by Dawn Brower
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Graystone asked, not for the first time. “I made it clear she’s my family, and I protect what’s mine.”
Ezra felt the same. “She didn’t want to tell me.” He sighed. “And if not for the incident at the Serpentine, I doubt she ever would have told anyone. She was deeply ashamed.”
“It wasn’t her fault,” Graystone said harshly. “That bastard never should have touched her.”
“You do realize if this gets out the scandal might very well ruin her,” Fox said. “Have you any contingencies in place to protect her?”
Graystone laid his head against the back of the carriage and sighed. “This is going to hurt Billie too. She loves her sister…and the twins. It might ruin their chances at finding a good match.”
“You don’t need to fret too much over Lady Christiana…that harpy won’t find a man willing to take her on, even without a scandal,” Fox drawled. “Lady Carolina might if her twin doesn’t prevent it somehow.”
Graystone glared at Fox. “You hate her. That does not mean every man will.”
“Perhaps not,” Fox conceded. “But I doubt a man alive exists that can withstand her, uh, vibrant personality.” He seemed to consider the last word carefully. Upsetting Graystone further with his current volatile mood would be a bad idea, and Fox apparently was taking a more diplomatic approach for the moment. “She’ll either browbeat any gentleman who dares to court her or drive the poor sap to the brink of insanity. I’d keep her at that finishing school indefinitely to avoid the inevitable…spinsterhood.”
Sheffield chuckled. “You have quite strong feelings on the matter, Fox. Perhaps you are waiting for her to grow up enough to step in and marry her yourself.”
“Bite your tongue,” he said vehemently. “I’m never marrying, and even if I were so inclined…it wouldn’t be to that hellion. I like having all my faculties in working order, thank you very much.”
Their bickering served one purpose, and only one. It distracted them all for the rest of the journey to Lord Eaton’s home. When the carriage came to a stop outside the fine London townhouse, they all quieted. Graystone cleared his throat. “Are we ready for this?”
“Promise me one thing,” Ezra said.
“Anything,” they said in unison.
He smiled. Ezra had the best friends. “Stop me if it looks like I might actually kill him. Death is too good for him. I want him on a ship bound for Australia. He should be with other criminals and forced to do hard labor for the rest of his miserable days.”
They all nodded in agreement. “Lead the way,” Graystone told him. “We’ll be right behind you.”
Ezra pushed open the carriage door and stepped out. The others followed behind him as he headed to the entrance and knocked. He didn’t need to check to ensure they were there. The three gentlemen with him could always be depended on, and if they said they’d follow him, they would.
The door swung open, and an older man stood there. He wore the baron’s livery so he was definitely one of the servants, probably the butler. “May I help you.”
“I need to see Lord Eaton immediately,” Ezra ordered.
The servant looked past Ezra to the other three men. “I’m afraid Lord Eaton is not entertaining guests this evening. I must ask you to return tomorrow.”
“He’ll see me,” Ezra said harshly. “My uncle always has time for me.” He sneered at the butler. “Now move out of my way, or I’ll move you myself.”
The butler shook a little as he stepped aside to allow the four of them to enter the townhouse. After they were all inside, Sheffield shut the door. “We wouldn’t want any ruffians to enter now, would we?”
Ezra shook his head. “No, that would be terrible.” He spoke in an acerbic tone. He turned to the butler. “Where is he?”
“In…in the library.” He stumbled over the words. “Do you want me to announce you?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Graystone said. “We can show ourselves in. It’ll be a surprise.”
Ezra almost chuckled and said it wouldn’t be a good one either. The butler was already terrified though. Instead, he headed to the library. He hadn’t been to the baron’s townhouse often, but he’d been there enough to know where to locate his uncle. The others followed behind him. When Ezra reached the library he didn’t bother to knock. He opened the door and entered unceremoniously. “Hello, uncle…”
Lord Eaton glanced up. “What are you doing here?” He had the intelligence to actually look frightened. “You need to leave.”
