by Marie Force
“Me as well. I have been so afraid of what would become of me, especially if Mr. Farthington’s family tried to find me, and then there you were to fix everything that was wrong.”
“I’ll always fix what is wrong, sweet Maeve. You only have to tell me what you need and I’ll see that you get it. Whatever you want you shall have.”
“I want to be safe. That’s the only thing I need.”
“You’re safe with me. I would kill to protect you.”
“Please don’t say such things!”
“It’s true.”
“Aubrey, please don’t say that. I can’t bear the thought of such a thing.”
“Shhh. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about what happened with Mr. Farthington. This is Newport. Things like that don’t happen here. You’ve nothing to worry about.”
As he said the words, he could only hope they were true, but he meant what he’d said. If it came to it, he would kill to keep her safe.
Chapter Fifteen
Much later that night, after a delightful dinner full of laughter and stories, Aubrey entered the billiard room with Derek, Simon and Justin. Since Catherine and Madeleine had retired, Maeve said good night and went to bed rather than spending time alone with his mother and sisters. He noticed she went out of her way to avoid being with them if he wasn’t there, too. Aubrey hoped that in time she’d become more comfortable with his family.
However, if that never happened, so be it. After the summer, they wouldn’t have to spend time in close proximity to his family unless they chose to. He had his own home in New York where they could hibernate together and venture out only when they both wished to. They just had to get through the summer.
“All right, Aubrey,” Derek said when each of the men had glasses of scotch and the finest cigars money could buy. “Start talking.”
Startled, Aubrey wasn’t sure how to reply. “Pardon?”
“Don’t play coy, old chap,” Simon said. “We’re dying to know how you ended up married to Maeve.”
Justin took a long drag on his cigar and blew out the smoke. “We stood by your side through several tedious Seasons during which the cream of London society was paraded before you, and you barely took notice. Imagine our surprise when we arrived to find you married.”
“Ah, I see. Well, I was rather surprised myself to arrive to a complete disaster when my mother sent me ahead to get the house ready for guests.”
“A disaster?” Derek asked. “How so?”
How to tell them without speaking out of turn? If there was one thing his mother did not tolerate, it was the airing of the family’s dirty laundry in public. But his friends weren’t “public,” and he trusted them. “Between us?”
“Of course,” Derek said as the others nodded in agreement.
“My mother can be a bit of an ogre at times, and the former staff quit en masse at the end of last Season, leaving the windows open to the elements.”
“Good lord,” Justin said.
“The house was a total wreck, and when I arrived, Miss Brown—Maeve—was trying to make it right almost entirely on her own. We began to work together, and one thing led to another . . .”
Derek sat back, eyeing him with friendly suspicion. “And that was all there was to it? Please don’t be offended, Aubrey. Your Maeve is lovely, but this must’ve happened very quickly and marriage is a big step.”
“Yes, it is, and the circumstances were somewhat similar to those under which you and Catherine were married.”
“Ahh,” Derek said. “So she was in some sort of danger?”
“Yes.” Aubrey hadn’t planned to tell them any of this yet, but now that the door had been opened, he decided to take the plunge. “First, I must beg for your discretion. My family knows none of this.”
“Of course you have it,” Simon said, answering for all of them.
“Thank you. Maeve was married in Ireland, to a man who mistreated her. He was unable to perform—sexually—and took out his frustrations on her, beating her repeatedly. The last time she was convinced he was going to kill her. She grabbed a pan off the stove, threw hot soup at him and when he charged her, she hit him with the pan itself, killing him.”
“Dear God,” Justin muttered.
“She burned her hand rather severely on the handle of the pan, and the skin on her palm was still healing when we met.”
“How did she end up here?” Derek asked.
“She took money from her husband’s boot and booked a passage to America, fearing she would be hung if she stayed in Ireland. In New York, she made contact with an employment agency that offered her the position here, not mentioning that it was open because no one else wanted it. She found that out when she got here.”
“I can’t imagine what she must’ve encountered after a winter with the windows open,” Simon said.
“Your imagination isn’t vivid enough to conjure the filth. They left food in my mother’s room to ensure maximum carnage. There are no words to describe the nightmare we encountered.”
“Dear God,” Derek said in a whisper.
“Poor Maeve was trying to address it all by herself, with an injured hand, no less. I was immediately and irrevocably attracted to her. We struck up a friendship of sorts as we worked to restore the house. And then a man came looking for her, sent by her dead husband’s family. That’s when she told me what had happened in Ireland. I offered her the protection of my name and resources.”
“I’m sure she was very relieved,” Justin said.
“She was actually reluctant to involve me in her problems.”
“I’ll admit to being relieved to hear that,” Derek said. “Otherwise I might’ve been concerned about her motives.”
“I assure you they are pure. I had to plead with her to let me help her. In addition to marrying her, I paid off the man looking for her with the provision that he report to his clients that he was unable to locate her in Newport.”
