he running toward her? Her hand slipped off the knob as all the strength ebbed from her limbs. Everything was going black.

Philip could hear the heavy footfalls behind him, the heels of a man’s shoes clicking on the polished floor. He ran as quietly as he could down the dark corridor, until he saw the slight figure of Felicity Mayson approaching her bedroom door.

She seemed to catch sight of him, and just as he reached her, her eyes closed and she started to crumple.

He held her up with one hand on her waist and opened her door with his other hand. He swept her up in his arms, carried her into the room, and closed the door behind them.

He stood still, holding her against his chest. Had the person seen him go into Felicity’s room? Would they knock on the door?

The steps came to within a few feet of the door and stopped. Three seconds went by, four, five, then the steps started back the way they had come, and soon the sound disappeared.

“Miss Mayson, forgive me,” he whispered. “Are you injured? Are you well?”

She had not moved since he’d lifted her. Then she drew in a labored breath, her head lolling on his shoulder. “I think I just fainted.”

He carried her to the nearest bed and laid her down with her head on the pillow. He’d never carried a woman before, and he was trying not to think how pleasant it had been as he took a step away from her. He found a stool and sat beside her.

Miss Mayson brought her hand to her head. “Thank you, Mr.Merrick. I don’t know what caused me to do something so foolish and dangerous as to faint outside my room.”

Her voice was still weak, but at least her eyes were open now.

“Please don’t trouble yourself, Miss Mayson. All’s well that ends well, and it seems the man, whoever he was, who was following behind me has given up his pursuit.”

“Was a man chasing you?”

“I don’t know if he was chasing me, but he was curious who I was and where I was going, at the very least.”

“Oh dear, I hope I didn’t forget!” She sat straight up, then sank back. “Please, will you fetch a piece of paper from my writing desk, and a pen. I need to write down what I saw in Lady Blackstone’s room.”

Philip went and fetched her traveling desk from the table. “Tell me, and I’ll write.”

She held a hand to her temple and closed her eyes. She began to say names, one after the other, and he wrote as quickly as she spoke, scratching out the names on the paper.

When she finished speaking and he finished writing, she said, “There were many sheets of paper with the same type of information, with a different place name at the top. What could these lists be?” she asked. “I should think it was a list of supporters in each area, although it could be a list of enemies or people to stay away from.”

“I think you are right with your first idea. She’s listing their supporters, the inn where they hold their meetings, and the street address is—and this might just be wishful thinking—but it could be where they are storing their weapons. Where did you say you found these papers?”

She told him, then said, “But I was nearly discovered. In fact, I’m not completely sure I wasn’t discovered.”

“What do you mean?” If she had been discovered, they would kill her as they had killed that man in the garden. How could he bear it if he got her killed doinghis job? He was the spy, the informer. He was the one employed by the Home Office to discover the plans of this group of rebels.

“I had just put the papers back in the drawer when a maidservant entered the room from a side door. She went and stoked up the fire, then left. It was very dark in the room, so I don’t think she saw me, but I cannot be sure. It frightened me so much I left. Then when I was almost to my room, I saw you running toward me, and ... I’m sorry. I know it was foolish to faint.”

A vision flashed before his eyes of Lady Blackstone plunging a knife in Miss Mayson’s back. He ran a hand over his jaw, his throat suddenly dry.

“I—I will do better in the future. I can be brave, I promise. I don’t want you to think you can’t count on me. Tomorrow when she goes for a walk in the garden or is out of her room, I’ll bring some paper with me and I’ll write down the rest of the information in those papers and—”

“No. It’s much too dangerous. I never intended for you to search Lady Blackstone’s room, only that you would inform me if you heard something important. Please. I will steal the papers and copy them myself.”

“You don’t trust me because I was nearly caught.” She lay back and covered her face with her hands. He imagined her cheeks blushing a pretty pink.