He penned a note to Hayden and asked the butler to have his fastest rider put it directly into Hayden’s hands once in London. His rider could make it there tonight, deliver the letter, wait for a response, and be back by tomorrow evening. With hopefully an answer Tristan wanted to read.
He leaned back in his chair to contemplate his next action, his fingers massaging his temples. He would not respond to Ponsley just yet. The bloody old prig had a pair of balls to rival a bull in full rut. The bloody bastard. Well, one thing was certain, he would not make a widow out of Charlotte.
A soft knock sounded at his study door.
“Enter,” he called.
Charlotte stepped into the room, a look of worry making her brow heavy. “Is everything all right? You looked as though you have received … disagreeable news.”
How much should he tell his wife? Would she beg him to call it off? He decided not to say anything, at least for the time being. He knew he couldn’t keep it from her for long, though.
“Bad news has a way of working itself out,” he said.
“Is there something I can help with?”
He smiled and shook his head. She was a sweet, kindhearted woman.
“Nothing for you to worry on. Tell me, what are your plans today, lady wife?”
“I promised to walk through the gardens with the children and your sister. She said it’s a formidable hike to see all the gardens around the property.”
“Perhaps I will join you.”
Charlotte came farther into the room. “I’d like that.” She shyly ducked her head. “That is to say … your company would be greatly appreciated.”
Tristan stood from his seat and came around his desk to stand in front of his wife. “You flatter me. Perhaps I’ll use the time to steal you away for a kiss. One taste was simply not enough this morning.”
Her eyes widened as she assessed him. A smile slowly tilted up her lips as she released her breath.
“Only if you can catch me to accomplish such a feat.” She came forward, gave him a rather chaste kiss on the lips, and practically ran out of the room with a laugh.
She was an invariable tease.
Tristan suddenly felt like a bull ready to charge. He loved the type of challenge his wife had just presented to him. Today, he’d enjoy the company of his family and wife. Tomorrow he’d have word from Hayden so there was no sense worrying about what was to come of the challenge just yet. He tucked the letter from Ponsley into a drawer before heading up to his room to ready for their walk. Once ready, he knocked on the adjoining bedchamber door.
“You can come in,” his wife called.
He ate up the sight of her when he stepped inside. She was breathtaking in her off-white dress with embroidered sprigs of yellow and green flowers. She wore a silk moiré bonnet in ivory with a chocolate-brown ribbon tied at the side of her jaw.
He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
She gave him a shy smile and slipped her arm through his.
“I am only taking your arm with great confidence that you’ll give me the full history of this house and the lands.”
“Your wish is my command. And I am as proficient in the history of Hailey Court as my sister.”
“Then we’ll have a grand day.”
“Indeed,” he said, brushing his thumb over the side of her face as he led her out of their room, and down the stairs to the front anteroom.
“Let us join the morning air, then,” Tristan said to his sister and children. Hobbs opened the doors to the ballroom—which had direct access to the gardens.
Ronnie and Rowan ran ahead of them when they saw a turtle climb into the hedges, a trail of muddied water left in its wake.
“Can we bring him down to the lake, Papa?” Rowan asked excitedly.
“Please do. We can’t have Mr. Welch pruning the flowers only to find a turtle snapping at his fingers.” Welch being their gardener.
Ronnie giggled at the very idea. Hopefully she was in better spirits today. Charlotte broke off from his company, but didn’t escape far before he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to his side.
“Where precisely do you think you’re wandering off to without me? I’m to be your tour guide, at your request.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Is that a challenge?” he asked in jest.
“For such a charming man, you can be dreadfully barbaric at times.”
“I’m still new to the idea that you belong to me.”
Charlotte laughed at him. “I belong wholly to myself, Tristan. You cannot cage a canary indefinitely, for they lose their will to sing.”
“Then I’ll remind myself every now and again to open the cage door.”
“You will leave it open, Lord Marquess. This is not a negotiation,” she said, in good spirit.
“There will come a time when you will enjoy nothing more than being locked away with me—and with no one to interrupt us.” He gave her a sly wink.
“But that day is not today. I have a new family I must learn all about.”
“You’ve already won over Rowan.”
“Have I truly? I’m probably the mother figure he’s longed for, but not truly a mother. Not yet.”
Tristan let her go so she could walk ahead and catch up to Ronnie, who straggled behind her brother to gather daisies from the garden. Charlotte pulled some, too, breaking them close to the root. He watched her talk to Ronnie with a kind smile and a friendly twinkle in her eyes.
It was in that moment he knew he’d made the right decision to marry her—regardless of the circumstances that brought them together—and that this was the right decision for his family. The children would grow to adore her just as he had since first meeting her.
“What has you grinning like a fool?” Bea asked quietly next to him.
“Life.” He took his sister’s arm and walked with her, silent for a spell as they took in the scenery and the fresh air. “Life has a funny way of unfolding sometimes.”
