Chapter 17

Maggie tried the door again, but it still wouldn't budge. She prayed that the split wood around the doorframe, where the lock was, would make it unstable so that Maggie could yank the door out of the frame itself. But if she did that, she would have to pay for it herself. Despite it being in the servants' quarters, the baron wouldn't approve of this course of action.

Then again, he probably didn't know that his daughter had locked one of her maids in her room. Baron Atterbury couldn't allow that, surely? Maggie could see the baroness agreeing with her daughter's behaviour in treating a servant like this, but not the baron himself.

She needed to see him and tell him what was happening. This was the last straw for Maggie; she wouldn't stay here while trying to do her job. Walking away would be hard to do, especially as she had been loyal to the family for a long time, but she wasn't about to take any more abuse from the spoiled, mean-spirited Lady Phoebe Cavendish. However, Maggie didn't like to give up, and it made her feel guilty.

You deserve better. It doesn't matter if this is a well-paying job, nobody deserves to be treated so badly.

She needed to talk to Adam. He would be at the ball tonight, and Maggie had to tell him what was happening. Adam knew that Lady Phoebe treated her badly, but he would be furious if he knew what was happening.

But Maggie knew it would cause a scene if Adam confronted the baron's family at the ball, and she didn't want to ruin their night. Baron and Baroness Atterbury always looked forward to these. She didn't care what Lady Phoebe thought about having her night ruined, though; Maggie would be happy to ruin everything of hers after what that girl had done.

Maggie had never been vindictive, but this was the last straw.

She just needed to get out of the room first. Getting out of the window was out of the question, given how high up she was, and there was nothing to climb down on. That would be asking for trouble, especially if someone caught her.

The only way out was the door she had been pushed through. Maggie had thought the footmen who put her in her room would be kind and just shut the door, but they actually locked her in. They were meant to be her friends, yet they treated her like she had done something wrong.

The whole house could shove it, as far as she was concerned.

Maggie was tempted to kick at the door and make enough noise so someone would come up to quieten her down, only to hear the sound of the key being turned in the lock. She grabbed the candlestick off her bed and held it aloft, ready to attack whoever entered. If they were bringing her food, she would charge and get out of there. Nobody could expect her to stay in here like a caged animal.

But when the door swung open, Maggie saw Mrs Crawford in the doorway. That made her lower the candlestick.

"Mrs Crawford!"

"Oh, Maggie." The housekeeper hovered in the doorway, looking torn. "I can't believe Lady Phoebe thought this was acceptable."

"I was beginning to think nobody was going to let me out." Maggie put the candlestick down and wiped off the tallow that had smeared onto her fingers. "How did Lady Phoebe get away with this? Are her parents aware of what she did?"

"I believe the baroness is aware. And she said that it was the best thing for everyone that you were out of sight."

Maggie stared.

"Did she seriously say that?"

"She's worried about you showing her daughter up and humiliating her. Something about you needing to know your place."

So Baroness Atterbury agreed to this. Maggie didn't think she could get any angrier at the family. If the baron and baroness had any sense, they would have put their daughter in her place years ago. Then this wouldn't be happening.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Maggie asked. "I thought there were orders not to let me out."

"I know, but I can't go through with it. Leaving you up here through no fault of your own …"

Maggie didn't mention that it was her fault that she was in love with a duke, especially after Mrs Crawford told her that having a fancy for someone she couldn't have would be futile. She swallowed and tried not to think about that.

"You're going to get into serious trouble if the baroness finds out you let me out of here, Mrs Crawford."

"But you can't stay up here all night."

"All night?"

"I overheard Lady Phoebe saying that she didn't want to see you at all, and the baroness agreed to keep you here until the morning without giving you anything to eat."

Maggie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was getting abused for something that wasn't her fault. She took a deep breath and forced back her anger.

"I need to get out of here. Out of this house."

"You can do that in the morning. Right now, I'm letting you out, and you can carry out your duties elsewhere in the house."

"But where? I'm sure everyone knows I'm supposed to be in here, and they'll let Baroness Atterbury know."

