Authors: Gloria Harchar
"
Oh!
"
Lady Kensington stared at him as if he
'
d just grown feathers.
"
I
f I were you, I would take supreme care with the creations you
buy
from
Nicola
. She is a true artist.
"
"
I
'
m sure you are correct,
"
Lady Kensington said with a thoughtful frown.
"
As a matter of fact, her hats are complete to a shade.
"
"
You mean like the gypsy hat I bought last week? It was rather
plain
—
"
Malcolm
gave Lady Kensington an enigmatic stare.
"
Plain
is all the crack.
"
"
I suppose I must purchase the one that tempted me the other
day;
the one I thought might be too
gaudy
. Though it was a little lopsided.
"
Nicola
started to tell Lady Kensington how wonderful that would be.
In warning, Falcon squeezed her arm.
"
You
'
re too late. I know for a fact it
'
s no longer available.
"
Lady Kensington blinked.
"
It
'
s not?
"
Confused,
Nicola
glanced up at him, wondering why he
fibbed
. Did he want her to sell hats or not? She considered interrupting and correcting him, but instead she waited to see how the scenario pla
yed
out.
"
You
refer to the hat with
the
flowers
and
gears
?
"
Malcolm
asked.
Lady Kensington
'
s widened
eyes
mirrored
Nicola
'
s own surprise.
"
Why,
ye
s.
"
He motioned to a willowy woman
Nicola
recognized as the Viscountess Ballard.
The woman was talking to an older woman
Nicola
didn
'
t recognize. As soon as the Viscountess saw
Malcolm
, her smile wavered. Warily she glanced behind her,
and then
pointed to herself. At
Malcolm
'
s nod, her face fell. With jerky movements, she excused herself from the elderly woman and approached as if she were on her way to the gallows. The elderly woman frowned after her.
Malcolm
gestured toward Lady Celeste, ignoring her doomed expression.
"
You buy my wife
'
s hats frequently, is that not so?
"
It wasn
'
t true!
Nicola
squirmed in embarrassment. No, nobody at this breakfast had bought a hat from her except the condescending Lady Kensington. She hadn
'
t had many customers, which was why she was so excited about the new shop. In time she could build up her clientele, so why didn
'
t he leave it be? Why, oh why was he doing this?
Malcolm
ru
bbed his chin thoughtfully.
"
In fact, your
husband
told me just the other day how much you admire Nicola's hats."
Lady Celeste fidgeted her feet and hands. Then, her gaze flitted over her shoulder and she smiled tremulously.
"
Y-
ye
s, you have. I-I do.
"
Puzzled,
Nicola
followed the Viscountess
'
s glance toward Lord Ballard. The man chatted with a group of guests, unaware of his wife
'
s predicament. The poor woman was forever nervous that Falcon would expose the viscount
'
s background as a former cotton mill steward.
Nicola
decided then and there that she would start rectifying her husband
'
s black reputation.
"
I am the most fortunate of women,
"
she said.
"
My dear, sweet husband
never denies me anything. He
has even purchased a beautiful Georgian-style establishment for me to open my new millinery.
"
Lady Kensington
'
s e
ye
s widened.
"
A doting husband, you say? I would have never expected it from Falcon.
"
"
Nor I,
"
Lady Celeste agreed in surprise.
Lady Kensington patted her
sausage curls.
"
I
'
m anxious to visit your new establishment, Lady
Nicola
. I remember the creation with little corkscrews
, and the more I think of it, the more I want it
.
"
She turned toward the Viscountess Ballard.
"
You didn
'
t, by chance, purchase that one also?
"
Lady Celeste glanced at Falcon, who gave a discreet nod, before replying,
"
Y-
ye
s, I believe I did.
"
Lady Kensington scowled, her disappointment apparent.
"
Of all the hats there, that one showed the most promise. Ah, you are so lucky to have it, Celeste.
"
"
I am lucky,
"
Lady Celeste agreed, her eyes widening as she agreed
.
"
Next time,
"
Falcon said with a polite smile.
"
Ye
s, I suppose so,
"
Lady Kensington responded, looking distracted.
"
I will bring Lady Whitley to the shop with me next week. Ah, there she is.
I must tell her.
If you
'
ll excuse me?
"
He gave a slight bow.
"
Of course.
"
A
yearning
glance toward the door told
Nicola
Lady Celeste wanted to bolt too, but obviously she had not the nerve.
"
You may see to your husband, Viscountess,
"
Falcon told her gently.
Nicola
needed to take drastic measures to peel away the darkness, to shed a new light on her husband. He didn
'
t deserve the black reputation he
'
d been given—and he didn
'
t need it like he thought he did.
"
May I speak with you privately for a moment?
"
she asked Lady Celeste.
"
Woman talk,
"
she added for
Malcolm
'
s benefit.
He gave her a sharp glance that she ignored. She took Viscountess Ballard
'
s arm and guided her into the hall and a small, deserted alcove.
"
Lady Celeste, I feel that you are apprehensive, and I want to put you at ease. Please don
'
t think my husband would ever betray yours.
"
Lady Celeste
'
s e
ye
s rounded and her mouth worked.
"
You know?
"
she gasped
and mopped her brow with a handkerchief
.
"
Good heavens, we
'
re done for.
"
"
I do know. But rest assured, your secret is safe. I promise, and I
'
ve never broken a pledge.
"
A fine tremor swept the woman.
"
The Black Falcon would never agree to such a vow. He—
"
"
Has he threatened you?
"
Nicola
frowned, not believing it for a moment. No,
Malcolm
relied on his black reputation instead.
"
In so many words.
"
"
Tell me how.
"