Libertine's Wife (22 page)

“
It’s not true! Garret is
his Father!”

“
We both know better, little
sister. You were with child before you married Ravensford, and we
both know it.” Eustace gave her a knowing smile and stood away from
the wall, walking to her and shaking his head sadly. “No, I would
say the marquis’s current good will towards you would end knowing
you passed off Vale’s bastard as his.”

He knew the
truth.

She felt sinking dread in the pit of
her stomach. She’d taken such pains to keep it from him, horrified
to confirm her condition a scant few days after arriving in London.
Before she recovered from that shock, she was pushed to compromise
Garret.

There seemed no way out of the
situation she found herself in then. Garret abandoning her soon
after their marriage, made the lie Jaime was his child a safe one.
She consoled herself with that for three years.

She told herself she kept silent of her
condition out of her love for Julian, determined he’d not learn of
it. He would have never married the rich merchant’s daughter if he
knew she was pregnant. She vowed no one would know the truth. Tears
filled her eyes to know she failed at that too.

Arianne was thinking very quickly. She
determined her brother caught her in the matter. If she refused to
help him, he would go to Garret with what he knew of Jaime. That
was the reason he wrote to her when she disappeared. He saw a way
to get money out of her because of the child, as she feared from
the start if he learned of it. She kept silent to avoid this, and
for the man she once loved.

“
How much do you want,
Eustace?” she asked wearily, deflated to know he had her right
where she avoided being.

His eyes gleamed. “Five thousand pounds
should restore my faith in you, little sister.”

She gasped in outrage, leveling him an
incredulous look. “Five thousand pounds? Where would you like me to
get such an amount? What excuse would I have to require that much
money without Garret knowing it was for you?”

“
Oh, I don’t expect you to
ask Ravensford for it, little sister,” Eustace informed her with a
pleased smile. “Vale is now quite well off since he married his
hideous commoner bride. You can get it from him. Your lover no
doubt still has feelings for you. God knows his wife is loathsome.
He would be most happy to see you.”

Arianne stared at him in dismay. “You
expect me to get the money from Julian?”

Eustace grinned and winked down at her.
“Had you charged him for all that time you spent on your back long
ago, you would be even with what you ask from him now.”

“
You disgust me!” Arianne
glared at him while he chuckled at his own joke.

“
Vale has the money,
Arianne. We both know he still has feelings for you. All you need
to do is ask him for it.”

“
Julian would refuse if he
knew it was for you!” she protested harshly. “What
then?”

“
Then you have to be very
convincing, little sister,” Eustace said with a knowing smile. “I
would think you going back to his bed might encourage him to give
you whatever you want.”

Arianne knew it would be a mistake to
approach Julian for the money. The growing feelings for her husband
came to mind. The fragile trust she won from him was fleeting
should she do as Eustace asked. To help Eustace now would throw
that all away. She had to figure out how to squirm out of his grasp
before she lost everything.

“
I have only just returned
to London, Eustace.” Her mind was racing to figure some means out
of this. “My husband wishes for me to take my place in society. I
must bide my time until I can approach Julian. He would be
suspicious were I to slip away just now.”

Eustace considered her words and
frowned. “I need it soon. I can give you a week, no
more.”

“
A week, you can’t be
serious? I can’t get you that kind of money in a week from a man I
haven’t seen in three years. He and I did not part on the best of
terms when your scheme married me to another.” Arianne glared at
him with growing ire, cringing to think of her
alternatives.

“
You will go to Vale and do
whatever it takes, Arianne. If I don’t have it; I shall go to
Ravensford with the news of who fathered his heir. Think of that
before you seek to cross me in this.” He smirked at her and folded
his arms across his chest.

Arianne knew she had erred greatly in
underestimating what Eustace would do for funds. The gambling
sickness took him over. She could see it in the desperate sheen in
his eyes. Her skin crawled to be away from him, knowing this
grasping creature was no longer the brother she once knew and
adored. “If Garret finds out we’ve spoken at all, I’ll have more to
worry about than you getting your money, Eustace. He means what he
says!”

“
I have a room at The Lone
Sparrow Inn,” he replied, undeterred. “You can have my money sent
to me there. I won’t approach you again. Just don’t
delay.”

“
My husband is watching me,
Eustace! How do I explain even knowing Lord Vale?”

“
Ravensford is fooled by
your beauty,” he assured her with a smile. “He will believe Lord
Vale is just a childhood friend. Tell Ravensford you go to meet the
man’s wife. Just go to him, or you won’t like the result, little
sister.”

“
Why are you doing this to
me?” Arianne asked in a tortured voice. “Was it not enough I gave
up all I wanted to get you out of trouble once? Now you would do it
again, with no thought of me or your own nephew.”

“
Even happiness has a price,
little sister,” Eustace told her sadly before he left her in the
alley.

Arianne felt like she couldn’t breathe;
her secret bearing down on her from every side. If she didn’t help
Eustace, she would lose everything. The only thing she could hope
for was that Julian would agree to help her.

She closed her eyes, feeling nauseated
to know she had no choice but to play on her former lover’s
feelings. She could only pray the years softened Julian’s anger.
She knew him well. If he knew the money was for Eustace; he would
have no part of this.

Her eyes grew pained to know that
Garret would never believe a word she said if he knew the truth.
Too late did she realize her mistake in saying nothing years ago,
allowing him to believe Jaime was his. Now it was far too late to
undo it. He would hate her and shut her out of his life again. This
time for good, she was sure. She felt miserable to know she was
caught in Eustace’s schemes once more.

“
Lord Vale, you have a
visitor,” the butler informed him from the doorway of his study.
“Lady Ravensford is in the main salon.”

