Three Proposals And A Scandal Part 12

Tranter was no match for the big, burly man. "You've no right to interfere."

"Of course I have," Hillbrook said peacefully. "This is my house and you're no longer welcome."

Tranter was so pale that the long red scratches down his cheek stood out like fresh paint. "It's raining bullets out there."

"You seem to mistake me for someone who gives a rat's a.r.s.e for your welfare. You have two choices. Go back to London and face your creditors. Or you can take the rowing boat I'll put at your disposal, cross the river, and make for France."

"And if I choose neither?" His tone was sulky.

"You'll be stuck here until the waters go down. I'll have a message in London in a few hours, alerting the bailiffs that you're skulking in Wiltshire."

"You b.l.o.o.d.y mongrel!" Tranter tugged vainly to break free.

"Well?" Hillbrook asked, once it was clear the fight had drained out of the man.

"I'll see you in h.e.l.l."

"Undoubtedly."

Panting like a snared weasel, Tranter's eyes darted around the room as if somewhere he might find an escape. His gaze, bright with hatred and fear, returned to Hillbrook. "Confound you, I'll take the boat."

"Wise decision." Hillbrook shoved him down into a chair. "Now if you say a word or move a muscle, I'll lock you in the cellars. It will be good practice for debtors' prison."

"Good for you, Jonas," Sidonie said warmly.

"Marianne, you haven't given me an answer," Elias prompted.

"Not one penny, my girl," her father growled.

"Surely you can't want her to marry this jackanapes Tranter," Hillbrook said in puzzlement. "The man's a cad of the worst sort. Elias must be a better bet."

"I won't give her to a b.l.o.o.d.y Thorne. Tranter's bad enough," her father said, clinging to his prejudices to the last. He'd loathe feeling that events backed him into a corner.

Elias smiled, ignoring him. "My darling, will you be my wife?"

"Marianne, our offer of shelter stands," Sidonie said urgently. "n.o.body's forcing you into a decision."

"I know what I want," she said without releasing Elias's hands. "I want to marry Lord Wilmott."

"Oh, my dear..." His voice was a whisper, but happiness blazed in his eyes as unmistakable as the fanfare of a hundred trumpets. He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them fervently.

Marianne fought the urge to cry, wondering how it was possible to feel so joyful and so wretched at the same time. Although even her aches faded, now that she'd so unconditionally thrown her lot in with Elias.

Sidonie beamed at them both. "I'm so pleased."

"A quick wedding is the best way to scotch any rumors," Hillbrook said, taking charge. "Elias, if you go in the boat with Tranter, you can find a mount in the village and go to London for a special license."

"I won't attend any wedding," her father said. "As far as I'm concerned, my daughter is dead to me."

Marianne made one last try. "Papa, please be happy for me."

She realized immediately it was the wrong thing to say. His barely held temper exploded and his face turned so red, she feared that he might have an apoplexy. "I'll see you hanged first. I had a good match set up for you and you throw yourself away on a Thorne. And create an almighty scandal before you do. You're a disgrace to the Seaton family."

Her father's rejection bit deep. Her grip on Elias's hand tightened. "I told you that Lord Tranter tricked me."

"You went into that conservatory of your own free will. You're no innocent dupe, Marianne. I feel like I've never known you. Losing Camden Rothermere has turned your mind."

She straightened, startled at the accusation. "I didn't love Cam, Papa."

"What's that got to do with it? You could have been a d.u.c.h.ess and now you waste yourself on a bankrupt nothing like Wilmott. You played it too haughty with Sedgemoor and you acted the hussy with Tranter. Wilmott is welcome to you."

"Hold your tongue," Elias growled, placing his arm around Marianne's trembling shoulders.

"Be b.u.g.g.e.red if I'll take any insolence from you."

"I'll be as insolent as I like if you insult my intended bride."

"Papa..." Marianne began, desperately wanting to make him understand, knowing that the words to persuade him didn't exist. In making herself a public spectacle, she'd hurt him. He'd never forget that blow to his pride. His resentment would always outweigh his love for his daughter.

