Lady In Distress (The Langley Sisters Book 3) (23 page)

“Allow me to help you down, Miss Langley.” Lord Anthony appeared at the carriage door.

“Thank you, my lord.” She took Eddie’s lead in one hand and his arm with the other, and they were soon making their way to where the blankets were set on the crest of a hill beneath the shade of three large trees.
 

“The journey was no doubt tiring for one of your delicate constitution, Miss Langley. Please sit while I organize things and I shall come back and escort you to luncheon when it is ready.”

“I am quite capable of making my own way there, Lord Anthony,” Bella said, annoyed that he viewed her as too pathetic to handle a carriage ride. The sooner she dissuaded his attentions the better she would feel. He was starting to annoy her now. She had once thought him a pleasant companion, but now she found him stifling. Always speaking for her, acting as if she were an invalid and, loathe as she was to admit it, Thea was right. There was something about him that she was beginning to dislike.

“Please, Miss Langley. There is no need to be strong with me.”

Before she could snap back that she was strong he had lef, leaving her frustrated and petty for thinking badly of him.

“He’s a foolish man,” Thea said, arriving. “Dismiss him from your thoughts and we shall walk that silly dog of yours for a while and see if we can tire him enough so upon our return he will sleep.”

“I’m going to tell him today, Thea, that I no longer want his attentions.”

“Well, it’s about time!”

They looked up as the thunder of hooves sounded the arrival of more guests. Both Thea and Bella waved as the Hetherington twins rode up.
 

“By Jove, what a jolly affair!” Ben called as he dismounted.
 

“Will you allow me to walk with you, Miss Langley, while our lunch is being set up?”

Thea gave her hand a squeeze and then released it as Lord Anthony moved to take her arm.
 

“Of course. Thank you, Lord Anthony.”
 

They walked slowly down to the lake below and began to make their way towards a small stand of trees. Eddie kept dashing back to check Bella was near and then he would run off again, following some scent.

“We have not known each other long, Miss Langley, but I feel we are fast becoming friends.”

“Friends, yes, but I’m afraid there can be nothing more between us, Lord Anthony.”

He patted her hand. “I understand, my dear, and that you do not feel ready to make a decision yet, but I’m sure you know that my feelings for you are growing deeper than friendship with each passing day.”

“Oh, well, I—”

“No, don’t say anything until you are ready to do so, Miss Langley. It was merely my wish for you to know how I felt. I expect nothing in return.”

“But I have no wish to think beyond friendship, Lord Anthony, nor will I ever feel that way about you. There is another I care for.”

His fingers tightened on her arm briefly and then released.

“Speak no more on the matter, my dear. We shall discuss it again when you are ready. Such are my feelings for you I am willing to wait.”

Blowing out a frustrated breath, Bella tried again.

“Lord Anthony, I don’t think—” Her words turned to a squeak as he kissed her. She tried to push him away but he was too strong, so she kicked his shin instead.

“Forgive me, my dear Miss Langley. But my feelings overcame me.”

“Well, you had better pray they do not overcome you again, my lord, as next time it will not be just your shins that will bear bruises.”

“Beautiful day for a picnic, my lord, and I have to commend you on the location.”

Bella made herself smile at Ben Hetherington as he appeared before them. Lord Anthony took her arm again, and she could do nothing to stop him with Ben standing before them. She wanted to wipe her lips to remove all trace of him. How dare he kiss her? She did not speak to him again as they made their way back to where the blankets had been set out. Bella allowed Lord Anthony to help her down onto one beside Livvy and Henry. It was the last time he would touch her; she would make sure of that.

“Thank you, Lord Anthony. I wish to spend time with my sister and nephew now.”

If being polite hadn’t worked, then she would try rudeness. So with a flick of her wrist, she dismissed him. Turning to give Livvy a silencing look, she did not turn to see if he’d walked away.
 

“What was that about? I thought you liked Lord Anthony.”

“Hold that thought in your head until you help your sister, who is carrying a baby elephant in her stomach, down onto the blanket.”
 

Bella regained her feet and lowered Phoebe, then propped several large pillows behind her until she was comfortable.

“Now begin,” Phoebe said, waving her hand about as if she were the queen commanding an audience.

“You were discussing Lord Anthony,” Livvy said.

“He kissed me,” Bella crossed her eyes at Henry.

“The cad,” Livvy hissed with no real heat.

“Bounder,” Phoebe added.

“It was horrible.” Bella used her sleeve to scrub her mouth. “And he did it after I had told him that I did not care for him in any way but as a friend.”

“Was it your first kiss?” Livvy asked.

Bella started to shake her head before she through better of it and quickly stopped.

“Oh, no you don’t, little sister. You have been kissing someone else, and not telling your big sisters.”

“Sssh, Phoebe, I have no wish for anyone to hear this conversation,” Bella whispered.

“Who kissed you?” Livvy looked curious but not angry, which told Bella that motherhood had mellowed her as she would not have tolerated such a thing before.

“It matters not who.” Bella waved her hand about and concentrated on Henry’s little foot where it poked out from beneath the blanket. It was so small and pink.

“Luke Fletcher.”

Bella looked up as Livvy said Luke’s name, and saw a look pass between her sisters.

“How did you know it was him?”

“You gave your heart to him when you were a child, Bella, and I have seen no evidence to suggest that has changed over the years.”

“But you never said anything?”

