A Graceful Swan for the Fearless Marquess: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance

by Fanny Finch

I have sought various explanations for this madness, believing that someone was simply using your initials and seal, to put enmity between us, but I have played a fool for far too long. No more.

  It is an evil thing for a man to covet his friend’s wife and pursue her so shamelessly. Even the holy book, and the religion we both so fervently practice, preach against that sin.

  I beg you, Rothwell, leave my wife be. She is not only a wife, but a mother of two lovely daughters who has been married to me, fourteen summers. Have you no shame?

  Of all the women you could have, a man of your wealth and status, you choose to go after a woman who has been claimed by another under the laws of marriage, by God and by the people.

  What do you hope to gain? Rothwell, refrain from this madness now and I shall yet forgive you.

  If you refuse to, I am afraid, I shall have to call for a duel, report to the crown, and also the church. I am certain, you are aware that this is a battle you shall lose.

  Regain your senses while you still can. I shall not advise you beyond this. Also, do well to consider our friendship, severed.

  Good day,

  Japhet Swan.

  Liliana’s head spun as she finished reading the letter. All that she had read earlier, suddenly making sense to her now. Yet, she could not bring herself to believe it.

  It was not what she was thinking, surely not?

  Rothwell? Pursuing her mother while she was very married to her father?

  No. It could not be. And to think that her father spoke of a friendship? What kind of a man would call himself noble, yet, practice such wickedness?

  No! Surely, it could not be. She would not believe this! There had to be another explanation for this. Indeed, there had to be!

  Frantic, desperate to see whatever it was that would prove her wrong, she pored through more letters. Everything kept pointing to what she already knew.

  Rothwell had wanted her mother from himself. She even found some of her mother’s letters to him.

  This chest, was obviously Rothwell’s hoard, containing things, memories from my mother and all that pertained to her. He had kept them all here. For what reason?

  All of these were damning! He could have destroyed them but he had not. Why? Why had he kept them still? To be found by another?

  Oh Lord…

  She held her head, and her stomach… even her chest hurt, especially there. Her whole world was spinning around her and she could make no sense of it.

  Desperate too, she picked another letter. This was from her mother, this time. It read,

  Rothwell,

  As my husband so describes this, ‘tis madness! No more, no less. I am a married woman, a mother and I have sworn vows. Vows that I will uphold until death do us part.

  Leave me alone, or you shall get whatever Japhet has coming for you. I do not appreciate your advances and I shall no longer welcome them. Stay away from my family and most importantly, stay away from me.

  For goodness sake, have you no shame? Of all the women you could have! This madness has gone on for too long and it must stop. Leave my husband and I alone, or we shall involve the church and the crown.

  I have respected you long enough as a friend to my husband, but no more. There shall be no respect for a man who has decided to shame himself.

  Goodday,

  Theresa

  The letter slipped from Liliana’s hands as she finished reading.

  What was this? There had been no love lost between her mother and Rothwell. She had apparently not welcomed any of his advances so how?

  How had her mother switched from this strong woman who detested Rothwell’s guts, to his dutiful, loving, submissive wife?

  Oh, Liliana had known. She had known her mother was unhappy. Yes, Theresa had tried to feign smiles for them, but they had known better.

  Liliana had simply surmised that it was because she missed her husband, their father. They all did, so she had understood. And in all honesty, Liliana had been only what, twelve summers?

  Too young, too young to understand that the sadness that had always plagued her mother’s eyes could have been more than mourning and missing a loved one.

  Perhaps, it had been a miserable marriage?

  If her mother had been unhappy with Rothwell, why had she married him, then? And so quickly after her husband’s death?

  Something was amiss here. A whole lot, in fact. The dread that had settled in Liliana’s spine told her that it was a truth best left uncovered. Yet, could she? Could she really go on after learning this much, never seeking the truth?

  No. She was curious. So much so, and she would not let this matter go. She would get to the end of it, no matter what it took.

  Deciding to keep the last two letters with her, she packed every other into the chest and returned the heavy box to the wardrobe. Just as she was about turning away, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

  She was taken back to the last time she had been here. Hell! She thought to herself. Why did she always get caught?

  Oh but today, after what she had read, and after the feelings that Rothwell’s words had stirred in her yesterday, something in her knew very strongly, that she could not afford to be caught.

  Not again.

  So, she looked around, frantic for a place to hide, aware that each moment she spent doing so, was a precious moment wasted.

  The footsteps were almost at the door when the thought struck her. Folding herself onto the chest, she tucked all of her, her skirts, into the wardrobe and pulled the door shut.

  She held her peace, as silent as the night, grateful that this wardrobe was old, yet strong enough to bear her weight. Also, there was the damaged keyhole.