“But they are still looking for her?” Derek asked.
“I assume so. I was going to ask if you have any suggestions of how we might reach out to the authorities in Ireland to convey her side of the events.”
“I would be happy to reach out to my contacts in Ireland to see what might be done.”
“Thank you, Derek. I was hoping you might say that.”
“Whatever I can do to help. What was her husband’s name?”
“Farthington.”
Derek glanced at Simon. “Why do I know that name?”
“I was thinking the same,” his cousin replied. “Something about it is familiar, but I can’t say how I know of him.”
“Maeve said his family is in shipping in Ireland.”
“We must think about it,” Derek said, rubbing his chin before returning his attention to Aubrey. “I ask this with the utmost respect for you and your wife, but have you prepared her for what it will be like for her in not-so-polite society?”
“We have already spoken extensively about that, and while we are nervous about how she might be received, I believe that my affiliation with the visiting duke and duchess will help to smooth the way for her.”
“How so?” Justin asked.
“Allow me,” Derek said, amusement etched into his expression. “Aubrey is well aware that the local hostesses will be panting over the thought of entertaining a duke and duchess, and he intends to make his lovely wife part of the package. Am I close?”
“You’re spot-on. Please accept my apologies for shamelessly using you to my own benefit.”
Derek barked out a laugh. “Use me to your heart’s content. If I can help to make things easier for you and Maeve, I’m all for it, and I know Catherine would say the same.”
“I told Maeve that you would probably say that.”
“As you well know, I have no patience for bullies, especially those dressed in the finest silk who think they should be allowed to determine who passes muster. By the end of this summer, we will see to it that your wife is the toast
of Newport society.”
“Wouldn’t that be something?” Aubrey gave silent thanks for the blessing of good friends. He’d had many friends in his lifetime, but these three men were the best of the best, which is why he’d always be thankful his mother had insisted he partake in the London Season. He may not have come home with the wife she’d dreamed of for him, but he’d made lifelong friends.
“It’s not outside the realm of possibility,” Justin said. “Things are changing. It’s a new century, and people need to get over their fear of anything foreign. If it weren’t for her Irish brogue, you could pass her off as a member of any high-brow family.”
“I have had that very thought myself.”
“It’s the twentieth century,” Derek declared. “I have no patience for this type of nonsense.”
“Which type of nonsense are you referring to, cousin?” Simon’s eyes glittered with amusement. “He has a well-known lack of patience for many kinds of nonsense.”
Derek rolled his eyes at his cousin. “I’m referring to the kind of nonsense that would have an innocent young woman like Maeve shunned simply because she was born in the wrong country. It’s outrageous and high time we stopped judging people for things they have no control over.”
“Amen,” Justin said.
“Couldn’t agree more,” Aubrey added. “Thank you for taking such a stance. I assured Maeve that you would be inclined to help make her entrée into Newport society smoother than it would’ve been without your assistance.”
“Most of the time, my title is more of a hindrance than an asset,” Derek said.
“Especially when he was on the marriage mart,” Simon added, snorting with laughter.
“Especially then.”
“The desperation,” Justin said, “the mothers, the beautiful debutantes. It was all so arduous.”
“Enough out of you,” Derek said with a playful scowl for his friend. “It was extremely arduous. Thank God I found Catherine digging on my land. She saved me from a lifetime of monotony with—”
“The braying donkey?”
Justin’s comment set off a wave of hilarity among the men.
“Wait,” Simon said. “What’d I miss?”
“Hours upon hours in more ballrooms than we can count,” Aubrey said, “in which we entertained ourselves by listing the reasons certain debutantes were unsuitable for His Grace.”
Never one to stand on formality, Derek frowned at the words “His Grace.”
“He was particularly concerned about becoming shackled to the one who sounded like a braying donkey when she laughed,” Justin said.
“Ah,” Simon said, smiling. “I see.”
“You, on the other hand,” Derek said to his cousin, “managed to land the belle of the Season after attending exactly one ball. That’s hardly fair to those of us who tolerated multiple Seasons and came home empty handed—for the most part, anyway.”
“And thank God for that.” Justin poured himself another drink before topping off the others.
“I did get extraordinarily lucky to find my Madeleine in a sea of people at the Crenshaw affair.”
“You got extraordinarily lucky when I sent you to London to find out if anyone was looking for Catherine.”
“That too,” Simon said, grinning at his cousin.
“I still can’t believe the three of you have abandoned me to marriage and left me to my own devices,” Justin said glumly. “Just over a year ago, we were all free as birds, and look at you now.”
“Happier than pigs in shit,” Simon said.
“Hear, hear,” Derek said, holding up his glass.
Aubrey touched his glass to Derek’s and then Simon’s. “I’ll drink to that.”
“Maybe we can find our boy Justin a nice American girl this summer,” Derek said.
“Shut your filthy mouth,” Justin retorted. “Justin is just fine, thank you very much.”
The others laughed at his quick comeback.
