Koryn had tears in her eyes, and she turned and left without another word.
Aidan walked back to Rhia and gathered her in a hug.
Lydia, Rose, Lily and Cole all rushed over to where Aidan was standing, holding onto Rhia.
Lydia reached them first, and she grabbed hold of Rhia’s hands. “Oh my dear, are you all right?” Rhia nodded and Lydia lifted a hand to her face, “I am sorry for that.”
Rhia smiled, “It wasn’t your fault Lydia. Like Aidan said, they are hateful and horrible people. You have only treated me with kindness and love. You have been so wonderful to me, you all have. I am so grateful for all of you.”
Lydia smiled and brought Rhia’s hand up to look at the ring on it. “It fits you perfectly. I knew it would.”
Rhia looked down at the beautiful ring on her finger. She smiled down at it, “I love it more than words can say, thank you for giving it to Aidan so he could give it to me.”
Lydia hugged her close. “I knew from the moment he brought you home that you were meant for him. So did the girls.”
Rhia’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you.”
Aidan pulled her into his arms and hugged her from behind. “Let’s move into the drawing room, we have quite a bit to discuss. And I don’t want or need to have people listening to everything we have to say.”
They went to one of the drawing rooms that the family favored, as it was smaller in size and a little out of the way. After they all got situated, with Rhia and Aidan sitting together holding hands on the settee, Aidan started on his tale.
“I found her at the inn in the village, she was going to go to Scotland. If I hadn’t found her this morning, well, I won’t even think of the possibilities of that.”
He kissed Rhia on her temple. “I asked her why she left, we talked and I found out what Katarina had actually said to make her leave.”
He then relayed the story Rhia had told him at the inn. His sisters were shocked, and Cole was shaking his head in frustration.
“Rhia and I talked and I asked her to marry me. She accepted; much to my delight and happiness. When we were heading out the door, the villagers were talking about me. Rhia, she stopped and made certain they knew how wrong it was to treat me that way. And, I finally got up the courage to speak to them. I told them that we were here to help them. They accepted me, for the first time. They finally see me as not someone to be feared, but someone to be respected. I want to help them as much as possible. The innkeeper came up and spoke to me. He said his daughter is very ill and he fears she won’t live much longer. I had told them that you were a good healer and that if anyone had need, that you could help them. He asked if you would come to see about his daughter.”
Lydia nodded her head, and Rose and Lily did as well. “I knew you wouldn’t turn her away. I am hopeful this will help us and that someday everyone will accept us there.”
Cole came up and clapped Aidan on the back. “We will take care of the villagers Aidan. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Aidan turned to Cole, “Yes, actually there is. I want to marry Rhia as soon as we can. I don’t want to wait another month for the banns to be read and for a license to come through. Would you hate it if I asked you to ride to London and get a special license from the Archbishop?”
Cole nodded and laughed, “Of course brother. I need to check on some things, and see a few people anyway. I will leave as soon as I can today. And be back in a few days. Can you wait that long?”
Aidan chuckled, “Of course. Hurry back.”
Cole laughed again and left the room. His mother and sisters did as well. They were speaking quietly to each other about the girl and were discussing what they thought they would need.
“Will you see about the priest in the village and if he can come and marry us when Cole gets back from London?” Aidan asked his mother, and she nodded before she left the room.
Aidan knew they would go to the village within the hour, finally helping someone with the knowledge they possessed. It was just him and Rhia left in the room and he walked to where she was sitting and pulled her to her feet.
He gathered her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She pushed back slightly and said with a raised eyebrow, “We are truly getting married in a few days? Can that be arranged?”
Aidan smiled and kissed her. “We threw an entire ball in just a few days’ time. I think my mother and my sisters as well as you will do just fine planning our small wedding.”
Rhia smiled, “I like the sound of a small wedding. Just your family, and Julia. Would it be too much trouble to have Julia’s parents here? They would love to work here with us, and I would love to have them see me get married. They have been my family for quite some time.”
Aidan smiled again. “Of course, my love. Write a letter to them inviting them here for the wedding as well as for future employment if they so desire it and I will write a letter to their new employers. We will get everything sorted out.”
Rhia laughed, “Actually, I don’t think they have a new employer yet. They were going to finish selling the rest of the furniture that was left. We sold the house before I left. But I think they haven’t gotten new positions. When the new family moves in, they will be finding a new place,”
Aidan smiled at her, “I want to meet them, my love. Send your letter, and ask about them visiting, as well as if they need employment. I have a feeling with both you and Julia here, they will want to be here as well.”
Rhia sighed, “Why are you always so perfect? Is there anything about you that has a flaw?”
Aidan laughed out loud. “Rhia, you have seen my many, many flaws. They are very big and easy to see.”
