Libertine's Wife (59 page)

“
You knew it was him from
the beginning, didn’t you?” Garret saw the man shrug, but his eyes
betrayed nothing.

“
A man in my line of work
has to know such things, my lord. I’ve known Lord Cosgrove to be
Thaddeus Dench for some time, yes, but had no clue why he was so
determined to kill you until now.”

“
I would have killed him,
you realize? I didn’t need you to interfere,” Garret claimed, his
eyes narrowing, pride rearing up to know the assassin took such
satisfaction away from him.

“
Of that I have no doubt, my
lord. I merely fulfilled what you hired me to do,” the man said
with a smirk. “I think you have enough on your conscience,
however.”

Garret untied his wife, glaring as he
noticed the redness at her temple from the muzzle of the gun. He
dropped a kiss on her forehead and held her close, eyeing the man
thoughtfully. He held his trembling wife as she collapsed into his
arms. He gazed at the man in gratitude. “It appears I owe you more
than I can ever repay, Mr. Roth.”

“
I satisfied our contract
and my own curiosity, Lord Ravensford. Think nothing of
it.”

Garret was again noting the
similarities between them as comprehension dawned upon him. He
watched as Roth disappeared without another word out the window. He
was gone, as silently as he arrived. He felt unease to know he’d
not seen or heard the man enter through the window while he argued
with Martin.

He was comforting his wife when Helms
entered the fray, a pistol in his hand. He came barreling through
the door to draw up short, looking relieved to see Martin disposed
of and Arianne safe in his arms.

“
Where is Mr. Roth, my
lord?” Helms inquired as he looked around in confusion, appearing
annoyed. “Don’t tell me I beat the man up here? He claimed he knew
a shorter route when we arrived.”

Garret looked at the window with a
slight smile. “He did what he came to do. He’s gone. Did you pay
him already Helms? He deserves that much and more for saving my
wife.”

Helms looked a bit guilty. “He refused
payment on the way here, my lord.”

“
Why would he do that?”
Garret already knew the answer. He knew why the man disturbed him
from the start. He reminded him of their father, Geoffrey Spencer.
The similarities were startling. He felt a pang of disappointment
to know he’d not had the chance to acknowledge his father’s other
son, distracted by the turmoil in his life.

“
He said it was his gift to
you, my lord.” Helms avoided his eyes. “You know who he is, do you
not?”

“
Yes, I think it was obvious
from the minute I saw him had I been able to focus on anything
other than this Dench mess.” Garret held Arianne tightly to his
chest, his relief profound to know she was safe.

“
Who was that man, Garret?”
Arianne said, looking up at him with wide, startled eyes, still in
a bit of shock. “He looked just like—”

“
Yes, I know, he looks just
like me,” her husband finished for her and scowled at his
man-of-affairs. “How long did you know about him? Do not lie of it
either! Nothing escapes your notice, Helms. When did you plan to
tell me the man was my brother?”

“
I’ve known from the time of
his birth. His mother came to me and made a claim. I was instructed
to send her away by your father,” Helms admitted with a pained
look. “Your father never acknowledged him. You know I can’t ever
let matters go, my lord. I made it my business to stay abreast of
your brother’s life over the years. I saw the necessity to approach
him when we failed to find Dench. It’s a good thing I did, from
what I can see.”

“
I would like to thank him
for what he did for me tonight,” Garret said with a look of relief.
“You will arrange the meeting.”

“
He leaves on the first tide
for parts unknown. He didn’t wish you to know about him, for
obvious reasons. And he needs no thanks, he said, my lord. He said
you can thank him by—I can’t really repeat what he said in front of
Lady Ravensford. He said he would encourage you to keep
your…um…well, your manhood in your breeches from now on, my lord.
He said it’s in good hands with…um…Lady Ravensford,
here.”

Garret grinned, seeing Helms was nearly
purple with discomfort after repeating the assassin’s parting
words. “Will I ever see him again, Helms? Can you tell me that
much?”

“
I should hope not, my lord.
But knowing you both as I now do, I have no doubt you will see each
other again, very soon.”

~ ~ ~

Amanda Devere was laid to rest next to
her son the following week. Many commented on how tragic it was
Lord Cosgrove became another victim of Thaddeus Dench, the known
criminal who was still at large. Amanda’s servants merely thought
her heart gave out in the night. Garret didn’t feel the need to
destroy his former best friend’s reputation with the truth of his
dual life, or the fact he’d killed his own mother in his madness.
They left the matter alone, unwilling to disturb Martin anymore
than he was in life.

Lord Denham discovered Arianne’s jewels
hidden in his study that week, left there by Martin to incriminate
him. He returned them to her promptly, relieved the matter was over
and he was no longer under suspicion.

The nobleman was encouraged to deal
with only her when he arrived that day, and not her husband. His
wife’s son, Henry, was left in her care when he departed, abandoned
by the only father he’d known. The boy was confused about the
sudden change in his life. Garret was furious Denham abandoned the
boy after his mother died, but they’d taken him in
nonetheless.

Now their castle was overrun with
princes and princesses, reminding them each day how blessed they
were. Garret was now paying the price for his former lifestyle each
day when he tripped over toys left on the stairs, or his
concentration became impossible with running, clamoring children
always underfoot.

The children were on their way to
Ravensford Hall. They were sent ahead of them today so her husband
could enjoy the last days of his peace before they took up
residence there. They were closing the house in London that week
and leaving for good.

Arianne looked around the salon now
covered with dust covers and sighed. She looked forward to leaving,
but felt a hint of sadness too to think of all that was gained and
lost the last year.

