He swept her to a chair and poured her some wine. ‘You’re certainly entitled to something, probably a handsome something, whether from dower or as income from whatever jointure might have been established in your late husband’s will. That is the good news. The bad news, although, is that if it involves dower, the local sheriff’s court must oversee the administration. It’s very possible a local man could be too intimidated to vigorously pursue his duty, if the Duke or his representatives resist the process at every turn.’
‘As he certainly would. But I’m not so much concerned about jointures or dower. What about James?’
‘The legality in that case is less clear.’ Alastair paused, recalling the gloating expression on the Duke’s face. ‘I now fully understand and support your intention not to let the current Duke of Graveston gain control over your son.’
Diana gave a grimace of distaste. ‘Has he already made himself so infamous that even your solicitor knows of him?’
She must have seen something in his face, for without giving him time to respond, she cried, ‘Oh, Alastair—you didn’t seek him out, did you? Tell me you did not!’
There seemed no point hiding it. ‘I called on him at Graveston Court,’ he admitted. ‘I have to confess, I thought you were exaggerating the vengefulness of his character, but after talking with him myself, I’m forced to concede you were not.’
She sprang up and took an agitated turn about the room before halting abruptly before him. ‘I should never have confided in you! Don’t you see? Not just James is at risk now—you’ve placed yourself in harm’s way as well!’
All too aware that he had been threatened, he said, ‘I doubt there is much Graveston can do to me. But I fear I have complicated matters.’
She shook her head. ‘You’d better tell me the whole.’
She seated herself again and remained silent through his recitation: the aggravating discourtesy of being made to wait, the Duke’s sly baiting, his disparaging words about Diana, his demand that James be returned to Graveston Court, his certainty that Chancery would uphold his request for guardianship. Finally, reluctantly, he revealed the Duke’s infamous design to have her brought up on murder charges.
Though her eyes widened at the mention of murder, she said nothing until he revealed the Duke had threatened to involve him, too, as a motive for the crime, unless he ceased to support her.
‘Infamous!’ she exclaimed. ‘And how very like him!’
‘Infamous indeed, but I must say, after repeating it to you here in prosaic candlelight, I find it difficult to credit. Making ungrounded accusations is a serious matter that could severely damage his own reputation. More probably, it was the ranting of the boy who never outgrew his rancour towards you for displacing his mother. He’s a grown man now. When, in the coolness of reason, he considers the repercussions of making such accusations, I cannot see any rational man moving forward with such a project, nor any solicitor or adviser agreeing to assist—’
‘You are wrong,’ Diana interrupted, clutching his hand. ‘Blankford is quite capable of moving forward in defiance of all reason, equally capable of doing whatever is necessary to discredit and destroy anyone who gets in the way. Only remember whose son he is!’
Tossing down his hand, she took another agitated turn about the room. ‘How gleeful he must be at how cleverly we’ve played into his hands!’ she said bitterly, turning back to face him. ‘Had I withdrawn and lived quietly at the Dower House after Graveston’s death, it would have been more difficult to hurl such accusations, though I suspect in his hatred, he would have done so anyway. But now—a widow fleeing her home to take up with an old lover with her late husband’s body hardly settled in its grave—the bare facts of which we cannot deny? Only think how London’s penny broadsides will love it!’
‘It does look bad,’ he had to admit. ‘But I’ve no intention of abandoning you, so you needn’t fear that.’
‘On the contrary, that’s exactly what you must do.’
Her reply was so unexpected, for a moment he thought he couldn’t have heard her correctly. ‘You think I should abandon you?’
She nodded. ‘I learned long ago to take the Duke’s threats seriously. My husband would have destroyed you then; the son will destroy you now, if you don’t walk away. Even if he can’t manufacture enough witnesses to convince the assizes to bind me over for trial, only think of the scandal! “Former lover helps unfaithful wife murder her husband!” Imagine the scurrilous cartoons in the print shops! The embarrassment to your sister, to your mother, the stain on your family name. No, it’s unthinkable. You must sever all relations with me at once.’
