Page 27 of Wickedly Yours
“Delicious.” Rowan sipped at the amber liquid. “Dunbar has something similar.”
“His Grace was kind enough to share his last shipment with me. Which I appreciate. But that does not mean I am happy over these developments. What is this about? I know you weren’t suddenly overcome with affection for the lady.”
“Corbett is dead.”
The Earl paused, his glass of whiskey still just shy of his lips. “I see.” Lord Marsh finally took a sip. “How—”
“He abducted Arabella as she left Wales determined to force her into marriage. I went to retrieve her,” Rowan stated. “I found them at an inn on the road to Scotland.”
“Why?” his father snorted. “Surely any number of other gentlemen could have gone after her.”
“Because I was asked to.” Rowan didn’t wish to try to explain his reasoning to his father when he wasn’t so sure himself. It was easy to rationalize he’d had no other choice, not with Lady Cupps-Foster sobbing into his shoulder, but that wasn’t entirely the truth.
“Would have served her right had Corbett succeeded. After what she put your cousin through, marrying Corbett would have been a most fitting punishment for Arabella.”
“Not even Arabella deserved Corbett,” Rowan said in a low voice.
His father raised a brow at Rowan’s answer. “She is an unpleasant young lady.”
“What’s done is done, Father. We were seen together and assumptions were made. While the story His Grace put out may not be easily believed and slightly scandalous, it is better than the alternative. Questions about Corbett would not only reflect poorly on Arabella but would ultimately lead back to the Duchess of Dunbar. Would you have Jemma gossiped about as well? Or Petra?”
“Why should you be punished for doing the lady a service? Arabella is a termagant and in light of her devious nature her reputation would be ruined eventually in some other way. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her smile. Lady Gwendolyn is a much better choice for you.”
“Because you and mother chose her?” Rowan said lightly.
“There is an understanding in place with Lord White.” His father looked away.
“I agreed to no such understanding.Youdid. I am a grown man with no need for you to dictate my choices.” Anger slowly unfurled within Rowan’s belly. It was always this way with his parents. He was surprised it had taken his father so long to mention their gravedisappointmentin him. His entire life had been lived under the cloud that he could not possibly live up to their expectations, expectation that his older brother would have satisfied had he not perished.
“If James—” Lord Marsh started.
“Do not pretend that James would have made a wiser choice than I, for you have no idea what he would have done. Or wanted.”
“James was a good lad who would have grown into a fine man. He knew his duty to his family and the earldom.”
Rowan grit his teeth. His father had castigated him many times with this speech. “James has been gone, Father, for nearly fifteen years. I am sorry that you are stuck with me as your heir and not my brother. Sorely aggrieved that I cannot be what you wish, that I cannot be perfect as James was. Lord knows I’ve tried.”
Lord Marsh took a sip of his drink and turned his gaze to the window; his face grew shadowed and pained. “Do not remind me of that day.”
Rowan and James had gone swimming, but only James had caught a fever. Two days later he was dead. While Lady Marsh wailed, Lord Marsh glared with accusation at his remaining son, for it had been Rowan’s idea to swim in the icy pond. He’d been trying to atone for that mistake ever since, working so hard at being the son his parents wished. Trying to be James, Rowan had nearly lost sight of who he actually was.
“I will speak to His Grace. You can’t seriously mean to marry the chit.”
“You willnot,” Rowan’s voice grew taut with anger, “speak to His Grace. Take a moment, Father, and try to see the advantages of my marrying Arabella. Becoming my wife assures us nothing concerning the treasonous activities of Jemma’s father,your brother, will ever come to light. The Duke of Dunbar holds one of the most powerful and wealthy duchies in England.”
“And the most infamous,” Lord Marsh interjected. “Besides we are already aligned to Dunbar through your cousin.”
Rowan raised a brow. “The match is much more advantageous than that of Lady Gwendolyn and you know it.” Rowan wanted Arabella with a burning intensity that bordered on obsession. On their return to London, he chose to ride horseback rather than share a coach for fear he wouldn’t be able to control himself. The merest glimpse of her bare wrist or curl of hair filled him with indescribable lust. But Father would never understand his attraction to Arabella. Rowan wasn’t sure he could explain it himself.
“She had your cousinkidnapped. Jemma could have been killed or worse.” His father’s lip curled in distaste.“Lady Arabella is a deeply troubled, spoiled child who was given too much leeway by her overindulgent brother.”
“Arabella didnotkidnap Jemma, Corbett did. She deeply regrets her actions.” Rowan gave a small sigh. “I do not condone what she did to Jemma, but I understand why shefelt it necessary.”
Lord Marsh made a grunt of disbelief. “You are making excuses for her?”
“I’m not. I only said I understood her reasoning. Besides, this entire affair has been punishment enough. I don’t imagine she appreciates being forced into marriage either simply because the gossips have maligned her.”
“Yes, because gentlemen have been lining up to court her. Really, Rowan, she constantly sports a frown, wears dark, unflattering colors, is deceitful in the extreme and is not to be trusted.”
