“Exactly. Someone must have discovered their secret.” Elinor crossed her arms. “I may be a nobody,” she told Miss Armitage. “I may be just as penniless and as powerless as you and your husband bothmademe when you tricked my father into handing over everything. But I still have my common sense. SoIthink you’re planning to blackmail a fortune out of Sir John the very moment that Penelope publicly and undeniably commits herself to your husband…a fortune that the two of you can carry with you when you flee the country afterwards.”
“Because,” Benedict finished with unmistakable relish, “you can’t carry your grand new estate with you, can you? That’s the estate, of course, that you bought withourparents’ money, as your introduction to Society.”
Sir John, for once, said nothing at all. He had staggered back a step and was staring at Miss Armitage as if she were a poisonous snake. Mrs. De Lacey, though, took a step closer, and regarded her with dark eyebrows raised disdainfully.
“I never cared for youoryour so-called brother,” she said finally. “An untrustworthy, slippery pair, the two of you. Born blackmailers, I always thought. I am not at all surprised.”
Lady Hathergill kept her own mouth shut and—for once, lately—did not speak. But she did smile with perfect satisfaction.
Miss Armitage’s lips curled as she looked around the room. “You have no proof,” she said, “and you cannot hold me here without it. Sir John—and therealMrs. De Lacey—I bid you both goodnight.”
An unexpected voice spoke from the other end of the room.
“Miss Tregarth might not have proof,” said Sally as she stepped through the servants’ door, “but I do.”
* * *
Lady Hathergill said,“Is that one of our maids?”
“Sally.” Elinor took a step forward, trying to read the other girl’s face. Was this revenge, or something completely different? “I’m sorry I haven’t—”
“Oh, yes, you have,” said Sally, and her smile was fierce. “Poor Miss Lucinda had the misfortune of bumping into a maid carrying a whole tray of champagne glasses, not twenty minutes ago. What do you think came falling out of her gown right in front of everyone—including that very lady whose fan she’d tried to steal last month? Lady Hathergill’s diamond bracelet, that’swhat! There’s no covering up for her thievery anymore—and everybody knows, now, that she must have been behind those earlier thefts, too.”
“Thank goodness,” Elinor said. “Your sister is safe.”
“What the devil are you two talking about? And why is one of our maids talking at all?” Sir John roared.
Sally bobbed a curtsey. “Beg pardon, sir, but I couldn’t help overhearing, and I thought I should mention what I found in Miss Armitage’s room.”
Servants know everything, Elinor thought. A smile spread across her own face, to match Sally’s wide grin.
Miss Armitage’s face had paled. “If you are all going to start listening to amaidnow—”
“Oh, I didn’t think anyone ever would,” said Sally, “but Miss Tregarth has done me a true favor, so I thought that I should do her one in return.”
She reached into the pocket of her apron and withdrew a sheaf of papers. Miss Armitage made a muffled sound of protest as she saw them, and Sally’s eyes widened in innocent surprise.
“I’ve only brought your marriage lines for you, ma’am. Aren’t you glad? You forgot to lock your box this morning, you see, so I thought I’d better keep them safe for you. I brought the deed to your husband’s estate, too—I must say, I thought it more than odd that he was carryingthatwith him. Not the usual sort of thing you’d bring along for a week-long jaunt to a house party.”
“You arebrilliant,” said Elinor. “Oh, Sally. Thank you!”
Sally’s face was flushed as she met Elinor’s gaze, but she held her chin high. “I gathered other things, too,” she said to Elinor, “in case I needed them. But you proved me wrong, miss, and helped me even when you didn’t need to anymore. I won’t do any less in return. I did listen to what you said last week, you know. But I couldn’t hold back when Daisy needed protecting.”
“I understand,” Elinor said. She looked at Benedict, standing before the door, strong and true and on her side forever, and she thought of her sisters. “I would have done the same.”
There was a sudden flutter of skirts—Miss Armitage making a dash for the open door to the servants’ passageway. Benedict and Sir John both started forward.
But it was Sally who stuck out a foot and tripped her neatly, sending the other girl sprawling on the floor.
“Oops.” Sally smiled at Elinor. “Two accidents in one evening. How clumsy I’m becoming!”
Chapter 34
Three footmen marched Miss Armitage away, while another four were ordered to apprehend her ‘brother.’ Still, once they had left, Sir John sagged into a chair as if he were the one who had lost after all.
“I would have betrothed my own daughter to that rascal,” he said heavily. “Good God. If that came out…if anyone knew how close we had come to catastrophe…”
“It’s a good thing that Elinor saved you, then” said Benedict. He crossed his arms. “Now tell me, Sir John: how exactly do you plan to show your niece your gratitude?”
