If she refused to pay the price and told Connor, Wolfgang would be forced to leave, and he would take George with him.
If she refused to pay the price and kept silent . . . That wasnat even possible. Wolfgang would leave with George, Connor would want to know why, anda"
aIs there a reason youare wearing a hole in my new carpet?a She swallowed a yelp of surprise at Connoras voice and whirled around to find him standing in the doorway with a ledger in hand and a curious expression on his face.
aI . . .a Her mind went blank. She couldnat think of an excuse for why she was pacing, and wasnat sure if providing one would be the right move or a terrible mistake. At a complete loss, she stood still and mute and simply stared at him.
Connor strode inside, tossing the ledger down on a chair without looking. aWhat is it?a She continued to stare at him as he crossed the room and came to a stop before her. Her eyes traveled over his familiar features. This was the man whoad brought George gingerbread cookies. This was the man whoad let George sit on his lap and kissed Georgeas imaginary ouch when head thought no one was looking. Surely George meant enough to him . . . Surely she meant enough . . .
aI have a dilemma,a she blurted out.
aI see,a Connor said carefully. aAnd what is the nature of this dilemma?a aItas . . .a It was unthinkable, impossible. That was its nature. She shook her head, unable to remember a time she had been so afraid. To her shock and horror, she burst into tears.
Connor reared back at the sight. aHere now, donat do that.a If shead not been so miserable, she might have laughed. He looked and sounded as dismayed as when head faced a wailing George.
aIam sorry.a She swiped her hands across her cheeks. She never cried. Even when her familyas circ.u.mstances had been at their lowest, shead kept a level head. aIall stop,a she a.s.sured him, but the promise came out a choked sob. aI need . . . a moment . . . thatas all. I need . . .a Connor made a low sound in the back of his throat, and suddenly she was in his arms, her cheek resting against his shoulder. He rubbed her back, kissed the top of her head, and murmured something unintelligible into her hair.
She cried harder. She didnat mean to; she simply couldnat seem to find a way to stem the flood of misery, and the more she tried, the worse her sobs became. Connor mumbled something else, something that involved the word atell,a or possibly ah.e.l.l,a and lifted her into his arms.
Vaguely, she was aware of him moving, of him taking a seat and settling her in his lap. He held her there, stroking her hair, whispering comforting nonsense until the misery receded.
Connor fished a handkerchief from his pocket and gently mopped her cheeks. aBetter?a She sniffled and took the handkerchief from him. aNo, of course not.a Crying never solved anything. Shead succeeded in making herself stuffy and exhausted, nothing more.
aIt will be, once you talk to me.a He pressed her cheek back to his shoulder and brushed his chin across her head. aTell me whatas wrong, love. Iall fix it for you.a aI donat know that you can.a Or that she should risk asking it of him.
aWhy not? I . . .a He trailed off and went eerily still. aYouare not . . . Youare not unwell, are you?a aNo, not at all.a His arms tightened around her briefly, and his breath escaped in a long exhale. aWhat is it, then?a She shook her head in an effort to clear it. Where to begin?
aIs it a friend, sweetheart? Has someone pa.s.sed?a aNo. No, itas nothing like that. No one is sick or dyinga"a aThen I can fix it.a Despite everything, a watery laugh sprung from in her throat.
aYou find that amusing?a Connor asked.
aI find your arrogance astounding.a And oddly comforting. It was easier to believe in someone when he believed in himself. She lifted her head to look at him. aWill you promise me something?a aAnything.a He hadnat hesitated, and she took strength from that. aI want you to promise George will stay here with us.a He pulled back, visibly startled. aIs that all? Why would you thinka"?a aPromise me.a She knew it wasnat fair. She knew she wasnat being rational. But everything in her told her that if Connor would only say the words, then they would be true. aPromise me Georgie will stay. Say it. You have toa"a aShh.a He kissed her brow, her cheeks. aI promise George will stay. All right?a He waited for her unsteady nod. aGood. Now tell me what this is about.a She licked lips gone dry and prayed she was making the right decision.
aItas Wolfgang,a she began and, for the next few minutes, described the horrible scene that had taken place with her brother. It was both awful and relieving to go through it, as if she were both reliving and distancing herself from the heartbreak at the same time.