Derek yawned dramatically. “I for one need to hit the hay. Lady Grace will be up before the chickens.”
“Lady Grace has a perfectly capable governess to get up with her,” Justin said. “Why don’t you just admit that you want to get naked with your wife?”
“I want to get naked with my wife,” Derek said, deadpan.
The other three howled with laughter.
Simon downed the last of his drink, snuffed out his cigar and pointed to his cousin. “What he said.”
Aubrey rose. “I’m off to bed as well. Will you be all right on your own, Justin?”
Justin waved him off. “I’ve been traveling with the lovebirds for weeks. I’ve become adept at entertaining myself.”
“Very well then. We shall see you in the morning.”
“Good night.”
For a moment, Aubrey felt bad about leaving Justin alone, but when he thought of Maeve asleep in their bed, he headed up the stairs, eager to be with her—even if she was asleep. He let himself into the dark room and made quick work of removing his clothing before stepping into the adjoining bathroom to brush his teeth.
When he slid between the cool sheets and reached for her, he found the other side of the bed empty. A beat of panic had him scrambling for the pull cord on the bedside light. He looked around frantically until he found her, asleep on the window seat. Aubrey got up and went to her, noting the odd angle of her head and neck. She would feel that in the morning if he didn’t make her more comfortable. Moving carefully, he slid his arms under her and lifted her to carry her to bed.
She roused when he set her down on the mattress, looking up at him with sleepy, confused eyes.
“Sorry to wake you, but you would’ve had a terrible knot in your neck if you slept like that all night.” He kissed her forehead and pulled the covers up and over her.
“I was looking out at the moon and stars and must’ve fallen asleep.”
“Close your eyes and go back to sleep.” He went around the bed to get in the other side, sliding an arm around her and breathing in the scent that drove him to distraction.
“All is well with your guests?”
“All is well.”
“You had a nice time with the men?”
“I did. They’re some of my favorite men, and as I predicted, Derek is very eager to assist with your situation.”
“Oh. You told him then?”
“I did. I hope that’s all right. We had discussed requesting his assistance.”
“It’s all right. Do you think . . .”
“What, love?”
“That he will mention it in front of your mother and sisters?”
“I’m all but certain he never would, but tomorrow I’ll ask him and the others again for their discretion.”
“That would be for the best.”
“Try not to worry. Everything will be fine. I’ll see to it.”
“What if you can’t see to it? What if you’re not with me and they find me? What if—”
“Maeve, sweetheart, please don’t think like that. I’ll spend every waking minute by your side if that’s what it takes to ensure your safety and peace of mind. There’s nowhere I’d rather be than by your side anyway, so it wouldn’t be a hardship of any kind.”
“It’s sweet of you to make such an offer, but it’s not realistic. Just this evening, you were off with your friends—”
“I didn’t have to do that. I could’ve stayed with you.”
“They have come all this way to spend time with you. Of course you should be with them. I was merely pointing out the futility of such a plan.”
“It hurts me to know you’re unsettled. I want you to be happy and at peace.”
“I don’t want you to be hurt by my concerns.”
“I can’t help it. If you hurt, I hurt.”
“I ask myself . . .”
“What?” He felt breathless waiting to hear what she would say.
“What I did to get so lucky to find such a devoted, wonderful husband.”
&
nbsp; “All you had to do was come here where I was lucky enough to find you wielding that massive feather duster.”
“You’ll never forget that feather duster, will you?”
“How could I? It played a role in the most important moment of my life.”
“You honestly feel it was the most important moment of your life?”
“I absolutely do.”
“That is very sweet of you to say.”
He cupped her cheek and stroked her soft skin with his thumb. “I wish there was something I could say to ease your worries.”
“It helps that you’re here and that you’re trying to help. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to face this on my own.”
“You already faced the worst of it on your own. I have every confidence that you could handle any challenge that comes your way. Your resilience is admirable.”
“I like the way I look to you.”
“I would hope that someday you would see yourself as I do—strong, endlessly capable, resilient, determined, lovely, sweet.” He punctuated his words with a soft kiss. After a long, contented silence, he said, “Tell me more about your life in Ireland, before your marriage. I want to know everything.”
“I told you I have three younger sisters.”
“Bridget, Aoife and Niamh.”
“Your memory is quite good.”
“I remember everything you’ve ever said to me. Tell me more.”
“We had a lovely upbringing in Dingle, close to our extended family that included both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles and lots of cousins who were close in age.”
“That must’ve been fun.”
“It was. We were together all the time.”
“Did you like school?”
“I loved it. I did very well in all my subjects.”
“I have no doubt. What was your favorite?”
“I liked mathematics.”
Aubrey groaned. “I knew there had to be something about you that wasn’t perfect.”
“I take it you did not like maths?”
“It was my nemesis all the way through university. I just was terrible at it. But I did very well with Latin and history and I was told I was an excellent writer on more than one occasion.”
