Page 35 of A Dangerous Engagement

But she should not be thinking of him. She had to stay alert and clearheaded.

After her morning exercise, she walked back to the house. She opened the door and found Lady Blackstone and Mr.Ratley standing in front of her, as if waiting for her to come in.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Felicity’s heart leapt to her throat. Had Lady Blackstone heard from her maidservant that she had been in her room the night before?

“Darling,” Mr.Ratley said, reaching out for her hand. She let him take it, and he kissed her knuckles.

His lips were cool and moist. How many times had she dreamed of a man falling in love with her, kissing her hand whenever he saw her because he could not help himself? But his kiss did not make her heart pound. Perhaps that was because she was too worried these two people might kill her.

But they were both smiling at her with ingratiating looks, so her breaths started to come easier.

“Mr.Ratley. Lady Blackstone. I hope you are both well this morning.”

“Yes,” they answered. “We want to speak with you, sweet Felicity,” Lady Blackstone said in her most winsome voice. “Won’t you come with us someplace comfortable?”

“Of course.” Felicity followed them to a small sitting room nearby.

Felicity and Lady Blackstone sat together on a sofa while Mr.Ratley pulled a chair close to them.

“Felicity, my dulcet niece,” Lady Blackstone began, leaning close and speaking in a low voice. “I know you were surprised when you learned of our plans and purpose here, our mission to make our country a better place with a better government more representative of our nation’s people and their desires and interests. But from your own sentiments, spoken to me on more than one occasion, I know you, too, believe in doing what is right and good for others, not trampling anyone underfoot, and upholding the democratic ideals of such leaders as the ones in America. I am not wrong about that, am I?”

Felicity swallowed, resolving to be as wily as the situation called for. “I was surprised, it is true. But you are correct in thinking that I believe in the democratic principle that all men—and women—deserve fair treatment. Whatever is right and noble, that is what I wish to support.”

“Yes, exactly!” Lady Blackstone’s eyes were still shrewdly trained on Felicity’s face. “I am so pleased you are wont to see things as Mr.Ratley and I do. I only wanted to make certain that you are aware of all the ways this country’s government needs to be reformed and the impossibility of that happening without extreme intervention.”

“Of course. I believe I do, Aunt. I am not ignorant of the mistreatment of cotton factory workers, the plight of the weavers who are nearly starving and being treated most cruelly, as well as the farmers who have been unfairly injured by the Corn Law. Our government has made it nearly impossible for the small farmer to survive, and the cost of bread is beyond the means of many of our nation’s people.”

She searched her mind for newspaper stories she had read or heard about, events and political rumblings her father had discussed with her brothers. She did her best to say what Lady Blackstone and Mr.Ratley would want to hear.

“I do not think most of the Members of Parliament care for anyone but themselves and their privileged friends and family, and therefore, since you and Mr.Ratley have planned such an organized uprising, and since I trust you both to do what is just and good for all the people, I am with you. In fact, I relish the idea of change.” She was able to make this latter statement with conviction since she certainly did see the need for the change, just not in the same way as these two insurrectionists.

Mr.Ratley was beaming at her. He took her hand and squeezed it, then kissed it again. “I knew you would see things our way. Did I not tell you so?” He turned to Lady Blackstone and then back to Felicity.

“The two of you are so well suited, both so reasonable and earnest.” Her mouth twisted just enough to show her sardonic meaning.

“But Felicity, my dear,” Lady Blackstone said, “if you have any reservations about what might take place in our fight for a better government, please know that you will not be expected to be involved in anything that is the least distasteful to you.”

“That is very true, darling,” Mr.Ratley said. “When we are married, you may stay at our home away from London, out of the ... Well, there are many things that must be done, and you shall be shielded from ... such things as go on during a revolution. You understand.”

Yes, she understood. Murder, treachery. Perhaps they’d even get their own guillotine for the beheading of those who did not agree with their idea of good government.

Felicity forced a smile. “Thank you, my dear, for thinking of my comfort. You are so good to me.” She lowered her eyes, hoping she would appear overcome with gratitude, rather than as if she was trying to hide her true feelings by not looking him in the eye.

“I haven’t noticed you sending any letters lately,” Lady Blackstone said. “You received a letter from your mother, did you not?”

“Oh yes, but Mother doesn’t expect me to write her that often. She is not much of a correspondent herself, as she has so many children.”

“Well, you must have friends you’d want to write to tell them about your engagement.” She was eyeing her suspiciously now.

“Oh yes, I should write my friends.” But she did not want Lady Blackstone to know that her two best friends were Mrs.Julia Langdon, whose husband had worked with the government to thwart a traitor to the Crown, and Lady Withinghall, whose husband was a member of the House of Lords and would no doubt be a target of execution. “I shall write them soon.”

“I hope you will remember what I have told you. The important thing,” Lady Blackstone said, “is that you are never disloyal to us or to the cause. We need your support.” She stared straight into Felicity’s eyes, as if pinning her to the spot. “Every person’s support is important and necessary, but especially the wife of someone as high in authority as Mr.Ratley is and will be. You will be closely watched.”

“For your own safety, as much as for any other reason,” Mr.Ratley hastened to add.

“Oh. Of course.” It was not difficult to muster a frightened look.