The fact that Ragnor Withersby and Miles Linfield, not to mention Mowbray and Matthew, had also formed part of the tightly knit group was just beyond wonderful, and she looked forward to the upcoming strategy session with a good deal of interest.
After all, it was Colly that they planned on saving.
He would be there, naturally. And probably have a lot to say about allowing others to help deal with a problem that was essentially his.
There wasn’t much she could do about that, other than hope he would be overruled should it become necessary.
She had agreed with him that keeping Prudence away from this business as much as possible would be the safest course of action, although the girl herself would have vociferously objected had she been consulted.
But with a little subterfuge, and the assistance of Lydia’s brother, Prudence would be gone for the day. She and her maid were accompanying Matthew to pay a call on one of his aunts, who had a house just outside town. She was a renowned artist, and there could be no objection to the visit at all, since it was the day Miss Aileen Cholmondeley opened her rooms to friends and displayed her most recent works.
Ivy would have liked to have gone as well, but had elicited a promise from Matthew that he would take her and Lydia at another time.
At least Prudence was out of the house as the guests began to arrive, and talk immediately turned to plans and ideas for trapping their villain into a fully-fledged confession.
“I’m for beating it out of him,” said Lydia. “Give me a garden shovel or a sturdy branch and hold him down.”
Rose grinned. “I adore you, you know.”
Miles rolled his eyes. “Ladies, we are not resorting to violence if there’s a better way.”
“Thank you,” said Ragnor Withersby, eyeing Judith’s crestfallen face. “The voice of reason.”
“So…other suggestions?” Ivy leaned back. “Ones not involving violence?”
“Look at the facts,” said Colly, his face concerned. “This man is after me. He wants me dead, apparently, which will set his world to rights. That, as far as I’m concerned, is a pretty good example of someone whose mind is not functioning properly. So logical and well-thought-out stratagems probably aren’t our best approach to this problem.”
“Agreed,” nodded Mowbray. “It has to be something simple. Something that plays into his desire to see you dead.”
“But keeps you safe, nonetheless,” interjected Ivy. “You’ve only just recovered from being stabbed. Let’s not add another wound, if we can avoid it.”
“I agree,” grinned Colly. “I’d prefer to keep my skin whole.”
“All right then,” said Judith. “With that thought in mind, do you think there’s a way to get you and Barrett together? It would seem to me that he’s more likely to reveal his actions if he has you—the focus of his hatred—in front of him…”
“No, too risky,” Ivy answered immediately.
“Well wait a minute now,” said Miles. “Obviously we are not going to put his Grace into a room alone with a madman. Although sometimes I have to wonder if that doesn’t happen to all of us from time to time. We just can’t tell who is actually mad and who isn’t these days, especially at some of these soirées…”
Mowbray chuckled. “A valid point, Miles, but still…” he glanced at Ivy. “We all understand your sentiments, your Grace. Keeping your husband alive is definitely at the top of our list of things to accomplish. But the idea bears some examination, I think…”
Silence fell for a few moments as everyone considered the suggestion.
It was a strange experience for Ivy; she shared a sunny room with her best friends and her husband, and yet the subject under discussion was how to save him from being murdered by a madman. Birds continued to sing outside, although she had to wonder why they too didn’t fall silent at the mere hint of such a heinous crime.
“How about if I suggest a meeting?” Colly looked around. “I’m not terribly excited at the idea of seeing Barrett face to face, but I can’t think of any other way to get him to talk. To tell me why he hates me so much.”
Ivy’s skin chilled, but she managed to hold her tongue against her immediate reaction, which was to scream “no” long and loud.
“I’d like to know what he thinks he’s accomplishing by doing everything possible to assassinate my character, damage my financial credibility and all but ruin me.” The Duke raised his hands in confusion. “He must be under some serious delusions if he thinks I cannot refute each and every one of his accusative rumours. Even the most recent one about the brothels...”
There was a simultaneous gasp of indrawn breath as the people in the room had obviously missed that one.
“What?” squeaked Rose.
Colly brushed it aside. “A ridiculous piece of lurid gossip so far-fetched it doesn’t even bear repeating. Which is why I grow more and more convinced the man is not in his right mind. Meeting him in person might draw that madness to the surface...make him reveal himself completely. Would you agree?” He looked around at the others. “Logically, he has to know that whatever he does to me isn’t going to make a difference to his situation...”
“If he is truly mad, your Grace, there is no logic. His mind is convinced that his is the only course of action to pursue. Meeting him face to face might be risky, to say the least of it.” Rose looked worried.
“If it could take place in a controlled area…” Ragnor mused. “Somewhere we could all be present, but not necessarily visible…”
“The garden,” said Lydia with a snap of her fingers. “Ivy’s had the back garden redone for Prudence. It’s quite lovely, there are places where everything