“We had planned to talk to you about it after your first season. We,” Livvy pointed to Phoebe, “wanted you to have this time to think about what you would be giving up to marry him, Bella.”

“I love him so much that it almost hurts.” Bella rubbed a hand over her heart. “It would be no sacrifice to give up anything for him.”

“And that is exactly what I wanted to hear you say.” Livvy placed an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. “The love between you is a beautiful thing. We just needed to make sure that it was really what you wanted, as your life until coming to London has been sheltered.”

“I understand that,” Bella said, resting against her sister. “It is what both Luke and I discussed and believed I should do. But I realized after only a few weeks here that this life would mean nothing if he was not part of it.”

“And have you spoken to Luke about your feelings again?”

“I want to, but he has not answered my note saying that I wanted to see him, and I have not seen him for two weeks.”

“Yes, Will said he was working on something, but even he did not know what,” Livvy said.

“He loves you, Bella. Nothing else matters, and I’m sure he will come and see you as soon as he is able.”

“I hope so, Phoebe, I really do.”
 

As the day wore on and she tried to avoid Lord Anthony, Bella began to form a plan, one where if Luke would not come to her then she would go to him. By the time the carriages filled with weary picnic goers pulled up in front of Will’s house, she knew what she had to do.
 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

It was dark when Luke turned into his street. He’d spent the evening with Ace, running through the information they had received. After the carriage accident, Luke had told Ace what he believed was happening to him and Ace had agreed. They had then hired men and sent them into London to ferret out who was behind the plan to destroy him.
 

The information was coming in slowly, names of men he didn’t know, and he believed it would not be long before they had the one who was behind the plot.
 

Bella would be wondering why he was avoiding her, and Will and the family, too. But he could not involve them in this until he knew what he was dealing with, which would hopefully be soon.
 

He heard the scrape of boots behind him on the cobbles. Living in India had made Luke learn to be aware, and right now he was alert; something wasn’t right, he could feel it.

Deliberately slowing his pace, he slipped his hand inside his jacket to reach for the pistol he had taken to carrying, but he was not quick enough and they were on him. The fight was dirty, but Luke knew how to fight that way. The first he flung over his shoulder and heard the thud as he his head hit the cobbles. The second had a knife.

“It’s a shame that will be the last thing you hold in that hand.” The man circled him as Luke taunted him.
 

“I’m gona gut you, just like I was paid to do.”

“You’re certainly welcome to try,” Luke said, just before he lunged at the man. He felt the knife cut his jacket just before he disarmed the man, and the punch he gave him threw his attacker backwards.
 

“What’s going on out here?”
A man stood in his doorway looking down to where Luke stood.

“Run!”

Before he could stop them, his attackers had dragged themselves to their feet and run away.

“All is well, sir. Go back inside,” Luke said as he walked to his front door as the man closed his, then let himself inside. He had taken only a few steps before a note was thrust under the door. Opening it, he saw a boy disappearing down the road.
 

Picking up the note, he made his way upstairs. As yet, his bedroom was the only room furnished in the house. It was another thing he had put off doing to find whoever was after him.

Sitting on the bed, he opened it.

The next person I attack will be someone you care for. I want you gone, Fletcher, out of England for good. Do this and your friends and family will stay safe. If not, then the next person I come after with a knife will be your beloved Isabella, and I will start with her face.
 

The letter fell to the floor as he stood. Visions of Bella bloodied and hurt filled his head. He could not allow that to happen; he had to keep her safe. But how?
By leaving? Running away from her and everyone he loved because someone asked it of him?

Luke didn’t run, he fought. But this was different. The threat was to Bella and that made his blood run cold.
 

Taking the bottle of spirits from his drawer, he pulled the cork and swallowed a large mouthful. Fire burned down his throat and steadied him.
 

Think, Luke. It’s what you’re good at.

When the knock came, he was no closer to a solution and had drunk enough to feel the effects. Who the hell would be outside his door at this hour? Surely whoever wrote this note would not be standing on his doorstep?

Regaining his feet, he did not bother to pull on his boots nor button his shirt. Making his way down the stairs, he looked at the bare walls and rooms with no furniture or servants and wondered now if he would ever furnish it. He wrenched the front door open and found Bella standing alone on his doorstep.

“What are you doing here? Has something happened?” His heart thumped as he looked her over. She seemed in one piece; he could see no blood or tears streaking her cheeks.

She shook her head and the hood of her dark cloak fell, revealing her hair that was still piled on top of her head in some kind of elaborate knot.
 

“I wanted to talk with you.”

“You little fool; surely you did not come here alone.” Grabbing her arm, he hauled her inside and shut the door in case anyone should see her. The men who attacked him could have taken her from right outside his door and he would not have known.
 

“I did.”

She was nervous and her hands were shaking. Leading her into the house, he had no choice but to take her up to his room, as this had both light and heat.
 

“It was dangerous, Bella. You should not have done so.”

“You did not come to me when I sent around the note, so I came to you.”

He’d wanted to, been desperate to see her, but because of the mess that was his life, he had not.

“Seeing as you’ve already broken a ton of rules coming here, it matters not that the only room I can seat you in is my bedroom.” He helped her up the stairs and then gestured to the single chair in his room that sat before the fire.

“I-I like your house, Luke. It will be very nice when you have furniture.”

“Bella, tell me why you have risked so much to come and see me in the middle of the night?”