Mrs Crawford gave her a gentle smile.

"Nobody wants you in here, Maggie. We all think it's cruel. And if they see you working, away from the ball so you won't be seen, nobody's going to say anything. We'll just ensure you get back to your room before they know you've got out."

"They're going to suspect you of letting me out."

"I'm sure we can make sure that doesn't happen. I'm not the only one with a key." Mrs Crawford beckoned Maggie to follow her. "Come along, Maggie. I'll give you something to do."

"At this moment in time, I don't feel like working," Maggie muttered, stepping out of her room and into the hallway. "I just want to go home."

"With that defeatist attitude? That's not the Margaret Hay I know."

"I know …"

"Just keep yourself busy. That's the best you can do right now. Then we'll sort everything out in the morning." Mrs Crawford squeezed her hand. "You deserve better, and we all know it. If you need someone to put a good word in for your next posting, just let me know."

Maggie didn't think she could respond without bursting into tears. She bit her lip and nodded. Mrs Crawford smiled and withdrew her hand.

"Anyway, off you go. If you stay in and around the kitchens, you won't bump into the baroness or Lady Phoebe. They're going to be too busy with the ball to know where you are, anyway. As long as you keep out of sight …"

"I know. I'll be safe."

Maggie followed the housekeeper downstairs and got started by helping to lay out the food on the trays to be taken to the dining room. None of the other staff said anything about what was going on; they just nodded at her and carried on as normal. Maggie was glad that there didn't seem to be any awkwardness. She didn't want to deal with any of that right now, not when it would make her angry again.

She hoped she could give Lady Phoebe a piece of her mind before she left. That would be very cathartic.

Ben was right. Good pay was not worth the abuse.

After a couple of hours, Maggie realized she had done all her tasks, and she didn't have anything to do. She would normally ask for more things to carry out, but for the first time in her life, she didn't want to do her job. She wanted to do something else.

Mrs Crawford had made her promise to keep out of sight and not go anywhere near the ballroom; otherwise, she would be seen. Maggie had promised, but now she wanted to go and see if she could see Adam again. If there were a chance to talk to him about what was going on, she would take it.

Adam would be furious; she knew that much. Hopefully, he wouldn't cause a scene. Maggie just wanted someone to lean on, someone's shoulder to cry on; she was too exhausted to be angry anymore without breaking down.

He would know what to do because Maggie was at a loss.

Checking that no one saw what she was doing, Maggie slipped out of the kitchen and made her way upstairs. Guests were milling around, all of them wearing masks. Maggie couldn't recognize anyone at all. At least she knew what Lady Phoebe's outfit was as she had been helping her get ready.

She hoped she didn't come out of the ballroom.

How would she find Adam when she didn't know what he looked like? Maggie felt a flutter of nerves when she realized that, wondering if this was a good idea. Then she pushed it aside. She needed to talk to him about this. Adam would help her.

Not being able to get anywhere near him was making her feel anxious. Maggie hated the fact that they were worlds apart. For a moment, she wondered why she couldn't simply be a lady so life would be easier. Or why Adam couldn't be a regular working-class man? That would be far easier than what she was dealing with right now.

As she made her way to her usual spying place to watch the ball, Maggie sensed that someone was following her. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up and tickling her. Someone was behind her, and they made no attempt to move away, indicating that it was just a coincidence.

Someone was actually following her through the house.

Her heart racing, Maggie quickened her pace and ducked around a corner. She pressed herself against the wall and waited, listening for the approaching footsteps. They were soft-footed, indicating that whoever it was wasn't wearing the dance shoes that all gentlemen wore to balls. It also sounded like there was a slight limp in the step as well.

What …? Did that mean …?

Maggie jumped when a well-dressed gentleman turned the corner and almost ran into her. He was dressed in dark red with a red mask on his face, his mouth barely visible. Maggie didn't need to see his face when she saw his eyes. It was immediate to her who it was.

"Ben!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Maggie?" Ben took off his mask, his confusion as evident as hers. "What are you doing sneaking around the house? I thought you were meant to be working."

