Rose in Bloom (25 page)

“Of course you are, Mr. Price,” Lily said. “Or should I say, my lord. But to Papa, you’re an equal now. May I accompany you? I really want to see the look on Papa’s face.”

“I’ll accompany you as well,” Lord Denbigh said. “I’ll be proud to tell Ashford that you’re my grandson and heir.”

“Really, none of this is necessary,” Cameron said. “I’m not afraid of Ashford.”

“We know you’re not, my love,” Rose said. “We just all want in on the fun!”

Chapter Nineteen

“Will you ever stop giggling?” Cameron squeezed Rose’s hand as they walked along the estate.

“I’m sorry. Just the look on my father’s face when we told him the whole story… It was absolutely priceless!” Rose leaned into him.

His body twitched. A slight touch from her, and he was an adolescent schoolboy again. “Yes, I’m now worthy to father your children.”

“You always were, Cam.”

“What do you want to name our child?” he asked. “Are you fond of family names?”

Rose shook her head and laughed. “I love my parents dearly, but I would never saddle a poor innocent child with the name Crispin or Flora.”

Cameron joined in. “And I love my mother, but no, I’ll not name a sweet little girl Clementine. If it’s a boy, though, I’d like to name him after my father. Colton. Would you mind?”

“Cam, that’s a wonderful idea. But I feel it only fair to tell you, the gypsy I met on Midsummer said we’re having a girl.”

“And you believed her, sweet?”

Rose smiled. “I wanted to. I wanted to believe her because she said you were coming back to me. And you did, so she was right about that.”

“I’d like to think I would have made it back to you no matter what. And of course once I found out about the babe, nothing would have kept me away.”

“Well, it’s all in the past now, thank goodness,” Rose said. “And if the gypsy was right, and we do have a girl, what would you like to name her?”

“What about my grandmother’s name? Joy?”

Rose smiled. “That’s lovely. And since the first name will come from your family, might I choose the second name?”

“Of course, sweet.” He was at her mercy. He’d give her whatever she wanted, even if she wanted to name the child Colton Crispin or Joy Clementine.

“Perfect, then. If it’s a boy, Colton Thomas, for my brother, and for a girl, Joy Lily, for my sister.”

Cameron choked back a sob. Two more perfect names could not have tumbled from her lips. “I love them both, truly. And whether little Colton or little Joy slumbers within you, I know the other isn’t far behind.”

Rose giggled. “I’m in the best mood, Cam. Would you like to go riding? I know Apollo isn’t here, but you could ride one of Daniel’s horses. I know he wouldn’t mind.”

Cam inhaled. Fresh summer air and a ride with his beloved. Perfect. “I’d love that, sweet. Lead the way.”

They arrived at the stables and Rose picked out a gelding for Cameron to ride. The readied their horses and chattered about nothing in particular. Cam reached for a saddle, but jerked when he heard a soft click of a door locking. He turned.

“I figured you’d be here,” Lord Evan Xavier said.

“Xavier”—Cam cleared his throat—“what can I do for you?”

Rose peeked around from Begonia. “Evan?”

“Leave us, Rose,” Evan said, his eyes dark and grim.

“What on earth—”

“I said leave us!”

Anger bit at the back of Cameron’s neck. “Don’t speak to her that way, Xavier. What is it that you want? And why in God’s name did you lock the door to the stables?”

“I’ve heard your good news. You and I are going to have it out, Price.” Evan pulled out a dueling pistol and aimed it at Cameron.

Cameron’s heart leaped into his throat and his bowels cramped. What the hell? This was Xavier. He wasn’t a madman. What had gotten into him?

“Evan!” Rose shrieked.

“Leave, Rose,” Cameron said, willing his voice not to crack. “Let her go, Xavier. Unlock the door and let her go.”

“No!” Rose ran in front of Cameron. “If you want him, my lord, you have to go through me.”

“This doesn’t concern you, my lady,” Evan said. “It’s between Price and me.”

“Of course it concerns me. What other business could you possibly have with Cameron?”