Connor listened without interruption and without any visible reaction. When she was through, he simply nodded and tucked her head beneath his chin.
aAll right. Let me worry about it now.a She sighed heavily, wishing it was that easy. aItas not a burden I can hand to you like a picnic basket.a aSure it is. You say, aHusband, will you take care of this for me?a Then I say yes. Then you trust me to see it done.a Her lips curved in a tired smile. aHusband, will you take care of this for me?a aYes.a Connor tipped her chin with his finger. aDo you trust me?a How many times had he asked her that now, she wondered. The first time had been on the night shead met Michael and Gregory. Shead been sure of her answer then. It was remarkable how much could change in so short a time.
aI came to you, didnat I?a she hedged.
aThat is not an answer.a He took her face in both hands and held her gaze. aDo you trust me, Adelaide?a A number of responses came to mind, all involving a positive response and a qualifier.
I trust you right now.
Iam trusting you with this.
I trust you to help.
None of those truly answered the question, and none of them answered how she truly felt.
She studied his face as she contemplated her next words. They were so close together, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her lips and see the annoyance and determination in his green eyes. It took her a moment to see beyond those to what lay beneath. There was worry there, she realized. There was fear and vulnerability. He wanted her trust. More, he was afraid she wouldnat give it.
It would have been a simple thing to tell him that he might have considered that possibility before compromising her in Mrs. Cressas garden. She could wound him with a single sentence. It wouldnat be as dramatic as taking an army of lovers, but it would still be revenge, and a fitting one.
She couldnat gather up so much as a kernel of enthusiasm for the idea. If shead retained any lingering thoughts of vengeance after their courtship, they were gone now. And heavens, it felt so good to know shead let go of that anger. Wonderful and liberating anda"
aAdelaide.a Connor spoke her name like a warning.
Oh, yes, heas worried.
She smiled, which did a fair job of surprising him. Then she took his face in her own hands and kissed him soundly on the mouth.
aYes,a she declared after shead released him. aI trust you.a A weight slid from Connoras shoulders.
I trust you.
He wasnat sure why head needed the words so badly, or why Adelaide felt the need to proclaim them as she had . . . But he had needed them, and head take them any way she cared to offer. Besides, this new mood was a sight better than seeing her in tears. A flogging round the fleet would be better than seeing Adelaide in tears.
aWell,a Adelaide said bracingly. aWhat shall we do about this mess?a Her voice was brisk, but he could still see the shadow of worry in her eyes. It fed the outrage that had been steadily growing since the moment shead began to tell him of Wolfgangas threats. Careful to keep that anger safely hidden beneath the surface, he brushed a wisp of hair from her cheek and wished he could brush her fear away as easily.
aWeave until the end of the week.a He pressed a kiss to her brow. aGive me a day to consider the options.a
Chapter 24.
Connor didnat need the day to think over his options. He knew exactly what needed to be done.
First he coaxed Adelaide into lying down in their chambers for a spell . . . Well, initially he coaxed, then he demanded, then he pled, then he tried all three simultaneously and that seemed to do the trick.
She muttered and grumbled, but nevertheless crawled under the covers and promised to remain there for at least an hour. Which left Connor free to seek out Wolfgang in his chambers.
He didnat bother knocking, simply took the key from the housekeeper and let himself in.
aGood evening, Mr. Ward.a Wolfgang stood by a washstand with a pair of gloves in hand, apparently under the impression he was free to go out for the night. ah.e.l.l, man, donat you know how to knock?a aYes.a Connor stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and crossed the room, taking dark satisfaction in watching the nerves jump in Wolfgangas eyes.
