The Most to Lose

by Landon, Laura

  “I see you and Lady Amanda have been discussing politics again.”

  “The lady doesn’t discuss. She preaches. And criticizes. And insults. The arguments in the House will seem calm after the tumultuous time I’ve spent in the country.”

  Jonah shifted his focus to Celie. It was obvious she was as upset as her brother.

  “I assume, then, that you’re ready to depart.”

  Hadleigh pushed away from the mantel. “Yes. We were waiting for your arrival.”

  Jonah walked to the sofa and helped Celie to her feet, then assisted Lady Amanda. He escorted them to the foyer where they readied themselves for the several hours’ trip to London.

  He knew Celie intended to allow Lady Amanda and her brother to leave first so they would have a moment of privacy. He stayed with her on the veranda while her brother and Amanda walked down the steps.

  Before they reached the bottom, a bullet shot past them and slammed into one of the stone columns near where he stood.

  Hadleigh pushed Lady Amanda back up the stairs and toward the house, but before he could make his way up the steps, a second shot hit the bricks to his right. He halted halfway between Jonah and the gunman.

  “No one move,” Jonah said, then pushed Celie and Lady Amanda behind him.

  He looked to the side of the steps where a small, fragile-looking lady dressed in black mourning garb stood. Even though a dark netting covered her face, he knew immediately it was the Marchioness of Kendall. The blood in his veins ran ice cold.

  He should have realized the night of the assembly ball that grief had robbed Lady Kendall of her grasp on sanity, that she was the one who had fired at them when they’d arrived.

  He knew why she was here. He knew there would be no reasoning with her. She wanted someone to pay for her daughter’s death. And that someone was going to be him.

  Hadleigh stepped forward. “Lady Kendall? What a pleasure to see you.”

  “I’ve come to do what you promised you’d do, Your Grace. And have not.”

  She waved the gun in her hand, and Jonah attempted to push Lady Amanda and Celie closer to the house. He needed to protect them. He needed to protect Celie.

  Hadleigh held out his hand in an effort to intervene. “You don’t want to harm anyone, Lady Kendall. Why don’t you come inside and rest for a few minutes? We can have tea and—”

  “Liar!”

  The color left Hadleigh’s face. “Please, Lady Kendall. If you’ll come inside, you and I can talk about this. I’m sure you’ll feel better once you hear what I have to—”

  “No! You promised you’d make him pay for killing my Melisande. You promised you’d ruin him! You lied!”

  “I didn’t lie to you, Lady Kendall. Melisande’s death will be avenged. I promise you it will.”

  “No, it won’t. You’ve already forgotten her.” She waved the gun. “He killed her, and you promised on her grave you would ruin him!”

  “I will! It will happen!”

  “I thought you loved her. But you didn’t. No one loved her as I did.”

  “I did!”

  Hadleigh’s voice rang out with heartache and pain. The raw agony of his words shattered the quiet country air, as if Melisande’s death had occurred yesterday instead of three years ago.

  At that single moment, Jonah knew any indication that Hadleigh had recovered from Melisande’s death had been an act. He’d tolerated Jonah’s presence to give him a false sense of camaraderie. He’d given him a deceptive impression of goodwill so Jonah wouldn’t realize he had set a trap to ruin him. And Jonah had walked into it without hesitating.

  The unrestrained anger in Hadleigh’s voice told him what a fool he’d been. The hostile expression on Hadleigh’s face outlined the bitterness that still ate away at him three years after Melisande’s death.

  With those two words, Hadleigh revealed his plan for revenge.

  The plan was brilliant. As perfect as any plan he could have devised. And he’d used the one person Jonah would never suspect as the pawn to lure Jonah to his destruction.

  A pain more intense than the near-fatal wound he’d endured in the war sliced through his body, then lodged in his heart. He thought of the hurt Celie would endure. The betrayal. All at her brother’s hands.

  He inched back, praying she and Lady Amanda were close enough to get inside. But when Lady Kendall noticed him move, she lifted her hand and pointed her gun to where Celie stood.

