Despite her protests that she felt quite well—especially given how she’d spent the hours of the early morning—Merry allowed the physician Alex had called for to examine her. Once he’d proclaimed her to be in excellent health considering the time she’d spent in the icehouse, she dressed and went downstairs. She’d already had toast and tea in her room, and when she entered the drawing room, it was to find the party assembled with a few exceptions: Miss Delaford and her parents among them.

She learned why, when in the middle of a conversation with Lady Needham about knitting—the single feminine art that Merry actually enjoyed—she was approached by Quick.

“Miss Parks,” he said in a discreet voice, “I believe Miss Delaford and her parents would like to speak to you in the Blue Room.”

She’d been hoping that Alex would have sent for her.

But knowing that she still had no explanation for Miss Delaford’s actions the night before, she rose, eager to confront the other lady.

The Blue Room, as she knew from her previous visit, was decorated in the chinoiserie style, and was mostly in shades of red, from the silk wall hangings to the dragon-footed settee in the center of the room. It was called the Blue Room for reasons no one in the family could remember. But it had always been called the Blue Room, so that it had remained.

When Merry entered, she found that Alex, Mr. Ponsonby, and Lady Katherine were there, as well as the three Delafords.

Mr. Delaford, looking unusually cowed, looked up as she entered and his expression was one of relief.

“Ah, yes, Miss Parks.” He turned to the room at large, and said, “Now that you’re all here, my daughter can make her apologies, and we can be on our way.”

Alex, who had moved to stand beside Merry before the fire, spoke up. “Not to put too fine a point on it, Mr. Delaford, your daughter put both these ladies and my infant cousin in grave danger last evening. I’m not sure a mere apology will be sufficient to make amends.”

Miss Delaford, who had been staring down at her hands, seated as she was in the center of the dragon settee, looked up at that. Her mother, who was beside her, patted her on the back. Merry watched as the older lady cooed something soothing in her ear.

For all that she was nearly twenty years old, Miss Delaford looked like a child as she cringed against her mother.

“For heaven’s sake, Wrotham,” said the older man, “the girl didn’t know what she was doing. Just let her speak her piece and then we’ll be gone. Though I hope you’ll promise not to spread word of what happened any farther than necessary. Emily’s reputation will be marred as it is.”

Curious to know what his daughter had to say for herself, Merry said to Miss Delaford, “Why don’t you tell us why you locked us in the icehouse, Miss Delaford?”

At Merry’s words, Emily Delaford looked to her father, as if asking for permission. When he gave a slight nod, she said, “I came here with the understanding that I would be the only unmarried young lady in attendance. Then, when I arrived, Lady Katherine was here.” She directed a venomous look at the blonde, who moved a little closer to Mr. Ponsonby. “I had hoped to have his lordship’s undivided attention. But that, it seemed, would not be the case.”

No one spoke as they waited for her to continue. And she didn’t disappoint. “However, Lady Katherine seemed to be quite taken with Mr. Ponsonby, so though Lord Wrotham wasn’t scheduled to arrive until the next day, I was happy to wait. You see, I’m meant to marry a titled man. Perhaps it sounds mercenary, but my parents have assured me that our bloodlines go back further than even the Ponsonby’s. It’s what I deserve, as a Delaford, you see.”

“So, you must have been quite put out when Lord Wrotham arrived with Miss Parks,” said William wryly.

“He was meant for me,” she said simply. “She wasn’t even supposed to be here.”

“And yet, here I am,” Merry said, unable to keep the edge of anger from her voice. It was hard for her to believe she hadn’t noticed the arrogance in this girl before now.

The look Miss Delaford trained on her was razor sharp. “Yes, the daughter of an undistinguished baronet, without looks or charm, has somehow managed to ensnare a handsome viscount. I do wonder how you managed it, Miss Parks?”

The intonation of her words said precisely how she thought Merry had managed it, and it wasn’t with her verbal charm.

Merry instinctively stepped forward at the insult, but Alex put a hand on her arm. “Miss Delaford, you are insulting the lady who will soon be my wife. Perhaps you’d better finish your tale of imagined woe and be on your way. You may not care to celebrate the holiday, but we do.”