aYouave something to say?a Wolfgang asked, sticking his chin out like a surly child. aSpit it out, then.a aWeare to be frank, are we? Excellent.a Connor leaned a hip against the washstand. aI donat like you. The only reason Iave not been rid of you is because your sister retains some affection for the boy you once were. Until late, I saw no harm in that. And so, out of deference to my wife, I have been patient, even lenient, with you.a Wolfgang tossed his gloves aside and curled his lip. aI never wanted youra"a Connor reached out, grabbed Wolfgang by the throat, and in the s.p.a.ce of a heartbeat, had him pinned against the wall.
aThat leniency is at an end.a Wolfgang gurgled a protest and clawed at the choking hand. Connor ignored both. aYou used your son as a threat?a It wasnat possible for Wolfgang to respond. It wasnat necessary either. Connor only asked as an excuse to prolong the conversation, and therefore the pleasure of squeezing the b.a.s.t.a.r.das throat. He wanted to keep squeezing, wanted to watch Wolfgangas eyes roll to the back of his head. Take George, would he? Hurt Adelaide, would he?
aI will send you to h.e.l.l before you cause one more second of heartbreak in this family. I will eviscerate you. Do I make myself clear?a He loosened his grip to give Wolfgang the chance to nod, but the young man was either too stubborn or too stupid to take advantage of the opportunity.
aYou canat,a Wolfgang rasped. aAdelaide hates me, but she would never consent to physicala"a Connor squeezed and leaned closer to whisper, aAdelaide would never know.a He waited for the awful light of understanding to dawn on Wolfgangas face. There were all sorts of tragic accidents that could befall a mana"a tumble from a horse, a sudden meeting with a speeding carriage, an unfortunate hunting accident. Connor had no intention of arranging for any of these to happen, but it served his purposes to have Wolfgang believe otherwise.
aNow have I made myself clear?a He loosened his grip once more.
aYes,a Wolfgang choked out. aYes.a aExcellent.a Connor released him and watched him slide down the wall into a gasping heap on the floor. aWhy do you owe Sir Robert four thousand pounds?a Occupied with coughing and wheezing, Wolfgang didnat immediately answer. His bulging eyes darted away, an unmistakable sign of an impending lie. Connor flexed his fist, persuading him to rethink the decision. aWhy?a aLetters,a Wolfgang finally spat, and the admittance acted like the release of a cork. The fight simply drained out of him. Closing his eyes on a groan, he let his head fall back against the wall. aHe has letters.a aWhat sort of letters?a aOh, Christ,a he moaned. aTheyare from me . . . to Lord St.i.tes.a Connor knew the name. aYou dallied with the son of a duke?a Not a wise decision but more common than some imagined.
Wolfgang rolled his head back and forth. aNo. He took funds from his father. At my suggestion.a aFor what?a aA financial scheme.a A broken laugh spilled from his lips. aHe loved the idea. He salivated over the notion of cheating his own father out of money.a And the letters, no doubt, spelled out every sordid detail of the crime. Idiot boy. aHow much?a aTen thousand. We were to have five each. He kept it all.a aHow did Sir Robert obtain the letters?a aI donat know.a Wolfgangas lids flew open. aWhat does it b.l.o.o.d.y matter? I stole from a duke. Do you know what that means? Do you realize what will happen to me when he discovers the truth?a Given the involvement of the dukeas son, Connor imagined Wolfgangas punishment would be swift and silent. A quick deportment or sudden disappearance were the most likely outcomes.
Pity he couldnat count on it being the first.
He watched the young manas chin sink to his chest and resisted the urge to tip it back up again with the toe of his boot. aYouare a foolish, selfish a.r.s.e, Wolfgang, but for the sake of your family, and your neck, you are going to pretend otherwise for the next twenty-four hours and do exactly as youare told. Understood?a Wolfgang nodded weakly.
aGood. Stay here; talk to no one.a Wolfgang looked up, a small spark of hope on his haggard face. aYouare going to give Sir Robert four thousand pounds?a aIam going to retrieve those letters,a Connor corrected. aAnd you are going to accept the commission I offered.a Wolfgang nodded again, this time with more vigor. aI wanted to. When youa"a aI donat give a d.a.m.n what you want. Just do as youare told.a Through with the conversation, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.
aBrice?a ab.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, what now?a Wolfgang surprised him a little by lifting his face and making eye contact. aI wouldnat have taken George. I know what I am, but . . . Iad never have done that to my own son. Adelaide has to know that.a aShe does. She knows Iad never have allowed it.a And with that, he left the room in search of his men . . . and the d.a.m.n letters.
