The sound of footsteps descending the wooden stairs made Lisa stiffen. She then sat up a little straighter when what she really wanted to do was shrink back into a corner and disappear. Findlay had said he would come down after he’d ordered his man to put her in here. She had no doubt it was he approaching now, and had absolutely no desire to see him. However, she would not cower. The heroines in the books she read did not survive trials like this by being weak and silly females. They were bold and brave, and fate rewarded them for it. She would be bold and brave too . . . if it killed her.

That last bit was a truly unfortunate thought, Lisa decided as it rang through her head. Really, she could have phrased it better.

“Ah. I see you are settling in nicely.”

Lisa glanced to the door at those words and raised her chin rebelliously when she saw Findlay peering in at her through the bars. He was eyeing her with interest, as if she were a caged animal on display.

“Come to gloat, my lord?” she asked coldly. “Really, it makes you very unattractive.”

“Good. You’ve got fire,” Charles said with amusement. “I knew you would.”

“So happy to please you,” Lisa sneered with disdain.

“No you aren’t,” he said on a laugh. “But you will be.”

“I very much doubt that, my lord.”

“Oh, you will,” Charles assured her. “And I shall enjoy teaching you to be. I knew that from the first moment I laid eyes on you.”

Lisa remained silent this time and merely peered at him with feigned indifference. He hadn’t made a move to unlock the door and enter, which she could only think was a good thing. So she waited to see what he was about.

“It makes me wish I could start right away,” he commented when she didn’t respond. “Sadly, we shall have to refrain from enjoying each other for now. I must go to the Brewsters’ ball tonight and act disappointed that you, my fiancée, have not made an appearance, and then shocked and horrified that you are missing. I may even shed a tear.”

Lisa nearly sagged with relief at the news that he would leave her alone for now, but knew instinctively that it might be a bad idea to show her relief. It might move him to dally a bit before the ball, so she covered with a dry, “Do not strain yourself with the effort to squeeze that tear out, my lord. I doubt many shall be impressed by it anyway.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I can be a very good actor when I wish,” he commented idly, looking amused.

“Yes, you can. After all you had me believing you were a gentleman,” she said dryly. “And many others believing you are human.”