If You Were Mine (19 page)

Two days
later, Isobel was standing before the Vicar, watching Dominic slide
a simple gold band on her finger.

“
I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the
bride.”

It felt
as though she were watching from a great distance when Dominic
swept her into his arms, and kissed her soundly amid the raucous
cheers of the assembled family members and staff. Within minutes
they had all returned to the house for a magnificent
banquet.

It was
late when Isobel found herself alone in the master suite awaiting
the arrival of her new husband. She and Dominic were now wed, and
she was the new Lady Havistock. The enormity of the day’s events
hit her. She sat on the window seat and stared blindly into the
night sky.

As
promised, Dominic’s brothers arrived yesterday amid much jocularity
and back slapping. Isobel couldn’t help but be charmed by both
Edward and Sebastian who had spent most of the time since their
arrival teasing their elder brother about his impatience to get
Isobel up the aisle. All three brothers were very much alike; all
were tall, exceptionally handsome and extremely good natured, with
a charismatic charm that seemed effortless to them. It was hard not
to like them all.

Despite
the willing acceptance of the new branch of her family, questions
and doubts swirled and whirled in her mind in a chaotic jumble. She
could almost convince herself that the looming threat of Rupert had
disappeared. Almost. But she knew he was out there. Waiting. With a
shiver, she braced her arms upon her knees and exhausted by the
speed of the last few days, fell asleep.

It was
dark outside and with no moonlight, difficult to see even the
outline of the trees in the garden. She failed to notice the thin
shadow of a man separate from the solid bulk of a tree beneath the
window, and disappear into the distance.

She
awoke some time later when Dominic gently swept her into his arms.
Dressed in his shirt sleeves, Isobel blinked sleepily up at him as
he carefully placed her upon the sheets.

Isobel
watched him as he moved. He looked at her steadily while he removed
his clothing but there was no tender smile or gentle teasing. His
face was solemn, stern even. A small muscle ticked in his jaw;
something that only happened when he was angry or withholding
something.

“
What’s wrong?” Isobel asked, watching as Dominic moved
towards the window, looking outside briefly before closing the
shutters.

Dominic
shook his head. “Nothing,” he said, returning to the
bed.

Isobel
pulled away slightly averting her face from his kiss instead
leaning backwards to meet his gaze steadily.

“
I will tell you in the morning. It is nothing to worry
about,” he added, knowing if he didn’t offer her any reassurances,
she would badger him until he told her everything. He knew her well
enough to know that distraction was the key. “We will discuss it in
the morning. It is our wedding night. Everything else can wait.”
With that he rolled her backwards, and gave her no further
opportunity to question him further.

Sunlight
was streaming through the open shutters when Dominic pried his eyes
open the following morning. Instinctively, he moved to curl around
his wife. God that sounded good, he thought to himself as he rolled
over. He found himself smiling smugly as his questing hands found
warm flesh. Resisting flesh. With a frown, his eyes popped open.
His gaze locked with her steady periwinkle stare. He waited only to
frown again when she didn’t move or speak, only returned his steady
regard.

With a
sigh he blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. He knew she was
waiting.

“
I don’t want to start our marriage on a lie.” Dominic heaved
himself up to prop himself up against the pillows. When she
remained quiet and unmoving, he continued. “Rupert knows you are
here.” He watched as her only movement was the slow closing of her
eyes.

Isobel
felt her stomach lurch with a familiar sickening dread as Dominic
spoke. She knew it was inevitable that at some point Rupert would
re-appear. He wasn’t one to take defeat lightly and would want
retribution, such was his nasty nature. However Isobel hadn’t
expected it to be so soon, especially given the inclement
weather.

“
Where is he?” Her voice was almost too calm.

“
He is in a house near here, about two miles out of Town. He
is there with DeLisle,” Dominic said, seeing no reason why she
shouldn’t know, especially now. Still, he hated how pale her cheeks
had gone and wrapped her securely in his arms.

“
I promise you here and now my darling, neither man will get
anywhere near you. Not only would they have to get through me, but
they would have to get through Peter, my brothers and the house
staff. They are not so bold, foolhardy or clever to consider
it.”

“
But I cannot remain here a prisoner. At some point, I need to
go outside, if only to walk the gardens.” Isobel battled to control
the rising fear.

“
You shall do so without fear. But one cannot ignore the hard
fact that things are likely to get worse before they get better. At
some point, there will be a confrontation with Rupert or DeLisle,
if not with both. I don’t want you ignorant of that fact. You
shouldn’t fear being alone or moving freely around the house should
you want to. However, you cannot take any risks.” Dominic could
feel the slight tremor that swept through her as she curled against
him. “You are my wife. It is my job to protect you now, and I shall
do so.” Or die trying, he thought to himself hoping it didn’t come
to that. Wisely, he kept that last thought to himself.

He knew
that if he wanted to gain Isobel’s trust, he had to take her into
his confidence. To lead by example and hope she trusted him enough
to tell him everything about her evasion of Rupert and the help she
received.

“
We know that Rupert is mired in debt,” Dominic said, staring
at the ceiling. “He has no property to speak of, and more billets
and i.o.us around London than anyone I have ever heard of. His
creditors are now getting anxious to have their money back. I think
that is part of the reason he has taken to the countryside, and
removed himself from the City and the threat.”

“
What about DeLisle? Why is he sticking so close to Rupert if
he owes money? Surely, there is a risk to him being associated with
significant unpaid debts.” From where Isobel rested her head
against Dominic’s broad chest, she could hear the steady,
reassuring thump of his heartbeat.

