Page 57 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
‘Frequent companion,’ Porchester said smoothly.‘One doubts that any artistic appreciation was involved in their tryst.But the lady is the most notorious gossipmonger in town.I cannot imagine a worse person to have learned of this.’
‘Exactly my point,’ Wiveton said.‘Fortunately I do not think that they heard all the details, but they will be aware that something is amiss involving my daughter and it is serious enough for my wife to have been in hyst— Er…in an emotional state and the Dowager to be deeply concerned.’
‘And it is now almost midnight,’ Hal said.‘This is one of the better inns on this road.I would wager that several of us have been recognised.Have any staff been in this room and seen Lady Thea?’
‘A serving maid and a pot boy,’ she said flatly.Hal thought he could hear a hint of resignation in her tone.
Mr Dudley cleared his throat.‘I will remove myself.My aim in seeking out this cur—’ he gestured contemptuously at Linton, who had crawled to the wall and was sitting there nursing his injured arm ‘—was the bring him to account for a slur on my family’s honour.I feel he has been dealt with and, in any case, I can hardly call out an injured man.I shall take a room here for the night and return to London in the morning.’
He bowed to Thea then walked to the door.‘You have my assurance of my utmost discretion, my lady.Your Grace, my lords.I will bid you good-night.’
‘Just what are we going to do with that?’Porchester asked, pointing at Linton as the door closed.‘My inclination is to drop him down the nearest well.’
‘The family have a Scottish estate, I believe,’ Hal said.‘A nice, remote, wet, cold and windy estate.One that is a long way from anything at all entertaining for the likes of Randolph here.Linton, pay attention.’
He looked up, his expression wary.
‘You will take yourself off to that estate tomorrow morning.You will stay there for at least one year.I will have checks made to ensure you do stay there.If you do not, or if I hear that you have spoken of this matter, or have done anything to damage Lady Thea’s reputation, then I will have you dealt with.’
There was a flicker of hope in the man’s eyes.Best to crush it now.‘You forget who I am, Linton.If I want you pressganged into the Navy, believe me, I can have it done.You really would not enjoy life below decks in a man of war.Now get out.’
‘But I am wounded.This is my room…’
‘I do not care whether your arm is hanging off by a thread or both your legs are broken,’ Hal said with soft menace.‘Get out.Now.’
Porchester hauled Linton to his feet, looked around the room, picked up a valise and pushed both it and the man out onto the landing.
‘Right,’ he said as he closed the door.‘That has disposed of the onlookers.The question remains, Lady Thea, which of us will you marry?’
Thea stood up and smiled at the Earl, and Hal felt a pain in his breastbone that almost stopped his breath.She was going to accept Porchester.
* * *
There was a long crack in the wall that had not been there before.It must have happened when her rescuers had dealt with Linton’s hired bully.
Thea stared at it blankly.Was she really ruined?Must she marry?
Yes and yes, she realised.
It would have been all right, perhaps, if Lady Severns had not heard enough to put two and two together and probably make forty.And if she had not been seen by the staff of a busy and popular coaching inn.Or even if it had still been broad daylight and she had arrived in an open vehicle.And there was Lady Helena Linton’s adder tongue to contend with as well.She already held a grudge, and now Thea was the cause of her brother’s exile.
But all of thatwasthe case.She could brazen it out, she supposed, but it would cause her mother anguish, her father already looked on the brink of a seizure and there were her brothers to consider.
The Earl of Porchester was an intelligent and interesting man.She trusted him.He would make a good husband and father and, although she could place no confidence in his fidelity, she was certain he would never be unkind or neglectful.And she would be safe with him: she did not love him, only liked him, so he could never break her heart.
On the other hand, Hal could snap it like an over-baked biscuit.He did not love her and she loved him.
Thea took a deep breath.There was really only one possible choice.
She smiled at Marcus Greyson.‘My lord, honoured and appreciative as I am of your offer, I have a prior contract.One which I thought perhaps was broken, but which I feel I should now honour.I will marry the Duke, Papa.’
* * *
It was well past midnight now.Thea sat up in the bed she had feared she would have had to share with Randolph Linton and watched the flicker of the dying fire on theshadowed walls.On a mattress at the foot of the bed, the serving maid slept, snoring softly.
Papa had announced to the landlord that, thankfully, he had discovered where her daughter and her escort had arrived in error when they should have been at the Peahen in St Albans to meet him.He had secured a room for himself, lavishly tipped a groom to ride through the night to deliver a note to Lady Wiveton and hired the maid to sleep in Thea’s chamber.
They would continue their journey in the morning, he had announced for the benefit of any inn servants who might be listening.Really, it was most incompetent of Cousin Randolph to have mistaken the inn like that.
