by Cheryl Holt
Lucretia’s wrists and ankles were bound, then she was lifted into the carriage. Despite how she protested, despite how she cursed them and their descendants forever, no one listened. The door was shut and latched so she couldn’t jump out. The driver shouted to the horses, and they lurched away so rapidly she was nearly flung to the floor.
“Mmm, mmm,” Gregory mumbled through his gag, his eyes wide with panic.
Samson said, “This is a fine pickle, isn’t it, Mrs. Starling? How shall we fix it?”
She shot a glare that could have melted lead. “Don’t lump me into your pathetic problem.”
Samson laughed viciously. “You’re in a deeper hole than I am. I, at least, can beg Caroline for mercy. What can you do?”
He snorted with contempt, then peered out the window, and the vehicle grew very quiet. The only sound was wheels crunching on gravel.
She gaped at Gregory, gaped at his father, but neither of them would look back at her. She was on her own, and it was the loneliest spot in the world.
Caleb stood in the driveway as the carriage rolled off. Gregory, Samson, and Mrs. Starling were locked inside.
It had been a whirlwind of days, and he never ceased to be amazed at the power an aristocrat like Luke Watson could wield. Caleb might have wasted months, obtaining the documents to have Gregory and Samson arrested. Luke had accomplished it in a matter of hours.
The sole task left was to marry Caro, the trick being to get her to consent without too much arguing.
Luke sauntered up and said, “That trio of scoundrels just might be the most disgusting people I’ve ever encountered.”
“You’d be right.”
“Caroline seems very normal and pleasant to me. I can’t imagine how she could possibly be related to them.”
“I’m told her father was very different from the rest of them. She must take after him.”
“Thank goodness,” Luke said. “Will you have them hanged?”
“I would love that punishment, but Janet and Caro would never want them executed. They’re kinder and much more forgiving than I am.”
“What will you do with the manor?” Luke asked.
“I’ll leave the housekeeper, Mrs. Scruggs, in charge. She’s plenty fierce, and she’ll keep things on an even keel until I can come back with Caroline. Then I’ll let Caro decide about the property.”
While Caleb didn’t have all the records yet, it appeared Caroline’s grandfather had taken out numerous mortgages on Grey’s Corner. When Samson had inherited, he’d used a huge chunk of Caroline’s trust to pay off what his father had borrowed.
Caleb supposed that made it Caroline’s estate. If it wasn’t already, it would be when the court hearings were concluded.
“Will you live here after you’re wed?” Luke asked.
“I have no idea. I have to convince her to have me first. I’m not all that certain she will.”
“Libby is expecting it,” Luke said like a threat, “and I have no ability to disappoint her.”
“You poor man. I see a humiliating life ahead of you, where you never wear the trousers in your own home.”
Luke chuckled. “Just wait until Caroline puts that ring on your finger. You’ll discover how low you’ll stoop to keep her happy.”
The carriage carrying the three fiends vanished in the trees, and Luke whipped away and stared up at the manor.
“This is a fine residence,” he said. “There are worse places you could end up.”
“I know.”
“Will you give up your gambling club for her? I’m afraid you might have to. From the comments she shared with Libby, she’s not keen to have a gambler for a husband.”
“Gad, I hadn’t thought about my club.”
“You’ll be marrying an heiress, so it’s not as if you’ll be a pauper. You could manage her fortune. You’re adept at handling money, so maybe that could be your new job.”
“I’d be my wife’s accountant?”
“It’s better than not winning her and being nothing to her at all.”
“Touché,” Caleb said.
“Have we dealt with all your problems? We haven’t forgotten any issues, have we?”
“I don’t believe we have.”
“Then can we return to Barrett? My nuptials are in a few days, and Libby will be starting to wonder if I’ve gotten cold feet and run away.”
“You can’t run away. We’re both about to be leg-shackled. If I have to tie the knot, so do you.”
“I complain about it, but I’m not serious,” Luke said. “We’re lucky they agreed to have us.”
“Speak for yourself. I still have to persuade Caroline.”
“I’d like to be a mouse in the corner to listen as you grovel.”
“Isn’t it interesting how we view ourselves as tough, virile men, but two pretty females have brought us to heel?”
“It’s not interesting. It’s embarrassing.”
Caleb sighed with gladness. “Let’s get you to Barrett. I’m suddenly desperate to talk to Caroline, and I’m eager to watch you walk down the aisle. I’m invited to the wedding, aren’t I?”
“Yes, and Libby will probably demand you marry Caroline right after she and I finish reciting the vows.”
“The church will be warmed up and the vicar ready. We could simply step to the altar after you step away.”
“Don’t muck this up, Ralston.”
“I won’t. She’s never been able to resist me, and I’ll wear her down.”
“I will fervidly hope that turns out to still be true.”
“My goodness!”
Caroline peered over at Libby, her expression shocked and bewildered. They were in Caroline’s bedchamber in Lord Barrett’s home, and Libby had just brought a letter upstairs for her.
