Kissing the Lass (Scot to the Heart #2)

by Charles, Jane

  “This is a bloody mess.” Gideon took a deep drink of his wine. “As Jamie’s accuser is not present, is it possible to drop the charges and release him?” Gideon asked a moment later.

  Garretson looked at him thoughtfully. “It’s possible.”

  Hope rose again.

  “I’ll send word to Bowerton and ask that the magistrate allow Bowerton no longer than a fortnight to present himself or the charges will be dropped.

  Two weeks was not what Gideon was hoping for but an immediate decision.

  “It’s only fair as we did not know when you’d arrive from Scotland,” Garretson said as if reading Gideon’s mind.

  “Two weeks,” Gideon finally agreed.

  Chapter 29

  Word arrived of Napoleon’s defeat in the same post with Gideon’s first letter.

  Arabella,

  I apologize for the delay in writing to you. My brother is still being held on charges, but he is living in comfort at Wyndhill Park. His accuser, Lord Bowerton, had gone off to Brussels and we await his return to bring this matter to an end.

  Wyndhill Park is the estate of Lord Garretson, the older brother of Elaina, my brother’s wife, who was lost at sea. At least we are with family while we await Bowerton’s arrival. Once he presents himself, the family will be required to travel to Newmarket where the charges were made for the trial. There is also the chance that Bowerton will insist on the trial being held in London, before a judge instead of allowing a magistrate to make the ruling. Until he returns, we will have no answers and I will wait with my brother.

  I hope you are well and that your foot has healed.

  Yours,

  Gideon.

  Arabella folded the parchment. For an author, Gideon’s correspondence was rather brief and uninspiring, unlike his books.

  He’d still written and Arabella was once again torn as if she should read anything into the missive. Was he being polite and honoring the agreement or did he have every intention of returning.

  Oh, being alone with her thoughts and allowing doubt to seep in was the worst position to be in.

  Regardless, she decided to return his correspondence.

  Lord Gideon,

  My foot is better, thank you for asking. I will pray for a swift return of Lord Bowerton so that you can rest easy in your brother’s freedom.

  Word of the Battle at Waterloo reached us today. We also received news that Mary Grant lost her husband in the battle. The Grants are saddened and await her return home.

  Arabella

  When Donovan returned from the fields, Arabella showed him the note from Davina, who wrote of the news from Mary. He simply stared at it, nodded and then walked away. She longed to go after him, but wasn’t certain what to say.

  As those on the Continent began to return home, Gideon and his family waited for Bowerton. It was hard to say if he even received word of Gideon’s arrival given the letter had been posted as the fighting began.

  It was during the time they spent cooling their heels at Wyndhill Park that Gideon told Tristan and Jamie about Arabella and how his handfasting had come about.

  “I believe I will be avoiding the fairer sex, as it appears the gentlemen in our family tend to find themselves compromised,” Jamie had laughed.

  Neither Gideon nor Tristan found the comment humorous, however.

  “You’ve not told Sophia?” Tristan asked.

  “I was too worried about finding the blasted bill of sale and then coming to Wyndhill and didn’t wish to suffer through her questions and demands,” Gideon admitted. “I had hoped to tell the family once we were all together.”

  “You will send for your wife?” Jamie asked.

  “As soon as this matter of you stealing a horse is settled, I will retrieve Arabella and bring her to Cornwall.”

  Tristan nodded. “Handfasted? Is that even legal?”

  Gideon just shook his head. It didn’t matter, to him, they were married. “However, I should write and advise her of our progress since we leave for Newmarket tomorrow.”

  It was at the end of the fortnight that they’d given Bowerton and none of them wished to continue to wait for his lordship’s return. They had decided to insist all charges be dropped.

  “Will your wife be joining us tomorrow?” Jamie asked. He’d yet to meet Lady Jillian.

