The Viscount's Rose (The Farthingale Series Book 5) by Meara Platt

misheard. What did you just say? Abduct my own brother?”
    “You asked for a plan and I’ve come up with one. If you don’t like it, we don’t have to go through with it. After all, there’s so much involved in its proper execution. Anything can go wrong at any time. Forget I said anything. It’s too absurd to contemplate. I’m sorry I even suggested it. Can you ever forgive me?”
    Nicola wiped her lips with her napkin and set it back on her lap. “Rose, you misunderstand. I love the idea. I think it’s brilliant.”
    “You do?” The contents of Rose’s stomach began to churn and she felt herself grow pale, unlike Nicola, who had now stopped coughing and wore a broad grin on her face that accentuated her dimples.
    “Yes, and so will my aunt and uncle think it is the best idea ever.” She edged closer and smiled conspiratorially. “What must we do to put this plan into effect?”
    “Leave London. Your uncle has a lovely estate in the Cotswolds, near Chipping Camden, doesn’t he?”
    Nicola frowned. “Near Birdslip to be precise, but why must we go there when my brother is here in London?”
    Rose glanced about for help from her sisters, but they were busy talking to their neighbor, Lady Eloise Dayne. They’d known the kindly older woman only a few months, but she was quickly becoming as dear as a grandmother to Rose and her sisters. “Oh, Nicola, remind me to introduce you to Lady Eloise. She’s simply wonderful. We all adore her.”
    Nicola nodded. “I know her already. She’s great friends with my aunt, Lady Darnley. I’ll greet her in a moment, but do go on. I’m on the edge of my seat with excitement. My brother is in London and we’re to go to Darnley Cottage, my uncle’s charming home in the Cotswolds. Why?”
    “The plan is to lure him out there.” She cleared her throat. “As Lily explained it to me, the object is to separate one deer from the herd, to lure him away from the other deer who might protect him. This is what predators such as lions and tigers do when they hunt on the vast plains of Africa.”
    Nicola simply stared at her. “What are you saying? Are we to put him on a packet ship to Africa?”
    Rose sighed. “No, you miss my point. He’s to remain in England. We’re all to stay in England. But you say that he’s a home and hearth sort of man, only he seems to have forgotten himself while in London. So you’ll take him away for a week in the country. Your uncle will ask him to escort you all to his cottage.”
    “And?”
    “That’s where you’ll remind him of the simple pleasures that he truly loves and how the countess would be completely out of place in the peaceful countryside, and if he is still too dense to realize it, then… then… you’ll just have to keep him there until he comes to his senses.”
    Nicola shook her head in disappointment. “It isn’t a very good plan, you know.”
    Rose nodded. “I know. But do you have a better one? Short of doing away with Lady Deschanel?”
    “No,” she admitted. “Will you come to the Cotswolds with us? You must, Rose. You’ve taken the lead in this delicate mission, so you might as well see it through to the end. Besides, you like Julian, so why can’t we make him like you? It can work. Once we separate him from his disreputable herd, he’s bound to notice you. He’s the stag and you’re the sweet doe he’s destined to love.” She frowned lightly. “Or wait, are you the predator who separates him from his herd? No, my family will be the predators because you need to be the sweet doe.”
    Rose shook her head and sighed. “Stop, Nicola. The more you go on, the clearer it becomes to me that this scheme will never work.”
    Nicola now had a stubborn set to her jaw. “It’s excellent and it will work once Julian has the chance to know you. I’ll ask my uncle to write a note to your parents today and invite you to the cottage. We must have you as bait for Julian.”
    “Bait?” She didn’t wish to be