Then she looked around the room at all her friends. They were staring at Dare with varying degrees of amazement. Her brother’s expression was the most amusing, with his mouth hanging open like an oversized haddock. That made her laugh and got her breathing again.
The past few weeks had been torture for her. While Dare had been remarkably cordial, he hadn’t tried to get her alone. She had tried everything to entice him, but it appeared he’d conquered his desire for her and was satisfied remaining friends.
So, when this messenger issued his pronouncement, she knew Dare would marry the Billingston girl. Even though he hated his father, he could not refuse his dying wish. Since Nivea was not the type of woman Dare would marry, her most fervent dream evaporated. She’d lost him.
And then, he did the unthinkable. In front of all their friends and family, he asked her to marry him. He loved her! Was it really possible?
She turned back to gaze deeply into his ebony eyes, warm and sincere. For the first time, she allowed herself to hope. To believe. Because in his eyes, she saw love…love tinged with worry and a touch of fear.
Fear? Was he scared of her? Did he think she would say no? Of all the crazy, insane, ridiculous things. As if Nivea Horsham would refuse to accept Adair Landis.
Turning a dazzling smile on him, she threw her arms around him. “Yes, yes, of course I’ll marry you!”
“Oh, thank God,” he groaned into her hair. After returning her bone-crushing hug, he put her aside and turned toward her brother.
“William, I know this is a bit of a shock. But please believe me when I say I love your sister and will do everything I can to make her happy. Will you accept me as your brother-in-law?”
William turned ghostly pale. Then his cheeks brightened to a mottled puce, before flaring to an alarming shade of scarlet. He appeared to be trying to speak, but nothing emerged but a strange gurgling sound.
Betsy gave him a hearty pat on the back and took charge. “Lord Landis, I never expected this day to come, but it seems your declaration is heartfelt. If you are sincere in your attentions toward our Nivvy, we will welcome you into our family.” Narrowing her eyes, she added, “But if we discover you are playing games with her affections, we will horsewhip you till you beg for mercy.”
Nivea gasped. For her normally good-humored sister-in-law to have selected such a punishment was quite unsettling. But Dare didn’t flinch at her proclamation. Quite the contrary, he looked pleased. “Madam, I would expect nothing less.”
Then the messenger cleared his throat. ”Yes, well…erm…this is all well and good, but I remind you your father has promised you to the Billingston girl. And you are expected at home, immediately.”
Dare let out an exasperated sigh. Turning his back on the man, he captured her hands in his. “Nivea, I know it is highly irregular, but I ask that you accompany me to my father’s estate. I would like to get this settled immediately and introduce him to the next Marchioness of Raynsforth.”
Her heart caught in her throat. “Oh, no, I couldn’t. The man terrifies me. You go and make peace with him. I will be here upon your return.”
“I must insist. I wish for you to meet my family. They need to know that I will not be caving into my father’s demands.”
She pressed a hand to her stomach to still the sudden churning. She was not ready for this. How could she possibly face the man who had so little humanity, he would harm his own son? How could she stand up to his derision, knowing what he was capable of? She was not that strong.
Then she looked at Dare. Her love. Her life. And she saw the need in his eyes. Perhaps he was scared too. Was that possible? Did he need her to help ease his fear?
If so, then of course she would go.
“When would you like to leave?” His answering smile brought tears to her eyes. It was filled with relief and joy, and love. He loved her. She wanted to dance around the room.
Her brother was not so easily swayed. Finally finding his voice, he barked out, “Nivea, I cannot allow this. No!”
He shook off his wife’s calming hand and pulled Nivea away from Dare. “You’re not thinking clearly. Landis is an unrepentant rake. How many times have you heard him say he has no respect for marriage? He calls it a prison. Whether he means to or not, he will break your heart. He will!”
Nivea smiled at his protective declaration. He only had her best interests at heart. She appreciated that, but it would not deter her. “William, it is not like that. Dare loves me. I know it is hard to believe—it is hard for me to believe—but he does. I trust him. And I will marry him.”
