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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
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Christin sat under a white canopy and watched as the children played a game together, laughing and chasing one another in the fields beyond Aaron’s garden. What she was sure should have been a very small gathering had become an event of grand measure in the hands of Lady Jeanshire. There were lords and ladies everywhere, and Christin was more than glad that Sophia had thought to bring her a dress for the occasion.
Still, with everyone present there was no way to miss just who was being celebrated. Lily’s headpiece had been decorated with diamonds and rubies from the family’s gem collection and the countess had seen to add silver wreath combs to both Mary and Tina’s curls, making Lily seem like a goddess and the other two magical spirit nymphs.
She pulled in another breath of the warm air. The day was bright with the lavender blowing in the wind, and Christin could not stop herself from smiling.
She was blissfully happy, so much so that she’d cried when she’d made it back to her room after Aaron ravished her in the breakfast room.
She was engaged to a man who woke her passions and shared his with her.
And they were in love.
She never thought it would happen for her.
“All right, Christin,” Lorena called from the other side of the white lawn table. “Everyone told me to not comment on that silly grin on your face, but I can’t take it anymore.” She leaned over the table. “Tell us what has happened to make you so happy?”
Christin noticed all the other Spinsters were staring at her as well, many wearing brilliant smiles of their own. They knew. They had to know.
But still, Christin wasn’t sure how much she should share with the others. Aaron had only asked her a few hours ago. Wasn’t there a way one usually shared such news? Perhaps she should wait.
Sophia touched her arm. “Come now, there’s no secrets between the Spinsters.”
Was that what she was? A Spinster now?
“When is the wedding?” Alice asked.
Christin lifted her tea cup to hide her grin and sighed. “We’ve not set a date, but you mustn’t tell anyone yet.” She glanced around at the other ladies of the ton who stood close to the canopy yet didn’t dare to come under it. Some of their looks were blatantly envious while others looked on as though the women were part of some entertaining play.
The women gasped and smiled while offering whispered congratulations.
Genie let out a squeal and then covered her mouth. “Oh, I’m quite glad I was feeling well this morning. I would have been terribly angry to have heard this news later than everyone else.”
Sophia turned to Alice. “I suppose you were right. Christin and Aaron suited very well.”
Alice touched Christin’s shoulder. “I knew they would.”
Lorena clapped her hand to call attention while grinning at Christin. “Well, then let us finalize this matter. All in favor of making Christin an official member of the Society raise your hand.”
Hands shot up around the table.
Christin’s throat closed, and she quickly put her tea down before covering her mouth and a series of coughs. She’d been so startled her tea had gone down the wrong way. “But I’m not married yet. What if Aaron changes his mind?”
Everyone around the table broke into full-bellied laughter, which worked to draw more attention. Some of it was not kind. Still, no one would say a word when two duchesses, a marchioness, a countess, and a few very wealthy wives sat, all dressed in the finest brightest muslin dresses and glittering with beauty and happiness.
And the early stages of pregnancy, though how they didn’t know it by now still surprised her. Perhaps she was wrong?
Lorena wiped at her eyes with a handkerchief. “These men don’t change their minds, dear.”
Sophia leaned back and sighed, a bleakness filling her eyes. “I miss Morris.”
Christin reached out and took one of her hands. “I’m sure Lord Cort misses you as well.”
Sophia smiled at her.
Alice nodded. “I miss Calvin as well.” She narrowed her eyes. “When he returns, I’ll not let him leave my sight for a month.”
“We could drink gin tonight to welcome our newest sister,” Genie said helpfully before looking at Christin. “It’s tradition.”
Christin’s eyes widened. “Oh, I don’t think you all should be drinking gin.”
“Why not?” Alice asked with a blank face. Then she gasped as her chair was forcibly yanked back. She looked up with a start and then her eyes widened, and she stood. “Calvin?”
Calvin grinned down his wife, his blue eyes full of mischief. “Wife.” He offered her his arm but said nothing else.
He didn’t need to. Even if Alice hadn’t been his wife, what woman could resist Calvin’s lure? His golden hair and handsome looks made one think him the innocent gentleman until they caught his eyes. There was the promise of wicked pleasure in those sky-hued irises.
Like a giddy child, Alice slipped her arms in his and then turned to the women at the table. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“No, you won’t,” Calvin drawled before taking her away.
Christin began to fan herself at hearing the sexual undertones.
And she was not alone. Color had risen on every face at the table.
Alice bit her lip. “Tomorrow then.”
“Not likely,” Calvin whispered loud enough for everyone to hear before turning away.
“Well,” Lorena whispered before pushing her warm tea aside in exchange for a glass of lemonade.
It was a fine idea.
A shadow appeared at the other side of the table, and she already suspected who it was before she looked over.
The Duke of Cort appeared like a dark predator with gleaming black locks and eyes a color that Christin could never decide was green or blue.
