aThere you are,a she said, with a sweep of her hand. aYouare not truly distressed by this, are you? Itas not an ideal development, I grant. But if there is nothing you can do to change the situation, you might as well appreciate it. And you must admit . . . two men willing to die for you.a She gave a l.u.s.ty sigh. aThat is flattering.a Perhaps it would have been, if Sir Robert hadnat been quite so eager to rethink the sacrifice. And if the rest of the morning hadnat been so mortifying.
aWell, who is this Mr. Brice?a Isobel demanded. aWhy have you not told me of him before now?a aI only just met the man.a Too late, she realized the folly of that statement.
aOnly just . . . And you were kissing him in the garden?a Adelaide waited patiently for the next round of Isobelas laughter to subside. She wasnat feeling especially patient at the moment, but she was feeling grateful. Not every young lady would accept such dreadful news about her older sister with good humor.
aIf you are finished?a she asked after a time.
Isobel lifted a finger and laughed a minute more. Finally, she gave a great sigh and nodded. aOh, goodness . . . Has this Mr. Brice offered for you, then?a aYes, they both have.a aTwo proposals, a compromise, and a duel. My, but youave been busy this morning.a Isobel wiped her eyes again, then pursed her lips thoughtfully. aI think you should accept Mr. Brice.a aYou donat know the man.a aNeither do you, by the sound of it,a Isobel reminded with a smirk. aBut we know Sir Robert, anda"a aLady Engsly says I should take some time to think the matter through.a Adelaide wasnat interested in hearing, yet again, her sisteras opinion of Sir Robert.
aI like Lady Engsly,a Isobel said, bobbing her head in agreement. aSheas a sensible sort.a As Isobelas idea of sensible was to check for witnesses before engaging in all manner of inadvisable behavior, Adelaide could only stare at her sister in disbelief.
aI can appreciate a sensible mind,a Isobel said in a defensive tone. aI like you, donat I? Itas stodginess I canat abide.a Adelaide was saved from having to respond by a soft knock on the door. Lilly and Winnefred, she guessed. They had promised to return after theyad spoken to the guests.
aAre we interrupting?a Lilly asked when Adelaide opened the door.
She stepped back and waved them inside. aNo, please come in.a Winnefred patted her arm as she pa.s.sed, just as Lilly had earlier, only a bit more awkwardly and with more force than was strictly comfortable. Adelaide a.s.sumed Winnefred was either unaccustomed to delivering friendly overtures of a physical nature or unaware of her own strength.
Lilly paused inside the doorway. aWe want you to know that our carriages are at your disposal.a Adelaideas heart sank. aMrs. Cress has kicked me out.a aGood heavens no.a Lilly led her to the foot of the bed where she settled them both. aMrs. Cress is more apt to lock you in your chambers for the next fortnight than send you off. You are now her most interesting guest. She likes to gossip.a aShe loves to gossip,a Winnefred corrected. aSheas not cruel, mind you. Merely dedicated.a Lilly gave Adelaide a sympathetic smile. aOthers will not be so kind. To be frank, Adelaide, the proposals have kept you from outright ruin, but I fear things will become uncomfortable for you nonetheless.a Adelaide closed her eyes on a sigh. Lilly was right. Talk amongst the guests was sure to be open, rampant, and ugly. Worse, the questions and criticisms would spill over onto Isobel.
Do you suppose her sister is the same?
I hear she is most liberal in her opinions.
With her favors as well, no doubt.
Adelaide wasnat sure what was more galling, that they were now the center of such speculation, or that they had no choice but to flee from the insults.
aI should marry Sir Robert and be done with it.a Lilly shared a look with Winnefred. aI must be honest with you, Miss Ward. I do not particularly care for Sir Robert.a aWe do not care for Sir Robert,a Winnefred amended.
aHe strikes me as being rather duplicitous in nature,a Lilly explained.
aYou see?a Isobel chimed. aSensible.a aWhy have you not said so until now?a Adelaide asked. Granted, shead met the ladies only a few months ago, but theyad grown sufficiently familiar with each other that distrust of her suitor might have been mentioned.
aI a.s.sumed you had similar reservations,a Lilly explained. aBut that circ.u.mstances were such that youad no choice but to press ahead. Was I wrong?a aNo,a she admitted softly. There had been reservations. Shead been late in acknowledging them, but they had been there.
