Darkest Valentine

by Leona Bushman

  “If your father didn’t have the title, then you wouldn’t.”

  “That’s enough,” Jarvis said.

  “He doesn’t want you to have it either, Robert,” Clarence said.

  Lillian gasped. “Of course. That’s your plan, isn’t it? Kill us all and take our lands, our money, for yourself.”

  “It’s our plan,” Robert said in disgust. “Uncle Jarvis is helping me get what should rightfully be mine. Like Grandmother’s money!”

  The petulant hatred in his tone grieved her. How could he hate his own sister so? What was it in her that caused such hatred? Or was it within himself? Her throat closed up with emotions. How did one live with a brother who hated you? Not long for her to worry about it, judging by their words and the guns.

  “That’s enough talking. We’re all going to get in the carriage nice and slow.” Jarvis motioned with the gun.

  “I will not. Shoot us here and now. I refuse.” Clarence’s tone held no defeat. His bravery helped her stand her ground.

  “And I refuse,” she said with more strength than she felt.

  “You will have to make us. And how you going to fight us and the drivers and footman? You only have so many shots.”

  Jarvis’ smile was like a demon’s about to take its prey. “I did not just bring young Robert. What kind of fool do you take me for?”

  Other men started coming out of the shadows, and Lillian held back tears.

  “Of course you brought other men. You plan to kill Robert. Can’t be trying to take us all down alone.”

  Lillian saw the surprise on her brother’s face. But really, it was the only thing that made sense for Jarvis to be involved so deeply.

  “He wouldn’t,” Robert said, but with less conviction from before.

  “Oh bother.” Jarvis spoke as if he’d stepped in a puddle, very little emotion escaping. Then he sighed. “I’d thought maybe to save him, but since you pushed it.” Jarvis turned and shot Robert, the report loud in the night air.

  “Robert!” she screamed, horrified as her brother dropped to the ground, not moving.

  “Now, I suggest we all get into the carriage. There is no time left before the peelers arrive.”

  Clarence pushed her back against the carriage. He turned to her for a moment. “Trust me, darling.” He again faced Jarvis.

  “You aren’t the only one who brought help,” Clarence said in that low voice again. As he spoke, men came out of the shadows, peelers in uniform, and arrested the whole group. “I knew that you might try for her tonight with her parent’s gone, same as I did.”

  Lillian wrapped her arms around him, sick with relief. He’d protected her, as he’d promised. He pulled her around so that she stood under his arms. “This isn’t the first time Jarvis has attempted harm on the person of Lady Lillian. Please add kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, and attempted murder to the charges of murder against a peer of the realm.”

  Clarence spoke to the man who was in charge. Lillian’s knees were weak, and she just clutched tightly to him. “What am I to do? What do I tell my parents?” she asked, horrified.

  “You tell them nothing. Your father allowed Jarvis loose. This is on his head.”

  Another carriage rolled up. The peelers turned to it, some with weapons drawn, while a couple kept a tight hold on Jarvis who was being escorted away to the hidden carriage brought for the purpose.

  “It’s my parents!” she exclaimed.

  “Who goes there,” Father demanded as he stepped out.

  “Are you the Earl of Lamberth,” the sergeant asked.

  “I am,” he answered as he stepped down and helped his wife to descend.

  “I regret to inform you, that your son, Robert, has been shot and killed by Jarvis, Baron of Chatham.”

  Father clutched his chest and held onto mother. “No,” he said. “It can’t be. He said…”

  “He said what, Lamberth? That he was innocent? Jarvis is the one who tortured your daughter and servant. If you’d taken five minutes to talk to your daughter, you would have known this and tracked him down before this. Or at least, I could have.” Clarence’s voice had that dark quality again.

  “What are you doing here?” Father bellowed, and she cringed against the anger. “This is all your fault.”

  “If I may, your lordship,” the sergeant stepped in, “Jarvis and Robert were attempting to kidnap your daughter, the Lady Lillian, and take her to a place unknown, with the intention of killing her. I heard it with my own ears.”

