A Dangerous Engagement by Melanie Dickerson

2017

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Author:	Melanie Dickerson
Genre:	Historical Romance
File Name:	a-dangerous-engagement-by-melanie-dickerson.epub
Original Title:	A Dangerous Engagement (The Regency Spies of London Book 3)
Creator:	Melanie Dickerson
Language:	en
Identifier:	MOBI-ASIN:B06Y59J2SZ
Publisher:	Waterfall Press
Date:	1505145600
File Size:	490366.976

Just as merchant’s daughter Felicity Mayson is spurned once again because of her meager dowry, she receives an unexpected invitation to Lady Blackstone’s country home. Being introduced to the wealthy Oliver Ratley is an admitted delight, as is his rather heedless yet inviting proposal of marriage. Only when another of Lady Blackstone’s handsome guests catches Felicity’s attention does she realize that nothing is what it seems at Doverton Hall.

Government agent Philip McDowell is infiltrating a group of cutthroat revolutionaries led by none other than Lady Blackstone and Ratley. Their devious plot is to overthrow the monarchy, and their unwitting pawn is Felicity. Now Philip needs Felicity’s help in discovering the rebels’ secrets—by asking her to maintain cover as Ratley’s innocent bride-to-be.

Philip is duty bound. Felicity is game. Together they’re risking their lives—and gambling their hearts—to undo a traitorous conspiracy before their dangerous masquerade is exposed.

Table of Content

1. Unnamed
2. OTHER TITLES BY MELANIE DICKERSON Regency Spies of London Series A Spy’s Devotion A Viscount’s Proposal Medieval Fairy Tale Series The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest The Beautiful Pretender The Noble Servant Fairy Tale Romance Series The Healer’s Apprentice The Merchant’s Daughter The Fairest Beauty The Captive Maiden The Princess Spy The Golden Braid The Silent Songbird
3. Unnamed
4. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Text copyright © 2017 Melanie Dickerson All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Waterfall Press, Grand Haven, MI www.brilliancepublishing.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Waterfall Press are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781503938656 ISBN-10: 1503938654 Cover design by Mike Heath | Magnus Creative
5. CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE EPILOGUE AUTHOR’S NOTE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AUTHOR
6. Unnamed
7. CHAPTER ONE Spring 1815, London, England Felicity took the young gentleman’s arm as they moved away from the dance floor. He was quite handsome, with brown hair and a gentle manner. “You dance very well, Miss Mayson.” He smiled shyly at her. “Thank you, Mr. Kellerman.” “Would you honor me with the next dance?” “I would be—” An older woman walked up behind Mr. Kellerman and tapped him on the shoulder. She glared at Felicity as she took Mr. Kellerman’s arm. “You are not to dance with that young woman again.” The woman spoke in a harsh whisper, loud enough for Felicity to hear. “Mother, please. I already asked her.” His cheeks were turning red. “She has no money. No money.” She punctuated her words with a tug on his arm. “Go and dance with Miss Gandy over there.” His face flaming red, he turned toward Felicity and bowed. “Excuse me, Miss Mayson.” “You are excused.” She held herself with as much dignity as she could and matched his ugly mother stare for stare. They both turned and walked a
