“Judd killed my father’s line,” Matthew said. “I wanted to take his as well.”
He was completely confused. “How is your line killed? You are your father’s line.”
Matthew sat down in a wooden chair by the window. It was cold in the room. Clouds rose not only from his breath but his body as well. “I can’t have children. The situation with Rose proved it. I had her for years and wasn’t careful. Lord Beck had her for a month and she conceived.”
Leo remembered the story of Rose and Lord Beck from the tavern. “It was one woman.”
Matthew’s chuckle sounded terrible. “Which is why my friends teased me. That was two years ago. They don’t know that I’d tested my suspicions since then with multiple women.”
“That still doesn’t mean—”
“It does! Judd knew that when he killed my father. My father was engaged to another lady when he died. A young woman who’d wanted children. He could have had another son, another chance to continue the bloodline. Now, that’s never going to happen.”
Leo lifted his hands. “Wait. I thought you said The Circle killed your family. Now you’re saying Judd did it?”
“Judd was in The Circle,” he sneered. “I believe I may have been offered an invitation as well, but the invites aren’t obvious by any means. I just remember being approached about a brotherhood. I declined. Judd was the only brother I needed… or so I thought.” Matthew shook his head. “So, Madison didn’t tell you about Judd? Or course not. She likely still worships the man she thought she knew.”
The man you both thought you knew.
Leo sighed. Murder was an easier subject to deal with, but family squabbles were the sort of situations he tried to stay away from. He didn’t know why he still wanted to help Matthew after everything he’d done to Madison, but he did. “So, when you say you can’t have children, do you mean…?”
“I can easily pleasure myself with women and they enjoy me,” Matthew spat. “But… I’ve nothing to give toward conception. My father’s line ends with me.”
“Judd’s line is over as well,” Leo said. “His son lives, but he can never have the title.”
“Then I suppose we’re even.” Matthew’s tone was sarcastic, and pain flashed in his eyes before he covered his face with his hands.
Was that it then?
Though the matter of the baby seemed done, it all still felt... unfinished.
Leo didn’t like things going unfinished. For instance, he’d once set into motion a plan of revenge that took a year to complete. By the time his enemy even knew Leo was behind it, he’d been relieved of his position, lost his home, and his reputation had been irreparable.
Leo thought quickly of a plan. “You’ll spread the word that you were protecting Madison and the baby from whoever killed Judd. You believed the person who killed him might have wanted his child dead, so you pretended to be wed to her until the baby’s arrival.”
Matthew looked up. “You’ll ruin her reputation.”
Leo wondered if he actually cared about Madison’s reputation. He hadn’t cared about her happiness. “She’s had a child out of wedlock, and she’s not coming back here. Her reputation is already ruined. This is a story people will believe. You were Judd’s best friend. No one but Madison and I know you grew to hate him. You did what any best friend would under the circumstances.”
“I’ll have the story ready for the papers in the morning,” Matthew said, resigned. “But I’ll need a reason for her leaving me.”
“You can come up with something, I’m sure. You weren’t in love. You wanted her to be happy.”
Matthew stared at Leo and then said, “You may go.”
Leo left the house and went to town. He roamed for a while simply to make certain he wasn’t being followed and then went to the home he’d purchased for Madison.
Evening had come and the sun was gone when he arrived. The light was on in the small cottage. He found the soft orange glow inviting. He peeked through a window and stilled.
He didn’t recognize it at all. Mrs. Wilson’s neighbor had not only done a wonderful job of cleaning it out, but the home was fully decorated with warm tones and bright additions like pillows and a rug.
The fireplace was lit. He leaned closer, wanting to feel the heat. How many times in his life had he done this exact thing? As a young boy, he must have seen dozens of homes. He’d begged at a few. Others he simply watched.
The families were so normal compared to his violent father and weeping mother. Though he realized that the perfect life did not exist, not once had Leo witnessed a father tell one son to stab the other.
If there was food, the family ate. The children didn’t have to earn it by fighting to the death.
Though he couldn’t see Madison or the baby, he could sense the happiness that now filled the once vacant space.
And then he saw her. She was smiling as she held her son close. Her dark curls hung over her shoulder. Her mouth was moving, and he wondered what she was saying.
Words of love most likely.
He grinned. He’d known there was good inside her. Nothing about Madison had added up until now. This was the real Madison. The gentle spirit who made baskets for people she didn’t know and tried to protect her father from disappointment even when the opposite would work in her own favor.
She sat the baby in a small white carriage and then pulled it over to the pianoforte.
His eyes widened at the sight of the instrument. She’d really outdone herself with the money he’d left with Mrs. Wilson for her. Leo hadn’t planned to keep her here for long. She’d turned a temporary residence into a home.
As she started to play, he realized that in spite of the weather, he could watch her for hours. His fingers grew cold and then it dawned on him that he didn’t have to watch anymore—or at least not this home in particular.
He could go inside this home. He’d bought it.