Winnefred nodded. aNow, however, you have an alternative solution. You have Connor.a aI donat know that I like Mr. Brice any better.a aYou looked to have liked him well enough in the garden,a Winnefred commented.
aFreddie,a Lady Engsly chastised.
Adelaide gave a dismissive shake of her head. aItas only the truth. I did like him. Until he went out of his way to see we were discovered.a aSurely not,a Lilly protested.
aAsk him yourself, if you like.a Lilly studied her a moment before speaking. aI can see that wonat be necessary. Good heavens, did he say why?a aWell, thatas obvious,a Isobel said. aHe must be in love with her.a aWe met last night.a aLast night?a This from both ladies.
Oh, dear.
aPa.s.sing in the hall,a she explained lamely, and she tensed, waiting for Isobel to mention the sitting room, or the garden, or the whiskey.
Winnefred spoke first. aHeas been aware of you for a lot longer than that. He used to look for you to bring your nephew to the prison.a aPrison,a Adelaide repeated. It was a cell window Connor had been watching her through. She groaned and covered her face with her hands.
aWhat was he imprisoned for?a Isobel asked.
aHighway robbery,a Winnefred informed her.
Adelaide dropped her hands. aGood G.o.d.a aThere was never any doubt of his innocence,a Lilly a.s.sured her. aConnor might look fit for the job, but his men, I a.s.sure you, do not.a aHe has men?a Winnefred nodded. aGregory, who I vow is one hundred, if heas a day. And Michael, who likely hasnat seated a horse in the last decade.a aWho brought the charges against them?a Isobel inquired.
aSir Robert,a Winnefred answered with obvious disgust. aWho happens to be old friends with the magistrate.a aHow do you know all of this?a Adelaide asked.
Lilly looked uncomfortable with the question. aWell . . . Freddie and I had . . . on occasion . . . in the past . . . reason to visit the prison. We . . . That is . . .a aOh, for pityas sake, Lilly,a Winnefred cut in impatiently. aSheall not judge. Lilly and I did a bit of sewing for coin. Connor was one of the prisoners who could afford to pay for mending. Iad not have paid particular attention to him, except that he shared the cell with Michael and Gregorya"the most delightful gentlemena"and Thomas was in the next cell over. Connor took him under his wing.a aThomas Brown? Your ward?a Adelaide shook her head. The boy was much too young to have been locked away with grown men.
Winnefred nodded. aHe came to be with us after his release. But Connor and his men looked after him in prison. My husband took it upon himself to look into their affairs.a aAnd he discovered Sir Robert was their accuser,a Isobel guessed.
aYes, and that Connoras a.s.sets had been seized by the courts. I asked my husband to intercede on Connoras behalf as repayment for the kindness he showed Thomas. It would appear Gideon had some success.a She turned to Lilly. aDo you suppose the men are finished in the study? We should see what theyave learned.a Lilly nodded but kept her gaze on Adelaide. aYou will take the time to think? Youall not be rash, or choose out of anger?a In a show of support, Isobel came to stand beside her. aMy sister is nothing if not sensible . . . generally. Sheall make the right decision.a Adelaide reached up to squeeze the hand Isobel placed on her shoulder.
aThen Iall not worry.a Lilly bent to kiss Adelaideas cheek, then gestured to Winnefred. The pair left the room arm in arm.
Isobel blew out a long breath after their departure. aThis is all very complicated.a Complicated, Adelaide decided, was too mild a word. It was an impossibly convoluted disaster, a hopeless tangle of questions and lies she had no choice but to try to unwind.
Slipping off her shoes, she rose from the bed and began to pace. Where did she begin? Compromises and duels, highway robbery, false imprisonment, and stolen fortunes. It was too much.
Her thoughts jumped about her head as wildly as the b.u.t.terflies danced in her stomach. She felt off balance, just as she had after the whiskey, but there was nothing liberating in the experience. There was only dread, anger, and an abundance of confusion.
Why had Connor done it? Surely it wasnat merely to spite his brother. There were an infinite number of ways one could irritate a sibling. The vast majority of them did not require the ruin of an innocent bystander. Surely he wasnat so coldhearted, so cruel. There had to be a better explanation.