8. CHAPTER TWO Philip McDowell glanced around at his parents and all three of his brothers gathered around the breakfast table—a rare occurrence. His mother was smiling, and his father was frowning. “So, you’re finally going to fight in the war against Napoleon?” his oldest brother, Damian, asked Philip, taking a sip of tea and following it with a bite of bread. “Not exactly.” “Leave him alone, Damian,” Nathan, his clergyman brother, said. “He’s probably spying on some evil frame-breakers union or a bunch of lawless men bent on burning mills in Manchester. He can’t tell us where he’s going or he’d have to kill us.” “That’s right,” Thomas, his second-oldest brother, added. “But don’t mock him. If he gets a commendation from the Prince Regent, we’ll all be shown up.” “Well, I am very proud of Philip,” his mother said. “He’s been serving our country in the Home Office, and whatever they ask him to do, I’m sure he will do the job very well indeed.” “Thank you, Mother.” “When are you getting p
9. CHAPTER THREE Felicity made her way down the stairs with Aunt Agnes, who was nervously plucking at her sleeve while carrying a book and her reticule, where she kept her spectacles. As they entered the sitting room, at least ten pairs of eyes turned to look at them. Mr. Ratley crossed the room to greet them. “Won’t you sit by me?” Mr. Ratley seated them on a sofa, which was also near Lady Blackstone. “Miss Appleby, it is so good of you to join us. I hope you are comfortable. I understand you reside with Miss Mayson and her family in London.” He proceeded to draw Auntie out and encouraged her to talk about herself and about Felicity’s family. He seemed skilled at listening and asking the right questions. But from the corner of her eye, Felicity watched the red-haired gentleman, who stood talking not far away. Soon Lady Blackstone began to pour the tea. Everyone talked quietly with their neighbor. Mr. Ratley divided his attention between Felicity and Aunt Agnes, who actually seemed less n
10. CHAPTER FOUR Felicity watched the next morning as the servant brought round the letters that had come by post. Sadly, there was no reply from her mother. She sat in one of the drawing rooms with the few other young women in the group. All of them were married, she discovered, besides herself and Aunt Agnes. Beside her sat Mrs. Josephine Cartwright, who was just her age. Her husband was playing cards with some of the other men. Mrs. Cartwright was embroidering a silk pillowcase while she spoke. The bright thread flashed in and out of the cloth with seemingly little effort. “I can never seem to stop sewing.” She smiled and shook her head, barely glancing up from her work. “I hope you don’t mind. Whenever my hands are idle, I simply cannot concentrate on conversation or anything else.” “I don’t mind at all.” Felicity had set aside her book on Chinese, and she now took up the needlework she had brought downstairs with her. “I am looking forward to dancing. Lady Blackstone said we would hav
11. CHAPTER FIVE Felicity blushed at how much personal information she had revealed to this stranger. She had never opened up that much to anyone except a few friends and her mother. What had made her say so much to Philip Merrick? Perhaps it was his friendly, empathetic expression, how he looked her in the eye and nodded. She was accustomed to her brothers laughing at anything serious she might say, but Mr. Merrick did not even look as if he wanted to laugh. But where were her manners? She shouldn’t be only talking of herself. “And what are your ambitions, Mr. Merrick?” “My ambitions?” His look turned more sober as two creases formed between his brows. “I am the fourth son of my father. He is a gentleman of some means, but a fourth son must have plans and an occupation. That suits me well, for I enjoy a life of activity.” He seemed to make an effort to smile, but the somber crease remained. “I shall make the church my profession, if other aspirations do not develop.” “Other aspirations?”