“Will you be spouting poetry soon?”
“Don’t tempt me, even if only to torture you for the rest of the afternoon.”
His sister gave him a look that said I dare you. He only shook his head.
“She has put you in a good mood. You were always meant to have a wife, and I daresay … a much larger family.”
“Do you think? I find the idea preposterous.”
“You’re too hard on yourself. You’ve been a wonderful father since the moment Ronnie came into your life.”
“No less than you’ve been a mother to them both. Which reminds me that we need to discuss Rowan.”
Bea’s smile slipped. “This is not the time or the place for such a conversation.”
“You’re right, of course. But I want you to think about what we’ll discuss.” Namely, revealing the true parentage of Rowan to both the child and to Charlotte.
The world was a cruel place, but he’d not shelter his children from the truths that would shape their lives—he could try his damndest to protect them, but he couldn’t shelter them all their lives.
“The letter you received earlier, it had you worried.”
“I’m not free to discuss the details with you before having a conversation with my wife.”
“How quickly your loyalties shift.”
He looked askance at his sister. “My loyalties have never shifted, nor will they shift. My life for the past ten years has revolved around you and the children. You, sister, cannot turn your back on what you deem to be an outsider simply because she’s known us for so short a time.”
“I don’t want to argue,” Bea said.
“Then stop looking for reasons to be contrary.” He left his sister on the old stone path and walked toward Charlotte and his children.
Charlotte smiled as he approached. “Your son was showing me how far the turtle’s head stretches out. Look—” She held out a daisy she’d plucked from the garden. She gave a squeal of delight and released the flower just as the turtle’s m
outh snapped onto the tasty morsel.
“Even slimy reptiles find you endearing,” he said. She gave him a droll look. “Run up to the lake, children, you don’t want the turtle’s shell to dry out.”
“Can’t we keep him, Papa?” Ronnie asked, batting her long lashes.
“All creatures of the wild must stay in their ecosystem; it would upset the balance to remove him.” When her mouth fell on a pout, he added, “They eat insects and slugs, would you mind feeding those to him?”
“I don’t mind,” Rowan piped in.
Tristan ruffled his son’s hair. “And what if this turtle has a friend in the lake? Surely you want to send him off so his friend isn’t alone too long.” With that reasoning, the children looked at each other, and then ran toward the lake.
“Well argued, my lord.” Charlotte stared after the children, her hands folded behind her back and the long-stemmed daisies stretching out on either side of her.
“Will we be making daisy laurels over luncheon?”
She looked at him with a wry grin. “Only if you help.”
“I am a king at making laurels.”
Charlotte laughed. “You are a surprising man.”
“I’m glad you are amused by the many facets of my character.”
Chapter 19
A certain duke has made his intentions clear to this writer. Does he not realize his devotion to a particular woman has been noticed?
—The Mayfair Chronicles, August 1846
Tristan had been told that a rider was coming up to the property five minutes ago, so he awaited the arrival of his friend in the drive.
“Hayden.” Tristan greeted his friend warmly as he dismounted from his bay horse.
“It didn’t make sense to respond to your letter, so I headed straight here.” Hayden removed his riding gloves and handed them over to the footman standing close by. “Have you had any further word or instruction?”
Tristan shook his head. “Nothing. I’ve yet to respond to him. Surely we can come to another agreement.”
Hayden patted Tristan’s shoulder as he turned them both in the direction of the house. “Were you given a location in the letter?”
“He doesn’t want me back in London. The rags will find out before long that something is brewing. And the last thing we need is to be discovered.”
“If there was another way, I would have found it. But your honor is at stake here. You cannot refuse the challenge.”
“And I cannot hurt Charlotte’s father.” The thought of dueling had been eating him up on the inside since yesterday. He didn’t like it one bit.
“Then don’t hurt him. You can always aim wide and miss your target.”
“And do you think he’ll be so kind as to do the same?” Tristan ran his hand through his hair, frustrated by the whole situation.
“Perhaps if you give him a few days, he’ll decide against widowing his daughter.”
Tristan led Hayden into the library and they sat across from each other in deep leather chairs.
Hayden sat forward with his elbows on his knees. “Now that I’m here as your second, we could formulate a response to Ponsley’s need for satisfaction.”
Tristan couldn’t calmly sit down and discuss this like it was a normal day-to-day affair. He went to the sideboard and poured out two drams of brandy.
“I’d prefer to forget the whole sordid business and walk away intact and alive.”
“Why would you worry about walking away alive from anything?” Charlotte asked from the door. He hadn’t heard her enter the library.
Hayden stood from the chair and bowed.
“I’m sorry,” Charlotte said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, Your Grace.” She held a book out toward Tristan, her gaze narrowed on him. “I came to return this and was about to make my presence known when I overheard the last part of your conversation.”
“I was attending to business matters in here,” Tristan said. He hated to be found out this way. He had planned on telling his wife about the duel, but not until the logistics had been thought through.
