by Rose Pearson
She smiled up at him, aware that very soon, they would be husband and wife. That day could not come soon enough. “I love you too, Jacob,” she replied, as he bowed over her hand, feeling the heat of his lips on the back of her hand rush up her arm and send her heart into a flurry. “You are everything to me.” Suddenly, she longed for this evening to be over, for Lord Winchester to be brought to his knees, so that they might look to their future without discontent, without fear and without worry.
“As you are to me.” He smiled at her again, and then they walked from the floor – although Arabella could not help but let her eyes scan the crowd. She had to believe that Lord Winchester would be here this evening. Jacob had written to him personally, to tell him that, as far as he was concerned, he had made a mistake in letting Arabella go and that he would no longer be swayed by Lord Winchester’s threats. Jacob was quite certain that Lord Winchester would be beyond furious and would do his very worst in order to bring all manner of difficulty down upon them – which meant that he had very little doubt that the fellow would be present this evening.
But, as yet, Arabella could not see him.
“Sara is with my mother and yours, just as she ought to be,” Jacob said quietly, giving Arabella an encouraging smile. “She will remain there as was agreed unless she is to dance with a known acquaintance.”
Arabella let out her breath, feeling nerves swirling in her stomach. “I do hope she will be quite all right,” she murmured, her eyes roving over the faces of the guests. “I cannot think that – oh!”
Her hand tensed on Jacob’s arm, but he did not immediately react.
“You have seen him, then.”
Arabella could barely breathe for a moment, struggling to take in air. “Yes,” she said, hoarsely. “I have.”
“I will be only a few steps away,” Jacob promised, as they lost themselves amongst the crowd. “You need only call for me and I will be there.”
Arabella stopped and looked up at him, knowing that the time had come to do what she had planned. It was to be more difficult than she had thought, she realised, for even though she required courage and strength, they were not as quick to run through her veins as she had hoped.
“Are you quite sure…?”
She smiled up at Jacob, pushing aside her fears. She had to do this. This would be her way of protecting Jacob, Sara, and all of their futures. This was the way to prove that the Earl of Winchester was no gentleman. Who could tell as to whether or not she would be able to save yet another young lady from his clutches?
“Tell your father to find Lord Halesworthy and retire to the appointed room,” Arabella said, hastily knowing that time was of the utmost importance. “Thank you, Jacob. I shall be quite all right. After all, I know Lord Winchester very well indeed.” The smile slid from her face, replaced with a dark look and a thinning of her lips. She did indeed know Lord Winchester very well, and this was to be her opportunity to use that knowledge to her own ends.
“Be very careful, my love,” Jacob murmured, his expression betraying his concern. “I will be only a few steps away, as you know.”
She nodded, smiled tightly, and then turned around to face her quarry.
“Lord Winchester.”
Arabella inclined her head but did not curtsey, noticing that Lord Winchester did not give her even a slight nod of the head in greeting. Her stomach tightened but she kept her outward appearance more than calm.
“Lord Winchester,” she said again, as his scornful glance raked over her. “I did not expect to see you here this evening.”
His sneer was not entirely unexpected but still, Arabella felt her anger flare.
“I was invited,” he stated, not even turning his head fully towards her. “I thought it best to attend to see what is to become of my betrothed.”
She sighed heavily, making it plain that she found him tiresome. “You know as well as I that I cried off from our engagement, Lord Winchester.” She tipped her head just a little, choosing her words carefully. “Although I did not expect you to go to such lengths in an attempt to regain my hand.”
Lord Winchester turned to her then, a slightly astonished look on his face.
“Yes, indeed,” she continued, not allowing him the chance to speak. “I am well aware of what you have been attempting to do, Lord Winchester.” She waited for a moment or two to allow him to take in this news, praying that he would take advantage of the opportunity she was presenting him with. Surely, she knew his character well enough to know that he was not about to let the matter go so easily?