He found the first already in the study, holding a good-natured argument with Graham over which of the local tavern wenches would be most likely to win at a footrace, and whether or not the la.s.ses could be persuaded to give the contest a go. He persuaded them to drop the topic.
Discovering the whereabouts of the letters proved nearly as easy. Connor didnat even have to bribe the information out of Mrs. McKarnin. Her grat.i.tude for her new, and considerably more lucrative, position at Ashbury Hall was all the motivation she required.
aArticles of business are kept in the study,a she informed them. aPersonal correspondence is stored in a wooden box next to the bed. The baron never varied from his system of organization.a aThank you, Mrs. McKarnin.a aMy pleasure, sir.a Graham turned to him after Mrs. McKarninas departure. aBlackmail is business.a aAye,a Michael agreed. aWhoas to fetch the letters, then?a They all volunteered, and a lengthy debate ensued, all three men of the opinion that none were as fit for the task as himself.
Michael insisted that as a reformed thief, he was clearly the most qualified.
Gregory pointed out that Michael hadnat picked a lock in thirty years, and if anyone was to risk his neck for a bit of paper and ink, it ought to be the man with the least to lose and the most to gain. He was old. He was tired. If he ended on the gallows, so be it. It wasnat every day a worn-out old criminal like himself knew what it was to be a hero to a la.s.s. He wanted that, just once, before he died.
It was a moving, albeit maudlin, sentiment.
Graham followed it up with an offer to see the job done for fifty pounds.
Connor leaned back in his chair. aItas for me to do.a This announcement was met with loud complaints from Gregory and Michael. Graham spoke over them.
aWhatas the nature of these letters?a Connor considered his answer. Head been circ.u.mspect in his telling of events. Sir Robert had letters that Adelaide wanted returned, that was all head offered. He didnat like keeping secrets from his men, particularly from Gregory and Michael, but he disliked the idea of Adelaide being the last to learn of her brotheras crimes even more. Head inform her of the truth once he could a.s.sure her the letters no longer posed a threat. Then he would tell his men . . . Possibly. Head see how she felt about it.
aTheir nature is personal,a he replied.
Michael slammed a fist on the desk. aYou letting your wife send personal lettersa"?a aNo.a He slanted Michael a withering glance for the insult. aTheyare letters she wants. The contents would be of embarra.s.sment to the family.a aAnd Sir Robert knows it, does he?a Gregory demanded. aBeen holding it over her head?a aOver Wolfgangas.a aAh.a Michael shared a knowing nod with Gregory. aThat explains a thing or two, donat it.a Graham rose from his seat. aA moment, lads.a aBring us beer,a Michael tossed at him before turning to Connor. aLook here, boy, thereas no sense in you being the one what sneaks into Sir Robertas. Youave never done the thing.a aAye,a Gregory agreed. aAnd youave a family to be thinking of.a Connor decided to let them argue a bit longer. Theyad abide by his decision in the end, but there would be less grumbling in the long run if they felt theyad had their full say on the matter first.
Five minutes of heated debate later, the door opened and Graham crossed the room to toss a stack of letters on the desk. aThese them?a The room fell silent. Connor grabbed the top one and scanned the contents. ab.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l.a aIs it them?a aYes.a He tossed the letter with the others and eyed Graham speculatively. He wasnat sure if he wanted to grin or shout at the man. aHow did you get these?a aUsual way. Saw the box weeks ago, thought the contents might be worth something.a His mouth hooked up. aAnd they didnat get checked so often as the silver.a aAre these all of them?a aAye, and I want a hundred pounds for aem.a Connor didnat take offense at the sudden rise in price. It was business. aIall give you the fifty and wonat break your neck for not having turned them over earlier.a aSeventy-five and Iall slip word to Sir Robertas new valet that someone ought check the box.a aDone.a Connor flicked a glance at Gregory and Michael. After more than a decade of working together, a single pointed look was understood as readily as a verbal order. They rose together and left the room in silence, closing the door behind them.