12. CHAPTER SIX Felicity screamed and then covered her mouth as two men suddenly attacked each other and fell to the floor. She glanced around her, then remembered Auntie was upstairs. She’d claimed a headache after their outing and declined to come down for dinner. Lady Blackstone’s face turned crimson as she started toward the two men. Mr. Ratley stood, but Mr. Merrick sprang forward, and he and another man pulled the two fighters apart. Lady Blackstone said in a loud voice, “How dare you behave in such a way!” “How could you disrupt the evening of my engagement?” Mr. Ratley said. “You two don’t get to decide who is in charge of anything,” another man said, pointing at Sproles and then Rowell. What were they talking of? It made no sense, but her uneasy feeling had been correct. Something was going on here, something subversive. But what? She looked to her fiancé for answers, but he was stepping closer to the two men whom Mr. Philip Merrick was holding by the scruffs of their necks, keepi
13. CHAPTER SEVEN Felicity watched them leave, then clutched at her throat, leaning forward. “What have I done, what have I done?” she mumbled, rocking forward and back. She jumped up off the bed and paced to the window. She had to think, had to find someone who could help her escape. But to whom could she turn? Aunt Agnes walked into the room holding a book. “Oh, Auntie, I’m so sorry.” Felicity wrapped her arms around herself as the cold, weak feeling came over her again. “Whatever is the matter?” Auntie put her eyeglasses on and came closer, peering at her. “I have endangered us both by coming here and engaging myself to Mr. Ratley.” She spoke softly, just above a whisper. “I don’t understand. Do you regret agreeing to marry Mr. Ratley? I’m sure it can be undone.” “No, no. It is not only the engagement.” How could she tell her poor nervous aunt of the danger surrounding them? Of the nefarious plans of the people at this party? That they were now trapped? “Auntie, haven’t you noticed some
14. CHAPTER EIGHT Philip heard a door open. He waited a moment, then stuck his head out to see who it was. Miss Felicity Mayson walked to the staircase and started down. He waited another moment and followed her. She passed by the breakfast room without slowing down and headed for the large entryway on the ground level of the great house. She seemed to be holding something in her hand, perhaps a letter, as she turned the corner out of sight. He continued the rest of the way down the steps and turned the same corner—and nearly ran into Miss Mayson herself. “Oh, pardon me,” she said, her eyes wide and her hand over her heart. “Forgive me, Miss Mayson, for nearly colliding with you. I was not looking where I was going.” “Of course. Now I must go . . . look in on my aunt. Good morning to you, Mr. Merrick.” “Good morning.” He waited until she continued on her way, then went to see what she had gone into the entry hall for. A stack of letters lay on a salver on the small table, waiting to be pos
15. CHAPTER NINE Felicity drew in a breath as Mr. Merrick came into her room and closed the door. “Sir? You have come to the wrong room, I think.” Would she be able to scream if he attacked her? Auntie was downstairs in the library and might not be back for some time. He held his hands palms out, almost in a defensive position. “Forgive me, Miss Mayson. I mean you no harm.” He spoke in a deep, quiet voice. “I need to speak to you, and this was the most private way I could think of. Forgive me for coming into your room this way.” “What is it you wish to speak about?” “You must be careful not to leave any more letters for the post. Lady Blackstone and Mr. Ratley will not hesitate to read your private correspondence, and they will be ruthless if they think someone here is not loyal to their cause.” He wore a serious but not unkind expression. But was he not loyal to their cause? Her breath left her, and she thought for the hundredth time of the letter she’d left downstairs. “What makes you th
16. CHAPTER TEN Felicity walked with Aunt Agnes back to their room as her aunt mumbled to herself. How would her poor aunt survive this shock? She’d become nearly comatose after her sometime suitor, a Mr. Turner, had jilted her and married someone else. That had been years ago, and her disposition had never been strong since. Even if she was able to weather the shock of finding a dead man in Lady Blackmore’s garden, how could Felicity protect her from future blows? Would she survive hearing of the other guests here becoming murderers, killing Members of Parliament, and even the king? In their room, Felicity sat her aunt down in a chair and covered her lap with a shawl. “Shall I go to the kitchen and get you some warm milk?” “Who was that man, Felicity? Why was he dead in Lady Blackstone’s garden? Are we to be murdered in our sleep?” “Of course not. No one would want to murder us.” Felicity smiled, but it was wasted, as Aunt Agnes did not even look at her. She stared down at her lap and pul
