Page 46 of To Hunt the Hunter

“Well, it’s not fair that you leave me out of it,” she protested, moving to stand beside her uncle and staring at him, quite unfazed by his fierce look of irritation. “That horrid man came here to hurt you, and he still wants to, and now people are saying dreadful things about you again and it’s not fair.”

She stamped her foot, her eyes filling, and folded her slender arms tightly across her chest.

“It’s not fair!” she said again, as a fat tear rolled down her cheek. “Not when Uncle Theodore is so villainous and you’re nothing like they say you are.”

“Ah, Phoebe, sweetheart, don’t cry,” Lucian said helplessly, holding out his good arm to her.

Phoebe gave a sob and scrambled into his lap.

“I’m frightened he’ll hurt you again, and I don’t like all those people saying awful things about you,” she said, clutching at his coat so hard it would ruin the lapel.

Lucian didn’t seem to care. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone else says, Bee. If you know the truth, I don’t care about the rest of the world.”

“Yes, you do. You care what Matilda thinks.”

Lucian smiled. “Yes. I do care what Matilda thinks, very much, and perhaps Mr Knight and Lady Helena too, but the rest of the world can go to the devil.”

“They won’t, though, will they?” she said. “They’ll come here. They’ll say you did terrible things and they’ll spoil everything. Great-Uncle Theodore will come, and he’ll take you away from me.”

Her breathing became rapid, terror making her little face stark white and fearful.

“No,” Lucian said, his voice firm. He put his hand to her cheek. “No. He won’t hurt you or me. He won’t hurt anyone I care for ever again. I shall stop him this time. One way or another.”

He stared at Phoebe, and the little girl studied his face with an intense frown, perhaps reassuring herself of his resolve. Finally, she relaxed and nodded.

“You said you knew how they could travel with no one knowing, Phoebe,” Helena said, her voice gentle. “What is your plan, love?”

“Oh,” Phoebe replied, brightening and wiping her eyes on her sleeve. “That’s easy. We shall go in disguise.”

Chapter 13

My dear Kitty,

I don’t know whether you will have heard about the dreadful scandal that is flying about the ton when you are all the way over in Ireland. I only discovered it myself today, as we had a visitor arrive from London who could speak of nothing else.

They say that Montagu has gone mad and tried to murder Mr Burton, whose life hangs in the balance. Now poor Matilda’s name is being dragged through the mud too, as the gossips say she is the cause of the conflict, that Montagu is obsessed with her and Mr Burton in love with her. It’s all horrid and Matilda will need us to get through it. I am getting ready to leave this minute and I know the rest of the Peculiar Ladies will be there for her too, so that is a comfort. I thought I should let you know, in case you had not yet heard and could come and offer your support. What we can do, I don’t know, but whatever the truth of the matter, Matilda must know that the Peculiar Ladies will rally around her, we will not desert her. No matter what.

―Excerpt of a letter from Mrs Ruth Anderson to Mrs Kitty Baxter.

5th May 1815. Dern, Sevenoaks, Kent.

Though Matilda, Lady Helena and even Mr Knight, thought Phoebe’s plan an excellent one, it took a great deal more persuasion to get Lucian to agree to it. In the end, the only argument that worked was that while he was away from Phoebe and Matilda, they would be unprotected and were likely targets for his uncle. If the man got hold of either of them, Lucian’s hands would be tied. Therefore it was better they were all together and travelling incognito was the safest way to do that.

Mr Knight and Lady Helena stayed for dinner but refused an invitation to stay the night, preferring to return to London and see what could be done to salvage Lucian’s reputation and to ensure the true story of what had occurred was being put about. For this, Helena needed their friends, and Mr Knight—or Gabe, as he had insisted they address him—would see what information he could turn up regarding the whereabouts of Theodore Barrington.

Lucian was quiet once their guests had departed, though Matilda knew he was touched that they had hurried down here on his behalf.

“He likes you,” she said, moving to stand beside him.

He was standing before the large study windows, staring outside, though she doubted he saw the landscape. He tugged at his shirt cuffs, first one, then the other, and her heart clenched.

“Knight is doing it for Lady Helena, who is doing it for you,” he said, not looking at her.

Matilda sighed and took his hand. “I know this is hard to believe, my darling, but there are people in the world who would stand by you, if you would let them.”

He made a low sound of amusement and turned to look at her. “If there are, it’s because of you. Don’t deny it, love. You know it’s true.”