A Lady's Honor

by A. S. Fenichel

  Ford took several steps back and fear flashed in his eyes. He paled, and there were several heartbeats where he might have been thinking straight. But it passed. “I will never allow you to marry my sister. She is mine and I will marry her to whomever I choose. And I have chosen Durnst.”

  “Why?” Phoebe asked.

  “That is none of your concern.” Ford propped his fists on his hips.

  “If you intend to marry me off to an imbecile, the least you can do is tell me why.” Gripping the back of a rose damask chair, her knuckles whitened.

  “I am not required to explain myself to you.” Ford crossed his arms and his jaw ticked.

  “I will tell you.” Phoebe’s mother glided into the room, her blue-gray dress whooshing past the door and Ford.

  “Mother?”

  Lucretia Hallsmith sat and gestured for Phoebe to take one of the other seats. Once she complied, her mother sighed. “Your brother has made an ass of himself. He managed to go into debt to Mr. Durnst and refuses to discuss the matter with Miles. As such, he has taken it upon himself to resolve the issue by offering my lands as payment.”

  Phoebe blinked several times and fiddled with the lace at her wrists. “I see, and while it is reprehensible, what does that have to do with me?”

  Shaking her head, Lucretia sighed. “Mr. Durnst ended your engagement because he was courting Lady Ann Forsyth. I suppose he had high hopes of marrying her and getting what he wanted, plus her substantial dowry. Of course, Lady Ann is the daughter of an earl, and when their tryst was discovered, her father put an end to it. By that time, Mr. Durnst had ended his engagement to you and you had returned home. Having nothing, he cleverly engaged your brother in a card game. It seems Mr. Durnst is quite skilled. That was when he managed to gamble your brother out of a tidy sum and made the deal to have not only the property but you as well. Marrying the daughter of a viscount, while not as advantageous as that of an earl, would still get him in most of the parlors in London. He is quite the social climber.”

  “Does Miles know of all this?” Phoebe’s voice shook.

  Mother shook her head. “Of course not. Miles would never have allowed it and would have told you about the scheme, ruining Ford’s plans.”

  Miles stepped around the doorjam and into the room. “He knows about it now.”

  While Markus held his tongue and waited for the entire story to come out, his amazement at how low Ford Hallsmith would stoop escalated. Selling his own sister to pay a stupid debt rather than admit his idiocy to his brother.

  Red-faced and bug-eyed, Ford might have been about to suffer apoplexy. They should be so lucky. “None of this matters.” He pointed his fat finger at Phoebe. “You will marry Durnst because I command it.”

  Having enough, Markus stepped into the fray. “I beg to differ. You cannot force her to marry where she does not wish. If you will calm down, I might be willing to help you out of this mess for the sake of your mother and brothers. As for you, you are vile, and I have a mind to give you a sound thrashing.”

  “You, thrash me? You are nothing but a drunk about to lose his inheritance.” Ford’s face twisted and he spat on the rug.

  Lucretia gasped. “Ford, please.”

  “You gave up any rights over me when you disowned me. I have been publicly disinherited. Why on earth would you think you can tell me what to do?”

  Ford ignored her. A sickening smirk tugged at his lips. He stepped toward Markus with his hands fisted. Rearing back with his right hand…

  Slowing down the attack, Markus shot his hand straight into Ford’s throat. While Ford gripped his neck and struggled to draw breath, Markus swept his legs out from under him.

  Ford went down like an old tree and lay still on the floor his face pressed into the thick Persian rug.

  Screaming, Lucretia went to him.

  Markus leaned over and checked to make sure the idiot was still breathing. “He’s just unconscious. He will be up and ranting in a few minutes. He really should keep up on his gossip. Then he would have known that I have given up drink and with Phoebe’s help, have saved my fortune and estate.”

