The Dukes of Vauxhall

by Vanessa Kelly, Christi Caldwell, Theresa Romain, Shana Galen

  Unfortunately, she had no doubts regarding her feelings for Roman. She was in love with the blasted man, for all the good it would do her.

  “Not true,” Justine said. “Roman is head over heels for you. Chloe thinks so, too.”

  Antonia had to swallow twice before she could answer. “While I’d like to believe that’s true, I can’t seem to shake the awful sensation that Roman only offered for me because his honor demanded it.”

  “My husband found himself in a similar position when he offered for me.”

  That seemed hard to believe. “Really?”

  “Yes. But understand that no one forces men like Roman or my husband to do anything against their wishes. If Roman proposed, it’s because he truly wants to marry you.”

  Antonia splayed her hands wide. “Then why did he just storm out the other night?”

  Justine glanced to the front of the box, where Papa and the duke were now engaged in a tense but fairly civil discussion. Sir Dominic loomed over them, regarding the fathers as a schoolmaster would watch over disobedient schoolboys—in other words, ready to box their ears if they stepped out of line.

  She returned her attention to Antonia. “Roman suggested to us that your father delivered an ultimatum.”

  “Yes, it was a hideous moment. Papa said I had to choose between Roman, or him and Mamma.”

  “That’s the explanation, I think. Roman would never wish to put you in such a terrible position. He knows how much you love your parents.”

  “It was an empty threat. Papa would never throw me off, no matter how angry he got. Even so, Roman should have trusted me to make my own decision.”

  Justine wrinkled her nose. “I agree. But men like Roman and my husband find it difficult to trust. They suffered a great deal of rejection and heartache when they were young, and that sort of experience is hard to overcome. I think you understand, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I certainly do,” Antonia said wryly. She’d also been subject to rejection and disapproval by the man she’d thought her real father, and then by the beau monde, who deemed her a walking scandal by virtue of her parentage.

  “Roman’s pride would never allow him to show his pain to the world, so he built up a hard shell in order to defend himself.”

  “I did the same,” Antonia confessed. “I either pretended all the insults didn’t hurt, or I made a joke out of them. But it’s not easy living like that.”

  “And men are so very bad at admitting that they might not be right about everything, especially when it comes to their own emotions.”

  “But how do you get someone like that to change?”

  “Well, I find that men are rather like nuts. You must splinter that hard shell of theirs to get to the good bits.”

  “That sounds vaguely improper.”

  “I find that nothing gets through to a man better than a bit of improper behavior. Judiciously and discretely applied, it can work wonders.”

  Antonia had to laugh. “That’s all well and good, but I can hardly engage in naughty behavior with my parents and the Duke of Clarence hanging about. Besides, Roman is noticeably absent. I can’t even talk to him, much less drag him off into the woods for a spot of illicit activity.”

  “Actually, he’s right over there, to the side of the orchestra pavilion.”

  When she spotted the tall, broad-shouldered figure dressed in black, Antonia’s thoughts scattered like puffballs in the wind. It took her a moment to gather her wits.

  “What’s he doing over there?” Then she sighed. “I hope he’s not avoiding me.”

  “He and Griffin are up to something, as far as I can tell. They disappeared before you and your parents arrived, much to the irritation of the duke.”

  “He does seem to be lurking about in a suspicious fashion, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes, which is why I think you should go over there and get to the bottom of things. And if you stumble across my husband, please tell him I’d like a word with him.”

  Antonia wavered. “I…I don’t know if I should. My parents won’t like it.”

  Justine’s eyebrows lifted with polite incredulity. “I don’t believe you ever let that stop you before, did you?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Your mother and Chloe are still strolling around the Grove, and Dominic has gone back to lecturing the fathers. So, it’s the perfect time to speak to Roman. If, that is, you can find the courage.”

  “That sounds like a dare to me,” Antonia said.

  Justine simply smiled.

  Antonia had never thought of herself as a coward, and she wasn’t about to start now. “I’ll be right back.”

  * * *

  Roman glanced over his shoulder into the wooded thicket. Griffin was back there somewhere with a few of his men, keeping watch over the jostling crowd. It was a mad crush, with half the idiots in London determined to wring every ounce of enjoyment out of the lavish ending to the Regent’s celebrations.

  Tonight would be worth the trouble if his target revealed himself. Roman could then get back to convincing Antonia to marry him. That’s what this gambit was all about—a chance to correct his blunders. With luck and a little help from Dominic and Griffin, he intended to do just that.

  If Antonia still wanted him. After the sordid tale she heard the other night, she might well decide that a blackguard like him wasn’t worth the trouble, especially if marriage could destroy the relationship with her parents. Still, he just couldn’t give up on her. Give up on them. If there was to be any hope for a successful outcome, he had to prove to Barnett that he could protect and cherish her.

  And then he had to prove to Antonia that he was worthy of her—or at least that he would spend the rest of his life trying to be worthy of her. If only the blasted—

  A jab to the shoulder interrupted his thoughts. He didn’t know whether to laugh or curse, knowing exactly who he would see when he turned around.

