Page 35 of The Scandal of the Deceived Duchess
Amelia shrugged. She had turned back to face the fire, resting her back, like before, against Jonathan’s torso. She decided that she would ask Jonathan about his intentions concerning the war when they got back to Fair Weather Heaths’.
“I might have something to say about that,” said Jake, looking the soberest he had all evening.
“What, about the letter?” Jonathan glowered at him. He looked almost wraithlike in the fire’s light.
“Aye, about that.”
“Out with it, man.”
Anna shuddered at the force of Jonathan’s voice. She snuck furtive glances at Jake who looked as if he was attempting to pluck words from the night.
“I might’ve redirected that letter to whichyerefer, Jonathan,” said Jake at last.
“Redirected it?” Jonathan shifted his weight forward so that he looked over Amelia’s shoulder.
“Well,yesee when that letter arrived from Canada, I sort of hid it fromye.”
The expression on Jonathan’s face was incredulous. “Hid it…what on earth for?”
A smile flickered into action on Amelia’s face. She had understood immediately what Jake meant. However, she did not vent her suspicions, preferring to see the two men hash it out themselves.
“Doyewant me to be frank?” asked Jake, taking another swig of whiskey to fortify his resolve.
“Please do, Jake…and pass that over; I have the niggling feeling that I might be in need of a taste of whiskey once you start shedding some light on the matter.” He gratefully accepted the vessel containing the drink and took a hearty gulp. “Go on,” he said, smacking his lips.
“Ye sees,I knew thatyewished to ransom off the ladies to Amelia’s family…and judging by the contents of the aforementioned correspondence, they agreed toyerproposal.”
“I see,” said Jonathan, still looking very serious. “So, you read a letter addressed to me?”
“Aye…they offered a fair penny too. The Duke of Brandon’s son was very insistent on the matter that the ladies in question be returned to him as soon as possible.” Jake cleared his throat. “I didn’t want that, and neither didyefor that matter. So, I burned the damn thing, andyewere none the wiser.” He shrugged. “It was for the best. Think ifyehad sent them back; we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
“Don’t you think I should have been the judge of that?”
“NO!” chimed in both of the ladies.
“I would never have agreed to it,” said Jonathan with authority.
“Poppycock – you would’ve sent me packing the moment you saw the amount my former betrothed was willing to offer,” said Amelia, turning to look at Jonathan again. “I suppose it was significant?”
A playful grin materialized on his face. “That depends on the amount…how much was it Jake?”
Jake furrowed his brow in thought. “About ten thousand pound if I am not mistaken.”
“Mm…a substantial sum, indeed.” he mumbled some words that were incomprehensible. “Does that offer still stand do you think, Jake?”
A few heartbeats passed before Jake hooted his mirth like a grizzly bear sow in gestation. He rolled onto his back hooting his hilarity.
“You wouldn’t?” said Amelia. Her gaze never left Jonathan’s face the entire time. She could not hold the disbelieving expression on her face for long when she saw his features collapse into laughter. “You scoundrel, you.” She hit him in the chest with her fists, inducing him to even greater hilarity. “You nearly had me there.” She squealed when he flipped her onto her back and held her down.
“I may have entertained the matter for a sum such as that back then, but never now. You, my love, are beyond money; you mean the world to me and I could never part with you.”
“You mean that?” asked Amelia, no longer squirming. She was lost in his piercing gaze that oozed sincerity.
“Of course, I do, dearest.” Jonathan kissed her on the lips before he helped her back up. When they were seated again, he refocused his attention on Jake. “I am grateful to you, my friend. However, in future, I would like to receive my mail without it going amiss because my loyal first lieutenant deemed it unfit for my eyes.”
Jake nodded. “It won’t happen again, Jonathan.”
“Glad to hear it.”
