Phillip nodded. He had very little idea of what Lady Yardley had planned, for it was all coming upon him so quickly, but both she and Miss Madeley were correct. They could not simply allow Lord Anderton to continue in such a fashion. The fact that he had sought to injure Miss Madeley had been a step too far and, therefore, if something was to be done tonight against Lord Anderton, so be it.
“Lord Harrogate is here this evening.” Lady Yardley lifted her chin and set a firm gaze upon Phillip. “Can you be bold, Lord Brookmire? Can you be honest?”
Phillip struggled to answer, a familiar fear returning to his mind as he looked at Miss Madeley.
“I do wish to be,” he murmured, turning his attention to Lady Yardley and seeing from both her smile and the softness about her eyes that she understood his fear exactly. “I do not want to be separated from Miss Madeley because of it, however.”
“I will tell my mother all if I must.” Miss Madeley’s determination was an encouragement to him. “She has always taught me to know my own mind. I do not think that she would allow any truth to be a bar between us. Rather, if you were to tell her all for the sake of our connection, she would accept it as a mark of genuine affection.”
Phillip heaved a breath.
“Very well.” With new confidence loosening the tightness in his limbs, he looked to Lady Yardley. “What is it that must be done?”
Lady Yardley smiled briefly, then turned her attention to Lord Marchmont.
“Lord Marchmont, might you do me a particular favor?”
Phillip watched as his friend nodded, realizing now how fortunate he was to have the friendship of this gentleman, for Lord Marchmont had nodded immediately, his willingness clear.
“Of course. Anything you wish.”
Lady Yardley smiled.
“I thank you. Firstly, might you find any gentlemen you know who have been injured by Lord Anderton? If they are present this evening, ask them to join us in our conversation with Lord Harrogate, stating that it will be an opportunity to steal away Lord Anderton’s power. I will bring Lord Yardley, and Lord Sherbourne also, if he can be found. Thereafter…” Taking a breath, she paused for a moment, “This may sound a little strange but pray, find Lord Anderton. Tell him that we are discussing his good name with the Marquess of Harrogate.”
“You will need to give me a few minutes to find these gentlemen.” Lord Marchmont’s jaw tightened. “I know there are some gentlemen here who are afraid of Lord Anderton. They will not tell me why, but mayhap they can be persuaded if I am to say that his cruelties are to be revealed.”
Despite his trust in her, Phillip’s heart leaped to hear what Lady Yardley’s intention was, aware of the consequences of such an endeavor, especially should anything fail. All the same, he did not say a word against the plan but instead, pressed Miss Madeley’s hand.
“I hope that this will be successful and that Lord Anderton will be reined in.” Keeping his voice low so only Miss Madeley could hear him, he smiled, but with a sense of sadness in his heart. “But if it is not and if, thereafter, we are to be separated, I hope that you know how much my heart clings to you.”
“Oh, Lord Brookmire.” Her eyes shone and the love in his heart exploded into a rolling ball of flame that ran from his chest all the way down to his toes. “We will not be separated.” Her quiet words were filled with a confidence that Phillip did not share. “For what can separate two hearts which are so completely entwined?”
There was no time for him to consider what she meant by those words for, at that moment, Lady Yardley bade them all to go in search of Lord Harrogate while she went to find her husband. Hesitating, he paused, took Miss Madeley’s hand, and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
Then, without a word, he tucked her hand under his arm and went in search of the Marquess of Harrogate.
Chapter Fifteen
“Lord Harrogate.”
Much to Phillip’s relief, Lord Harrogate did not appear to be in his cups, in any way whatsoever, as Lady Yardley greeted him. He held a glass of something which looked like brandy, but it was barely touched.
“Lady Yardley!” The Marquess smiled broadly, bowing towards her. “It is a pleasure to see you again, I do not think that we have had the opportunity to converse so far this Season. I am sure that my wife would be very happy to be in your company also. You cannot know how much we both admire your endeavor with ‘The London Ledger’!”
“You are very kind.” She gestured to her husband. “You are acquainted with my husband as well, I think?”
“Yes, of course.”
Phillip took in the scene as Lord Harrogate’s eyes went first to Lord Yardley, then to Miss Madeley, and finally, to Phillip himself. Bowing, Phillip greeted him quietly, aware that the man’s smile had dimmed a little.
“Regrettably, I do come with grave news, rather than to make pleasant conversation.” Lady Yardley spoke directly, choosing to go straight into the conversation about Lord Anderton, rather than enquiring after his family or the like. “It does, unfortunately, involve your daughter.” Lord Harrogate’s eyebrows immediately flew towards his hairline while, at the next moment, his eyes swiveled towards Phillip. Lady Yardley, catching this, set a hand to the gentlemen’s arm for a second. “Do not judge Lord Brookmire harshly, I beg of you, for it is not he who is to blame.”
Her soft voice and Lord Yardley’s firm nod appeared to take some of the instant fury away from Lord Harrogate’s face, for his eyebrows drew low again and he looked to Lady Yardley instead of glaring at Phillip. Trying to appear as calm as he could, Phillip winced at the cold sweat which had broken out across his forehead. A dull ache began to throb in his temples, firing an ache into every one of his muscles.
“This is to do with Lord Anderton.”
When Lord Yardley spoke those words the Marquess of Harrogate’s eyes flared in response.
