Page 16 of Lyon of Scotland
“Miss Gordon, I have squandered time and patience on you and your worthless fiancé. Pay what is owed or be summoned to court. If you refuse—”
What the devil? Dare thought, pausing his step.
“You gave me more time,” he heard her say.
“Did I? You can be assigned to Fleet Prison, where your Scottish relatives in London could visit you.”
“Please, there must be another way!”
He had heard enough. As Dare pushed through the crowd, two women bumped against him, blocking his way. “Excuse me, ladies.”
“A Scotsman!” one said, staring up at him. “In a kilt!”
“Oh, very nice,” the other replied. “So authentic!”
Dare bent toward them. “Ladies,” he said, “if this were authentic, I would have twice as much tartan wrapped around me. I would carry a great sword, a pistol, a shield, and a terrible grudge against the English. But I see my lady over there andmust go. I hear the sugar biscuits are very good tonight. Enjoy them.” He walked past.
“Ooh! His young lady is very lucky,” one of them said.
Staring up atFrederic Dove, Hannah lifted her chin and pulled at the tartan shawl sliding off her shoulder. “You did promise me more time.”
“I am not inclined. If you do not want prison, I may have another solution.”
She dreaded the threat of prison, knowing he might act on it. Edging back, she pressed against the wall as he hovered over her. Glancing around frantically, she glimpsed a dark-haired man, taller than most, coming toward them. Strathburn! Easing to one side, she tried to avoid Dove as he took her arm.
“Pretty enough, but Scottish, God save us. Still, my cousin might agree to help.”
“You mentioned your cousin,” she said. “I do not want that sort of help.”
“Pay the debt, or Mrs. Dove-Lyon will have to assist. Mr. Whitworth spent many an evening in her gaming establishment. Young men with money and connection frequent the place.”
“Gambling? Oh! He did mention the name, but I thought she was a friend of his family in the city.”
“Your ill-chosen lover lost his fortune there with his friends. He was not very bright when the drink was on him. I lent him money to save him from disgrace. But he had you sign the note, and he escaped London. I do not know where he is. Do you?”
“No,” she said. “And I told you I did not sign.”
“Forged or not, I am still owed. I thought he was good for the funds, being heir to an estate. So I made some enquiries. Did you know he was disinherited for his behavior? No? Never told you, did he.”
“I did not know,” she whispered. She saw even more clearly how foolish she had been. Charmed, wooed, lured—perhaps he knew he had lost his fortune; perhaps he thought her wealthy father would pay.
She should have listened to her family. She should have listened to the little voice inside that said her father was right, but she was too eager to prove herself. If only she had heeded her feelings for Lord Strathburn and tried to be more of a friend to him.
Days ago, he had been so attentive, so kind. Yet she felt as if she did not deserve it. Wanting to be strong, she had been so foolish. She did not want him to know, and think less of her.
“Just as well you are shed of Whitworth, the reprobate.” Dove tilted closer. “Pay the debt and free yourself of all this. Go back to Scotland—and stay away from my son. Or I will ask my cousin to resolve this. She extracts unmarried young ladies from difficult circumstances. She can help you.”
“No!” A cold chill ran through her. He had mentioned marrying her off so that he could be paid. “I told you I would not do that. I am not that desperate.”
“You cannot refuse,” Dove snapped.
“But the lady is refusing, sir.” A voice came from the shadows behind Dove. Strathburn strode toward them, kilt swinging, his expression stern, his figure regal. He tipped his head. “Miss Gordon. Is there a problem here?”
Dove stepped back. “Lord Lyon! I did not know you were here.”
“Sir Frederic,” Strathburn replied.
In his cool reply, Hannah sensed a tensile thread of anger. Had Strathburn heard what Dove had said about debt and prison? She could have sunk through the floor in humiliation. But as he fixed Dove with a steely gaze, then spared a glance for her, she saw only concern in his dark eyes.