  Lady Lillian threw him a grateful look. Father would have to listen now.

  “I don’t bloody care. Leave at once.”

  “Very well, Father. But I am leaving with him.”

  “The hell you are. You will stay. I demand it. I am still your father.”

  “You are the one responsible for allowing Jarvis to escape after he tortured me,” she cried. “I will not return with you now.”

  She turned, ignoring his protests, and a footman suddenly appeared. “Seth,” she said, surprised. “Have you been here all along?”

  “Yes, my lady. Guarding Lady Sarah from anyone sneaking up on the carriage from the back side. Henry and George and I,” he replied as he helped her ascend.

  “Sarah?” she questioned, then saw inside the carriage. “Sarah!” She jumped forward into her friend’s arms for a much needed hug.

  They both started talking, then Sarah said, “Shh, we must listen now to see how much trouble your father is going to be.”

  Lillian sobered up and set close to the curtained window to listen.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  With anger threatening to undo a life time’s worth of honor, Clarence clenched his fist. “Your prejudice nearly cost your daughter her life. You came to me and had known about the bullet holes in her bed, yet forced her home with you. You let Jarvis go, did not warn her or myself, and yet, you still forced her home with you.”

  “She is my daughter.”

  “Than bloody well act like it. Put her safety above your brother. Your son is dead. You want to lose your daughter as well?”

  A tick in Lamberth’s jaw pulsated so hard, Clarence feared he’d have a conniption.

  “She is my daughter.”

  “Whom you put into jeopardy by allowing Jarvis to go free. How many times must I say it? I left him with you and took the others to a doctor for treatment, was injured myself. What say you to that?”

  “I—he said he was there to save her.”

  “Are you stupid? He’d tried to kill you, or had you forgotten?”

  “The heat of the moment, he mistook me for someone else,” Lamberth blustered at him.

  “Did he tell you that, or is that something you told yourself to ease your conscience?”

  The whole area silenced. Clarence refused to back down. Jarvis had murdered his father and now this man’s son, and Lamberth still refused to see anything but Amber’s part in it. “I am taking her to safety. I have already spoken to the peelers about Robert. You may stay and explain to them about Jarvis.”

  “You will not take her!”

  “Bloody hell, man, take stock of yourself.” Clarence was about to say more, but Lady Margarey grabbed Lamberth’s arm.

  “Is it true, Robert? Did you let Jarvis go? Did you know about the bullet holes in her bed and do nothing about it? Worse, you made her stay here?”

  “Margarey, I—”

  “Robert, you will leave this man in peace and allow him to take her to safety.”

  “I will not.”

  “Begging your pardon, my lords, but the carriage has left.”

  Clarence smiled. “She is leaving with Lady Sarah. I’m sure you are acquainted with the countess? Would you care to send a peeler after them?”

  Lamberth’s face turned a putrid color. Not even the lamplight could soften the sickly glow.

  The sergeant spoke again. “I will need a statement from you, Earl of Lamberth, regarding your brother’s whereabouts for the past week and any k
nowledge you have of his actions.”

  Clarence slipped away while Lamberth blew hot air at the peelers. He made his way to his mother’s and quickly climbed in where the carriage awaited. With his mother, Lady Sarah, Lady Hermione who’d waited with his mother until this arranged pick up, and him, the carriage was a bit crowded. His mother’s carriage had already left to the station with the trunks for their extended stay in Scotland. Information which he needed to share with Lillian.

  “Anyone want to explain,” Lillian said as she leaned on his shoulder.

  “Well,” Sarah began. “A few days ago, Duke Canterbury came to me and told me what had been happening and asked, well, begged, really, for me to help him.”

  Clarence huffed a bit at her description, but then realized that essentially, he’d been that desperate. “I…was not sure you’d forgive me, or if you’d blame me for your cousin, but I had to try.”

