“This is your only opportunity,” Lord Yardley added. “If you do not take it now, then we will take you into London ourselves and tell those closest to the King precisely who you are and what you have been doing.”
“You are one of us!” Griggs spat, twisting around angrily to face Lord Winterbrook, but Lord Winterbrook only laughed.
Ripping the mask from his face, he threw it to the ground.
“I do not know what you mean!” he exclaimed. “I was riding in the carriage with my friends and my betrothed when we were set upon by three highwaymen.” The smile fled as he scowled. “So either you ride away from us and never threaten us again, or you will bring the consequences upon yourselves.”
A few minutes later, Elizabeth’s eyes followed the three men riding away from the carriage, in the opposite direction from London. Lord Yardley had taken their pistols and Lord Winterbrook had demanded their masks. They had given them to him reluctantly, but there had been no other choice but for them to do as he instructed. He had been close to taking the horses as well but had permitted them to keep them. Elizabeth was sure that they would keep their word, for the moment at least although, no doubt, they would soon return to the city in search of other ways to do whatever evil they wished. For her, however, the darkness was gone.
Lord Winterbrook came towards her, his face free of all worry and care.
“It seems as though your plan has succeeded.” Taking her hand, he lifted it to his lips, bending his head forward. “And I am forever in your debt.”
Sighing happily, she smiled back at him.
“Let us return to London.” Pressing her other hand to their joined ones, she smiled again. “There is much for us still to say to each other, but for the moment I am relieved that it is all come to an end.”
Lord Winterbrook leaned forward, kissed her cheek, and then led her to the carriage. The imprint of his lips burned, sending a fire back into her heart as they shared a smile. Their struggle was over.
Chapter Sixteen
Felix had arrived at the park much too early. Lady Elizabeth was not meant to be arriving until three in the afternoon, and he had been there from a little after two. After the excitement of the previous adventure, which had taken place only two days prior, he had allowed himself a day simply to rest. Lady Elizabeth had been busy with Lady Yardley, writing ‘The London Ledger’, including an article about the highwaymen and their experience of them. The publication was due to be placed out in society this very afternoon, and Felix would be one of the first to read it, but that was not what filled his thoughts. There was much he had to talk to Lady Elizabeth about, still so much yet to explain, so much he had to ask forgiveness for. Her willingness to meet him was incredible in itself, and he could not admire her more for all that she had done.
His thoughts ran back to when he had gone in search of Stafford, praying that the man would see him as vulnerable and hopeless. It had been greatly disconcerting pretending to do all that Stafford had wanted, pretending that he had no other choice but to give in. It had all been part of the charade, of course, and Stafford had been delighted that Felix had agreed to do everything which was required. How fiercely Felix’s heart had beaten when he had ridden out after the carriage – a carriage which he knew contained Lady Elizabeth. It had not been with the thrill of the chase, nor with the delight of his endeavors, but rather out of fear. He had been afraid that something would go wrong, and that Lady Elizabeth might find herself in even greater danger than before.
But now, all was well.
And I can only look to Lady Elizabeth, for it is her that I have to thank for it all.
“And if she will offer me another opportunity to regain her trust, then I will grasp it with both hands.”
“There you are.”
Felix turned around quickly, having been so lost in his thoughts and his murmurings that he had not even noticed the arrival of Lady Elizabeth. A flush rose to his face at her presence, for her beauty and gentle smile overwhelmed him.
“I do hope that you are pleased to see me?”
With a smile, he nodded.
“I could not be more delighted.” Grasping her hand, he bowed over it again, kissing the back of it as he had done so many times before. When she smiled, it dazzled him. It was brighter than the day, bringing him more warmth than the heat of the sun. She bloomed brighter than every other flower within the park, her beauty overwhelming him in a way that it had never done before. It was as if he were seeing her for the first time, as if he were looking at her with fresh eyes. How he prayed that she would not step away from him now, even though she had every reason to do so. “Shall we walk?”
She nodded, glancing over her shoulder at her mother, who was descending from the carriage.
“My mother states that she will walk a little behind us.” Tilting her head, Lady Elizabeth smiled up at him again. “I did not think that we would be walking particularly quickly, however. There is much we need to say, I think.”
Felix managed a brief smile, his stomach twisting this way and that as he thought of all of the things he wished to say. He would walk at a very slow pace indeed if he had to, simply so that he would give himself the time to say everything he desired.
“You are willing to listen to me, I hope?”
Lady Elizabeth fell into step beside him.
“I am.”
“Then I thank you for that.” Turning his head, he looked into her eyes. “I think you the most marvelous creature, Lady Elizabeth. My admiration for you could not be greater. The way you came up with the solution to my difficulties – difficulties which I had brought upon myself - is more than extraordinary to me. You did not stay back in your townhouse, even though I begged you to. Your courage would not permit you to step away, I think.”
“No, indeed.” Lady Elizabeth turned her head away, looking at the path rather than at him. “I certainly would not allow my friends to put themselves in danger while I remained at home. Besides, I would have been far too anxious had I remained at home.” Her gaze sought his again. “I could not have borne it, waiting to know the outcome, desperate to know if you were safe and had been freed from their clutches.”
Felix blinked, a sudden thrill of hope rousing fresh energy within him.
