Julia London - Regency Vows - A Gentleman 'Til Midnight / The Trouble with Honour / An Improper Arrangement / A Wedding By Dawn / The Devil Takes a Bride / A Promise by Daylight

Ponsby studied Katherine. “Ultimately, you chose to take the risk and bring Croston aboard. Why?”

“My ship’s surgeon was of the opinion that the man in the water had been adrift for several days, and that a diseased person would not have survived that long without food and water.”

It sounded cold, even though the reasoning was sound. Fear of what might have happened gripped him, and he pushed it away.

“For God’s sake, I’ve heard enough,” De Lille blustered. “If Croston says he should have been left behind, who are we to disagree with him? I, for one, would be prepared to dispense with all this if Lady Dunscore will agree to find a husband.”

James’s lungs constricted. There was a murmur of agreement, punctuated by a snort of derision and more than a few sharply worded dissents. Winston, chairing the committee, cast long glances to his right and left, then looked at Katherine and smiled. “You will be informed of the committee’s recommendation on this matter, Lady Dunscore. Prior to that, if it does so happen that you should enter into a marriage contract...clearly, the committee would be most interested.”

Bloody living hell.

“This committee is adjourned!”

Nothing had been resolved. Not one bloody thing. They could not force her to marry, but it was obvious they hoped to try. He looked at Katherine, hoping to see her reaction, but she wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at Lord Deal.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

MARRIAGE. KATHERINE STRUGGLED to draw breath even though Winston’s words only confirmed what she’d already known. A husband was the only way to put an end to this. She simply hadn’t wanted to accept the truth.

The committee room erupted in commotion with the bang of Lord De Lille’s gavel. She didn’t dare look at Captain Warre. Instead, she pushed to her feet and made straight for Lord Deal with the weight of decision closing around her.

The committee’s implication was clear, and only a fool would ignore it. She needed a husband, and she would have one—but not one of the libertines who hoped to use Dunscore’s wealth to finance their excesses while slaking their lust in her bed. And not someone who might yet live thirty or fifty years before setting her free.

A man who would not interfere with her running of Dunscore.

Who would be kind to Anne.

Who would only have the strength for the marriage bed twice yearly.

“Don’t worry, Katie,” Lord Deal said close to her ear. “Just come to Scotland. It’s past time you returned to Dunscore anyhow—we shall both journey north, and once we’re there we’ll work out an arrangement that will be to everyone’s satisfaction.”

Yes, they would—but not in the way he meant. It was all but certain he was imagining pairing her with any number of eligible young Scotsmen. But once safely at Dunscore, she would make sure Lord Deal understood there was only one arrangement she would accept.

She looked into those kindly brown eyes and imagined being with him the way she’d been with Mejdan. “I can be ready in a matter of days,” she told him, even as something inside her curled up tight.

William pushed in next to her and gripped her arm. “The offer I made last night,” he whispered urgently. “I will renew it, if it will help.”

“I am honored, William,” she murmured, “but there is no need. I plan to work out a solution with Lord Deal.” Marriage to William would be a disaster, and would hardly satisfy the Lords—he was as suspect as she.

His expression hardened, and she watched comprehension dawn. “Don’t like it, Katherine. There’s got to be a better way.”

Just then Captain Warre joined them. “A better way than what?”

William’s mouth clamped shut, and deep inside, something began to keen. “Anne and I will be traveling to Scotland shortly.” William was wrong. There was no better way.

“Hell of a thing, Croston,” Lord Deal said, shaking his head. “Never seen anything like it.”

“Indeed not.” Captain Warre lowered his voice. “I’ll call on you later today,” he said. “We’ll discuss what to do next.”

But she already knew what to do next, and it didn’t help matters to be standing here next to him, looking at him, yearning so deeply to reach for him, to touch him just one more time before—

God help her, she needed to get away from here. Longing for Captain Warre would only weigh her down. “We should travel as soon as possible,” she told Lord Deal. “I must go home at once and begin preparations. Please excuse me.”

“Katherine—”

She ignored Captain Warre calling after her as she hurried away. Whatever debt he thought he owed her, certainly now he realized he was free.

And it would be fine. She’d done this before—or near enough—and she could do it again. At least Lord Deal wasn’t a stranger, and he was kind. And, as Mr. Allen had so mercilessly implied, soon enough she would be free. May God forgive her.

She rushed into her waiting coach, chased by the reality that her association with Captain Warre was finally over, and that Papa’s best friend would shortly become her husband.

But she had barely settled against the seat before the door wrenched open again and Captain Warre lurched inside as the coach pulled away. Her heart thrilled at the sight of him for one beat, then two, before a cruel hand reached into her chest and squeezed hard.

“Suppose you tell me about this ‘offer’ William made to you, and about the ‘solution’ with Deal that makes it unnecessary.”

Heartache spread like fire. She couldn’t have smiled if she wanted to. “Instead, suppose you explain why you chose to waylay my coach instead of paying a call.”

“What solution?”

She couldn’t discuss this with him—not when she knew he looked with pity on her time with Mejdan. Not when she could barely stand the sinking feeling of leading herself into captivity even as everything inside her wanted something more.

“As you saw for yourself last night,” she said, deliberately addressing the first part of his question instead of the second, “William was drunk. And anyhow, not even the soberest offer of marriage from William could ever be serious. Surely you know him well enough to agree.”

“I would have thought so.”

“A ship can only have one captain, after all.” She reminded him of his own words. “And William is not anxious to place himself under a woman’s command.”

The corners of his eyes creased, but only just. “Understandably so. I had the impression this offer was serious, however, because he feared the alternative.”

“For no good reason. The committee only confirmed what I’ve suspected and what I imagine you’ve known—that marriage would put a quick end to all this. I can’t believe you have any objection, as news of my engagement will certainly release you from your debt to me.”

Something deadly flashed in his eyes, but he merely shrugged. “Interesting plan.”

It hurt too much to look at him, so she turned her face to the window. This was not the way to her house. “Where are we going?” she asked sharply.

“I’ve ordered your coachman to take a detour through the countryside.”

Her breath turned shallow. “And your own coach?”

“Sent it home.”

“I see.” Dangerous possibilities careened through her imagination. Dangerous yearnings. “I don’t suppose you know of anyone looking for a wife?” she said, because Captain Warre on the defensive was so much easier to deal with.

“Not anyone willing to face the blade of your cutlass every time he wishes to bed you.”

The look in his eyes said clearly that he would find her cutlass no obstacle. Heat flooded her most secret places. “But, Captain, what kind of wife would I be if I did not allow my husband to bed me whenever he wishes?” It was imperative to keep him at arm’s length, because every part of her wanted to be in his arms. The reaction in his eyes was exactly what she’d hoped for. “And I intend to be a most dutiful wife,” she added, just to goad him. “In fact, I doubt my cutlass will play much of a role in the marriage at all. I don’t plan to marry a man who requires such measures to form, shall we say, a meeting of the minds.”