An Unexpected Gentleman Part 16

aHeas very charming, donat you think?a she commented casually. aWhen he wants to be.a Gregory glanced at her, his bushy white brows lifting. aTangled you up some, has he?a aNoa"a aSure and he has. Youare wanting to paint a picture of him, but he wonat stand still.a aI donat need a picture,a she replied defensively. She had a picture. She just wanted a few of the smeary bits tidied up for her, that was all. aI know who Connor is.a Gregory considered her a moment before returning his attention to the wood. aCould be you do.a aI only wonder . . .a She bit her lip, struggling between her pride and the desire to understand. aHe was so quick to apologize, and that ought to be commended, but I canat help feel he simply didnat want to dwell on the matter.a aDonat know as the boyas capable of dwelling on that sort of thing.a Her mouth fell open. aAre you saying my husband is witless?a aIam saying heas a man. And selfish. The boyas always been selfisha"a aThatas not true,a she said, though she knew quite well that it was. She was in love with Connor, not blind to his faults. It p.r.i.c.ked at her, however, to hear someone else point them out.

aRaised the pampered prince, then left a pauper? Either one of those are enough to be turning a manas thoughts to whatas best for himself.a aHe thinks of you,a she pointed out.

aSure and he does. Love the boy, donat I?a Gregory carved a notch into the wood with the tip of his knife. aA body can be good one day and bad the next.a She reflected on that in silence for a moment before asking, out of curiosity, aAnd do you love him on the days heas bad?a aI do, but his selfish streak suits me, as Iave one of my own Iam not of a mind to be giving up.a She thought of the way Gregory played with George and the story of how head met Connor. aI donat think youare selfish either.a aAh, now youare wanting to paint a picture of me.a He pointed the stick at her. aItas single-minded, you are.a aIam not,a she insisted. aCertainly not so much as Connor.a aOh, aye. Determined, our Connor is, but Iad not be calling him single-minded. Too much of his time is spent looking about the edges of things, finding the ins and outs and ways around. A manas needing to be flexible, after all, if heas wanting to be both good and bad.a And a woman in love with such a man would need to learn flexibility as well, she thought. aAre you flexible?a aNay, la.s.s. Old is what I am, and resigned to my faults.a She heard the thread of amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice and wondered if the entire conversation was little more than a diversion for him.

aI donat believe you.a Gregory chuckled. aYou, not seeing the forest for the wood. Connor, not seeing the wood for the forest. Iam thinking youare either the perfect match or youall be after murdering each other in your sleep.a She understood the second half of that comment well enough, but the first baffled her. aI donat like riddles.a And she didnat like tying herself into knots in front of a man who may, or may not, be having fun with her. She didnat like tying herself into knots, period. Moreover, it wasnat fair to Connor. Head offered a sincere apology, and shead accepted. It was wrong of her to go about grumbling and doubting his motives now. Forgiveness was granted or it was not. There was no in between.

She inhaled deeply through her nose and rubbed her hands up and down her thighs in brisk manner. aDo you know, I think this weather has made me maudlin.a Gregory bobbed his head, seemingly content to let her change the subject. aAye. Fair gray out.a aI suppose weave been spoiled these past weeks, but I do hope our blue skies return for a time. Connor is taking me to Edinburgh next week.a She felt a rush of pleasure and excitement at the thought of the upcoming trip. Another reason, she thought, to cease questioning Connoras motives. Another sign that he was trying. aIave never been to a proper town before. I can scarcely wait.a aAye.a A grim smile spread across his wrinkled face. aLooking forward to it myself.a Pleasure drained so rapidly, it felt as if someone had reached inside her and torn it free.