  Taking his mother’s shoulders, Miles lifted her from the carpet. “He is fine, Mother. And moreover, he deserved a far worse thrashing. I am sure we could have paid his debt in many ways. He was just manipulated by Durnst.” He turned to Phoebe, who stared wide-eyed. “If I had known any of this plot, Phoebe, I would have put an end to it. I hope you know that I would never wish for anything other than your happiness.”

  “I do not know what I would have done if you were in on this scheme, Miles.” She walked into his open arms. “I am going to marry Markus, and there is nothing any of you can do about it. That is, if he will still have me after Ford’s ungentlemanly behavior.”

  Filled with pride and love, Markus admired her strength and the way she would defy anyone to be with him.

  Miles met his gaze. “From the look on his face, I am certain he still wishes to marry you.”

  Late morning sun glinted off the window, illuminating Phoebe like an angel as she turned to face him. Her smile was more brilliant than the sun and Markus’s heart expanded until his chest could barely contain it. “Shall we go and get a license then, Phoebe?”

  Lucretia stepped forward. “Ford can still make it very difficult for you to marry. He will make protests with the church and the king. He is not beyond ruining you both.”

  “Mother is right.” Miles rubbed his chin.

  Taking Phoebe’s hands, Markus drew her forward. The look of complete trust on her face nearly undid him. “I know this will cause a scandal, but might I suggest we run off to Scotland and get married?”

  She blinked and her mouth dropped open. “You want to marry at Gretna Green?”

  “Splendid idea,” Miles said.

  “Miles.” Slapping her son’s arm, Lucretia stepped in. “That is no way to begin a life together, sneaking away in the dead of night with your brother chasing after you.”

  A groan rose from Ford.

  “Perhaps we should speak in the foyer, Phoebe.” Markus tugged her hand and she followed him out of the parlor.

  The high transom windows allowed shards of light to streak through the wood paneled entrance hall.

  Miles and Lucretia followed and closed the door with the waking Ford yelling vulgarities inside.

  It was a risk to ask her to run off and marry him before her brother could make them suffer. Markus took a deep breath. “You may already know that one of my closest friends has a rather large castle in Scotland.”

  “Kerburgh?” Miles asked.

  “Exactly. Michael and Elinor have a chapel on their estate. Going there would put Ford off our trail.”

  Phoebe stared at her feet.

  “I know it is not the grand wedding that every English woman dreams of. If it were my choice, I would shout our marriage to all of London in the biggest way. But at least, this way you would be my wife without delay, and all I want is to be your husband.”

  Tears shone in her eyes. “I would marry you in a shack in the woods, Markus. Going to a castle in Scotland sounds perfect. When do we leave?”

  Ignoring that her mother and brother were only feet from them, he dragged her into his arms and held her tight. “We should leave today before Ford has time to take action against us.”

  “I am coming with you,” Lucretia said. She held her shoulders and crossed her arms like a soldier who would not be denied.

  “Mother?”

  In a softer tone. “You are my only daughter. I will see you happily married. I am sorry I let this plot of Ford’s go so far. I assumed that if you said yes to Mr. Durnst once, you must have had tender feelings for him. I can see now I was mistaken.”

  “We can take my carriage, Mother, and follow them.” Miles grinned and clapped his hands.

  “Are you elo
ping with us too, Hallsmith?” Markus asked.

  Nodding, Miles slapped his back. “It seems it’s to be a family elopement. We shall pack our things and meet you on the high road north. In fact, it is probably best if we stay here until Ford wakes and put him off your trail.”

  Taking Phoebe’s hand, he nodded to Miles and bowed to Lucretia.

  Phoebe hugged her mother. “I will see you soon, Mother. Thank you.”

  Markus and Phoebe rushed out to his carriage still waiting in the street. There was much to do and little time. Once inside, he leaned in and cupped Phoebe’s cheeks. “Are you certain this is what you want? I can find another way for us to be married in London with all the frills you could want. I have friends in high places, and they can help me make that happen.”

  Lips parted as if to speak, she leaned forward and brushed her top lip over his bottom lip. She ran her tongue along the crease, then nipped his upper.

