Vexing the Viscount (22 page)

“I believe we may have horrified that young man,” Braden said, still laughing. “We will be the talk of the servant hall tonight.”

“I am quite sure it isn't the first time.”

“And won't be the last time either,” he said, pulling the tray closer. “Chicken. How did she know I wanted chicken tonight?”

“Are they not paid to read your mind?” she teased. “I am quite sure Mrs. Abbott knows that chicken is your favorite dish, so she asked cook to prepare it.”

“I do believe my servants need a raise.”

“They probably do,” Tia agreed.

They back sat back against the headboard and pulled their plates onto their laps. Tia had never eaten in bed unless she was ill. It seemed quite decadent to her. “I could get used to this,” she admitted after a bite of chicken.

“Which, the chicken or eating in bed?” he asked. He reached for his wine and sipped it slowly.

“Both.”

They chatted more about the family history they had discovered so far. All too quickly, they had finished their meal. Tia rose and moved the tray off the bed so they could continue reading through the books.

“My lord, I must speak to you immediately,” Mr. Nelson said from the hall frantically.

“Come in, Nelson,” Braden answered.

“My lord, I am dreadfully sorry to disturb you, but this is very important.”

“Well, what is it, Nelson?” Braden asked.

“It's your brother, my lord.”

“Jonathon?”

A sense of dread came over Tia. Nelson's manner was too extreme for it to be good news.

“Yes, my lord. Your brother is in the salon.”

B
raden's heart pounded in his chest. He glanced over at Tia's wide-eyed face and smiled. “I will be down in a minute, Nelson. Find out if he wants something to eat.”

“Yes, my lord.”

He jumped out of bed and looked in the mirror. Other than the lack of a cravat and a bandage on his head, he was respectable enough to meet his brother. Tia scampered off the bed and straightened her skirt.

“I need you to stay upstairs,” he said quietly, knowing she would put up a fight.

“I will not!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, Tia, you will. I need to speak with Jonathon alone for a few minutes. If he is still eating opium, he might not be sane. I will not put your life at risk.”

She tilted her head. “But you will put your own life at risk. No, I will go with you.”

She was, without a doubt, the most vexing woman he had ever met. “I will lock you in this room if you try.”

“I dare you to try,” she taunted.

Braden ran for the door, grabbed the key, and left the room before she had barely moved. He locked the door and pocketed the key. “I will let you out when I know it is safe to do so.”

“Do you realize how many ways I could kill you and no one would know it was me?” she shouted.

He laughed. “I will remember that, Tia.”

“I could make you suffer in so many ways.”

“I have no doubt about that either,” he said with a chuckle as he walked toward the steps.

She pounded on the door for good measure, but to no avail.

Once he reached the bottom step, he stopped and glanced back. “Nelson, if Miss Featherstone should find a way out of a locked room, please make certain she does not interrupt my conversation with my brother.”

“Of course, my lord. Am I to assume she was not happy about being locked up?”

Braden laughed again. “Not in the least.”

Nelson attempted to stifle a grin, but Braden saw it.

With a bit of trepidation, Braden walked to the salon. He stood at the threshold, staring at his brother, who hadn't noticed his appearance just yet. Jonathon stood to the side of a window, peeking outside. His blond hair was longer than usual and his clothing disheveled. He appeared different from the man who had stayed with him at the estate most of the summer.

“Jonathon?”

“Thank God, you're all right,” Jonathan said before striding across the room and embracing him.

“What is going on?” Braden asked. “Wait, let us move to my study for some privacy.”

“As you wish.”

They both walked out of the salon only to hear a loud bang on a door upstairs. Braden rolled his eyes and Nelson grinned.

“I take it you have company?” Jonathon asked.

“Don't ask,” he muttered, shaking his head. He wasn't certain how his brother would take his relationship with Tia. That was one reason he insisted she stay upstairs. Another was his own insecurity about how she truly felt about Jonathon. Would she fall back in love with him the moment she saw him? He refused to think about that.

“Brandy?” Braden asked as he entered the study.

“Yes, please.” Jonathon took a seat in a chair by the fireplace while Braden poured the brandy.

“I have been searching for you for weeks. I know you were aware of my arrival in town, so why haven't your paid a call until now?” Braden handed Jonathon a snifter.

Jonathon sipped the brandy and sighed. “I had forgotten just how wonderful a good brandy could be to the soul.”

