Page 104 of Mischief at Marsden Manor

He gestured Geoffrey towards the front door. Collins preceded them, with Nellie’s arm still in a tight grip—the bow at the back of her uniform still swayed invitingly with every step—and Tom brought up the rear.

The moment the door shut behind them, Lady Euphemia turned to her husband with a wail. “Maury…!”

Lord Maurice nodded and patted her hand. “I’ll go ring up Eustace, shall I?”

“Please, Maury. We have to get him out of there, the poor boy.”

I rolled my eyes. Lord Maurice headed across the foyer towards the study and the telephone. “Pardon me,” he muttered as he skirted us and kept going.

Christopher arched his brows. “Barrister?”

I shrugged. “I assume so. Or the Chief Constable, perhaps. Someone who can do something to get Geoffrey out of the police station in one piece.”

“Can anyone get Geoffrey out of the police station in one piece, do you suppose?”

“I have no idea,” I said. “He didn’t plan to kill anyone, so he shouldn’t have to worry about a murder charge, but there’s still the Section 59 issue.”

On the other side of the room, Laetitia sniffed, offended, and put out a hand. “Darling?”

“Yes,” I said, eyeing it.

Crispin smirked. He was standing a few feet away from us, and had been since the showdown began. “I imagine she means me, Darling.”

“Yes, of course she does. Don’t let me keep you.”

I flapped a hand at him. He inclined his head and started across the floor. As soon as he was within reach, Laetitia latched onto him. Olivia, meanwhile, had allowed Reggie to take hold of her. When he steered her away from the rest of us towards the hallway to the study and drawing room, it became a sign for everyone else too, and the rest of the gathering broke up into small, chattering groups. His Grace the Duke of Sutherland patted Lady Euphemia’s hand sympathetically, and Laetitia kept a tight hold on Crispin as she pulled him over next to them.

“Shall we?” Christopher inquired, eyes on his parents, and on Francis and Constance next to them.

I nodded, but before I could take more than a single step, Wolfgang stepped up next to me.

“Philippa.” He clicked his heels together. “May I have a word?”

I smiled. “Of course you may. Go on, Christopher. I’ll catch up in a moment.”

Christopher nodded and let go of my hand, but not without a look back over his shoulder. I waited until he was outside the range of hearing before I added, “What can I do for you,Grafvon Natterdorff?”

Wolfgang smirked, but didn’t comment on my use of his title. “That was very impressive,FreuleinSchatz.”

“Thank you,” I said, “but I didn’t do much. It was just a matter of putting the information together at the last moment, and?—”

He shook his head. “You are an impressive girl, Philippa.”

“Thank you,” I said again, “but?—”

He reached out and put a finger across my mouth. “The kind of girl any man would be proud to call his own.”

That managed to shut me up, anyway. My eyes widened, and while I still thought the words—Thank you, but—I couldn’t utter them, not with his finger holding my mouth shut.

And then he took what remained of my breath when he added, “I would be honored if you would consent to be my wife, Philippa Marie Schatz.”

For a second, it felt as if the world stopped. Behind me, someone squealed. I couldn’t tell whether it was Christopher, Constance, or Aunt Roz, or perhaps someone else entirely. All I could do was stare deeply into Wolfgang’s eyes while he stared deeply into mine, and while the words echoed in my head.