A Scoundrel of Consequence. Helen Dickson

about?’

      ‘I am here to ask you why you did not heed my warning. Was it too much to ask that you take your cousin in hand and keep him away from my sister?’

      Something unpleasant began to uncurl inside William. ‘What are you saying?’

      ‘Your precious cousin has run away with her. They have eloped—gone to Scotland,’ she informed him coldly, enunciating each word she uttered. ‘More than likely to Gretna Green, where all young romantics flee to get married.’

      William faltered. His surprise was genuine. He thought he could not have heard her correctly. ‘Eloped?’ His voice sharpened. ‘Good God! Are you mad?’

      ‘Mad? No, I am not mad, Captain Lampard. I am furious—as is my mother. She is quite beside herself with worry. Where is your lecherous cousin? Do you know?’

      William shook his head. ‘No, I confess I do not, and it is hardly my fault if your sister is too much for you to handle.’ Surprise and fury made him brutal.

      ‘Why, you conceited, unmitigated boor,’ Cassandra fumed, her anger full bodied and fortifying. ‘If I could stop her doing anything, I wouldn’t be here.’

      ‘And your mother, does she know you are here?’

      ‘She knows I came here to speak to you. Since your cousin resides in your house, you are to a certain extent responsible for his actions.’

      ‘And how do you know they have eloped? Have you proof of this?’ William demanded.

      ‘Emma left a note. Here.’ She pulled the paper from her pocket and thrust it at him. ‘Read it. See for yourself, and then tell me what you intend to do about it.’

      Quickly William scanned the missive, which was concise and to the point, leaving him in no doubt that his cousin had indeed run off to Scotland to wed Emma Greenwood.

      ‘The damned fool,’ he growled, raking his hair back from his forehead. ‘How long have they been gone?’

      ‘Since nine o’clock this morning.’

      ‘Eleven hours start. How are they travelling?’

      ‘We don’t know that.’

      ‘Lady Monkton’s carriage?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Then they must have hired one. Knowing I would give chase, to make good their escape, Edward will have hired a coach and four, which will mean a faster journey.’

      ‘And frightfully expensive. No wonder only the very rich can afford to elope to Gretna Green,’ Cassandra retorted drily. ‘Are you going after them?’

      ‘The young fools leave me with no choice.’

      ‘Then you’ll take me with you?’

      William had turned to the door, ready to stride out to the stable yard to order his carriage to be made ready at once, but her voice halted him and he spoke quietly as he turned to answer her question. ‘No. All you will be is a hindrance. I want neither you nor your company.’

      Cassandra’s face whitened, but she would not give way. She took a deliberate pace closer to him. ‘Do you really think I will let you go alone? Do you think I would trust you to bring my sister back safely? Oh, no, I think not. For all any of us know she may have come to harm; should that be the case, then, when she is found she will have need of me.’

      ‘I know you’re upset,’ William said, trying to moderate his tone to placate her, but there was a thrust to her jaw that told him she was ready to fight. She had an untamed quality running in dangerous undercurrents just beneath the surface that warned him to be wary. ‘You have every right to be, but you are not going with me.’

      Cassandra’s chilled contempt met him face to face, and then, tossing her head, she turned from him and stalked towards the door. ‘Very well. I certainly have no desire to accompany a man on a journey when he has no desire to have me along.’

      William strode after her. ‘Where, in heaven’s name, are you going?’

      ‘After them. I’ll take Aunt Elizabeth’s carriage.’

      ‘I can appreciate your concern, but you cannot embark on this mad escapade alone.’

      ‘Oh, no?’

      His arm shot out, his fingers closing cruelly on her upper arm, spinning her round to face him. ‘You little idiot,’ he seethed. ‘Allow me to advise you to forget this foolish notion.’

      ‘Advice? If I wanted advice, you would be the last person on earth I would ask,’ Cassandra retorted, a flush of anger having spread over her cheeks and icy fire smouldering in the depths of her eyes. ‘This is my business, as well as yours. How are you to stop me going after them? You must surely know by now that I do as I please. Now kindly release my arm before I scream the place down.’

      William felt the situation slipping rapidly from his grasp. Whatever he threw at her she had an answer. Despite his intense anger—directed at her and his irresponsible cousin, and also at himself for not having heeded Miss Greenwood’s warning—he did not have the mental capacity or the right to forbid her to journey to Scotland alone. Releasing her arm, he stepped back.

      ‘You beast. How dare you lay your hands on me?’ she fumed, glaring at him and rubbing her arm.

      ‘Miss Greenwood, you are being quite unreasonable.’

      ‘Unreasonable? Because I am worried about my sister? You, Captain Lampard, are the one who’s being unreasonable.’

      ‘If you go tearing off to Scotland, what about your institute? Are you not needed there?’

      ‘I am always needed, but there are others to do the work in my absence.’

      ‘Then consider the impropriety of travelling alone with me to Scotland. What will your mother have to say?’

      ‘Mama is so upset about Emma absconding that she won’t care as long as she is returned—unmarried.’

      ‘I cannot believe that any parent in their right mind would let their daughter venture forth alone on the road to Scotland. Don’t you care how much scandal it will cause?’

      ‘My reputation is the last thing on my mind just now. I don’t care that it’s not the done thing for a young woman to go careering off with a single man unescorted. Nor do I care about the scandal that will be sure to ensue. Do you, Captain Lampard?’

      Her question was thrown down as a challenge, one he could not ignore. For the first time he looked at what she was wearing. Attired in a sapphire-blue travelling costume and matching hat perched at a tantalising angle atop her coiffured hair, it occurred to him that she was dressed for travelling.

      Cassandra watched him studying her as if seeing her for the first time. She held her breath expectantly, letting it out with relief when he put his hands up in surrender.

      ‘Very well, we will go together. I’ll order the carriage and perhaps you should call at your home to collect a few things you will need for the journey.’

      ‘There’s no need. I came prepared.’

      William’s eyes shot to the leather bag by the door and then back to her. For a moment he looked blank. He simply stared at her, then he shook his head as if trying to clear it. ‘Why, you scheming minx!’

      Planting her hands on her slim hips, calmly drumming her fingers, her smile was sublime. ‘Aren’t I just—I’m rebellious, too, in case you haven’t noticed.’

      ‘You knew I’d agree for you to accompany me.’

      ‘Oh, yes, Captain Lampard. I was certain of it.’

      Despite his fury, William experienced a mixture of disbelief, amusement and admiration as he gazed down at the exquisite young beauty who had skilfully managed to manipulate him into doing something he didn’t