by Jennifer Joy
Chapter 26
Tanner sat beside her on the bench, but for all the distance Arabella sensed between them, he might as well have been out in the stables. He did not want her help.
"Let me help you because this is as much my fight as it is yours. Do not send me away," she pleaded, a little irked he would be willing to get rid of her so easily when her thoughts toward him had been so supportive and tender moments ago.
"Send you away?" he dared to ask.
Arabella went from a little irked to cheek-reddening upset. "I saw the list with my name on it. Have you purchased the passage already?"
When he did not have a ready reply, but stared at her with his mouth open and his eyes wide, she added, "When did you mean to tell me about it? In case you have not noticed, I do not like secrets, Tanner."
She crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
"Nor do I. That list was in Darcy's study. How did you see it?"
The nerve! "Do not change the subject on me. It is wrong for you to send me to Charleston without even asking what I would do or allowing me to assist you when this is all my fault. Were it not for me, my brother would still be alive, your secret would not have been revealed in the newspapers, my mother and father would be speaking to me, and the Darcys would never have known me. Georgiana's season would be a success, and your brother would continue to endure your attempts to conceal your true identity out of love for and loyalty to you."
"You blame yourself still?" Tanner exclaimed.
His refusal to see what she had so clearly broken down for him, and her inability to see a way out from either scenario successfully, made her outspoken. "Why not? You take enough blame on yourself. Why should I not feel the effects of my poor choices?"
"Because it is not your fault!"
"As it is not your fault you were born out of wedlock?" she spat back.
"That is not the same."
"Really? How is that? Explain it to me and I will believe you." She wanted to believe him. She wanted to with her whole heart.
"No matter how much I wish it not to be the case, I will curse my birth for denying me the very thing I most want," he said, barely managing to lower his tone.
She tightened her arms around her waist. "Indeed? And what is it you most want?" she asked sarcastically.
"You, blast it!" he boomed.
"Oh," she whispered, feeling silly now that the pedestal on which she had built her anger crumbled around her. She was just a foolish girl hugging herself when she ought to wrap her arms around Tanner.
He wanted her. She stifled a girlish giggle, but she could not control the grin tugging her lips upward.
Thankfully, he continued, "I love my family, and I do not wish for yours to come to any more harm, but everything I have done — everything I do — is for you."
How was it possible to go from sadness to anger to elation within the quarter of an hour?
Feeling like she might float away to her castle in the sky, she slipped her hand into Tanner's. He would keep her on the ground. "Why did you not say so from the start, then?"
She had hoped he would choose that moment to kiss her. Instead, he offered an explanation.
"Because you were raised with so much more than what I can give you. All I have is myself and my inn."
If he would not kiss her, she would have to take matters into her own hands. Turning to face him, she raised her fingers up to caress his smooth cheek. The hair at the base of his neck was still damp, and though he smelled of soap, the scent of rosemary clung to him. She loved it. She loved him. "It sounds perfect to me."
She knew what would happen if she tilted her chin up, so that is precisely what she did.
Tanner's lips were soft and warm as they met hers. His kiss was as tender as his big heart, and when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, she felt like nothing in the world could pull them apart.
Arabella had left Tanner so featherheaded, he could not find his bedchamber once his legs were strong enough to carry him out of the music room. He ended up in Darcy's study, where he imbibed a much-needed drink before getting his bearings enough to return to his bedchamber.
Arabella wanted him too. She had kissed him. And what a kiss! Tanner had thought he would melt into Darcy's fancy carpet.
He dreamed of her that night, waking in a merry mood despite the ineffectiveness of his plans. Nothing was working to their advantage. Not one gentleman had agreed to so much as meet with him, much less give his cooperation.
The fight was in three days.
The following morning, his stomach was too aflutter to eat. Asking for Brutus to be readied, Tanner paced back and forth (with an occasional peek up the stairs for a certain lady) in the entrance hall when a messenger arrived.
"Mr. Jonathan Tanner?" the man asked the butler, at which Tanner stepped forward.
"I am he," he said, extending his hand for the letter the messenger held.
Giving him some coins for his troubles, Tanner popped the seal open. It was signed by Mr. Stanhope, the gentleman from whom he was purchasing the Meryton Inn. Why was he writing? Tanner had never missed a payment, and the inn was in excellent repair.
He scanned the first paragraph. It was an apology.
As he continued down the page, Tanner’s heart slowed and the paper weighed heavily in his hands. It could not be!
Starting at the beginning, Tanner read again — slowly and meticulously. He could not afford to miss any detail.
He heard someone come down the stairs and sensed it was Arabella without even looking up.
"What is it?" she asked, placing her hand on his arm, offering comfort when there was no comfort to be had.
He could not look at her. How could he ask her father for her hand and try to repair the breech between them as he had intended to do just then when he no longer had a home to offer her?
Crushing the paper between his hands, he said, "This is from the man who holds the deed to the Meryton Inn. He said a past debt was called in, and he was obligated to turn his property over to the man he owed."
"I do not understand. Can you not merely pay the amount remaining to the new owner? Surely, he cannot go back on your agreement when you have already paid him so much."
