by Lora Thomas
“Like what? Run away to Scotland with a madman chasing him?” Henry laughed. “My dear woman, you will come to realize that this adventure is on the calm side for Lord Huntsley. Let us have a spot of tea while I engage you in the tales of his childhood and how he and Lord Hawke burned down the solarium at Cambridge.”
“They burned down the solarium?”
“Oh, they are not the first in this family to commit arson. He is related to the St. Johns, after all.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Catrina kept her eyes focused on the countryside as they traveled The Great North Road to Gretna Green. It had been nearly eight hours since they left Thomas’s home, and not ten words had been spoken since their last conversation. Both had a great deal on their minds. On Catrina’s? Her brother and this marriage. What would Branson do when he learned that she had left London for Gretna Green? What means would he use to find where they had gone? Find them? Would he harm Elena? Would he kill Hawke? Branson would do anything to get his hands on her fortune, and she had no doubt that he would use either of those to acquire what he thought was his.
She looked at Thomas. He was asleep. At least she assumed he was. His legs were stretched out in front of him, and his hands rested upon his abdomen, his eyes closed. Was he regretting this rash decision? Would he come to regret the rashness of this action? Would he be a faithful husband? A deep breath left her. No, he would not be a devoted husband. He was known for his cavalier behavior, and she did not expect it to stop after saying wedding vows. How could she? He did not love her.
“What am I doing?” Catrina whispered.
“If you are like me, you are hoping we will stop soon for a bite to eat.”
Catrina gasped and turned her head to find Thomas watching her.
Thomas righted his body, leaned towards the window, and shouted, “Are we nearing any place that has food?”
“Aye,” John said. “There’s a tavern up ahead.”
“A tavern?” Catrina questioned, alarm causing her voice to come out high.
“Food’s good,” John continued.
Thomas noticed Catrina’s mortified expression. “Is there anything else?”
“Not for another ten miles.”
“Very well.”
Worry filled Catrina’s eyes. “A tavern?”
Thomas shrugged. “If it was not an acceptable location, John would not have suggested it.”
Catrina did not reply. Instead, she returned her focus to the landscape.
“What is wrong, Catrina?”
She continued looking out the window. “Are you certain you want to marry me?”
Thomas wanted to shout that he was never surer of anything. That he wished to have Catrina by his side during every aspect of his life. That he loved her to the point that it was hard to breathe. But that would be foolish, would it not? Men did not confess such things, so why would she believe that statement? Besides, their relationship thus far had been a combination of her assaulting him and him insulting her.
“I told you, I must marry to keep my inheritance from going to my mother.”
Catrina stiffened her spine and tightly replied, “Yes. So you did.”
“And you agreed to keep yours,” Thomas replied with equal coolness. Her cold reply angered him.
“So I did.” She looked at him. “So, we are essentially selling ourselves to each other.”
Thomas shrugged. “In a way.”
“In exactly that way.”
“If you do not want to marry me, then don’t.” Thomas’s words were heated.
“Then how would you get your money?” she mocked with disdain.
Thomas’s eyes lowered. “Lady Iris would still jump at the chance to claim my title. I could turn this coach around, return to London and ask her.”
“Then do it!” Catrina shouted. His cold demeanor caused her ire to increase. “If I am such a burden, then marry Iris. You were going to anyway.”
“What has gotten into you?”
“What has gotten into me? I’ll tell you what has gotten into me. My brother hates me. I am to wed a man who has equal contempt. A man who, just days ago, was scheduled to marry another woman. I am traveling to Scotland, unaccompanied, by a man who has done nothing but take my virtue and insult me since we met. I do not have anyone I can confide my worries to. Both of my parents are dead. My dearest friend is in danger because of my brother. If I do not marry, then Branson gets my fortune. If I return to London, Branson will force me to marry a man I have known since I was born. And I do not know why.”
Thomas listened to her ramble—each point random yet connected.
“You do have someone to confide in.”
“Who? You?”
“Yes.”
She snorted with disgust. “You do not care.”
“I do care, Catrina. I care more than you know.”
She looked at him. “You have been nothing but insulting or demeaning to me since we met.”
“Have I? If I recall, we had a splendid time at Artie’s caves. At the Hamlins’ tea, as we played the pianoforte, we both laughed. At the Hamiltons’ ball, we danced and laughed. You came to me last night. If I had been such a bastard to you, then why did you seek me out?”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “Because I knew you would help me. I knew you were the only one who could.”
“And why was that?”
She looked into his eyes. “You are not afraid of Branson.”
“And would you like to know why?”
She nodded.
“Men like your brother are cowards. They like to bully and intimidate those they see as weak. They prey upon them, seeking out their weakness, and attack. They strike at your weaknesses. Your weakness is your love for your friends and family. You told me he blames you for your parents’ deaths. He has made you believe such.”
She shook her head and whispered, “I do not.”
“You may not have said as much, but it is in your eyes. Presently, you are worried about Miss Paxsley. Do not worry about her. Hawke will kill anyone who tries to harm her or her family. As for your parents? You have taken Wilcox’s accusations to heart. But it is not your fault, Catrina. You were just a child. If anyone is at fault, it would be the coachman who was driving the carriage.”
