by Jilian Rouge
Looking at Alex now, every inch the lord-of-the-manor in his stance and demeanor, the man oozed arrogance and officiousness, but she loved him anyway. No matter how hard she tried to resist the pull of loving him in the past, she found that loving him was such an inherent part of her that it went against the grain to ever try and deny that love. She had always loved him, and she swore that she would go to her grave loving him still.
Kneeling at her bedside and oblivious to the others in the room with them, Alex grasped both of Rue’s hands in his and whispered, “Christian will survive without you. I’m sure he could easily find another wife. Whereas if you were forever out of my reach, I would be utterly lost and desolate without you.”
Rue melted a little at the reminder that he needed her just as much as she needed him. She bestowed a small, serene smile meant only for Alex, and said, “Then you know how long those nine years felt for me when you were gone. It was only through sheer will that I had decided it was time to marry if only because I feared the bleakness of a future alone.”
Kissing the back of her hand, Alex assured her as Georgie sighed with the romance of it all, “And you will never know such a future if I can help it. You and me, Rue. I can withstand anything as long as I have you.”
21
The Morning of the Midsummer Ball
The Ravenscroft household had been busy since the break of dawn, preparing for the evening’s festivities, and it was unlikely that any of the guests would also be up and out of their bedchambers at such an early hour.
Not so, in Rue’s case. Since the day before, she had been left unsettled by how Christian must have received her news, and she had sent him a short note to meet with him on the terrace outside the parlor doors. This early, it was highly unlikely that anyone would be about to overhear their conversation, and she was glad that Christian replied with an agreement to meet.
Now, standing before one another in the wan morning light, the air awkward between them now, but Rue forged ahead in an effort to fill the silence.
She began lamely, “Christian, I am truly sorry.”
He gave her a wry half-smile, so unlike his usual, genuine smiles he had given her, but cut her with a direct look. “I am sorry, too. I thought if I pressed my suit, it would have been enough to make you forget him.”
Taken aback, she asked, “How do you mean?”
“I’ve always known how you had felt for Alex. Don’t forget that I watched the two of you since we were children. When Aunt Edith had written to say you were yet unmarried, I swore that I would not let the chance to make you my wife slip past me. Besides, she wrote that you must have been pining after him all these years if you remained unwed.”
“If you knew that, then why pursue me, knowing I loved Alex?” asked Rue, wanting to know the truth of why he sought to pursue her in the first place.
“Because, like you, I sought an escape from my circumstances, but I think you want to know whether or not I harbor feelings for you. I don’t actually, other than fondness, the kind that stems from long acquaintance.”
Bewildered, Rue stammered, “B-but yesterday—you looked devastated by our news. I genuinely thought we hurt you badly with our announcement.”
Again, he flashed that humorless grin at her. “I suppose that my pride was pricked by being passed over for my illustrious cousin. While I did have hopes that we would have had a comfortable marriage, one of companionship, I realize that what you have for Alex is nothing in comparison to what I had to offer you.”
Chucking her lightly under her chin, he assured her with a smile, “Despite how it appeared the day before, I’m all right. While I may not love you the way you want or deserve, I still want you happy, for our old friendship’s sake.”
Tears welled on Rue’s lower lids, a consequence of so many chief emotions: overwhelming relief at Christian’s confession, and regret mixed with heartache for Christian’s sake. Through her tears, she whispered wistfully, “Then, I wish the same for you, Christian. I would like to also see you happy, with someone who loves you to distraction.”
Nodding, Christian turned up one side of his mouth and replied, “Thank you, Rue. I appreciate the sentiment, truly. If you wouldn’t mind, may I reserve a dance with you later tonight? For as long as we’ve known each other, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of sharing one.”
Smiling brightly, Rue answered, “Yes, of course! I will look forward to it.”
Before turning on his heel, he flashed her one final grin and a salute, but Rue had caught his unguarded expression just as he turned in profile to her. She spied his smile wavering unsteadily before he gave her his back, and she gasped at the possibility that Christian was hurt worse than he had led her to believe.
Left to herself on the terrace, Rue decided to stay outside a little longer, if only to enjoy the quiet of the morning air. The household staff, like worker bees, buzzed about the corridors, intent and focused on their various tasks, and she didn’t want to get in their way.
Besides, it was rare that she had a moment to herself since her ‘accident’, and she had Alex and her friends to blame. They held fast to the supposition that someone in the household was responsible and had pushed her with intent to harm. None of what they speculated about what must have happened was enough to convince her that someone within the house meant to hurt her.
While the details of the events leading up to her fall were still vague in some areas, Rue permitted that perhaps there was something to what Alex and her friends presumed. Recalling the fuzzy outline of a figure at the top of the stairs, she could not entirely dispel the idea, but it seemed ludicrous that someone would deliberately harm her, and with what motive? She didn’t have many enemies, squired away in the country as she was when the Season was over, and there weren’t many people she could think of who took up any issue with her.