Her eyes narrowed at him, but she continued. “I was angry. I saw that Lord Wrotham’s family wasn’t precisely pleased with Miss Parks, thanks to Mrs. Northman’s little speech over cards. Imagine my surprise when it turned out that Mr. Ponsonby was the one hiding the secret.” Her brows rose at the last, and she shot a little chiding tsk at William. “Poor Lady Katherine must have been quite overset.”

The enmity in the girl’s gaze at Lady Katherine gave Merry a chill. And suddenly she recalled the way Miss Delaford had stared behind them on the sleigh ride. Had she been watching Lady Katherine and Will whose vehicle followed theirs?

This time it was Mr. Delaford who prodded her. “Emily, stop airing your grievances and tell them the rest. Your mother is exhausted.”

Merry noted that he seemed to be telling the truth about his wife. She did indeed look tired and wan. Apparently reassuring one’s daughter that her bloodlines were superior to everyone else’s at a holiday party was quite fatiguing.

With a look that might have been contempt for either one of her parents, Emily continued. “After enduring the day of her playing lady of the manor by Lord Wrotham’s side while I was forced to listen to the inane chatter of that lackwit Vessey, I decided to teach Miss Parks a lesson And when Lady Katherine turned up as well, I decided to include her. She was hardly innocent, after all, given how she’d taken to monopolizing Mr. Ponsonby.”

The offhand manner in which the girl described her reasons for placing them in danger was chilling. “What of Lottie?” Merry asked, unable to stop herself. She could think of no reason why the girl would wish revenge on an infant. If Lord Wrotham was her matrimonial target, Lottie shouldn’t matter to her at all.

“Oh, I needed some reason for the two of you to go into the icehouse on your own,” Miss Delaford said with a shrug. “You both seemed so taken with her, it was logical to think the sight of her in the cold of winter would lure you inside. It was easy enough to accomplish just after we returned from the sleigh ride.”

With a slightly triumphant smile she added, “I was right.”

“You risked my infant daughter’s life for no reason?” Ponsonby said with a growl. A staying hand from Lady Katherine was the only thing that kept him from confronting Miss Delaford up close.

“There was reason, Mr. Ponsonby,” she explained with a shake of her head. “I’ve just explained it all to you. Now, as my father has instructed me to do, I hope you’ll all accept my abject apologies. I have no excuse except that my temper sometimes gets the better of me and makes it impossible for me to rein it in.”

Merry waited for some further words of apology, but none, it seemed, were forthcoming.

Looking embarrassed, but defiant, Mr. Delaford offered a deep bow to Alex and a nod to the rest of them. “I thank you for your hospitality, my lord, but I fear we must depart for home now. I hope you all have a happy Christmas.”

He opened the door and indicated that he wished his wife and daughter to follow him, which they did. Miss Delaford was at the front, looking triumphant, followed by her mother, who walked upright, but carried an air of defeat.

Once the door closed behind them, Alex, Merry, William, and Lady Katherine looked at one another and laughed nervously.

“That is the most unsettling encounter I’ve ever had,” Alex said with a stunned expression.

“She certainly has an idea of what she deserves,” Merry said with a shudder. “And I hope the next person who gets in her way is as lucky as we were to escape with our lives intact.”

“Surely she’d have come and set us free before too much time passed,” said Lady Katherine with a hopeful tone.

“She went to bed last night after she told us she’d lost you,” Will said with a speaking look, “and she didn’t come back downstairs until just now. If it were up to her, the three of you would have frozen to death last night.”

“Should we alert the authorities?” Merry asked. “Though I suppose Mr. Delaford is rich enough to ensure that any suspicions that might fall on her would disappear quickly.”

Alex rubbed a thoughtful hand over his chin. “I actually have an idea of someone who might be able to put a warning about Miss Delaford with just the right people. It would likely make her quest for a title more difficult, but at the very least, other young ladies whom she might consider rivals would be safe.”

“Grandmama?” Ponsonby asked with a grin. “Finally, a way to put her skills to use in the service of altruism.”

“No one is irredeemable,” Alex said simply. “Not even the dowager.”