Two Beaux and a Promise Collection (23 page)

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He smiled. “You days as an ape-leader are over, my dear. The family has found you a husband – me.”

“Absurd.”

His fists clenched. “The family honor is at stake, Maggie. We have endured scandal ever since Andrew defiled our name. Only our marriage will suppress it. You will enjoy it more if you accept the inevitable like the lady you pretend to be. We will remain at Fielding Court until you learn to—”

“What fustian!”  She wanted to smash a chair over his foolish head.
Family honor
indeed!  “I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in my life.”  But she could see the determination in his eyes. He would not accept her refusal. Loosening the strings on her reticule, she slipped a hand inside.

“I knew you were too stupid to recognize your good fortune.”  He shook his head as he stepped forward to seize her arm. “I must confine you to the country until you learn your place.”

“Don’t touch me!”  She slammed a knee into his groin, doubling him over. Jerking the pistol from her reticule, she backed out of reach.

“You will - regret - this.”  His voice squeaked between gasps for air, making the threat sound feeble.

“Hardly.”  Her hand remained steady. “This is farewell, Cousin. Father was wrong to believe that rapprochement was possible. Either leave, or I shoot.”

He tensed to attack – anger was eroding his sense – but before he could spring, Alice returned from the kitchens.

“What is going on?” she demanded, taking in the scene. “I knew he would make a nuisance of himself.”

“We are discovered,” wailed Robert, shakily straightening. “You are compromised, my dear. Marriage is your only hope.”  He produced a special license.

Maggie laughed. “English girls must be foolish indeed if you thought this scheme would work, Cousin. Find another pigeon for your trap. I will never wed you.”

Fury flushed his face. “Do you wish to be cut by society?”

“If you had listened to anything I’ve said, you would know how stupid that sounds. I have no interest in the opinions of fribbles and wastrels.”

“But—”

“No one would question us discussing family business unchaperoned.”

“Further proof that you know nothing of the world.”

“Of your world, possibly. But that society has no authority outside of England, and its scandals matter only to itself. The rest of us have more important things to think about. Now leave.” 

He stared at the pistol, clearly contemplating his chances of wresting it away.

“Do not underestimate me,” she warned. “No one survives in the wilderness without learning to handle weapons. Will you go quietly, or must we summon the staff?”  Alice had her hand on the bell pull.

“You will rue this day,” he spat, raking her with such loathing she nearly flinched. “No one insults me with impunity.”  He stalked away, slamming the door behind him.

“Conceited oaf!  What happened?” asked Alice, sliding the bolt shut.

“I’m not sure.”  She set down the pistol and sank into a chair. “He invited me to a balloon ascension. When I refused, he began prattling of honor and claimed that the family’s name is in jeopardy – which translates into my having to wed him. But if he needs Grandmother’s legacy that badly, he won’t give up.”

“Heavens!”

“Exactly.”  She glanced at her pistol, grateful she always carried it when traveling. “Are you sure you won’t accompany us to Wyndmer Park?  Robert is clearly dangerous.”

Alice shook her head. “Simmons has finally agreed to overlook my gender and instruct me in hotel management. And Henri is teaching me more techniques each day.”

“So how is our stalwart chef?” she asked, smiling.

“More puffed up than ever. He is a man of great appetites and even greater conceit.”

“Take care. He seeks more than flirtation.”

She laughed. “He is already carrying on with at least two maids, so you needn’t fret. He thinks I will approach the Clarendon’s chef if he annoys me. They are fierce rivals. Henri swears he himself is more talented, despite the fact that Jaquiers, not he, was once chef to the French king.”  She brandished several scraps of paper.

“What did he give you this time?”

“Henri’s Delight,” she said, tapping the top one. “That exquisite dove pie we ate last night, the meringue
glaces
in raspberry sauce, a towering
croquembouche
– Simmons raves about it, though I haven’t sampled it yet – and several sauces.”

“Good luck,” said Maggie as another rap echoed.

