Page 30 of Charming the Accidental Suitor
She shot up off the settee so suddenly, Jane gave a start.
“Felicity?” Ann sounded wary.
“She has that look in her eyes,” Meg said. She was talking about Felicity.
“Am I the only one afraid of that look?” Jane asked.
“Definitely not,” Ann said.
They were in jest. Mostly. Or…maybe they weren’t. Didn’t matter. Felicity began to pace the room, aware of her friends’ watchful stares all the while.
It was such an odd mix of emotions that filled her as the puzzle pieces fit into place.
Determination. Fear. Excitement. The occasional flicker of dread as she considered all the possible endings.
And yes, perhaps some of that dread had to do with Albright’s reaction when he found out.
She stopped pacing to stare out the window at the gray cloudy sky.
She could not worry about Albright’s disappointment in her. She owed him nothing.
All that mattered now was saving her uncle and the other unsuspecting marks from Everson’s plans—and potentially saving herself in the process.
And this plan she was concocting…it could do both, if she played her cards right. At the very best, it might save her uncle.
The trick was to time it so no one could stop her.
She bit her lip. And by no one, she meant Albright.
“Please talk to us, Felicity,” Meg said.
Felicity turned, her attention fixed on Jane. “Would you relay a message for me, Jane? I need to get word to Lord Marlin…”
10
Albright was flummoxed. There was no other word for it. But he reached for his cloak even as he tried to sort out why he was being summoned to run out into this wicked storm.
He eyed the uncharacteristically unkempt Lord Marlin in his doorway with a puzzled frown. “I beg your pardon?”
Lord Marlin thrust a hand through his hair, pushing the wet locks out of his way. Again, very uncharacteristic.
Albright couldn’t claim to know the Earl well as he’d only just started to spend time with him now that he and his fiancé Jane had become…
Well, infatuated was the only word he could think to describe their mooning state.
But in this short time he’d known the Earl, he’d never seen him look anything but put together nor act anything less than stiff.
And yet, he’d just shown up on Albright’s doorstep soaked from the rain, out of breath, and telling him he had to come with him now if he wanted to catch Everson in the act.
“In the act how?” Albright asked for the second time, and for the second time Everson said, “I…don’t know exactly. I’ll tell you all I do know on the way.”
“On the way where?”
He named a warehouse Albright was already familiar with. Albright paused only long enough to call for a footman and give orders to send a message. After that he darted out and followed Marlin, who led the way back to his coach.
Marlin was talking as he walked, but through the wind and the harsh rain, Albright only made out one word, and that word sent fear spiking through his veins and set his body into motion.
Felicity.