Julian’s dark head shot up from his
ledgers. His eyes filled with surprise and eagerness as he got up
from his desk. He was more than a little anxious to see Arianne. It
was painful these last years with no word of how she faired with
her husband. His imagination tortured him with what she endured at
the reprehensible man’s hands, feeling helpless to do anything for
her.

So many times, he mounted his horse to
set out to Ravensford Hall to check on her, see she was well. Each
time he was reminded of how she sent him away and married another,
his pride keeping him from going at the last.

He grimaced to think of how Ravensford
banished her. The marquis returned to his former life after he
married her. Learning she had born the man a son hit him like a
kick to the midsection. Knowing she was here now made his steps
hurried to join her.

Julian stared at her as he stood in the
doorway of the salon, his dark eyes drinking in her radiant, blonde
beauty. His heart clenched to know she’d been forced to marry
Ravensford for his benefit, making him wonder why she was here
today.

The gossips all said Ravensford
retrieved his wife and was now besotted with her. He knew that
feeling only too well. Not a day passed that he didn’t think of her
and what might have been.

Arianne turned and he was riveted by
her as he had been since they fell in love years before. She was
just as lovely as ever, maybe even more so with maturity. The
stylish, sophisticated gown and its deep blue color brought out her
eyes. Her gleaming pale blonde hair was artfully arranged under a
matching bonnet of the same hue.

“
You look well, Julian,”
Arianne said with real pleasure, smiling as he came forward to kiss
her cheek, staring down at her with a look of regret in his
gaze.

“
I’d heard you were back in
town,” Julian said softly. “I can see the man you married wasn’t a
total idiot and brought you back finally.”

Arianne’s smile faded. “What of your
wife, Julian? Is she here?”

Julian’s smile faded. His dark eyes
filled with regret. He looked away from her hopeful expression.
“Drusilla and I do not suit one another, Arianne. She resides at
Vale House, and has since our marriage.”

Her expression turned sympathetic. “I’m
sorry for that. I hoped you would find some measure of
happiness.”

“
No, that all went to
Ravensford.” He regarded her with a sad smile. “Are you happy,
Arianne? Please tell me that you are, so all of this wasn’t such a
waste?”

He saw her smile falter and hope flared
within his breast.

“
My husband thinks us
childhood friends,” she confided. “He thinks I came to meet your
wife today.”

Julian could hardly contain his
pleasure to know she sought him out, thinking it for another
purpose entirely. Thoughts of her filled his head since he married
his wife. He tried to forget her, but the love he had for her still
burned brightly within his heart.

“
Why have you come,
Arianne?” His dark eyes filled with hope. His body responded; his
loins tightening painfully.

“
I need your help, Julian,”
she admitted and sat upon the settee. He frowned at her words, not
liking the sound of them. All thoughts of lust seemed to evaporate
under her frown of displeasure.

“
What has
happened?”

She briefly explained the problem.
“Eustace will not leave me alone now. He followed me and demands
money. My husband will send me packing if he discovers I’ve even
talked to him.”

Julian saw the tears in her eyes. He
fought the urge to hold her, knowing she had a greater problem now.
Her brother’s sickness was as great as his brother Edmund’s had
been. He was determined to extort whatever he could from Arianne,
and any way he could.

“
Why not go to Ravensford
and tell him what Eustace is doing?” Julian offered and shrugged.
“The man can hardly blame you if Eustace approaches you on the
street.”

“
Eustace made threats to me,
Julian.”

Julian looked furious. “What sort of
threats? If he touches one hair on your head, I’ll kill
him!”

“
No, it’s nothing like
that,” she reassured him. “He holds something over my head that
cannot be known by my husband. Do not ask of it; just say you will
help me.”

“
What could he possibly hold
over you?” Julian demanded in outrage. “Why won’t you tell me what
it is?”

“
He threatens me. That is
all you need to know. Will you help me?” Arianne looked away from
Julian’s dark, intuitive gaze.

“
You ask for my help and
refuse to tell me what Eustace holds over you?” Julian stared at
her in disbelief. “You ask a lot of me, my love.”

“
Do not ask me what it is.”
She knew he could refuse her nothing, seeing her distress. “If I
thought it would help; I would tell you. Suffice to say, it is
damaging enough to destroy my life.”

“
How can you ask this of me
without any questions?” He rose from the settee, pacing angrily
before her. “Paying Eustace off will keep him demanding more to
stay silent of whatever he holds over you.”

“
What can I do?” She buried
her face in her hands. “If Garret finds out he will take my son
away, or worse! Don’t you see I have no choice?”

“
You always have a choice,
Arianne!” Julian rolled his eyes heavenward and threw his hands in
the air, slapping them against his sides. “Think, will you! Years
ago you worried more of our being in poverty than you needed to. My
brother didn’t get his hands on all that we had. My mother failed
to tell me she put money aside when she saw Edmund begin to falter.
It was enough to save the estate. We would have been fine had you
had more faith in me then. Faith is what you need now, my
love.”

~ ~ ~

Arianne’s head snapped up, recalling
Lady Vale’s visit and her pushing her to end her attachment with
her son. All along the lady knew she had the means to save the
estate. She just wanted more. Her son marrying Penworthy’s daughter
and gaining a fortune was enough to lie to her that day. Knowing
how she was tricked was hardly any comfort now. Julian was her only
hope to keep Eustace at bay.

“
When did she tell you of
this convenient nest egg?” Arianne was bitter to know they’d been
tricked from the start.

“
It was right after you left
for Ravensford’s estate. I found the accounts she kept secret. It
was the day I wed my wife.” Julian looked away, lost in the pain of
that moment. “She claimed to have forgotten setting the funds aside
before Edmund’s death. There was enough to save the estate, and a
small amount left over.”