“Nothing of the sort! It’s you who is the coward, sir.”
The sneer did not abate. “Prudence, Miss Burloyne, not cowardice.”
Thoroughly incensed, Delia lost all caution. “Yes, for you know well Giff will challenge you if you show your face.”
His brows rose. “He’s a fool if he supposes I will meet him.”
“No, you wouldn’t dare!”
A gentle laugh came. “My dear Miss Burloyne, there is no question of daring. I have no mind to risk public exposure of this battle of wills.”
Then he did not wish the world to know of it. “Because it will harm you more, I don’t doubt.”
“Not at all. The tale of the lost heir is a fiction, my dear Miss Burloyne, fit only for novels. In real life, these things are decided by the Crown.”
“Which won’t be in your favour.”
“Oh, I think it will.”
“Because you are attempting to be rid of Giff by foul means?”
“Because he has no proof or he would have produced it. Also because a prolonged wrangle on the matter is likely to prove both expensive and tedious. I may say Giffard is at one with me on this.”
“How do you know?”
“He said as much when he so foolishly presented himself at Waldiche Keep in the first place.”
Nonplussed, Delia could not think how to proceed. Then she recalled that it was Piers who had approached her. “You want me to take a message to him?”
He inclined his head. “Just this. I am open to negotiation.”
Delia could not prevent the words from leaving her lips. “You are at a stand! Sam and Barney have made a mess of things, have they not?”
His lips tightened and a steely look entered his eyes, but he spoke with all his usual urbanity, if a trifle clipped. “If Giffard is of a mind to pay a visit to the Keep —”
“Ha! So you can have him overpowered there instead? Do you take him for an idiot?”
“Let him bring protection if he doubts me. Tell him I have a proposition to put to him.”
A proposition? Deeply suspicious, Delia eyed the man. She did not trust him an inch. He was brewing mischief, she was sure of it. “What proposition?”
“That, Miss Burloyne, is between Giffard and myself. I will be awaiting him at the Keep.” He executed a bow and turned to go.
Urgency engulfed Delia. “Wait!”
Pausing, Piers looked back. “Yes?”
“Why Waldiche Keep? Why can’t you meet him here? At his lodging. Or yours.”
“Because I choose to meet him on my own ground.”
“It’s not your ground!”
The sneer reappeared. “Possession is nine points of the law, Miss Burloyne.”
With which, he left her standing, striding away across the sand towards the Esplanade.
Delia looked to the boat where Scoley had gone to buy fish. She was sorely tempted to go after Piers, to see where he was lodging. Then she remembered his mention of Giff’s servant Sattar, who must already know. She uttered a low curse. She ought to have discovered if Piers meant to return to the Keep immediately. Or no, he’d said Giff should send him word.