Amelia tipped her face towards the sunshine and let out a long sigh of contentment. “It is a beautiful day, is it not?” she hummed, as Harmonia looped her arm through her sister’s. “It makes one’s heart lift.”

“It does indeed,” Harmonia replied, with a smile. “I do enjoy days when the sun is high – although you will get freckles if you are not careful!”

Amelia laughed and tossed her head. “I do not care and nor does Northfell, I assure you. Indeed, when I am home, I do not ever wear a bonnet when walking the grounds or playing in the gardens with the children.” She gave a sly glance towards Harmonia. “Nor do I think Lord Newford would care whether or not you had any,” she finished with a lift of her brow.

Recalling what Lord Newford had said to her only last evening, Harmonia felt herself blush. “I think you are quite right, Amelia,” she agreed in a soft voice. “He is quite wonderful, is he not?”

“He is, and I am glad for you that you have found a man so suitable for you,” Amelia replied, pressing Harmonia’s arm. “I am sure there will be a proposal very soon.”

Harmonia made to reply, only for Amelia to stop dead. Caught by her sister’s inexplicable pause, Harmonia looked ahead of them and saw, much to her dismay, none other than Luke Darnsley walking towards them

Her fingers tightened on Amelia’s arm, as Amelia began to walk towards him, albeit very slowly.

“We will not turn from our path, Harmonia,” Amelia murmured, as Harmonia felt a slow rising panic begin to dwell deep within her soul. “We will continue as we have done before. Do not fear him, Harmonia. I am beside you, and he will do nothing to you, I promise you.”

It was clear that Amelia was remembering what Luke had said to Harmonia the last time they were together, making Harmonia’s worry increase all the more. The fact that they had not seen him in some time made things even more fraught, for they had very little idea of where he had been and what he had been doing – and that could not be a good thing when it came to a man who was so fixedly determined to get what he wanted, which was Harmonia’s hand in marriage.

Luke was striding towards them, his black hat matching the rest of his demeanor. His eyes were dark, his face angry and Harmonia felt as though his piercing gaze could somehow see right through her.

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, making her more than aware of how frightened she was of Luke. If he had been walking towards them in a calm manner, with a light smile on his face, then Harmonia was sure she would not feel the same dismay and fright that now held her heart.

“Good morning, Luke,” Amelia said, as he drew near. She pasted a bright smile on her face and inclined her head, as Harmonia did the same – although she did not manage to smile at the man in front of them.

“And how are you on this fine day?” Amelia continued, in a friendly manner. “We were simply out enjoying the air and trying our best to avoid the fashionable hour! You know how crowded things can get.”

Luke did not bow. He did not smile. Instead, he glared at Harmonia, his lips curling as he regarded her.

“We have not seen you for some time,” Amelia said, still trying to engage their cousin in conversation. “Might I ask where you have been? Did you return home for a while?”

Luke sniffed and lifted his chin a little. “I do not think that is any of your business, Amelia.”

“Luke!” Harmonia exclaimed, a little shocked at Luke’s coldness towards her sister. “That is unpardonably rude.”

“I might say the same to you,” Luke replied, with a sneer. “Turning your back on those you call family.”

Realizing that Luke was talking about her refusal to allow his court, Harmonia sighed heavily and shook her head, keeping her mouth closed. She could not see a reason to talk with him when he was in such a mood as this.

“We have wondered where you have been, that is all,” Amelia stated, coolly. “Now, I think it best we continue on our way if you are going to continue in this manner. Come, Harmonia.”

Harmonia made to step around Luke but, to her shock, he gave her a none-too-gentle shove so that she stumbled back, forced to remain where she was.

“Luke!” Amelia exclaimed, her arm still looped through Harmonia’s. “How dare you accost my sister in this way!”

“You will come to the ball with me tomorrow evening.”

Staring at her cousin, Harmonia wondered if it was a hint of madness she saw in his eyes. Her stomach coiled with fear, making her eyes widen as she looked back at him.

“Lord Middlesex ball,” he continued, his gaze still fixed on her. “You will attend with me.”

Her spine stiffened. No matter what she said or did, Luke appeared to still believe that she was his to control.

“No, I will not,” she replied, stoutly, aware of the anger that flashed across his expression. “I will not attend anything with you.”

His lip curled. “You will.”

“No, I will not,” Harmonia replied, dropping Amelia’s arm and taking a step forward as she tried to find the courage she’d displayed before when confronting Luke. “I have no interest in attending anything with you, Luke, as I have already explained to you.”