That was the worst news. One look at the name and Tanner knew his tavern, his home, was forever lost to him. "He owed Lofton."
Arabella leaned against him, her nostrils flaring and her eyes narrowing as she glared at the letter. "He took your inn from you. He stole your livelihood, your home."
Lofton had taken so much more than that. He had taken away any chance Tanner had of making Arabella a part of his life.
"You must talk to Mr. Darcy," Arabella insisted.
But just then, Brutus was walked in front of the steps. Tanner was in too poor a mood to speak with anyone. He needed a moment to grasp what had just happened and think of what to do. Nobody but Brutus would put up with his surly temper.
“I need space. I need to think,” he muttered, heading down the front steps.
Arabella let him go. But she did ensure the groom would keep an eye on him and bring him safely home.
It was for the best. Tanner roamed the streets of London, hardly recognizing where he went until he looked up to see the gentlemen's club where he knew Sir Francis took his breakfast.
"What have I got to lose?" he asked, tapping Brutus' sides and crossing the street. All he possessed was with him. The clothes on his back and the horse under him.
Since Tanner was to be tossed out of his home, he was happy to have a friend in his loyal stallion. It made him sick to think of Mrs. Molly, though. As soon as the fight was done, he would make haste to Meryton to ensure she and the rest of his helpers were provided for. He would write to her that very day. At the least, he would make sure she knew he would not leave them without the prospect of employment. He would call in every favor ever owed to him to ensure they had positions to go to. He would not leave them to Lofton.
Once again
, he knocked on the door only to be refused entry (albeit, a touch more angrily this time). Tanner looked over the footman's head, trying to see if he might catch sight of Sir Francis, but there was nobody there.
Turned away, he attempted to speak with Sir Francis' servants. Surely his coachman was not too grand to grant Tanner a minute of his time.
But it was not to be. The coachman was too busy making a repair that needed done before he could collect his master from the club and convey him to his offices. Tanner could not make him pay attention without causing a scene which might have landed him in trouble with the local constables.
He returned to Darcy House hours later, absolutely defeated, but too stubborn to give up.
He paced the floors of his bedchamber, trying to think of his next step and growing in frustration when it seemed that Lofton was one step ahead of him every time. He had ensured that no society gentlemen would speak with him. Tanner was convinced the fight would not be a fair one with the crowds clearly on Lofton's side. If that were not enough, he had made sure Tanner had nothing left to return to after his public defeat.
Tanner felt like a dog backed into a corner, but he would not cower. He would come out biting rather than surrender. He had nothing else.
He took his dinner in his room, not wanting to spoil the meal for everyone else with his sour mood.
A knock sounded on his door, and Darcy poked inside before Tanner could tell him to go away. "Mrs. Annesley told us what happened. I will go to my solicitor on the morrow to inquire about the legalities."
It was thoughtful, but pointless. "You would be wasting your time, but I thank you."
“Mrs. Annesley will require a better answer than that. You bring out the fire in her personality — a necessary quality, I should think for the wife of an innkeeper. We will get your inn back, Tanner. We cannot let Lofton win so easily.”
That was it! Of course. Arabella — or rather, her father — was the key. Why had he not thought of it before? “Darcy, we have approached every gentleman mentioned in Lofton’s journal, but we have failed to approach the man most adversely affected by Lofton’s dealings. Tomorrow, I will call at Shadewood Manor.”
"Do you believe it wise that we go there? Mr. Hardcastle has shown no signs of reconciling with his daughter, and his disapproval of you is marked."
"I will go alone. What I have to say to him will be difficult enough for him to hear without you there to witness it."
Darcy did not look pleased. "You are decided?"
"Immovably. I will not budge."
"Stubborn."
“Tenacious. It sounds better, remember?” Tanner said with a smile, hopeful for the first time since that morning.
Darcy grinned. "Very well. Tell me what I can do. Let me help you. What do you intend to do about Lord Lofton? It is too late now to take to the papers. We do not have the support we need."
Tanner sighed. "I tried Sir Francis’ club again today and was turned away quicker than a drunk reaches the bottom of his tankard. How are our judges doing?"
"They only need gentlemen willing to accuse Lofton of his growing list of crimes. But they are powerless to do anything unless someone is brave enough to stand up against the fiend."
Tanner crossed his arms. "Which is why I aim to convince Mr. Hardcastle to charge Lofton with the murder of his son."
Chapter 27
Arabella had not seen Tanner all day. The previous evening, he had taken his dinner in his room, and though Mr. Darcy had conversed with him, no amount of prying could reveal what he intended to do.
Footsteps sounded from the corridor, and Arabella rushed out to see if it was him.
"That is not him, Arabella. Tanner's walk is heavier," said Georgiana, plucking the keys of her pianoforte. The sweet young lady had been playing lighthearted songs all morning in an effort to lessen Arabella's anxiety.
Still, Arabella peeked down the corridor. It was only a footman.
Elizabeth said, "If he declared himself, he will honor his proposal."
Elizabeth and Georgiana had extracted every little detail of Arabella's encounter with Tanner from the day before, and she was all too pleased to recount every second of it, reliving their delicious kiss again.