  “I think… I think living with the specter Jarvis over me my whole life, I understand that one person doesn’t reflect the rest of the family. I admit that I worried you would hate me because of Jarvis. He killed your father.”

  A pang clawed its way through his heart, but then eased. “He—”

  “What?” He’d forgotten his mother hadn’t heard.

  “Mother, it…”

  “Explain to me, in detail, from the beginning.”

  “I…” So he told her. Told her of the suicide note, his research the findings. He spoke of his being enamored of Lillian despite her brother because he’d found no gossip to say she was anything like Robert or Jarvis. He spoke of the night he’d found Lillian. And the rest of the tales. At some point, Lillian grabbed his hand in hers, and he held on. The pain in the retelling punched him in the gut, yet, the relief of being proven right, that his father hadn’t committed suicide, kept him balanced.

  “And tonight, Jarvis admitted to having killed Father. I knew he would not have committed suicide, not where you were likely to find him.”

  “And the gun was in the wrong hand,” she whispered back.

  Startled, he tilted his head in question.

  “I was afraid he’d shot himself. He was too good with his firearms, too careful, for an accident. But the gun was in the wrong hand. He wouldn’t have shot himself with his right hand.”

  “I thought the same thing, but the note…”

  “Oh, my son. My sweet, overprotective son. You kept this to yourself all these years, carrying that burden alone. And yet, you managed to look past it and love the niece of the one responsible. You are a great and wise man.”

  He smiled ruefully at her. “Slow and stubborn would be more accurate. I spent a whole season keeping away because of who her uncle is.”

  His mother reached over and patted his and Lillian’s hands where he clutched hers tightly. Tears dripped from her cheeks as she spoke. “But you’re both here now. That is the important thing.”

  “Before we go too far, I want to ask Lillian something. And no coercing the bride, Your Grace. Lillian,” the countess said firmly, though not unkindly, “are you sure about this? You fancied yourself in love awfully fast for one who resisted the throng of the ton. I will not have you marrying him just to get away from your father. You can stay with me.”

  Clarence started to object, to remind Lady Sarah that Lamberth could make life extremely uncomfortable for her and Lillian if she were to provide that sanctuary, but stopped at the razor sharp glance from the countess. He held his breath waiting for Lillian’s answer.

  “My parents would probably let you stay with me, too, Lillian,” Hermione said. “Not wishing to offend, Your Grace,” she added hastily when he gave her a leveled look.

  Were all her friends going to conspire against him? They’d agreed to stand with her, so he held his peace—for now.

  “I…” Lillian took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

  He wanted to push for an answer, but another warning glare from Lady Sarah had him gritting his teeth instead. Hermione’s sympathetic look did not help his well-being at the moment.

  “I keep fighting it. My mind says it’s impossible, but my heart insists upon him. It’s his face I want to see when I wake up. It’s his voice I want to hear. With him, I don’t feel so alone. He makes me feel safe. Do you understand how good that feels?”

  Clarence’s heart, kept so hard and closed since his father’s death, softened and expanded until he thought he would burst.

  Lady Sarah reached across the carriage and took Lillian’s hands in hers. “Yes. I do understand. Since my parents died, my security, and therefore, my safety, has felt in jeopardy. I’ve only lived with it a few years. You’ve had to live with it most of your life. But, is that enough?”

  The part of Clarence which wanted Lillian so much it hurt to contemplate differently, wanted to rail at Lady Sarah. However, that same part of him wanted her happy above all else. Was he fostering his own wants and desires over hers while telling himself it was what she wanted? Was he as bad as Lamberth?

  “It is more than enough. He’s proven himself to me,” she whispered. “He’s saved my life more than once. He is an honorable man.”

  Clarence tugged her to him in relief. “I am very glad to hear you say that,” he said. He wanted to make love to her right then, to taste her sweet nectar, to be touched by her. The carriage slowed to a stop, halting the conversation and his untoward thoughts along with it.

  “We are here. I have all our tickets in a sleeper car. Our trunks will be loaded momentarily.”

