Page 80 of A Dangerous Engagement

“I am your niece. I am not a spy. And why do you think Mr.Merrick is a spy?” She was too frantic. She had to be careful if she had any hope of helping Mr.Merrick.

“He stole papers from my room. Here is the copy he made.” Lady Blackstone held up the crumpled papers. “He was planning to have us all hanged.”

Felicity stared at her hostess and blinked. “Oh.” She had to be smart, had to pretend to be on Lady Blackstone’s side. “That is ... despicable. But surely you will not kill him. Not you, my lady.”

“Why should we not?” Lady Blackstone’s voice was calm and low. “He would have done the same to us. He planned to betray us, every one of us, including you.” She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Felicity, I had your room searched. I confess I believed you might be a spy as well, helping this man, whatever his name is, but the servants found nothing. The maidservants are cleaning it up and should have everything put back in its proper place.”

“What about Aunt Agnes? You did not harm her, did you?”

“Of course not. She is well and ensconced in the library where I had the servants set up her dinner.”

“Oh.” Felicity’s mind raced as she mentally thought over all the things in her possession. No, she had nothing that would incriminate her as a spy.

“I am sorry for my suspicions, Felicity, but you were seen with Mr.Merrick in the library closet.”

“I have explained this many times—”

“Yes, yes, it was very innocent. Forgive us for our suspicions. We cannot be too careful. There is too much at stake, after all.” Lady Blackstone actually smiled.

Felicity looked back at poor Mr.Merrick, his hands bound behind his back. Her stomach twisted. How badly was he hurt? She had to save him.O God, help me save him!

“What will you do with him?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“Please don’t kill him, my lady.” Felicity’s lip trembled, and she did not try to stop the tears that flowed from her eyes. “Please. I beg you. I cannot bear it. I know you love me, you said so, as your own daughter, and Mr.Ratley and I will always be your family. Please do not allow these men to kill Mr.Merrick.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

“You could lock him up somewhere until the revolution is over, treat him as a prisoner of war. You could give him a trial afterward, sentence him fairly. Then if he must be hanged for his crimes, at least it will be civilized. You don’t want people to think the English as barbaric as the French, surely.”

Lady Blackstone frowned out of one side her mouth. “Perhaps you are right.”

Hope lifted Felicity.

Lady Blackstone pointed. “You, Mr.Wilmott and Mr.Dougherty and Mr.Bentley, carry him out to the shed where we keep the printing press. Then lock the door.”

“Oh no, please! You can’t take him out there like this. He might never regain consciousness. And these men might kill him as soon as your back is turned.”

“What are you suggesting?” Lady Blackstone tilted her head to one side. “That we put him on a feather bed and give him access to the stable? He means the death of us all! Don’t you understand?”

“Very well. Yes, I understand, but ... his mouth is bleeding. He could choke on his own blood and die.”

“And save us a lot of trouble,” Mr.Cartwright said.

The other men laughed.

“There’s no need to mistreat him. Hitting a man with his hands tied behind his back, when he cannot defend himself, is neither civilized nor sporting.”

Lady Blackstone motioned with her hand. The man holding her back released her. She darted to the table and picked up a napkin, soaking one corner with water.

“You, Benson.” Lady Blackstone motioned to one of the footmen. “Drag that old mattress from the storage room into the shed. Then the rest of you carry him to it—after Miss Mayson is satisfied he won’t choke on his own blood.”

Everyone left the room except three of the footmen, who stood by the doors watching her, and Lady Blackstone and Mr.Ratley, who whispered to each other a few feet away.

Felicity sank to her knees beside Mr.Merrick. She touched his temple with the wet cloth and whispered, “Are you all right?”

He didn’t speak. Was he dead? Her heart skipped beats, and her stomach sank. She leaned down to place her cheek next to his nose and mouth to see if she could feel his breath.