She knew that smile. Shead seen it on Connor and his men countless times. It was the same smile they wore when they emerged from a long session in the study. There was only one reason for Gregory to be wearing it now.

aSir Robert is in Edinburgh, isnat he?a she asked.

aSure and he is,a Gregory replied easily. He glanced up from his work in the ensuing silence, took one look at her face, and sighed. aYou didnat know.a aNo.a aAh, well.a He transferred his knife to the hand holding the wood and patted her arm with the other. aGood and bad, la.s.s. Good and bad.a

Chapter 27.

Gregory insisted on walking her back to the house, and he kept up a steady stream of chatter along the way. Very little of what was said registered with Adelaide, and she scarcely noticed when he left her in the front hall. She walked to the library in a kind of determined daze and found Connor sitting at a writing desk stacked with papers and books. He gave her a distracted smile.

aGood morning, Adelaide. I thought you werea"a aWhat was your purpose in planning a trip to Edinburgh?a she heard herself ask.

aBeg your pardon?a He frowned when she refused to repeat the question, and his eyes took on a wary glint. aYou know the purpose.a aI know what you told me, and I know what Gregory told me. Heall be joining us. Michael too, I presume.a aAh.a He set his pen in its holder and rose to come around the desk. She couldnat see a shred of wariness in him now, not a hint of shame that head been caught in a lie. If anything, he looked relieved. aIs that what this is about?a He cupped her shoulders with his hands. aSweetheart, Gregory and Michael will not be joining us. Theyall be in town, yes, buta"a aWhy?a aSir Robert is there. Weave something in store for him.a The explanation was provided without hesitation, and it occurred to her that Connor could have demanded his menas silence if head wanted to keep his true reasons for going to Edinburgh a secret. He didnat look guilty or ashamed, because he hadnat been trying to lie. In all probability, the idea of doing so hadnat even crossed his mind.

Perversely, that made her feel worse. It s.n.a.t.c.hed away the comfortable shield of righteous anger that had begun to fill the hole in her chest and left her with only hurt. She didnat want lies, of course. She wanted honesty from him in all things. But would it have been so difficult to have at least thought of her feelings? Of how an invitation produced as an afterthought might look to her?

aI thought it was a trip for us. I thought you planned it for us, and that it would be about us, and weada"a She pressed her lips together to stem the rapid flow of words. There was a telling tremor in her voice that embarra.s.sed and frightened her. She hadnat confronted him with the intention of pointing out the heart on her sleeve. And yet she couldnat seem to make herself leave. She wanted something from him. A sign, a reason to hope . . . Anything.

A furrow appeared between his brows. aIt is for usa"a aItas not,a she whispered. aIt has never been about us. It has always been about your revenge.a Their courtship, their marriage, their daily livesa"everything had been based upon, or was arranged around, Sir Robert.

aRevenge?a He rubbed her shoulders. aAdelaide, itas just a spot of business. It makes sense. If weare to be there, anywaya"a aThen you might as well placate your wife by bringing her along?a She snorted and grabbed hold of the sliver of anger his words afforded. aEfficiency, thy name is Connor Brice.a aThat is nota"a Connor broke off and swore at the sound of a soft knock on the door.

A footman entered, carrying a silver tray with a letter on top. aMissiveas come for you, sir.a Connoras hands slid away, leaving her cold. He accepted the letter and dismissed the footman with a nod. And as he read the note, his lips curved into that awful, grim smile.