Braden clenched his snifter in frustration. “Jonathon.”

“Oh, very well, I couldn't see you.” He took a long sip and then said, “I was afraid putting the two of us in a room together for any length of time would be a danger to our health.”

“What nonsense are you speaking of? I would never hurt you.” Braden stared at him. His brown eyes looked clear, not bloodshot from the drug.

“Someone is trying to kill us both. That carriage accident proves they are after you too.”

“Are you saying someone has made an attempt on your life?”

“Yes. It wasn't until my mind started to clear at the estate that I was able to put it all together. I was encouraged to start on opium by an acquaintance. Why would someone I scarcely know care what I did? But he told me this would solve all my problems.”

“What does this have to do with someone trying to kill you?” Braden wondered if there were some lasting effects of the opium, even if Jonathon had stopped using it. He would have to speak with Tia regarding that matter.

“I was getting to that,” Jonathon said. “Before I came out to the estate, someone took a shot at me as I was leaving the Red Door. Considering how much I had lost, I knew it couldn't have been someone trying to steal my winnings. Once I was at Middleton Hall, I remembered the rumors of your involvement in the late viscount's death and his son's death as well. I was certain you wouldn't have done such a thing. That's when I concluded that someone had tried to kill me.”

He wondered if his brother was grasping to make a connection here. “Jonathon, just because someone encouraged you to start eating opium and a random shot almost hit you, it doesn't necessarily mean someone was trying to kill you.”

“Indeed. But I was determined to find out. That is why I returned to London.”

“And that was the only reason? Emily had nothing to do with your desire to return?” Braden asked before picking up his snifter for a sip of brandy.

“Perhaps,” his brother admitted with a shrug. “But I also wanted to see if anything happened to me here.”

“And has it?”

“I was robbed and beaten not a fortnight after I returned.” Jonathon stared at a red scar on his hand. He rubbed his finger across the mark. “Thankfully, a friend found me. And more importantly, thankfully this friend listened and did not give me laudanum. It's been four months, Braden. I feel so much better than I have in a very long time.”

Braden smiled at him. “That is good news indeed.” Not that his brother's words would stop him from worrying. “Has anything else happened?”

“The place I was staying at burned to the ground. Luckily, no one was at home when it happened.” Jonathon drained his brandy. “Has anything else happened to you?”

He scowled. “You haven't heard?”

“No.” Jonathon's eyes narrowed. “But I take it there was something else that happened.”

“Yes, I was shot at and poisoned.” He still wasn't ready to tell Jonathon about Tia being here. Since his brother hadn't mentioned her, Braden assumed Emily hadn't told him.

Jonathon frowned. “I see. You need to leave, Braden.”

“I planned on leaving in a few days. But now that I know your life might be in danger too, I feel I must stay on. We need to figure out who is trying to kill us, Jonathon. Alistair makes the most sense, but I just cannot see him killing someone.” This mess was driving him insane.

“It's not Alistair.”

Braden looked over at his brother. “How can you be certain? He has the most to gain from both of us being killed.”

“True, but I know for a fact that he was out of town this week. Yet, you still had a carriage accident.”

“That matters not. He could have hired someone,” Braden said slowly. “How did you find out about that and not the other attempts?”

Jonathon's cheeks reddened. “I was waiting for a chance to speak with Emily. She was supposed to go to the park. Then I noticed you and Hart pay a call and then Constance.”

“Where were you?”

“Across the street, hiding behind a carriage. I didn't have a great view, but I could see the door.”

Braden tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair. He'd been wondering most of the day if someone might have tampered with the carriage while he and Hart were inside. “You didn't notice anyone near my carriage, did you?”

Jonathon shook his head. “I saw your driver get down and walk around the corner to speak with someone. But if someone had come up on the other side of the carriage, I might not have noticed them.”

Braden released a long breath. “I don't suppose you are on good terms with Constance?”

“Is anyone? I don't think even Alistair likes his sister,” Jonathon said with a laugh. “Why?”

“Well, she paid a call on Emily and I thought she might have noticed someone nearby the carriage. Unfortunately, she seems rather displeased with me, although I'm not certain why.” Braden assumed it was due to Tia, but he wasn't about to say that to Jonathon.

“I could try to call on her tomorrow,” Jonathon said. “She might also have some insight on Alistair.”

“Be careful around her.” Braden had no idea what made him say that. Constance had never done anything that would deem her dangerous. Her biggest fault was her attitude and gossiping. Not much different from most of the ladies in the
ton
.