And if there wasnat, then there had to be retribution.
Determined, she crossed the room, threw open the wardrobe, and s.n.a.t.c.hed her hooded cloak.
Isobel leapt up from her seat at the vanity. aWhere are you going?a aTo speak with Mr. Brice.a aWhat? But youa"a aI want an explanation. I cannot decide whatas to be done without an explanation.a aBut you canat,a Isobel insisted. aEven I know you cannot seek out a gentleman unattended.a aReally?a Adelaide clasped the cloak at her neck and gave her sister a bland look. aWhy?a aBecause it . . . You would . . .a Isobel managed an expression that was both a grimace and sympathetic smile. aI suppose you can do most anything you want now.a And you as well, she thought. The ton was all too eager to spread the shame of one fallen woman onto every member of her family. aHeall answer for that.a
Chapter 8.
It took no time at all to discover where Connor was staying. The staff were all abuzz over the unfolding scandal. According to the maid Adelaide questioned, Jeffrey the footman had overhead Lord Gideon mention the widow Dunbaras cottage to his wife. The footman mentioned it to the housekeeper, and within twenty minutes, everyone knew.
Adelaide imagined it had taken half that time to spread the news of her ruin.
Rather than risk running into guests along the road, Adelaide slipped out the back of the house and followed a droveras trail into town.
The trip was scarcely more than a mile, an easy distance for one accustomed to walking. But in her haste, shead forgotten to change into her half boots, and the thin soles of the slippers she wore now offered little protection from the rocky ground. The bottoms of her feet were stinging before she was halfway to town.
The discomfort only added to her roiling temper. By the time she reached her destinationa"the two-storied cottage with green shutters and a tidy garden on the edge of towna"she felt positively murderous.
She strode to the door, gave it three solid knocks, and waited for the housekeeper or maid to answer.
It was Connor who answered her summons, wearing trousers, shirtsleeves, and an expression of mild surprise.
He flicked a glance over her shoulder. aAdelaide. Did you come here alone?a aYes.a She tipped her chin up and kept her eyes studiously away from the open neck of his shirt. aAre you going to allow me entrance, or shall we hold court on the street?a He frowned slightly but stepped back to allow her inside. She swept past him into a small foyer that opened into a modest parlor dominated by an oversized settee and pair of upholstered chairs.
aDoes Lord Engsly know youave come?a Connor asked.
She unlatched her cloak and slipped it from her shoulders. aLord Engsly is not my guardian.a His mouth curved up, but whether he was amused or pleased by her statement, she couldnat say. Either way, it annoyed her, and when he held his hand out for her cloak, she took perverse satisfaction in shaking her head and walking past him into the parlor without invitation.
Connor navigated the narrow path behind the settee and retrieved a decanter and snifter from a built-in cupboard.
aYouall excuse the accommodations,a he said conversationally. aPrivate rooms were difficult to come by on short notice.a She stared at his profile as he poured his drink. On the way there, shead given some thought on how best to begin the conversation. Ideally, it would start with a heartfelt apology from Connor, but he didnat appear inclined to oblige.
Nothing about Connor indicated he felt even a sliver of regret. There was an insolent quality in the way he looked at her, an irreverence in his tone when he spoke. He seemed to her to be an altogether different man than the one shead known in the garden.
She briefly considered going with plan B, which was to throttle him until he was very sorry indeed, but ultimately settled on plan C.
aWhy?a she snapped. aWhy have you done this?a aTo keep you out of Sir Robertas grasp.a He held up the gla.s.s. aDrink?a aWhat? No.a aThen have a seat.a aIall stand.a aYouave come for an explanation, havenat you?a He waited for her nod. aThen sit. Itas a lengthy story, and Iad just as soon not stand for the telling of it.a He smiled as he came around the settee. aItas been something of a trying day for me.a She reconsidered plan B but ultimately ground out, aHow thoughtless of me,a and took a seat on one of the chairs.
