A Gentleman's Gamble (Devilish Lords Book 3)

by Maggie Dallen

  Her heart leapt in response. He was serious. He intended to be around, in her life, in her future. “But how?”

  “How did I fall in love or how shall we have our marriage vows renewed?”

  She nearly groaned. “I swear, if you are not serious for one moment—”

  He stopped her with a kiss, pulling back only slightly. “I promise you, I have never been more serious in my life.”

  Her gaze met his and she believed him. For one blissful moment she let herself revel in this moment. This man had given her his heart. He loved her. It was impossible, but true.

  “I love you too.” She’d said it before but now it felt even more significant, because now it was returned.

  She loved and was loved in return. The beauty of it was impossible to comprehend.

  “Do you mean it?” he asked, his voice was filled with awe and disbelief. As if he were the lucky one here and not her.

  She nodded quickly. “I love being near you. I love talking to you. I love the way you make me feel.”

  His eyes were filled with such tenderness that she did not want to look away. She could stay there forever, reveling in the feel of his arms around her, the sweet way he looked at her.

  But then he spoke. “So, when shall we have our second wedding? The sooner the better I’d say. This time we will do it properly, in front of our family and with their support.”

  Reality hit her so hard she nearly crumbled at the weight of it. She didn’t realize she was clutching his shoulders so hard until his brow furrowed in concern. “Eliza?” he said gently. “What is it, love?”

  Love. She would hold on to the memory of that endearment for the rest of her life. She allowed herself one long moment to study his features, to bask in his gaze, to inhale his heady scent and feel his warmth.

  Then she broke away from him and turned away. “It is no use, I’m afraid. I cannot burn the annulment papers. I cannot renew our vows.” Her voice had gone back to the cold, distant tone she’d perfected all those years ago. The one that gave nothing away, no hint of emotion.

  After a moment she heard him move behind her. “What do you mean you cannot?”

  She braced herself against the cruel disappointment but pain still stabbed at her. The unfairness of her situation made her want to scream. But if she did not do as her father wished, it would only mean pain for her sister.

  How could she be so selfish as to take her own happiness and leave her sister in their father’s cruel hands?

  She could not. No matter how much her heart ached. No matter how much her body willed her to turn around and run back to him.

  His hand on her shoulder made her stiffen. It was difficult enough to resist him without his warm, gentle touch tempting her.

  “Eliza,” he said softly. “Talk to me.”

  She shook her head.

  He moved around her so he was standing before her. It would be juvenile to turn from him again, so instead she turned her face, unwilling to see that tender gaze. Unable to if she stood any chance of remaining strong.

  Where was her anger when she needed it? She couldn’t summon it, not now when her heart was breaking.

  He reached out and touched her cheek, and that was enough to make her throat tighten with repressed emotions.

  “You are stronger than anyone I know,” he said softly, his voice quiet and sincere. “You are a force of nature, Eliza Cleveland.”

  She swallowed thickly at his words—unconventional words of love, at best, but then again, they were hardly a conventional pair.

  “You are loyal and loving, you are intelligent and noble.” He leaned forward until their breath mingled and his forehead touched hers. “But you no longer have to face the world alone, my love. You can trust me.”

  It was the slight pleading in his tone that made it impossible to keep her gaze away, and when her eyes met his she gasped at the force of his emotion. “I do trust you,” she said. She reached out to squeeze his hand. “I do.”

  “Then tell me what bothers you. Tell me why you are turning from me when I know you love me as I love you.” He moved down until his lips covered hers in a kiss that was too light and over far too quickly to satisfy her growing need.

  She shook her head. “There is nothing you can do.”

  “Try me.”

  She held her breath, debating what she ought to do. She knew what she would have done before this man came into her life these past two weeks. That Eliza had no need of anyone. She would have turned her back once more on this man who offered his assistance and gone back to her lonely world to solve this problem on her own.

  But she had changed. He had changed her. Now she knew that the only thing more powerful than being independent and free, was having someone by your side. Trusting and learning to rely on others—he had taught her that.

  It was difficult. More difficult than anything she’d done before but she did it. At first the words came hesitantly, as though even her tongue and her lips were uncertain of how to trust a man in such a way. But once she got started, the words began to flow.

  By the end she was nearly breathless as the words poured out of her, despair mixing painfully with hope as some of the weight that had been bearing down on her was transferred to the man she’d come to think of as her partner. Her friend.

  Her husband.

  At the end, he looked grim but determined as he grasped her hands in his. “We will find a way out of this, Eliza. I promise you.”

  She nodded. “I believe you.” And she did. He would move heaven and earth, and so would she. They would find a way to save her sister, and to save herself. She opened her mouth to tell him that she believed him, but was cut off by the door slamming open.

  “I cannot believe it!” Mary stormed into the room with a look of such uncharacteristic outrage, Eliza could only gape at her younger, normally much sweeter little sister.

  “Mary, where on earth did you come from?” she sputtered.