  “And then?” Lillian asked, raising her brow, but her voice held a sweet softness which melted his resolve.

  He cleared his throat. Then again. Lust hit him hard. “We head to Edinburgh. A minister is waiting to marry us on the morrow, then we have a room in the inn for the night, then off to one of my estates near there.” The words were unsteady because his mind was on the wedding night, on her being bound to him, and his prick had risen to attention. He cleared his throat again and hoped the cloak hid his state of sensual need.

  It took every scruple, every scrap of honor, every caring emotion he had not to drag Lillian with him and show her how much he loved her and wanted her. With a bow and a good night, he left the ladies to their…whatever it was that women did to prepare for bed and headed to the front of the car to hand the conductor their tickets. He went to his sleeping compartment and laid on top of the blankets after shucking off his boots. It promised to be a long night.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Lillian woke up to the conductor calling for Edinburgh bound passengers’ warning of approach in less than an hour’s time. The surreal feeling swept over her again as it had a few times since Jarvis showed up with his guns.

  Regret, sadness, and sharp anger bit through her. Sometimes, she wished that her grandmother had never left her the money. Maybe Robert wouldn’t have been so evil. Then again, without it, she’d never have had a way to stand up to Father and his old-fashioned ways.

  Now, Father would have to settle for her instead of a son. A pang for her loss swept over her. She mourned the loss of what might have been, of missing out on having a brother who was caring and protective the way Lord Archie was with Hermione. Speaking of Archie…

  Sarah lay on the other bunk, and Lillian shook her awake. “Sarah, time to disembark.”

  Sarah sat up sleepily. “Are we in Edinburgh already?”

  “No, but you must arise now in order to be prepared. You are not at your best in the morning.”

  The two of them helped each other and left the compartment to check on the others. Clarence leaned against the train window, staring out at the dawn. She strolled over to him and quietly put her hand in his arm. “It’s beautiful,” she said. The dawn rose up, light glistening off the water, the low peach glow warm and welcoming. “Thank you for saving my life—again.”

  He turned to face her, and her breath caught at the intensity of the heat in his gaze. “I fought myself over the feelings you stirred in me. I kept mysel
f away. Did I ever tell you that I gave in and asked for an introduction?”

  She shook her head no, amazed by his admission.

  “Before I made it to you, your brother had taken you off.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “I wish I had pushed sooner. Maybe I could have prevented all this.”

  Her hands went to his chest, playing with his cravat. She’d had a long time to think while waiting in her room the past few days. “It seems to me, my lord, that Lady Amber and Jarvis had their plans settled before any action you may have taken. Your father’s death is the catalyst for you, but something they had long set into motion. This is bigger than both of us, bigger, even, then them from what I saw, and we are simply cogs in the way of their plans, their personal Achilles heel.”

  She saw his eyes darken a moment before he dropped his head and kissed her, passion flowing through like a waterfall over a mountain side. He pulled her against him, and then stopped, and held her head to his chest. She nearly asked him why he stopped but remembered that Sarah and the others awaited.

  Her heart’s rate slowly returned to normal, and the safety she always felt around him wrapped her in a cocoon of love and security. The conductor announced their arrival in Edinburgh shortly thereafter.

  Reality hit her as she disembarked. She would end this day married, a duchess. Nerves started to rattle. She was really going to do this. A rented carriage with their trunks tied to the back waited for them. They checked in and were lead to their rooms. There were two suites. One for the women for now, and one which Lillian would share with Clarence after the wedding.

  As he explained the room situation to them, her cheeks heated. Finally, she’d be able to kiss him all she wanted. Their items were stored away, with hers set to one side. They rested a few hours, asking for a wake up time and repast at ten in the morning. The hotel worker knocked and came in with the tradition Scottish full breakfast. Lillian tried to eat, but the nerves had started back up. Her appetite simply was not there. She moved to her trunk and started to open it when the dowager duchess called out, “No, dear. We have a surprise for you. Come, child.”