Connor sat across from her, leaned back against the cushions of the settee, and set his elbow on an armrest. aComfortable?a She responded with narrowed eyes.
aExcellent.a He stretched his legs out before him. aMy father, as you may have guessed, kept two homes. One with his wife and heir, and another, sixty miles away, with his mistress and son. The arrangement was not a secret. I was acknowledged at birth and raised as the well-loved son of a wealthy baron. My mother and I wanted for nothinga"funds, education, my fatheras time and attention. All were to be had in abundance. We even enjoyed a limited taste of respectability in our little hamlet. My father made certain of it.a He paused to take a sip of his drink, and she almost filled the silence by proclaiming the baron a good man. But then she realized the baroness might have felt quite differently.
Connoras mouth curved. aYou see the predicament. I cannot answer for my fatheras treatment of his wife and Sir Robert. I knew him only as the man who made my mother laugh and taught me how to hunt quail and seat a horse.a He tapped his finger again. aWe were happy.a aSir Robert was not,a she guessed.
aHis mother certainly wasnat. And whoas to blame her? Her husbandas flagrant infidelity must have been a constant source of humiliation. She took her own life when I was thirteen.a aNo, she drowned,a Adelaide countered. Sir Robert had told her the story of his motheras death not three weeks ago. aShe went for a walk along the banks of the estateas lake, slipped, hit her heada"a aShe went for a walk in the estateas lake. The only rocks involved were the ones stuffed in the ap.r.o.n that was tied about her waist.a It was a horrific image. aYou canat possibly know that.a aNo, but Sir Robert could. It was he who found her.a That was worse. aHe told you this?a aIndeed. Two years after the fact, and two seconds before he hit me over the head with the b.u.t.t of a pistol and delivered me into the hands of a press-gang.a He said it matter-of-factly, as if he were relating the story of someone else. She hoped he was. The alternative was unthinkable.
aI donat believe you. It is illegal to impress a boy under the age of eighteen.a She felt foolish for the statement almost before shead finished saying it. It was well known that a blind eye was often turned to infractions. The war had needed ships, and ships required able-bodied sailors.
aI donat believe Sir Robert would be capable of such a heinous deed,a she added, lamely. aHeas not a monster.a aBelieve what you like. But the truth is, a carriage accident had taken my father and mother not six weeks earlier, and Sir Robert saw an opportunity to rid me of my inheritance and simultaneously rid Britain of a . . .a He glanced at the ceiling, remembering. a aMurdering b.a.s.t.a.r.d son of a wh.o.r.e,a I believe he put it.a aMurdering?a She didnat want to believe that either.
A lazy shrug of one shoulder. aHe holds me accountable for his motheras death.a aThat is preposterous.a aUnjust at the very least. But by Sir Robertas reasoning, if Iad not been born, Iad not have been acknowledged, and if our father had not acknowledged me, he could have kept his mistress in secret and his mother would have remained blissfully unaware of her husbandas philandering ways.a As shead already used the word preposterous, Adelaide found herself at a loss for anything more to say. Her mind whirling, she rose from her seat without thought and began to pace. It was difficult to maneuver in the confines of the small parlor, but she found the s.p.a.ce in front of the fireplace to be adequate.
Connor set his drink aside and cleared his throat. aAdelaidea"a She silenced him with an impatient shake of her head. She wanted the quiet to think. There was so much to absorb and consider. Too much. And why the devil did she have to do either? Even if Connoras story were truea"and she wasnat altogether convinced that it wasa"shead not been the one to toss him to a press-gang. Lord knew, she didnat have his lost inheritance.
She stopped and faced him. aMr. Brice, I am sorry for . . . any unpleasantness you may have endured, and I am equally sorry that you and your brother should be so at odds, but this . . . none of this has anything to do with me.a aUnpleasantness,a he repeated softly. aDo you have any idea what life is like for an impressed sailor? What it was like for a fifteen-year-old boy?a aNo, howevera"a aA h.e.l.l beyond your reckoning. It took me nearly a year to escape. Months more of sleeping in the gutters of Boston before I had a permanent roof over my head, and more than a decade before I ama.s.sed the wealth I needed to return to Scotland. Iave waited half my life for my revenge.a aRevenge. You . . . All of this . . . I am your revenge?a He stood up, slowly, and walked to her, a smiling golden devil. aYou are a prize, sweet. But not the prize. Iave a long list of treats in store for my brother.a He brushed the backs of his fingers along her jaw. aYouare but the first order of business.a Her fingers curled into her palms at the callous words. She wanted to slap him. Never before had she been tempted to raise her hand to another human being. But, oh, how she wanted to now.