17. CHAPTER ELEVEN Felicity went to her room and looked in on Auntie. She’d taken a small dose of laudanum before Felicity went downstairs to dinner, and now she was in bed. Felicity tiptoed to her side. Aunt Agnes’s breathing was heavy and regular, so Felicity blew out her candle and went back to the door. Did she dare go and trespass on her hostess’s room? The thought of Lady Blackstone finding her was so terrifying her blood pounded in her temples and she felt a little faint. But how else would she find out the important information Mr. Merrick—and her country—needed? Felicity turned the knob as quietly as possible, mentally preparing an excuse for where she was going and why. She heard only silence as she stepped out into the corridor. Lady Blackstone’s bedroom was in another wing of the house. She followed the meandering corridor until she came to the correct door. She turned the knob, and it opened. Felicity went inside and shut the door. Her hands were shaking as she gazed across th
18. CHAPTER TWELVE Felicity’s heart leapt to her throat. Had Lady Blackstone heard from her maidservant that she had been in her room the night before? “Darling,” Mr. Ratley said, reaching out for her hand. She let him take it, and he kissed her knuckles. His lips were cool and moist. How many times had she dreamed of a man falling in love with her, kissing her hand whenever he saw her because he could not help himself? But his kiss did not make her heart pound. Perhaps that was because she was too worried these two people might kill her. But they were both smiling at her with ingratiating looks, so her breaths started to come easier. “Mr. Ratley. Lady Blackstone. I hope you are both well this morning.” “Yes,” they answered. “We want to speak with you, sweet Felicity,” Lady Blackstone said in her most winsome voice. “Won’t you come with us someplace comfortable?” “Of course.” Felicity followed them to a small sitting room nearby. Felicity and Lady Blackstone sat together on a sofa while Mr
19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN Felicity dressed carefully for the ball. Her mother was unable to spare a lady’s maid to send with her, after sending one with Elizabeth, so Camille, Lady Blackstone’s maid, came in to prepare Felicity’s hair. “Miss Mayson, you look a bit pale. You should not be nervous. You are not trying to find a husband. And your shoulders are so stiff and tense. Are you well?” Some maidservants never said a word, but Camille was rather talkative. “I am very well. I suppose I am simply trying too hard to impress.” “You are very impressive without trying. Beautiful and pleasant.” “You are too kind.” She thought for a moment, then said, “You know Lady Blackstone very well, do you not?” “Oh yes, better than anyone. I’ve been with Lady Blackstone for many years, since she was married to the baron. When her sister died, it did things to her.” She scrunched her face and sighed, pausing in her work to get Felicity’s hair to curl on top of her head. “It is a pain she will never overcome, I
20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN Philip was on his way up the stairs when he met Miss Mayson and Mr. Ratley coming down. Her smile was rigid. “Mr. Merrick. Are you well?” Mr. Ratley asked. “Oh, someone spilled brandy on my coat. I’m going up to change.” “My valet is a wonder at removing stains, if you need his assistance.” “Thank you. I shall let you know.” He did not allow himself to even look at Miss Mayson. He continued up as they went down. He went back to Lady Blackstone’s room, but this time the door was locked. Ratley must have locked it. He hurried to his own room, changed his coat, even though he’d lied about the spill, and went back downstairs. Miss Mayson and Mr. Ratley were dancing, smiling at each other and drawing the gazes of several people. Philip’s stomach churned to see the way she looked at her fiancé. Of course, she was only pretending. He knew it, but it brought back the memory of her leaning into Mr. Ratley and kissing him. Philip’s stomach sank at the thought of her kissing the
21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN Philip couldn’t help admiring Miss Mayson’s determination to do what was right even when she was terrified. What an admirable girl she was. Mr. Ratley didn’t deserve her even on his best day—even if he weren’t an easily led, lawless insurrectionist. She was also quite lovely, her eyes shining with residual tears. Every instinct urged him to protect her, but so much was at stake. Protecting her could lead to mistakes, and a mistake could cost him his mission, the respect of his colleagues, and public humiliation, not to mention his life and the lives of others. And yet, he owed her so much. “Thank you for this key. Since Lady Blackstone’s rides are usually of short duration, and she’ll probably not be with her falcons for long, I’ll wait until another time to use it. But I do want to thank you for saving me from getting caught in Lady Blackstone’s room last night. I owe you my life.” “Well, you saved me when I fainted and carried me into my room. Thank you for being a ge
