Lord Stanfield nodded, although his eyes remained a little narrowed.
“One is already betrothed,” he stated, gesturing to the young woman who sat opposite him. “My eldest.”
Felix leaned against the carriage door.
“Is that so?” He smiled at the lady. “My hearty congratulations.” The young woman did not smile but rather flinched, as though he had injured her in some way. “And who is the fortunate gentleman?”
“It is Lord Hazelwood,” Lady Stanfield spoke up again but, at this, Felix’s smile fell to pieces. Lord Hazelwood was in London already, and Felix had seen him with his own eyes, dancing with any number of ladies and, unfortunately, pulling some unscrupulous ladies of thetoninto dark corners. Lord Hazelwood was not a gentleman worthy of the daughter of Lord Stanfield.
Lord Stanfield frowned.
“You appear a little displeased. Surely you cannot have been thinking to steal my daughter away!”
Grimacing, Felix cleared his throat.
“No, I do not have any intentions of that,” he remarked, attempting to keep his tone light, and reminding himself silently not to give himself away with any foolish remarks. “It is only that, I, being from London and all too aware of society and those within it - including those with deep pockets – recall that gentleman.”
Lord Stanfield snorted in obvious ridicule.
“You meant to say that you know Lord Hazelwood? I can hardly believe it.”
“Indeed I do.” Felix shrugged his shoulders. “I am a little surprised to hear that your daughter is betrothed to him. Given what I witnessed, I was quite certain that he was involved with someone else.”
“You lie!” Lady Stanfield sat bolt upright, one finger pointing out at him. “Your words are false. Lord Hazelwood is an excellent gentleman and would never treat my daughter in such a way!”
The urge to respond fought within him but, taking a moment, Felix merely looked away, maintaining as much nonchalance as he could.
“Very well.” He said nothing more, looking away as though to say he did not care at all whether or not they believed him. “If you do not wish to trust my words, I shall not hold it against you.”
There was a moment’s pause.
“You speak very well for a highwayman.”
Felix looked lazily back at Lord Stanfield, somewhat relieved that, with his mask, the gentleman had no way of realizing the truth about his identity.
“As I have said, I am a man well acquainted with all of society in London – from the poor to the wealthy.” He shrugged again. “And I have a keen eye. I know what I saw.”
Lord Stanfield let out a small huff, his face still holding a deep frown.
“And you would tell us this, no doubt, to disrupt us, to put us off from our journey, and to put a deep confusion into our souls. You intend to rob us still, I am sure.”
“No, I do not.” Allowing himself a smile, he stepped back. “In fact, be on your way. I have nothing to take from you today.”
The gentleman exchanged a glance with his wife, then looked to his daughters. The first stared back at Felix. The second, however, soon dropped her head into her hands and began to sob.
“My dear Amelia, whatever is the matter?”
Lady Stanfield reached out to her daughter; Felix was suddenly forgotten.
“I have seen my betrothed with his arms around another.”
She began to cry in earnest, and Felix’s heart twisted a little in his chest. Evidently, she had seen more than she had ever been willing to say to her parents. He was glad now that he had spoken openly, even if it had caused the young lady pain.
“You mean to say that you saw Lord Hazelwood in such a position?” When the young lady only cried harder, Lord Stanfield closed his eyes tightly, his jaw set. “Why did you not say anything to me?”
The young woman began an explanation about how Lord Hazelwood had been so perfect a match and how he and Lady Stanfield had seemed to be so happy, but Felix did not listen to it. Instead, he simply stepped back and made to turn away, only to be faced by the three men he paid.
All began approaching him on foot, having left their horses behind and with two carrying their pistols also. Grey clouds gathered above Felix’s head, and he glanced up at them, seeing the gathering storm clouds as a warning.