"You lost Sedgemoor and you won't have Desborough. Well, I won't have you." He shot her a scathing glance and stumped out of the room, slamming the heavy door after him.

As the bang echoed, Elias turned her into his arms. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. He'll come around."

"No, he won't," she said in a broken voice against his shirt front. "You heard him. He'd rather throw my dowry in the North Sea than give it to me."

"For the thousandth time, I don't care about the money. I care that he's your father and you're his only child and he's tossing you away like a worn-out shoe."

Elias's outrage on her behalf went some way to restoring her spirit. Her old life as the perfect daughter was over. A new life as Elias's loving wife beckoned. Already it promised more interest and fulfillment than she'd ever known. She raised her head and realized that she and Elias were the focus of attention.

Desborough approached and bowed. "Lady Marianne, your father is unjust."

She extended her hand and he raised it to his lips without kissing it. The courtly gesture was somehow exactly right.

"You don't deserve to be mixed up in what's sure to be the tattle of the town. I'm sorry, my lord."

Surprisingly, he smiled. "If I survived Lady Sophie jilting me, I'm sure I'll survive this."

Marianne winced. "You humble me."

Desborough cast a glance toward Elias and spoke with an extraordinary lack of pique, considering the circ.u.mstances. "This is the best outcome. I wish you every happiness." He bowed again and left the room.

"That was well done," Sidonie said.

"It was," Hillbrook agreed. "I hope it's third time lucky for him."

"He needs to find a nice woman past first youth who will appreciate his qualities as a man, rather than his appeal as a marital catch." Sidonie turned to Marianne and Elias. "I do so hope you'll get married here."

Marianne glanced at Elias. "That's very nice of you."

Sidonie smiled. "Don't you understand? You're our friends. We'd count it a privilege to host your nuptials."

"If the weather cooperates, I should be back by the end of the week," Elias said to Marianne. "I don't want to wait to make you mine. And thanks to Tranter's outrages, the sooner we're wed, the better."

She smiled back, although her father's wounding repudiation rang in her ears. "I've cast my bonnet over the windmill. There's nothing to be gained in delay."

"And much to be gained with swiftness," he said in a low voice. He meant that she'd come to his bed all the sooner. The thought filled her with nerves and excitement.

"Then we accept with pleasure," she said to the Hillbrooks, stepping out of Elias's hold, but remaining at his side.

"Lovely," Sidonie said, hugging her.

"You and this louse will leave at first light." Hillbrook hauled Tranter up, maintaining brutal possession of his arm. "I hope you're not planning any more high jinks, my lord. I'll trust you to walk out of this room without coercion."

When Lord Hillbrook released him, Tranter was wise enough to keep silent. Sidonie headed for the door. "Tomorrow, we'll plan the wedding. What fun, Marianne."

Marianne frowned. "Surely we'll only have a small ceremony."

"I want no suggestion that this is a hole in the corner affair. The chapel at Barstowe Hall will be perfect. If we're flooded in, we'll row across the river. A wedding afloat will be de rigueur before we're done. I wonder if we can get the Fairbrothers and the Rothermeres here in time. It would be lovely to have everyone together on such a special day."

Elias caught Marianne's hand as she went to follow Sidonie. "Thank you," he said, reaching to touch her jaw.

She released an agonized squeak.

His touch had been gentle, but he caught her just where Tranter had hit her. Realization of exactly what had happened in the conservatory entered Elias's eyes, along with a blind, consuming rage. She recoiled, although his anger wasn't aimed at her.

"Tranter?" he said in a flat voice.

"Yes?" Tranter turned back toward Elias. He was nearly at the door.

Without speaking, Elias crossed the room in four swift strides and rammed his fist into Tranter's face.

"For pity's sake, man..." Tranter staggered back. He struggled to summon some defense, but Elias was too fast. A cut to the belly had the blond man reeling and gagging.

"Touch her again and you're a dead man," Elias snarled, and this time the blow to Tranter's jaw brought him down with a crash.

Chest heaving, Elias stood over Tranter who groggily tried to sit against the wall. "Get up, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d, so I can hit you again."