“
We can only assume that Rupert also owes DeLisle money.”
Dominic began to run his fingers absently through her hair as he
talked. The rhythmic motion of his fingers running through the
silken strands soothed them both. “If he did, he clearly expected
to use you to pay his debts.”

“
Me,” Isobel whispered, closing her eyes against the
prospect.

“
We understand from Kitty that you were supposedly betrothed
to DeLisle, so we can only assume there was a monetary agreement
between the two men.”

“
That makes DeLisle angry that he hasn’t got what he is owed.”
Isobel frowned and closed her eyes against the memory of DeLisle’s
lascivious gaze rose in her mind.

“
Rupert is desperate,” Dominic added his voice tinged with
menace. “Needless to say, both men are dangerous.”

Dominic
slid his fingers through her hair and tugged her head upwards until
she was leaning over him.

“
I need you to be strong and trust me. To do so will bring you
peace, I promise you.” Dominic’s steady green eyes locked with hers
silently asking for her trust. “Rupert has to be brought down,
darling. Peter has already set about plans in London and has men
working on the matter; men who worked with us on the smuggling
operation. We fought with them in the War. They are the best in the
business.”

Dominic
needed her to feel reassured but knew he had also unsettled her by
telling her as much as he had. “Rupert’s days are definitely
numbered. DeLisle’s too, if we can find anything to stick on him.”
Dominic drew her down for a lingering kiss. “By telling us
everything -” he paused to make sure she understood his meaning. “-
you will be giving us vital information that will help us to plan
his downfall effectively. We may also be able to pass information
back to those working to help us which could speed things up a
bit.”

Isobel
nodded in understanding. If everyone else was working on bringing
Rupert and DeLisle to justice, then it was down to her to do her
bit too. After all, it was because of her that all of these people
were now involved.

Rising
from the bed, she began to select her clothing for the day, lost in
quiet contemplation. She was aware of Dominic watching from the bed
and was somewhat relieved when he made no move to follow
her.

“
What I don’t understand,” Isobel said, half to herself. “Is
why me?”

“
Pardon?” Dominic drew himself onto his elbow, so he could see
her as she moved across the room.

“
Why me? I mean I can’t be the only woman he knows. Even if he
did get me to marry DeLisle, it wouldn’t pay his debts around
Town.” Isobel froze as her uncle’s snarled words trickled slowly
into focus.

“
What is it?” Dominic watched her closely. She had gone
desperately pale. “Isobel, what’s wrong?”

Snapping
out of her reverie, Isobel felt flushed with urgency. “We need to
get dressed.” She turned towards the retiring screen in the corner.
“I need to think,” she mumbled, aware of Dominic’s dark scowl of
discontent as he lay in the bed.

Later
that morning, she decided that she really had no option, she had to
tell Dominic everything. She wasn’t sure what he would make of it,
but considered that he might be able to use any information her
associate could give them, to help secure Rupert’s capture. He had
taken his duties as her husband seriously, and made it perfect
clear he was prepared to fight for her. It was up to her to make
certain he was as armed as possible. First though, she had to make
sure she wouldn’t be landing poor Hubert in jail.

Unfortunately Dominic left later that day with Sebastian to
question some of the villagers as to the possible whereabouts of
Rupert. If he was still residing on the other side of the village,
Dominic wanted to know about it.

For
Isobel the day dragged on interminably until she thought she would
go quietly mad. When they had returned, Dominic had taken only a
few moments to converse with her about her day before excusing
herself and disappearing into the library with his brothers and
Peter. Isobel wasn’t certain if she was relieved they were taking
the quest to vanquish Rupert so seriously, or disgruntled they were
so easily leaving her out. Surely, to ensure her own safety, she
needed to be involved in their preparations, shouldn’t
she?

Later
that evening, having picked at a lonely dinner in her suite, Isobel
threw the book down on the table beside the bed with a disgruntled
sigh and blowing out the light, settled down. Whatever plans they
were making downstairs, they had made a big mistake not involving
her, Isobel thought waspishly, because without the information
Hubert could give them, their plans were certain to fail.
Disgruntled at the ease in which they had all relegated her to
being a helpless female, Isobel tossed and turned knowing that
sleep would be a long time coming.

Dominic
awoke with a groan, feeling somewhat green around the gills.
Frowning with consternation, it took him several minutes to realise
he was in one of the guest rooms. It took him several minutes more
to recognise the guest room across the hall from the master suite.
It was as close to Isobel as he could get without actually sleeping
across the doorway, or in the room with her. Yesterday he had
deliberately avoided her to give her time to think about the
information he was certain she was withholding. Information Dominic
knew she was deliberately keeping from him to protect another man.
It rankled him greatly.

“
Oh God,” Dominic gasped, as his stomach roiled in protest
against the volume of brandy he had consumed the previous evening.
He, Peter, Edward and Sebastian had spent a lot of time, well into
the early hours of the morning, making plans and preparations for
the upcoming confrontation. Although for the life of him he
couldn’t remember what they had agreed upon.

Sitting
on the side of the bed Dominic briefly rested his head in his
hands. If the harsh sunlight pouring through the windows was any
indication, it was well past noon. Isobel would be furious with him
over yesterday as it was. To ignore her the following morning too
was courting trouble. He would be lucky if he would be allowed to
share her bed that night either. Not that he could blame her,
Dominic thought with a rueful glance down at his soiled
shirt.

Jaw
clenched, Dominic rose and pulled several times upon the bell pull
summoning Travis, his personal Butler, before finally succumbing to
the demands of his stomach behind the retiring screen.

Nearly
two hours later he emerged from the master suite, fully dressed and
feeling somewhat more alive. Having been obliquely informed by
Travis that the staff had been looking after Isobel quite
adequately, Dominic headed in search of his wife.