Page 101 of The Beast of Beswick
“I’m well,” her sister said. “Astrid, may I present my husband, Lord Roth.”
He bowed over her hand. “Your Grace.”
Thane stood up, clapping the younger man on the shoulder. “Good to see you, Roth.”
“And you, Beswick,” the marquess said. “Although good is rather an exaggeration.”
The duke barked a short laugh, but Astrid blinked at the man’s slightly dry tone. Her gaze panned back to Isobel, who shot her a bright smile. Though her sister was in high spirits, her marquess seemed a bit more…taciturn. Then again, Astrid had onlyjustmet him. Thane knew him, however, and he’d assured her that Roth was a decent man at the heart of it. Astrid smiled to herself. She was one to talk—she had married a beast, after all.
They exchanged greetings with Mabel, and then Thane invited the newlyweds to join them for breakfast. More hot dishes were brought in and additional place settings arranged. Her sister’s obvious regard for her husband was evident, and Astrid felt sad that she’d missed the wedding, but it was a small price to pay for Isobel’s safety.
“So, about this marriage,” Astrid said. “I, apparently, was the only one in the dark.”
“Sorry about that,” Isobel said. “I was waiting to see whether Lord Roth would make his intentions known at Lady Hammerton’s house party, and he did. However, my plan was a little less thought out. I was hoping to convince him to elope.”
Astrid lifted a brow. “That would have indeed been a scandal.”
“But Scotland is days away by coach, and Lady Hammerton had a better idea. After the Earl of Beaumont showed up, the duke was able to procure a special license for us,” Isobel finished excitedly. “My only regret is that you were not able to be there, Astrid, but it was very small and tasteful in Lady Hammerton’s family chapel.”
“I am simply glad that you’re happy, Izzy.”
“I am,” Isobel said.
Astrid could not be upset with her sister for so bravely taking hold of her own future. It was more than she had done at that age—when she had naively found herself at the mercy of an unscrupulous man. Isobel, however, had not allowed herself to become entrapped by a society whose rules bestowed all the power to men while women bore the consequences. Astrid could not be prouder of her.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing, indeed.
The newly married couple visited for a while before taking their leave. Roth was taking his bride to his family seat in Chelmsford. After they departed, Astrid turned to her husband with a mock pout. “I cannot believe you kept such a monumental secret from me.”
He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, the light graze and the desirous look in his eyes making her skin burn. “If your uncle came to Harte House demanding an explanation, I wanted you to have full deniability. As it was, we did have words.”
Astrid’s eyes narrowed at the thought of her uncle. “What did he say?”
“He was reasonable.”
“Reasonable” wasn’t a word to describe her uncle, and she knew her skeptical expression said so.
“I offered him what Beaumont had agreed to give him,” her husband said.
“Why would you even give that bounder any money after everything he’s done?” Astrid asked. “He’ll only lose it all. He bought a fortune in horseflesh with my father’s money.”
“I also took possession of those horses at a fraction of the cost and had them sent here to Beswick Park,” he said with a grin. “Your groom, Patrick, was kind enough to lead the transaction. That was the business I had to conclude.”
Astrid didn’t care that they were in the middle of the foyer in view of a dozen servants and Aunt Mabel in the next room—she flung her arms around her husband’s neck. “Oh, Thane, I love you.”
“Not as much as I love you, Duchess.” He smiled down at her. “And speaking of Beaumont, I suspect that after the investigation of what happened in Spain is completed, the earl will most likely be stripped of his title and estate.”
“I’m glad,” Astrid said feelingly. “He will get his just deserts.”
Thane nodded. It would not bring back the lives of his men, but it was a start. If the earl was found guilty, he intended to ask the Regent for a portion of the earl’s confiscated fortune to be used for the deceased men’s families. It was less than they deserved but more than he’d hoped for.
“Now that we’ve had breakfast, what would you like to do today?” She bit her bottom lip and blushed.
His laugh was husky. “I suppose we could do that.”
He scooped her into his wonderfully muscular arms.
“I am capable of walking,” she told him.
