Page 19 of A Gentleman's Guide to Save a Lady
Chapter 5
At first, Belle thought they hadn’t heard her. But then, as if it hadn’t just taken its sweet time, the truth suddenly revealed itself in their shocked faces and their blank eyes that blinked once, twice, before finally widening in disbelief.
St. Aldwyn’s jaw dropped open.
Jo blinked as her brows creased.
Grey’s back straightened.
Evelyn’s eyes rounded to saucers.
Westfield’s face lost all color.
The brother’s lips parted, at a loss.
It was rather comical to witness, Belle mused. Clearly, no one would ever have expected this turn of events.
“Hell.”
“Why did you never tell us?”
A fierce scowl.
“Oh dear.”
“Belle—”
Belle turned toward Westfield at his soft murmur of her name but stopped when she spotted the brothers, their shoulders widening even more if that was possible.
Evelyn and Jo, also noting the subtle change in their demeanor, suddenly sprang into action the same time, causing Belle to jerk. Each of them took a post by her side, a mixture of determination and defiance etched to the lift of their chins. Their eyes challenged the men to take any sort ofaction.
Tears burned in the back of Belle’s eyes at their display of loyalty. They would not abandon her then. She blinked the wetness away. Now wasnotthe time to break apart.
James was the first to act, taking a step closer, his eyes ever watchful as he narrowed them on the women. As a result, St. Aldwyn and Grey tensed, positioning themselves in line with their wives, while Westfield moved in front of them all, in an easy position to protect Belle.
Derek, calm as ever, broke the sudden tension that cloaked the room in thick waves of unease. “There is no need for this cavemen behavior—it’s giving me an ache in my skull. Perhaps, Lady Belle, you should elaborate on your statement.”
“I agree,” James seconded. “It is imperative that we catch this man and no harm will befall you, that is assuming you did not help a foreign spy steal valuable information that could have caused the death of countless of men.”
Belle pushed past Westfield, halting when he grabbed her wrist in a vise grip and pulled her next to him.
“I did not know Edgar was a spy until the evening I foolishly assisted him in his escape,” Belle snapped, her eyes not wavering from James’s. “I arranged everything, believing that Edgar was in grave danger from his family. It was only on our way to the docks that he transformed into a stranger, boasting about how he stole information that would change everything.”
She spared a glance at Derek. “I did not understand what he was going on about and probably wouldn’t have thought anything of it if his accent had not slipped, revealing him to be a liar.”
Painful memories assaulted Belle. The clatter of hooves as they reached the docks and the stench of that vile place were still fresh in her mind. His evil laughter and his mocking of everyone he’d fooled, including her, still haunted her.
“It’s all right Belle, you do not have to speak of it if you don’t want to,” Jo murmured in a soft tone, touching her shoulder.
Belle shook her head. They deserved the truth, did they not? And she so desperately wished to crack open the rotten shell of theburden that she’d bore alone these past four years.
Her voice trembled as she continued, “Suspicion arose, but I pretended not to notice his slip. I even smiled when he waved the white parchment in my face and then I devised a plan which worked, for the most part, though he still got away. At least, I lived to keep the tale a secret.”
“You were afraid for your life, that’s understandable,” Evelyn comforted.
From across the room, James shifted on his feet. “How did you meet?” he asked.
Belle looked away. “Does it matter?”