Sophia sat by Christin’s side, and her friend’s breath caught. “When did you arrive?”
Morris grinned. “I’ll give you a ten-second head start.”
Christin’s eyes widened as blood rushed through her at hearing the sensual words.
Sophia stood. “I’ll never make it to the house in time.”
Morris did nothing more than lift a brow.
Sophia backed away from the table while keeping her husband’s eyes. And then with a smile spun around and walked briskly across the lawn toward the gardens. Since she couldn’t run with so many of the ton present, there was indeed no way she’d make it to the house in ten seconds.
“Ladies,” Morris said with a bow to the table, but his eyes didn’t stray from Sophia’s. He grinned when she was waylaid by an older lady. She’d barely make it to the garden at this rate.
Surely, Morris would not ravish his wife in front of others?
“Why did you go to Oxford?” Lorena asked. “Emmett said it was to deliver a lecture, but Calvin went with you, and we both know he’s never liked lectures, not even when he was forced to attend them.”
For a moment, Morris’ eyes left Sophia to look at Lorena. “You’ve always been a clever woman, Lorena.”
She smiled brilliantly at him. “Why did you go to Oxford?”
“Let it alone,” he told her. “You don’t want to touch this.” Then his eyes returned to Sophia just as she made it to the edge of the garden.
“You know I can’t leave it alone,” Lorena said. “Especially when the men have all been whispering behind our backs, which means Emmett is involved. Is it about the Brotherhood?”
Morris sighed. “Good day, ladies.” He left in hot pursuit of his wife.
Genie kept her eyes on Morris. “Francis won’t say anything about it either. What do you think could be wrong?”
Christin asked, “What’s going on?”
Lorena was now staring in the direction of the
other men—a direction Christin had been avoiding for fear of meeting Aaron’s gaze and her skin bursting into flames.
“I don’t know,” Lorena said. “But something is going on.”
“The men have secrets just as we do,” Florence offered, also staring in the direction of her husband and his friends.
Christin knew the Spinsters’ secret. The tea that was supposed to stop them from getting with child. She suspected that particular secret was out, and the men had changed the tea, but she didn’t say anything.
She wondered what secret the men held.
Taygete said, “Ray once asked me to ask Hugh to let him into the Brotherhood, but when I confronted Hugh on the matter, his answer was... strange.”
“What was the answer?” Christin asked.
Taygete looked at her. “The Brotherhood was founded by blood.” She laughed. “But who has more blood than your own brother?”
Christin finally looked at Aaron and their gazes caught as though he were ready for hers. The thought to chase him down and corner him like Morris and Calvin were doing to their wives at the moment came to mind. Would she ever get enough of him?
But what had Hugh meant by ‘founded by blood’?
An image of Aaron fighting in St. Giles came to mind. Blood sometimes came from violence. Perhaps…
“Do you take Aaron as he is?” Florence asked her quietly.
Christin knew the answer to that question. “Yes.” Aaron was not perfect. She knew this, but she loved him all the same.
Florence smiled at her. “Good, because he needs you.”
Christin returned her smile. Not as much as I need him.
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CHAPTER THIRTY
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“My sister is looking over here,” Francis said to the men who stood at his side.
“They’re all looking over here,” Rollo said with a grin that he directed at his wife before nodding. “The question is, what are they discussing?”
“And what are they telling Christin?” Aaron added. The woman were in the shadow of the canopy, but he still held Christin’s eyes. He released a calming breath before he turned toward the other men gathered. He looked around and noticed only the Brotherhood stood together at the moment. This was a rarity for such a gathering, since most of the ton wished to associate themselves closely with any number of them.
Hugh, Julius, Francis, Emmett, Rollo, and Aaron were together with Frank being present among them for the first time in weeks. Morris and Calvin had gone after their wives. Aaron had yet to spot William. He would have preferred the ten together, but without Raymond or Garrett’s presence—who were standing across the lawn occupied by mothers with unwed daughters—this was a good time to ask what he wished to. “What did Morris and Calvin find out?”
Hugh spoke, since he was the only one Morris and Calvin had spoken to upon entering Aaron’s house straight from their journey from Oxford. “They said what we’d all feared they would. An old story seems to have been reviving itself through the students on campus. One young man in particular approached Morris to ask about it.”
“And what was his question?” Rollo asked.
“How many deer he had shot,” Hugh said plainly.
There was silence.
Francis took a breath and turned to Hugh. “And then?”
Hugh kept his eyes on Taygete as he spoke. “And then the lad asked if Morris had ever killed anything that walked on two legs.”
Aaron cursed.
“What the devil?” Francis asked.
Hugh went on, “Morris said he once shot a bear while on the Continent… and then proceeded to tell the young man how he gutted the beast, skinned him, and adorned his wall with his head, which of course had its effect of scaring the lad off. Still, it’s clear that old bones are being dug up.”
Frank made a sound of interest.
This was not good.
