The Duke's Bride (21 page)

“I know when the battle is lost. But if you dare hurt
her or leave her, I will be there in a minute. Do we understand each other?”

A black fury swept through Roderick. “Oh, I
understand. If you so much as touch her in any intimate way, I shall kill you.
Do you understand?”

The captain laughed, looking not the least bit
threatened. “Well, then, now that we have an agreement, I think we should look
for your lost love. Some of these women can be quite catty and who knows what
they will say to her. You have to marry her as soon as possible, you do know
that?”

“Curse you, James. I think I can handle my own wedding.”

 The captain frowned as he gazed over the crowd.
“They are a cruel bunch, and they don’t even know it. I did warn her not to
come. But she would not hear of it. She would battle the entire
ton
to
see you. Personally, I think you a fool to let it go on this long.”

Roderick had no answer because he knew the man was
correct. He should never have left Jane in such a predicament. It did not matter
what she said. He was responsible for protecting her, and he had failed. Again.
He thought about Cecile and felt more the fool than ever before.

“It’s quite an act of love, I must say,” the captain
continued. “To come here and endure the gossip. This weekend will test her
nerves because people have already been whispering cruel things. I would have
taken some of them aside, but she was right there. I could not embarrass her
more. It’s a deuced shame that men in these type of incidents barely take a black
mark at all.”

Roderick felt about an inch high. He marched toward
the doorway with the captain on his heels. He glanced over his shoulders. “If
anyone dares to say anything about her, I will box the ears.”

The captain nodded, his face grim. “Finally, we agree
completely.”

Roderick peered down the hall. Sconces lit the way to
the various rooms. Worry filled him. “I believe if she had to attend to her
womanly needs, she would have been done by now.”

The captain glowered at him. “She went looking for
you. I assumed she was with you.”

“Then why the devil did you not escort her?” Roderick barked,
his fear increasing. If Jane had retired for the night, she would have told
someone, including the captain. Roderick did not like the notion of Jane having
to communicate her whereabouts to someone other than him. Guilt wrapped around
his heart, and he felt quite small indeed

The captain sighed. “Perhaps she found—”

A screamed ripped through the air, sending Roderick
running. “It’s Jane!”

R
oderick swore as he slammed his body against one
of the salon doors, trying to turn the handle. “The blasted thing is locked!”

Blood pumped through his veins as he stared in horror
at the captain. “Who the devil’s in there with her?”

Worried, the captain glanced over his shoulder and
cursed. “A crowd is beginning to gather.”

“Does anyone have a key?” Roderick yelled, not caring
a whit about the swarm of people filling the hallway. “I need the confounded
key!”

Lady Vexfield hurried his way. “Who’s in there?” she
asked, frowning and calling for the housekeeper.

“Saw Lord Garette in there earlier,” a man called out.
“Was a bit foxed.”

Lady Vexfield took the keys from the housekeeper’s
hands and passed them to Roderick. A few seconds later, he turned the correct key
and with a quick push, opened the door.

“Jane,” he gasped, his eyes going wide at the sight.

Lord Garette was lying on the floor, motionless. Jane
hovered over him, holding a fire poker in her hand, her gaze wild and jerky.

Roderick stared at her frightened face and torn gown. He
swore beneath his breath as he strode toward her. What had the blackguard done
to her?

Her entire body was trembling. She dropped the fire
poker and looked up with a watery blue gaze. “He…he…”

Roderick gathered her into his arms, tucking her head
against his chest. “It’s all right, sweetheart. It’s all right.”

“Is he dead?” she sobbed into his waistcoat. “I didn’t
mean to kill him.”

Gasps of horror echoed off the walls as people peeked
through the doorway.

“Garette dead!”

“Murdered!”

“Fallen woman!”

Lady Vexfield stepped into the salon and turned around
to push the onlookers out of the room. Captain Argyle closed the door and stood
in silence, watching.

Frowning, Lady Vexfield looked at Lord Garette and
worried her hands against her gown. “Goodness, whatever happened? Did he drink
too much?”

Roderick snarled. “I think it’s obvious what happened,
madam. The man attacked my wife.” He dared Lady Vexfield to deny the situation
or his marital state.

The lady opened her mouth, then decided to close it.

Captain Argyle bent down to examine Garette.

“Well?” Roderick asked, watching the captain.

Green eyes lifted and gleamed with regret. “Dead,” the
captain whispered.

Jane groaned into Roderick’s chest. Her knees buckled
and he swung her into his arms.

Lady Vexfield staggered toward the couch. “Impossible.
I cannot have a man die at my ball! It just isn’t done!”