  “Lady Kendall.” He lifted his hands in surrender and took a step toward her. “I’m the one you want. Let Hadleigh and the ladies go inside. You and I can—”

  Her laughter startled him. It wasn’t the humorous sound of someone enjoying a good joke or the easy sound of someone conversing with friends, but the demented cackle of an individual far beyond the fringes of sanity.

  “You think I want you, Lord Haywood? You think your death will make up for my Melisande’s death? No! I want you to live your life after you’ve lost someone who’s important to you.”

  “No!” Hadleigh’s bellow startled them all to silence. “No! You can’t mean this!”

  Lady Kendall lifted her hand and pointed the gun at the center of Hadleigh’s chest. “This is your fault, Hadleigh. If you would have kept your word, I wouldn’t be forced to take matters into my own hands.”

  “I haven’t gone back on my word. This is all part of the plan.”

  “Liar! You promised you’d exact revenge on Haywood for murdering my Melisande. You promised when he had the most to lose, you’d take it all! But what have you done! You’ve rewarded him for killing my Melisande! You welcomed him back into society! You paid his debts! Instead of taking anything away from him, you’re giving him your sister to be his wife!”

  “No! I’d never let him marry Cecelia. I would have stopped it before it came to that!”

  Jonah saw where this was going. Hadleigh’s words only confirmed what he already suspected. Hadleigh had never intended to let him marry Celie. Hadleigh didn’t intend for him to use the money from Celie’s dowry to fix Haywood Abbey. He wanted him to spend the money; then he would demand payment. When Jonah couldn’t repay the money, Hadleigh would take everything he owned away from him.

  Except Jonah wouldn’t be the only one destroyed. Celie’s life would be ruined, too.

  Somehow, though, there’d been a gap in communication, and Hadleigh’s plan was backfiring. He’d failed to inform Lady Kendall what he’d intended to do.

  Melisande’s mother had waited three long years for the man responsible for her daughter’s death to pay. She’d waited three years for Hadleigh to make good his promise to take everything away from him. And she thought the land, his estates, Haywood Abbey were what mattered most.

  They weren’t. Oh, maybe they were before he met Celie, but how could anything be more important than she was? How could he love anything more than he loved her?

  “What are your plans, Lady Kendall?” Jonah took one more step away from Celie, toward Melisande’s mother. “To kill Lady Cecelia?”

  “Yes! Hadleigh promised me that when you had the most to lose, he’d take it from you! Instead, he offered you his sister so you could save everything.”

  Jonah’s heart thundered in his chest. He couldn’t let anything happen to Celie. He had to do something to save her, had to convince Lady Kendall that Celie wasn’t important to him. He’d lose her if he succeeded, but at least she would be alive. At least he wouldn’t be responsible for her death. “Do you honestly believe Lady Cecelia means that much to me?”

  “Of course she does. The two of you are lovers. I’ve watched her visit you at Haywood Abbey almost every day this whole week. Do you think I don’t know what you were doing?”

  Jonah heard Celie’s soft cry from behind him, but he didn’t dare look at her. If he did, he’d see the hurt, the humiliation, the regret, and it would be his undoing. Instead, he had no choice but to add more hurt to the pain she was already suffering.

  Hopefully, Lady Amanda�
�s arms would be comfort enough to support her. Because what he intended to say would devastate her. He had to make his words so believable Lady Kendall would abandon her plan to kill Celie.

  He braced his shoulders and erected a sturdy wall around his heart. Then he separated himself from his emotions, from the love he felt for Celie. It was the only way he would survive what he had to do.

  “If you think killing Lady Cecelia will cause me regret, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. Hadleigh wasn’t the only one with an agenda. I had one, too.”

  Jonah took another step toward Lady Kendall. “Did you think I would accept everything Hadleigh did to me three years ago without avenging myself? Without avenging my family?” He forced a laugh. “Do you know how difficult it was to hold my head high three years ago when everyone in society turned their backs on me? Do you know how many miserable days and nights I spent in the Crimea formulating my plan of revenge? It was Hadleigh’s fault I nearly got killed while there. Hadleigh’s fault I wasn’t at my father’s and brother’s sides when they died. Hadleigh’s fault I wasn’t here to bury them.” He threw his arms out from his side, praying Lady Kendall would pull the trigger. At least her bullet would stop his tongue from saying anything more to hurt Celie.