Giving up on that vein of thought, she thought back to Christian. While their courtship was of the shortest duration that she ever heard of, she could think of a few people who might be unhappy with its current outcome. She expected that his mother and sister would be displeased with her rejection of his suit, but she didn’t think that they would be so disapproving that they would seek to harm her.
On the other hand, there was the possibility that there might have been a few people who were unhappy with their courtship in the first place. It stood to reason that there may have been a few jealous rivals who might have wanted Christian for themselves. But now that there was no longer a future for the both of them, it just might signal the end to any more incidents.
But Alex’s own incident with his horse baffled her. She couldn’t explain away his near brush with death with the limitations of her knowledge about his past. His time away could have seen him make a few enemies or rivals while he was busy building his reputation as a rake and building his fortune. Why any of his enemies would be here at his family seat to hurt him puzzled her further, but she couldn’t let go of the feeling that perhaps both of their accidents were somehow related.
Deep in thought, Rue remained oblivious to all but the innermost workings of her mind. Pacing the terrace absentmindedly as she did, she was entirely unaware of the malicious stare tracking her movements across the terrace. With eyes narrowed in pure hatred, the Watcher elected that the time for decisive action had finally come. Having witnessed the hapless lady’s encounter with Christian earlier, it was now past time that something be done about the ongoing vulgarity staining this noble household.
Alex found Rue alone on the terrace; no one else was about and he grinned while he thought of sneaking a good morning kiss. Closing the distance between them, he noted that Rue was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t hear him approach from behind.
Once he encircled her waist with his arms and drew her to him, her shocked gasp put her in the perfect placement for him to turn her jaw towards him and steal that kiss he hungered for. It wasn’t long before she melted in his arms, her lips pliant beneath his. H
aving a care that someone would eventually notice them while on the way to breakfast, Alex reluctantly pulled away and twirled Rue around to fully face him.
She slapped lightly at his arm and exclaimed, “What are you about? You are very fortunate that I recognized you before I could do you bodily harm.”
Laughing, Alex teased, “And what, pray, tell, does your version of bodily harm entail? I can’t imagine you hurting a fly, let alone someone like me who is twice your size.”
With hands on her hips, she protested, “You forget that I have grown up with you and Christian as companions for most of my life. If you will take the time to recall, I have had to put up with much of your nonsense with a well-placed blow now and then.”
“Yes, none of which did any major or lasting damage,” he remarked, chuckling. He recalled showing her how to defend herself when she was eleven and he thirteen, when a boy from the next town had reduced her to tears with his cruel taunts. Even as children, he sought to protect her, but unknown to Rue, he and Christian hunted down the bully and warned him away from Rue under threat of being treated to their fists. But the newfound knowledge Rue had gained under his tutelage resulted in various incidents where she used it against him.
Eyes twinkling in mirth, Rue teased, “None visible anyway. You’re lucky that your favorite appendage is still in good working order, otherwise how would you be able to sire your heir?”
Wincing a little at the direction her taunts had taken, Alex said in a pained tone, “I’ve not heard any complaints from you in that sphere. As for children, we won’t know unless we try, won’t we?” Drifting closer towards her as if to attempt childmaking that very moment, Rue’s eyes widened at his audacity.
“Not that we will find out this moment, you fiend,” she admonished while warding him off with her hands splayed outwards and between them. “You can put any thought of making any children until after we get through your mother’s ball.”
However, he wasn’t listening. He advanced closer until Rue was plastered against his chest, and in an absent tone he said, “What?” while tightening his hold around her waist.
Rue squirmed within his grip, not wanting to be caught in such a compromising position regardless of her promise to be his wife. Especially not when they had yet to announce their impending nuptials. His mother would have both of their throats if they did anything to compromise the Merrick name.
At the sound of a throat being cleared loudly and with intent, the unwitting pair froze and whirled to face the sound. Only to come face to face with Rafe Griffiths, grinning unabashedly at them.
“Am I interrupting?” he asked in amusement. He flashed Rue a wink and a smile before either of them could answer his clearly rhetorical question and continued, “I thought I was the only one wandering about the house so early, and when I heard voices out here, I thought it prudent that I make my presence known.”
Alex grinned back at his friend, and said, “Good morning to you, too, Rafe. I trust that you’ve passed a good night?”
“Indeed. I thought that perhaps the two of you might join me for a short ride.” To Rue, he said, “I suppose you will want to have ample time to prepare for tonight’s ball, so I won’t keep you too long.”
Rue smiled prettily at the captain and replied, “I would love the exercise and so would my mare.”
Alex frowned mightily at his friend, thinking that Rafe was smiling too brightly at his bride-to-be. “Ahem, I will also be glad to put Ulysses through his paces. Let’s head out after we’ve all broken our fast, shall we?”