“No!”
Dare moved to stand in front of his dearest friend, and in the most humblest tones stated, “William, please. I swear to you, this is not a game. I intend to be a faithful husband to your sister. You know, for all my faults, I am a gentleman. I can be trusted.”
William took a slow measure of his friend before turning his attention back to her, and sighed. “Niv, if this is what you truly want, you know I will not stand in your way.”
Delighted, she threw her arms around him and hugged him until he gasped for breath.
Breaking free, he took her face in his hands, smiling into her eyes. Then his expression grew serious. In a quiet voice he said, “Regardless of your decision, I urge you not to go to Raynsforth. You don’t know what you’ll face there. His father…he’s not like us. He’s a vicious, heartless bastard, who will stop at nothing to get his way. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Nivea couldn’t hide her surprise. So, William wasn’t so obtuse after all. He may not know the extent of Dare’s torment, but he wasn’t completely ignorant of the abuse. She was so touched, she pulled him into another hug. “Thank you, Wills. I appreciate your concern. But I will be with Dare, and I will be fine. I promise.”
At that, Betsy spoke up, “Would you like us to accompany you? You need a chaperone, after all, and we could offer you support.”
“No!” Dare snapped. Then softening his tone, he turned to Betsy. “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. My sisters will be in residence and will be vigilant in impeding any manner of happiness on my part. Nivea will be quite safe from me.”
“Oh, Dare, how horrid your family sounds.” Briar exclaimed.
He laughed without humor. “You have no idea, my dear. And that is why I must decline Betsy’s kind offer. I will meet with my father, have my say, and will leave with as much haste as possible. With Nivea beside me, all parties will be made to understand that this ridiculous engagement to the Billingston chit is both unnecessary and unwarranted.”
Nivea smiled at him. “Now that we’ve settled that, when would you like to leave?”
“Tomorrow morning, if that is amenable. With fair weather and a hard ride, we should be there by evening.”
“All right, then. I will go home and prepare.”
The bewildered messenger stirred from the corner where he had been hiding. “I will inform the marquess of your impending arrival.” Then he flew through the door as though pursued by the hounds of hell.
As he left, the others also headed for the door. Nivea lingered, hoping for a final few words with Dare. Of the same mind, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his study. She flung herself into his arms and kissed his beautiful, soft lips. He tasted like heaven. She couldn’t believe she would be able to enjoy this delicious sensation for the rest of her life. His kiss turned hard and demanding, his hands gripping her waist, pressing her close. Heat radiated through his chest, warming her to her bones.
She moaned and he pulled away. His black eyes glowed. “I love you, Nivea. I need you to know that. I don’t want you to think I proposed simply to thwart my father.”
“Oh, Dare, I would never think that.” When he raised his eyebrow, she giggled. “Oh, all right, I may have considered it at some point. You must admit that this forced proposal came as quite a shock to us both. You can’t have been considering marriage for some time.”
She had barely finis
hed the sentence before Dare pulled away and strode across the room. Reaching into his desk, he pulled out a small object that glinted in the fading light. Closing the drawer, he crossed the room in two quick strides. Lifting her left hand, he placed a kiss on her knuckles, his dark eyes boring into hers.
“Nivea Horsham, in honor of our engagement, I would like to present you with the Raynsforth family ring. I retrieved it from my solicitor weeks ago. Although I wanted to ask for your hand soon after Joseph’s party, I have spoken so disparagingly about marriage, I feared you would not consider my suit.”
She laughed. Not consider his suit? The man was a lunatic.
“That is why I have been behaving as a perfect gentleman around you. I wanted to prove that there was more to me than just a lascivious rake.” He pulled her against him and buried his nose in her bodice. “You did not make it easy on me, you know. Every time you came near, I became desperate to touch you. Love you.”
She shivered as he ran his tongue up her neck and nipped her earlobe. He slid his hand down her arm and raised her hand. Eyes locked with hers he said, “I want you and only you. I love you, and I ask, once again, if you will do me the honor of becoming my bride.” He slid the ring on her finger.