“Life and death business. You know what the funniest thing is when you marry?” There was no missing the anger that slowly rose in her voice.
Tristan was calm when he responded. “I know you’ll enlighten us.”
“It seems that I now have a vested interest in your livelihood.” Her gaze snapped to his. “Now tell me what has happened.”
Hayden cleared his throat, drawing Charlotte’s attention his way. “If you’ll excuse me, my lady. I’ll pay my respects to Bea and the children while you two discuss this privately.”
Charlotte didn’t even bid the duke farewell. Instead, she crossed her arms over her midsection and glared at Tristan.
“Well?” she said, irritated.
He drank the shot of his liquor and poured a healthier dose—he’d need it to tell Charlotte the truth. “Your father has called me out.”
“As in he wishes you to duel at dawn?” Charlotte’s tone held laughter, as though she thought he jested.
“Quite.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Do gentlemen still engage in such barbaric acts?”
“Some do. I am not generally the type to do so.”
“And neither is my father,” she said, unbelieving.
“I wish that were the case, but sadly, it is not.” He came toward her, took the book from her loose fingers to toss it in the direction of the chairs, and handed her the glass of brandy. “Take a sip. It’ll calm your nerves.”
She drank it down greedily.
“I don’t understand how this is happening,” she said in disbelief.
“I wanted to show you the letter, but haven’t had the opportunity to do so before now.”
“A moment ago, it didn’t sound like you had any intention of telling me about this.”
“What would you have me do, Charlotte?” He drank in the sight of his wife worried about him. It was testament to how much she did care about him and about their marriage.
“I’m your wife, doesn’t that mean I’m entitled to know whether there is a threat against you?”
“I was hoping your father would have a change in heart.” He caressed the side of her face, needing desperately to cement the feel of her in his heart.
“Ignore his summons,” she blurted out.
He sighed, wishing that were possible. “You know I can’t.”
“You won’t hurt my father, will you?” she asked in a small voice.
He pulled her into his arms and tucked her head under his chin. “I wouldn’t dream of it, even if the old blighter might deserve it for the way he’s treated you—or have you forgotten?”
She shook her head. “He’s my father. I love him, Tristan. What will you do?”
“I have to respond. I will choose the place, and I suppose he’ll choose the weapon.”
“Can’t you simply respond with a no?”
He put Charlotte at arm’s length. “As preferable as that is, no, I cannot. That’s why Hayden is here. Your father would only hurt your name more if I ignored his challenge. He’d run both our names through the mud for cowardice and lack of honor.”
“Oh, Tristan.” Charlotte placed her hands on either side of his face and gave him a sad look. Tears filled her eyes. “I can’t lose you when I’ve only just found you.”
He smiled in an attempt to make light of the situation. “You have so little faith in me, wife.”
“I don’t. You won’t hurt my father?”
“I promise I won’t. But I doubt he’ll return that favor.”
“Who would put this idea in his head?”
“I can think of only one person,” he said darkly.
“I must be there, Tristan.” She reached for him, but he stepped away. “I can talk sense into my father.”
“You will be far removed from everything.” He caressed her cheek. “Hayden will be with me.”
“He’s not your wife.” Her tone was stern.
He
pulled her in close again, his arms around her hips, hands over her rear, their pelvises lined up as she fisted her hands in his sleeves. He pressed his forehead to hers. “It won’t happen today, so we’ve time yet to get to know each other, fall in love, do all the things a man and a woman do when they are smitten with each other.”
Her fists squeezed tighter as if he were a lifeline she refused to release. “I’ll not let you change the topic so easily. I will continue to persuade you that this isn’t the right choice.”
“It might not be what you want to hear, but it has to be done.”
“How will I know you fare well?” The worry was palpable in her tone.
“Just believe it and it’ll be true.” He kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I love the feel of you in my arms, Char.”
“I love being in your arms. If that’s taken away from us…”
His hold tightened around her “I’ll not leave this life lightly. You and the children are everything to me.”
He wanted to retire for the remainder of the day, lock him and his wife in their room, and do what had yet to be done since they had married. But Hayden had only just arrived so he would have to settle for a few stolen kisses.
“I have to make sure Hayden is settled in,” he said as his lips brushed across hers again.
“He’ll be with Bea now.” Her voice was husky, desire overcoming her just as it was overpowering him. “I don’t want you to go yet.”
“You’re right. Bea can handle him for the time being. I’m sure Rowan and Ronnie are showing him the mass of treasures they’ve gathered since arriving here.”
“Their rocks?”
He nodded—Ronnie had convinced Rowan to collect any sort of sparkling granite rock since they’d been home in Birmingham. They had a box full of useless rocks, but it was an amusement that was easily entertained. “And that damn turtle I saw in the garden again this morning, chomping down on a strawberry left for him by one of the children.”
Midnight Temptations With a Forbidden Lord Page 25