  “She wishes to remain in Portsmouth,” Tristan advised. “When I visited with her yesterday she had no wish to return in the direction of London and will await my return. As we are to only be betrothed, she wanted no suspicion cast upon her character if someone were to see us traveling together.”

  “You don’t appear bothered,” Gideon observed.

  “Frankly, I dread the day that the two of us will become husband and wife in the eyes of Society and wish to put it off as long as possible.”

  “Is she so bad?” Jamie asked.

  “I got on well with Jillian. However, her manipulation destroyed any fond feelings I might have held for her.”

  Gideon hated to see his brother so bitter, yet he couldn’t really blame Tristan. Not after how he explained that it was Lady Jillian who had accosted him just when she knew her father would be walking in the garden as well.

  It was the same bitterness that Arabella could have held for him. Not that Gideon had ever planned on compromising her. It happened because he kissed her and they were caught. At least Arabella didn’t hate him and Gideon still held hope that they would be happy. He wasn’t as confident for his brother.

  After they’d settled into a coaching inn, Gideon, along with Tristan, Jamie and Garretson called on the magistrate.

  “Ah, gentlemen, I was going to send a missive shortly,” he announced.

  “The charges have been dropped,” Jamie asked hopefully.

  The magistrate shook his head. “Unfortunately not. I’m afraid that all formal charges will need to be decided in London. Given the serious nature of the charges, the members of the Jockey Club wish that this matter be decided by the Bow Street Magistrates’ Court. Trial is set to begin on July 10th.”

  Gideon’s stomach sank. “That is less than a sennight?” What if his word wasn’t good enough? Could his brother still hang?

  “What of Bowerton?”

  “I’ve heard nothing of the gentleman but I assume he was given the same instructions—to be present to give testimony against Mr. Trent.”

  “I know nothing of the court system,” Tristan complained as their carriage traveled toward London.

  “We do know Jordan Trent,” Gideon reminded them. “He is a Solicitor and perhaps he could give us some guidance.”

  At least he prayed that was the case. Gideon had spent little time with his distant cousin, but hopefully Mr. Trent would be of assistance. It was also beneficial that Trent was a member of the Jockey Club, along with his father-in-law, so instead of settling into their townhouse in London, the brothers and Garretson traveled on to Trent’s stud farm just outside of Oxford.

  They found Jordan and his wife Audrey coming from the stables as they stepped from the carriage.

  “Good afternoon, Lord Gideon,” she greeted then looked around. “Is Arabella not with you?”

  “My wife was unable to travel with me but I hope to be reunited with her once a matter of unpleasantness is put behind us.”

  Jordan studied him and then his eyes widened. “Yes, I heard of the accusations made against you,” Jordan said to Jamie.

  “Please, come inside,” Mrs. Trent insisted. “I’ll have tea delivered.”

  After they were settled into the parlor, Jamie explained the charges in detail and Gideon explained his involvement as well.

  “I can assure you that it is the opinion of the Jockey Club, given your reputation and that of Bowerton, that he is the one who has made a false claim,” Jordan insisted.

  “Yet, it is a case that must be decided before the Magistrates’ Court Bow Street,” Tristan advised.

  Jordan’s eyebrows rose.

  “That is why we
are here,” Gideon confirmed. “We had hoped you could give us some guidance.”

  “I take it that the bill of sale is still missing?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  Jordan gave a sober nod. “I will do what I can come Monday,” he assured. “In the meantime, would you like to remain here or will you be returning to Mayfair?”

  Gideon looked to Tristan.

  “If you do not mind, I would prefer to remain here so as not to be seen in Society.”

  Jordan raised an eyebrow in question, which led to Tristan explaining his rushed, yet still secret marriage.

  “I cannot blame you for wishing to avoid Eldridge.” Jordan grimaced. “His Grace is the least pleasant gentleman I’ve ever had the displeasure of encountering.”

  Chapter 30

  In the weeks that Gideon had been gone, Arabella received two additional letters. The first was that he waited at the home of Lord Garretson for Lord Bowerton to return from Brussels. The second was to inform her that he’d gone on to London and would be seeking the assistance of Jordan Trent before they appeared before the courts.