Nodding to herself in final conviction, she backed away, as if preparing to leave.
‘Wait a minute!’ he exclaimed, jumping up to catch her hand again. ‘Have I no say in this? Have you so little confidence in my abilities—this time, too?’
‘You don’t understand what you’re facing. He will stop at nothing to obtain what he wants, just like his father!’
‘No, I don’t know what I’m facing,’ he snapped back, anger over that long-ago episode resurfacing. ‘You never told me, just made the decision for both of us. I understand the threat to your father was serious enough to prompt you to action, but I don’t understand why you didn’t trust me to help. I was no paragon, but I’d done nothing that could have given Graveston cause to ruin me. I can’t imagine how he convinced you otherwise.’
‘Can you not?’ When he gave a derisive shake of the head, she sighed. ‘Very well. Even now, it’s difficult for me to utter the words, but I suppose you have a right to know what Graveston had designed for you.’
Seating herself beside him, she said quietly, ‘At that time, you were not yet known as a valiant soldier, the hero of many battles, but had instead built quite a reputation as poet. You’re surely aware it’s often whispered that poets are...unmanly. Graveston warned if I told you anything of what he planned, he’d produce witnesses to testify that you’d forced them into...unnatural congress. Can you only imagine how such an accusation would have humiliated your family and destroyed your reputation, even if he couldn’t produce enough witnesses to make the charges stick? And if he could—sodomy is a capital crime! You would have been forced to flee England. I couldn’t risk it.’
Astounded, Alastair could think of nothing to say. He’d considered a few minor debts, some petty pranks played at university that might have been held against him. But nothing of that magnitude. ‘That’s...unbelievable.’
‘Believe it. And believe the son just as capable of carrying out his threats as his father. Please, Alastair! What good is the sacrifice I made all those years ago, if I bring down destruction upon you now? Blankford would do it. And enjoy doing it.’
Recovering his wits, he countered, ‘So, having persuaded you into an affair and gifted your persecutor with more ammunition to blast your character before a Court of Chancery, you expect me to slink away and leave you to suffer the consequences alone? What a fine fellow you must think me!’
‘You are a fine fellow. I want your reputation to remain unblemished in the eyes of the world. I’m not prepared to let a venal man destroy your good name because of his vendetta against me.’
‘It seems we are at an impasse, then, because I’m not prepared to let the threats of a venal man chase me away, so he may harass with impunity a woman already once victimised by his family. Besides, have you anyone else who could help you keep your son from his clutches?’
At once, the fire faded from her eyes. ‘No,’ she said in a small voice. ‘Papa was an only son, as you know. All his near relations are dead, and the earldom to which his family is connected passed some years ago to a distant cousin I’ve never met. But if it comes to disaster, I do have a plan.’
‘Running away again?’ he guessed. ‘Living the rest of your life looking over your shoulder?
No, Diana. It’s past time for confronting a bully and calling his dare.’
She shook her head wonderingly, tears pooling in her eyes. ‘My brave, honourable, foolish Alastair. What can you do against the power of a duke?’
It pierced his heart to see her in such anguish—and hardened his resolve that this time, whatever was required, this Duke of Graveston would not have his way. This time, Diana would be freed of his menace, able to live her own life—whether she chose to keep him in it or not.
He pulled her into his arms, and to his immense satisfaction, she clung to him. ‘Never underestimate the ingenuity of a rogue,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘I must go make peace with my sister, but I’ll return later tonight, to plan what we should do next. Will you wait here for me?’
For a moment, she looked hesitant. As his mind scurried about, hunting up more arguments to persuade her, she nodded.
‘Very well, I’ll wait. If only so I can convince you tonight we must part for good.’