“I never struck him,” Jane sobbed, pointing to the
fire poker. “He just collapsed. Before he fell, I tried to run, but he wouldn’t
let me go. After he hit me, I lost consciousness. I was only out for a short
time. I just don’t know. A few seconds, maybe…”

Roderick caressed her back and looked at the captain.
“Well?” he asked, hoping the captain had some answers.

The captain stood and gazed thoughtfully at Roderick.
“There is a dead man on the premises. Jane was here. There will be questions.”

“You mean he is truly dead?” Lady Vexfield gasped,
looking horrified. She glared at Jane. “You did it! We will have to call the
magistrate! You will be charged in his death! I cannot have a killer walking
about my party. It will ruin it.”

“Enough!” Roderick shouted. His cold gray eyes froze
the lady to her spot. “Who is the magistrate?”

The lady blinked, lifting a haughty chin. “Why, my
husband, of course. We cannot let something like this go unpunished. He is an
earl, after all.

“She!” The lady pointed to Jane, “… is a fallen woman!
The only reason I invited her was because the king insisted. I should never
have done so.”

Jane’s face turned white with fright. She burrowed
into Roderick’s arms, trying to find a comfort he could not fully give. Roderick
felt his world turning upside down. A man was dead. The captain was correct.
There would be questions.

He held Jane tight, knowing he had never loved her as
much as he did at that moment. “You heard my wife,” Roderick said, his voice
frosty. “She never hit the man. He attacked her. She tried to escape. Frankly, I
fail to see how that makes her a murderer.”

Captain Argyle frowned. “We will have to call Lord Vexfield
into the room. The other guests saw it, Roderick. We cannot hide what has
happened.”

“Then get the king in here too,” Roderick replied to Lady
Vexfield, his harsh tone making her step back.

Lady Vexfield huffed and started for the door. “His
Majesty will not want to become entangled in this.” She narrowed a meaningful
gaze toward Jane. “Not with the likes of her!”

Roderick clenched his teeth and spat out his words.
“If you were not a lady, I would call you out at dawn.”

Lady Vexfield gasped in outrage. “Well, I never!”

Roderick spoke in a mere whisper, but his words held
such venom, even the captain flinched. “You, Lady Vexfield, will never have
another party here, or in London, if you say another word about this lady. Do I
make myself perfectly clear?”

“Is that a threat?” the lady asked, her voice shaky.

Roderick gathered Jane and placed her gently on the sofa.
He angled a meaningful gaze toward the captain, silently asking the man to
watch over her. The captain nodded and poured out a glass of wine, handing it
to Jane.

In the meantime, Roderick walked toward Lady Vexfield.
He towered over her, not feeling a bit sorry for his host. A man had died, yes.
But this lady wanted to label Jane a murderess without any facts. Well, not his
Jane. Not now. Not ever. “Get your husband, madam. I believe the last I saw of
him, he was with Lady Trayton. And bring the king as well.”

The lady’s eyes went wide and her face drained of
color. With a huff, she spun on her slippers and yanked open the door to leave.

Frowning, Roderick spun around and regarded Jane’s
trembling body.

The captain’s expression was dark as he took Roderick
aside. “Get her out of this room. Now.”

Roderick’s lips thinned as he glanced at Garette. “I can
take her up to my chambers.”

The captain raised his brow. “That will only make
tongues wag more than they are now.”

“I don’t care a devil about what people say,” Roderick
snapped in a low voice for only the captain to hear. “She is my wife, confound
it! She will always be my wife! When you leave here, fetch the vicar. No, wait.
Find Agatha! If anyone can move mountains, it’s that lady.”

And with that, he swept Jane into his arms, tucked her
head against his chest and hurried her along the hall, up the stairs and into
his bedchambers.

  Agatha knocked on the door of Roderick’s guest
chambers and pushed her way inside, without waiting for an answer.

Roderick stood by the bed and glanced her way. “Devil
take it, madam. You take your liberties too far.”

Agatha closed the door and stared in concern at Jane
lying on the bed with eyes closed. The older lady clasped her hands together.
“Jane,” she cried, her tone shaky.

Roderick brushed a worried hand over his forehead and
sat on the bed beside his wife. “She fainted downstairs,” he said, whispering. “She
was delicate before, but I fear her health is still quite fragile. Has she been
ill? She woke for a few minutes. I had to hold her hand until she fell asleep.”

Agatha’s eyes filled with tears. The lady seemed to be
having trouble speaking. “Well, I would not say she has been ill, per se. But I
do have something to say, so if you would please not interrupt me, let me tell
you the entire story.”