The sight of it filled her with a profound sense of defeat. aIall not go to Edinburgh with you.a Connor looked up in surprise. aWhy not?a She gestured angrily at the letter in his hand. aBecause Iave no interest in sharing the experience with Sir Robert.a aWhat . . . Because of the note?a His expression was one of bewilderment heavily weighted with frustration. aItas only a note. One note.a He held it out to her. aYou can read it, if you like. We cana"a aI donat want to read it,a she snapped. aI donat care what it says.a aYou donat . . .a Astonished, he dropped his arm. aHow can you not care?a aThis is your quest, Connor, not mine. Sir Robert has never been my obsession.a He looked at her as if she were a stranger. aYou donat wish to see him pay? Is that what youare saying?a aNoa"a The flush of temper crept up his neck as he closed the distance between them. aDo you want me to forgive him? Let him walk away?a aOf course not.a aWell, what the devil do you want?a aI want you to not care so much. Why must your life be centered around Sir Robert?a aBecause heas a right b.a.s.t.a.r.d who has to paya"a aThen toss him on a ship bound for Australia and have done with it!a She threw her hands up. aFor pityas sake, how much of yourself will you give to him? How long will you set aside everything else in your life anda"a aYou . . . Thatas what you mean, isnat it? How long will I set you aside?a A hardness settled over his features, and his voice turned cutting. aAnd I deserve that, do I? Have I been a poor husband, Adelaide? Neglectful of you? Cruel to you?a aNo, of course not. Iad not havea"a She snapped her mouth shut before she could finish the thought. Shead not have fallen in love with a cruel man.

aThen what the h.e.l.l is your objection?a he growled.

His green eyes were sharp with anger and swirling with confusion. And why shouldnat they be? Adelaide thought. She was poking and prodding and hinting, but never landing the point. Ultimately, she was trying to expose his heart while she guarded her own. It wasnat fair to either of them.

Taking a deep breath, she held his gaze and spoke softly. aI object because it hurts to see you deny yourself happiness in the pursuit of vengeance. I object because it hurts to be part of the life you reject. I want a real marriage with you. I want . . .a I want your love, she thought. She tried to say it, but the words tangled with the ball of fear caught in her throat. aI want a marriage that has nothing to do with Sir Robert and revenge.a Connoras eyes went flat, and for several long moments, he said nothing, gave nothing of his thoughts away. When at last he spoke, his voice was cool and faintly mocking. aWe had a bargain, Mrs. Brice. I have my revenge, and you have your fifteen thousand pounds. Are you attempting to renegotiate?a She hadnat thought of it that way, and though the idea of relinquishing her fortune frightened her, it was a fear she was willing to face. Connor was worth it.

aYes. Yes, I am.a A flash of surprise and fear crossed his face. He shook his head slowly. aToo late; you took the money.a aYou may have it back. I would like for you to take it back. I would like our marriage to be like any other. I would like you to . . . to look forward instead of back.a He balled the note in his hand and tossed it at the hearth with an angry flick of his wrist. aIs this a test, Adelaide?a She shook her head. Strangely, the more agitated he grew, the more rea.s.sured she felt. Head not be in such a temper unless at least some part of him was tempted by what she offered.

aNo,a she said. aIt is an offer.a aThe money in exchange for letting Sir Robert go free?a aNo. You may have your revenge. Iave no protest against seeing Sir Robert get his comeuppance. I welcome it.a Slowly, she reached out and placed the flat of her hand against his chest, and felt the brutal pound of his heart against her palm. aBut you can no longer define yourself and your life by it. It can no longer come first. Your anger and your revenge can no longera"a aDo I come first in your life?a he asked caustically.

Be reckless, she told herself. Be hopeful. Expect more.

aYes.a Her voice came out remarkably strong and clear. aI love you. There is nothing I would not do for you.a He shivered at the words. She felt the tremor pa.s.s under her fingers. But he said nothing, and simply stared at her for what seemed an eternity. Finally, he reached up and pulled her hand away.

aThen allow me this,a he said and let her go.

For a long time after Adelaideas departure, Connor remained in the library, going through every word of their argument. At least, he tried to go through every word. His mind kept returning to same spot, the same moment.

I love you . . . There is nothing I would not do for you.

Her admission had hit him like a blow to the chest. Head never known such an instant, irrational, and painful bliss. Head lost his air, lost his sense of balance. Head d.a.m.n near lost his mind. Almost, head agreed to her terms. In the first moments after shead said the words, head been willing to agree to anything, anything at all, just to hear her say them again. Fortunately, that moment of lost control had shocked some sense into him.

b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l . . . Let Sir Robert go? Was she mad? Head waited fifteen b.l.o.o.d.y yearsa"no, not waited, workeda"head worked for fifteen b.l.o.o.d.y years to see the b.a.s.t.a.r.d pay. And she expected him to toss it all away because of three little words?