"I was going to ask you the same question! What are you doing in here?"

"That is my business, Maggie. And you need to go before you're caught."

"I don't care about that right now." Maggie jabbed a finger in Ben's chest. "What are you doing here, Ben? You'd better not be up to anything stupid."

"What makes you think that?"

"What's going on?"

Maggie gasped when she heard Adam's voice and looked past Ben as Adam loomed behind him. He looked splendid in dark blue trimmed with silver, his mask matching his outfit. If they hadn't been in such a situation, Maggie might have swooned over him.

Right now, she was scared and wondering how she would explain her brother's presence. She hoped there wasn't going to be a confrontation.

#

Adam had been looking for Maggie as soon as he had entered the house. He knew she wouldn't be one of the guests, but she had to have been one of the servants serving everyone. And there had been no sign of her. None of the servants had masks on, and he could tell that Maggie wasn't around.

Lady Phoebe had probably put her in the back, where nobody could see her. Adam had to find her and make sure she was alright. After what Adam had found out about Ben, he was worried about her safety. While he didn't think Ben would hurt his sister, there was always that possibility.

He wouldn't feel better until he knew where she was and that she was safe.

So he wasn't happy to see that Maggie was with Ben, her brother looking like one of the other guests with his outfit, even dressed in red, which seemed oddly appropriate, given what he had been throwing around.

Adam looked past the other man to Maggie.

"Are you alright, Maggie? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Hurt? Why would I be hurt?" Maggie frowned. "My brother's not going to hurt me."

"Are you sure about that?"

Ben swung around on him, practically squaring up to Adam.

"You think I'm going to ruin my sister like you're planning on doing, Your Grace?" he sneered. "I know you've been having a dalliance with her. You're here to do that again, aren't you?"

Adam frowned. Inside, his heart was racing. How had he figured it out?

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

Ben scoffed.

"Don't pretend you don't know, Your Grace. I saw you and my sister holding hands while we were at your house. I even caught sight of you kissing her." He made a face. "It was disgusting. I can't believe you thought you could seduce my sister for your own amusement."

Maggie's face paled. She gasped.

"Ben! Why would you believe that?"

"Are you not denying it?"

"That's not …"

Ben shot her a scowl over his shoulder before turning back to Adam. His lip curled.

"It's bad enough that you're the one who thinks it's a good idea to pursue my sister and humiliate her without what you did in the past hanging over your head. Are you ever going to tell her?"

"Tell her what?"

"Or would you like me to tell her what you've been up to in the past?"

Adam's heart was thumping so hard it was making his head throb. Panic was beginning to build. Did that mean …how did …?

"Well, Your Grace?" Ben goaded. "Are you going to tell your supposed love what you did, or shall I? I know all the details, after all."

"Ben?" Maggie looked confused. "What are you talking about? What's going on?"

Adam clenched his jaw.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Hay. And I think you should leave before I let the hosts know that someone they didn't invite who is not a member of the ton is waltzing around dressed like one of them."

But Ben smirked, an evil glint in his eye.

"Oh, not just yet. I think my dear sister needs to know what sort of person she's getting involved with. Maybe that will stop her from doing something that will ruin her life." He turned to Maggie, looking from her brother to Adam in bewilderment. "Do you remember when I told you that I was accused of a crime I didn't commit? Stealing from some merchants on the docks?"

"Yes …"

"Well, I found out the identity of the people who actually committed the crimes some time ago. As far as I can tell, they were bored young men of the ton who did it for fun. But they were very careful and were never caught. Because of the arguments between those men and my friends, we were immediately blamed for the thefts. That ruined our lives."

Maggie frowned.

"But … what does that have to do with …?"

"With the duke? Who do you think was the ringleader in all of it?" Ben pointed at Adam. "He and his friends were the thieves, getting away with so many supplies they almost made the merchants bankrupt. We couldn't prove we were innocent, and because of the fights, nobody was prepared to believe us. We went through all of that with nobody believing us, forcing us to go into the armed services. All because this man decided he was above the law and messed around with people's livelihood."