The stone, a deep blue sapphire, almost black in its depth, was set in an ornate band of silver filigree. Nivea twisted her hand left and then right, catching the flashes of light from the waning sun. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
“Oh, Dare, I love it,” she cried, crushing him into a hug. “Yes, I will marry you.” She dashed away her tears and kissed him again.
At the sound of throat clearing coming from the doorway, they sprung apart.
“We were waiting to leave,” Briar announced, a quiver of amusement in her voice. “Will you be joining us?”
Nivea flushed crimson. “Yes, I’m coming.” She flashed a final beaming smile at Dare and dashed out the door.
Dare arrived at the Horsham’s house early the next morning and was ushered into the earl’s study. When they emerged, Nivea was glad to see both men looked content.
“Nivea?” Her father beckoned to her. “I understand Lord Landis has requested your hand in marriage and that you have accepted. Is this true?”
“Yes, Popa. I love him and dearly wish to marry him.”
“Are you certain?” His expression was earnest. “I know you have tendered an affection for the man for many years, but are you sure, that as a husband, he will make you happy? Marriage is not all about admiring glances and fancy balls and such.”
Her heart squeezed at his concern. He was trying to protect her. And she understood his fears. But one look at Dare standing there, stoically awaiting her answer, and she laughed out her response. “Yes, Popa, he will make me happy. I have seen the joy a good marriage can bring, and I would not settle for anything less. I’m certain Dare and I can have that kind of marriage.”
After one more probing inspection, he nodded. “All right then, I give you both my blessing.”
“Thank you, Popa,” and she hugged him joyously.
“Thank you, Lord Horsham.” Dare bowed and the earl grunted.
“Now, I understand you will be traveling to Lord Landis’s family home. Nivea, you will bring your maid, and I expect you to be properly chaperoned at all times. Upon your return, we will begin making arrangements for your wedding. Heaven knows, Amelia will be ecstatic to plan another one,” he said with an indulgent smile.
“Yes, Popa. I will behave just as if I were under my own roof.” She refused to look at Dare as she offered those wicked words.
But they satisfied the earl and he went off to tell Amelia the news. As expected, she came flying down the stairs to envelop Nivea in a hug. “I am so excited! You’ll finally be married …and to Lord Landis. I must say I’m shocked, but ever so happy.” Following that outburst, she turned to Dare and her smile dimmed.“I am sorry to hear about your father. I hope things are not as dire as they appear.”
When he shrugged, her fervor returned. “Everyone will be overjoyed at your news, Nivea. Please return quickly, so we can post the banns.”
Nivea smiled indulgently at her. “Yes, Amelia, we will return home as soon as possible.”
With that, Dare arranged for her luggage to be loaded into his carriage. Her maid, Emma, climbed in and took a seat across from Dare’s valet. Nivea sat facing forward and Dare took the remaining seat across from her.
As promised, the ride was hard and fast. They stopped at noon for a brief meal, and then pressed through until late afternoon.
“This is the start of Raynsforth,” Dare announced as they approached a stark village, consisting of a smattering of cottages, a church, and a few tattered shops. Used to the bustling town near Durham, Nivea was surprised to see it so austere. It was obvious the marquess was no more generous with his tenants than he was his family.
They crossed a number of fields and streams before coming upon a row of twisted chestnut trees hovering over a long drive. The mammoth trees blocked the sunlight and obscured the view of the sprawling castle ahead. Nivea felt a shiver of foreboding as they approached. Breaking through the trees, the ancient manor house loomed large. There was little activity, no sign of a welcome for the prodigal son.
Nivea didn’t feel any urgency to follow Emma and Jackson as they descended. The small meal she had consumed was threatening to make a reappearance. Was she ready to face this? Could she be gracious to the man who had abused his own son so egregiously? Would she collapse from embarrassment if he railed at her? She had no way of knowing.