  Melisande’s mother didn’t seem convinced. The hand that held the gun trembled more uncontrollably. And Jonah was forced to continue.

  “Taking the lady’s virtue was all part of my plan. Ruining her for anyone else was always my goal. My intention was never to marry her.”

  “No, that can’t be!”

  “Oh, but it was.”

  He laughed. He wasn’t sure how he could manage to laugh when the lies he spoke ripped his heart from his chest. He wasn’t sure how he would survive another day knowing the hurt he’d caused her. Yet what choice did he have?

  “Hadleigh bought into my plan from the start. Did you know that? He thought I intended to marry his sister.” He laughed again. “As if I’d consider marrying the sister of the man who’d ruined my life. What a fool he was.” Jonah gave Hadleigh a look he prayed held all the fury and revulsion he felt at the moment.

  “From the beginning, Hadleigh’s offer of his sister’s hand was too good to be true. From the start, I knew he had set a trap to destroy me.” Jonah paused long enough to give his words emphasis. “I was determined to best him. And I did!”

  Jonah wasn’t sure, but he thought he heard a whimper from behind him. If he looked, he knew he’d find Lady Amanda with her arms around Celie’s shoulders. But he didn’t think the soft cry had come from Celie. She was too strong, too noble, too proud to show him or her brother how much they’d hurt her. No, the whimper had no doubt come from Lady Amanda. Only a dear, dear friend would feel such anguish on Celie’s behalf.

  “So, my lady, if you want to exact revenge for your daughter’s death, kill Lady Cecelia if you want. Her death won’t matter to me. The only person who will regret her passing is her friend. And perhaps her brother—if he cares for her even a little. Although I’m not sure he does if he’d conspire to use her like he did.”

  Lady Kendall’s hand shook even more. She lifted her arm and changed where she aimed the gun—to the middle of his chest. The path of the bullet would go through him before it reached Celie—through his heart.

  He was glad. He couldn’t imagine living the rest of his life without Celie in it. And she wouldn’t be. His lies had been too convincing to think she’d ever believe him if he told her he hadn’t meant any of the words he’d said.

  “But my Melisande is dead! Dead!”

  “If you think my death will take away the pain of your loss…” He lifted his arms, praying she’d be satisfied with taking his life in exchange for losing Melisande.

  She pointed the barrel of her gun at the center of his chest, and Jonah waited. Her hand shook and the frown on her forehead grew more intense.

  He held his breath, knowing it could be his last. He waited for Lady Kendall’s next move. Then, out of the corner of his eyes, a figure approached. It was the Marquess of Kendall. Jonah prayed the marquess had come to stop his wife and not assist her.

  “Margaret? I’ve looked for you everywhere. You didn’t tell anyone you intended to leave the house.”

  Lady Kendall turned to face her husband. “Kendall, I’ve found the man who killed our Melisande.”

  “I need you to come home with me, my dear. We have company.”

  “Company?”

  “Yes, the boys. They’ve come for a visit and missed you when you didn’t come down for lunch. They’re out searching for you.”

  A wide smile lifted the corners of Lady Kendall’s mouth. “Are they? How sweet.” She turned back to Jonah and refocused her gun to the center of his chest. “But I found the man who murdered our Melisande. I told you I would.”

  “Yes, I know you did. Don’t concern yourself over him any longer. I’ll take care of him—later.”

  “You will?”

  “Yes, dear. I will.”

  “Very well. I’ll leave the matter to you. I need to hurry home to see my boys. I’m sorry I caused them concern.”

  The Marquess of Kendall stepped close to his wife and placed his arm around her shoulders. “Yes, we need to hurry now.”

  “Of course, Kendall. We can’t keep the boys waiting.”

  “No, we can’t, sweetheart. Perhaps you can rest a little before lunch. Everything will be better once you’ve rested a while.”

  “Yes, I think you’re right. I am terribly tired.”

  “I know you are. You’ve worked too hard this morning. You need to rest.”

  “Yes, I do.” She looked up at her husband with an adoring smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you to look after me.”

