Page 73 of The Heiress in Disguise
Antoine’s heart sank. So, she had gotten into trouble because of him after all. He had known there was a chance of it, but he had told himself it didn’t matter, and he had allowed himself to continue taking the risk because he so badly wanted to see her. Now this had happened, and he might never get her away from these people.
“Thank you,” he told the boy, his heart heavy. He turned away.
He wasn’t going to give up on Angelique. He was determined to find a way to help her. But this was a blow. He didn’t know what he was going to do now. If he couldn’t even see her, how was he going to help her?
He went back into his house and was surprised by the presence of a lady in his foyer. He was about to duck away. Any lady who had come calling had surely come to see the earl, not Philip, and he needed to decide how to deal with her, but then the woman turned, and he saw her face.
“Good day, Philip,” Grace said.
“Lady Grace,” he managed through his shock. “I wasn’t expecting to see you. I—I suppose you’re here for Lord Cambridge?”
“I’m here to see you,” she said evenly. “Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”
“We can go into the sitting room.” He wondered if she would question their privacy there. After all, could a valet make her any promises of privacy? But she merely nodded and followed him the sitting room. They took seats opposite one another.
“What is this about?” he asked her.
“It’s about Angelique.” She waited a moment. “I see that name doesn’t surprise you. She’s told you who she is then?”
“She hasn’t—she didn’t tell me,” he said. He would never forgive himself if he ended up making even more trouble for her. “I found out another way. But I can’t share my source.”
“I suppose that masked stranger told you. Is that right?”
He was stunned. “Well, I suppose he did.” That was true in a manner of speaking. “You’ve seen him?”
“I know you’re the same man,” she said.
“What?” He could think of no denial convincing enough.
“You don’t need to lie to me,” she said. “We know. My whole family knows that you’ve been concealing your identity. And it certainly makes no difference to me. Do whatever you’d like, as far as I’m concerned. But you need to know what’s happening now.”
“I don’t understand,” he admitted. “You act as if you’re on my side in all this.”
“I think perhaps I am. I’ve never been fond of the way my family treats my cousin, but I’ve never felt as if there was anything I could do about it. Now I’m not so sure. It seems I may have an ally. I don’t know who you are really, Philip,” she said.
“I don’t think Philip is your true name. I think you may be a gentleman. And you don’t have to tell me who you are. I’m sure you have your reasons for concealing that information, and that’s all right. Do whatever you’d like. But if you’re a friend of Angelique’s, you and I may have common goals.”
“I want to make sure you understand,” Philip said. “What I mean to do… it might bring trouble on your family. I don’t want to put you in a compromised position, Lady Grace.”
“I can face whatever comes,” Lady Grace said. “If it means trouble for my family then so be it. And as for me, I should have done more for Angelique a long time ago. I regret that I never did. Whatever the consequences may be now, I’ll pay them if it means that she’ll be helped.”
“All right,” Antoine said. “I feel that I can trust you. I’ve always felt that you were different from the others.”
“Not different enough,” Lady Grace said regretfully. “I wish I had been. I wish I had stood up to them more. Done more for her.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself. It can be difficult to stand up to your family,” he said. “You’re here now. And I think I’d like to accept your offer of help. But I must take a risk too. I’m going to tell you who I am.”
“You’re the Earl of Cambridge’s son, aren’t you?” she asked. “That’s what Gwyneth thinks.
“I’m not, actually,” he said. “Iamthe Earl of Cambridge.”
She frowned. “No. We’ve met the earl.”
“You’ve met George, my valet,” he said. “He’s posed as the earl so that I could successfully pose as Philip.”
“I don’t understand,” Lady Grace admitted. “Why would you do all this? Pretend to be someone you’re not, have someone else pretend to be you—why?”
“It seemed to be the only way to get close to Angelique,” he said.