“Don’t tell me it’s bad news,” Libby said. “With my wedding so close, I refuse to allow anything negative to occur.”
“I can’t decide if it’s bad news or not. My cousin, Janet, has married Blake Ralston.”
“Wasn’t he mortally opposed to matrimony?”
“She was mortally opposed. She might be increasing though, so she had to set aside a few of her convictions.”
“It sounds as if another scoundrel has been ensnared.”
“He’s definitely a scoundrel, so that’s why I’m debating whether I’m glad for her or not. I imagine she’ll have an exasperating life with him.”
“Some women claim scoundrels end up being the best husbands.”
“Who are the women claiming that? I’d like to learn how they arrived at such a ludicrous notion.”
“Luke is an example.”
“He is not. According to both of you, he was boring and normal until he met you. He had to develop wild habits so you’d assume he was intriguing.”
Libby smirked. “You could be right about that.”
“When you’ve been so gracious, it’s rude of me to suggest it, but could Janet visit me? Blake is posted to the Mediterranean, and he’s already left. She’s going next week too, on a ship for navy wives, and she’d like to see me before she sails.”
“She’s going out onto the ocean—on a ship?” Libby asked.
“Yes.”
They shuddered, their fear of ships and water deeply ingrained. They still had nightmares about the shipwreck, and they shared a hefty belief that humans should keep their feet firmly planted on dry ground.
“Perhaps you should warn her to reconsider,” Libby said.
“She’s young and in love. I could never persuade her to stay in England. Not with her being a newlywed.”
“Probably not,” Libby agreed, “and of course she can visit you.”
“Are you sure? The manor is incredibly hectic, and I shouldn’t be a burden.”
“You’re not a burd
en, and besides, I am not busy. I’m not organizing the wedding; I wouldn’t have the faintest idea how. You must write to your cousin and have her come immediately.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Now that we have that out of the way,” Libby said, “your presence is requested downstairs.”
“Why?”
“I have a surprise for you.”
“I hate surprises.”
“No one hates surprises.”
“Well, in my experience, there are fun ones and awful ones. I’ve only ever suffered the awful kind.”
“I declare that—with our crossing paths again—you shall just suffer the fun ones in the future.” Libby started out, tossing over her shoulder, “Let’s get this over with.”
Caroline scowled and followed her out. “Your comment doesn’t exactly fill me with excitement.”
“You will be excited. Eventually. I hope. This is Luke’s mischief, so if it blows up into a huge morass, I’ll simply blame him.”
“He’s back?”
“Yes, he just rode in, and he’s anxious to talk to you.”
They reached the front foyer, and Mr. Periwinkle was there and dressed for traveling. Since he’d conveyed Caroline to Barrett, he’d been loafing in the house and ingratiating himself. Caroline suspected he was scribbling furtive notes and would earn a fortune penning articles about Libby’s nuptial celebrations. Was Caroline the only one who’d realized that fact?
“Are you leaving us, Mr. Periwinkle?” Libby asked.
He tugged off his cap and bowed to her. “With your permission, Miss Carstairs, I thought I’d confer with Joanna James and escort her to Barrett. Or would you rather I wait until after the wedding? It’s so chaotic here. Would it be too much?”
Libby asked Caroline, “What’s your opinion, Caro?”
“I’d like it to be right away. She and I can sit together at the church.”
“It will be quite the ending for the three of us.” Libby peered at Mr. Periwinkle and said, “Bring a competent artist with you too, so there’s a good drawing of us for your newspaper. I don’t want a sketch where we look old and haggard.”
Mr. Periwinkle was Libby’s biggest admirer, and he gushed, “There’s no chance of that, Miss Carstairs.”
Caroline extended her hands, and he clasped hold.
“I’ll see you soon,” she said to him, “and when I do, I will expect Joanna to be with you.”
“I vow to you that I will not return without her.”
He pulled away, bowed to Libby again, and walked out. They observed until the door was shut behind him, and Caroline said, “That poor man is madly in love with you.”
“Every man I’ve ever met is in love with me.”
“How will Luke stand to be your husband? He’ll constantly wander around in a jealous haze.”
Libby grinned. “It will keep him on his toes. He’ll always be afraid—if he’s not careful—some other rogue will step in to take his place.”
“You are horrid.”
“And he doesn’t mind that I am.”
They went down the hall toward the earl’s library. Luke was hovering and impatiently watching for them.
“I didn’t think you two would ever arrive,” he said.
“You know me,” Libby replied. “I’m never in a hurry.”
“It’s just one of your many quirks that drives me insane.” He shifted his focus to Caroline. “Did Libby inform you of what’s happening?”
“No. She merely told me it was a surprise.”
“I intend that this situation will be swiftly resolved, so don’t dawdle or quarrel. I’m locking you in, and I won’t let you out until I receive the answer I insist on having.”
Libby sniffed with offense. “You can be so exhausting.” Then she said to Caroline, “I’ll be outside. If you grow too aggravated, call to me, and I will let you out.”