“Rose, leave,” Cameron pleaded. “I’ll be fine.”

“I won’t. I won’t leave you.”

“Think of the babe,” Cam whispered into her ear.

She softened against him.

“Please,” he said. “I’ll be all right. I promise.” He prayed he wasn’t lying to her.

She nodded. “If you say so, Cam. I’ll bring help.” Rose inched along the wall, never taking her gaze off of Evan, until she reached the door. She unlocked it and scurried outside.

Cameron held up his hands, his heart pounding. “Come on, Xavier. You don’t expect to fight an unarmed man, do you?” The man was a mountain, but a pummeling was preferable to being shot.
Stay calm, Cameron. Stay calm
.

“She was supposed to be mine,” Evan said.

“Look, if this is about the commission, I plan to give you your money back. You can ask Rose. She knows.”

“Do you think I give a damn about the money?” Evan took a step forward, and his face twisted in anguish. He exhaled and then lowered the pistol and deposited it back in his pocket. “My God, man, I’m sorry.”

Cameron walked toward him, his nerves skittering. “Xavier, what is this really about?”

“I don’t know. Rose, I guess. My foolish pride. My father’s impending nuptials. Everything’s changing so quickly. I thought I knew where I was headed.” Evan raked his hands through his blond hair. “I wasn’t going to do anything. Just scare you a little.” He let out a nervous laugh. “The pistol’s not even loaded.”

“You accomplished your objective. I very nearly shat myself.” Cameron held back a shudder. Oddly, he felt a sort of kinship with the other man. His own life had changed dramatically in the past month.

“My father. It’s difficult to see him with another woman. Yet he’s so happy.”

“Then you need to be happy for him.”

Evan nodded, his eyes sunken. “I haven’t found that happiness. I wanted it with Rose, but it wasn’t there. It was never there. I envy you, Price. And I envy my father. You’re right, of course. I need to be happy for him. And I know that, in my heart.”

“It will take a little time to get used to. But you will. Listen, I—”

“Mr. Price, I presume?”

Cam and Evan both looked toward the door as it locked again with a click. Cameron inhaled a sharp breath. A balding man stood, gun in his hand, and this was no dueling pistol.

“Who are you?” Cameron asked, his stomach churning again.

“You are Cameron Price?” the stranger said again.

Cameron gulped. “I am.”

“Then I suppose I’m your cousin. Or second cousin once or twice removed or some such. Dorrance Adams.”

“Ah. You’re the imbecile.” The words popped out before Cameron could stop them.

“Seeing as how you’re the one with a gun pointed at you, I’d say it’s debatable who the imbecile is here.” Adams advanced. “I’ve no concern with you”—he gestured to Evan—“but as I can’t have witnesses, I have no choice but to dispose of you both. And I plan to do a better job than I did with your father all those years ago.”

“My father?” Cameron shook his head, his ears ringing. “You’ve got it all wrong. My father only died seven years ago.”

“Yes, unfortunately, I found that out recently. The men I hired were supposed to kill him.”

“The men
you
hired?” Cameron’s mind raced. Was his grandfather not responsible? “I was told my mother’s father—”

“I’m afraid not. I’ve done some research over the past couple weeks. All the good baronet did was throw your parents out of his house. The beating was my doing, though obviously those I entrusted it to didn’t get the job done. Which is why I came for
you
myself. You won’t be getting out of this stable alive, Price.”

“What’s this about, Price?” Evan asked, slowly moving along the wall of the stable, farther away from Cameron.

“I’ll explain later, God willing,” Cameron said, his heart hammering.
Keep him talking. Think of Rose and the babe.
“Look,” he said to Adams, “if it’s the marquessate you want, you can have it. I don’t even want it.”
Don’t mention Rose. If he knows about the babe—
Cameron couldn’t complete the thought.

Adams let out a sigh. “If only it were that simple, Price. But it isn’t. You’re going to have to go.” He raised his hand.