Well, not toss, he allowed. Shead not asked him to give it up entirely. Have done with it. That had been her suggestion. As if he and Sir Robert were engaged in a minor quibble. Didnat she understand the enormity of what had been done, the importance of what needed to be done? How could she claim to love him and not b.l.o.o.d.y understand?

Suddenly in need of company who had no trouble understanding, Connor left the library in search of his men. Gregory and Michael knew what it meant to seek revenge. Theyad not wanted it for as long, but theyad always understood.

He found them in their usual chairs in his study, and after pouring himself a large drink, he took his own seat and explained his situation . . . In part, anyway. He skirted around a few details of the argument, and Adelaideas confession of love he kept to himself, but the basics were relayed.

As he unburdened himself, he began to feel better. His men would stand behind him, offer a bit of well-meaning, if useless, advice, and otherwise prove their loyalty to him and the revenge theyad all worked so hard to obtain. Comradery always helped to put a man at ease. He sure as h.e.l.l hoped it would ease whatever nasty bit of unpleasantness was chewing on the inside of his chest.

He rubbed at it without realizing and took another long drink of his brandy before finishing up his recitation. aI told her no, naturally. Iall make it upa"a aDevilas the matter with you?a Michael demanded.

Connor blinked at the outburst and set his drink down slowly. aNothing is thea"a Gregory looked at him as if head grown a second head. aPutting aside your own wife?a aIave not put her aside.a aAye, but youave put her after.a Michael shook his head in disgust. aA man thinks of his family first.a Gregory nodded and lifted his gla.s.s in agreement. aHis children, if heas having any. Then his wife, then everything else.a aPriorities, boy.a aI know what my priorities are.a d.a.m.n it, this was not what head come to the study for. aSir Roberta"a aAinat going nowhere,a Michael told him, before leaning back in his chair, his round face tightening into a challenging expression. aMorean what might be said for your wife.a aSheas upstairs,a Connor ground out. aNot missing.a aFor now.a aFor good,a he snapped. Whatever was gnawing on his chest clamped down with iron jaws. aSheas not going anywhere.a Michael mulled that over a bit before asking, aWhat if she did? What if she went missing?a The jaws gnashed and ground. aSheall not.a aBut if she did,a Michael pressed. aIf she decides she donat want a husband what puts her last. What then? Would you look for her?a aI donat put her last.a He reached for his gla.s.s, discovered it empty, and swore. aAnd of course Iad b.l.o.o.d.y look for her. What sort of question is that?a Gregory shared a quick look with Michael. aAye, but would you be looking for her if your brother went missing as well?a aIf he kidnapped her?a That question was more ridiculous than the last. Head never let it happen. aWhata"?a aNot kidnapped,a Michael cut in, rolling his eyes. aGone missing at the same time. Adelaideas left you. Sir Robertas gone off to hide in the laps of luxury and a pretty tart.a Connor pinched the bridge of his nose and prayed for patience. aIf there is a point to be made by these questions, make it now.a aWho are you going after?a Gregory huffed with impatience. aYour wife or Sir Robert?a aBoth.a Head find Adelaide, lock her in their chambers, then hunt down the baron.

Michael swore and tossed his hands up in defeat. aBoyas friggin hopeless.a Gregory muttered something about wood and forests. aNow listen carefully, lad; you know whatas being asked of you. Which are you wanting more, your wife or your revenge?a Gregory jabbed a finger at him in a rare show of temper. aAnd donat you be telling me both. Youall answer the question as I put it to you, or Iall be taking a strap to your hide. Not so bleeding big I canat beat some respect into you.a Connor struggled between his threatened pride and the respect Gregory demanded. He itched to call Gregory on his bluffa"Try it, old mana"and knew d.a.m.n well head cut out his own tongue before it could form the words.