“You must see the fervency of my affections, then,” Lord Winchester murmured, his eyes suddenly alight. “You must see that I want you for my own, Arabella.”
“I can see that you are willing to do whatever you can in order to gain what you want, Lord Winchester,” Arabella said, bluntly. “But this is not the place for such a conversation.” She made it evident that she was looking around the room, taking in the other places where they supposedly might discuss things. “There is a small room just by the ballroom,” she said, eventually. “Shall we talk there?”
Holding her breath, Arabella arched one eyebrow, praying that Lord Winchester would accept her offer.
“To discuss what, precisely?” he asked, his brows furrowing as his eyes narrowed. “What it is you intend to speak of, Arabella?”
She spread her hands, as though it was more than obvious. “I wish you to leave my husband-to-be and his sister alone, Lord Winchester. You are quite intent not to do so, therefore we stand at an impasse. We must discuss how to find an accord in this matter, must we not? I will not have you as a shadow over our lives, Lord Winchester. Now, shall we go?”
Lord Winchester did not say a word for a full minute, leaving Arabella feeling as though he were trying to look through her eyes and into her mind, trying to discover whether or not she was being genuine and true in her suggestions. Her fingers knotted as she clasped her hands behind her back, not so much as daring to blink as she waited for his answer.
Lord Winchester eventually shrugged, cleared his throat, and looked away. “I shall join you presently,” he stated, turning away from her. “But I will not give you up, Arabella. There is nothing else that you can offer me that will remove me in the way that you desire.”
“Then it seems our discussion will be a long one,” Arabella replied, softly. “Do excuse me, Lord Winchester. I shall leave the door ajar and will wait no longer than ten minutes.”
She did not allow him to speak, but turned away and began to move between the guests, slow and careful in her steps so that she did not look hurried. Knowing that Jacob was somewhere behind her and that he would be watching her as she made her way to the designated room was something of a comfort, although she hated that he would have to remain in the room until Lord Winchester had come after her. They could not risk Lord Winchester seeing that Jacob was absent from the ballroom, in case that fact alone was enough to suggest that something was not as it seemed.
Walking up and down the small room, Arabella clasped one hand around her stomach and tried to steady her breathing. This was filling her with more anxiety than she had anticipated, even though she knew that there was very little that could go wrong. She would be quite safe, of course, but the question that lingered in her mind was whether or not she could force Lord Winchester to confess to everything that he had done thus far. That would be a success in itself, but she needed him to suggest, as he had done to Jacob, that he would harm Sara’s reputation if she did not do as she asked. Knowing just how important Jacob was to her, Arabella was quite sure that Lord Winchester thought that Sara was also a dear acquaintance and therefore, he could use her future and her reputation in order to force Arabella’s hand.
The door opened and Arabella straightened, her back stiff and shoulders set.
“Ah, so here you are,” Lord Winchester grinned, swaggering through the door as though he were the one in charge of the situation. “I was not quite certain that you
would be present.”
“I am, as you can see,” Arabella replied, making sure to stand behind a chaise longue so that she might have some sort of security from Lord Winchester’s grasping hands. “Now, we are to discuss matters.”
“Discuss?” Lord Winchester said, with a narrowing of his eyes. “I think I have warned you already, Arabella, that should you choose another instead of returning to me, then the consequences would be on your own head.”
“And yet,” Arabella replied, “you chose not to bodily injure Jacob, but to intimidate him instead. You tried to force him to choose between his sister and his betrothed.” She looked back at Lord Winchester steadily, knowing that she needed to have him admit to such a thing. “As you can see, your threats have not cowed us.”
Lord Winchester’s grin slid from his face, his eyes darkening. “I have injured St. Leger once before,” he growled, angrily. “That day in the Park? And you have thus far ignored my warnings. You have decided to tie yourself to that gentleman instead of returning to me as you ought. Therefore, I have every intention of fulfilling my words, Arabella. I will do all I can to bring harm to St. Leger and that sister of his, should you continue towards matrimony.”
