Or Fenris.”
“No?” She resisted the urge to touch him. “More likely, he’ll accuse me of stealing his watch. Or his gloves. Or perhaps his horse. That’s a hanging offense.”
Mountjoy snorted. “I very much doubt he plans that.”
“You know what he’s like. What he did to Ginny. Or nearly did. Why else would he be here, if not to pursue his family’s vendetta against mine?”
“Coincidence?”
“My attorney once warned me Camber might try to declare me mentally incompetent.”
Mountjoy frowned.
“Camber wants Aunt Lily’s legacy. He thinks it should have gone to him. Or to Fenris.”
“My God, you’re serious.”
“You’ve no idea the rancor he holds toward me. I didn’t think he’d ever give up.” She glanced away. “I don’t think he did. Not really. He’s been biding his time.” She laughedsoftly. “Thank goodness Camber never spoke to my father. If he had, he might have found grounds.”
He frowned again. “Would your father allow such a thing to happen?”
“Perhaps not deliberately.”
Mountjoy didn’t answer right away, but he continued to frown. “I can take you home if you’d rather not meet Fenris today.”
“Thank you, your grace.” She touched his sleeve. “That’s kind of you. But not necessary.”
He cocked his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “It might be wiser to meet him at Bitterward where you are surrounded by friends and people he cannot bully as easily as he must hope to bully you.”
At first, she thought that by
friends
he meant Ginny, but then she realized he meant more than that. Just as Ginny had promised, he was extending an offer of his personal support. In all her life, she had never had anywhere to look for assistance but to herself and those whom she hired to act on her behalf. The idea that Mountjoy intended to help her was as disconcerting as it was astonishing. “You mean that.”
He regarded her in silence. Lily held her breath, expecting any moment that he would withdraw his offer or chastise her for putting him to such an inconvenience.
“I do,” he said. “You are my sister’s friend. My friend as well, if I am permitted to be so bold. Even if you were not, I would not leave any woman to the mercy of Lord Fenris. Certainly not you.” He smoothed the front of his coat. Not that it did any good. Nothing would improve the appearance of his coat. “Not while you are under my roof. Even if you weren’t, I should hope you’d know you could appeal to me for assistance.”
Lily swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t care if he dressed as if he’d never set foot in a tailor’s shop. His support touched her deeply. “Thank you, your grace.” Sheswallowed the lump in her throat. “But I think I ought to meet him now, if only to give him a face to go with the devil’s spawn he’s been imagining all these years.”
“I’ll go with you. To make the introduction.”
Tears jammed up in her throat and further words were impossible. All she could do was nod her agreement.
“We will present him a united front of persons of whom he can disapprove all he likes and to no avail.”
She wanted to thank him, but if she spoke she’d sound as if she were crying, and she never cried. Instead, she nodded.
“Very well then.” Mountjoy headed for the door, but Lily, having mastered herself, stopped him from opening it. To know that she was not alone made more difference to her than she would have believed.
“Best let me go first,” she said.
He nodded, and she reached for the door. As she pulled it toward her, the metal knob came off in her hand. She didn’t understand at first what had happened, only that the door remained closed. “How odd.”
“What is it?” Mountjoy said from behind her.
She showed him the doorknob. “I’ve broken the door.”
Chapter Nine
“B ROKEN? HOW CAN THE
“No?” She resisted the urge to touch him. “More likely, he’ll accuse me of stealing his watch. Or his gloves. Or perhaps his horse. That’s a hanging offense.”
Mountjoy snorted. “I very much doubt he plans that.”
“You know what he’s like. What he did to Ginny. Or nearly did. Why else would he be here, if not to pursue his family’s vendetta against mine?”
“Coincidence?”
“My attorney once warned me Camber might try to declare me mentally incompetent.”
Mountjoy frowned.
“Camber wants Aunt Lily’s legacy. He thinks it should have gone to him. Or to Fenris.”
“My God, you’re serious.”
“You’ve no idea the rancor he holds toward me. I didn’t think he’d ever give up.” She glanced away. “I don’t think he did. Not really. He’s been biding his time.” She laughedsoftly. “Thank goodness Camber never spoke to my father. If he had, he might have found grounds.”
He frowned again. “Would your father allow such a thing to happen?”
“Perhaps not deliberately.”
Mountjoy didn’t answer right away, but he continued to frown. “I can take you home if you’d rather not meet Fenris today.”
“Thank you, your grace.” She touched his sleeve. “That’s kind of you. But not necessary.”
He cocked his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “It might be wiser to meet him at Bitterward where you are surrounded by friends and people he cannot bully as easily as he must hope to bully you.”
At first, she thought that by
friends
he meant Ginny, but then she realized he meant more than that. Just as Ginny had promised, he was extending an offer of his personal support. In all her life, she had never had anywhere to look for assistance but to herself and those whom she hired to act on her behalf. The idea that Mountjoy intended to help her was as disconcerting as it was astonishing. “You mean that.”
He regarded her in silence. Lily held her breath, expecting any moment that he would withdraw his offer or chastise her for putting him to such an inconvenience.
“I do,” he said. “You are my sister’s friend. My friend as well, if I am permitted to be so bold. Even if you were not, I would not leave any woman to the mercy of Lord Fenris. Certainly not you.” He smoothed the front of his coat. Not that it did any good. Nothing would improve the appearance of his coat. “Not while you are under my roof. Even if you weren’t, I should hope you’d know you could appeal to me for assistance.”
Lily swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t care if he dressed as if he’d never set foot in a tailor’s shop. His support touched her deeply. “Thank you, your grace.” Sheswallowed the lump in her throat. “But I think I ought to meet him now, if only to give him a face to go with the devil’s spawn he’s been imagining all these years.”
“I’ll go with you. To make the introduction.”
Tears jammed up in her throat and further words were impossible. All she could do was nod her agreement.
“We will present him a united front of persons of whom he can disapprove all he likes and to no avail.”
She wanted to thank him, but if she spoke she’d sound as if she were crying, and she never cried. Instead, she nodded.
“Very well then.” Mountjoy headed for the door, but Lily, having mastered herself, stopped him from opening it. To know that she was not alone made more difference to her than she would have believed.
“Best let me go first,” she said.
He nodded, and she reached for the door. As she pulled it toward her, the metal knob came off in her hand. She didn’t understand at first what had happened, only that the door remained closed. “How odd.”
“What is it?” Mountjoy said from behind her.
She showed him the doorknob. “I’ve broken the door.”
Chapter Nine
“B ROKEN? HOW CAN THE
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