Grace shook her head. “Oh no, I haven’t—”
Daring held up his hand. “Baderness, are you or are you not going to marry Grace?”
Bad straightened but he didn’t take his hand off her back. “I am hers if she wants me.”
A ripple of whispers went through the women.
He tightened his hand at her waist. “But Grace deserves a season. So, I am going to wait to make sure I’m her first choice.”
The whispers rose to a roar.
“A season?”
“Why not marry now?”
“What if you’re ruined?” The jumble of her family’s voices were too loud to hear who was saying what.
They continued on and he honestly couldn’t tell who said what.
Grace opened her mouth, her hand lifting to his chest. But before she could speak, Daring did.
“In that case.” He turned to Lady Winthrop, “I was once engaged to Lady Abernath. She threatened to expose an old secret and kidnapped the girls as a form of leverage to get me to confess.”
Lady Winthrop gripped the table. “Why didn’t I learn of this before?”
“We’ve only just figured it out, Mother.” Grace answered. “She confessed to me in the carriage on the way here.”
“What’s the secret? Will it ruin all of us?”
“No.” Daring held out his hands. “It’s of no consequence. The woman was going mad, losing her mental faculties.”
Bad knew that wasn’t entirely true and that Grace was protecting him, Daring, and their club in saying so. He wanted to pull her in his arms. He wanted to give her everything that was his to give.
Daring gave a quick nod. “Lord Effington, Lord Baderness, and myself will retrieve the body. Lord Exmouth will return the rest of you to London. We’ll be back by tomorrow midday.”
Grace trembled. A palpable shake that reverberated through him. “I’d prefer to travel with the ladies. After what’s happened, they might need protection,” Bad said.
Daring raised his brows but he gave a nod of assent. “Fair enough. I trust your judgment.”
Grace nearly melted into Bad. He closed his eyes, knowing they’d marry. He wanted her to have a season, it was the best choice for her long term, but right now, she needed him too much and she’d ruin herself if she acted this way in front of anyone other than her family. He’d get a lovely wife if she did that, but her? He held her tighter. He truly wanted what was best for her now and in the future.
Chapter Thirteen
Grace tapped her foot as they rode in the carriage. She knew that Ben was on the seat with the driver of the carriage, just feet away, but she wanted to be next to him.
“Grace,” Diana chided. “You’ve barely listened to a word.”
“You don’t know that,” she answered, looking out the window.
“Don’t mind her,” Lady Winthrop added. “She’s in love and lost in her thoughts.”
Grace’s lips pressed together. She’d admitted the words out loud so she couldn’t deny them but… “I’ve already told you. It’s the possibility of not having my feelings returned that has me in fits.”
Diana shook her head. “We all felt that way at some point. Try to understand, you’re both new to each other and it can be difficult to admit how you feel because you’re not sure if the other will reject you. You’ll hold back and so will he.” Diana reached for her hand. “But he cares for you as much as you do him. It’s in his every movement, the way he touches you, the expression on his face.” She squeezed Grace’s fingers lightly. “Stop worrying. And if you really want to hear him say how he feels, tell him first.”
Grace shook her head. It couldn’t actually be that simple, could it? But those words stuck with her as they drove back into London. They turned over in her thoughts as they reached their London townhome and pulled through the iron gates.
As she stepped out of the carriage, her home looked exactly the same but everything was different. She’d been kidnapped, saved, and had fallen in love.
Turning back to the carriage, she watched Bad climb down from the seat, his muscles flexing with his movement. She held her breath as he swiveled to face her and then took the three steps to be at her side. The day had warmed nicely and the sun shone down on her face.
Leaning close to him, she whispered, “Meet me at the gate to the left at midnight.”
His eyes widened but he gave a quick jerk of his chin. “It will be cool tonight. Dress warmly.”
Her mother approached and Grace took a quick step back. Some of the tension she’d felt eased.
“Lord Baderness,” her mother called. “Won’t you join us for dinner?”
“I’d be delighted,” he answered, taking Grace’s hand and bringing her gloved fingers to his lips.
Grace beamed at her mother. For once, their purposes aligned. Her mother winked back.
After saying their goodbyes, Grace watched as both Ben and her sisters left. Turning back to the house with both her parents, she realized how empty the space had become. “What will you do when we’re all gone?” she asked her mother as she stepped through the entry.
Her mother gave her a glowing smile. “Each of your sisters’ husbands has a residence in London. I fully expect to see this place filled with children regularly. And…” Her mother’s smile broadened into a wide grin. “I won’t have to worry nearly so much. As a grandmother, I’ll be free to just love my grandchildren.”
Grace cocked her head to the side. Her mother had driven her near mad at times, but she’d never considered how difficult being the mother of four daughters might be. “You’ve done a wonderful job. Well, I suppose I might be the exception, but all my sisters have married well.”
Her mother shook her head. “Look at you, my Grace. Growing into a thoughtful and mature woman. You’ll do marvelously. Don’t you doubt that.”
Grace thanked her mother and headed up the stairs for a bath and, perhaps, a nap. A rosy glow filled her as she considered how little sleep she’d gotten the night before. Completely worth the trouble.