Luke glowered at Libby. “Barrett is my home, so it’s my castle. You’re in residence now, so will I ever be in charge?”
“No, not ever,” Libby cheekily retorted.
She shoved Caroline into the room, and before Caroline could protest the move, the key was spun.
“For pity’s sake,” she complained, then, braced for anything, she glanced around to discover what they’d arranged.
“I warned them not to lock you in,” Caleb said. “I was certain you wouldn’t like it, but Barrett can be an ogre when he’s riled.”
“What are you doing here?”
“What do you suppose?”
“I have no idea. I could have sworn I was very clear in London: I’m not ready to smooth over our differences.”
He shrugged from over by the hearth. “I told Barrett you were still too angry, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
A flood of emotions washed through her. She was ecstatically happy to see him, but she was also still incredibly furious over his behavior with Gregory. The dueling viewpoints warred inside her, and she couldn’t decide which one should control her portion of the conversation.
With every fiber of her being, she yearned to race over and fall into his arms. She’d wax on about how much she’d missed him, how sorry she was that they’d fought, how desperately she’d prayed that he would chase her down in the country.
Yet at the same time, she wasn’t prepared to address any of the issues separating them. She feared she’d make concessions she shouldn’t make, that she would accept apologies she shouldn’t heed.
She whirled away and pounded on the door. “Luke, would you let me out? I can’t talk to Mr. Ralston at the moment. I’m too livid.”
“I can’t oblige you, Caroline,” Luke said. “You have to exert more effort than this.”
“Libby! How about you? Will you release me?”
“Luke won’t give me the key,” Libby claimed.
Behind her, Caleb snorted with annoyance. “It’s futile to argue with Barrett. From what I’ve witnessed recently, it’s a waste of breath.”
She glared at him, but her severe look had no effect. He walked to the sideboard and poured himself a whiskey. He leaned against it, sipping his liquor, studying her as a hawk studies a mouse.
The silence stretched out, and finally, he said, “So. . . here we are.”
She pushed away from the door. If they would be forced to chat, she couldn’t bear to have Luke and Libby eavesdropping on the other side.
“It appears you have something to tell me,” she said. “Why don’t you begin, so we can wrap up this farce.”
“You are still so irate. I’m amazed to observe so much temper from you.”
“It’s a secret about me people don’t realize. I have an enormous temper, but I tamp it down and pretend to be content. I must admit that it’s quite refreshing to allow it to fly free.”
“I will confess to deserving a bit of your ire.”
“A bit!” she huffed.
“All right, all right, perhaps more than a bit.”
“Call me mad, but I thought we’d developed a strong bond.”
“I thought so too.”
“Then I discovered I don’t know any details about you that matter.”
“What you see with me is what you get. I spent a decade as a sailor, and I assumed I would die in the navy, but I was swept up in my brother’s mischief, and I had to resign. To support myself—and Sybil—I opened a gambling club. It’s the sum total of my biography. I wish you’d quit blaming me for landing on my feet.”
“I don’t blame you. I simply feel that a man who earns a living as you do—by ruining other men—isn’t a person I should esteem.”
He made a waffling motion with his hand, as if her remark was merely frivolous female babbling. “You constantly chastise me for other men being weak fools, so it’s pointless to mention yet again that I have neve
r ruined anyone. They ruin themselves.”
“You pave the road for their destruction.”
He considered the accusation, then nodded. “I guess that’s a valid assessment.”
“After you left the navy, you could have started any business, but you picked wagering. Why? If you could explain such a corrupt choice, I might not be so judgmental.”
“I’m skilled with numbers and money. It seemed a natural path for me.”
She clucked her tongue with disapproval. She was eager to delve to the heart of whatever topic he’d come to discuss, but their main problem would always be his club. It sat in the center of the room like a huge elephant that wouldn’t move.
“Would you like to hear what I’ve been doing the past few days?” he said.
“Not really,” she replied, when in fact, she’d been pondering him incessantly.
From the minute he’d stopped by Janet’s in the middle of the night and had demanded Caroline answer the door, she’d been anxious for him to return and try again. She’d figured Janet would relent and tell him where she was, and every second she’d loafed at Barrett, she’d wondered when he’d ride up the lane.
In the meantime, she’d pictured him in town, where he was surrounded by rich, elegant people, and she’d been terribly afraid he would decide she wasn’t worth the trouble she’d caused him.
Now he’d blustered in, and apparently, he was determined to hash out their differences. She wanted that. Or maybe she didn’t. Ooh, she was so confused!
“First off,” he said, ignoring her comment that she wasn’t interested in his recent activities, “I got your cousin, Janet, married to my brother.”
“You did it?”
“Yes. I was worried I’d never be able to force them, but Barrett helped me. Between the two of us, they didn’t stand a chance.” There was a pause, where he waited for her response, then he said, “Well? Are you going to thank me?”
“Your brother is an immoral libertine, and ultimately, he behaved in the only appropriate way. Should I be grateful that it took significant effort to accomplish it?”
He scoffed. “You are a hard nut to crack, Caroline Grey.”