22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN Felicity kept her head down, watching her feet, as if she didn’t know her fiancé was waiting to kiss her. When he did not let go of her waist, she looked up and let him press his lips to hers. But she quickly pulled away. “Did I do something wrong?” “No, of course not. I just . . . well, my mother taught me that kissing was only for marriage. I feel uncomfortable, as if we should wait until our wedding night.” “My darling. You are far too modest and chaste.” She pulled all the way away from him and took a step toward the grotto entrance. “I cannot help it. I am a deep and ardent admirer of Miss Hannah More, and I invariably ask myself, in any situation, ‘What would Miss More say?’” She was being facetious, knowing he was not astute enough to catch on, but she did very much respect Miss Hannah More’s opinions on matters of morality. And yet, if she felt in her heart that she was truly going to marry Mr. Ratley, she would not object to kissing him, either on moral or any
23. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Felicity’s stomach turned as she and the other ladies retired to the drawing room. But how relieved she had been when Mr. Merrick had raised his voice and halted the humiliating debacle. Tears rose behind her eyes as she recalled how he had stood up for her, but she blinked them away. It doesn’t matter. Why did she care? She wouldn’t marry Mr. Ratley, but it still stung. She had thought him disinterested because he did not care that she did not possess a fortune, but that did not necessarily mean that he liked her for herself. As it turned out, he only cared about her beauty and her childbearing capabilities. And it made her cheeks sting all over again that she could have been so fooled as to think him worthy of her love, admiration, and hand in marriage. But she could not dwell on that now. She had to stuff it down, down with the humiliation of everyone laughing at her buffoonish fiancé trying to come up with compliments for her—and failing miserably. The few ladies
24. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Felicity awakened with a start. Someone was touching her shoulder. A shadowy figure loomed over her. “Miss Mayson?” Mr. Merrick’s voice whispered. “I think now would be a good time to make a run for the house.” “Oh.” How embarrassing to be sleeping sitting up, and in a gentleman’s presence. “I do not hear any more voices. I peeked through the door and saw several people enter the house some minutes ago. Soon it will be dawn.” Felicity stood and smoothed her skirt, taking a deep breath. He said, “I shall wait a few minutes after you and then go in.” She walked to the door and took another deep breath. Would God keep her from being seen as she ran across the yard to the back door? Lately, she always felt that God must be upset with her, she was telling so many lies. But they were necessary lies to save herself and her aunt and even Mr. Merrick. Was God angry with her? “God, please help me and forgive all my trespasses,” she whispered, then pushed the door open. She ran t
25. CHAPTER NINETEEN As Lady Blackstone began talking with Felicity, Philip hurried upstairs to his room. He quickly opened the hidden compartment in his trunk and took out the original papers and the key hidden there. He tucked them in his waistcoat and stepped out into the corridor, closing his door behind him. “Merrick!” Ratley stood three feet away. “I was just going to look for someone to play billiards. Won’t you join me?” “Oh, of course. Let me just . . . change my coat. I’ll only be a minute.” Philip ducked back in the room, carefully removed the papers from his waistcoat, placed them back inside the secret compartment, and changed his coat. When Philip came out of his room, Ratley was waiting for him. Philip did not exactly relish playing billiards with Ratley, but perhaps he could ask him some questions. The man was rather gullible for a revolutionary. And if there was one thing Philip had learned from his older brothers, it was not to be gullible. They walked down to the billiar