“But I was at that well. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but I was.”
“You were just a girl.”
She nodded. “I was ten.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Her breathing wavered. Closing her eyes, she told the tragic tale.
Thomas listened. As she spoke, he could hear her pain and agony. She honestly blamed herself for her parents’ deaths. The tears in her eyes streamed down her cheeks.
“They died because of…” Her voice broke. She could not control the pain any longer as she covered her face with her hands.
Thomas moved to her and pulled Catrina into his arms. She did not resist his comfort. She buried her face into his coat as he stroked her hair.
“Let it out, Catrina. You have held onto such pain for so long. But no longer.”
As she cried, Thomas kept replaying her story. Wilkerson was driving the carriage. Branson wanted Catrina to marry Wilkerson. Why? Suddenly, Thomas’s eyes widened as he remembered Josephine’s description of Wilkerson. A drunkard.
“It was Wilkerson’s fault.”
Catrina sniffed and looked up. “I beg your pardon.”
Thomas looked down at her. “Don’t you see? It all makes sense. Branson must have discovered that Wilkerson was drunk the night of your parents’ deaths. He must be using that against Wilkerson.”
“That makes no sense. I have known Mr. Wilkerson for as long as I can remember.”
“It makes perfect sense. He is bribing Wilkerson.”
“How?”
“If Wilkerson marries you and gives your dowry and inheritance to your brother, then Wilcox will not reveal the true cause of your parents’ deaths.”
Catri
na pulled away from Thomas and whispered, “That cannot be the reason. Mr. Wilkerson grieved over my parents. He visited me daily afterward, expressing his remorse.”
“Survivors guilt.”
The day Catrina awoke from her fall came to her mind. The servants were present, as was Mr. Wilkerson. Wilkerson’s eyes were bloodshot, and he smelled of spirits. His words were slurred as he told her what happened.
“He liked his spirits,” she whispered. “There is not a day I can remember seeing him without the smell of them upon his breath.” Her gaze locked with Thomas’s. “That explains so much. The reason why the carriage was traveling so fast. The reason why it was so close to that ravine. The reason why he could not control the horses. He always claimed it was because they were spooked but could not state what frightened them.”
“It makes sense, Catrina.”
“For eight years, I denied Branson’s accusations, but mentally, I placed the blame of my parents’ deaths upon my shoulders when, in truth, it was Mr. Wilkerson’s fault.” Anger punctuated her words. “That man brought me flowers every day for a year afterward. He was at my beck and call. And now I know why. It was not for sympathy or sorrow. It was to help ease his guilt!”
“I am truly sorry, Catrina.”
She shook her head. “For what? Helping me see the truth? The truth of my brother’s depravity? He wants my fortune so desperately that he knowingly was going to force me to marry a man who murdered our parents. Branson always sickened me, but now he sickens me worse. His greed knows no bounds. I am nothing but a pawn to him. I was never anything but a burden to him. Well, he will not have to be burdened with me any longer.” Taking a deep breath, she continued, “I know our marriage is only for convenience, and I accept that. All I ask is that you help me to legally remove my name from Branson’s.”
“Catrina?” Thomas said in shock.
“I mean it. I want to disavow any connections I have to him…legally.”
“Once we are married, there will be no cause for you to do so. You will be my wife.”
“I mean it. I do not want that man’s name attached to mine in any way. I want to disown my family.”
“If you do that, it would mean that you would give up your dowry and inheritance.”
“What?”
“If you took legal steps to break away from your family’s name, your brother would get your inheritance.”
Catrina’s shoulders slumped. “So, Branson would get my fortune.”
“I am afraid so. But you can publicly denounce him. You can tell everyone that you do not have a brother. As long as you do not take it through the courts, then you will still get your inheritance.”
Catrina closed her eyes. “Do you mean what you promised?”
“Which would be?”
She looked at him. “That I can keep my fortune?”
Thomas reached outward and caressed her cheek. “I do. You can keep every shilling and do with it whatever you please. If you want to toss the entire bloody thing into the Thames, that is fine by me. That would be a foolish thing to do, but I would not protest.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “Liar. Even Elena would counsel me against that.”
“True. I would advise you to not throw your inheritance into the river.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
Catrina shrugged. “This. You are sacrificing your freedom to marry me. You are putting your safety at risk because of me.”
“Wrong on both accounts. I am not sacrificing anything because of you, Catrina. We both need to wed to keep our inheritance. I wish I could say that we are two young lovers slipping away to Gretna Green to marry because we are in love. Our unique circumstances brought us together. Perhaps, in time, we will grow to love each other.” Thomas mentally cringed. Why could he not confess his feelings to her? Fear. He was afraid that she would not return his love.
“Perhaps.”
The carriage slowed to a stop. Thomas exited the coach and assisted Catrina down. A startled gasp escaped her as she viewed the tavern. Why would John call this establishment a tavern? It appeared like a quaint three-story farmhouse cottage with white painted brick and a new thatched roof. The chimney appeared to have had renovations as the stone upon it was lacking mold. Numerous glass windows with wooden planters were along the first floor. Flowers were planted along the stone walkway.
