Swept Away (18 page)

“Of course. What other course is there?”

“But we despise one another!”

“In my experience, that is quite common among married couples,” he replied lightly, shrugging into his jacket. “The only difference with us is that we know it at the beginning instead of finding out later.”

“This is no time for jests!”

“Excuse me. It seemed to me a very good time. I find that disagreeable medicine goes down somewhat better if one smiles.”

Julia glared at him, making an exasperated noise.

“Now, if you are ready, I think that the best thing to do is to hire a horse for me from our landlord and travel to the next town, where we can hire a post chaise. We'll take your horse with us, I presume. I had thought about sending it back to your home, but then I realized that you would probably want it when we reached Stonehaven.”

“I am not going to your country house,” Julia stated flatly.

“We shall discuss that at a more appropriate time.”

“No! We will discuss it right now, before we go any further. This whole thing is ridiculous. We are not getting married. You cannot want to marry me, and I certainly have no desire to marry you.”

“I am quite aware of your feelings toward me, and I cannot pretend that my feelings toward you are particularly civil. But we are not talking about doing what we want. We are talking about doing our duty.” He fixed her with a piercing gaze. “Don't you understand what a predicament you are in? We were just discovered in a supremely compromising position by two people who will probably blab it over half of England. Fitzmaurice hasn't enough sense to keep his mouth shut, and Pamela is the sort who loves nothing so much as causing other people misery. Your reputation will be ruined, and the only thing that can save you is to marry me.”

“I realize that. I'm not stupid,” Julia retorted. “But there is no reason for you to make such a sacrifice. We dislike each other, and it would only be a burden to tie your family name to mine. The Armigers are in disgrace.”

“So you are saying I should save myself and leave you to sink or swim? What a nice opinion you have of me, I must say.”

“What does it matter if my reputation is ruined?” Julia asked a trifle forlornly. “It is extremely unlikely that I shall ever marry. I shall live out my days at Greenwood with Phoebe, anyway. I am ostracized because of what Selby—because of what you did to Selby!”

“What
I
did to Selby! Good Lord, with all your disagreeable qualities, at least up 'til now you hadn't seemed idiotic. I did nothing to Selby. Selby did it all to himself. He was foolish and weak, and he disgraced his name. He hadn't even the courage to face it like a man, but left the three of you to cope with it.”

“How dare you say that about Selby!” Julia clenched her fists, glaring at him. “He was the best man that ever lived! He was wonderful and kind, and he had far more courage than a snake like you.”

“No doubt he was a paragon,” Stonehaven remarked dryly. “I am sure embezzlers often are.” He held up his hand to ward off her furious retort. “Now, let's stick to the subject of you, if we may. It is true that Selby disgraced the family, but if you create a scandal, too, it will only make matters worse. Can't you see that? There will be a storm of gossip about you, and all the old gossip about Selby, dormant for the past couple of years, will arise all over again. If you don't care about yourself, think about your sister-in-law. Think about your nephew. They were innocent parties in both instances, but they have been made to suffer and will be made to suffer again. Lady Armiger is a trifle young, I think, to be immured in Kent, but at least she has had something of a life. What about poor Gilbert? How do you think his life will be, growing up with two such scandals hanging over his head? It will be hard enough, I assure you, trying to live down what his father did, without also having an aunt who is known throughout Society as a wanton!”

Julia could not keep tears from springing into her eyes, though she struggled valiantly not to let them fall. “I know! I know! You need not tell me. I knew what might happen if I failed.”

“But you went ahead anyway, didn't you?” He shook his head in exasperation. “You are very like Selby—emotional and impetuous to a fault. You wanted revenge on me because I was the one who caught Selby, so you concocted this mad scheme, knowing full well that it might all blow up in your face.”

“I thought it was worth the risk.”

“All very well for you, but what about your family? I know,” he continued sarcastically, “that considering the consequences and doing one's duty are not family traits of the Armigers. However, I think that this is one time when you are going to have to buckle down and do the right thing. For the sake of your nephew, if nothing else.”

“How dare you—” Julia began hotly.

“Please. Let us not have a fit of histrionics. You may shout at me all you wish while we are riding. But now it behooves us to leave the inn.”

He cast a last glance around the room, then opened the door cautiously and peered about. He stepped out into the hall, motioning Julia to follow him, which she did, stonily silent. He took her arm, and they climbed softly down the stairs. Motioning to Julia to wait for him outside, he went into the taproom, seeking the innkeeper.

Julia went outside and sat down huffily on a bench to wait for Deverel. A moment later the front door opened, and Thomas came hurrying out.

“Julia! I saw you come out.”

Julia looked toward the door in alarm. “Did anyone else see me? I cannot talk to Pamela.”

“No. You're safe. Mother and the major are still eating. I was watching for you, you see, and I just slipped out. I wanted to talk to you.” He looked at her, distress written on his face. “It's not true, is it? You're not married to
him,
are you?”

“No, of course not. Oh, Thomas, it's the most awful mess. De—Lord Stonehaven only said that because you caught us in a compromising position. But we aren't married. You know I could never marry him.”

“Thank God! But how did you end up here? Why were you kissing him?”

“Uh, well, that wasn't, you see, he—oh, Thomas, it is very long and complicated. I can't explain it now.”

“But did you find out anything?” he pressed. “Did he confess after you locked him up?”

“Bloody hell!”

The two of them jumped and whirled around at the sound of Stonehaven's furious voice behind them. They had been so involved in their conversation that they had not heard him come out the front door. They gaped at him.