  The letters were short, but informative and though she understood that Gideon must be quite worried about her brother, she wished his correspondence was lengthier.

  Her foot had healed and she’d been taking the falcons out each day, but they did little to sooth the ache in her heart at missing Gideon, or her fear that he would only remain polite for the allotted time for their handfasting to end. In truth, Arabella did not expect to ever see Gideon Trent again and she must determine how she would go on.

  The days that Gideon waited for the trial were the longest in his memory. Though Jordan and his wife, Audrey, were gracious hosts, a tension had engulfed each of them. Garretson didn’t remain but returned to his estate with a promise to be at Bow Street for the trial. Letters had been sent to Sophia, who remained in Cornwall with her husband and children, as well as to Lady Jillian, who remained in Portsmouth awaiting the return of her husband. However, they quickly learned that she’d removed herself from Harrison’s home and took rooms at a local hotel. As she had her maid, a companion, as well as two footmen, Tristan wasn’t concerned with her being unprotected in a public location.

  Why she had left, she didn’t explain and from what Gideon observed, Tristan didn’t seem to mind.

  Had Harrison come home and that is why she removed herself? If so, why wasn’t Harrison with them now? Surely he read the letters that had been left and understood the serious nature of the charges against Jamie.

  As the day of the trial dawned, none of them had an appetite to break their fast and left early to arrive at Bow Street on time. It was Jordan’s intention to speak with the prosecutor in hopes of making him understand that Jamie had been wrongly accused. Gideon was too afraid to hope that his distant cousin would be successful.

  As they filed into the courtroom, Jamie was taken and placed in the stand reserved for the accused and to watch as the trial unfolded. Gideon took a seat beside Tristan and tried to take deep breaths and calm his heart. When the judge entered, they stood and waited to be told to sit.

  “Jonathan James Trent you are accused of horse theft, how do you plead?”

  “Not guilty,” his brother answered.

  “We will have testimony.” The judge focused on the magistrate. “Call your first witness.”

  The man glanced around. “Neither Lord Bowerton, the accuser, nor Mr. Culling are present, Your Honor. They were to give testimony to the crime in question.”

  “You have not witnesses, or an accuser, yet the defendant is present.” Then he narrowed his eyes. “And, am I to understand he has not been sitting in Newgate awaiting a ruling as to his guilt or innocence?”

  “The magistrate did not feel it necessary and the defendant was held under house arrest,” the prosecutor explained.

  “He is here when he could have escaped.” The judge shook his head. “Yet the accuser has not bothered to appear.” He looked to Jamie. “Are there any witnesses to speak on your behalf?”

  As Jamie opened his mouth, the door to the chamber opened and in marched Garretson. Though Gideon was glad to see the gentleman, he could offer nothing but support.

  Instead, Gideon focused back on the judge. Could they still try Jamie if nobody was here to speak against him?

  “Do you have testimony against the accused to offer, Lord Garretson?”

  “No. However, I just received correspondence that should clear Lord Jonathan Trent.”

  “Bring it forward,” the judge ordered as if he were losing patience. Gideon assumed he believed his time was being wasted, as it was.

  Garretson, entered the chamber and approached the judge and handed him the parchment.

  The judge took it and balanced a pair of speckles on his nose and read. His eyebrows rose a few times, and then he folded the parchment and handed it back to Garretson, who backed away and then took a seat beside Gideon.

  “As the accuser is not present, though word of his death has not been made public, nor is his witness available, I hereby dismiss all charges against Lord Jonathan James Trent.”

  Relief shot through Gideon at the bang of the gavel and he looked to Jamie who looked as if he were about to collapse, given the way he was holding onto the banister that kept him separate from the assembly. Jamie had been stoic, though tense, and Gideon just now realized how frightened his younger brother had been.