Marianne rushed to catch one closed hand. "Leave him, Elias, he's not worth your trouble."

Elias's black eyes were opaque as they met her troubled gaze. She thought he hadn't heard her. Then a glimmer of reason appeared. "He hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Oh, Elias," she said on a broken note. She raised his bruised hand to her lips and kissed the torn knuckles. "He doesn't matter."

"He hurt you," Elias said stubbornly.

Marianne had never had a champion before. Knowing that this man would give his life to keep her safe filled her with such piercing grat.i.tude that tears p.r.i.c.ked her eyes. She said the words she'd never spoken to anyone. "I love you."

"Marianne, my darling-" Elias began as the door burst open and Richard dashed in.

"Jonas, the skies are clearing and there's a moon. Not sure how long it will last, but do you want to row across the river and check the damage there?" He stopped and regarded the scene with elegant surprise. "Good Gad, looks like you've all been having fun without me."

"We had a spot of unpleasantness, but all's well now." Hillbrook's aplomb matched his friend's. "Pray congratulate the happy couple."

Coolly Richard surveyed the room. "Desborough joined the rest of your guests a few minutes ago. So he's out of the running. Tranter's on the floor nursing his bruises. So I'm guessing...Elias won Lady Marianne."

"Just so," Hillbrook said. "Now I mean to tear him away from his new betrothed. If we've got a break in the weather, we need to move. Elias, can you quickly gather what you need for a ride to London?" Two footmen appeared behind Richard. "Capital. Frederick and Edward, carry Lord Tranter to the boatshed and see he doesn't leave until we've got him aboard. Knock him out if he objects." The butler arrived to hear this unconventional p.r.o.nouncement, but his bland features didn't change. "Goward, arrange for Lord Tranter's belongings to be down at the river in the next twenty minutes. There's no time to be lost."

The room exploded into activity. The footmen dragged out a woozy but vociferously complaining Tranter. Sidonie left to check medical supplies. Richard and Hillbrook went to change into their traveling clothes. Finally Elias and Marianne remained alone.

"How do you feel?" he asked, carefully tilting her face up to the light.

She managed a smile, although the idea of losing him, however briefly, now that she'd finally found him seemed too cruel. "He slapped me a couple of times. It's nothing serious."

His lips flattened. "I take it very seriously indeed. I wish I'd killed the b.u.g.g.e.r."

"Really, it's nothing much. I'll get Sidonie to look at it."

"I hate to leave you."

"It won't be for long. And when you come back, we'll be married."

"I can't wait."

"Travel safely." She hardly believed that the evening's disasters had reached such a hopeful end. With the exception of the bitter rift with her father, she couldn't have asked for a better conclusion.

"I will." He smiled faintly, stroking her cheek. His touch soothed the lingering soreness in the most magical way. "And try not to find any more men who want to marry you until I get back. Fending off your suitors is dashed exhausting."

"I promise." She knew that it was stupid to want to throw herself against him and beg him to stay.

He must have seen the distress she tried so hard to hide because he cradled her head in his palms. "I'll be back in a few days. Then we've got the rest of our lives together."

"I know," she said, gallantly trying not to cry-and failing.

He saw how close she was to breaking. His expression softened and he gently ran his hands along her shoulders, lifting the collar of his coat so that it hugged high against her neck. The gesture's unspoken tenderness only made her more tearful.

"Elias, unless you're going to London in what's left of your evening dress, you need to get changed now," Hillbrook said from the doorway. He wore breeches and boots and a heavy greatcoat. A high-crowned beaver hat dangled from one hand.

"You have to go," Marianne said hoa.r.s.ely, raising her hands to Elias's where they closed the coat at her throat to keep her warm. "Just make sure you come back."

Frustration flashed in his eyes at this unsatisfactory parting. "Nothing could keep me away, darling."

"Elias!"

Ignoring Hillbrook's impatient summons, Elias leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was short but powerful, weighted with all the words he needed to say.

He drew away, staring at her as if imprinting her image on his memory. "Dream of me."

"Always," she whispered, but he was already gone.