“This is a tavern?” Catrina asked.
“I was wondering the same thing,” Thomas marveled.
John called down from the driver’s seat. “Well, it serves ale.”
“That does not make it a tavern,” Thomas retorted.
“It has good food, tae,” John continued, not acknowledging his employer's comment. “I’ll change out horses while ye two get a bite tae eat.”
After a quick lunch, the trio departed again. Catrina watched Thomas. He was slouching languidly in his seat, his lids growing heavy. Before long, Thomas had fallen asleep. Catrina turned to view the scenery as her mind reeled. Thomas had given her a great deal to think over. Was Branson truly bribing Mr. Wilkerson? If so, why had Mr. Wilkerson agreed instead of fleeing Swindon? How had Branson come by his information? Was Mr. Wilkerson indeed the cause of her parents’ demise?
Her gaze returned to Thomas. He was so handsome. Every time she looked at him, she could hardly tear her eyes away. Her heart ached each time she saw him. She had fallen in love with a man who had insulted her and took her virtue. Odd. Yet, she wanted to be with him. His comment about falling in love gave her a bit of hope. Could she manage to get this handsome rogue to fall in love with her? Her only redeeming asset was twenty thousand pounds. Even she knew she was far from a beauty, unlike Lady Iris. When comparing the two, Iris’s beauty surpassed hers tenfold. Would her lack of comeliness cause Thomas’s eyes to wander? And what of his mistress? Elena said he had visited her since returning from Eden. Would he dismiss his mistress? Would he keep her on retainer for when they argued? For when he finally realized that he could do better than Catrina?
Before she could chastise herself against it, she blurted out, “Are you going to keep your mistress?”
Thomas did not answer.
“Still asleep,” she mumbled.
“On the contrary, I am fully awake.” He adjusted his position to sit upright.
“Then why did you not answer me?”
His left brow quirked upwards. “Are you wanting me to introduce you to Mrs. Johnson?”
“What? No! Do not be absurd! It is just that…well…should I ever encounter her, I want to be prepared. I know men keep mistresses. Wives have come to accept this and have encounters with those women frequently. I want to be prepared so I can avoid her.”
Thomas’s mouth twitched. Catrina was babbling.
“Jealous?”
“Jealous?” Catrina repeated, locking her gaze with Thomas’s. “Why would I be jealous? This is a marriage of convenience. You have said so many times.”
Thomas swallowed down his anger. In a caustic voice, he answered, “So I have.”
His ire irritated her. “Why are you upset? You are not the one who will have to endure having an encounter with my lover. I do not have one.”
“Listen, Catrina. And listen well. I will carry on as I always have. Simply because you will have my name does not give you the right to dictate my actions.”
“Carry on as you always have? So I can expect you to stay out all hours of the night? I can expect you to go to gaming hells and gentlemen’s clubs? I can expect you to visit brothels and your mistress? I can expect you to come and go as you please without one iota of how it reflects upon me?”
“Yes.”
“I see. Well, just be aware, you can expect the same actions of me.”
Thomas snorted. “Same actions from you? What do you plan on doing?”
“I can take a lover just as easily as you.”
“You will do no such thing!”
“I can, and I will! I want a family, T
homas. I want love. I want children. This marriage is in name only. You said as much yourself.”
“I will not allow another man to bed my wife.”
“But I can allow another woman to bed my husband?!”
“Yes. I will not raise another man’s child as my own.”
“You were going to raise Lady Iris’s as your own.”
Thomas’s face had reddened, and he worked his jaw as he tried to control his anger.
“I believe it was your brother’s bastard.”
“And she duped you into thinking it was yours.” Before he could reply, she continued, “Tell me, Thomas, why did you make love to me in that cave after you had already asked for Lady Iris’s hand? What were your plans for me?”
“What?”
“You made love to me after asking Iris to marry. Were you hoping to use me to warm your bed until your vows?”
“You know nothing of what you speak.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And if I recall, you did not protest my affections. You actually begged for me to continue.”
“I did no such thing!”
“You did. You leaned into my body, Catrina. You moaned into my mouth and did not protest when I removed your clothing. What was your reasoning? So desperate for a husband that you would give yourself to me in hopes of a proposal?”
“You bastard!” Her hand connected with his cheek.
Thomas was surprised by her retaliation. In the past, she cowed away from confrontations. And now? She was opening fighting back. So the demure cat had claws and was not afraid to use them.
“Do not strike me, Catrina.”
“Why? You insult me and expect me to sit here and take it like a frightened kitten? I will no longer be bullied, Thomas. I will no longer allow others to make me feel inferior. Since I was ten years old, Branson has made me feel like I was a burden. He made me feel unwanted and unloved. I will not take the same treatment from my husband. Take your lovers. Gamble all your money away. Just know that I will not be intimidated by your actions any longer.”
“Intimidated by me? When have I ever—”
“When I spilled milk down you. You looked at me like the dirt on your shoes was worth more than I. When I accidentally hit your nose, your tone indicated that I was nothing more than a commoner. And when I hit you with that shell. If it were not for Lord Hawke or Mr. Heath, you would have released your temper and would have retaliated.”