Rhia poked him in the side. “Those are not flaws. Not in my eyes. You are always so wonderful. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
Aidan smiled and kissed her. Losing himself for a minute in their kiss. “I am wonderful because you let me be. I love you Rhia. More than my next breath.”
Rhia kissed him again, just a quick kiss. “I love you too Aidan.”
Aidan led her to a small desk and pulled out sheets of paper and some ink. “Let’s get writing so we can send these with Cole, shall we?”
Rhia laughed and got started.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Braddock
Northumberland, England Sept 1812
Braddock watched the entire exchange between Katarina and Aidan with glee.
After she had come upstairs, she was in a state. Throwing things and slapping her maids. Screeching and whining about Aidan and his whore. Braddock let her throw her fit and when she was through, he gathered her in his arms. “You do whatever it takes to make them suffer.” She whispered into his chest.
“They need to pay for humiliating me like that. In front of all those people. And to kick us out of our home? I will be waiting to hear all the details my love.”
Braddock nodded, “Don't you worry. We shall get our revenge on them and you will never have to worry about them again.”
His plan was falling into place without him needing to do too much, all because of Katarina and her selfishness. He liked that she was making things happen faster than he anticipated.
She left the house with her mother and didn't look back. He knew she wouldn't give him away. Knew she would let him do what was necessary so they could get their titles and fortune.
He had listened in when the family had gone into the room and he had heard all the plans they were making about the marriage.
He knew this would be his time to strike. He just needed to intercept the women before they met the real priest and it would be fine.
He ran quickly to his room, and made certain he looked the part of the priest. He knew he looked rather convincing, especially when he added his spectacles to the outfit.
No one would take a second look, and that was what he was planning on. He went to the stables and got his horse, and rode to the village, happy to note that the women hadn’t left
the house yet. And that everyone was so busy working, no one noticed him at all. His disguise was so perfect because people saw him, but immediately forgot about him.
He smiled and whistled the entire way to the village, knowing in a few short days, his life would finally be the one he deserved and should have lived from the start.
He made it to the village quickly and found the small church there. He went inside, making certain that no one really noticed him. He found the priest inside, lighting a few candles and setting out a few pieces of paper.
He came up behind the man, “Excuse me, father, I need to speak with you, if we may?”
The man looked up and smiled. Braddock didn’t do the same.
The man said, “Of course. Would you like to speak in my office?”
Braddock nodded and followed the man into the room. As soon as the door was shut, and the man had turned the other way, he hit the man on the back of the head, felling him.
He hid the body where no one would come looking for it. He knew the priest wasn’t dead, but he put him where no one would find him anyway.
And, now all he had to do was sit and wait.
Chapter Thirty
Aidan
Northumberland, England Sept 1812
Aidan and Rhia both wrote their letters, and sent Cole on his way to London.
The last of the unwanted guests left. Aidan felt he could finally breathe again. His mother and sisters were in the village, seeing the sick girl.
Aidan pulled Rhia into his arms and kissed her. She sighed into his mouth and kissed him back. After a few moments, their hands had started to wander, and Aidan pulled back.
He was breathing heavily. He put his forehead to hers, “I am sorry, when I kiss you, I forget who I am. Where I am. And I told myself that I would not take you again. Not until we are married. I shouldn’t have done so earlier, but I just couldn’t help myself. I am drawn to you, like I never have been before. I knew it from the moment I found you. I have never felt anything like that.”
Rhia smiled and put her hands over his. She looked up at him, “I love you Aidan. I certainly didn’t turn you away when we were kissing now, and while I should have been proper when we were in my room, I found myself not really caring much about propriety. I have finally found the man I love. The man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I have never felt like this either.”
Aidan smiled and pulled her hand up for a kiss on her knuckles. “I love you too.”
Rhia cocked her head, “May I ask you why you have never felt like this before? I am certainly glad you haven’t, but you are a Duke! Most men with your kind of titles and good looks aren’t afraid of women and have,” Rhia cleared her throat, afraid to ask the rest of the question. “Been with a lot of women. Slept with a lot of them. Why haven’t you?”
Aidan sighed and pulled her over to a settee in front of the fire. “Well, this is another long story, one of many in my past that I am ashamed of. But I will tell you.”
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and looked into her eyes.
“My father, not only was he evil, he was a womanizer of the worst kind. He had many women; his mistress - there was more than one actually- whores, who knows how many of those; and any number of women of the ton who were bored looking for someone fun.”
He sighed and put his head back on the settee.
“He bragged about his many conquests and it tore my mother apart. She thought they would always be faithful to the other, but after we were born, and were around two or three years old, my father was a completely changed man. My mother said he had to go to London on business for a few weeks and when he left; he was the kind, sweet man she fell in love with, had children with, had a wonderful life with. But when he got home after being gone much longer than expected; he was cruel, hateful and evil.”