Soaking in a long bath, she climbed out of the tub and allowed herself to dry, then put on a night rail to rest before the evening. Her eyes were heavy as the afternoon sun streamed in.
Grace wasn’t certain how much time had passed but a dream woke her. In it, she was being held by Crusher. Ben tried to save her, but he moved further and further away. She struggled and pulled, trying to reach him, but the more she tried, the smaller he became until he disappeared from view.
She woke in a panic, the sun gone and the room cast in darkening shadows. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she sat up. She had to find a way to sleep in his arms tonight. She didn’t wish to be alone.
Rising from the bed, she pulled the cord to call for a servant to help her dress. The dream was about her fear from the kidnapping but it was more than that. She was desperately afraid she’d lose Ben after she’d only just found him. Diana was right. It was time to tell him how she felt.
An hour and half later, she stood at the top of the stairs in one of her favorite gowns made of blue silk. It swept off her shoulders and cinched just below her bosom, highlighting the ample curve of her bustline. She pulled her hair back into a soft coif at her nape, allowing a few artful pieces to dance about her neck and shoulders.
She pressed her hands to her midriff, hoping that she looked pretty enough for what she was about to do.
Glancing down the stairs, she saw Ben standing with Exile in the foyer just as Daring and Effing came through the doors.
“It’s done,” Daring’s voice boomed up the stairs. “We’ve brought her back to London and made arrangements for a proper funeral.”
Ben looked to his friend and didn’t see her at the top of the steps, which worked fine for her. It gave her a moment to drink in the details of his face, the lines of his body, her own responding to the very sight of him. She smoothed her skirts as she started down the stairs.
“Good,” Ben answered, still not see
ing her. “I’m glad to know that Harry will be protected from this scandal. If we’ve done one thing right, it’s made that boy safe.”
Effing nodded. “When we sell the club, we’ll use the proceeds to fund his earldom. We’re all financially stable now, we don’t need the money.”
“Agreed,” Exile grunted. “Sin can oversee the transfer. In the meantime, we’ll have to decide upon a way to discreetly vet possible buyers.”
Grace’s brow furrowed. Did Ben really wish to sell the club? But she didn’t need to ask as Effing did it for her. “Bad, how do you feel about letting the club go? You spent more time there than any of us.”
She stopped, nearly at the bottom of the steps as her heart raced in her chest. She wasn’t certain she wanted to hear his answer, in fact her stomach pitched with nerves but she couldn’t make her voice work to announce her presence either.
“I don’t have much choice in the matter,” he rumbled, his eyes casting to the floor.
What did that mean? Nausea made her head spin and she covered her mouth with her hand. If there was one thing she didn’t want to do, it was force him into a match that Ben didn’t want. “I beg to differ,” she said, announcing her presence. “You have all the choice in the world.”
* * *
Dread made Bad’s stomach drop. He hadn’t meant the words the way they sounded. He wanted nothing more than to marry her. The club, however, was a part of his past. First, all his partners had married. He didn’t want to run the place without them. Second, somewhere over the past few months he’d outgrown the place.
He no longer wished to spend his time with drunk and rowdy men. It occurred to him that in some ways, he’d recreated his past in his present. Sure, he had more money, but still, he dealt with the basest facets of humanity.
He touched the ring rattling in his pocket. He’d bought it this morning because…well mostly because he couldn’t stop thinking about her. But also Bad wanted to be prepared. If Grace were ruined, their marriage would be swift to ensure she was protected as much as possible.
He drank in the sight of Grace standing before him in that dress…God, she made a man ache for more. She looked so lovely—soft, tempting, stunning—standing there. And she appeared…hurt. “Grace.” He reached out to her. “I only meant that with all my partners retiring—”
She held up her hand, her shoulders squaring as she descended the last few steps. The men parted for her and she stepped in front of him. “It’s all right. You don’t have to placate me. I need to tell you something.”
“What?” His chest tightened as he looked down at her determined face.
That sweet pink tongue darted out to lick her lips. “I…”
She drew in a deep breath, more pink spreading across her cheeks. She was perfection.
“I love you,” she said.
His mouth dropped open and his breath stuck in his throat. “What?”
She pressed her hands to her stomach. “I love you and I want what’s best for you and—”
“Grace.” He reached for her waist. “You don’t have to say that.” She wanted his protection and he knew that even if she didn’t.
The men around him shifted.
She put a hand to his chest. He wasn’t certain if she was going to pull him closer or push him away. “I’m not just saying that. This afternoon I fell asleep and had a nightmare about Crusher.”
He nodded. “I know, love. You want to be near me because you’re afraid. But your fear will fade and then you’ll be stuck with me.”
She shook her head, pulling him closer. “I want to be stuck with you. What made me afraid in the dream was that you kept getting further and further away from me. The harder I tried to pull you closer, the more distance grew between us.” She drew in a breath. “I love you and so I am going to let you go.” Her palms spread out on his jacket.
“Let me go?” He tightened his hands on her waist. Did she actually love him? Was it just her fear speaking for her? “But your father. He—”
“Let me worry about him.” She patted his chest with her palm. “Though, you might consider leaving London for a while.” She bit her lip. “But I will not tie you to me just because you rescued me. I don’t think either of us will be happy then.”