  Henrietta followed in behind her sister with an apologetic grimace. “This is my fault, I’m afraid. Mary and I were both curious about what Jed had to say and—” She waved a hand in an elegant manner, but the effect was ruined when Mary interjected impatiently.

  “We were eavesdropping.”

  Eliza looked between the two of them with her mouth agape and was distantly aware that her husband was unsuccessfully attempting to stifle a laugh beside her.

  “You were what?” she asked, though Henrietta’s wince confirmed her sister’s comment.

  Mary, for her part, seemed unconcerned about her own lack of propriety and far more concerned with her future. “He threatened to marry me to that cretin?”

  Her voice was piercing in its shrillness and though she winced at the high-pitched screech, she could not blame her sister. “Now, Mary,” she started.

  But Mary looked wild-eyed as she stalked toward her. “And you were going to walk away from the love of your life because of me?”

  She sounded just as outraged and for the first time in her life, Eliza found herself in the distinctly unfamiliar position of being the calm, non-irate Beaucraft sibling. “Well, er—”

  Any answer she might have given was cut off by Mary’s sudden and decidedly fierce embrace.

  “Oof.” The wind left her lungs as Mary crushed her tight.

  “Oh, you truly are the kindest sister in the world.” She leaned back to give Eliza a stern look that was rather like looking in the mirror. “But do not think for one moment that I would allow it.”

  “Of course not,” Jed interjected, coming to stand beside them so he was part of the conversation. “Neither of you is marrying against your will.”

  “I could not have said it better myself.” Henrietta was pacing the room beside them, less interested in their dramatic interaction than in her scheming, Eliza guessed. Her friend had that faraway look in her eyes that meant she was up to something.

  In the end, though, it was Jed who offered up the plan they opted to pursue. Tho
ugh Eliza assured Henrietta that if she ever needed to see her father brought down as low and as mercilessly as Henrietta had planned, she would be the first to know.

  Jed’s plan was far less dramatic, but no less harrowing…for him.

  “Are you certain you want to do this?” she asked.

  She’d waited until her sister and Henrietta had left the room to discuss Henrietta’s alternate plan before confronting him on his mission.

  He met her gaze with one that was determined and not a little amused. “Eliza, dearest, your future happiness is at stake, along with your sister’s. I think I can manage to swallow my pride.”

  “I’d like to come with you.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I would not have it any other way.”

  She smiled as hope finally won out over despair. She was not in this alone. She had Jed at her side, and Henrietta and Mary in her corner. She nodded quickly. “I cannot leave Mary alone to face my father but—”

  “I’ll make sure she is safe,” he said. “I’m certain Henrietta would be happy to have her stay here and I’ll arrange for guards to keep watch over them both.”

  She gave a short nod before giving him another tremulous smile. “Then what are we waiting for?”

  Chapter Ten

  This carriage ride was shorter but no less delightful than their last.

  Far more enjoyable, in fact, because not only was Jed trapped in a small space with his most favorite person on the planet but he was free to touch her whenever he wished.

  “This might be heaven,” he said as he kissed that sensitive spot beneath her ear.

  She wriggled in his lap, making him groan at the closeness which would never be enough. But it had to be…for now.

  They would have all the time in the world to remarry and to make this a proper marriage, but not until after her father had been dealt with.

  All too soon, they were back at Roxborough Manor. While Eliza had tea with his sisters, Jed paced a room that was filled with the three men he admired most.

  And three men he’d alienated at every turn this past year or two. He glanced at Nicholas who had once been his friend. All right, perhaps he had a lifetime to make up for. But he could admit now that his issues with these men had little to do with their actions, but rather his own pride.

  Pride that he was now forced to swallow.

  When he was done laying out his troubles—or rather, Eliza’s troubles—but really, were they not one and the same? He found himself facing three formidable glares.

  For the first time in a long time, he was grateful for their anger and their imperious natures.

  “I know I am in no position to be asking favors,” he started.

  “Why not?” Nicholas asked. He sounded shocked.

  “You are family,” Davenport said in that dark growl of his. “If you cannot ask for help from family, who can?”

  “Just so, Davenport.” Nicholas’s laughter was low but reassuring. It felt like ages since he and his best friend had been on the same team, and he’d missed this feeling. But now Nicholas came over and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “This Beaucraft is a fool for tangling with the Cleveland family.”

  Roxborough looked perplexed. “Does he not realize that you are related to a duke?”

  “And an earl,” Davenport added.

  That sort of pompous attitude used to drive Jed mad, but now he found it humorous. “Apparently all of the intellect in that family fell to the females.”

  Nicholas was shaking his head. “That greedy fool will be rendered harmless and meek by week’s end.” Turning to Jed, he added, “You have our word on it.”

  Jed cleared his throat at the choking sensation that made speech difficult. “I, uh…I’ve behaved like a bloody arse these past years,” he said, running a hand through his hair as he struggled for the right words.

  “Oh hell, we all know you’ve been a fool longer than that.” Nicholas’s voice was filled with jest and it eased the tension in the room, making all of them laugh, even Jed.