  Not wide enough to announce her presence, but just right, to afford her a view of the unexpected guest.

  She heard as the attic door creaked open and waited for the footsteps to fall into the room.

  Soon enough, the man came into sight and it was just as she had feared… It was Lord Rothwell.

  Why? Why had the man come up again? Did he come here so often? And if so, for what reason? What else could be hidden here? What more was this man hiding?

  Suddenly, she did not feel so bad for questioning his person and intentions the day before. It was clear now, that Lord Rothwell was not who they believed he was.

  True, some letters and gut feelings were not enough to prove that to anyone, especially not Nora, but they were enough for her. She knew what she knew and she knew it without a doubt in her bones.

  Lord Rothwell was a very dangerous man and he could not be trusted.

  She held her peace, praying harder than she had ever prayed, that he would not hear the sound of her heart chanting in fear, or think to look in the wardrobe, in search of his precious chest.

  He stood there forever, looking around, as though, he too knew something was amiss.

  She saw him look her way and her heart chanted louder. This was it, this was the end for her. She would be caught and all would be over in due time.

  To her greatest surprise though, Lord Rothwell did not take any step in her direction. Instead, he waited a short while more and seemingly satisfied that there was nothing to find here, he turned around to walk away.

  Liliana heaved a sigh of relief but remained in her hiding place, listening religiously had footsteps echoed farther and farther down the stairway.

  When she could no longer hear them, she decided that it was safe to come out.

  Quickly and carefully, she made her way out of the attic and back to her room. It was only as she closed the door behind her that she let herself breathe.

  Two things were clear. There were truths to be uncovered and, she could not do it on her own. She needed help and there was only one person on this whole earth whom she now trusted. Sebastian.

  Chapter 28

  Sebastian felt his face begin to grow wrinkles but he was hopeless to wipe away the frown that had found abode there-on. He looked at the letters in his hands, unable
to believe all that he had read in the past hour.

  Ramsey had only just returned from his trip to the highlands today. Thankfully, it had been a successful journey. The man he had gone to see had indeed, been a master at interpreting such cryptic letters.

  After all, had been interpreted, Ramsey had given Edgar due payment for his services, and also for his silence. Then, he had begun his journey back to London.

  He had come right to Leighton’s townhouse, eager to show Sebastian all that had been discovered.

  The truth, no less and now, with proof. They had most of the proof they needed, and enough damning evidence to put the culprits in prisons for a long time.

  These men were as they had suspected and could now prove, guilty beyond doubt. They were involved in all the crimes they had already figured out, and even more.

  The letters revealed all the truth. Discussions. Plans. How crimes had been conceived, planned, and hatched. It was all here, including threats to Hanson.

  Yet, of all the confessions they could withdraw from these letters, none outrightly showed that they had killed Hanson.

  Yes, they spoke of Hanson, of him learning too much, of teaching him a lesson. Yet, there was nothing of murder here.

  “I know it in my bones, Ramsey. These people are responsible for my brother’s death. I know it all too well.”

  “Perhaps, we haven’t dug deep enough, my lord. Unless the evidence has been destroyed, we must be able to find something that tells us how your brother was murdered.”

  His gut had believed it all this while. Yet, as doubts faded away, replaced by certainty, it hurt Sebastian all the more, to face the truth. Indeed, his brother had been murdered.

  Such a young, promising life, cut away so quickly because he had tried to do what was right.

  “Where else do we look, Ramsey? We have ransacked Hanson’s study. Rothwell’s too, as well as the others. These are all we got from our escapades.”

  Ramsey said nothing. He simply stared broodingly into the empty space right in his front.

  Sebastian exercised patience, not minding the comfortable silence. Despite the fact that Ramsey was older, and Sebastian was his lord, the two men had grown in friendship over the past weeks.

  “My Lord, I think you shall have to return to Rothwell’s study. Only, this time, in broad daylight. I have been doing this for long enough to know that sometimes, that which we seek, is hidden in plain sight. Perhaps, the remaining piece we need to complete this puzzle and hand them over to the authorities, has been hiding in plain sight. Not to mention, we are yet to find Hanson’s safe. His side of the story could be very helpful.”

  “I know he must have been hiding all that he knew of this, somewhere. Nevertheless, I have searched every nook and cranny of this study, Ramsey, I assure you. I am yet to find anything likened to a safe. The chest, the drawers, they all contain endless ledgers and documents related to the families’ properties.”

  “Hmmm… perhaps, we have been looking in the wrong place. Where was Hanson’s favorite place in this house? And his chambers? Have you thought to search there?”

  Sebastian’s brow furrowed even more.

