“One situation in need of rescue is believable,” Chad said slowly. “Two coincidences such as this is quite another story. Now be quiet or leave.”
He turned again to John and spoke in low, menacing tones. “I am forced to believe that you have desired my wife since first meeting her, Sir John.”
“Never mind the formality, Chad. I’ve told her we are old friends. I apologize for this embarrassment and will leave you to your wife.”
“Just a minute.” Sitting down, looking perturbed with the inconvenience, John waited for Chad to speak. “I have known you for a long time, friend. I daresay there has been a time or two we’ve courted the same lady. Am I wrong?”
“Just what are you getting at?”
“You stayed the night alone in the same room with my wife. Did you touch her?”
John smiled, a lazy and wicked smile. Chelynne blanched.
What was he doing? A quick denial sprang to her lips but Chad cast her a quick damning glare to cut her off.
“Well?”
“I did not press the countess into any submission,” he said easily.
“Then you did—”
“God’s bones, Chad! Anything the lady and I shared will not be made public and is better forgotten. I’ll not darken your door again. End this!”
“I must demand satisfaction.”
“No!” Chelynne cried. “Why? Why would you even care? Leave it, I beg of you, Chad. Just let him go.”
“Go to your rooms. Now!”
“No! You can’t force me away like that. He didn’t touch me, and you know I couldn’t say that if I couldn’t prove it. You know!”
“My wife pleads with me, John. Why?”
“Perhaps she has a gentle nature and does not like bloodshed. Especially blood spilled foolishly.”
“Ahhh,” he breathed thoughtfully, as if weighing the argument in his mind. “Then I offer you this compensation. Two years’ work on my plantation in Jamaica, well out of the country, and I will pay you fairly.”
“Are you so afraid I’ll accost your wife, pursue her again? Really, Chadwick, there’s no need to treat the matter with such importance.”
Chad’s jaw tightened. “Do you refuse this offer?”
“Refuse indeed!” John laughed heartily. “I found the little vixen on the street! I apologize for the inconvenience and that is all!”
“You have learned little about respect for another man’s property.”
“If she is yours and you treasure her, why does she run about the streets of London in the dark of night with no protector? You have learned little about the care a man should give his property! One man cannot abuse another’s holdings unless the first allows it!”
“John, you push me too far! By God, you’ll pay for this affront!”
“Pay? Will you swing your mighty sword or crush me with your earldom? I’ve had a bellyful of your blasted nobility! We were good enough friends before your father died and left you so mighty! Now you are above me and I’ve choices of punishments for saving your wife’s precious little backside. Is it truly her honor you defend or the embarrassment to your name?”
Chad leaned across his desk and stared coldly into John’s eyes. “Curse you, you bloody pirate! You’re never satisfied until you’ve goaded a man into trimming your ears! I’m sorry now that I passed up my last chance.”
“You pulled rank on me there, too, as I recall. You spared me because of my unfortunate lack of coin and arms. What excuse will you give for sneaking out of a fight this time?”
“What is this?” came a shrill and demanding voice. “What the devil are you two bantering about? I am the lady in question and I am neither dishonored nor abused. Chad, cease this madness, I beg of you!”
“This is no longer your fight, sweetheart,” John said.
“Sir, how do you address my wife?”
“A pet name for her I’ve come to adore.” He shrugged insolently. Chad’s fist hit the top of the desk with a loud bang. “The challenge is issued. Your choice of weapons—”
“No,” Chelynne shrieked.
“This is no time for your hysterics, madam. Go to your rooms now or I shall have you carried there!”
Chelynne stared at one and then the other in disbelief. With a horrified gasp she ran out of the study and made for the stairs. Chad came around the desk with amazing calm and watched her flight, noticing that more than one servant skittered away from the study door. He closed the door quietly.
“Should that suffice?” he asked John.
“Were we overheard?”
“Well and good,” was the reply.
“Comfort her if you can, Chad. It’s a dirty trick. I had not intended to hurt her, but perhaps she’ll take more care from now on. It was truthfully another narrow escape. When did the message come?”
“Not until this morning. Lovely little code you used. I wasn’t sure what you were after until you started chiseling away at my wife’s morals.”
“You weren’t worried about her last night?”
“Christ,” he muttered. “I spent more than eight hours walking London streets last night. I toured more dingy ordinaries than is to my liking, not to mention searching the riverbank a few times. I didn’t know you were in the city until yesterday and visited your sister late last night to see if she knew where you kept lodgings. I had every intention of getting your help in finding her. What is your problem? Exactly.”
“I’ve been recognized by one of Shayburn’s men. There are bills posted and I’m as good as caught. We can’t be seen together on friendly terms. I was at a loss as to what could be done to turn it around, until I came across Chelynne. Truthfully, I’m better off dead.”
“Then I shall oblige you, my friend. This afternoon?”
“Good enough.” They shook hands. John was about to leave and then stopped, turned, and smiled a little sheepishly at Chad.
“John, did you touch her?”
“I certainly did.”
Chad stiffened. “Then you never shall again. I mean that, most sincerely.”
“Then keep her better, my lord.”
“You’ve never lied to me, John. Did you take her?”
“No.”
“But you toyed with her?”
He nodded. “Expertly,” he added.
“Why?” The question was not asked angrily, nor placidly. John eyed Chad carefully and saw that he was feeling something, feeling it deeply. It was beginning to show on his face in spite of his efforts to conceal it. John felt sympathy for his friend, but sympathy would not help Chad...or Chelynne.
“Because she needed it. And because you’ve been a hellish husband.”
“You’re not very flattering.”