“So that was it, eh?” he thundered. “It wasn't just to exact your revenge on me for discovering Selby's crime, was it? You seduced me into going to that hut so that you could force me into some sort of confession!”

Julia swallowed hard, frightened by the red-hot anger in Stonehaven's face. She forced her chin up a little and said, “Yes. Of course. What purpose would it serve to stick you in a hut otherwise?”

“I thought you wanted to pay me back for the way you were hurt by Selby's scandal. To make me suffer a little—start a hunger for something I could not have, even spend a miserable night tied to a chair. It doesn't make much sense, I'll admit, but, then, when people are angry and hurt, they often don't make sense. They lash out at the nearest target.” He paused, looking at her consideringly. “Just what was it you wanted to make me confess to?”

“To stealing my money yourself!” Thomas said hotly, facing the older man, his fists clenched at his sides.

“What!” Stonehaven stared at him in amazement. “Are you mad?”

“No, just smarter than you gave me credit for.”

Stonehaven let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Not if you believe that I was the one who embezzled your money. I never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life.”

“It's not ridiculous, and you know it,” Julia retorted. “You stole the money and made it look as if Selby did it. You ruined him and my entire family for your own selfish ends.”

Stonehaven went white around his mouth. “You actually believe that I—that I took young Thomas's money—that I betrayed my honor and family, not to mention the sacred trust that Walter placed in me? And not content with that, I purposely did it in such a way that it would ruin a man with whom I had been friends for years? Ruin not only him, but his family's name, as well?”

Julia quailed before the look in his eyes, but she stiffened her spine and replied flatly, “Yes. That is what I believe.”

Deverel let out an odd little breath. “I see.” He glanced away. “I had thought that nothing could appall me more than discovering that my cunning little seductress was, in fact, a woman of quality and that her scheme came from personal ill will toward me. But I am learning that you have a bottomless capacity to shock me.” He looked at Thomas. “And you, young man—you believe this, too?”

Thomas nodded, looking a trifle frightened, but holding his ground.

“I am overwhelmed by the esteem in which you hold me.” Deverel paused. “I am afraid that Miss Armiger and I must leave now, Thomas. We have a great many things to do in the next few days. But let me assure you that Miss Armiger
is
going to marry me, and I would ask you to keep quiet about her incautious disclosure to you a few moments ago. I realize that you bear no regard for me, but for the sake of whatever affection you have for Julia, I pray you will be silent.”

“I wouldn't hurt Julia for the world!” Thomas exclaimed.

“Good. You will not if you do not tell your mother and Fitz the truth.”

“Oh, no, my lord, I know better than that,” Thomas assured him earnestly.

“Furthermore, I promise you that Miss Armiger and I will investigate this matter of the embezzlement most thoroughly. I warrant you that before much longer she will know exactly who stole the money.” He turned to Julia, his eyes challenging.

Julia returned his gaze defiantly. “If you think that you can bully me into believing it was Selby, I can tell you right now that it won't work.”

“Of course not. However, I am hoping that reason and logic will get through to you eventually.” He paused. “Now, I think it is time that we left, Miss Armiger. Don't you?”

“Yes.” Julia bit off the word. She turned to Thomas and gave him a hug, whispering, “I will be all right. And I swear to you that I will somehow get the truth out of him.”

Stonehaven led her across the yard toward the stables. “The innkeeper consented to let me hire his gig rather than another horse. It is slower, of course, but more appropriate for a woman in a day dress. Don't you agree?”

Julia gave a little sigh of relief. Although she would not have told Stonehaven so for the world, she had not been looking forward to making a spectacle of herself by riding a horse in a muslin day dress rather than a riding habit. Last night in the dark, hurrying on her mission to the shepherd's hut, she had not given a thought to hiking up her skirt and riding astride her mare, but in the daytime it would, she knew, look quite odd, if not shocking, not to wear a habit.

“Thank you,” she said, avoiding his eyes.

“You are welcome,” he replied with equal stiffness.

When the ostler brought out the gig, Julia's mare tied to it in back, Stonehaven handed her up into it, then climbed up himself and took the reins. They rolled off at a snail's pace.

“The landlord said that Swanley is the nearest town with a post house. From there, we will go on to Buckinghamshire.”

“And I, I collect, will have nothing to say in the matter?” Julia challenged him. “I am sorry to ruin your plans, but you will be going on to Buckinghamshire by yourself. We will pass through London, and I intend to get off there.”

He glanced at her. “What maggot have you got into your head now?”

“I am not marrying you. The very thought is absurd.”

“That has sometimes been my opinion of marriage, also,” he replied easily. “However, it is the accepted manner of living, I'm afraid.”

“Would you pray stop talking nonsense. I am speaking of
our
marriage. There is no reason for it.”

He sighed loudly. “I thought we had laid this argument to rest.”

“No. Not at all. There is no reason for you to marry me. You have no obligation. It can only be an embarrassment to you and your family to be attached to the Armigers, and to me in particular, after Pamela St. Leger gets through carrying this tale to everyone.”

“I was involved in the same tale she will be telling,” he reminded her mildly.

“But it isn't the same for a man. You know it isn't. People will cluck their tongues and shake their heads, and perhaps a few matrons will decide you are too much of a rake to invite you to their parties, but that will be it. You shan't be ostracized by the entire Society.”

“No, and neither will you be, when everyone knows that we are married.”

“There is no reason for you to make such a sacrifice for me,” Julia said stubbornly, glaring at him. Why was he insisting on acting so nobly, when she knew that he was anything but noble? “You cannot wish to tie yourself to a—a ‘cunning jade.' A ‘doxy.”'