Adam's stomach dropped throughout this speech. He had been aware that others had been accused of their crimes, but he had been too cowardly to go forward and admit that it had been him. Of all the people who could have been in trouble with this, why did it have to be Ben Hay?

He couldn't speak. His chest tightened, knowing that anything he said now would prove his guilt. Maggie's face had gone white, and she looked like she was about to faint. She stared at him as if she had never seen him before.

"What … I don't …" she croaked.

"The fact you're messing around with a man like him after what he did to me is disgusting, Maggie," Ben spat. "And he's nobility as well. He must have whispered a lot of sweet nothings in your ears for you to behave like you are around him."

"I …"

Adam couldn't let this happen. He wasn't about to be backed into a corner by someone who had hurt him and his family.

"And what about you?" he demanded sharply. "Are you going to tell her what you've been doing to me and my family?"

"Me?" Ben arched an eyebrow. "What do you think I've been doing?"

"Stealing, for one. Vandalism, for another. And assault," he added, pointing at Maggie, "on your poor sister when she came upon you. You were willing to hurt her to get away and not get caught."

Maggie gasped. She looked like she was about to faint, and Ben looked outraged.

"How dare you? You think I would do something like that?"

"Given I have proof that you're the one who tried to sell my horse Jasper, and you had red paint on your hands despite saying you never got any on you, I think that's enough for me." Adam folded his arms. "Plus, my valet confessed."

"Your valet?"

Now, Ben was beginning to falter. Adam was surprised when Morrison came to him earlier that day to tell him about this new development. At least he could be confident in knowing that he wasn't going mad and Ben Hay was actually the person trying to discredit his family.

He had no idea it was because Ben was looking for revenge, but the notes and the words painted on the walls made sense now.

"He's a friend of yours, isn't he? You told him what happened before, and he agreed to help you out."

"I didn't …"

"Only one person besides me had access to my belongings, and that was him. Nobody else came into the house that night, of that my butler is certain. Which meant that my valet was the one who stole my ring to give to you. Then you stole Jasper from his stable and tried to sell him, only to find out that you couldn't do that as I had already let everyone know about the theft."

Adam glared at Ben. "Sounds like we're as bad as each other, but at least I stole something that my friends could use to help those in need. You're just stealing something a lot more valuable because you're angry."

Ben's face was bright red now.

"You're going to put that on me because I was friends with someone who worked for you?"

"I'm not ‘putting it on you'. I know it was you who stole from me and vandalized my home."

"You think you can turn this around on me and deflect from the fact you were the one who got me arrested in the first place?"

Adam looked at Maggie, whose expression was distraught. She looked from him to her brother and back again, looking like she was about to faint. She was breathing heavily, her complexion pale.

"Maggie?"

"I … what …" Maggie swayed. "I don't know what's going on. Ben? Please tell me he's lying about you stealing from him."

"Of course he is!" Ben cried. "Why would I do that?"

"After what you've just accused me of, you've got plenty of motive," Adam snapped.

"And are you going to deny that you're a thief as well?" Ben shot back.

Adam tried to speak, but the words got stuck in his throat. From the look on Maggie's face, his hesitation was enough for her. He saw the shock, the betrayal in her eyes. Adam could feel her pulling away already, and he began to panic.

"Maggie …"

That was when Ben pushed past him and ran down the hallway. Adam was tempted to go after him, tackle him, and lay a few punches down, but that would draw attention. Ben was not about to let this go lying down; he would tell everyone what Adam had done years ago, and the attention would be off him and onto Adam. That was not ideal.

Besides, Maggie was still shaking after the news. Her face was so pale Adam was surprised there was any colour at all. He reached for her.

"Maggie …"

"Don't … don't touch me." Maggie flinched away from him, her hands up. "I … I just can't right now."

Adam's heart hurt hearing that. He wanted to put his arms around her but lowered them to his sides instead. This was the first time Maggie had refused him, and the rejection hurt.

Although he could understand, it didn't make it any better.