“I will,” he told him. “When I’m finished.” He crossed the room and stood in front of his uncle. “We have a few things to discuss first.” Ezra gestured toward his friends for them to join him. “You caused great harm to the Duke of Graystone’s sister by marriage.” He glared at him. “The woman I intend to make my wife. That grievous harm must be answered for.”
“I didn’t…” Lord Eaton glanced from Ezra to Graystone. “It’s all lies.”
Graystone lifted a brow. “Which part?” He moved so he stood next to Ezra. “Where you tried to force yourself on her?” The duke reached out and grabbed Lord Eaton’s cravat and yanked him upward. “Or was it where you tried to abduct her?” He shook him and then dropped him so he landed on the ground with a loud thud. “Or was it when you pushed her into the Serpentine where she nearly drowned. Tell me the truth, and maybe I’ll let you live.”
Ezra held his hand out and stopped Graystone from moving forward. “I thought you were going to let me beat him bloody?”
Graystone flashed him a wicked grin. “I changed my mind. If you’re going to marry Teddy you need to keep yourself free from any visible wounds.” He nodded toward Lord Eaton. “I, however, can take a blow and explain it away.”
Sheffield cleared his throat. “Your wife would mind.”
“Keep your musings to yourself,” Graystone warned. “Billie won’t say a word. She’ll understand.”
“She won’t,” Fox said. “But do carry on. Sheffield and I will bear witness to his punishment. The magistrate might need a full accounting. Especially if we have a dead man to explain.”
Lord Eaton scurried across the floor to put some distance between himself and Graystone. He thought the duke was the real threat. His assessment was wrong. Graystone was attempting to protect Ezra, but he needn’t. Ezra was eerily calm and understood what needed to be done.
“Admit what you did,” Ezra said evenly. “Unless you’d rather die.”
His uncle glanced at each man and then returned to meet Ezra’s gaze. “You promise you won’t let him kill me?”
The smile that formed on Ezra’s face should’ve terrified Lord Eaton, and perhaps it did. His uncle’s face lost all color. “I won’t let him kill you.” His gaze didn’t waver as he said, “If you don’t confess, I’ll be the one to end your life.” He folded his arms over his chest. “And uncle…it won’t be a fast death. Don’t force my hand.”
“I…did it…” Lord Eaton said.
“Did what, exactly?” Graystone encouraged him.
“Everything you said,” Lord Eaton told him. “I attacked the girl, and I pushed her into the lake. I did it all.”
The magistrate walked casually into the room. “That makes this easy,” he said and grinned. “And it looks as if I arrived in time. The butler let me in.” He turned to Graystone. “How do you wish to handle this, Your Grace?”
“Burlington,” Graystone greeted the magistrate. “Glad you received my missive.” He gestured toward Lord Eaton. “Send him to Australia and never allow him to return.”
“I’ll see him put on the ship myself.” The magistrate nodded. “My man will help me take him in. If you need anything else…”
“No,” Ezra interrupted. “As long as he can never return to England, the rest doesn’t matter.” Part of him wished he had taken the time to beat his uncle bloody. It wouldn’t have helped the situation though. This was the best solution.
“What is going on
in here?” a woman asked.
Ezra turned and frowned. “Hello, Mother.” She was wearing a gown the tone of a rich sapphire trimmed with elegant white lace. Her gray streaked dark hair was styled in an intricate chignon, and her brown eyes were filled with anger directed at him. “I thought you didn’t want to return to town unless you could stay at Carrolton house.”
“I changed my mind.” She held her chin high. “Why are you here?”
He did not believe she deserved and explanation, but thought it might be entertaining to inform her on this one occasion. She would have to realize Eaton was not someone she could depend on for much longer. “Your brother has committed atrocious crimes. He’s being arrested.”
“Eaton…” She turned to him. “That can’t be true. You wouldn’t leave me alone…”
Ezra had always thought his mother’s relationship with her brother odd. She depended on him too much. “Do not stand in their way, Mother.”