Arabella shook her head, as though she pitied him. “My goodness, Lord Winchester,” she murmured, slowly. “can you not see that your threats mean nothing? Lord Jacob will be on his guard, as will I.”
“But his sister, the lovely Lady Sara,” Lord Winchester interrupted, his face now flushing red. “She will not always have as much protection as you think. St. Leger cannot always be at her side. Even the Duke himself will not be able to save her from what fate awaits her, should you and St. Leger continue with your betrothal.”
Arabella shuddered inwardly but kept her face calm. “What do you intend to do, Lord Winchester?” she asked, as quietly as she could. “Destroy her reputation? Ruin her? What good will that do?”
Lord Winchester began to smile, but it was vengeful and filled with ire. “I will bring destruction down upon St. Leger’s head,” he hissed. “This will be your doing, Arabella, have no doubt about it. You gave your loyalty to me once and then removed it from me. I will not stand for it, my dear girl. I will not stand for such disloyalty, to be so used, and then turned from in a disgraceful manner.” He took a step nearer and Arabella had to force herself to remain still. She wondered if Lord Winchester was beginning to go mad, such was the vehemence in his face and the harshness of his words. “I have already tried to do so once before… when good fortune, it seemed, stepped in my way.”
Arabella forced herself to remain focused. “What is it that you speak of?”
“Miss Halesworthy,” Lord Winchester continued, as though quite proud of himself. “Has not your dearly loved betrothed told you of what occurred?” He laughed harshly, setting Arabella’s teeth on edge. “Lord Pettigrew was very easily persuaded by a few monetary promises. He was quite willing to take on Miss Halesworthy, and had not yourself, Lord Halesworthy and St. Leger appeared when she most needed you, then she would have been entirely disgraced.” His smile disappeared slowly, blackness filling his gaze. “St. Leger made certain that her reputation only sustained the slightest damage. I shall not forgive him for that.”
Arabella drew in a long breath, knowing that the words had been spoken. The confession had been made. There was nothing else for her to do.
“You will ruin yourself, Lord Winchester,” she said, softly, looking at him steadily. “I will never be yours. I love another. I love Lord Jacob St. Leger and it is to him that I will give my promise.”
Lord Winchester’s lip curled, his teeth bared. “I will have you as mine, even if I have to drag you from this room and press myself upon you before each and every guest here!” His voice rose and he made to leap for her, his face filled with anger and a hint of madness.
A scream lodged in Arabella’s throat but before she could scramble away from him, the door to the room swung open behind Lord Winchester, revealing Jacob standing framed in the doorway.
“I think you have said more than enough, Lord Winchester,” Jacob said, mildly, although his eyes were flashing with anger. “You will not touch Arabella again. Do you hear me?”
Lord Winchester laughed uproariously, as though Jacob had said something quite ridiculous. “I do not think you have any sway in this matter, St. Leger,” he spat, as Arabella began to make her way towards Jacob, edging carefully around the room. “Your sister, remember?”
“I do remember,” Jacob replied, moving towards Arabella, his hand stretched out towards her protectively. “And I will not allow myself to be swayed by your demands and threats.”
Arabella grasped Jacob’s hand and he pulled her close to his side at once, his strength filling her anew. She watched Lord Winchester closely, seeing the malevolence on his face. He truly was a greater adversary than she had ever thought. Even now, she could still recall their first meeting, could still hear her mother’s compliments, how she continually remarked about the Earl’s character whenever Arabella was in earshot. How glad Arabella was that she had made the decision to end her engagement! To be betrothed – or worse, to be married – to such a man was quite unthinkable.
“You have been found out, Winchester.”
Jacob’s voice was soft, and with those words, the sound of another door being pushed open caught Arabella’s ears. She turned her head to see the Duke of Crestwick and Lord Halesworthy emerging from where they had been listening. Each wore the same dark expression, their rage-filled gazes directed towards Lord Winchester.