  “Well, that is true. But what I mean to say is—”

  “If you even think of apologizing for not graciously accepting us into your family, I will personally throttle you,” Davenport said evenly, only the slightest hint of amusement softening the words.

  Jed glanced over in shock.

  “I mean it,” Davenport said. “We were the ones who behaved badly. What sort of brother would you have been if you’d sat back and smiled as we behaved like rogues and rakes with your lovely, charming sisters.”

  Roxborough nodded solemnly. “Lord knows we don’t deserve them.”

  Nicholas raised his glass. “Amen to that.”

  “Yes, well…” Jed cleared his throat. “I suppose now I have some insight into why you acted like such fools.”

  Nicholas burst out into a laugh before throwing an arm around his shoulders like he used to when they were the best of friends. “I suppose this is your way of admitting that you’re in love.”

  “Unabashedly,” Jed said evenly, making all three of his brothers-in-law laugh.

  “So now you have some insight into how it can make a man do crazy things?” Nicholas continued.

  “Like run off to Gretna Green with the wrong sister,” Davenport said with a grin before taking a gulp of his drink.

  “Or proposing to the right sister in an inexcusably improper manner,” Roxborough said mildly and without the slightest hint of regret.

  “Or wooing a woman who is far too good for him with no thought to the consequences,” Nicholas said with a rueful smile.

  Jed gave his friend a short nod. It wasn’t much, but then again, with a friend as true and trusted as Nicholas, they did not need more than that to know that they had come to an understanding at long last.

  To the room at large, he said, “Yes, to all of it. This thing they call love is a form of insanity, to be sure.”

  “Yes, it even has a confirmed bachelor like you marrying,” Nicholas teased. “Twice.”

  He grinned at the mention of his second wedding to the woman of his heart. “Yes, well, hopefully this second ceremony will be followed by a longer stint of peaceful harmony with my bride.” He raised his glass to cheers his brothers-in-law. “Preferably the rest of my life.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Do you think our honeymoon should just be a carriage ride?” his bride-twice-over suggested mildly. “We seem to be terribly well suited to this sort of travel.”

  He laughed as he tugged her toward him so she was on his lap. Little more than a fortnight had passed between the time of their first wedding and this, the day of their second ceremony where they renewed their vows at Roxborough Manor in front of their family and friends.

  They did not have to hold a second ceremony. It was not as though her father was in any position to protest the validity of their first. And he certainly would not protest their renewal of vows, not with the full weight of a duke and an earl forcing his hand.

  If nothing else could be said for his brothers-in-law, they were a mighty force. One to be reckoned with, particularly when they were protecting family.

  Old Beaucraft had not stood a chance against them.

  Eliza was safe, and Mary too. For the time being, Mary and Henrietta had decided that it might be for the best if Mary stayed at Henrietta’s home. Their father had been rendered harmless but that did not mean the house would not be tense, to say the least.

  “You are free,” he whispered in Eliza’s ear, thrilling at the feel of her shiver. He knew it must be a mix of eager anticipation, physical desire, and sheer unadulterated joy.

  For Eliza truly was free now, for the first time in her life. Though she’d tried to protest the gesture, Jed had insisted that the money her father gave him be kept in her name and her name only.

  He needed her to know that she was free, well and truly free. He would accept nothing less for their new life together, and she deserved that independence more than anyo
ne in the world.

  “I almost cannot believe it,” she said in a voice that was nearly reverent in its excitement.

  He grinned, savoring the feel of her cheek pressed to his. Then her voice, low and husky, broke through his reverie. “You are free too,” she whispered.

  He stilled, suspecting he knew what she meant but not wanting to believe it.

  She pulled back slightly, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders. Her gaze was clear but he saw a hint of anxiety. “I know it was not my right.”

  He squeezed her waist. “You are my wife. You have every right to do anything you see fit.”

  Her smile was tremulous and she focused on smoothing his cravat. “Yes, well…it is my money, as you keep pointing out. So if I wanted to pay back your debts that was my right.” She glanced up. “Was it not?”

  He didn’t know what to feel, he was torn straight down the middle. “You shouldn’t have,” he finally said with a sigh.

  “Why not?” She pulled back further until she could meet his gaze head on.

  He swallowed. “Because…” He left off with a sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face. When he met her gaze again, it was all-seeing. It was relentlessly open and honest, just like his bride. She said nothing, merely waited for him to speak.

  Finally, he sighed. “I do not know that I deserve such kindness.”

  She gave him a small smile, clearly hearing what he had not said. “You will not make the same mistakes.” She said it with such certainty he felt it to his core.

  His heart ached at the confidence in her eyes and in her voice. He tightened his arms around her. “Do you know, I trust myself when I am with you. I trust the man you make me want to become.”

  She smiled, her eyes filled with emotion, as she leaned forward until her nose brushed against his. “It’s the man you already are.”

  He kissed her soundly, cupping the back of her head to hold her to him as he told her without words just how lucky he was to have her as his bride.

  When they finally pulled apart, jarred abruptly by a rut in the road, her smile turned mischievous. “I believe we have quite a lengthy journey still ahead of us, if I read the map correctly.”