  They’d all been frightened, but they didn’t have the threat of a noose in their future.

  Once they stepped outside, Jordan turned to Garretson. “What was in that letter?”

  Garretson laughed and handed the missive over. Gideon closed in and read over Jordan’s shoulder, as did Jamie and Tristan.

  The Right Honorable Earl of Garretson,

  I must inform you that Lord Steven Bowerton will not be returning to England. On the eve of the great battle, he became inebriated and fell from the third story window of a house of ill-repute and fractured his neck. I am told that a goat was actually the instigator in his fall. While this has not been confirmed, I find little to doubt as this particular brothel tends to cater to the degenerates of our gender.

  As my friend is gone, his hold on me is also broken. Lord Jonathan James Trent did not steal the white Arabian. It was a fair sale in which Bowerton took and pocketed the money, but failed to record. As for the bill of sale, I do not know what became of it, but I suspect Bowerton was somehow behind its disappearance.

  I apologize for my actions in this matter, but Lord Jonathan James Trent should be set free without a blemish on his good character.

  Yours,

  Mr. Gregory Culling

  “A goat?” Jamie asked in disbelief.

  “It’s best we don’t dwell on the particulars,” Gideon snorted.

  “Well, I suppose that puts all matters to rest.” Garretson handed the letter over to Jamie. “You should keep this as the bill of sale is missing and in the event anyone else wishes to question your honor and character.”

  “Thank you, Garretson. And thank you for keeping me out of Newgate.”

  As soon as they returned to Jordan’s stud ranch, Gideon, along with Tristan and Jamie, packed their belongings, anxious to return home. There were only two stops before they reached home: Portsmouth, to retrieve Tristan’s wife, and Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies, as their youngest sister, Olivia, had just completed her education.

  “I propose we travel to the school first,” Tristan announced.

  Neither Gideon nor Jamie offered an objection. If their eldest brother didn’t wish to rush to his wife, they were not going to ask him to.

  While Tristan wasn’t anxious to see his wife any time soon, Gideon found himself missing Arabella more and more.

  He had tried not to think about Arabella these past weeks. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t wish to, but the longing that rose up only added to the turmoil of emotions he was already experiencing. Yet, just thinking about h
er beauty, her drinking whisky, hunting falcons and golfing in breeches brought a smile to his face. He hadn’t smiled since Scotland and had no reason to. Arabella was brightness and light, a gem above all women, a part of his heart.

  She knew him in ways that no others did, held his confidence and cared for him.

  She was his and he was not going to let her go after a year and a day. They’d marry, legally, and he would make her his. Then, the two of them would settle in a cottage along the sea to live out their days where he’d write and she’d…

  What would Arabella do?

  They’d have children, he supposed, but she’d not be one to sit idly by stitching.

  He nearly snorted when remembering how poorly she did stitch. There had been no discernable pattern to her threads and he was quite certain blood stained the material from pricking her finger so often. Then, there was the fact that she’d sewn her project to her skirt.

  Arabella would need something to occupy her. The manor along the sea needed to be for her as much as it was for him and he knew exactly what it would need. And, as Gideon waited for Olivia to pack the rest of her belongings at the school, he sat to write her once again. He did not reveal his plans, but he did explain the continued delay.

  Chapter 31

  .

  Arabella,

  I have good news. All charges against Jamie have been dropped. However, I fear my return to you will be delayed.

  We will first retrieve Olivia from school as her studies are now complete and then we will travel to Portsmouth so that Tristan can retrieve his wife and then we will return home. As I’ve mentioned, the wedding will take place after the banns have been called for three weeks. I do not know if I could travel to Anagburn so that I could return with you. However, given how Tristan is dreading the nuptials, he might insist I do return to you and that I should take my time on the return. However, he is not the only one to be considered in this matter as Sophia, her husband and children shall be leaving at the end of the summer and I don’t wish to be away from them longer than I already have been since I do not know when we will all be together again.