  “I did, once or twice, at the start of all this. However, I must admit, I was not truly thorough. It had all been done in a hurry, looking for things in very obvious places.”

  “Then, my lord, perhaps, it is time to search again. I have a nagging feeling that whatever we need to finish this, laid in Hanson’s hands. He could not have been killed for hear-says. He must have had incriminating evidence of his own. That is what we must find.”

  Sebastian nodded, agreeing with the runner wholeheartedly.

  Goodness. When he had embarked on this journey to London, he had only wished to find his brother’s killer and take a wife. Who would have known that he would end up uncovering so much more.”

  “Something troubles me, though…” he said, breaking the small silence that had fallen.

  “Pray tell, my lord.”

  Sebastian withdrew into his seat then, until his back touched the rest.

  “We have been on with this investigation for almost three full moons now, Ramsey. I find it odd that we have not been had, yet. I find it very odd, in fact. Especially, since we know that Walsh was watching us, at some point. Did they ever stop? Have we really been careful? Or are they simply planning something grand? Remember the nights we visited each of their studies. They had all been away on meetings. What kind of meeting do that kind of men hold in dark hours?”

  “My lord, you have raised important care. If the men already know what we are up to, which I believe they do, then it is only a matter of time before they strike. What we can hope to do, is strike before them, and what better way to strike, than with the truth?”

  “But we do not have all of it, yet.”

  “Nevertheless, we have enough. I hear you have recently made acquaintances to people related to the crown. Perhaps, this is the time to put such friendship into use. I too shall meet with some friends in authority. If they are truly watching us, they would know we have taken this step. They would also know that eyes are now on them. They would be more careful. From experience, I know that people tend to make mistakes when they are afraid. We shall be waiting for that slip. Never to worry, Lord Leighton. If they have not come for us, so far, I dare say, we have time yet.”

  “They are planning something, I can feel it.”

  “I would not worry about my head too much. This is a silent war. The enemy is bound to fight back. I was very careful on my way to the highlands and back. I am certain I was not followed. I do not think they know of what we already have in our possession. Choosing to copy the letters was a wise act. This gives us an edge over them. If it would make you feel safer, though, you may request for guards to accompany you on your outings.”

  “No. That would bring too much attention. We need to be as ordinary, as invincible as we can be. It is what is best at this time. Nonetheless, you are very right. It is time to call in favors with my friends in the royal household.”

  Ramsey nodded, agreeing.

  “Very well then. I believe that should be all for today. I find it, I have a pressing urge to visit the Rothwell home. I wish to see my lady, Liliana. Perhaps, I shall kill two birds with a stone, and seek entrance into Rothwell’s study once more. Something you said about hiding in plain sight?”

  “Ah… yes. Yes.”

  Ramsey was on his feet in her instant. Sebastian followed. He stretched his clothing in a bid to get rid of wrinkles that might have come with sitting for too long.

  “Let us meet again in two nights, Ramsey. At that other spot. I hope to meet with my friends tomorrow. Can you do the same?”

  “Yes, my lord. Before the end of today, even.”

  “Very well. Then we shall converge at the meeting point at the eighth hour. Until then, tarry safe, Ramsey.”

  “You too, my lord, farewell.”

  With a small bow, Ramsey turned to leave.

  Sebastian remained, looking around the study, wondering if Hanson had hidden something in plain sight too.

  He came up with nothing and knowing that it was almost the twelfth hour, he began for Rothwell’s house.

  Chapter 29

  Rothwell was home when Sebastian arrived. Thankfully, he agreed to see the marquess in his study.

  Thanking the butler, Sebastian stepped in through the doors, into this study that he had come to know all too well in recent times.

  Lord Rothwell was by his desk, his glasses on, scribbling away in quick strokes. He appeared quite taken with the task and it afforded Sebastian some time to glance around and watch him.

  Rothwell stopped abruptly and looked up at him. His face transitioned from intense concentration to a beaming smile. He was on his feet, the next moment, his arms opening wide.

  “Ah… look who it is! My cousin and in-law to be.”

  Step… Sebastian thought in his mind. Oh goodness, he had respected and admired this man be
yond measures. How could he have turned out to be such a filthy man? How?

  Keeping a smile just as grand on his own face, Sebastian began to approach the desk.

  “Come, come… oh my, this is a pleasant surprise, as always. Liliana had not told me you would be calling today. I suppose she is not expecting you?”

  “No. Hortcroft has just gone to inform her.”

  “Oh great! She would be thrilled, nonetheless. She has been a little agitated since yesterday until now, but she wouldn’t say why. Perhaps, you can manage to get why she’s so troubled, out of her.”