“Of course. And by then, we should have proper chaperonage for Lady Rumina.”
“Mm, not necessary when I’m her fiancé,” stated Alex.
Rue narrowed one eye at him as if he had gone daft. “No, I think Captain Griffiths is right. We will need a proper chaperone, or it wouldn’t be the proper thing to do.”
“Quite right, Lady Rumina,” agreed Rafe.
“Since when did the great Captain Griffiths care about what’s proper?” Alex taunted doubtfully.
“Since there’s a lady present, and it would only do my reputation good to observe all of the necessary proprieties,” Rafe challenged.
No more was said between the three of them as Alistair had come running up, looking agitated and frantic.
Not accustomed to seeing the usually staid butler in such a state, Alex called out, “Is anything amiss, Alistair?”
“My lord! The gardener’s little boy, Ben, has gone missing! He was last seen wandering towards the old abandoned mine, and he hadn’t come back since late last night!” Ben was a common sight on the Ravenscroft grounds, often tailing his father during his work, and the precocious eight-year-old boy was much loved by everyone.
“Oh no!” cried Rue. “That’s dreadful! What can we do?”
“I’m not sure what can be done, my lady, but the gardener and his wife have been out all night looking for the little one.”
Alex resolutely stared after Rue and said, “The old mine, Rue. Remember how we used to play in and out of that place? I suspect the little one might have gone down that one shaft, the one that had a sheer, but shallow drop.”
Rue’s eyes lit in remembrance. “Yes, the one we used to crawl into to hide from Christian! Now that I think on it, we were always hiding from Christian, weren’t we?”
Alex tilted his head at her in puzzlement. “Not always, but most of our games did. Sometimes we even let him find us.”
In exasperation, Rue shook her head at him. “You’re incorrigible.” To Alistair, she said, “If you would inform the stablemaster to ready our horses, we’ll help with the search.” Nodding, Alistair left to go do just that.
Rafe called after the retreating butler, “And mine, too, if you please! I would also like to offer my help in the search.”
Nodding, Alex led the way. As master of Ravenscroft, Alex was discovering that there was plenty to distract him since his arrival home; so unlike the lazy trappings of London where he wasn’t needed for much more than his face and body. Now, while the current situation was of a more dire nature, he couldn’t be more glad or satisfied that he had made the right choice to come home. And who better to have by his side while he was off doing his duty than his closest friend Rafe Griffiths and his greatest love, Rue Abelard.
22
Without further delay, the three of them raced toward the stables, mindful of the length of time the child had been missing and the need to hurry. As master of the estate, Alex felt the most responsibility towards those under his care, and a little boy was just as worthy of his attention as the adults the men and women who looked to him for their livelihood.
As they hurried, Alex didn’t question Rue’s presence. She knew their old childhood haunts as well as he did, and there was no question of her extensive knowledge of hiding places around the Ravenscroft estate. The evidence was in the numerous times he or Christian were unable to find her, using her small size and frame to her advantage.
Once at the stables, three grooms awaited them with their horses saddled and ready. Rafe had vaulted atop his stallion while Alex quickly helped Rue mount Daisy. With Alex’s strong hands about her waist, Rue swung up onto her saddle with ease. There was nothing sexual in his touch, but through his grip, Rue could feel his urgency for the situation, and to her, it stirred her to know the extent Alex cared for his own people.
The three of them raced towards the abandoned mine, with Alex and Ulysses leading the way. Too much time had passed since Ben had gone missing, and with the damp evening of last night, they hoped they would find him healthy and whole.
Reaching the entrance of the old mine, Rue called out, “Ben? Sweetheart, it’s Lady Rue from the big house. Where are you?”
A small voice replied, echoing from inside the mine, “Lady Rue? I can’t get out, and my foot hurts real bad.”
“Yes,” she cried, relief flooding her with the proof the little boy was alive. “I have two friends, Alex and Captain Rafe to come get y
ou out.” Entering the mine’s entrance, it was hard to discern the direction in which the voice originated; it echoed terribly inside.
Alex whispered to her, “Ask him where he is.”
“Can you tell me where you are, Ben?”
“I’m in a small room, no bigger than my mam’s pantry. It’s dark but there’s a ledge, the one I fell from and that’s how I hurt my foot.”
Rue whispered to Alex and Rafe, “I know where he is. It’s the hiding place I used often to trick you into thinking I wasn’t there.”
Rafe remembered the place. It was an offshoot from the main vein of the mine, but there was a short ledge of a few feet from its opening before it dropped steeply into a wider hole. The miners hadn’t ventured further since the rock here was too soft for their safety, and they had left it as the perfect hiding place for Rue’s purposes. Whenever he had looked into the opening, he saw nothing as the hole’s blackness blended in perfectly with the dark floor.