“And you’re not very smart...at least where women are concerned. Christ, Chad, she needs tending, and badly!”
“You’re an expert on that, I suppose.”
“Not at all, Chadwick.” John laughed a little indulgently. “But I have no blinders on my eyes. I can at least see.”
“And I cannot see? I have blinders?”
“Aye, the worse kind. Memories like thorns. Suspicions like barbs.”
“I think I can manage without your wealth of wisdom on the matter.”
“I hope so.” A memory came to him of the innocent and fiery sensuality of this maiden untouched who responded so totally. “You lucky fool,” John remarked, slapping a hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“Watch the blade of my sword, John,” Chad warned.
“Strike here,” John said, pounding a fist to his heart. “End Bollering and all his troubles. The earth thaws and I’m anxious to be planting.”
“You’ll regret this, Bollering,” Chad shouted as he opened the door. “I’ll run you through.”
John laughed loudly. “If I feel generous enough to give you a gift, my noble fool, I shall let you draw one drop of my blood before you die! Good day!”
Bestel stood inside the doorway in some confusion, hearing the harsh exchange between these two lifelong friends. He looked at John as he walked out of the house, but John totally ignored his presence. He looked now to his master for some reasonable explanation, but Chad was not so kind.
“Take dueling swords to the Bayberry copse at the edge of London and see if you can find me a good second. It’s to be out today.”
Bestel shook his head in sheer upset. He had been with Chad for a long time and was aghast at what hardship might befall this old and valued friendship. But Chad walked away without further words and Bestel was left with no choice but to do his master’s bidding.
Chelynne paced nervously about her room, the area seeming small and cramped to her now. Stella babbled, questioned and prodded, but Chelynne could not speak. She simply mumbled and fretted, twisting her hands, and wiping her brow with a lace handkerchief.
A light tapping came and Stella admitted the earl, Chelynne running her eyes over him with obvious contempt.
“Leave us, Stella,” Chad said calmly, looking only at Chelynne. The old woman obeyed quickly, leaving the two alone to stare at each other.
Chelynne spoke first, taking the first verbal swing. “Will you tell me what in God’s name you were doing?”
“You were there, madam. He wanted to fight.”
“What difference does that make? Blessed Christ, Chadwick, you’ve no cause to fight over me. You’d be doing it for nothing!”
“You are my wife, madam. If you are insulted, I am likewise.”
“I was insulted with that trollop you brought to the theater, which is the reason all this is happening.”
“What does that have to do with this?”
“You put me in a most embarrassing position, my lord. I could only explain away your display by acting a certain part and now all the court thinks I share my lady Graystone’s morals. ‘Twas Lord Courtney who truly accosted me and sent me running to save my worthless maidenhood! John only came to my aid!”
“Chelynne, stop this damning of me! You were there; he goaded me into a challenge. He hinted that you were intimate with him, and even if you weren’t I can’t stop the gossip now.”
“But you can stop a duel! Don’t do it, I beg of you! Don’t fight him!”
“Are you so afraid?”
“Yea! I have never known such a bitter fear! Whichever of you is wounded, the blood is on my hands! If you have no mercy for him, then for me, Chad, please—”
“The terms have been established, madam. We duel to the death.”
“You’re mad,” she gasped. “You’re both mad! Oh, my God,” she choked, tears spilling over. “I listened to him speak of you so admiringly. What insanity makes a man boast of fond friendship and then invite such hostility? Chad, there is no reason for this, no reason at all! You do not love me so heartily. You have never spoken of love at all! I beg of you, my lord, do not kill a man because of your wounded pride!”
He watched her in numb wonder as she ranted, and when her tirade was exhausted he moved closer to her and touched her cheek tenderly.
“Were his kisses so sweet,
cherie?
Was his touch that delightful?”
She took his hand in both of hers and looked beseechingly into his eyes. “You’ve done naught but push me aside, Chad. Pray do not condemn another for showing me kindness.”
“Was it kindness...or passion?”
“Kindness!” she insisted. “Anything...I’ll do anything to prevent this!”
Chad laughed bitterly. “What will you do, love? Will you stand in his stead? Will you take my sword?”
“Do not mock me!” she screamed. “I’ve been crawling to you; have pity at least! Forget this and I’ll never leave my rooms again! I’ll stay right here until I die...Oh, please...”
“He must have indeed shown you passion,” he muttered hoarsely.
“What makes you so damn certain he made love to me?” she cried furiously.
“Just a guess.” He shrugged, a hurt smile on his lips. “You never considered that I might be killed.”
“Oh, Chad—”
“Never mind, it’s too late now. There is nothing that can be done to change his mind and Bestel has gone ahead to stand ready. I have business, and I do mean business, before I meet him. He wouldn’t even consider waiting until tomorrow, so it’s to be out today.”
He started toward the door to leave, then turned to face her one last time before departing. “You’re not to leave the house. If I’m fortunate today I will be able to tell you of the outcome later.”
“Chad!”
He did not turn back to her. With horror she realized what she must have sounded like to him, pleading for another man’s life when her own husband was in danger. She could do nothing, and the tension threw her into hysterical sobbing.
Chad heard the broken sobs from just outside her door. He hated what he had to do to her, but he was not entirely selfless. He hated her a little for what she had done to him, too. He wouldn’t have minded too much if she had flung herself on him and begged him to forfeit for his own safety. She worried for John, and that stung him deeply.
Chad envied John. John was poorer, had a great many more troubles, and yet was always more sure of himself. He was sure enough of himself that he didn’t bother with that cold and suspicious part, like what Chad played for Chelynne. John knew how he felt, always. Chad didn’t always know if he was capable of feeling anymore.