“And is he often confused?” Gage asked.
I wanted to glare at him for assisting Will’s detractors, but I knew it was a reasonable question.
“No . . .” He sounded uncertain. Raking a hand through his hair, he leaned forward over his knees and sighed. “Sometimes. Though less and less often.” He glanced sideways at Laura. “He’s never hurt my sister or Keswick.”
“But that doesn’t mean he won’t,” Gage pointed out doggedly.
I did glare at him this time.
Michael stared down at his hands, considering Gage’s words. “No,” he asserted, shaking his head. “No. I don’t believe it. Will would not hurt anyone.”
Gage looked as if he would like to argue, but held his tongue.
Lady Hollingsworth was not so circumspect. “And what of this missing girl?”
I sat up straighter, glancing at Michael in confusion. I noticed that Miss Remmington and Laura, seated on either side of him, had done much the same.
He frowned. “What do you mean? Will has nothing to do with her.”
“How can you be so sure?” she demanded.
His eyes narrowed in warning.
“Wait.” Philip held up his hands to interrupt, evincing the same perplexity I was feeling. None of the others seemed similarly lost. “What missing girl?”
“A man stopped by a few days ago to tell us a girl went missing from the neighboring village of Cramond,” our host replied impatiently, still glaring at Lady Hollingsworth.
A tingle of unease crept down my spine.
“He wanted to know if we had seen her or noticed anything suspicious.” Michael leaned forward. “And we haven’t,” he bit out.
Lady Hollingsworth lifted her chin, staring down her nose at him. “Yes, but how can you be so certain your brother was not involved?”
“Because he never leaves the house without an escort.” He sneered. His sister glanced at him in concern, and he took a deep breath to calm himself before adding, “And, far as I know, he isn’t acquainted with anyone from Cramond.”
I inhaled my own calming breath. Given those facts, it did seem rather unlikely that Will had anything to do with her disappearance. And even if Will did know the girl, and had been given the opportunity to meet with her alone, it seemed rather precipitous to accuse him of a crime just because of his recent enforced stay in an asylum. He had never been dangerous before, and it seemed unworthy to suppose he would be now. But, nevertheless, I couldn’t seem to shake the disquieting feeling that had crept over me.
I glanced at Gage, curious how he had taken this news. His emotionless mask was back in place, his pensive gaze contemplating the floor at his feet. For once he didn’t seem to be eager to question Michael on the matter. I could only assume he didn’t know what to think of it either.
Lady Hollingsworth huffed. “Well, regardless, I do not want my daughter within ten miles of your brother.”
Caroline shifted anxiously. “Mother . . .”
“And I am furious that you would risk her safety in such a manner,” she continued, heedless of her daughter. “You have misrepresented yourself since the moment you presented yourself to her, and I will not stand for it.”
Michael’s temper exploded again. “I never misrepresented myself. You were the one who assumed I would petition the Court of Chancery for my brother’s title.” He stabbed his finger at the marchioness. “I never mentioned doing any such thing, and I always flatly refused whenever I was questioned about it.”
“Well, you should have known it would be expected. What self-respecting mother wouldn’t wish for her daughter to have a title? And your failure to mention the mental illness that runs in your family was inexcusable.” She rose stiffly from the settee. “This engagement is at an end. We will be leaving first thing in the morning.”
“But Mother!” Caroline gasped, tears already streaming down her cheeks.
“Hush! I’ll hear no word from you. To bed.”
Michael rose to try to stop them, but Keswick put a hand out to prevent him. “Not now,” he said with a shake of his head.
Michael watched in misery as Lady Hollingsworth ushered her children out the door. Caroline glanced over her shoulder one last time before her mother forcibly pulled her from the room.
CHAPTER SEVEN