“If you allow this to happen I’ll never speak to you again.” She nearly spat out the words. Vehemence was both in her tone and the look she flashed him. “I promise, I won’t.”
“If you were the type to keep a promise you’ve made, that declaration would make me intensely happy.” He glowered at her. “But considering how often you break them, I won’t hold my breath. I, however, do keep mine. So hear this and take it to heart: You, Mother dear, henceforth are dead to me. Whatever funds you have left from your inheritance is all you’ll receive. Never ask me for anything again.”
While they were speaking, the magistrate and his assistant took Lord Eaton out of the room. Ezra’s mother burst into tears. He didn’t spare her a second glance. Once the tears might have guilted him into changing his mind, but she had let him down too many times for them to work any longer, and he was doing what was best for his sister and Teddy. It might be harsh, but he had to be or she’d take advantage of him, or worse, Amelia. Instead, he turned to his friends. “I do believe our task is done. Would you like to join me at the club? I need a drink, and I also need to speak with Graystone about marrying Teddy.”
“I’m in,” Fox said. “I’m always ready for a night of drinking. I don’t suppose I can convince you to forget about this marriage idea you have?”
“No,” Ezra said.
“Let it go,” Sheffield told Fox. “The man’s in love.”
Graystone chuckled. “And a man in love is quite unreasonable, as you know.”
“Tell me about it…” Fox grumbled.
They exited the house without any fuss. There was only one thing Ezra had left to do: ask Teddy to marry him.
Ezra had sent a note to her, apologizing. He had intended to call on her, but matters he claimed to be unforeseeable kept him away. Teddy crumpled the note up and tossed it on her desk. She had been anticipating his visit all day, and when he hadn’t shown, her heart filled with disappointment.
“Teddy,” Billie called out.
“In here,” she answered.
“Ah,” Billie said as she entered her bedchamber. “Good. You’re ready to depart.”
“Depart?”
“To the dinner party with Lady Amelia and Lord Carrolton,” Billie reminded her. “If you’re not dressed for dinner, why are you so…” She waved her hand over Teddy’s attire. “You know…done up.”
She’d dressed with care because Ezra was supposed to call upon her. Teddy couldn’t tell her sister that. “I assumed we would have some sort of engagement. I’ve not been able to recall what we are doing from one day to the next.”
“Oh.” Billie frowned. “Well, we need to depart. Zachary is already there and asked us to come by early. He sent a note.”
Teddy was confused but kept her thoughts to herself. She didn’t want to have dinner at Carrolton House. It appeared that it didn’t matter what she did want though. If it did, then Ezra would have paid a call on her, and then she could confess her feelings. She probably wouldn’t have a moment alone with him to do either of those things at Carrolton House.
“All right,” Teddy said. “If we must leave now, we might as well start. Are we walking?”
Billie nodded. “Yes,” she told her. “It’s not far, and Zachary will be with us to escort us home at the end of the evening.”
Good. A walk might help calm her before they arrived. She’d been on edge since the previous night. That kiss…it had been all she could think about. Ezra hadn’t told her he loved her, but she believed he did. Now she needed to hear the words, and say them in return. It was a bit odd to realize she was so willing to set aside her previous beliefs on love and marriage, but if she were to be honest with herself, she always considered Ezra the one man she would want to tie herself to. She just hadn’t fully believed in that possibility and had been preparing herself for a life without him.
Teddy followed Billie down the stairs where they put their bonnets on and headed outside. She didn’t say anything as they walked, and neither did Billie. Teddy was grateful for the silence. Her thoughts were so jumbled she didn’t believe she could have a proper conversation.
When they reached Carrolton House, Billie knocked. They waited for the door to open. A man with dark hair and gray on the sides greeted them. “Your Grace, my lady, please come in.”
They entered the foyer, and the butler turned to them and said, “Your Grace, the duke wishes for you to meet with him in the sitting room.”