Pushing away from the desk, he rose to pour himself another drink at the sideboard.

He wasnat the one being unreasonable. They wanted a simple answer to a complicated question. That wasnat the way the world was fashioned. Nothing was black and white. There were no absolutes, no definitive rights or wrongs. But if they wanted an empty, useless answer, they could have it.

Did Adelaide mean more to him than his revenge, or didnat she?

He forced himself to contemplate the notion of failing in his revenge. Sir Robert deserved to hurt. He deserved to suffer for every stolen coin, every second of hunger, every moment of fear and cold and misery. And Connor very much wanted to be the cause of that suffering, not just for himself but for Adelaide and his men.

That played into the question, didnat it? It d.a.m.n well should. How could he want Adelaide and not want to butcher the man whoad hurt her?

aSodding black and white.a aWhatas that, boy?a aIam thinking,a he snapped over his shoulder.

Though it chafed, he pushed aside the matter of what was owed to Adelaide and his men and imagined how he would react if Sir Robert disappeared in the night, never to be seen or heard from again. Head be furious. Without question, he would gnash his teeth over the loss of vengeance for a good long while. But eventually . . . Eventually he would learn to live with it. Head not be happy about it, but, probably, he could learn to be happy without it, or at least around it. Head survive.

Satisfied with the conclusion, he took a drink of his brandy and turned his thoughts to Adelaide.

If something happened to Adelaide . . .

The teeth in his chest tore viciously.

If she went missing . . .

His stomach twisted into a sick knot.

If she were never seen or heard from again . . .

The brandy turned to acid in his throat.

He set his drink down with a hand that shook. Holy h.e.l.l, he couldnat even get past the question. He couldnat bring himself to think of what his world would be like without Adelaide. Head all but torn his hair out when shead been gone for half a day. How could he even fathom a lifetime without her? How could he contemplate what it would be like to live, day after day, without seeing her smile, hearing her voice, feeling her warm and safe in his arms?

He needed her. It was as plain as that. He wanted revenge. He craved it. But Adelaide, he needed. It was a terrifying and humbling realization.

The thirst for vengeance, he understood. It involved cause and effect. It had a definable beginning, middle, and end. Vengeance was due because Sir Robert had destroyed a part of his life. The thirst would be quenched when the favor had been returned. It was simple, quantifiable, and most important, manageable. The nature of the revenge, the steps between beginning and end, the length of time it took to reach the goal, those were entirely up to him. Even the depth to which he wanted his revenge was, to a degree, within his power to alter.

But this need for Adelaide, he had no power over that. Because unlike a desire for vengeance, what he felt for Adelaide could not be quantified, managed, or defined. Unlike vengeance, love was not something he could control.

Connor closed his eyes and swallowed a groan.

b.l.o.o.d.y, b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, he was in love with his wife.

Every fiber of his being rejected the notion. He despised not being in control. He had no experience with love. This sort of love, anyway. He wasnat a stranger to other sorts. Head loved his mother and father, and though wild horses come from an icy h.e.l.l couldnat drag the admission from his mouth at present, he loved Gregory and Michael. The first had been the love between child and parents. It came naturally and existed simply because they existed. Gregory and Michaela"well, that was nearly as easy. They were the same as him. They wanted the same things, held the same expectations.

But this, what he felt for Adelaide . . . It was an altogether different sort of love. It was enormous, overwhelming, dangerous. It had the power to strip him of his pride and required he give over a part of himself, even all of himself.

aSon of a b.i.t.c.h.a aCome to a decision, have you?a Michaelas cheerful voice grated.

Connor forced himself to turn and face his men.

aYes,a he said. aI want Adelaide more. She means more.a She meant everything.

