Page 75 of The Secret of Flirting
“Even if he knows I’mnotAurore,” Monique said, “he might want me gone to make sure no one from Chanay takes the Belgian throne.”
“No,” Gregory said firmly. “If he knew about the masquerade, he could just expose you and be done with it. So he has to be operating under the assumption that you’re Aurore. It’s her he’s trying to eliminate.”
He faced the two women with a scowl. “Which is why, Monique, you have to withdraw from the conference and return to Dieppe. Make up some excuse for why you no longer want to be ruler of Belgium. It’s too dangerous for you to keep playing Aurore.”
“YouknowI can’t do that!” she cried as she jumped up.
He gestured in Lady Ursula’s direction. “You don’t owe her and the countanything. For all we know, Beaumonde was perfectly aware that Aurore had been poisoned, which is why he put you in her place.”
“That’s not true!” Lady Ursula rose to face him. “I didn’t know, and I’m almost certain he didn’t, either. Cholera is running rampant across the Continent, so we assumed that she contracted it along with everyone else.”
“Yet no one else in your party has fallen ill,” he ground out.
Lady Ursula glanced away. “That doesn’t mean that she was poisoned. Count de Beaumonde hopes every day for her recovery from the disease. I have heard him say so.”
“And he never lies.” Gregory snorted his disbelief. “Do you think he really wants to watch his great-niece rule Chanay—or Belgium—without an heir? He’s too much of a politician not to know about Aurore’s intention never to marry. And he would not allow that.”
“You’re wrong!” Lady Ursula insisted. “He’s Aurore’s uncle first. He wouldn’t wish to see her hurt.”
“To be honest, I don’t care what happens to Aurore,” he said hoarsely. “I only care about Monique.” The vehemence in his words seemed to catch both women off guard.
Not surprising, since it damned well shockedhim. But he pressed on, forcing coldness into his tone to hide the terror swirling in his blood. “And if she continues in this masquerade, she risks her very life. I won’t allow it. It would put a permanent stain on these proceedings.” He dragged in a heavy breath. “So if she doesn’t abandon her masquerade and return to Dieppe, then you both force me to expose her.”
Monique only stared at him with a look of pure betrayal, but Lady Ursula cried, “You can’t! If you do, it will ruin the count and meandAurore, not to mention Monique. We’ll be mocked by all of Europe. And Chanay will never recover from the embarrassment.”
“Embarrassment!” he cried. “Do you not understand? Monique coulddie, for God’s sake. She nearly died today. And I refuse to stand by and watch her murdered!”
A rap came at the door, startling all of them.
“What is it?” he barked.
There was a moment’s silence, before a timid voice said, “Captain Lord Hartley is here to see you, my lord.”
Gregory fought to steady his pounding heart. “It’s about bloody time,” he growled as he strode for the door and swung it open, making the footman jump. “Put him in my study, and tell him I shall be there directly.”
He doubted that Hart had anything substantial to add to his information, but at least the man could confirm how much of what Monique had told him was the truth.
Not that Gregory didn’t believe her. He clearly had gone far beyond insanity, because he believed every word out of her mouth.
Though he still wasn’t entirely sure he could trust the rest of the group from Chanay. Turning on the women, who stood together as if preparing to fight him, he ordered, “Stay here. We’re not done with this discussion. Do you understand me?”
Eyes widening, they nodded.
And with his temper thoroughly roused, he marched out.
As soon as Gregory was gone, Monique sank onto the settee. “What shall we do? He’ll ruin everything.”
Lady Ursula sat down and took her hand. “I don’t think so. It’s clear he cares about you too much to do that.”
Monique wished she could believe the woman. But Gregory’s threats had struck a chill to her soul. “He wants me in his bed, that’s all. Once he gains that, he’ll pack me off to Dieppe without a thought, the way he has packed his mother off here to run his estate without him.” A thickness clogged Monique’s throat. “His lordship... doesn’t like to let people too close.”
“Really?” Lady Ursula squeezed her hand. “He kept your secret all this time when he didn’t have to.”
“Only because he wasn’t sure it was me.”
She snorted. “Perhaps. But he could have confronted the three of us privately, and he didn’t.”
I risk my ambition more with every hour I let this masquerade go on. Even if I did agree to your terms and keep silent, I can’t prevent someone else’s unmasking you. And if it comes out that I knew the truth and didn’t speak, I’ll be ruined.
