That night!
While he and Trey stayed at the local inn waiting for sunset to arrive that evening, a letter had come from Diana. His heart had thumped wildly, hoping that she wanted to meet him and perhaps they could run away to Gretna Green. Her letter had stated she wanted to meet him, but at Henry’s Cliffs instead. She had exciting news to tell him.
“Tristan, this does not feel right,” Trey had repeated as they mounted their horses and rode toward the cliffs.
Dusk covered the sky in blue and purple colors with a slice of red mixed in. Tristan wanted to share this beautiful evening with the woman he loved. “Nonsense, Trey. I couldn’t very well meet her at her home. I believe she will be there waiting for me with her satchel packed and ready to leave for Gretna Green.”
“I pray you are correct, but I have an uneasy feeling about all of this.”
When they reached the cliffs, Tristan pulled his horse to a stop. Trey halted beside him. Shadows danced in the tall trees, most of the light from the sun had been removed.
“I’m telling you…something isn’t right,” Trey repeated in a low voice.
Tristan scanned the area and called out, “Diana? Where are you?” He dismounted and walked further.
The glade was peaceful and only the chirps were heard from crickets and an occasional hoot from an owl. The waterfall shooting down the cliffs crashed at the bottom as it hit the rocks.
“Tristan, don’t you feel it? The atmosphere is too…eerie.”
Apprehension washed over Tristan. “I agree, Brother. Something is not right. Diana would have been here by now.”
“I think we should leave. What if this was some kind of trap?”
Tristan glanced over his shoulder at arched his eyebrow at his brother. “Do you think Hollingsworth might have planned this and not Diana?”
“I do. Hollingsworth has never been trustworthy.”
“He hasn’t, but I’m not leaving.” Tristan scanned the area again through a narrowed gaze. “If he is here, then I’ll stay. Killing that man is the only way Diana and I can ever be together.”
“Are you aware what kind of hero you’d be?” Trey dismounted. “I can count at least ten men who would be glad to see the bloke dead.”
Moving further into the glade, Tristan kept his ears alert. If Hollingsworth and his second were here at all, they must have hidden their horses. Tristan took calculated steps toward the trees. “Hollingsworth? If you’re here, come out and show yourself. Or are you a coward who hides behind the trees?”
Deafening silence filled the air.
“I don’t feel right about this.” Trey shook his head. “Tristan, get back on your horse—”
The blast of a pistol pierced the air. Immediately, the impact of the bullet hitting Tristan in the back above his left shoulder brought him to his knees.
Trey shouted a curse, terror laced his voice.
Pain like no other burned through Tristan’s back as he fell face-down on the ground. Quickly the area soaked with sticky, blood. Dizziness assailed him, but he struggled to stand.
“Tristan, you’ve been shot,” Trey said as he pressed his hands to the core of the pain.
“I’m fine.” Tristan grumbled and shoved his brother away. He stood—unsteady—and glanced toward the area the shot had come from. “Come out and fight me like a real man, Hollingsworth!”
Two dark shadows by the nearest tree finally materialized into forms. The descending light from the sun touched them, and indeed one of them was Hollingsworth. Tristan didn’t care who the other man was because he focused his hatred on the redhead holding the smoking pistol.
“Is this the way you have made it through life? Shooting people in the back?” Tristan shook his head slowly, the dizziness becoming worse. “You have no right to call yourself a nobleman.”
Hollingsworth threw down his weapon and marched toward Tristan. “I loathe men like you. All of you think you’re better than the rest of us.”
“I am better. I don’t shoot people in the back. I face them like a real man.” The pain in Tristan’s back worsened, and numbness spread quickly through his arm. Still, if he had to fight this imbecile with his bare hands, he would. If only the dizziness wasn’t consuming his vision right now.
Hollingsworth tilted his head back and laughed harshly. “My dear Lord Tristan. If you knew your efforts were wasted, you would think differently.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Miss Baldwin.” He stopped mere feet away from Tristan and folded his arms. “Have you not asked yourself why her father was willing to marry her off so quickly?”