Garret and Helms determined Martin
started his life of crime when his investments all failed
miserably. His mother wouldn’t continue to back him financially. He
amassed a fortune playing Dench, they soon discovered, all of it
blood money. Garret refused to touch it when he learned he was now
inherent of all of it with Amanda’s death. Garret was left as
executer of Amanda’s estate and donated the funds to the church to
distribute to the poor. Amanda was revered and remembered fondly by
all. Garret thought the old lady might have been pleased to know he
was getting closer to the regret he’d always avoided feeling in the
past. He didn’t say it aloud, but Arianne knew the whole matter
changed her husband for the better.

Garret was notably quiet the week after
the funerals. She knew he struggled with his own inner turmoil over
both Amanda and Martin’s deaths. She could see he was shaken to
think that because of a youthful mistake, he’d almost lost his
family. She knew it would take time for him to get over his grief
to know his closest friend despised him all these years and was
responsible for all that happened to them. A part of her was
relieved Eustace could no longer be blamed for
everything.

Julian and Drusilla were expecting
their own child now. They were keeping Jaime with them for a time
until the Ravensford’s were settled in. Her son was delighted with
having two sets of parents who doted on him now. He was growing
quite spoiled these days. Julian knew no limit when he doled out
gifts to the child. Drusilla was no better.

They had all yet to decide what would
be done about sharing time with Jaime when they left for Virginia.
Julian was so overwrought to become a father again, it hadn’t
occurred to him right now. Later, when all was settled, they would
come to an agreement. She was happy he and his lady had at last
found one another. By the tone of his letter, she could recognize
the love he now felt for his wife.

It reminded her of the wishes they both
made at the pond behind Vale House long ago. She wished a handsome
prince would save her from the evil dragon then, and carry her away
to his grand castle. They would live happily ever after. She smiled
to think the tale got a bit convoluted since then.

Her handsome prince needed a bit of
work still, even if she assured him he was perfect on a daily
basis. Not only did he still assume complete control over her
wardrobe, he now had an absurd interest in her bathing habits. He
still stayed ten steps ahead of her in all things. She never had
any desire to catch up.

She shook her head, knowing she should
put her foot down and limit his trying to control everything in her
life. Deep down she knew she’d have it no other way. Giving into
his desires brought them both too much satisfaction for her to feel
any sort of outrage over it anymore. She trusted him to take her
wherever their hearts led them now, following eagerly anywhere he
took her.

Their castle changed more often than
she’d like to see. Garret made the decision to leave for Belle
Terre at the end of the year when Gregory went away to school.
While she was saddened they would leave England for a time, she
knew he pursued his brother, for lack of a better
excuse.

Finding Caspian Roth proved to be
easier than he’d thought when he put his mean little dog on his
half brother’s trail. Helms tracked him to New York, and from
there; the man was now in Boston. She shivered to think her
husband’s only living relative was a criminal. He assured her the
man was honorable in his own way, having dealt with Martin and his
band of ruffians the last months.

Their happily ever after was a reminder
every time she looked at her scarred wrists, appreciating every day
as if it was their last. The dragon she always feared turned out to
be her own lack of faith. It was slain, no longer standing in the
way of her happiness. Seeing the renewed love and faith in her
husband’s gaze each day made their struggles all the more
worthwhile.

“
Silence, at last! Their
gone finally! We have the place to ourselves for three whole,
quiet, childless days!” Garret was saying in the doorway, his green
eyes lit up. “We should take advantage of this while we can, my
love.”

“
We already did, twice
today, you remember,” Arianne reminded him with a slight smile. “I
told you this would all be an adjustment for us all. With Henry
this makes…where are we at in numbers now?”

“
And the new baby makes
nine, my love,” Garret reported glumly. “The price of passion gets
no higher than that! We are done after this one! From now on, I
must insist you control yourself, madam. You will get no more
children of me until some of them grow up and leave.”

Arianne giggled at his empty edict.
“The price of passion, you say? Now that you have to raise them
all, you would set limits?”

Garret scowled at her as he walked into
the salon, snatching her close, his green eyes filled with teasing.
“Can we at least wait until some of them are out of the bloody
house before we have any more?”

“
Gregory leaves in three
months,” Arianne reminded him.

“
He is but one of the
ingrates,” her husband fumed as he touched her cheek.

“
Mary and Deidre go away to
school as well in a few years.”

“
That leaves six still, my
sweet,” he said with a resigned sigh.

“
Jaime stays with Julian
half of the time.”

“
That would be five and
half! What is all of this, Arianne? I have too damned many children
as it is! Next thing you know, that last one will be cast off upon
us before we leave for America.”

“
Lady Fillmore desires to
tour Europe soon,” Arianne said with a knowing smile. “She claims
her daughter is far too young to travel. She hinted at a more
permanent solution.”

“
Bloody hell and damnation!
Damned irresponsible mothers, every last one of them! Price of
passion, my ass! Now I’m taking them all in while they run for
their lives.”

“
She is but one more, my
love,” Arianne said with a gentle smile. “Think of how that might
encourage Henry? He still feels left out.”

Garret rolled his eyes. “You’re
determined to seek out every child I’ve ever made and raise them,
aren’t you?”

Arianne smiled with a glint in her
eyes. “It’s either that, or I have to deal with their mothers. You
didn’t say Lady Fillmore was quite so attractive.”

Garret shrugged. “I hardly remember
what she looked like. I was a bit angry at you at the time, you
recall?”

Arianne could see he was caving on the
issue of little Emily coming to live with them too. She could see
it in the softening of his expression, despite his complaints. Deep
down she knew it pleased him to have them all with them. “Lady
Fillmore is having the child sent next week.”