aYou . . . selfish . . . arrogant . . .a ab.a.s.t.a.r.d?a he offered.
aLiar,a she bit off. aI donat believe a word, not one word of your story.a aYouave had more truth from me today than you would in a lifetime with Sir Robert.a He bent his head and softly asked, aWould you like to know who owns your brotheras final debt?a aWhat has that to do with . . . ?a The insinuation seeped in slowly, like a thick poison into her blood. aAnother lie,a she whispered, but there was little conviction behind it.
aAsk him. Wolfgangas not half bad at keeping a secret, but he makes for a poor liar.a She shook her head, rejecting his words, even as she demanded, aTell me what youave heard.a aItas for Wolfgang to tell you.a He straightened with a small shrug. aYouall not believe it from me anyway.a Because he was right, and she detested that he should be right, she changed the subject. aYouad no right, no right to drag me and my family into an ugly feud with your brother.a aNo, I didnat,a he agreed easily. aAnd yet, it was the right thing to do.a She tried to speak through her fury but managed only a strangled sound in the back of her throat.
Connor had no trouble expressing himself. aBe reasonable, Adelaide,a he cajoled. aBetter yet, be unreasonable. Marry me and enact your own revenge. Iave a fortune you can squander, homes you can burn to the grounda"a aThen where would I put my second family?a She spat. She was shocked at her own words. Shocked, and pleased.
His lips tucked down in a thoughtful frown. aIam afraid I have to insist on fidelity.a aYou humiliated me,a she ground out.
His gaze skittered away for a split second before returning to hers. It was the smallest of movements, the stingiest hint of discomfort, but it was something. It was enough. She felt a burgeoning sense of power, of righteousness, of pure spleen.
aYou humiliated my family. You tore my name to shreds and show not the slightest hint of shame now to be holding the remnants of it ransom. Do you think I care one jot for your insistence? Youall pay for what youave done. Youall pay dearly. And the punishment will be of my choosing.a He c.o.c.ked his head at her. aIs that a yes?a The sound that emerged from her throat was too strangled to pa.s.s for a true snarl. Out of insults, she s.n.a.t.c.hed up her cloak, spun on her heel, and headed for the door.
aAdelaide.a His tone was soft and undemanding. The sudden change startled her into turning around.
He looked at her without smiling and spoke without humor. aHumiliating you was never my intention.a She absorbed that silently for a moment. aIs that an apology?a aIt is.a She didnat believe for a moment he was in earnest. The man changed his nature as if he were trying on a closet full of new coats. She didnat care for the cut of anything she saw at present.
She tipped her chin up and looked down the length of her nose. aHow n.o.ble of you. Let us see how sorry you are after Iam done with you.a Pleased with what she felt was a very fine parting shot, she spun about again to leave.
aYouave forgotten your shoes.a She stopped, felt the cool floor on her toes through her stockings, and grimaced. d.a.m.n and blast. She didnat remember even taking them off. Wiping her face void of any expression, she straightened her shoulders, turned about, again, and did her utmost to retain a regal appearance as she scanned the room for her misplaced footwear.
aFar side of the chair,a Connor said easily. aWhy did you take them off?a It was a habit she developed years ago to keep her penchant for pacing from wearing out soles faster than she could afford to have them replaced. But no force in heaven, earth, or h.e.l.l could have dragged that admission from her lips.
She crossed the room in silence instead, s.n.a.t.c.hed up her slippers, and began to pull them on where she stood.
aDid you walk all the way here in those?a It wasnat necessary to look at him to know he was scowling. She could hear it in his voice. She remained stubbornly silent, determined to be done, absolutely finished, conversing with the man.
aIall take you back in my carriage,a he decided.