Arabella moped. "That is the thing. He declared himself … in a way … but he did not exactly propose."
Elizabeth lowered her chin. "I thought perhaps you had left that part out."
Georgiana sighed, "Still, how romantic for a dashing man to tell you he loves you."
Arabella's heart raced in panic. "I did not leave anything out. He did not propose, nor did he tell me in so many words that he loves me. It was in every way implied, but never said."
Elizabeth shook her head slowly. "If Tanner made you feel that he loved you, it was because he meant it. He does not possess a devious or subtle bone in his entire body."
True. "But he is too responsible to propose when he has no employment and no home." Arabella's voice failed her, and she could say no more. Dropping her head in her hands, she choked out, "All because of that wretched Lofton. I could kill him with my bare hands!"
"Careful of what you say aloud," cautioned Elizabeth. "You would be the first suspect were something to happen to Lord Lofton."
Georgiana asked pensively, "How difficult would it be to slip a little poison into his port wine?"
Arabella asked, "Why port?" liking Georgiana’s turn of thought and already scheming how she could take the place of a kitchen maid in Lofton's house.
"It is sweet and would cover over the bitter taste. Most poisons are said to be bitter, you know. Or we could lace his beer with strychnine. Some taverns — not Tanner's of course — do this. Or so I have been told."
Elizabeth exclaimed, "By whom?"
Georgiana shrugged her shoulders. "A couple tankards of bitters ought to do the trick."
Elizabeth insisted, "How do you know this?"
Georgiana shrugged again. "I read a lot."
"Remind me to talk to William about your choice of subject material," Elizabeth said with a chuckle.
"William encourages the improvement of my mind through extensive reading. I do not think he will disapprove if I study the effects of toxic herbs … and whatnot," said Georgiana with wide, innocent eyes. "Besides, just because I know these things does not mean I will actually do them," she added, finishing with a mumble, "Though it is tempting."
Arabella laughed at Georgiana's open speech. Though she had improved by leaps and bounds, Georgiana was still painfully shy. It took a lot of effort to draw her out and to speak plainly. The gentleman who took pains to do so would be rewarded with a clever, humorous wife, who would keep him on his toes with her ability to read people as easily as she read a book.
Elizabeth laughed too. "I fear I have been a bad influence. What shall we do when you leave us, Arabella?"
Arabella clasped her hands together.
Elizabeth arched her eyebrow. "I have no doubt but that you will leave us. Tanner is a man worthy of your heart, and I know you shall be very happy together."
Together. What sweet, hopeful words. Words to fight for. Tanner was right about her. She would not let him down, nor could she let him fail. She refused to allow Lofton to boast any victory over him when Tanner would do anything — had done everything — to help the people he loved. He had proven himself over and over.
What had she done for him? Not enough.
That would change.
"I do not know what to do. Even if Tanner's plan meets with success against Lofton, he loses everything for which he has worked so hard his entire life. And then, what is left for me but to wait when I am already past the bloom of my youth? I lack patience. I want society to respect Tanner. I want him to offer for me. I want to help him crush Lofton so completely that he would not dare approach any of us ever again. I want Tanner to feel worthy because he is."
Elizabeth chewed on her lip. "I see. Let us leave Lofton to the men, then. The way to Tanner's heart is through his in
n. We need to find a way to get it back. Then, Lofton has nothing against him."
"My thoughts exactly," said Arabella. "I was hoping you would agree with me. I have given the matter a great deal of thought, and I believe I have a worthy plan. But it is bold and audacious, and I do not trust my judgment without the support of my friends."
Georgiana spun around on her piano bench. "Bold and audacious? Do tell!"
The three ladies huddled together, Georgiana and Elizabeth paying rapt attention as Arabella explained every detail she had contemplated thus far.
She had only just finished and awaited the response of her trusted companions when Mr. Darcy entered the room. He saw them leaning toward each other.
Georgiana's face was aglow with excitement, and Elizabeth rubbed her hands together under her chin with a small smile curling her lips.
"What are you discussing so intensely?" he asked.
Arabella was encouraged to smile on seeing her friends' positive reactions.
His step paused, and his teasing manner turned serious. "Should I be concerned?" he asked.
Elizabeth rose from her chair to stand beside him. Taking his arm and pecking him on the cheek, she said, "You will know when the time is right. In fact, the success of our plan depends in great part on your participation."
She could not have been vaguer, and her husband did not appear appeased in the least.
Georgiana giggled at her brother's caution. "It is bold, and it is audacious, and I think it is brilliant!"
Arabella sighed in relief. They approved. Her plan, though impulsive and impetuous, could not be completely without merit if two other ladies she respected for their intelligence supported it.
But there was one vital piece of information she needed. Addressing Mr. Darcy, she asked, "You have been training with Tanner, have you not? How does he fare?"
She tried not to betray how important Mr. Darcy's answer was to her, but she still could not breathe with ease.
Mr. Darcy considered her intensely, and she could practically see his mind working on her plan. If she was not careful, he would figure it out. Would he approve? Lord, she hoped so.
