Page 84 of A Lady's Lesson in Scandal
Hannah’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. She looked happy and healthy. Marriage agreed with her fierce friend. ‘Not yet. The housekeeper told us you were in the gardens, so we came straight out. I see you’ve been busy.’
‘Hannah. You’ve arrived.’ Philippa nodded at her ward, but the twitch in her lips and slight tremor in her hand betrayed her emotions.
Hannah walked up to Philippa, wrapped her arms around the woman, and pressed a kiss to her smooth cheek.
Millie tried not to stare as she watched Philippa’s porcelain skin turn pink.
Dear Lord. The Duchess of Dorsett is blushing. May wonders never cease.
Philippa awkwardly patted Hannah on the back for a moment before pushing her away. ‘Yes. Well. No time for histrionics.’
Hannah smiled at Philippa. ‘No, we wouldn’t want to be labelled emotional females, would we?’ She poked St George with her toe. ‘Your work, Philippa?’
Philippa shook her head. ‘Millicent. She’s come a long way in a short time. You would be proud.’
Millie’s chest expanded as she tried to contain her joy. First, she took down St George singlehandedly, then Drake was giving her those smouldering looks full ofsomething, now Hannah was here, and Philippa was complimenting her skills at warfare. If she wasn’t trying to dismantle a ring of flesh traders while determining if her future held marriage or a career or both, it would be a fine day.
Drake and Reynard were still huddled around Killian, slapping backs and shaking hands as men were wont to do.
Philippa nodded at the gentlemen. ‘We have much to do and little time in which to accomplish it. Gather the men. They might be useful. A rare event indeed.’
Philippa directed the men to secure Franklin in a wine cellar beneath the kitchen while Philippa and Millie filled Hannah in on everything she had missed.
When Drake, Killian, and Reynard returned, the entire group gathered on the lawn.
‘We need to interrogate Franklin. Once he’s able to talk again, that is.’ Millie looked at Drake. ‘How is he?’
‘Better than he will be after the House of Lords sentences him to hang.’
‘If he lives long enough to hang,’ Philippa added dryly, her arched brow combating his broken one. ‘The Queen has little faith in the House of Lords. If he is going to die anyway, she would prefer the sentence be fulfilled quickly without risk of a corrupt pardon.’
‘Vigilante justice is hardly worthy of a civilised nation.’ Killian crossed his arms.
Hannah put her hands on her hips, narrowing her gaze. ‘And corrupt lords are hardly up to the task of determining a fair judgement. I thought we already discussed this, darling.’ Never before had an endearment held such venom.
‘Discussing and agreeing are not the same thing.’ Killian’s eyes flashed at his wife. Millie wondered if she should throw a bucket of cold water on them. Clearly, arguing was a form of foreplay with Killian and Hannah.
‘If we are to be partners in this, we need to work on the same side. The right side. Queen Victoria’s side.’ Millie thrust out her chin. No point in beating around the bush. Either the men were with them, or they would work alone.
‘You would so quickly dismiss a justice system that has worked for centuries?’ Drake clenched his jaw.
‘The House of Lords has only tried one peer this century when we all know how guilty these men are of crimes ranging from theft to rape to murder. Yet the “honourable” lords refuse to hold their brethren accountable. Does that sound like justice to you?’ Millie faced Drake, refusing to be distracted by his bottom lip, or his icy gaze, or his wickedly erotic brow as it rose in judgement.
‘Perhaps we should all return to the house.’ Reynard stepped between the men and women who had created two distinct lines of battle on the manicured lawn. ‘Luncheon is being prepared. After the beating he took from Miss Millicent, St George can hardly answer any of our questions today. Why don’t we leave him to stew in the cellar, enjoy the rest of the day, and determine our next steps tomorrow morning after we’ve all had time to calm down and think?’
‘Allow me to illuminate the dangers of telling well-armed women to calm down and think, Lord Renquist,’ Philippa spoke quietly.
All three women slipped their hands into their pockets simultaneously.
‘What on earth is going on out here? Did someone organise lawn games without informing the rest of us?’ Patricia’s shrill voice announced her arrival moments before her glaringly fuchsia day dress came into view.
Millie never thought she’d see the day when Patricia actually defused a tense situation.
Apparently, it is today.
Both ladies and gentlemen took a few steps back, dissolving their lines of warfare.
‘Wonderful. My stepmother has brought the entire house of guests with her.’ Millie forced a smile and turned to the group picking their way over the frosty ground.