“Wonderful,” Billie said. “Is Lady Amelia there as well?”
“Not yet, Your Grace, but she should arrive shortly.”
He turned to Teddy and said, “My lady, Lord Carrolton wishes to speak with you in private.”
“He does?” Billie lifted a brow. “That’s not…”
Teddy put her hand over Billie’s mouth. Billie glared at her and she’d retaliate later, but Teddy didn’t much care at the moment. She wanted to see Ezra and she would not let Billie prevent that. “That sounds lovely. Ignore my sister. She can be overprotective. Please take her to her husband, and then, if you’ll show me to Lord Carrolton.”
It didn’t take long for the butler to return and escort her to Ezra. He was in a library. There were so many books that she was momentarily stunned. She could get lost in them all so easily.
“Thank you, Brand,” Ezra said. “We won’t be long. Please tell our guests we’ll join them in the sitting room shortly.”
“Yes, my lord.” Brand said and then left them alone.
“You didn’t come to see me,” she said softly.
“I know,” he said apologetically. “I wanted to.”
She stared at her feet, unsure what to say next. This was quite awkward. How did one tell a man she loved him and wanted more than a few kisses.
“Teddy,” he began. “Look at me.”
She lifted her head and met his gaze. “Why did you wish to speak to me in private?”
He smiled and her heart soared. There was something about this man that made her entire being come alive. “For a few reasons,” he told her and crossed over to her. Ezra cupped her cheek. “I wanted to touch you, kiss you, and hold you without recriminations.”
“And?”
“Is that not enough?” He lifted a brow. She shook her head. “You’re right. It isn’t. I think it’s time we quit fighting what is between us.”
“What do you believe is there?” Her lips twitched. “I do not see anything that would deter you or me.”
“Teddy love,” he began. “I do adore you.”
“I am rather fond of you myself.” She told him. “But that doesn’t answer my question.”
He chuckled. “I love that about you. No matter what I say or do, you don’t let it stop you from speaking your mind. Our days together will never be dull.” Ezra picked up her hand and lifted it to his mouth, then placed a kiss there. “This courtship, if you can call it that, was fast and unconventional. Through it all, I know one thing with certainty. I love you, and there is no other woman I want as my wife. If you’ll have me…”
&n
bsp; “Are you asking me or telling me?” Her heart raced inside her chest. Was this really happening? It almost seemed too good to be true. She tilted her head to the side. “That wasn’t much of a question. If I’ll have you…do you expect I’d say no?”
“You did tell me once that marriage is for fools.” He almost sounded as nervous as she felt…
Teddy couldn’t recall exactly what she had said to him. That conversation seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had happened to her, to them, and all she wanted was to move forward.
“I may have said something like that.” She frowned. “I suppose we are both fools then because I do want to be your wife. I didn’t want to marry because it is difficult for me to trust…with reason.”
“Understandable,” he agreed.
Her relationship with her father, and how it had led Lord Eaton to attack her… That would always haunt her. Now though, she could finally let that part of her life go. “My past needs to stay where it belongs. I want to look to the future…with you.” She took a deep breath. “I love you.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I love you too, and I’m so glad you finally agreed to be mine.”
She smiled. “As long as you understand you are mine in return. I will not share you with anyone else.”
After eavesdropping on his conversation with that widow in the garden, she’d been so jealous she couldn’t think straight. She hadn’t wanted to admit that to him before, and probably wouldn’t now. That didn’t mean she couldn’t make her wishes known from the start.
“There’s no other woman for me. You’re in my heart, and I never want to let you go.”
“Good.” She told him. “Now kiss me while we have a chance. My sister isn’t going to leave us alone for long.”
Ezra did as she ordered and placed his lips on hers. It was as magical and everything she wanted from a kiss from the man she adored beyond all reason. Teddy had fallen in love. Something she had vowed never to do, but she was glad she’d broken it. Ezra’s love was worth every risk she had to take…