Graham looked from the door to Connor. aIf youare thinking to snap my neck after all, youall find itas got more steel than most.a aIall not snap your neck. The deal is done.a He leaned back in his chair. aYouave made a tidy profit these last few months.a aManas got to live.a aIf he wants to live here, heas got to mind the silver.a Graham smiled at that and shook his head. aIf Iad been after harming you and yours, Iad have used those letters same as Sir Robert.a aWhy keep them secret?a Connor asked, tapping the letters.
Graham shrugged. aI figured if the boy didnat know the letters were about and you didnat know the letters were about, then the la.s.s didnat know they were about. What was the point of bringing aem to light?a A scowl settled over his face. aA girl donat need to know every foul deed her brotheras done.a aYou could have destroyed them,a Connor pointed out.
aAye, but this particular brother . . .a Graham narrowed his eyes and gave a quick shake of his head. a. . . I donat trust. Never know when a bit of leverage might come in handy. You aim to use it?a aNo. Iave my own means for keeping Wolfgang in line.a Financial manipulation and, failing that, brute force.
aIad wager you do. Are we done?a Connor jerked his chin in agreement. aWeare done.a As Graham let himself out, Connor flicked the edge of one of the letters and swore. b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, they were going to break Adelaideas heart.
Chapter 25.
Adelaide told herself she wasnat heartbrokena"no more so than shead been an hour before, anyway. There was only so much grief she was willing to bear for Wolfgang, and the last of it had disappeared when head threatened to take George. She was done with him.
She accepted the letters and Connoras explanation of their contents with quiet resignation and watched them burn in the fireplace. When theyad gone to ash, she turned to Connor, wrapped her arms around him, and held tight until the heartache she refused to acknowledge was eased.
Wolfgang left Ashbury Hall at dawn the following morning. He was to go south, to another of Connoras holdings, and wait there until he received word of his post.
His departure was a subdued event. He looked in on his sleeping son, nodded to Isobel in the hall, and walked to the waiting carriage with Adelaide. At her request, Connor and his men stayed away. There was no sense in forcing polite good-byes. No point in pretending the departure was anything other than what it wasa"a banishment.
He offered an apology. A single, softly spoken aI am sorry,a before he climbed inside the carriage and shut the door.
Adelaide believed he was, but whether he was sorry for the sake of his family or sorry that head made himself so miserable, she didnat know. And because she couldnat know, she made a conscious decision to leave the question alone and concentrate on what was right before her.
George was safe, Isobel was happy, and Wolfgangas carriage was rolling away. He would start a new life far away from them all.
A hesitant smile spread slowly across her face as she turned away from the drive and walked into the house. With every step she took, she felt another weight slip from her shoulders, and the last of the marionette strings snap free.
She intercepted a maid carrying a fussy George in the great hall. The young woman cooed patiently, bouncing him gently on her hip.
aHe woke up a mite cross, maaam. I thought a walk abouta"a aIall take him.a She transferred George onto her hip and brushed a hand over his disheveled hair. aWill you bring a small gla.s.s of milk to the parlor, please? And a plate of those pastries Cook made yesterday.a aThe pudding filled, maaam?a aYes, please.a She felt like indulging. She wanted to pamper herself and spoil George.
aLetas be a trifle reckless,a she whispered to George as she carried him into the parlor. She set him down on the plush carpet and watched him dart to the settee and shove his hands between the cushions. aThereas no spoon in there, darling. But just you wait, Iave something even better coming for you.a When the pastries arrived, Adelaide cut them into thirds while George slurped down his milk. She wiped pudding from her fingers, took a slice for herself, and set the plate on the floor for George. Then she watched with tender amus.e.m.e.nt as he hunkered down on his haunches in front of the offering.