  “I know, Margaret.” The Marquess of Kendall turned his wife away from Hadleigh Manor. “Is that my pistol you have?”

  She looked down at the weapon in her hand and shrugged. “It must be. I wonder how it got here.”

  “Why don’t you let me have it?”

  “Of course, Kendall. I certainly have no need of a gun.”

  “No, you don’t.” He took the first step with his wife, then turned to look over his shoulder. “I’ll take care of her, Hadleigh. This won’t happen again. You have my word.”

  Jonah didn’t move until the Marquess of Kendall and his wife were out of sight, then turned to look at Celie.

  But she’d already left him.

  Chapter 19

  Jonah walked to the closed door and turned the handle.

  Locked.

  Celie had locked him out of her life. She’d made it evident that she wanted nothing more to do with him. And he knew how hopeless it would be to try to convince her that his words had all been lies. He knew he didn’t stand a chance of convincing her that he really loved her.

  He turned back to where Hadleigh stood at the bottom of the steps and was filled with rage. He bounded down the steps and, before Hadleigh could move, pulled back his fist and drove it into his jaw.

  Hadleigh landed in a heap on the ground, but Jonah couldn’t stop there. “You bloody bastard!” He kicked Hadleigh in the ribs, then mounted his horse and rode like hell back to Haywood Abbey.

  When you have the most to lose, I’ll take it all.

  He should have known Hadleigh would never allow him to marry his sister. He should have known he’d never lift a finger to help Jonah repair the dilapidated Haywood Abbey. He should have known Hadleigh wasn’t above using his own sister to exact his revenge. If only he’d seen it coming before it was too late.

  Jonah raced through the meadow, taking chances he wouldn’t ordinarily take, riding at a pace he knew wasn’t safe for himself or his horse. When he reached Haywood Abbey, he bounded to the ground and stormed through the front door.

  Bundy must have heard him ride up and was waiting for him.

  “Is everything all right, Cap’n?”

  Jonah couldn’t stop the demented laughter that escaped from somewhere dee
p inside him. “No, Sergeant. Everything is not all right.”

  His breath caught. Without Celie, he’d lost the only thing that was important to him.

  “Has the lady left for London?”

  “Yes, Sergeant. She’s gone.”

  When you have the most to lose, I’ll take it all.

  Jonah tried to think through the rush of fear and devastation crashing through him.

  “Have you and the lady had a misunderstanding, my lord?”

  Jonah looked into Bundy’s anxious expression. “Yes, Bundy. A misunderstanding.”

  “Shouldn’t you try to work it out, then, Cap’n?”

  Jonah shook his head.

  “You can’t mean to let her go, Cap’n. She loves you. You love her.”

  A sword as lethal as the blade with which the enemy had struck him down on the battlefield pierced him, only this time the blade sliced through his heart instead of his side.

  Jonah nearly doubled over from the pain of the unexpected punch he took to the gut.

  When you have the most to lose, I’ll take it all.

  Bloody hell! Bloody damn hell! Hadleigh had made good on his threat. Hadleigh had taken everything away from Jonah. And Jonah hadn’t seen it coming.

  Jonah staggered across the foyer and into his study. He dropped into the nearest chair and sat with his forearms propped on his knees. He stared down at the floor for several long, torture-filled minutes.

  “What are you going to do, Cap’n?” Bundy finally asked.

  Jonah knew Bundy wanted an answer, but it was too late for any solutions. He’d walked into Hadleigh’s trap with both eyes open and he was about to lose everything.

  No. He’d already lost everything. He’d already lost Celie.

  “Is there something you need, sir?”

  Jonah looked up, but it wasn’t Bundy he saw. It was Hadleigh. Hadleigh laughing. Hadleigh congratulating himself. Hadleigh toasting his success. It had taken him three long years to exact his revenge, but he’d accomplished it in spades.

  It wasn’t the money Jonah minded losing. It was Celie. Hadleigh had used Celie to accomplish his revenge. The bastard had used his sister to destroy Jonah. And he hadn’t realized it wasn’t the money that was most important to him. It could never be the money. Not when he had something worth so much more. Not when he had Celie’s love.