∫ ∫ ∫
3 0
* * *
Leo hesitated at the door. He had a key, but it felt wrong to simply barge in. He knocked and Madison stopped playing. He heard her move toward the door.
“Who is it?” He could hear her fear through the door.
He hadn’t meant to make her afraid. He wanted her to be happy again. “It’s me. It’s Leo.”
The door was immediately opened, and Leo was knocked senseless by her smile. She was more than glad to see him. Her expression held surprise and unhidden adoration. “Leo.” She breathed his name as one would finish a prayer. “It’s cold outside. Come in.”
He stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him.
“How long have you been outside? Your coat looks frozen on you.” She took it off his shoulders and placed it on the hook nearby. “I’m so glad you’re here. Where did you go? Are you hungry?”
Leo opened his mouth. But then the boy cried and Madison went away.
“His voice is stronger,” Leo said.
Madison laughed. “Yes, he’s grown quite strong.” The moment he was in her arms, he stopped crying. Her presence soothed him.
Her presence soothed Leo.
He looked around the house. “Where did all this come from?” There were couches by the fireplace while flames jumped with life. The rug underneath looked soft. Nothing looked expensive, but it was all in great condition.
“Mrs. Wilson helped.” She handed him the baby without asking if he wanted him.
Leo took the child and froze as she dashed away.
“Sit. I’ll get you something to eat.” Her voice flowed into the room from the kitchen. “I’m not a very good cook. Mrs. Wilson is steadily teaching me everything she knows, but it’s just as hard as it looks.” She laughed and Leo heard her moving things around.
“She’s such a sweet woman,” Madison said as she returned to the front room with a tray in hand. There was some sort of broth with bread on the side. “Edmond and I would have been so lonely without her.”
Leo looked
into her eyes. Was it him or did her irises seem more vibrant?
She tilted her head. “You’re still standing by the door.”
Was he?
He turned around and then faced her again. He looked at the baby and his heart jumped. “Edmond?”
She put the tray on a side table by a wingback chair by the fire. “Edmond Leonard Blake.”
Leonard.
His blood ran cold. “No, don’t name him after me.”
She took the baby back and frowned. “Why not?”
“I was named after my father.”
She smiled. “But I didn’t name him after your father. I named him after the man who rescued us.”
“No,” he said tersely. “Not that name.”
She stiffened and the baby whimpered until she started bouncing him. Then she relaxed. “Did they call your father Leo?”
He shook his head. “Nardo, actually.”
“Then Edmond Leo.” She turned toward the couch.
He closed his eyes. “Madison, I would prefer it if you chose another name entirely.”
“Your broth is getting cold.” She sat down on the couch and began to unbutton her dress.
The hairs on the back of Leo’s neck rose. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to feed him.”
“Not in front of me.”
She stilled and looked at him. “You’ve seen me do this before.” Her expression held confusion and more than a little irritation.
“That was different. The circumstances were different.” She’d been tired and covered in blood and sweat. He’d been unable to see her as a woman. At the moment, she’d been nothing more than a mother.
Now she was…
“How is this any different?” she asked.
Leo walked over the chair, grabbed his tray, and started out of the room. “I’ll tell you about my conversation with Matthew once you’re finished.”
∫ ∫ ∫
3 1
* * *
Madison met Leo in the kitchen. “He’s asleep.”
Leo stood at the counter. His hands were braced on either side of his empty tray. He looked over at her and she stilled. He seemed so large in the tiny house. She hadn’t seen him in days, a fortnight. She’d forgotten how beautiful he was. His pale gaze moved down to her chest and settled there.
Madison’s heart chose that moment to beat wildly. Her blood grew hot. Her skin felt tight and she yearned to be touched. She’d not felt this way in months. She’d never felt this way for Leo.
She blamed the baby. Her body was still adjusting to no longer carrying him around. She felt funny. Unattractive actually.
But when Leo’s eyes rose, she saw undeniable hunger.
Her cheeks heated.
He ran a hand through his dark locks and then turned to lean a hip on the counter.
They remained quiet for a time.
His eyes bore into hers and his face became sinister. “Tell me that you haven’t been going about whipping your breasts out in front of other men.”
She was caught off guard and gasped. “No, only you.” She pressed her lips together after that and mentally shook herself. “I mean… I feel comfortable in front of you because you’re not…”
Leo lifted a brow. “I’m not what?”
She swallowed. “Well, I don’t see you as a man.” A lie.
His eyes widened.
She laughed nervously. “I mean. Of course, you’re a man. You’re clearly a man.” Her eyes began to descend down his lean form, but then she forced them back up to his face.
“Enough.” He looked away.
She couldn’t stop talking. She needed to make this right. “I just don’t think of you as I would other gentlemen.” That one wasn’t a complete lie. She did see Leo differently than other men. He was so captivating. He’d arrived in her life just in time to save her.
Leo crossed his arms. “That’s good to know, I suppose. For a while, I worried that it was me coming between you and Matthew.”
