Page 38 of A Lady's Heart Deceived
A calm and composed Maggie met Piers in the foyer some fifteen minutes later. She couldn’t hold back her smile when she caught sight of him. He was clad in his long army coat, his red officer’s coatee peeking out from between the open lapels. Talk about handsome. Her tall, dark protector was still determined to accompany her today.
Thank you, Piers.
She was grateful that last night’s passionate kiss followed by its awkward conclusion had been temporarily set aside while they dealt with the matter of Robert. Piers would be with her. His strength would be hers.
The hero every woman needs.
He gave her a sheepish grin, then dipped into a low bow. He was still clearly uncomfortable over the previous evening’s encounter, and therefore, overcompensating for it. Hopefully, they would have time later to discuss things and come to some sort of resolution. One which she wished would allow for them to remain friends.
Piers stepped closer to her but maintained a socially acceptable distance. It was disappointing but not unexpected. “Are you still wishing to go and meet with him? I mean, you don’t have to do this; Robert isn’t dead and that’s probably all that really matters,” he said.
Maggie straightened her spine. She was a Radley, and that meant she wasn’t going to hide from the truth of the situation. Robert Taylor had questions to answer, and she was determined he was going to sit in the King’s Head and talk until she had got her fill of them.
And if he is stupid enough to try and tell me lies, I might just make his death a reality.
“Thank you, Piers. I must see Robert today. I’m not dreading the encounter; in fact, I think meeting him will be a good thing. Facing down that lying toad is something I am quite looking forward to doing.”
Piers scowled. She could understand his reaction. There were plenty of women of her acquaintance who wouldn’t do it. They wouldn’t be able to find the courage to meet Robert—to look him in the eye. Instead, they would have headed out of Coventry at first light and been well on their way back to London, never again to venture to the outer limits of the home counties.
“Alright. But have you thought how you will approach this meeting? Yesterday you collapsed in the street. And last night, you were . . . well . . .”
It was rather sweet to see Piers less than sure of himself; it was an obvious point of difference between him and her former fiancé. A vulnerability that Robert had never once displayed.
“I am fine, Piers. And as for last night, can we talk about it later? While I am sure that neither of us wants it hanging over us, now is probably not the time.”
“Of course.” He held out his hand, and Maggie passed her cloak to him. Piers came to stand behind her, draping the fine woolen garment over her shoulders. While Maggie secured the ties at the front, he leaned in close. “You are a very brave lady. But just remember, I will be with you all the way.”
Her knight in shining armor would be beside her as she went to face down the dragon. Robert should thank his lucky stars that Piers didn’t have a sword. From the way he held himself, if he did have a sharp weapon, he would have been more than happy to slay the beast.
Chapter Twenty-Four
While the King’s Head called itself a hotel, it wasn’t much more than a well-to-do coaching inn. It had a proper lounge and public area for dining, which set it a step above the usual.
It also had an assembly room. Maggie noted a sign on the main door advertising a forthcoming musical performance by a boy aged seven and a girl aged five. Tickets were two shillings, children half-price.
“Someone must have proud parents,” said Piers.
The moment they stepped into the public dining area; Maggie scanned the room for Robert. Her heart pumped at a furious rate. She held her hands tightly together. It was all she could do to stop them from shaking.
“There he is.” Piers pointed toward the table in the farthest corner of the room. Robert got to his feet as they approached.
He held out his hand to Piers, who glanced disapprovingly at it, then said, “You must be in jest.”
Maggie also ignored Robert’s stilted bow.
She and Piers both took a seat on the opposite side of the table from Robert.
Robert cleared his throat. “Thank you for coming. And I am pleased to see that you are recovered from yesterday, Maggie. There has been plenty of gossip around the neighborhood about the lady of quality who collapsed in the street yesterday.”
Listening to a voice she had never thought to hear ever again was most peculiar. He had come to her in dreams many times during those first few months following his supposed death, but those moments were brief snatches in time, mixed up memories. The man seated across from her was very much alive.
“As one can imagine, seeing you walking down the street, a man of flesh and blood, came as somewhat of a shock. And while I had reconciled myself to the reality that you hadn’t been an officer in the army, the fact that you had then faked your own death, leaving me to wallow in grief all that time, was a bit too much for my mind to comprehend. Hence, my body’s physical reaction. I promise it won’t happen again.”
“Would you believe that it all began as a bit of a lark? I won the uniform from an officer in a game of cards. He must have had a spare as he didn’t seem to mind handing it over. My friends and I then had a wager on who could manage to secure an invitation to a grand ball,” said Robert.
Under the table Maggie rested her hands in her lap.
He can’t hurt me anymore. The damage is done.