  Antonia stood calmly before him. She was dressed in a silvery-blue gown that emphasized her dainty figure, and so pretty that it made his chest ache. It took considerable willpower to refrain from pulling her into his arms and kissing her until she agreed to marry him. The wary expression in her eyes, however, suggested an attempt at a torrid embrace would not be the best of strategies.

  “You might try saying hello, for once,” he said. “It’s a surprisingly effective way to get a man’s attention.”

  “Perhaps I’ll try that when I’m not annoyed with you.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Roman caught a glimpse of Griffin, shaking his head in warning before fading back into the deep shadows of the trees. “You can be as annoyed with me as you want when we’re back in my father’s supper box. I’ll join you there shortly.”

  She frowned. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  “Of course not. This is simply not a convenient place to talk.”

  “And trying to have an intimate discussion in front of our fathers is?”

  “Antonia—”

  “Why are you lurking about under the trees? You look suspicious.”

  “I’m meeting someone.”

  “Who?”

  “You don’t need to know.”

  The light in her golden gaze snuffed out. “Then I’ll leave you alone, sir.”

  He grabbed her arm. “Come back here, you daft girl. It’s nothing like that.”

  Her shaky sigh confirmed his suspicions.

  “Antonia, do you really think I would sneak off to an assignation with another woman? After what’s happened between us?”

  Her shoulders lifted in an awkward shrug. “I don’t know what to think. You were rather quick to run away the other night.”

  “I know, sweetheart, and that was badly done of me. But I was taken aback by your father’s ultimatum.”

  “It was quite hideous but mostly bluster. Papa would never be so cruel.”

  “Are you so sure? Your father thinks I’m a menace.”

  “He doesn’t know you like
I do.”

  Her quiet expression of confidence affected him oddly, as if some part of his internal anatomy was shifting. While he struggled with the unfamiliar feeling, she rested a slim hand on his arm. “Roman, do you trust me?”

  “Of course. You’re the most trustworthy person I’ve ever met.”

  “Even though I sneak about dressed as a boy and attend prizefights?”

  “You do have a talent for prevarication, love, but you only shade the truth to protect the people you care about. And you never let anyone force you to be something you’re not, even if it would make life easier. I admire you for that more than I can say.”

  She pressed a hand to her chest and flashed him a misty smile. “Oh, Roman. That’s…amazing. You’re amazing.”

  Instead of basking in the glow of her approval, he adopted a stern expression. “Which doesn’t mean I want you fibbing to me, Antonia. I know who you are and what you need, and I’m fine with it.”

  “And I would say the same. You don’t have to insulate me from what happened to you during the war. I’m strong enough to take it.”

  “Take the fact that I’m a killer?”

  Her mouth scrunched sideways. “What would have happened if you hadn’t defended yourself?”

  “I would have ended up with a knife in my gut and tossed into the sea.”

  “I think we can agree that would have been a remarkably bad outcome.”

  “Indeed,” he said dryly.

  “As for your crew, what would have happened to them?”

  “They’d have been charged with mutiny.”

  “Yes, which would have led to even more deaths.” She studied him for a few moments. “I know you hate talking about this, but you need to see that incident for what it truly was.”

  “An epic disaster?” he said, taking refuge in sarcasm.

  “An impossible situation,” she quietly replied.

  He sighed. “You’re right, of course, but your father was also right when he said that I made the decisions that led to the final outcome. It was my ship and my command, ergo my fault.”

  “And like a good ship’s captain, did you not accept responsibility for those events?”

  He tried to be fair to himself. “I hope I did.”

  “Of course you did. You were vindicated by the Admiralty Court.”

  “That line of argumentation didn’t convince your father, though.”

  “Papa was wrong. We both know that.”

  He wanted to believe her. “Do we?”

  Antonia rolled her eyes. “Roman, do you truly think of yourself as a murderer?”

  “No.”

  “Then for heaven’s sake, learn to forgive yourself, even if others cannot.”

  “Easier said than done,” he said gruffly. “Especially with your father acting like I’m some sort of monster out to ravish his darling daughter.”

  “That sounds rather fun,” she said with a grin.

  “Antonia—”

  “Roman, hang what anybody else thinks, including my father. All you need to worry about is how you and I feel about it.”

  He finally gave in to impulse and took her hand. For such a little thing, she had a surprisingly sturdy grip. “And have you forgiven me?”

  “There’s nothing to forgive—except for the way you flounced out of our drawing room in that excessively dramatic fashion. I hardly knew where to look.”

  He wanted to laugh and take her into his arms, spinning her around until they were both dizzy. It was a silly, boyish impulse, and it felt wonderful. “Pirates are supposed to flounce around like idiots. But are you sure, Antonia? There will be talk, possibly even a scandal, if we marry.”

  “We’re both used to that, which probably makes us perfect for each other.”

  She was perfect for him, but he wasn’t sure she fully realized the challenges they were likely to face.

  When he didn’t answer right away, she let out an exasperated sigh. “Roman, do you love me?”

  Ah, that was an easy one. “I started falling in love with you that first moment when you marched across the Grove to put your father and me in our places.”

