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“Nor am I likely to forget it. But nothing will be helped by your thundering about like this. I am doing the best I can to help with Cecilie . She is not an easy child to deal with.”
    “That is certainly an understatement,” snorted his lordship. “You have spoiled her rotten.”
    Aggie, who had been about to advise him on the best way to handle Cecilie, suddenly changed her mind. “If it is not too much to ask , ” she said coldly, “I should like to be told what it is she has done.” She f i xed him steadily with her eyes. She could not allow him to browbeat her like this.
    The Earl took a deep breath as though to steady himself. “While you were out here taking the fresh air,” he said, sarcasm heavy in his voice , “Cecilie decided to take that monkey for a walk.” He glared at her.
    Aggie shook her head. “Milord, what is so terrible about that?”
    For a moment he looked so angry that she thought he might strike her. His chest swelled with his wrath and his face grew dark and stormy. “Life in the country has dulled your wits,” he commented acidly. “ CecilieWinthrop is an heiress, with quite a portion, far too much to be cavorting about London’s streets alone.”
    “Alone!” Aggie stared at him in horror.
    “Quite alone,” he replied. “If I had not been just returning and seen her , God knows where she would have strayed to.” His eyes regarded her angrily. “I suppose that you have not forgotten that London’s streets are not exactly safe for young heiresses. All my efforts to keep fortune hunters off will prove useless if one manages to make off with her to Gretna Green.”
    Aggie stood silent for a moment. “Cecilie would not run off with a stranger,” she replied, much aware that this was not an adequate answer.
    “I am not at all sure what Cecilie would or would not do,” said the Earl coldly. “But that is beside the point. These men do not wait around for the woman’s consent; they merely drag her into a carriage and take off. When they return from Scotland, the man has the inheritance and the woman a miserable life.” His eyes flashed at her. “Much as Cecilie provokes me, I should not like to wish such a fate on any woman. And besides,” he seemed to be struggling to calm himself , “I have a duty to fulf i ll where she is concerned. Onerous as that duty is, I wish to discharge it properly.” He shut his mouth with a snap.
    “I will do what I can.” Aggie strove to keep her voice even. “I will try to make Cecilie understand the dangers. She is not accustomed -”
    The Earl gave her a look of disgust. “I do not care to hear any more excuses for that spoiled brat,” he said flatly. “Nor for your part in this fiasco.”
    Aggie felt her anger rising again. Why must he always blame her? “I was not aware that I was offering excuses,” she said coldly. “I was merely giving you information that I consider helpful.”
    The Earl’s only acknowledgment was a f i ercer frown.
    “Now, if you are quite through bellowing” - she saw him wince slightly at her use of the word and was glad - “I shall go f i nd Cecilie.”
    “You will f i nd her in her room,” he said stiffly, “where she is to remain until dinner.” His eyes met hers squarely and Aggie knew he expected her to protest. Perversely, she contented herself with a nod. If he wanted to be so stubborn, let him. She had tried to tell him that this high-handed way of dealing with Cecilie could only have ill results, but he was too pigheaded to listen. Let him learn the hard way, she thought as she swept by him and into the house.
    It was with some trepidation that she opened the door to their rooms. The thought of encountering Cecilie in a tantrum was not a pleasant one. But Cecilie was sitting by the window, playing with Dillydums . “There you are,” she said in an aggrieved tone. “You’ll never guess what that terrible man has done now! He refuses to let me take a walk!” She rose from her chair,