  Love, desire, joy, and a thousand other emotions warred for position inside Markus as he wrapped her in his arms and devoured her mouth. “I just want you to be happy.”

  Fingers clutching his hair, she moaned his name. “I am happy. I do not care how or where we marry as long as I am yours and you are mine. I only need Arwen to pack me a few things and we can leave London within the hour.”

  The notion of Phoebe being his wife sent his pulse throbbing to the point of discomfort. It was wonderful.

  Dobson poked his head in the window. “Sir, where to?”

  “Back to Everton House.”

  With a nod, he jumped into the seat and snapped the horses into moving.

  Markus folded Phoebe’s hand into his. “I’ll take you to Everton House, then go to my townhouse and gather my things.”

  Relaxing against the carriage bench, she sighed. “This will be an adventure. Imagine, Phoebe Hallsmith eloping to Scotland. No one would believe it.”

  “I don’t see why not. You are by far the bravest woman I know.”

  * * * *

  Phoebe ran up the main staircase at Everton House like a hoyden on a rampage. She found Arwen and quickly told her what was happening.

  Arwen grabbed her in a hug. “I’m so happy for you, Miss. I knew it would all come out right.”

  “You may be the only one who thought so. Can you pack our things? I have to find Lady Chervil.” She could not leave without a word to her friend.

  Efficient as ever, Arwen shooed her out the door with one hand while opening the wardrobe with the other.

  Phoebe caught her breath outside Honoria’s bedroom door before she knocked.

  “Come in.” Honoria sang from inside.

  Peeking her head around the door, Phoebe was suddenly nervous.

  Honoria sat up on a chaise near the window. “Oh, my dear girl. How are you? Tell me all the details? When is the wedding to be? Did you get a special license? I’ll bet that horrid brother of yours was shocked. But your mother must be pleased.”

  “My brother refused.”

  Jumping from the soft chaise, Honoria colored and her eyes bulged. “He refused. How dare he. You’ll forgive me saying so, but Ford Hallsmith is an ass.”

  A bubble of laughter forced its way out of Phoebe despite Honoria’s horror.

  “I see nothing funny. What are we going to do?” She spread her arms wide.

  “Markus and I are going to elope this very day.”

  Honoria plopped down on the chaise. “Gretna Green?”

  “No. Kerburgh. But you mustn’t tell anyone. Ford is enraged and we are determined to throw him off our trail. Mother and Miles are delaying him before they follow in Miles’s carriage.” It was like a storybook. Well, only if they had a happy ending.

  “Kerburgh Castle.” Honoria tossed off the lace wrapper covering her sensible day dress of blue and gray muslin. It was a rare sight for her to be so unremarkably dressed.

  “I think this is the first time I have seen you in such a costume.” Phoebe admired how respectable she looked.

  “I had a feeling today would be the day for it and I was right.” Honoria pulled the cord for her maid.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, of course I’m going with you, my dear girl. You cannot think after all this I’ll not see you properly wed and sweet Markus too. The two of you deserve each other and will be very happy.”

  “You want to elope with us too?” The notion that her family and friends would support such an outrageous adventure brought tears to her eyes. She swallowed down the lump in her throat.

  Honoria hugged her and kissed her cheek. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Chapter 21

  No. 25

  An Everton lady will not put herself in danger.

  —The Everton Companion

  Rules of Conduct

  They drove as far as they could before stopping for the night at a small inn. Markus wished he could drive straight through and lessen the chances of Ford finding them, but he could not risk the women or the horses. Dobson found a rather homey inn, The Wastrel’s Manor, where they found rooms enough for all of them.

  He’d been wise to hire a second carriage for the luggage and servants. It was no surprise when Phoebe informed him Lady Chervil would join them on their journey. Other than his own desire to have time alone with Phoebe, he was overjoyed their friend had come along. He could wait a few more days to have Phoebe for the rest of his life.

