“I’ll say this for Belinda, she’s a good actress. She was quite her normal self this morning, eating more than one helping of toast, expounding upon the new trimmings she wished to purchase for a new bonnet. No one had any idea what she was planning. She left a note behind. It’s only luck that we found it so soon after she left. She said she was going shopping, and she took a maid with her, and I thought nothing of it. She goes shopping as often as possible. Betsy found the note a mere half hour after she’d left.”

“What did it say?”

“She thinks Laxton is in love with her. She went with him willingly thinking they were eloping. Poor deluded Belinda. My money’s on Laxton conveying her to the nearest coaching inn outside London and no farther than that.”

“He won’t marry her. She’ll be ruined.” Viola’s heart lurched. “They’ll all be ruined. Oh my God, West. This is terrible.” If the young ladies were ruined there was nothing Viola could do to save their reputations. “We must go faster!”

“I know. If only we can reach them in time. I’m so frightened for Belinda. If Laxton has shown her his true colors she must be feeling so scared and alone.”

“Why would he do this? Why prey upon Belinda in such a heartless manner?”

“It’s all my fault. Laxton’s doing this because I thrashed him. He’s after revenge. And he’s found the best way to hurt me by hurting those I love. I should have listened to Rafe and to you. I shouldn’t have taken matters into my fists.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Belinda went willingly. He must have filled her head with trickery and lies. She’s only eighteen and a complete innocent who lives for attention and admiration. Oh! I just remembered something that I noticed when we were walking in Hyde Park. She and her friends were giggling about something and when I approached, it looked as though Belinda was stuffing a letter into her reticule. West . . . I should have demanded to see the letter but I was distracted by Ravenwood and Indy’s arrival.”

“There’s no sense blaming yourself, either. This is all my doing. I brought you with me because I want someone Belinda trusts and admires to be there to comfort her, no matter what has happened.”

“West,” she said gently. “Belinda trusts and admires you.”

“I’ll be dealing with Laxton.” His jaw clenched in rigid lines. “This will mean a duel. There’s no other option. I’ll have to call him out this time. Unless he’s already done the deed, in which case, as loathsome as it may sound, I’ll have to attempt to force them to marry.”