Julius, who’d been strangely quiet since they’d all spotted Morris and Calvin’s return, began to laugh, but there was no humor in it. “This is all my fault.”
“No,” Francis frowned. “It’s not.”
“He’s right,” William said, approaching. “It’s not Julius’ fault. Everyone here knows we’d do what we did all over again.” He lifted a finger and it landed on Emmett, Francis, Rollo, Hugh, and then Aaron. “It’s the fault of all of you. Love and marriage have opened the doors to the past.”
Emmett rolled his gray eyes skyward. “Love had nothing to do with this.”
“Love had everything to do with this,” William said with narrowed green eyes. “Love means openness with your spouses, and since we are the most powerful men in London, any of our marriages would draw attention.” Though William wasn’t titled, he was knighted and growing wealthier by the minute. “But if only you all had found quiet women who would smile prettily, fancy knitting groups, and blend with the ton.” He seemed to have been preparing this speech for some time, so everyone let him speak his peace. He pointed a finger at Emmett. “You married the worst of them all.”
“Watch your tone, William.” Emmett’s face had lost all emotion, a dangerous look he didn’t show much.
Aaron closed his eyes and wondered if he would ever find a moment of peace again. Though they were making light of what was going on in Oxford, if it reached London, the men could be in grave trouble. This was far worse than bad. This was murder at its finest.
There was blood on all their hands.
William crossed his arms. “I told Morris he shouldn’t allow Sophia to write about us, but none of you stopped him.”
“She wrote for the papers,” Francis said. “Not for the gossips rags that barely ever print the truth. She made us look innocent.” Which was true. Sophia was a writer and also organized the men’s social schedule. She showed the world what was left of the Brothers’ humanity.
If only the world knew the truth.
William scoffed.
Julius stared straight ahead, but Aaron knew he saw nothing. He was in his head, probably revisiting that horrible night. Aaron, like the others, felt no shame for what they’d done and as William had mentioned before, they would do it again. It was only Julius who felt guilt. Aaron only felt anger.
“This happened so long ago,” Aaron said. “How has it been revived?”
William shrugged. “Someone talked.” He looked at Emmett.
“Never,” Emmett said plainly. “I will always love Lorena, but just as I told her when she made her Spinsters an official sisterhood… the brothers would also be inclined to their secrets. She understands this.”
“You know Lorena will never let this go,” William said.
Emmett looked away.
Hugh shook his head. “I would have gone to Oxford myself, but with Taygete being so close… I wouldn’t allow my child to be born without me here.”
Julius put a hand on Hugh’s shoulder. “This is not your problem. I should deal with it.”
“Oh? And what would you do? Shoot the young lord?” William asked before he leaned in. “They’re calling it The Slaughter. We don’t need to give them any evidence to the truth.”
Another silence fell.
Julius laughed again.
It was such an appropriate name for that night seventeen years ago. The Slaughter. How clever.
Emmett said, “This needs to be buried. Whoever unearthed it...”
“Needs to be silenced,” Francis finished for him.
“At any cost,” Aaron added. He was not above killing a lord. He’d done so with his brother’s killer and buried him with the help of some of the other Brothers. Murder had brought just as much peace as the vicar’s sermons.
It was just another secret that made the Brotherhood who they truly were.
“Morris and Calvin want this to be dealt with delicately,” Hugh said.
/> “Seems marriage has softened you all,” William said with a false grin. “The boy needs to be threatened and whoever he’s spoken to needs to be threatened.”
Emmett crossed his arms. “We can’t threaten lords. They’ll tell others.”
William waved his hand in the air. “That is not the point. This started when all of you decided to marry.”.
“Not true,” Emmett said.
William lifted a brow at the earl. “Where, if I may ask, is Ben?”
Emmett stiffened.
Ben. It was a name Aaron hadn’t heard in over a year. Ben was the man who’d kidnapped Lorena.
“He never made it to trial,” William went on. “Do you think that’s suspicious, my lord?”
Emmett slowly grinned. “He kidnapped my fiancée.”
“And my sister,” Francis said with narrowed eyes.
“Our sister,” Hugh added smoothly. Everyone loved Lorena. If anyone hurt her or any of the other Spinsters, they’d live to regret it or stop living. Aaron was seeing more death in the coming future.
William lifted his hands. “And so it begins all over again.” He echoed Aaron’s sentiments.
“Ben had to go,” Aaron said. “And no one misses him.”
“Uh, but do Lily and Mary miss their daddy?” William asked him.
Rollo’s arm shot out, stopping Aaron just short of grabbing for William. He was asking for a fight.
“Not here,” Rollo whispered. “It’s a party for the children.”
“He killed himself,” Aaron said to William.
“Because you left him a choice?” William asked. “Would you have willingly let him leave that room alive? Knowing he was planning to hurt Sophia? Had shot at her?”
Aaron stared at William. “No.” Columbus Gates had to go. He was only lucky that it had been by his own hand.
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