FREE! In The Arms of My Enemy (Completed!) Book 1

Fidelia's Revenge

Their kiss deepened. Oh, how he had missed her. The side door opened suddenly, and the maid squeaked in surprise. William growled in frustration as Fidelia broke away. Was there never a moment of peace in this house for a man to kiss his wife?

"Oh! Lord Greyville! I did not know you—apologies for interrupt­ing, but the countess sent me to ready Fid—Lady Greyville." Sally curtseyed several times and awkwardly gestured with her hand to the door as if trying to decide how to politely ask him to leave the room.

Fidelia stiffened but he drew her closer, nuzzling her ear. He had discovered that she was particularly susceptible to that, and he was gratified with her giggle. Then she stood back and smoothed her skirts. "Not now, William." She tipped her head toward Sally. William had never wanted to discharge someone from his household more than in that moment.

William excused himself to the antechamber to write an urgent note to Edmund while the maid helped Fidelia change in the bedroom. After he sent the missive off and she still hadn't finished, he moved to stand by the mantle, staring into the roaring fire, pondering the new information he had gathered during his time in France.

A knock sounded at the door a few hours later while Fidelia was still busy with her toilet. A footman entered to deliver a letter addressed to "LG." William opened it; his mind was distracted by the strange manner of address on the outside until the contents made him seize up in alarm.

That carriage "accident" was only the beginning. You've been warned.

The letter was unsigned, but the handwriting was jagged and coarse, and the parchment was of poor quality. Blood pounded in his ears as he crushed the threatening letter in his fist and struggled to control his breathing. "LG" could have been addressed to "Lady Greyville." Could it be from the man who followed Fidelia and Lottie?

He yanked the door to the hallway open and called for the footman.

"Who delivered this?"

The footman paled at William's tone. "N-no one saw who it was, m'lord. One of the maids discovered it on the front steps when she went out to sweep."

William thanked the servant and dismissed him. Rubbing a hand over his short beard, William returned to his place beside the fire, his mind swimming with possibilities. If it had been the man who fol­lowed Fidelia, what else did he have planned for her? Why had she drawn his attention?

As suspicions swarmed within him like a hive of bees, Fidelia fi­nally opened the door. William pushed away from the wall and turned, shoving the balled-up parchment into his pocket. He caught his breath at the sight of her in a dark emerald gown that complemented her green eyes to perfection. Her hair, temporarily wrangled, was already starting to come loose in soft curls that brushed her collar bone.

"Well?" Fidelia asked, eyes wide with concern. "Do I look all right?"

William drew a slow breath to steady his heart and nodded. How had he been blessed with this stunning banshee for a bride? He escorted her down the stairs, and he winced in sympathy each time that she limped on her sore ankle. It appeared to have healed well thus far, but it would be a few more weeks before a full recovery.

"William!" the countess said as she joined them on the second floor. "I was not informed that you had returned." She pouted, and William wondered for the briefest moment if she was frustrated that he had greeted Fidelia first instead of her.

"Forgive me, Mother." He kissed her cheek obligingly. "I only just came in."

"Never mind that," she said, smiling at him affectionately. "You must excuse us. I need to instruct Fidelia before the tea party begins."

"Again?" Fidelia groaned, her shoulders sagging.

The countess flushed, but she glanced at William and smiled sweetly. "Come, my dear." She extended her hand to Fidelia, who took it with a grudging glance at her husband. Although he was loath to be parted from her so soon, he needed time to think about the threatening let­ter he'd received.

As they walked away, he saw his mother pat Fidelia's hand and his heart warmed. The two seem to be getting along well, he thought with a smile. Although his mother could be extreme at times and very protective of him, he carried a deep affection for her and would have been heartsick if the two women had not gotten along.

***

Fidelia narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the countess's sudden friend­liness. Her caution was soon justified as the countess rounded on her once they were out of William's earshot.

"This gathering is extremely important, girl," she said. "I cannot allow your wild American ways to destroy our social standing!"

"Wild ways?" Fidelia tucked her chin in surprise. "Baltimore was not exactly the edge of the frontier, your Ladyship."

The countess tightened her already painful grip on Fidelia's wrist. "Do not sass me, girl. I have excused your entrapment of my son thus far, but I will not allow you to mock me at this party by behav­ing like"—she sputtered as if searching for the right word—"like an animal."

The words stung. "I have taken your abuse for four weeks without a word of complaint," Fidelia said, her voice thick. "I have done every­thing you have asked of me to prove myself to you. What more do you want from me?"

The countess's eyes narrowed. "I want you gone!" With that, the countess whirled around, lifted her chin, and swept away into the drawing room.

Fidelia clenched her hands. Four weeks. She had held her tongue for four weeks, but this time the countess had gone too far. Wild animal, indeed, Fidelia thought with a slow grin. Well, if the countess would play her cards like that, then Fidelia could deal a hand just as deadly.

The wicked idea came all too quickly.

A rapid search found Lottie in her room as the girl finished prepar­ing for the tea party. She looked radiant in a light blue dress that fit her frame to perfection. Her hair, smooth and easy to manage, was artfully arranged in a loose bun with tight curls framing her face. A blue rib­bon wound about her head, completing the popular European style.

"Lottie," Fidelia said, "where is that new contraption you invented?"

Lottie's eyes first brightened at the mention of one of her more suc­cessful inventions, but then they narrowed suspiciously. "Why do you want to know? I'm running an experiment with it. Besides, doesn't the party start soon?"

"Call it an experiment of my own." Fidelia gave her most innocent expression. "How do I open it?"

Her sister smiled. "I'm glad to see that I'm passing my interests on to you! There's nothing quite like the thrill of an experiment."

Yes, Fidelia thought with a wicked grin as she followed her sister, an experiment on the constitutions of the delicate ladies of the ton will be quite thrilling indeed.

***

Hey guys!  What do you think Fidelia's plan is?  What do you think the countess is going to do?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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