The pain was too great to think. He shook his head. “I can only assume you are blackmailing him in some way.”
“I paid off her father’s debts. Did she tell you that? Diana knew that I would send her father to prison if he tried to back out of our deal.”
Hollingsworth’s words were muffled in Tristan’s head, and slowly, he started piecing things together. “Diana knew I couldn’t stop you? She knew there wasn’t anything I could do to talk you out of marrying her?”
“Now you’re getting it, Worthington. And here all along, I thought you were the dim-witted brother.”
Tristan rubbed his forehead, the pain getting worse. In back of him, his brother was yelling at him to get back on the horse and leave, but all Tristan could do was stare in shock at Hollingsworth’s confession.
“And that’s not the best part,” Hollingsworth snickered.
At this point, Tristan didn’t really want to hear anymore, but the question came from his throat anyway, “What is the worst part?”
“Diana is now a ruined woman. Just this evening, I took my lusts out on her in her father’s barn and she was unwilling to stop me. I suspect she will be giving an heir in nine months.”
A loud curse rent the air mere seconds before Trey attacked Hollingsworth. Trey pounded his fists into Hollingsworth’s face, knocking the man to the ground.
Tristan wanted to join in, but as he took a step toward them, he swayed. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Hollingsworth’s second plowed into Tristan. He lost his footing and landed on the ground. The other man’s weak punches couldn’t harm a fly, but in Tristan’s deteriorating condition, he couldn’t fight them off. Finally, he kneed the man in the groin, giving Tristan the room to stand. The man screamed like a little girl as he knelt on the dewy grass, holding his crotch and rocking.
Glancing at Trey and Hollingsworth, Tristan realized they were closer to the edge of the cliffs than they had been a few moments ago. Tristan broke into a run—as well as he could with the world spinning around him—heading to help his brother.
Hollingsworth threw a punch, knocking Trey down. The redhead blackguard then searched the ground for his weapon. Tristan prayed for strength as he bent and planned to bump his head right into Hollingsworth’s chest.
Mere seconds before Tristan reached his target, Hollingsworth moved away. Suddenly, the ground beneath Tristan’s feet disappeared. Like a bullet, he sailed through the air, down…down toward the turbulent waves below.
Coldness surrounded Tristan. He couldn’t breathe. He whimpered and flayed his arms. They seemed weightless.
From out of nowhere a woman’s voice soothed him. Diana. She urged him to drink tea. Yet his mind still swam with darkness. Within minutes his body relaxed and his mind drifted to a closure.
* * * *
The next morning, Diana was up early and dressed quickly so she could check on Tristan. Late into the night she’d heard him whimpering, and rushed to see what had ailed him…then almost laughed to see him lying half on the couch.
Seeing him sitting…or lying there so helpless made her want to untie him, but instead she loosened his gag and gave him a sip of tea, urging him to drink. When he hadn’t awakened, she threw a blanket over him and left him tied to the chair. She could tell he was having a bad dream because of the way his forehead creased and the moans the came from his throat. Even his head mov
ed back and forth. After watching him a few minutes and realizing that he had calmed down, she had returned to bed.
She glanced at her clock…and uttered a loud curse. It was nearly afternoon. Oh, why did she sleep so long? Quickly, she pulled a beige day dress over her head and tied a copper ribbon around her waist, pulled her hair back in a coil, and then hurried down the stairs. The scent of bread hung in the air and made her stomach grumble. Tabitha must be up and making something to eat.
Instead of going to the kitchen, she decided to check on Tristan first. Would he be awake? Then again, if he was, she was certain he’d be making a lot of noise right now. Fortunately, he was in the same spot where she’d left him.