Aidan sighed and shook his head. Not raising it from the seat.
“She said when he got home from his trip to London, he came in completely foxed, with two different women hanging off both his arms. They were both kissing him, and one had her breasts exposed completely. Lydia said it was so shocking to see her loving husband with another woman that she almost fell down the stairs. She was so hurt, that she took us boys to her mother’s house for a few weeks, hoping he would change back to the man she knew and loved. She received a letter from my father about something that frightened her enough to come back, and when she got home, things went from bad to worse. He brought his mistress home to live with us. Until my mother put her foot down and wouldn’t allow it. My father didn’t like that, and beat my mother so badly, she had to be in bed for a full week or longer, I'm not certain. But he took his mistress and put her up in a house in London, where he spent most of his time. He said he had better access there anyway.”
Aidan rubbed a hand over his eyes and continued.
“My mother had to see his horrible ways, had to put up with things that most women would not, but anytime she spoke up, my father would beat her. Or us. Usually me. He hated the sight of Cole and I. Which baffled my mother. She said before he was a doting father who very much loved his sons. Was always so grateful he had two beautiful boys who would lead our family to great things, that we would take over his legacy one day and she loved it. But then he changed. No longer was he the loving father we had known. She said she could put up with the abuse, the other women, anything, but seeing him hate his own children? It broke something in my mother I honestly don’t think can be fixed. She tried to do what she could to distract him when he was home, but it didn’t always help. We knew he was in hurting her, we could hear her screams and whimpers. When he left, she would be covered in bruises. But she always told us that she did what she had to do to protect us. We couldn't even go to her parents after that either. They disappeared one day, and my mother knows that he had something to do with it. After a few years, she gave up any hope of finding them, and she says she knows they died. She was alone in her pain and torment until I was old enough to stand up to him and stop him.”
He had closed his eyes, and ran his hands through his hair repeatedly. He was agitated and Rhia was trying her best to hold her tears in.
The more she heard about Aidan’s father, the more she was glad he was dead. And that wasn’t like her, but she was glad for his death. Glad he was no longer here to torment them any longer.
“I told myself I would never be like my father, not in temperament, nor in the way he slept with practically anything that moved. I knew I didn’t want to be like him in that way. Neither did Cole to be honest. So, I waited. It wasn’t a hardship on either of us.”
Aidan laughed a sardonic laugh.
“My father even took Cole and I to see some women of the night, but neither of us did anything with those women, much to my father’s dismay and anger. I wanted to save myself for the love of my life when she finally came along. Even if I had to wait until I was an old man. And, having you come into my life, I am beyond grateful I waited. It was worth it to me. And besides, women are scared of my scars. So, I haven’t really spoken to one in years. Not until you. You have never seen my scars. Never focused on them, never been afraid. You have always just looked into my eyes, and to me? That is the most wonderful thing in the world. I love you more than I thought would be possible. And I can’t wait for the moment that you become my wife.”
He looked up at her and smiled. He knew what he had just revealed was not easy to hear, just like hearing his first revelation about his father.
But he wanted Rhia to know about him, about his family and why he chose the things he did. How he lived his life and so on. He needed her to see his scars, both literal and not, and to see the ghosts that had haunted his life.
Rhia looked up at Aidan, tears running in streams down her face. “Hearing what your father did and the choices you have made in your life just makes me love you more Aidan. Nothing you say can make me run. Not again.”
Aidan gathered her in his arms. “I love you, my perfect, wonderful Rhi
a. Let’s go get cleaned up from this morning and get you settled into your room.”
He kissed her quickly and they left the room.
Chapter Thirty-One
Aidan
Northumberland, England Sept 1812
That night, dinner was once again a quiet affair, and with no unwanted people in their home, Aidan was able to breathe again.
Knowing that Katarina couldn’t hurt their family any longer was also a huge relief to Aidan. He didn’t like that she had almost cost him everything, and while he felt a small amount of guilt for kicking them out of their townhome, he also knew they had brought it on themselves. He was good and done supporting them, their lifestyle and their horrible ways.
He was mad at himself for not seeing their deception and for letting them stay as long as they had. He knew that Rhia had scared them and that was the biggest reason they were so awful to her. She threw their plan out of the window with her presence. And he was again grateful he had found her.
He didn’t want to even think about what would have happened had she not been here.
Aidan was grateful they had a respite. He had found the love of his life, was betrothed to her, and soon to be married to her. He felt like the luckiest man alive. Knowing no one could come between them.
He smiled at her, watching as she spoke with his mother and sisters about their day helping that young girl. He loved hearing the story as well. The villagers were finally coming to accept him and to stop being afraid of him.
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