26. CHAPTER TWENTY “I thought I heard voices in here.” Mrs. Cartwright looked askance at Felicity, and a sly smile spread over her face. “I was just looking for a book,” Felicity said quickly. Mr. Merrick took the book that he had tucked under his arm and held it up. “I have what I need, so I shall go. I hope you find the volume you were searching for, Miss Mayson.” He nodded at Mrs. Cartwright. Mr. Merrick moved to leave. Mrs. Cartwright stepped aside just as Aunt Agnes rushed up to the doorway. “I did not see you,” Aunt Agnes said breathlessly. “Miss Appleby, isn’t it?” Mrs. Cartwright and Aunt Agnes moved aside to let Mr. Merrick pass, which he did quickly. “Yes, this is my aunt, Miss Agnes Appleby. Auntie, this is Mrs. Josephine Cartwright.” Aunt Agnes said, “We were looking for books.” “I was sitting in the back doing my knitting. There are some uncommonly comfortable chairs in the back corner of this library. Have you ever tried them, Miss Mayson?” So that was how they had failed to
27. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Mr. Ratley’s face went rigid as he stared intently at Mr. Merrick. Felicity held her breath, her blood turning to ice in her veins. “No, Lady Blackstone,” Mr. Merrick answered. He looked very convincing, so earnest and upright. “I am committed to our cause, and I would not betray Mr. Ratley in such a way. Besides that, there is a girl I have been pledged to marry since we were children, a Miss Geiger from my home county, a friend of the family.” Was that true? Did he have a sweetheart at home? She felt her heart plummet. Mr. Ratley glanced at Felicity, and she gave him a tiny shrug and shake of her head. “Well, one may be ‘pledged to marry but plan to dally.’ Is that your philosophy, Mr. Merrick?” “No, it is not, Lady Blackstone. I intend to be completely faithful to my wife. Even Miss Hannah More could not fault my marital philosophies.” Mr. Merrick twisted his lips in a wry smile. Felicity’s heart fluttered at the thought that he admired Hannah More as much as she
28. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Felicity had grown more and more uncomfortable the longer they had stayed on the beach. She had wanted to enjoy the beauty and magnificence of the place, but the men had all become more boisterous and showed less and less restraint, Mr. Ratley included. When they had all gotten back on their horses, she was relieved, but she dreaded having to deal with her horse again. She’d never been very good with horses, and though this one seemed fairly gentle, she also startled at every little thing. She explained the situation to Lady Blackstone, who kindly positioned her horse on Miss Mayson’s left, while Mr. Ratley’s horse was on her right. Riding between the two, her mare would have little choice but to stay on course. But as they started on their way, Mr. Ratley reached out and touched the back of Felicity’s neck. She flinched and leaned away from him. Heat rose inside her at the inappropriateness of his action. He was grinning. “Please do not do that, Mr. Ratley.” “What d
29. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Felicity felt the tension in the room. She had thought she was imagining that Lady Blackstone and Mr. Ratley were staring a great deal at Mr. Merrick. But now Lady Blackstone stood, placing her hands on the table in front of her. Her eyes glittered in the candlelight as she looked at the men around the table. Virtually all of them had droopy, bloodshot eyes, except for Mr. Merrick, who looked quite as handsome, and alert, as ever. “We have been making plans while we’ve been here. We have trusted each other completely, have we not?” The men mumbled their agreement and nodded their heads. Some were starting to take closer notice. Mr. Ratley’s face was flushed, and perspiration beaded on his forehead. “But we have a traitor in our midst.” A gasp and a few grunts went around the room. “Ladies, if you are squeamish, you should leave the room immediately.” Mrs. Cartwright stood and cried out dramatically. The other women followed suit, and they all filed out of the room,
30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Felicity moved back toward where the three footmen were picking up Mr. Merrick’s limp body and carrying him out of the room. Lady Blackstone turned, as did Mr. Ratley, to face Felicity. Felicity placed her hands on her cheeks. “I feel very faint. This is even more shocking than finding a dead body in the garden.” Mr. Ratley took out his handkerchief and tried to use it to fan Felicity’s face, but it was not very effective. “Let me fetch you some wine.” Lady Blackstone stepped to the sideboard and lifted a decanter next to the urn where Felicity had just hidden the papers. Would they be visible? Would she see them sticking out? Mr. Ratley patted the inside of her wrists. “I saw a lady do this when a girl fainted at a party I was attending in Bristol. It’s good for your circulation.” He was patting so zealously it was actually painful, but Felicity said nothing. Lady Blackstone brought her the glass of wine. “Here you are, my dear. This should help settle your nerves.