Arabella let out her breath slowly, closing her eyes tightly as she felt the reassurance that this terrible ordeal had now come to its final conclusion. There was nothing more to be done on her part. Not yet at least.
Lord Winchester seemed to shrink, the darkness leaving his face and turning his features quite pale. His eyes widened and he took a step back from Jacob and the other two advancing gentlemen, quickly realising that he had admitted his crimes within their hearing.
“You are a disgrace.”
The Duke of Crestwick’s voice was low, his words echoing around the room as he stood beside Arabella.
“You are not worthy of the title you bear,” he continued, pointing one shaking hand towards Lord Winchester. “How dare you think to threaten my daughter’s future? How dare you attempt to ruin my son’s happiness?”
Lord Winchester’s mouth opened and shut but no words came out. He staggered towards the open door, spilling out into the hallway where a few guests mingled.
“How dare you?” the Duke roared, following after Lord Winchester. “You cannot escape this now, Winchester!”
Jacob pressed Arabella’s hand and then hurried after his father. Arabella, steadying herself, walked out after Lord Halesworthy, who had not yet said a single word.
“I demand satisfaction, Lord Winchester!”
Arabella leaned heavily against the doorframe as she watched Jacob speak boldly to Lord Winchester, who was now standing, white-faced, only a few feet away. The guests who had been lingering nearby were now standing, open-mouthed, in shock as the Duke of Crestwick stepped forward.
“You have tried to ruin my daughter simply for your own satisfaction,” he said, his hands curled into fists by his sides. “She has done nothing to deserve such malice. You have threatened my family in order to gain what you believe to be yours, even though you have been thoroughly rejected by Lady Arabella. Therefore, I demand satisfaction.”
“As do I.”
Lord Halesworthy stepped forward, his voice uneven, his whole body shaking.
“You used Lord Pettigrew to attempt to ruin my sister. She has never behaved improperly and yet you used her to prove to St. Leger that you could do whatever you wished. I will not stand for it, Lord Winchester. For my sister’s honour, I demand satisfaction.”
Arabella closed her eyes, tightly, praying that Jacob had been correct when he had reassured her that Lord Winchester was, underneath his bravado and
threatening ways, nothing more than a coward. Silence fell for a long moment, until she could bear it no longer. When she looked up, she saw no sign of Lord Winchester. He had gone entirely from her view, leaving only Jacob, the Duke and Lord Halesworthy standing together.
What had become of him?
“Is everyone quite all right?”
Arabella held her hand out to Jacob as he came near to her, seeing him limping only slightly. His determination to protect both her and Sara had finally found satisfaction, for it appeared that Lord Winchester was now quite unable to defend himself. He would not meet either Jacob nor Lord Halesworthy in a duel.
“Where did Lord Winchester go?” she asked, a little breathlessly as she moved towards Jacob’s side. The sounds of the Ball continuing around them seemed quite incongruous, with all that had just gone on, the music and merriment almost grating at her nerves.
Jacob held her close for a moment before he answered. “He has left the house, I believe.” He kissed her forehead, took her hands, and looked down into her eyes. “And all because of your wisdom, your courage, and your determination, my love. You are quite remarkable.”
The Duke of Crestwick drew near, his face still etched with anger. “Would I had known about this before,” he muttered, clapping a hand on his son’s shoulder. “I could have been of assistance to you.”
“I know,” Jacob admitted, turning to his father. “It was foolish to keep it to my own heart and mind alone. But it is all at an end now.”
“Indeed.”
Arabella felt relief swarm through her, closing her eyes for a moment as she let out a gentle sigh. It was at an end, just as Jacob had said. There would be nothing to fear from Lord Winchester any longer.
“There were more than enough guests to see what was declared,” Lord Halesworthy commented, as Arabella opened her eyes. “The news about what Lord Winchester has done will be all around London by the morning, I am quite certain.” He bowed towards Arabella. “But now, if you will excuse me, I must go in search of my sister. I must reassure her that I am safe and that she has nothing to fear from Lord Winchester any longer.”