Apparently, she wasnat finished. aNo.a aIall saddle a horse for youa"a She didnat know how to ride. aNo.a aI canat allow you to walk abouta"a aAllow? You forget, Mr. Brice, you are not my husband.a aNot yet.a She gave him a withering stare. aDo you really believe I would choose you over Sir Robert? That I would cast aside the affections of a perfecta"a aCoward?a It only added to her anger that the same word had crossed her mind. aGentleman. And bind myself to a man who wants me only as a means to render his brother miserable?a aSir Robert is miserable by nature. I would marry you to see him furious. He turns a glorious shade of purple.a aThis is a jest to you.a Disgusted, she marched out of the room.
Connor followed. aOn the contrary, I take my revenge quite seriously. You ought to consider doing the same.a He stepped in front of her and grinned. aMarry me, Adelaide. Render my life a living h.e.l.l.a She shoved him aside, threw open the front door, and strode out.
The moment Adelaide disappeared, Connor let his smile fall. He retrieved a pair of pistols from the drawer of a small side table, then walked to the door that connected the parlor to a study. With a quick tug of the handle, he swung the door open. Gregory and Michael tumbled in from the other room, a stumbling ma.s.s of arms and legs. Connor took hold of the older man and let Michael fend for himself.
Michael caught himself on the windowsill, narrowly avoiding rapping his head against the gla.s.s pane. ad.a.m.n it, boy. Might give a man warning.a aA man might have better things to do than eavesdrop like an old hen.a Connor let go of Gregory and held the pistols out. aTake these. Follow her back.a No one with a pair of eyes and an ounce of sense would mistake them for a pair of highwaymen. But two finer shots were not to be found in all of Scotland.
aNo call for being short,a Michael grumbled.
aWere you thinking wead have let our la.s.s walk home alone? On our way out the study door, we were.a Gregory shook his head and took off across the room.
Michael caught up to him, grumbling. aFirst heas gone soft, now heas touchy as a teething babe.a aSure and he is, on account of being sorry for bungling this business with the la.s.s.a Connor rolled his eyesa"teething babe, indeeda"and resumed his seat as the front door opened and closed. Despite the belated apology to Adelaide, he wasnat all that sorry. He regretted shead been hurt, but a compromising was a small slight compared to what she would have to contend with in a marriage to Sir Robert.
In this case, the end justified the means. Even when the means involved infuriating Adelaide. In fact, head rather liked infuriating Adelaide. She was magnificent in her anger, an absolute pleasure to watch as those soft brown eyes turned molten with fury.
Connor rolled a knot out of his shoulders. It was possible head enjoyed the sight a hair too much. He hadnat intended to, but it had p.r.i.c.ked at him to hear her make excuses for Sir Robert while she berated him. Even worse had been seeing the line of strain across her brow when head opened the door.
And so head poked at her for his own pleasure and because it was easier to see her anger than her fear. Undoubtedly, it would have been easier in the short term if he had soothed her temper with honeyed words.
There were a thousand easy lies that may, or may not, have served to appease her now . . . but would most certainly have enraged her later.
Adelaide was generous, and far too trusting for her own good, but she wasnat a fool. She might succ.u.mb to fine speeches and false flattery for a moment, but only for a moment. In the end, she was a woman who preferred an ugly reality to an attractive lie.
Let Sir Robert fill her ears with saccharine venom and see what good it did him. For that matter, let Sir Robert fill her ears with the truth and see what good that did him. It b.l.o.o.d.y well didnat matter what Sir Robert said now. After she spoke with her brother, the matter would be settled. Adelaide would become Mrs. Connor Brice.
She would be his. At last.
Suddenly restless, Connor rose and wandered into the study. There was a small wooden carving sitting on the deska"the perfect likeness of Adelaide as head known her through the bars of his cell window, with a child in her arms and the light of determination and courage on her face. Gregory had fashioned it out of oak with a small knife head paid a guard to smuggle in. Gregory had made a good half dozen carvings in prison and pa.s.sed them off to Freddie to sell with the pretense that theyad needed the money. In truth, Gregory had been taken with Freddie and liked listening to the pretty la.s.s exclaim over his skill.
So Freddie had sold the carving in the nearby village of Enscrum, and Connor had paid a guard to bring it back, with an extra coin to be certain the pretty la.s.s remained none the wiser. In truth, theyad all been a little taken with Freddie.
Connor picked the carving up and turned it over in his hands. aTakena did not begin to describe his reaction the first time head seen Adelaide.