Like a cyclone, Evan flew toward Adams and tackled him to the ground with a thundering thud. Adams thrashed around under Evan’s mass, unable to move, and a shot fired from the gun into the ceiling. The horses thrashed and whinnied in their stalls. Cameron stood, immobile, his body numb.

“Get the bloody gun, Price,” came Evan’s muffled voice.

Cameron jolted back into awareness and ran toward the mass of limbs. Where was the gun? When he finally spied it in Adams’s right hand, he focused on it and kicked as hard as he could. The gun rattled across the dirt. Cam scurried forward, grabbed it, and held it on the still-thrashing duo.

“I’ve got it, Xavier. You can get off him.”

Evan landed a few ham-fisted punches to Adams’s face and then rose. Adams writhed on the dirt.

“Your bravery was humbling,” Cam said to Evan. “I’m in your debt.”

Evan shook his head as he rubbed his hands together. “Call it even. I’m not sure what got into me earlier. I’m truly sorry.”

“Price, are you all right?” The Duke of Lybrook burst in with three servants in tow.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” Cam brushed off his jacket. “Thanks to Xavier.”

“But Rose said—”

“That was a misunderstanding,” Cameron said. “But you’ll need to summon the authorities.” He pointed to the ground “This man is Dorrance Adams, and he tried to kill both Xavier and me.”

“What? I don’t understand.”

“Find the marquess, too. I believe he’s acquainted with this man. Evidently he’s our second cousin.”

Adams grunted, blood squirting from his nose. Two of the servants bound his hands behind his back and lifted him to his feet. “It’s off to the ice house with you,” one of them said, and they led him out of the stable.

“I say, Xavier,” Cameron said, slapping him on the back with more nerve than he felt. “I always knew I wanted you on
my
side.”

“I’m glad I could help. Can you forgive my earlier actions?”

“It’s already forgiven. If you hadn’t acted earlier, both Rose and I would have been here when Adams showed up, and we’d both surely be dead by now.” Cam smiled, his shuddering finally starting to subside. “Now let’s get cleaned up. I believe there’s supposed to be a wedding here on the morrow.”

Epilogue

After Auntie Iris and the Earl of Brighton became husband and wife, Rose and Cameron sneaked outside.

Rose sighed as Cameron drew her into his arms and kissed her. “You know,” she said, “this is the exact spot where we nearly made love after Lily’s wedding.”

Cameron trailed tiny kisses over her jaw line, the nape of her neck, and her shoulders which were nearly bare in her summer ball gown. She shivered at his touch, and her nipples tightened under her corset.

“And here we are, after yet another wedding.” Cam nibbled on her skin. “Whatever shall we do?”

“I’ve an idea.” Rose guided Cam’s hand underneath her dress. Her pussy quivered as she anticipated his heated touch.

Cameron gasped, and then chuckled. “Naughty girl. No drawers?” He slid his fingers through her folds. “And so wet, my lady. So wet for me.”

“For you, my lord.” She sighed against his neck, inhaling his salty scent. “Only for you.”

Coming Soon:

Lady Alexandra’s Lover

The story of Ally and … who will it be?

Author’s Note

The Theatre Royal in Bath, England opened in 1805. It is one of the more important theatres outside London, with a capacity to seat nine hundred. It is still open today and underwent a major renovation in 2010.

Since Zachary Newland is fictional and consequently never performed there, he also never opened the Regal Theatre. I needed a place for Cameron to compose, so I created the Regal.

Performers of the arts were often backed by benefactors. Thomas Attwood, the composer and organist, truly was a student of Mozart, and his expenses were paid by the Prince of Wales—later King George IV—who had been impressed by his talent at the harpsichord.

So in Rose and Cam’s fictional world, the Marchioness of Denbigh took young Zach Newland under her wing. Zach paid it forward by offering Cameron a job as a composer, even though he lacked formal education, and also because Zach hoped to maintain the Duke of Lybrook’s support for his venture.

Based on history, something similar just might have happened in a comparable place—and perhaps lives were changed, as they were in
Rose in Bloom
.