“Oh, that would have never been the case.” He’d flirted with her in the beginning, but she’d known there was an agenda behind it. She wondered if he had an agenda for helping her. If he did, she couldn’t see it. “Besides, there was never anything to come between. Matthew and I weren’t married.”
“I know that now.” His voice was soft and low.
She bit her lip and stopped herself from thinking about all the many things his words could imply and all the many things that ‘now’ could include. Her future was just as unsettled as their relationship. Were they friends? Could they be more?
Impossible. She didn’t know Leo, but she knew he was not for her. He was like fire. He heated her and drew her close, but unless she wanted to get burned, it was best to stay away.
And she didn’t want a man in her life anyway. She’d just gotten rid of one who’d destroyed a part of her spirit that still needed mending. Edmond helped. His gentle expressions were soothing.
And at the moment, Madison wasn’t ready to trust anyone else.
“I see you as my friend.” She smiled. “And you’ve seen me at my worst. I can’t imagine how terrible I looked after I had Edmond.”
He twisted his lips and smiled. “Not too terrible.”
“I’ll keep myself covered from now on.”
He nodded. “I spoke to Matthew. He confirmed your story, that you’re not his wife.”
Her heart leapt. “You actually spoke with Matthew.” Then she looked him over. “Are you in trouble? Is Edmond in danger?” She looked around as panic clawed its way into her heart. She bit her lip. “I’m so sorry I put you in this situation. I’ve been thinking over and over again about the other actions I could have taken.”
He frowned. “What other options were there? To leave your son?”
She stiffened. “No. From the moment I held him in my arms, I couldn’t let him go.”
“So what would you have done?”
She pulled in a breath but didn’t reply. If they were still in danger, she didn’t want Leo knowing her plan or the lengths she’d go to keep her son. It was as though a light went on in her head the moment Edmond was in the world. There were no limits where his safety was concerned. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to protect him.
Her pride had flown out the window. Her gentle spirit became hardened. She felt like a predatory animal. She was willing to stalk her prey if it meant keeping her baby.
Leo waved a hand in front of her face. “Madison.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Never mind. I know that look.” His gaze was full of surprise and understanding. “You’d protect your son at all cost, wouldn’t you?”
“Are we in imminent danger?” She had a plan of escape if they were.
He leaned a hand against the table. He was so close that she had to tip her head all the way back to see him. “You’re not in danger. In fact, I don’t think Matthew plans to come after you at all.”
∫ ∫ ∫
3 2
* * *
“Matthew isn’t looking for me?”
Leo watched Madison’s wild expression shift from deadly to confusion. The former had surprised him, especially when he knew violence wasn’t her nature at all. She’d been worried for Matthew when Leo stuffed him into her wardrobe.
And though he thought she’d hesitate when the time came, he was certain Madison would follow through with the threat in her eyes. She’d take down any man who tried to take her son.
She was one of the most powerful women he’d ever met. Capable of such gentleness yet firm in her beliefs. He admired her strength. In fact, he found it was the most alluring thing about her. More than her beauty was her wish for the greater good.
The promise of death in her gaze a moment ago should have disturbed him, but for some reason, it only made him want her more. And he had wanted her. Though he’d not allowed himself to think about it in the past, he’d been attracted to her.
Guilt settle
d low in his belly. She’d been another man’s wife at the time. He was only glad he’d never acted on his feelings and had no intention of acting on it now. He and Madison were never meant to be. He had no intention of being anyone’s husband or father, but for now, he would be Madison and Edmond’s sword and shield. He was the one who’d taken her. It was only right for him to see her to a peaceful place.
Finally, he answered her question. “Matthew isn’t looking for you. He never did. He even told his staff to keep the fact that we ran away private. No one in Oxford knows what took place. You’re safe.”
She let out a large breath and smiled up at him. “Thank you.” Her fingers were on the counter next to his. She touched the back of his hand and then grabbed him firmly. Her hand was soft and warm.
Leo wanted to turn his hand over and lock their fingers together. He suspected, like Wess, she might need the connection of another person. A friendly touch. A safe place after everything that had happened to her. He could give her his shoulder. He could wrap his arms around her, but he knew the danger in doing it. The danger of becoming addicted to touch.
It had happened only once before and out of that great need came Wess.
Leo hadn’t loved Wess’ mother, but when she’d allowed him into her body, she’d given him more than any other woman he’d had before her. She’d given him a place of comfort when he’d had none his whole life.
He’d not had a place like that since.
Leo took his hand back and moved to the other side of the kitchen. He picked up a cup. His fingers trembled. “I need water and then I’ll tell you about the plan.” He poured some from the pitcher and drank with his back to her.
* * *
As she watched Leo move around her kitchen—his kitchen, since he’d paid for it—Madison couldn’t help but think it had been wise for Leo to pull away from her.
She was thinking one thing while her body did another. She wanted him. She didn’t want him. She was grateful to him. She wanted to give him something back. He was securing her happiness, but she sensed listlessness in him.
The Long Awaited Lord Page 15
