The Wicked Heir (Spare Heirs #3)(128)

“Tell me you are unhurt,” Emma said sternly.

Lily’s smile was small but genuine. “I am fine, Emma.”

“Thank God.”

Emma enclosed Lily in a firm embrace while Portia took note of several pertinent elements of Lily’s appearance.

Her sister did not give the impression of being in any particular distress. She did not move with any hesitation or discomfort and did not appear to have suffered any injuries that Portia could see. Her clothing was pristine, her manner calm, though perhaps a bit awkward.

What struck Portia most was the fact that Lily’s brunette hair was tied with a simple ribbon at her nape, the long tresses falling free to her hips. It bothered Portia to know she had suffered even that minor indignity, and she looked harder into Lily’s face, hoping to be assured her sister had not endured worse.

It was then she noticed that for all Lily’s smiling composure and apparent relief in being home, she seemed reluctant to meet Portia’s gaze for longer than a brief moment at a time. Such avoidance did not sit well with Portia. Something was definitely off. She could feel it.

“Come sit, ma petite,” Angelique suggested. “Have some tea. It may still be warm.”

Portia managed to contain her curiosity only long enough to allow Lily to remove her cloak and take a seat beside her on the sofa. Once Lily had a cup of tea in her hands, Portia could wait no longer.

“Tell us what happened, Lily. You must. I have been frantic with worry all night and cannot wait another moment to learn how you managed to get home.”

“Give her a few moments, Portia,” Emma insisted. “She has likely been through quite an ordeal. We can be patient.”

Portia really detested that word. “Maybe you can.”

She tried to distract herself by soaking up the physical proof that Lily was home safe. She would never admit out loud that there had been moments through the night when she had feared it may not end so happily.

Angelique rose slowly from her chair. “I am off to bed, darlings.”

Portia looked at the older lady in stunned surprise. “How can you leave now? We are finally going to learn what happened to Lily.”

Angelique smiled. “When you have had as many adventures as I have, one becomes much like the last. You girls should talk. I find myself desperately desiring the comfort of my bed. Bon soir.”

“I will walk you up,” Emma offered.

Portia groaned at the thought of further delay. Thank goodness Angelique waved Emma off.

“Non, you stay—I shall find my bedroom. I assume it is where I left it this morning.”

And then it was just the three sisters in the parlor.

Portia sat beside Lily, holding one of her hands tightly in her own. “Now, let us get to it, shall we?” she blurted rather abruptly as she sat forward. “What in bloody hell happened? How did you escape the brothel?”

She was rewarded for her bluntness by Lily’s shocked expression. “How do you know about that?”

“Angelique and I have been on a mission to find you all night,” Portia explained.

“You have?”

Her sister’s surprise irked Portia. “Of course. Did you think I would just watch you get carried away and not do anything to save you? It so happens Angelique knows of this mysterious man in the East End they call Nightshade. We hired him to help us. He tracked down Hale and learned the despicable monster had you auctioned off at a brothel,” Portia explained. Lily’s eyes widened even more. “But he lost you after that. Nightshade is even now still trying to learn what happened to you.”

“You have to stop him,” Lily interrupted, turning to lay a hand on Portia’s arm.

“What? Why?” Portia asked, alarm and suspicion spiking. Why on earth would Lily want to halt Nightshade’s investigation?

Emma leaned forward, entering the conversation. “Are you certain you are unharmed, Lily?”

She seemed to have noticed some of Lily’s oddness as well.

Lily’s eyes darted between them for a moment, giving Portia the sense she was choosing her words carefully before she replied.

“I cannot say I wasn’t frightened. I was, terribly so. There was a woman at the brothel. I thought maybe she would help me. Instead, she gave me something to drink that made me feel quite strange.”

Lily paused and looked down at the teacup in her hands, as though trying to remember. “I do not know much of what followed. It is all muddled and foggy in my head. I remember a room…with men. Laughter and talking. It wasn’t until later, after the drug started to wear off, that I learned what had happened.”

Portia suddenly felt terrible. She slid closer to Lily and put her arm around her shoulders. Here she was, growing suspect of her own sister, when Lily had obviously been through a horrendous experience.

“I am fine, really,” Lily continued in a lighter tone. “One of the gentlemen recognized me. He knew I should not have been there, and he rescued me. His only request was that his identity remain entirely unknown. His reputation—his family—would suffer if anyone knew he had been present at such an establishment.”

Lily looked pleadingly into Portia’s eyes. “Please, Portia, you must stop any further investigation. I would not betray this gentleman after he saved me from what could have been a disastrous fate.”