But one glance at Dare’s face and she knew she’d have to try. His eyes were cloudy, his jaw clenched, and her heart went out to him. This trip was to be the culmination of all his misery.
She reached over to squeeze his hand, but he jerked at her touch. His despair was so apparent, it slashed pain through her heart. “He can’t hurt you anymore. You will speak to him, explain why you can’t marry the Billingston girl, and tomorrow we will return home.”
He tried to put on an accommodating smile, but his expression remained bleak. Gazing up at the house a final time, he rose, helped her from the carriage, and together they entered the front door.
Chapter 44
Dare approached the bed, shocked by what he saw. His mother had tried to prepare him, but one could not appreciate the effect of the disease until witnessed firsthand. The marquess was propped up in bed, barely visible in the fading light of day. That was most likely a good thing.
Dare stared at his misshapen visage, the telltale lumps of advanced syphilis swelling his lips, his cheeks puffy. What was left of his hair was grayed and lank. His large frame filled the bed, unnaturally still.
His mother had proclaimed it fitting that the marquess would suffer so, after flaunting all those women in her face. Still, Dare couldn’t help experiencing a moment of…not sorrow really…perhaps compassion, when he entered the room. It dissipated the instant he heard his father’s voice.
“Who is it?” barked his father from the shadows.
Dare stiffened his spine and took a decisive step forward. “It is I, sir.”
His father peered at him, unable to discern his features in the dark. Dare refused to give him satisfaction by leaning closer. After all, his father had always stressed the importance of an erect posture.
“Boy? Is that you?” the voice croaked once again.
“Yes, sir. It is Adair.” He took a step forward and gave the slightest hint of a bow. “I understand you wished to see me.”
“Bah! I wouldn’t care if I never caught sight of you again. What I wished for was to have a son that I could be proud of. A son who appreciated a day’s work and didn’t go flitting around London like a bloody fripon.” He’d sat up during the tirade, but now collapsed back into the pillows.
Taking a breath, he continued, “I ordered you here to finally bring you to heel. Now that I am about to cock toes up, you must marry. I know you have taken great joy in th
reatening to end our lineage, but that will not happen. I have arranged for you to marry the Billingston girl next door. She’s pretty enough, which is more than you deserve. And the older girl has already proven to be a hearty breeder, bearing two sons in as many years. Slap a few brats to Marta’s breast and then you can continue your life as you choose. Surely, even you can manage something that simple.”
Again he sunk back into the bed.
Dare felt sick. That was the exact sentiment he had relayed to Nivea when describing marriage. Had he truly been that baseless? That heartless? Good God, it was lowering. Nivea was a noble soul, indeed, if she could overlook his abhorrent behavior.
He felt a pang of guilt, knowing she was currently at the mercy of his mother and sisters, no doubt fending off vicious taunts and slurs with all the grace she could muster. Eager to rescue her, Dare strode forward until he was inches from the bed. Seen at close range, his father’s appearance was more horrifying. It was as though the ugliness of his soul was now visible for all to see.
Taking a deep breath, he announced, “Father, I will not be marrying the Billingston girl. So not to disappoint you entirely, I will tell you that I have, in fact, found a woman to marry. She is more than I could have ever hoped for and has graciously agreed to be my wife.”
His father’s eyes flashed. “A trollop? A whore? Will you be tainting the blood of my lineage with some bit o’ muslin eager for a title? I won’t have it!”
Dare’s anger rose to meet his father’s. “No sir. Nivea is no trollop. The daughter of the Earl of Cheltenham is a sweet and well-mannered lady. I expect she will provide me children of uncommon intellect and temperament.”
He stared down at the figure lying in bed, waiting. The response was unexpected. The old man laughed sharply. “Do not presume I will believe that load of codswallop. You worthless pup, you could not get a lady to marry you for all the gold in Croesus. Enough games. You will marry Marta tomorrow, and that will be the end of it.”
Lacing his fingers behind his back, Dare tried to tamp down his anger. It was galling to know his father still harbored such resentment.
Dare to Love Page 27