Roderick shot her a suspicious look. “Jupiter, Agatha.
You look as if you have killed someone? You did not have a hand in Garette’s
death, did you?”

Her expression turned angry. “Wish I had.” She bit her
lip. “Is Jane…all right?”

Roderick grimaced as he took in Jane’s pale face. “I
believe the man did not violate her to the extent we are thinking.”

Agatha let out a relieved breath. “She has had a hard
time of it, you know, and some of it is my fault.”

Roderick frowned. “Go on.”

He stood and gave her a chair that was near the
wardrobe. “I am all ears,” he said softly, taking his seat beside Jane.

“I know that we have not agreed on everything,” Agatha
replied, keeping her voice to a whisper. “But you must admit, I have always had
Jane’s welfare utmost in my mind.”

Roderick grasped Jane’s hand in a gentle hold. “She is
everything to me, Agatha,” he said quietly, staring at Jane’s face. “She will
marry me, even if I have to force her. It is for her own good.”

“I agree, but—”

“There will be no buts,” Roderick said in a hushed
tone as he turned back to the older lady. “With Garette dead, there are those
who would want to see her tried for murder. I won’t have it. With my name
behind her, she will have a better chance. It is imperative.”

Agatha pinched her lips together. “We shall handle
that in good time, but the reason I am here is because of that marriage license
situation.” The lady looked up at the ceiling, anywhere but in Roderick’s
general direction. “It is all rather complicated.”

Roderick watched in astonishment as the lady fidgeted
with her gown. Jupiter and Zeus, he had never see the lady so nervous before.

A sudden thought occurred to him, and he scowled. “You
were the one who had the marriage license examined, were you not?”

“In a way,” she said, sounding regretful. Her gray
eyes blinked back tears as she gazed toward the bed. “I admit, I was wrong to
have interfered.”

“Indeed, madam. But what’s done is done. The license
was at fault, not you.”

Agatha chewed her bottom lip and stood, pulling a handkerchief
from her pocket. “Ah, but there is something else I must tell you.”

Roderick let out a light chuckle. “Does this have
something to do with the king?”

“You know?” she asked in shocked surprise.

He lifted a curious brow. “I do not know exactly what
you have on him. But I have often wondered why the man shakes when you enter
the room.”

Agatha gave a trembling laugh. “Oh, on that. It is
best I do not tell you a thing.”

“I see. So you do hold some power over the man. Truthfully,
I think it hilarious he has to answer to someone other than Parliament. And,
someone who is not his mother. By the way, how is
my
mother?”

“Have you not heard? She has taken that voyage to
America with Bringston. In fact, she never heard about your marriage troubles
until she was almost on board. I believe some acquaintance of Bringston’s sent
a letter. I, uh, assured her the matter would be taken care of.”

“Thank you for that, madam. But what do you have to
tell me that is so important?”

An anxious look crossed the lady’s face, and Roderick
felt his world tilt. “By Jove,” he hissed in alarm. “Does Vexfield believe Jane
murdered the fellow?”

“He is still investigating the scene of the crime.”

Roderick shot from his seat. “There was no crime,” he blurted
out, looking back at Jane. “Unless it was a crime against Jane.”

Agatha stiffened. “Of course, Garette is the villain
in all this,” she said hotly, lowering her voice. “Our Jane would not hurt
anyone unless she had a reason.”

Roderick frowned. “Oh, she had reason. But I did not
see anything but a scratch on his face.”

“Yes, yes,” Agatha, said, taking a turn about the room.
“But that is not the only reason I have come.” She spun around, her gray eyes
accusing. “Would you please let me finish?”

Roderick leaned against the bedpost. “Go on.”

Well,” the lady said. “You do know how much I love
Jane. Like my very own daughter.”

“Indeed. You have made that point numerous times.”

Agatha looked ready to cry. “Well, um, you see, I do
have quite a temper.”

Roderick pursed his lips, trying not to chuckle. “I
cannot disagree.”

“Of course,” the lady continued, giving him a shaky
smile. “You could ask Clayton about what happened before he married my godchild
Briana.”

The memories made his smile. “I have been on the other
side of that temper, and your parasol, madam. By the way, where is your weapon
of choice?”

She growled. “I had it. But the king confiscated it.
He said the only way he would stay was if I gave it to him until I departed.”

Roderick bent over in laughter. He quickly caught
himself and walked closer to Agatha. “I knew there had to be something I liked
about the man.”

She straightened. “Well, he has no idea I have a spare
in my trunk.”

Roderick tried to contain his laughter. He did not want
to wake Jane. “Ah, a woman of means, I see.”