31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE Felicity and Aunt Agnes walked the short distance to the parish church with one of Lady Blackstone’s footmen escorting them. Felicity clutched her Book of Common Prayer to her chest and had to take several deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Aunt Agnes, however, barely even plucked at her sleeves. They sat through Mr. Birtwistle’s sermon, and he impressed Felicity with his heartfelt sincerity. The man even referenced Miss Hannah More’s latest book and quoted her, making Felicity like him even more. And Aunt Agnes never took her eyes off him. When the service was over, Felicity glanced over at the footman. He was watching her and Aunt Agnes, and he turned to follow them out of the church. Felicity was careful not to make eye contact with anyone in case they tried to talk to her. Although that was unlikely, since she didn’t know anyone at this church. Finally, they were exiting, and she let Aunt Agnes move in front of her to speak to Mr. Birtwistle. The rector’s fa
32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Felicity awakened in her bed. Her head and eyelids were so heavy. Mr. Ratley was sitting beside her, his arms folded across his chest. He fastened his gaze on her. “We were going to rule England together. How could you throw that away?” She did not answer. “Lady Blackstone says we should marry. But . . . I am unsure about you now.” How very astute of you. But sarcasm would do her no good. God, help me. “Why am I so thirsty?” Felicity said, her voice sounding weak. “How long have I been asleep?” “Lady Blackstone gave you something to help you rest. She said . . . well, she said if you didn’t marry me, she could . . . she could make you go to sleep and never awake, and I would not have to worry about it anymore. But I still want to marry you, Felicity, if you still want to marry me.” Felicity laughed. It was a weak, quiet laugh, but she couldn’t seem to stop it. Should she tell him she’d rather go to sleep and never awake? He would be so hurt. Poor man. He’d have to fi
33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN All of Felicity’s weight was resting on her stomach, making it difficult to breathe. Something was pressing against the back of her thighs. She was so sleepy—and so thirsty—but she was too uncomfortable not to open her eyes. “Mr. Birtwistle.” The rector stood below her on the ground as she slowly moved toward him. Someone was carrying her over his shoulder. “Mr. Merrick . . . no, Mr. McDowell . . . is that you?” Thank heavens. She was glad to feel the cool night air on her face. It had been so stuffy in that room where Lady Blackstone had been trying to poison her. “Forgive me, Miss Mayson,” Mr. McDowell said. They seemed to be floating above the ground but descending gradually. Finally, he set her feet on the ground, but only for a moment. He immediately lifted her, cradling her in his arms, and held her against his chest. She was much more comfortable now. Felicity sighed. “I think this must be one of the dreams I keep having.” “What kind of dreams, Miss Mayson?”
34. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Felicity sat in her parents’ drawing room trying to study her book on the Chinese language. Her things had been sent to her from the Home Office the day before. Apparently, when the officials and militiamen went to arrest Lady Blackstone and Mr. Ratley the morning after Mr. McDowell’s daring rescue, Lady Blackstone and the rest of their group had fled. But Lord Sidmouth’s men had collected Felicity’s and Aunt Agnes’s things for them. Three days had passed since she and Aunt Agnes had ridden back to London in Mr. McDowell’s hired carriage. She remembered little of the trip besides waking up snuggled against Mr. McDowell’s arm. She closed her eyes and groaned just thinking about it. What must he think of her? Thankfully, she also remembered little of her rescue from Doverton Hall, but enough to know that she had said some very improper things. Felicity had asked Aunt Agnes, Was I very improper? Did I say and do many terrible things? Her aunt had blushed to the roots
35. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE Felicity’s heart skipped a few beats as Mr. McDowell came to stand in front of her with the most attractive smile she had ever seen. “Mr. McDowell, I hope you don’t mind me saying that you seem so much more cheerful now than when you were at Doverton Hall.” “I think you are seeing me now as my usual self.” “Yes, of course. You had a job to do there, a very serious one.” “And which side of me do you prefer?” He raised his brows at her. “I like your cheerful side very much, your smile, and how relaxed you seem. Although, your more serious side showed your courage and character.” So seldom did she say these sorts of things. Was she being flirtatious? She wanted to converse with Mr. McDowell, to bask in his friendship, to remember how strong and capable he had been. She also couldn’t stop remembering how it felt when he held her in his arms. Was he remembering it too? More people began to crowd in for refreshments before the dancing began. Felicity and Mr. McDowell were