aBiscuits!a aBiscuits, indeed.a She took a seat next to him, uncaring that she was setting a terrible example by eating sweets on the floor with her fingers. A few moments of silliness would hardly ruin the child, and it was such a joy to watch him giggle and squirm and reach out to squeeze the creamy white pudding from one of the slices.
aOoooh. Beetle.a aBeetle? . . . Oh, ew.a She laughed and ruffled the silken curls of his hair. aNo, it is not a squished beetle. Itas . . .a She took a bite of her slice and made a humming noise. aMmmm.a George mimicked her by cramming half the remains of his pastry into his mouth.
aYou may have two,a she informed him, knowing full well he had no idea what that meant. It didnat matter; she liked saying it.
Connoras teasing voice floated overhead. aHeall be fat as his namesake within a year.a A pleasant shiver chased over her skin as he stepped up behind her, so close she could feel the heat of his powerful legs against her back. She had the pa.s.sing thought that it was a pity shead not had the foresight to agree to his original demand of sharing her bed ten times a day.
aHeall not,a she said pertly, tilting her head back to give him a smile. aAnd heas not named for the Prince Regent. Heas named for his motheras father.a Who had been, now that she thought on it, a bit round about the middle as well. aPerhaps youare right.a She reached to put the plate of pastries away. One was more than plenty, really.
aLeave it.a Connor stepped around and bent down to take the plate from her. aSpoil him awhile longer if it gives you pleasure.a He set the pastries back down, took her hand, and drew her to her feet. Worried green eyes swept over her face.
aHow are you?a aFine. Quite well, considering. I feel . . .a She closed her eyes on a happy sigh as he traced the line of her jaw with his thumb and brushed a feathery kiss across her cheek. aI feel myself. I feel more like myself than I have in ages.a She felt his lips curve against her skin. aHave you been someone else?a aNo. And yes. Parts,a she reminded him and smiled sheepishly when he pulled back to look at her with a curious expression. aI used to enjoy being carefree, even a little reckless. When circ.u.mstances changed for my family, I set those parts aside. I suppose I forgot about them.a Because shead had no other choice, she thought. Careless, reckless individuals did not make for ideal heads of households. aI think Iave begun to remember them.a aAm I to understand that you are not the woman I thought Iad married?a aYouall find your bride was far more biddable than your wife.a aIf I had a pound for every new husband to have heard those words . . .a He smiled when she laughed, and he tapped her chin lightly with his finger. aYou were never that biddable, love.a aPerhaps not,a she agreed. But she had been more cautious, less interested in taking risks, being silly, and exploring the world around her. Which reminded her . . . She glanced out the window toward the stables as Connor bent down and helped himself to a small slice of pastry.
aSo youare feeling reckless,a he said and ate half the pastry in single bite.
Oh, drat. In light of what she was about to ask him, reckless had not been a wise choice of words. aNot reckless, really. More . . . Responsibly adventurous.a She smiled at him sweetly as he polished off his food. aMay I ride your stallion, Midas?a Connor stared at her, swallowed, and said, aYou may.a aReally? When?a aWhen I am dead, buried, and in want of your company.a aAh.a She tilted her head. aThat was very nearly romantic.a aYouare welcome.a He smiled mischievously as she laughed, then jerked his chin in acknowledgment of the footman who entered. aWhat is it, John?a aBegging your pardon, sir. Mr. OaMalley, Mr. Birch, and Mr. Sefton have sent me in search of you, sir.a Connor dismissed the footman with a quick nod, bent down to give her an equally quick kiss, and walked out of the room.
Adelaide frowned at his retreating back, then at the empty doorway, then at George.
aWas I just dismissed?a George grabbed his second pastry, squeezed mightily, and looked mildly disappointed when the folded end piece failed to produce a gush of pudding.
aTake a few bites, darling, then it will mush.a She glanced at the door and tapped her foot. aDo you know, I believe I was dismissed.a Connor might as well have nodded at her and kissed the footman. Just like that, she and her questions had been put aside. If she wished to continue their discussion, she could do so after head finished meeting with his men.