* * * *

Marcus smiled when Maggie opened her door. Every time he saw her, his longing grew, making it harder to remember that she would soon be gone. “Are you ready?”

“In a moment.”  She handed a pistol to Alice. “You have more need of this than we do. Keep the door bolted and do not leave the hotel alone. Robert may abduct you, hoping to force my hand.”

They exchanged speaking glances.

Marcus frowned, but he held his tongue until they were in his carriage. “What was that all about?”

She shrugged. “Robert covets Grandmother’s legacy, so he has decided to wed me. My refusal did not improve his temper. When will Mr. Frankel finish the transfer papers?”

“They will be ready when we return.”  Someone needed to teach Robert a lesson, he decided, frowning. But first he must warn Maggie of her real danger. Postponing this discussion had been a mistake. He only hoped she would not kill the messenger. She might claim she had come to England because of the vow to her father, but he knew better. Andrew’s death had left her alone. She needed family to fill the void in her life, so discovering the truth about the Adams men would hurt. Could she accept the facts, especially those that showed her father in a less than saintly light?

Coward!

His heart was more involved than he’d thought if he was ducking the job merely to stay in her good graces, he admitted in shock. But he could think about that later. Drawing in a deep breath, he launched the explanation he should have made yesterday. “Margaret’s legacy is not Robert’s goal – though he would consider it a satisfying bonus.”

“What now?”

Cloudy skies made it too dark to read her expression, so he clasped her hand. Touching her was the only way to gauge her reaction. “I thought Grandfather could do this better, but I will try to explain.”

“Explain what?”

“About Andrew and William.”

“Is this about the theft that drove Father from the country?”

“That was merely their last contretemps.”  He stroked her fingers, momentarily distracted by their trembling. “Even as boys, William and Andrew were usually at odds, arguing with an edge that made others uncomfortable. Their pranks sometimes turned dangerous. And both suffered numerous unexplained injuries.”

“Robert claimed that Father was jealous of William’s position as the heir, but I cannot believe it.”

“I suspect it was the other way around, but Andrew was not blameless. He retaliated against his brother’s malice. And though his reputation as a gamester was exaggerated, he did lose three thousand guineas shortly before William was to be married.”

“He would never do such a thing!” swore Maggie hotly.

“Maggie—”  He caught her other hand, kissing it lightly. “We all make mistakes. The smart ones learn from the experience. I am not criticizing your father.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I am explaining the truth he wanted you to find. Personally, I think that card game was odd – not that it matters now. George paid the debt, but he and William reminded Andrew of his shame every day.”

She relaxed. “So he made a mistake that his family refused to forgive. I suppose they believed the other charges, too.”

“Of course.”  Relief warmed him. He should have trusted her sooner. “I suspect William started most of the rumors, for there was little evidence beyond the usual young man’s wildness. He hated Andrew for being everything he was not – charming, intelligent, honorable, even better looking. The final straw was when he discovered that Andrew and Elizabeth were in love.”

“Yet everyone continued pressing her to wed William.”

“They had no choice.”  He met her gaze. “The betrothal had been arranged when they were children. Contracts had been signed. Neither party could cry off without the other’s consent, though William might have agreed if she had wanted anyone but Andrew.”

“So Mother eloped.”

He nodded. “When Margaret died, we discovered that your parents had written twice. The first letter confirmed that they had wed and swore that Andrew was innocent of theft. The second announced your birth. That was the last she heard.”

“I should have realized she’d written. How else would Frankel have known about me?”  She shook her head. “I don’t know why there were only two letters, unless Father feared retribution. Or maybe it was too difficult – they moved to the frontier shortly after I was born.”  She sighed. “You’ve tiptoed around the subject long enough, Marcus. Was William responsible for that theft?”

“All the evidence pointed to Andrew – supposedly he had incurred another gaming debt. He swore he was innocent, but George summoned a magistrate. By the time the man arrived, Andrew and Elizabeth were gone.”