For a moment, she thought he would strike her. The anger of his face was so great, his fury so strong that when he pulled back his hand, she flinched without intending to do so.

Amelia came to stand by her, one hand settling around her waist.

“I would not dare do that if I were you, Luke,” she said, in a warning voice. “My sister and I know all about you, Luke. We know all about the things you have been trying to hide from us in an attempt to keep yourself in our father’s good graces.”

Luke’s hand dropped as his eyes turned from Harmonia to Amelia, the look of anger slowly fading.

“Believe me, our father knows it all now as well,” Amelia continued, softly. “I would not do anything that would put you out of favor with him even more.”

Harmonia lifted her chin. “He has refused your court and is now more than glad that he did so,” she said, quietly. “He would not want me married to a man who is caught by gambling and the like.”

“I knew that man was trouble,” Luke breathed as two red spots of anger appeared in his cheeks, his eyes flashing. “It was Lord Newford, was it not? He told you all this.”

Not quite sure what to say, Harmonia kept her mouth shut, suddenly afraid that there might be some kind of consequence for Lord Newford if she admitted it.

“It does not matter who we heard it from, Luke,” Amelia said, quietly. “The truth is out, and we cannot allow you to continue to associate with us. Harmonia is to be kept as far away from you as possible and I intend to fulfil that duty.”

Luke shook his head as a hoarse laugh left his throat. “You think that you can trust this Newford?”

“I do not care for your opinion in this matter, Luke,” Harmonia replied, finding her voice once more. “It appears that it is you that has kept secrets from us and you will not turn my head away from Newford by trying to convince me he is not the man he seems.”

A dawning realization seemed to come over Luke’s features as he slowly turned his gaze back towards her, the redness fading from his face.

“I see how it is,” he breathed, folding his arms across his chest. “You have chosen him over me. Even though I was to have you at the first.”

Harmonia shook her head, trying her best not to roll her eyes at the possessive way in which he was talking. Her anger and her fright had long since disappeared, seeing Luke in an entirely new light for the first time. He was rather pathetic, in a sad kind of way, trying to cling onto something in the hope that it would solve all the problems he had created for himself. When she had refused him, that had brought all of his plans down in one fell swoop, making them crash all around him. Instead of simply accepting that he was the one to blame for his debts, he had grown angry over Harmonia’s insistence that she choose her own path, and, in his anger, he had grown desperate. That was the reason for the fury in his eyes, the insistence that she attend the ball with him when she had already made it clear that there would be no future for them. He was trying his best to find a way to allow his plans to go ahead as he had thought instead of trying to deal with the mess he had made.

“It is him,” Luke hissed, his eyes narrowing. “He was talking to Baron Roth, and I knew he was not to be trusted.”

Something dropped in Harmonia’s stomach as she recalled that name. Newford had mentioned Baron Roth on the night he had appeared at her father’s house, desperate to see her. Somehow, Luke had overhead Newford’s conversation with the Baron. Did this mean that Luke intended to harm Newford in order to try and get what he wanted?

“You are not to go near Newford, Luke,” she said in a voice that shook just a little. “Believe me when I say that our father knows all about what you have done and is now conducting a little research of his own. Should you go near Newford, should you attempt to put anything between he and I, then I assure you that my father will make it all the worse for you. Do you understand?”

Luke’s jaw tightened as he tried his best to come up with some kind of response. Harmonia remained steadfast, holding his gaze and feeling Amelia’s hand tighten on her waist. She remained there until, with a growl, Luke turned on his heel and stormed away from them, his coat tails flying in the wind.

Letting out a long breath, Harmonia sagged as Amelia hugged her tightly.

“You did very well,” Amelia murmured, as they watched Luke walk away. “But I think it best that we tell papa and Lord Newford about this meeting as soon as we can. It is important that they are aware of the threat he poses.”

“You do not think him likely just to quit London and return home?” Harmonia asked, realizing that she had been hoping for just that. “I thought him angry and upset but I was also afraid that he might take his frustrations out on Lord Newford.”

“I think him just as stubborn and just as determined as he has always been,” Amelia said, softly. “There was something about him that made me shudder, even though I know that is something of a strange notion.”

Harmonia nodded and squeezed Amelia’s hand for a moment. “I felt it too. I have never seen him with such an expression.” Both she and her sister quickened their steps, chased by a sudden, unexpected urgency that had them eager to speak to their father. In addition, Harmonia thought of Lord Newford, hoping to get a note to him as soon as she could. They would all need to be wary of Luke.