36. EPILOGUE The engagement of Felicity and Philip was announced, and a few days later, Felicity’s aunt Agnes received a visit from Mr. Birtwistle. He was staying with the McDowells at their London town house, but after visiting Miss Appleby two days in a row, he proposed marriage. The two couples were married four weeks later in a double ceremony. Philip and Felicity learned a few weeks later that Napoleon had been defeated again and exiled to Saint Helena. Felicity gratefully received the news that her brother had come home whole and well from the war. Four months after their wedding, the Baron and Baroness McDowell walked in the garden of their own estate in Cambridgeshire with their arms around each other, gazing over the hedges where the gardener was preparing a plot of ground under a mild October sun. “Are you looking forward to your mother’s visit in a few weeks?” Philip squeezed Felicity’s shoulder and kissed her hair. “Yes. But I’ve enjoyed being here in our new home, having you a
37. AUTHOR’S NOTE Regency England was a turbulent time of economic and social unrest. Many reformers advocated peaceful reform, and many others had given up on peaceful reform and favored violence. Government officials were afraid that these violent reformers would rise up and cause a revolution very much like the one that had recently taken place in France. Though many of the records have been lost or destroyed, it was not without precedent for government agents to infiltrate these illegal reformers’ groups to try to discover their plans and document who was involved. And if any of these groups had succeeded in revolting against the government, it’s easy to imagine what might have happened to England’s monarchy—the same thing that happened in France, Russia, and other European countries—mass executions and a chaotic time of transition. I hope you enjoyed my fictional story of how this fate might have threatened and then been averted in Regency England. As for the Shell Grotto, it is a rea
38. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to thank the whole team at Waterfall Press for all their hard work and support, including Faith Black Ross, Michelle Hope Anderson, and Sheryl Zajechowski, and Mike Heath at Magnus Creative for yet another beautiful cover. I also want to thank my wonderful agent, Natasha Kern, for all her awesomeness. Without her wisdom, effort, and business savvy, this series would not be written yet or published. Thank you so much! I need to thank my friend Terry Bell for being willing to let me pick her brain and talk through my story. Thanks for brainstorming with me! I also have to thank my friends Katherine Bone and Mary Freeman, and family members Joe, Grace, and Faith, for brainstorming with me. I am so blessed, and I love you so much. I’m also thankful for my friend Regina Carbulon for cheering me on and always encouraging and supporting me. Thanks for praying for me and being willing to listen to me talk about my stories, especially when I’m stuck. May God keep on bless
39. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Why was Felicity Mayson ready to give up on marriage at the start of this story? What did she want to do instead of attending balls and dinner parties? What was it about Mr. Ratley that impressed Felicity so much? How was he different from the other men she had met? What had Lady Blackstone assumed about Felicity that led her to trust her enough to invite her to the place where she and her henchmen would be planning their illegal takeover of the government? What was it about Mr. Ratley that made Felicity almost immediately second-guess her decision to marry him? How long should a person take to get to know someone before they decide to marry them? Why? Can you be sure you’re not making a mistake? If so, how? Did Philip McDowell arrive at Doverton Hall feeling as if he had something to prove to his brothers? Why? How did he feel about being the youngest son in his family? How did Aunt Agnes Appleby’s character change? What was her reasoning for changing her behavior
40. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Photo © 2012 Jodie Westfall Historical romance author Melanie Dickerson earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and has taught special education in Georgia and Tennessee. She has also taught English in Germany and Ukraine. Dickerson won the 2012 Carol Award in young adult fiction and the 2010 National Readers’ Choice Award for best first book. Her novels The Healer’s Apprentice and The Merchant’s Daughter were both Christy Award finalists. She lives with her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit www.MelanieDickerson.com.