‘You’ll never convince me of that,’ he said, giving her a kiss. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
And with that, he paced from the room, leaving her staring pensively after him.
Chapter Thirteen
Alastair hoped to catch his sister at home, preparing for dinner and whatever entertainment she’d chosen to attend that night. To his relief, Simms informed him as he took Alastair’s hat and cane that his mistress was still at her toilette.
Alastair went immediately to his sister’s room and rapped at the door. ‘Jane, it’s Alastair. May I come in and have a word before you head off to dinner?’
A moment later, his sister’s maid opened the door. ‘Please do come in, Alastair,’ Jane called from her seat at her dressing table, where she was latching a necklace of pearls and diamonds about her neck. ‘That will be all, Waters. I’ll ring for you when I return; I shan’t be late tonight.’
After the maid curtsied and went out, Alastair walked to his sister. ‘I owe you an apology, Jane. I’ve neglected you dreadfully.’
She turned towards him as he approached, but when he bent to kiss her cheek, she gave him a roundhouse jab to the ribs. ‘Oh, Alastair, how could you?’ she exclaimed, and burst into tears.
‘Damn and blast!’ he muttered, certain he knew the cause of her distress. For all his attempts at discretion, he might just have well have had the town crier stroll the streets, proclaiming the affair.
Still cursing silently, he held her at arm’s length as, weeping, she tried to pummel him with her fists. ‘Merciful heavens, Jane, get hold of yourself!’
Prevented from striking any further blows, she soon subsided. Pushing him away, she looked up at him accusingly, her lashes glistening with tears.
‘I couldn’t believe it when Hetty Greenlow whispered that you’d leased a house in Green Park Buildings. There could be only one reason for that. Oh, Alastair, how could you let yourself be drawn back into that evil woman’s web?’
‘Am I permitted to speak before you’ve condemned me utterly?’
‘Say what you will. There’s nothing that could reconcile me to the disaster of a renewed association with That Woman.’
‘The circumstances surrounding Diana’s marriage were more complicated than any of us could have imagined. I’d ask you to withhold any further judgement until I’ve acquainted you with the facts.’
And so he related the story Diana had told him of the Duke’s machinations, her submission to them, something of the hardship of her life as the wife of a violent, controlling man, and her difficulties now with the new Duke, who wanted to deny her dower and take away her son. Jane sat stone-faced throughout.
‘I don’t blame you for being sceptical,’ he coaxed. ‘I didn’t believe the story myself, at first. But as I’ve learned more, I’ve come to realise that she truly was coerced into the marriage to protect her father.’ With his sister’s expression still so sceptical, he left out the fantastical threat the former Duke had made against him, as well as the current Duke’s threat, if he were to support Diana against him.
‘She may have convinced you to believe that fairy tale, but I don’t,’ Jane said with a sniff. ‘The only pressure upon her was her desire to be a duchess, and when she’d landed her prize, she broke your heart without a qualm. She deserves whatever she gets! And if, in her scheming, she wasn’t clever enough to secure her financial future after her husband’s death, that’s her own fault. Hasn’t she injured you enough? I cannot believe you would let her draw you into a tawdry fight over guardianship and dower! Her well-being and that of any offspring ceased to be of any importance to you the day she severed your engagement in front of half of London.’
‘Jane, you can’t believe I could, with honour, stand by and let any woman be bullied, threatened, and dispossessed.’
‘I could readily agree to it, if the woman involved is Diana.’
The mantel clock chimed. ‘Drat,’ she muttered, looking over at the timepiece. ‘I must leave at once, or I shall be late for dinner at the Weatherfords’.’
As she rose from the bench and went to the wardrobe for her wrap, Alastair said quietly, ‘Would you like me to leave?’
She halted and looked back over her shoulder. ‘No! No, I want you to stay here. Away from her. Far away from her.’ Her eyes glazing with tears again, her lip trembling, she said softly, ‘I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt again. And I’m terrified that the Dowager Duchess of Graveston still has the power to hurt you.’
