Stranger in My Arms(83)

Like a nightmare descending, she became aware of two figures approaching. Arthur and Janet Crossland. So soon, she thought gloomily. But of course they would jump on the chance to regain the title, like scavengers hovering over a freshly scrapped kill.

They were as tall and blond and smug as ever, wearing identical smiles as they reached her.

Janet spoke before Arthur had the chance. “It took you long enough to come to your senses,” she said acidly. “I gather your little escapade is now concluded, and we may have back what is rightfully ours.”

“Yes,” Lara said tonelessly. “The escapade is over.”

Arthur bent to take her lifeless hand, and pressed it in a show of concern. “My dear niece. I sympathize with what you’ve suffered.

You’ve been deceived, betrayed, humiliated-” “I’m perfectly aware of what I’ve been through,” Lara interrupted. “There’s no need to recount it all.”

Seeming surprised by her quiet rebuke, Arthur cleared his throat.

“You’re not yourself, Larissa. I’ll overlook any rudeness on your part, as I know you’re distraught and confused.”

Janet folded her bony arms over her chest and regarded Lara with a cold smile. “She doesn’t look confused to me,” she remarked.

“More like a sullen child who’s been deprived of her candy.”

Arthur turned toward his wife and muttered something under his breath.

Although the words weren’t clear, it served to silence her temporarily.

He looked back at Lara with a reptilian smile. “Your sense of timing can’t be faulted, dear Larissa. It was just the thing to wait until he was off the estate and then send for me. I made certain that he was arrested in London. Although I would have preferred him to be imprisoned, I had to settle for placing him under guard in the Hawksworth town house until he’s brought to trial. The thing will eventually have to be settled in the House of Lords, of course, as he must be tried by his peers… though they’ll quickly discover that he is not one of them!”

Lara tried and failed to imagine the man she had come to think of as her husband placed under guard.

Surely any restraints on his freedom would drive him mad. And worse, the idea of him being tried before every influential lord in London…

She stifled a small cry of anguish. He had so much pride. She didn’t want to see him torn to pieces that way. “Must he be tried in the Lords?” she asked dully.

“First the lord chancellor will receive our depositions in a private session. Unless he decides to discharge the case-which is entirely unlikely-there will indeed be a trial at the Lords.” Arthur smiled in malicious pleasure. “Oh, we’ll have our pretend Hawksworth dancing on the end of a rope before long. I’ll ask them to make certain his neck is not broken, so he’ll gasp and turn blue as the noose crushes his throat. And I’ll be there to enjoy every moment as he slowly strangles-” He stopped as Lara made an inarticulate sound. Immediately he adopted a look of solicitous concern. “My dear, we’ll leave you in private to continue your reflections. But really, you’ll come to see that this is all for the best” Lara bit her lip and made no reply, while everything inside her cried out in protest. Surely this was the right thing, the moral thing to do. How could one go wrong by upholding the truth? But logical arguments only seemed to muddle everything. She was supporting the Crosslands and their claim to the title because it was her duty, and yet it brought her only misery.

They would most likely drain the family fortune and be condescending and selfish, and everyone abiding on the Hawksworth estate would suffer. And Johnny would be deprived of the secure future she had intended for him. How could that be right?

A single hot tear rolled down her cheek, and Janet regarded her with a vicious smile. “Cheer up, my dear,” she said gently. “You’ve had an exciting adventure, haven’t you? And your temporary husband was a handsome fellow indeed. No doubt he was most entertaining in bed. At least you have that to be thankful for.”

Arthur grabbed his wife’s thin arm and jerked her aside. This time Lara heard his muttered words.

“Shut up, you sharp-tongued bitch. Provoke her enough and we’ll lose the title. We need her testimony, do you understand?” He looked back at Lara and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry about anything, Larissa.

This will all be over soon, and you’ll finally be at peace. in the meantime there are only a few difficulties to get through, and I will help you every step of the way.”

“Oh, thank you,” Lara said softly.

He stared at her, clearly wondering if he had imagined the note of sarcasm in her reply. “I do expect civility from you, Larissa.

Remember, we are all family, with one shared goal in mind.

Furthermore, I expect you to be civil to Lord Lonsdale when he arrives this afternoon, regardless of the discord which seems to have sprung up between you.”

“No!” Lara shot to her feet, her face whitening. “Why in God’s name would you invite Lonsdale here?”

“Calm yourself,” Arthur said gently, his gaze hard.

“Lord Lonsdale has information that is extremely helpful to our case, which I intend to discuss with him. He also wishes to collect his wife, for which I can hardly blame him. After the way you stole your sister away from her own home” “I forbid Lord Lonsdale to set one foot on this estate,” Lara said in a steely tone. “I won’t have it, do you understand?”