  “Then everything will be all right, because I love you, too. I won’t allow anyone to separate us. I’ll run them through with a rusty blade if they try.”

  Her comically fierce and wonderfully stubborn love swept away his last shred of resistance. All that was left now was the feeling that everything he’d ever wanted was finally close at hand.

  “Not our fathers, though,” he said with a grin. “That would put a ghastly crimp in the wedding plans.”

  “I’ll make an exception for those two—if they don’t annoy me too much.”

  “Splendid.” He resisted the impulse to kiss her with a full measure of passion, instead dropping a quick kiss on her adorable nose.

  She smiled up at him. “Now are you ready to break the news to our parents?”

  Good God.

  He’d completely lost track of time—and why he was lurking under this tree in the first place. “Antonia, you need to return to the box right now. I’ll join you soon, I promise.”

  “Why can’t you come with me now?”

  “I’ll explain later. Please go.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “Roman, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing. It’s—” A pistol jabbed him between the shoulder blades. “Oh, hell.”

  Antonia’s eyes popped wide with understanding and consternation.

  “Back up now,” growled a voice in his ear. “You and the girl both.”

  Roman backed them deep into the copse before turning around. He got a jolt when he saw an elderly man who should be snoozing in front of the hearth, not holding people up. But although the fellow was stoop-shouldered and wizened, his hand was steady and his gaze glittered with cold, calculating intent.

  “Who the hell are you?” Roman asked.

  “You killed my grandson, Sam, and I’ll have what you owe me for that.”

  “Sam Wilson,” Roman growled. His second mate on the Mary Lynn.

  Antonia let out a small gasp. “You mean…”

  “Aye, that’s the one,” the old man snarled. “The one he murdered.”

  “Sir, I am so sorry for your loss, but the captain didn’t murder your grandson or anyone else,” Antonia said.

  “Please let me handle this,” Roman said.

  “There ain’t nothing to handle, Cantrell,” the man said. “You need to pay up for what you did to me and mine.”

  Roman frowned at the odd phrasing. “Pay up? You want money?”

  The old man’s craggy features suddenly froze. Griffin had just materialized from behind a tree and was no doubt pressing the barrel of his pistol against the fellow’s back.

  “I suspect this gentleman is, in fact, willing to take financial compensation for the loss of his grandson,” Griffin said in a dry tone.

  Antonia rounded on Roman. “You set this up, didn’t you? You used yourself as bait.”

  Roman shrugged. “I needed to know who was threatening me.”

  “That was incredibly foolhardy, not to mention dangerous. I cannot believe you took such a risk.”

  “There was no risk,” Griffin said. “My plans are always foolproof.”

  “He could have shot Roman without saying a word. You’re both idiots,” she snapped.

  “Love, you can berate us all you want later, but we do have to deal with this situation,” Roman said.

  “Just kill me and get it over with,” the old man said bitterly. “That’s what you do, ain’t it?”

  “No, it’s not what I do,” said Roman. “If I could have found another way to manage the situation on my ship, I would have done so. Sam took the choice out of my hands by promoting mutiny.”

  The grandfather’s wrinkled features sagged with genuine grief. “Aye, he could be rash. Took after me, the foolish lad. But he supported us, me and his aunts. And now we have nothin’, not even his pension to go on.”

  Ro
man’s second mate had never breathed a word about his family. “Sir, I am truly sorry you’ve been forced to bear such hardship. I will arrange compensation to replace your grandson’s income.” And then some.

  The old man looked flummoxed. “Why?”

  “Because your grandson’s death was a tragedy for all involved.” Roman glanced at Griffin. “You’ll take care of the details?”

  “I’ll work it out and talk to you later,” his cousin said.

  Roman directed a stern look at the old man. “Do I have your word that this will be the end of it? Your family will not threaten me or mine again?”

  “Oh, I’ll be talking to Mr. Wilson’s family,” Griffin said, clamping a hand on the fellow’s shoulder. “My men already have your inept co-conspirators under guard not far from here.”

  “They just be my wife’s cousins,” the grandfather said in a surly tone. “They was helpin’ me get my due, that’s all.”

  “Their help will no longer be required,” Griffin said, marching him away into the night.

  “Griffin won’t hurt him, will he?” Antonia asked rather anxiously.

  Roman guided her toward the Grove. “No, but he’ll put the fear of God into him. He and his family won’t trouble us again.”

  She sighed. “Not that I approve of his actions, but I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the old fellow.”

  “I’ll make sure the Wilsons are taken care of.”

  She hugged his arm. “You’re a good man, Captain Cantrell. I’m so glad you finally agreed to marry me.”

  He laughed. “Sweetheart, it’s only been a few weeks since we met. This has hardly been a lengthy courtship.”

  “I feel like I’ve been waiting for you for such a long time.”

  “It’s the same for me.” It was rather a miracle.

  “Then the sooner we get married, the better, don’t you think?” she asked.

  “I do.”

  She gave an endearing little skip of joy. “Oh, good.”

  As he escorted her through the festive throng, Roman pondered the unfamiliar feeling settling deep in his core. It took a few minutes before he realized what it was—unadulterated happiness.