“You don't suspect her, do you?”

Braden shook his head. “No. But if she discovers that you are possibly the father of Emily's child, she will take great delight in sharing that with everyone.”

“Emily's child?” Jonathon muttered. “Emily is with child?”

Damn!
“I apologize, Jonathon. I thought you must know.”

“But I didn't know.” His brother's face grew white. “I had no idea,” he said slowly. He raked his hands through his hair. “My child?”

“I am dreadfully sorry.”

“I need to see her.” He rose. “I will speak to you tomorrow. We have to come up with a plan for catching whoever is trying to kill us both.”

“All right.” He walked his brother to the door. Upstairs, another bang of the door sounded.

“I do believe whoever is up there would like your attention,” Jonathon said.

“Yes.” Unfortunately, Braden doubted it was his attention Tia wanted right now. She would be furious when she discovered Jonathon had already left.

Once his brother departed, Braden contemplated leaving her locked up for a while longer. Maybe she would fall asleep. Knowing her, she would stay awake to spite him. He walked slowly up the stairs with a grimace on his face.

“What has taken you so long?” Tia demanded the moment the door opened. She slipped passed him and raced for the stair, eager to see him again.

“He has already departed,” he said, walking into the room.

She stormed back to the bedchamber and slammed the door. “What do you mean, he already departed? I wanted to see him too! I wanted to see for myself if he needed medical assistance with his opium eating.”

“He had to speak with Emily.” Braden removed his jacket and flopped on the bed. “He didn't know about the baby. I mentioned it, assuming she had told him.”

Tia covered her mouth with her hand. He must be so upset. If that child was really his, he or she would legally be Eldridge's child and possibly his heir. “I'm sorry. I had no idea either. I would have made the same assumption after last evening. She is starting to show slightly. I'm surprised Jonathon didn't notice.”

“So am I,” Braden admitted. “Perhaps he didn't want to acknowledge the possibility.”

“Other than the issue with Emily, how was he?” Tia asked before sitting on the bed. A part of her wanted to lay down with him, but another part of her still held some anger for his stubbornness.

“He looked well. He has put on a little more weight and he showed no signs of the opium. He told me he hasn't touched it since before he came out to the estate in early summer.”

“Thank God,” she mumbled. But she still had so many questions to ask him. “Why did he suddenly decide to pay you a visit?”

Braden glanced away from her and frowned. She couldn't but wonder if he was formulating a falsehood to tell her.

“I would like the truth, Braden.”

“Very well.” Braden went on to explain all that his brother had told him. “I just do not understand who would want to kill us both.”

Tia went silent for a few minutes. If it wasn't Jonathon or Braden, obviously, it had to be Alistair. While he had been downstairs with his brother, she had been researching the few books on the family history. Nothing obvious had come to her. There were no other male relatives that she could see. “I do not know either, Braden. Perhaps your cousin hired someone to kill you both so he could inherit. We do know that Mary had been in his employ.”

“I know,” he whispered. “I just cannot believe it was him.”

“Was he having any financial difficulties?” she asked him softly. Seeing the pain on his face, she leaned over and caressed his cheek.

“Yes, but he didn't act as if it was all that dreadful. He just needed to be relieved of a few servants. I asked around and no one had heard anything different.” He clasped her wrist and moved her hand to his mouth, where he kissed it sweetly. “So if it is truly Alistair, how do we prove it?”

That was a very good question and one for which Tia had no answer. “Perhaps you have your runner watch Alistair? Not that the runner would be able to catch Alistair if he was meeting someone he had hired.”

“Exactly.

“And if someone he hired attempted—” Tia paused, not wanting to complete the sentence, but knew she must. “—to kill you or your brother, even if you captured the person, he might not give up Alistair's name.”

“Right again,” he said, still clutching her wrist. “Jonathon wants me to return to the estate.”

“I think he's right.” Finally, she moved to lie next to him. “I want you safe, Braden,” she whispered.

“I know, sweetheart.” He turned to face her on the bed. “I want you safe too. That is why I believe we should return the day after tomorrow. I will get the special license tomorrow and we'll marry before leaving on Friday.”

“Very well,” she said. “Only if you are certain.”

“Certain of what? Marrying you? Absolutely. Leaving to keep you safe? Again, yes. You are the most important thing in my life.” His pale blue eyes stared into her soul. “I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”