Michael nodded, then shrugged. aThen show her.a Despite the fear churning in his system, Connor chuckled. Show her. What a charming bit of advice from a man whose only known romantic gesture was to slip his favorite Boston barmaid a crown before he left for Scotland. Several times her usual fee.

aItas not that simple,a he muttered. Head given Adelaide fifteen thousand pounds. He sincerely doubted shead be moved by a tumble and a coin.

Even agreeing to limit the time he spent on planning revenge would likely prove inadequate now. He imagined offering his heart, laying open his soul to Adelaide, and watching her toss it aside.

Then allow me this.

Guilt flooded him and was closely followed by the fiery lick of panic.

Oh, h.e.l.l. Oh, h.e.l.l.

aI need to think.a Head apologize. Head take the words back. Head make it up to her.

Vaguely, he was aware of returning to his seat. Mostly, he was focused on how futile and trite it would be to make yet another apology. Head hurt her more than he could hope to make up for. Why the devil should she accept his apology now? Why would she even believe it? Shead offered him everything, more than head ever thought to hope for, and out of fear and selfishness, head tossed it all aside as if it meant nothing.

His eyes landed on the piles of papers upon his desk, and, suddenly, the panic began to retreat in the light of a new determination.

Shead offered more than head asked for. He could do the same.

He lurched from his chair. aRight. The plan is off. Weare done.a aWhat?a Michael threw a startled glance at Gregory. aThe plan . . . Entirely, you mean?a aNow lad,a Gregory said patiently. aI donat know as youare needing to go so far as all that.a aWe were thinking you might scale back a hair,a Michael explained. aMaybe take an extra hour here and therea"a aWeare done.a He grabbed a small stack of papers at random. aDestroy the rest. All of it. Do you understand?a The men exchanged another glance.

aAye.a

Chapter 28.

Adelaide huddled in front of the fire in the master chambers. She wasnat sure how long shead been there, curled up in the chair. An hour . . . two? She barely remembered leaving the library, or asking one of the maids to light the fire. Time turned murky and sluggish. The better, she supposed, to draw out every long second of her misery.

Her heart ached like an open wound, and twice now, shead crawled into bed, hoping to escape in sleep. But each time shead closed her eyes, she saw Connor smiling at that b.l.o.o.d.y note and felt him letting her go, and her heart broke all over again.

She tried to rationalize the hurt away, tried to defeat it with common sense. Her anger and disappointment were unreasonable. She and Connor had married out of convenience. Head never agreed to put her first. Head never promised to love her.

It was foolish of her to have hoped for or expected more than what she was oweda"his name and fifteen thousand pounds a year.

The lump in her throat broke free on a sob.

Foolish or not, shead never wanted anything, hoped for anything, so desperately in her life as to hear Connor return her love. And shead never been wounded so deeply as shead been by his cold rejection.

Then allow me this.

Oh, G.o.d, it was more than heartache . . . It was the humiliation of knowing she wasnat what Connor wanted, and the fear he might never have what he needed to find peace. What if revenge brought only a hollow victory? What if Sir Robert slid out of reach altogether?

She wiped her sleeve across her wet cheeks and wondered how she could stand ita"watching Connor suffer, knowing there was nothing she could do to help him, nothing she could offer that might bring him some measure of happiness.

The tears welled up again, but she sniffled and held them back as the door creaked open behind her. Thinking it was a maid come to tend the fire, Adelaide lifted a hand to stay her.

aForgive me, but Iad like to be left alone, please.a aI know.a Connoras voice settled over her softly. aIam sorry . . . Will you look at me, Adelaide?a She shook her head. She was shivering, and her eyes felt swollen and sore. She wanted time to pull herself together. aI wish youad go away.a aI know,a he said tenderly.

She heard the soft pad of his footsteps on the carpet. aConnor, pleasea"a aIave brought something for you.a He was standing behind her now, close enough to reach out and touch, and yet shead never felt so distant from him. aI donat want anything. I donat need gifts.a aThis one is for both of us.a His arm came around the chair, and in his hand he held a thick stack of papers. The top one was a badly stained map, hand-sketched in blue ink.

