Page 40 of A Dangerous Engagement

Felicity put her cup down and headed to the stairs. Mr.Merrick was just disappearing at the top as he rounded a corner toward the wing of the house where Lady Blackstone’s room was located. Might she not prove helpful as his lookout?

She walked quietly up the steps and stopped at the top. If she went left, she would seem to be going to her room to look in on Aunt Agnes. If she went right, she would be following Mr.Merrick toward Lady Blackstone’s room.

No one seemed to be around, so she turned right.

She walked slowly until she was in sight of Lady Blackstone’s door. Was Mr.Merrick inside? She continued on. Lady Blackstone’s door was slightly ajar. She pushed it open. Mr.Merrick was hunched over the small bureau where she had found the papers.

Felicity heard footsteps coming up behind her. Her heart lurched. If she were to call out to Mr.Merrick, whoever was walking toward her would hear.

She turned and walked down the darkened corridor to await whoever would appear.Let it not be Lady Blackstone or Mr.Ratley.

It was a man. He appeared at the top of the stairs and turned right.Oh dear.It was Mr.Ratley.

He was walking toward her. She hurried toward him. “Mr.Ratley!” she called out, a bit louder than necessary.

O God, please let Mr.Merrick get away before he is seen.

Philip found the papers. He was just picking them up when he heard Miss Mayson’s voice: “Mr.Ratley!”

His blood pounded in his temples. For a moment he debated—should he take them? Did he have time to replace them with the dummy papers and secure the real papers inside his waistcoat? He clenched his teeth and left them, closing the drawer and turning to leave.

He tried the side door, which might lead him to the back stairs. It was locked. There was no escape except through the door he had come in. He hurried to it and peeked out.

“What are you doing on this corridor?” Mr.Ratley asked, pulling Miss Mayson into his arms.

Philip felt sick.

“I was looking for Lady Blackstone. I wanted to ask her something.”

“I was just going to take something to her room.”

Energy surged through his veins. He glanced the opposite way down the hall. He saw only shadows. Perhaps if he went that way he’d come to the back stairs. It was risky, as he’d probably be seen by the servants coming from this corridor, and they’d tell Lady Blackstone, but if Mr.Ratley saw him, he was a dead man.

He glanced back toward Miss Mayson and Mr.Ratley. Miss Mayson leaned in and kissed the man.

Philip’s stomach churned, but he ignored it and darted from the room, to his left, hurrying through the shadowy corridor. Soon he came to the narrow wooden back stairs and rushed down. Miraculously, he did not encounter any servants, even as he reached the bottom, near the kitchen. He dashed into the ground-floor corridor between the vestibule and the large drawing room. Soon he was back in the ballroom.

Felicity was glad it was dark. Her hands trembled where she held Mr.Ratley’s shoulders, and she suddenly felt light-headed and faint. Had Mr.Merrick had time to escape?

When the kiss ended, she whispered, “My darling,” hoping to distract Mr.Ratley further. She kissed him again, inwardly cringing at her own deception—and at his wet, flaccid lips.

She pulled away, trusting Mr.Merrick to have escaped by now.

“Darling.” There was a note of pleasant surprise in Mr.Ratley’s voice. He was smiling. “If you wanted to be alone with me, you should have said so.”

“Oh no.” She laughed, the sound coming out as breathless. “I came up here to look in on my aunt, then thought I would see if Lady Blackstone was in her room. But when I saw you ... forgive me. It was very impulsive of me.”

“But not at all unwelcome.” He bent to kiss her again.

Her insides squirmed, but she allowed it for a couple of moments, then pulled away. “We shouldn’t. I ... I don’t want anyone to see us. Come. Let us go join the party. I wish to dance and dance with my future husband.” She tried to sound merry and enthusiastic.

“Just a moment. I need to put something away in Lady Blackstone’s room.”

“Won’t she mind?”

“No, no. She sent me to do it. It will only take a moment.” He removed his arms from around her, tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, and strode toward Lady Blackstone’s room.

He did not seem too surprised that the door wasn’t completely shut. Felicity removed her hand from his arm and strode inside to Lady Blackstone’s small desk.