He reached her rooms and knocked on the door. He had no desire to besmirch Liliana’s reputation by his unorthodox visit, but it was imperative that he fill her in. Besides, they’d be married in three weeks, and any breach of etiquette would be forgiven.
Geoffrey checked his timepiece and banged harder on the door.
The door opened a crack and Liliana’s cousin’s face appeared. Her eyes widened as she registered him.
“I must speak with Liliana,” he demanded without preamble.
Miss Belsham blinked rapidly, but her mouth firmed. Geoffrey realized she was stalling. Something was wrong. Air filled his lungs as adrenaline spiked through him. He rose to his full height.
“Miss Belsham, I demand to know—”
“She’s gone.” Liliana’s cousin said, pinning him with surprisingly hostile blue eyes. She narrowed them, showing uncommon fortitude for a slip of a girl.
“What do you mean gone?”
The girl’s shoulders slumped and she opened the door wider, inviting him inside. She turned her back and walked over to the nightstand on the far side of the bed. The tiny wooden drawer opened with a creak and she retrieved something. When she returned, she thrust out her hand and opened her palm.
Amethysts and gold winked up at him, the ring a mockery of the excitement he’d felt when he’d chosen it to match Liliana’s stunning eyes. When he’d chosen it for the woman he loved…
“I mean gone. She’s left, run away, departed the premises.” Miss Belsham glared at him with accusation, as though she was certain it was entirely his fault.
Geoffrey took the delicate betrothal ring from Miss Belsham, stunned. The jeweled band felt heavy in his palm…and cold, like a blade of steel poised to stab him through the heart. “Did she say anything to you?”
Miss Belsham sighed. “No. When I awoke this morning, her side of the bed was empty.”
Rejection sliced through him. She’d left him without a word, after she’d agreed to marry him. Certainly she hadn’t seemed happy about it, but she’d said yes, damn her.
“But she was miserable last night,” Miss Belsham said, her voice angry. “I’ve known Liliana my entire life, and before she met you, I’d never seen her cry. Yet she was a virtual watering pot the whole night through.”
Geoffrey winced, remembering a choice few of the awful things he’d said in the last couple of days, the cool way he’d treated her. Was that why Liliana had left? Had he driven her away with his harsh tongue and cold demeanor?
But damn it, that was the only way he knew to protect himself. Still, that didn’t make him feel less of a cad.
He looked down at her cousin, afraid of the answer but unable not to ask the question. “Did she say why?”
“Not in particular. But I’m worried. She was unhappy, yes, but also very anxious. And cryptic.” The girl frowned, an expression that seemed entirely out of place on her normally open face. “She said that whatever happened, she hoped people would understand why she did it and not judge her harshly.” Miss Belsham shook her head. “I can only assume she meant walking out on the betrothal, but that makes no sense.”
She hoped people would understand why she did it? Did what? Left the man she was to marry? Unless…had her agreement been just another ploy to placate him until she could recover her evidence and avenge her father?
The blood left his face in a dizzying swoop. Son of a bitch. What if she’d returned to the folly and took the letters? It wouldn’t have taken her long to find them, smart girl that she was. And now she intended to do…what? Make his family pay for what they’d done to hers?
Geoffrey let his forehead drop into his hands. He should have known. Liliana came here to solve her father’s murder and get justice. She’d risked much, and he’d thwarted her plans. He should have known she wouldn’t just let it go. Wouldn’t let herself just marry him and sweep it under the rug.
Yet he understood. He wasn’t even certain his father had been killed, and he was ready to tear into his uncle, his last remaining male family member, to get at the truth.
But damn it all. That didn’t make him feel any less a fool. Christ, if only he hadn’t opened his heart to her…but it was like a door that, once opened, he couldn’t slam shut. Geoffrey closed his eyes and let out a pained exhalation. After years of watching his own father suffer the sting of love unrequited, how had he come to this? And how had he underestimated how badly it would hurt?
Still, there was too much at stake. Liliana had to understand that she was sacrificing more than just one life for her family’s honor. If his reputation was harmed, and his Poor Employment Act failed, the welfare of too many innocents was at risk. He had to find Liliana and stop her, which meant finding Uncle Joss would have to wait.
Geoffrey gave Miss Belsham a curt nod and turned on his heel, heading for the stables.
“You must think me a great fool, as only a dimwit would take you back to Somerton Park.” Wentworth eyed her skeptically, his gaze narrowed.
Liliana tried to keep an indifferent expression on her face, but inside, her heart thumped a frantic beat and her mouth felt like she’d swallowed a drying agent.
“You followed me this morning,” she said, certain she was right. “You know I don’t have any treasure with me.”
Wentworth huffed. “I was certain you’d finally found the treasure and were making off with it, planning to keep it all for yourself.”
“Well, you were wrong,” she said, quite proud that her voice didn’t warble when she spoke. “But you were also right. I did discover the key to finding the treasure, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it without drawing notice.” Her only hope was to keep him convinced that she alone could get the treasure for him. But first she had to get him to take her back to Somerton Park.
“So, I left,” she said. “When I departed, I left with nothing. I also left behind an insulting note guaranteed to prick Stratford’s pride,” she lied. She had left the betrothal ring, but she’d been too upset to put any of her feelings into words, deciding instead to make a clean break. “And that’s the beauty of my plan. I told him I was returning home and demanded he not follow me. You know how he is…all full of duty and honor. He expects people to do what they say they will. He will be so angry at my defection, he won’t be able not to give chase. He’ll be halfway to Chelmsford, never suspecting that I circled back and recovered the treasure on my own. I plan to be long gone before he realizes he’s been duped.”
One of Wentworth’s winged brows rose and his lips thinned into an ugly line. Liliana jutted out her chin just a bit, challenging him to refute her ludicrous explanation.
But she could see his mind working, debating whether she could be believed. Please, please…
Liliana knew she had only one chance. Geoffrey didn’t trust her. Once he discovered her gone, he’d probably suspect she’d double-crossed him and went to the folly to find their fathers’ letters. If luck were on her side, he’d arrive at the folly after she and Wentworth, and she’d be rescued. She’d say whatever it took to convince Wentworth the key to finding the treasure was there.