  The stairs creaked as he escorted the ladies to their rooms. “We will leave before dawn.”

  “I understand.” Lady Chervil stopped at the door to her room. “Sleep well.”

  He bowed. “I apologize for the unsuitable accommodations, my lady.”

  Honoria smiled and patted his arm. “Not at all. This is the most fun I have had in years.”

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Good night.” Markus opened the door for her and pulled it closed once she was inside. He and Phoebe waited until they heard her throw the latch before they continued down the hall.

  Phoebe squeezed his arm. “You are worried we won’t make it?”

  They stopped in front of her room. He leaned down and kissed the crown of her head. “Is it that obvious?”

  “I’m afraid so. Anyone can see that you are nervous. I took a guess hoping it isn’t about marrying me.” She tipped her chin down not meeting his gaze.

  “Phoebe?” He waited until she looked at him. “I want to marry you more than I want anything in this world. It would be very inconvenient if I had to fight with your brother, but fight him I would.”

  “What is it you think Ford will do?” Worry creased her forehead.

  “I don’t know,” he lied. He had a great many notions of what Ford might try to retrieve his sister. “You should get some rest. Dawn will come before you know it.”

  Rising to her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his for a kiss that ended too quickly. “I would not mind if you came in for a while.”

  Temptation tugged at his resolve. “If I did that, neither of us would get any sleep. Besides, I’m sure Arwen waits for you within. Go to bed, my love. I’ll wake you in the morning.”

  Her chest lifted with a great sigh. “I suppose you are right, but I still wish you would come in and hold me until I fall asleep.”

  Kissing her cheek, he yearned for more. “I wish I would too. Good night.” He opened her door.

  Arwen said, “Miss, I have put your things out for the morning.”

  Giving him one last smile, she stepped inside. “Good night, my lord.”

  He closed the door and again waited for the latch to sound before going to his own room.

  * * * *

  Markus instructed Dobson to waste no time and as a result they were being bounced around until his teeth gnashed mercilessly. Nearly noon and they had seen nothing but two farmers and the
Post. He banged on the wall of the carriage. “I think you can go at a slower pace now, Dobson. At least until the road is better.”

  The carriage immediately eased and Honoria and Phoebe relaxed.

  “Thank goodness.” Honoria patted her hair back into place.

  Phoebe bit her lip. “You do think Ford will do something drastic. What can he do?”

  Sighing, he fisted his hand. “He might give chase or he might send a runner to track you down. My worst fear is that he will have gone to the prince regent and told him I kidnapped you.”

  Both women gasped.

  “He wouldn’t?” Honoria said.

  Phoebe sighed. “I wish I could say it was beneath him, but I cannot.”

  Markus couldn’t either. He would not feel easy until Phoebe was his. “If he’s done that, then they will have sent troops to find us. I hope they will be headed to Gretna, but I cannot be certain.”

  They rode on at a reasonable pace. Honoria slept and Phoebe read a book while he worried.

  Moving next to him, Phoebe left Honoria alone on the forward-facing bench. “You know, Markus, it would be a shame to waste all the trouble Lady Chervil is going to pretending to be asleep.”

  Markus examined the unmoving Honoria. “Is she pretending?”

  “Of course. Who could sleep with all these ruts in the road?” She sat touching him along his arm.

  “She is doing a fine job,” he said, holding back a laugh.

  “And what will you do about it, my lord?” The gold of Phoebe’s eyes captured him.

  “I suppose I must kiss you, Miss Hallsmith.” He leaned in until his lips hovered just above hers. “Are you ready, Lady Chervil?”

  Honoria stifled a giggle.

  Markus pushed aside Honoria’s presence the moment his lips touched Phoebe’s. Soft, warm and always responsive. He let the kiss take on a life of its own. Softly, he nibbled her full bottom lip. She sighed giving him access to her warm mouth and tongue. His pulse pounded as he drew her tighter against him. Not even the rumble of the road could break them apart.