Taking careful steps toward him, she didn’t want to disturb his slumber. His eyes were closed, and his chin rested on his chest. The gag lay limp around his neck from when she’d removed it last night. She doubted he had rested any better than she had, being in such a cramped position, but although she’d lain on a nice soft bed, sleep hadn’t come and she tossed and turned fitfully all night. Knowing that Tristan was back in her life kept her more alert than she wanted to be.
“Oh, what am I going to do with you?” she mumbled. She had thought of no solution for their problem.
She glanced at the window. It wasn’t raining, and the sun was up. Still, as much as it had rained, the roads were probably very poor to travel on this afternoon. But if she untied Tristan, he would try to leave anyway…as stubborn as he was.
Walking toward the window, she tried once again to think of a way out of their mess. Keeping him tied up wasn’t a good thing, but what other choice did she have? She stopped and peered out on the muddy ground as she recalled his confusing words last night. Why did the insipid man act as if he didn’t know what she was talking about? She’d heard rumors that he’d lost some of his memory, but really…that was so far-fetched, she wasn’t sure if it was true or not since there were so many rumors going around about him lately.
“Uh…Diana? Could you help me, please?”
His scratchy voice pulled her from her thoughts and she swung around. His head was turned toward her, but his body hadn’t moved. “Lord Tristan, pray tell, what did you think to accomplish by moving to the sofa?” She walked toward him slowly.
“I was thinking to rest my head on something soft so that I could sleep.” He grimaced. “Now I’m rethinking that decision since it’s made my body that much more cramped.”
She grabbed the back of the chair and pushed him to an upright position. “There. Is that better?”
“Actually, no. I would be much better if you untied me.”
“I’m quite certain you would, but before I do, I need to ask you some questions.”
He blinked his sleepy eyes as if he was clearing his vision. When his gaze finally locked on hers, he nodded. “Good, because I have some questions to ask you as well, but before that, might I inquire how long you and Tabitha are planning to hold me here?”
She didn’t dare admit she had no plans…the right kind, anyway. But something in her heart encouraged her to just talk to him and try to work things out.
“I’m not quite certain, Lord Tristan. I haven’t been able to speak with Tabitha about it yet. Last night I’d considered keeping you only long enough to make you anxious, but now…” She shrugged. “I rather enjoy torturing you, so perhaps we shall keep you longer.”
“I do hope you will untie me before the torture begins. After all, your plan is already in affect, so even if I try to deny it, the damage will be done to my character. Why would I want to return home now anyway?”
She cocked her head, studying him. Was he playing another game? Then again, even if he did escape, his reputation would be ruined.
“Well,” she stepped closer to him, sliding her fingers up his arm. Hard muscles flexed noticeably. He’d definitely not been this strapping three years ago. “I suppose I could untie you, even if the idea of keeping you bound and helpless sounds more and more pleasing.”
He chuckled. “Oh, Diana, I never imagined your thoughts to be so wicked, especially from a recent widow.”
Embarrassment washed through her as heat rose in her face. “You don’t believe I could think of such cruel things to do to you?”
“Actually, now that you mention it, I suppose it’s not totally out of your character to be so vicious.”
She frowned, her heart dropping once again. Why did he continue to act as if he were the injured party? None of this made sense, and she was determined to get to the bottom of this.
* * * *
He couldn’t recall the last time his body ached so much. He needed release. And now! In his current frame of mind, he didn’t care what he had to do—or say—to make her release him. “Diana, if you will until me, I promise as a gentleman, not to run. I feel we need to talk about the past. That is the only way to understand each other.”
She tilted her head and studied him for several minutes before nodding. “Fine, I’ll untie you, but remember, Tabitha still has a pistol and won’t hesitate to use it.”
“I assure you there will be no need to use it on me.”
She moved beside him and started untying the ropes. Closing his eyes, he inhaled her intoxicating scent of lilacs. Memories washed through his head, reminding him what had really happened three years ago. He shook his head and snapped open his eyes. Definitely, they needed to talk.