He went over and drew her into a hug, which this time, she did not resist. ‘I don’t want to be hurt again either. I admit, there is still...something between us. However, whatever it is, whatever it might become, will have to wait until I’ve seen her protected from a family that has already treated her cruelly.’
‘Just...be careful, Alastair,’ Jane said, disengaging from his embrace. ‘Promise me you’ll be very cautious and very careful.’
‘I can certainly promise that,’ he said, before, smoothing her hair and catching up her shawl, Jane hurried from the room.
Alastair watched her go. Though sorry to have distressed his devoted sister, he was not about to be deterred from the course of action he’d already determined to be essential. Despite the danger that his involvement might draw him ever closer to Diana, a woman whose emotions he might never be able to touch, inviting a heartbreak that could decimate him.
Well, he’d not worry about that now. A small boy’s safety was far more important than the risk to his heart. Telling himself he’d try again later to persuade Jane, after she’d had time to take in all he’d told her, he walked out of the bedchamber.
In the hall, he encountered a delighted Robbie. Anxious as he was to return to Diana, there was nothing for it but to return to the nursery with his nephew for a quick session with his soldiers until the nursemaid bore the boy off to bed.
* * *
By the time Alastair was able to quit the townhouse on Royal Crescent, it was already late. Would Diana still be waiting for him? Or, thinking it too late, would she have given up on him and returned to Laura Place. Even worse, might she think she’d convinced him that abandoning her was the best course?
Driven by his anxiety to see Diana again, Alastair was too impatient to wait for a sedan chair, deciding instead to cover the distance on foot.
He was still disappointed that Diana had had the same reaction as Graveston, discounting his ability to successfully counter the power and influence of a duke. Much as he appreciated her desire to protect him, her fatalistic acceptance that the only way to do that was for him to abandon her made him worry she might take her son and flee before he had the chance to convince her otherwise.
* * *
When he skidded over the threshold to be told by Marston that the lady still awaited him in the parlour, the sense of relief left him lig
ht-headed.
After ordering refreshments, he went at once.
Diana looked up as he entered, then ran to him. From the fierceness of her hug and the bleakness in her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her, he suspected she’d only waited in order to bid him a final goodbye.
He’d just have to persuade her that wasn’t going to happen.
Marsden brought in wine and food. Not until after he’d coaxed her to sit and take some nourishment, did he finally return to the matter at hand.
‘Thank you for waiting for me. I’m still not convinced Graveston is foolish enough to proceed with his ridiculous vendetta, but it would be best for us to make plans in case he does.’
She gave him a sad smile. ‘I’ve already told you what we need to do. I would have returned to my lodgings when you went out, so I might begin my preparations—but I left you once without a word. This time, I wanted to give you at least the courtesy of a goodbye.’
‘I thought as much. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak before proceeding alone. First, although it may not mean as much to you as it does to me, I consider that my honour is at stake in this matter. It was, after all, my suggestion that we began this liaison. Of course, I had no idea that an affair which should have remained a private matter would end up furnishing the Duke with ammunition to use against you. But so it has proven. I couldn’t possibly abandon you to face the consequences alone and still call myself a gentleman—or a man.’
‘You should not consider this in any way touching on your honour,’ she countered.
‘Shouldn’t I? Were the circumstances reversed, and you had initiated something that caused me harm, would you walk away and do nothing to rectify the situation?’
She opened her lips—but remained silent, as he knew she would, for he had her there. ‘I hardly think so,’ he concluded. ‘Else you would never have made such an enormous sacrifice eight years ago. I appreciate your continuing desire to protect my name and reputation. But I’m no longer a callow youth just out of university. I own a lucrative estate, my uncle is an earl and I, too, have powerful friends. After surviving dozens of battles, I’ve also learned a little about confronting a treacherous enemy.’
The Rake to Rescue Her Page 13