“That explains why they sailed under false names. With his own father against him, he was helpless.”  Her voice was shaking.

“George should have known better, but he only discovered the truth a year ago,” he said wearily.

“How?”

“His valet spotted William leaving a forgotten secret passage. When George explored it, he found the missing jewelry in a niche behind Andrew’s old room. He consulted Richard, but they could think of no way to prove William was the thief. William could claim that he’d just discovered the passage himself and that Andrew had fled before he could recover the jewelry.”

“Why keep it in the house?”

“He probably planned to find it when he came into the title.”

“Monstrous.”

“I heartily dislike your uncle.”

She nodded agreement. “Did George confront him?”

“No. I think he was afraid to. William would dare anything to protect his interests. If George and Richard had told the rest of us, things might have been different, but they left the jewelry where it was.”

“Robert claimed that George tried to find Father,” she said suddenly. “I thought it was another of his lies.”

“George tried, but the task proved impossible. Andrew could have gone anywhere. It wasn’t until Margaret suggested Elizabeth was in Halifax – the subject arose in another context – that he sent an agent there. Unfortunately, he died a week later. When William learned about the agent, he recalled the man.”

“Poor Grandfather. I wish we had known. Father would never have come back, but he would have been pleased that George knew the truth.”

“That is not the end of the story, Maggie.”  He pulled her closer so he could see her eyes. “George’s investigation turned up other crimes that continue to this day – or so we think; there is not enough evidence to put before the Lords. William is cunning, as is Robert. Both lie and steal and cheat, arranging that others will pay for their misdeeds. Fielding Court was entailed to William, but George willed everything else to Andrew.”

“When did he die?”

“February – more than a month before your father.”

She sighed in disgust. “No wonder Robert has been prattling about protecting the family.”

“His allowance is much smaller than it used to be, which has not improved his temper.”

“I will return it, of course.”

He traced her wrist with his thumb. “Don’t do anything rash, Maggie. We are talking about two estates and more than fifty thousand guineas. You need to think carefully before disposing of such wealth.”

“We have already held this discussion,” she reminded him. “I want nothing from them.”

“But this comes from George, who did everything he could to keep it away from William and Robert.”

She gazed out the window. Rain pattered against the roof. Marcus’s fingers burned where they stroked her skin. If only she could throw herself against that hard chest and feel his arms close around her. Confronting her family’s past left her feeling weak in ways the most complex business problem never did.

But she couldn’t. Imposing on him for comfort would cross a line that would ultimately hurt both of them.

“I will accept that much,” she said finally. “He did recognize Father’s innocence in the end, and Father’s last wish was to heal that breach. Is there a residual beneficiary?”

“A third cousin, or possibly fourth.”  He shrugged. “I’ve never met the man. I suspect George chose him because the connection was too remote for the money to find its way back to William.”

Maggie let the subject drop. She would talk to Richard Widmer before making any final decisions. But now she needed to place some distance between herself and Marcus. His leg brushed hers, weakening her resolve. She should have known that sharing a carriage would fuel her attraction.

But it must stop. They belonged to different worlds and would never meet again once she returned home.

Though the carriage was narrow, shifting put a small space between them. He withdrew his hand, turning his attention to the countryside. Stifling an unexpected burst of disappointment, she followed suit.

The heath they were crossing was very different from home. Even the wildest areas seemed tame. In sunlight, they would look downright inviting. Yet the scenery could not hold her attention. Thank heaven no one knew about her real inheritance. There was too much wealth connected to her name already. She would dispose of this latest legacy as soon as possible. Then she must leave if she hoped to reach home before winter. She should never have left.

-6-

Ten days later, Maggie returned to the Grand Regent, more relaxed than she had been since her father’s death. For the first time in her life, she felt connected to the past – not that she would remain in England; society was too formal and inflexible, and she had too many responsibilities at home.

She had been reminding herself of those responsibilities since admitting her danger in the carriage. It had been the only way she could keep Marcus firmly in the role of a friend.