Slowly, the blood flowed back into his hands and feet, and tingled with awareness. Since he was still close to the sofa, he hopped on the cushions. A sigh fell from his mouth, enjoying the softness. “Ah, I thank you, Diana.” He patted the empty space next to him. “Would you like to join me?”
“Not really.”
He shook his arms then his legs. “Diana, I have realized that you hate me for some reason, and I cannot fathom why. The reason I told you I won’t leave here is because I need to know why you feel this way about me. It hurts to know you think I’ve ruined your life.”
She snorted a laugh before quickly covering her mouth with her hand. Most well-bred women would have scolded Diana for doing this. It’s not proper they would have told her with their noses in the air. Yet he thought it adorable the way Diana did it—so natural. His heart melted. Perhaps there was still the old Diana inside this shell of a woman after all.
“Oh, my lord, you are humorous. I’m beginning to wonder if there was something in that tea Tabitha made last night that I’d given you to make you talk this way. I fear you are not thinking straight at all.” She shook her head. “I don’t think you ruined my life. I know. And there is nothing you can do to make up for my misery, I assure you.”
“First off, I’m in my right mind, and secondly—please call me Tristan. I recall a time when you were wrapped in my arms and whispered my name with much emotion it melted my heart.” He quickly snapped his mouth closed. Good grief! Why had he said that? He couldn’t bring up the past—not that part of their past, anyway.
She leaned back against the wall, folding her arms. Her gaze took on a seriousness he hadn’t expected. Her adorable green eyes moved over his face slowly then came to rest on his lips. Anxiousness pumped inside him, and memories resurfaced once again. This is not the time!
“Indeed there was a moment in my life I sighed your name with feeling, but not any longer. I’m content now, living the life of a widow—or hermit, if you want to refer to me as—only because it’s better than the ridicule I get when trying to associate with members of the ton. I’ve spent all these years with bitterness in my heart for what you’ve done, but now...” She released a deep breath. “Now I can live the rest of my life knowing you paid the price along with me for our actions those days at your mother’s weekend party.”
Her words still confused him. What about what she’d done to him? Why wasn’t she remembering that?
“I’m sorry if you think me evil or vindictive, but what’s done is done and there is no erasing what Tabitha did last night.”
“I don�
�t think you are evil or vindictive at all, Diana. Although bringing me down has brought great relief to you, I worry about what might happen if people found out you and your maid planned my kidnapping.”
“They won’t. Remember, Tabitha planned that all out before you climbed into the wrong coach. Nobody will think I had anything to do with forcing you here. They’ll think you came of your own free will. It’ll be your word against theirs.”
He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I’m worried about your reputation. What will this do to you?”
Her mouth stretched into a grin and she laughed. “Oh, Tristan. You have a short memory. I don’t have a reputation, remember. Nobody will care, and what has happened here won’t hurt or hinder me in any way. Polite Society might think I’m a little mad, but I can handle that.”
“Do you want people to know we have been together since last night? Is that your plan? Do you want people to think you have been my secret love interest for a few months as Tabitha’s missives have indicated?”
“I highly doubt anyone will think I’m involved at all.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “They will if they realized I have been here in your grandmother’s cottage.”
“Honestly, Tristan, I don’t think it will matter.” She chuckled softly. “Although it would be most humorous, would it not? You, carrying on with the woman you ruined all those years ago? The ton would certainly never expect that. You would have the older matrons fainting dead away.”
He couldn’t stop the smile stretching his lips. “I’m sure you’re correct. They wouldn’t expect this from me. In fact, I wonder if Lady Fairbourne won’t thank the good Lord she didn’t marry me after this.”
Diana tilted her head, her smiling slowly disappearing. “Do you love her, Tristan?”
The tenderness in her question twisted his heart. “You are the one who must not have a good memory. Have you forgotten I didn’t like her much back when you and I first met? That, my dear Diana, has not changed at all.”
“Why then did you want to marry her?” She moved to the sofa and sat next to him, her eyes wide with wonder.
The Sweetest Love (Sons of Worthington Series) Page 9