Bewildered, she stared at it. aI donat understand . . . Do you want my help?a He came around the chair slowly and made a low sound in his throat when he saw her face. With a carefulness that held her enthralled, he crouched before her and gently rubbed his fingers along the drying tear tracks on her cheeks. His green eyes trailed over her features, as if he was memorizing every detail. aI donat deserve you.a A frown tugged at her brow. aThatas not true. I nevera"a She broke off when he stood, papers in hand, and stepped purposefully toward the fire. His intent was clear as day. aWait! What are you doing?a He gave her an incredulous look over his shoulder. aItas not obvious?a She rose from the chair on legs that shook. aYou canat. It means everything to you.a aNo. It does not.a He lifted the hand holding the papers.

aStop! No.a She shook her head. aI donat want this. Youall regret it. Youall come toa"a aThe only thing I regret,a he said evenly, ais having waited so long.a aWait!a He dropped the arm again with a beleaguered sigh. aYouare not making this any easier, sweetheart.a aI know. Iam sorry. But if you do this . . .a Then he would have nothing of his revenge, she thought, not even the sliver head thought head already obtained. She licked lips gone dry. Shead never imagined it would come to this. aI should have told you, but I was afraid you wouldnat . . .a Her hands clenched in the folds of her skirt. aYou exacted no revenge on Sir Robert by marrying me. He never wanted me. He was never in love with me. His reasons for courting me were no different than your own.a He held her gaze a long, long moment, his expression unreadable.

aYes. They were,a he said at last and tossed the papers into the flames.

Adelaide stared at them in wonder, and as the edges of the paper blackened and curled inward, hope unfurled in her heart. aYou knew?a Connor turned from the fireplace. aYes.a aAnd yet you . . . ?a aI wanted you,a he said softly. aThat was never a lie.a The hope grew and was joined by a glowing warmth of pleasure that stole away her shivers. aYouave let your revenge go?a Her voice was whisper soft. aJust like that?a A part of Connor wanted to say yes . . . just like that. It would make Adelaide smile. It would answer the hope he could see lighting in her eyes. It would also be a lie.

aItas not all of it,a he told her reluctantly. aSir Robert invested a fair amount of money in a business venture that was designed to fail. If heas not heard of it by now, he will soon enough.a aDesigned by you?a aYes. I canat take that back, Adelaide. I wouldnat even if I could. Iall not leave him with the resources to be a threat.a She blew out a shaky breath and, to his profound surprise, smiled in obvious relief. aOh, thank goodness.a aYou approve?a aYes, of course. I never wished for Sir Robert to go unpunished. I only wanted . . .a aFor me to have done with it,a he finished for her.

aYes.a aI am done with it.a The promise was remarkably easy to make. Turning to stare into the fire, he watched as years of work turned to ash. He waited for a sense of regret that didnat come. aTwo of those were deeds to sugar plantations that donat exist. Some were forged letters. Missives from Sir Robert to a fictional gentleman by the name of Mr. Parks. They detailed the baronas distaste for a number of prominent members of society and outlined his future plans for a few of their wives and daughters. Gregory and Michael were set to see them delivered into the hands of Edinburghas elite tonight. And there were other papers, other . . .a He trailed off and shook his head. aI planned his ruin. Utter financial and social ruin.a aBut you no longer want it,a Adelaide said softly.

He turned to give her a rueful smile. aOh, I want it.a Evidently, Adelaide didnat see the humor. aI didnat mean to deliver an ultimatum. I never intendeda"a aI know.a aI donat want you toa"a aI know.a He moved to her, wanting to rea.s.sure, needing to be close. He trailed his fingers along her jaw and outlined the soft sh.e.l.l of her ear with his thumb while she watched him through soft brown eyes. G.o.d, she was beautiful.