Page 41 of Avoiding the Merry Viscount
“No, Papa,” she said. “Just a bit shaken.”
Lord Cary turned his head to Elias. “Do I have you to thank for saving my daughter from the blackguard?”
Elias shook his head. “Not me. I stumbled upon the situation at the right time, but your daughter is quite capable. When the opportunity presented itself, she broke free and got herself away from Durham.”
“He deserves a good thrashing,” Lord Cary snarled.
“Well, I did give him that,” Elias said sheepishly. “His face won’t be recognizable for some time.”
“Good man,” Lord Cary said, extending his hand to Elias.
Elias took it and gave him a firm handshake.
A footman appeared, entering the study with them.
“I need you to have someone discreetly leave and fetch the magistrate. We need him here straight away, so have them escort him back directly,” the elder Lord Snowdon said.
Before the man could depart, Elias caught his attention. “Send another footman to escort Lady Billings to us immediately.”
The man hurried off and both of their fathers eyed him curiously.
“She was involved, and she will need to depart our estate. I won’t have her sleeping under the same roof as Lydia or our family,” Elias spat.
“I quite agree,” his father said.
A few moments later, a footman entered, holding onto Lady Billings’ elbow as they entered.
When she looked around and saw everyone scowling at her, she immediately turned on the tears.
“I did it for us, my love. Durham told me you and I would finally be together,” she said to Elias. “He said that Miss Cary loved him, but was distracted by you. That if I helped him find a chance to speak with her, they would be married and you’d come back to me.”
“Did he tell you he intended to hold me at knifepoint and threaten me with heinous things if I didn’t marry him?” Lydia asked, stepping forward to face the woman.
Lady Billings shook her head. “No,” she said, wide-eyed. “I had no idea. I would never have helped him if I had known that.” The woman shifted her focus back to Elias. “You must believe me, Elias. I just wanted us to be together.”
“I have already told you countless times over the last few years that we will never be together. And now you will leave my family’s home and never speak to Lord Cary’s family or a member of my family again.”
“But Elias,” she started.
“It’s Lord Snowdon, my lady,” Elias ground out, beyond donedealing with the woman. “I do not give you leave to address me informally and it is best that you remember it. And heed my warnings that you are not to address any of us again, nor mention anything that occurred here to another soul, or I shall ensure you receive the cut direct from every one of our acquaintances.”
She bowed her head.
Elias’s father spoke to the footman. “Escort Lady Billings to her chamber and remain with her while her maid packs her things, then ensure she is loaded into her carriage.”
Lady Billings huffed, but followed along when the footman grabbed her arm to do as he was instructed.
“There is one more matter of import,” Elias said to Lord Cary, while Elias’s father grinned at his son knowingly.
“I’m in love with your daughter, my lord. I humbly request your permission to make her my wife. My father is here to attest to both of you,” Elias said, catching Lydia’s gaze, “that it was my intention to do so before this entire unfortunate series of events occurred.”
He needed her to know that it wasn’t the knife to her throat that sparked him to take action and name his feelings, but that he found himself outside of her chamber at that moment because he intended to ensure she knew how much he loved her.
“It’s true,” Elias’s father said, mostly speaking to Lydia. “He declared his intentions to me earlier.” His father grabbed Elias’s hand and passed something to him.
Elias moved the small box through his fingers, eyeing his father curiously. He opened it and saw his mother’s betrothal ring nestled in the box. Tears formed at the corners of Elias’s eyes as he caught his father’s gaze again.
His father beamed and gave him a small nod.