His heart was racing in his chest. “Why wouldn’t you be happy?”
Her gaze cast down to the floor. “I told you. I love you. I can’t be married to you knowing how I feel and understanding that you don’t feel the same. That I am just an obligation to you.”
Words crowded in his mouth but they stuck there, not coming out. She was letting him go because she loved him. Did she really feel that way or was it just his protection she craved?
“For crying out loud, would you kiss her already?” Exile groaned from next to him. “You’ve left the poor girl hanging.”
Chapter Fourteen
Grace resisted the urge to nibble at her lip as tension built inside her. She gripped his shirt tighter as he opened his mouth. “Just so we’re clear. You think you love me?”
Her fingers loosened in his shirt and she gave him a tiny push. “No, that’s not what I said.”
He shook his head, his features tense. “Grace. Love. I know that you feel an attachment to me now, but I also know that there are better men out there.” Ones that were worthy of her love. Hell, not even his own family had loved him. They hadn’t cared enough to pull him from the streets. Why should Grace be any different?
She gave his chest a light smack. “You weren’t listening to me. I told you. It wasn’t Crusher I was afraid of in my dream, it was losing you.” Then she smacked at his chest again, this time harder. “I love you despite the fact that you are annoyingly hardheaded and unwillingly to see what is right in front of your face.”
The men around them chuckled and someone called. “She’s got you there.”
He smiled too. “Try to understand. No one in my entire life has actually loved me. At least not that I can remember. Even if I knew how, I always assumed that no one had ever cared because I wasn’t worth caring for.”
Grace’s heart roared in her ears. His comments about being a street urchin rang through her thoughts. All this time, she’d thought that she wasn’t good enough but he felt that way about himself too.
Pushing up on her toes, she touched the tip of her nose to his, her fingers gliding up the collar of his shirt to his exposed neck. “Not good enough?” Her breath caught as she tilted her chin to better gaze into his eyes. “You are the best man I’ve ever met in my life. I can only hope to make myself worthy of your affection.”
“For Christ’s sake,” Darlington groaned. “You’re a big giant oaf.”
A shadow of a grin turned Ben’s lips up. “Make yourself worthy?” Then he leaned in and softly kissed her lips. The touch so gentle, she ached with need. “You, my lovely Grace, are my queen. I’ll have to throw myself at your feet daily and beg you to love me.”
Then, before she could respond and tell him that was hardly necessary, he kissed her again. This time it wasn’t gentle, this time the press of his mouth demanded passion and she met his need with all her own.
She forgot about the men around her, the fact that her parents could arrive at any moment, the details of their engagement or lack thereof. All she could feel was him and she never wanted this kiss to end.
But all too soon, he lifted his head and cupping her face in his hands, whispered in her ear. “We’re still meeting at the gate at midnight.”
“Yes,” she replied, though it hadn’t really been a question.
“And tonight, we’ll announce our intentions to marry.” He kissed her cheek, brushing back a strand of her hair.
She nodded, joy bursting inside her. But then he did something she hadn’t expected. Dropping to one knee, he slid his hands down her arms, grasping her gloved fingers in his own. “Grace.” His voice had risen, echoing about the entry.
She heard a gasp from above and looked up to see her mother and sister s
tanding above. How long had they been there?
“Yes?” she said just above a breathy whisper.
He gave her fingers a squeeze before he let them go to reach into his pocket. From the inside of his coat he pulled a small silk satchel and slid open the string. Tipping the bag, a ring toppled onto the palm of his hand.
She gasped as the blue stone caught the candlelight, sparkling in the night. But closing the ring in his palm, he began to unbutton the glove of her left hand. “Would you, Lady Grace, do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Then, finger by finger, he tugged off her glove, exposing her hand underneath.
“Yes,” she answered, tears filling her eyes.
Grasping the sparkling sapphire cut in a rectangle shape and encrusted with diamonds, he slid the piece onto her finger. “We’ll have it fitted soon.” He grimaced as he assessed the size. “I bought it today for just such an event as this.”
She shook her head, her mouth hanging open. “You bought me an engagement ring today?”
“Well, I wanted to be prepared.”
She swatted his hand with her now-ringed one. “I just put my heart on a platter for you and all your friends to see and you were planning on proposing anyway?”
He drew his brows together. “I’d already proposed. Remember?”
“But…” she started.
“Grace,” Ben interrupted. “You know I love our bits of banter. I have loved you since the first moment I saw you, and as I’ve gotten to know you, my feelings have only strengthened. I bought the ring because I wanted to be prepared for the event that you might possibly return my feelings.”
“Oh,” she answered, heat filling her cheeks. That was actually lovely.
“Well, I’ll be,” her mother called from above. “My daughter is getting married.”
“Yes.” Grace didn’t look up, but instead, looked right at Ben. “I am.”
* * *
Ben refused to let go of her hand. Even as her mother and Emily hugged her, even when her father came down, beaming and, slapping him on the arm, said they needed to have another chat.
Baron of Bad: Lords of Scandal Book 5 Page 8
