Page 64 of My Wicked Earl
What, exactly, should she say? Grandmother instructed her never to speak of it. Pretend the incident had never occurred. Alex and Sutton were so guilt ridden that the mere mention of that day left them both anguished for hours. Which left Miranda with no one to talk to about the thing that had forever altered her life.
Her mother’s cousin had been aterriblehuman being. Archie caused her family nothing but pain. He was to be blamed for the indirect death of her father, and the continued absence of her sister Elizabeth. But it was no small thing to end another’s life, even if that person were Archie Runyon. She’d prayed of course, begging forgiveness from God, but she felt no relief in doing so.
“I don’t regret that he is dead,” she finally said.
Colin’s eyes deepened to near black. “I do not either. The world is a better place without Archie Runyon. Go on.”
“I’ll have a bit of that, if you don’t mind.” Miranda nodded to the glass of whiskey Colin held in his hands.
Her hand shook as she reached for the glass. “I don’t wish your pity.”
“Good, for I have none to spare.” His hand covered hers to steady the glass. Gently he tipped it up to her lips. “You’ve taken to drinking whiskey?”
The liquid burned down Miranda’s throat and her eyes immediately watered though she managed to keep the cough moving up her throat from erupting. “No,” she choked. “But I find it difficult to talk about theincident. I thought perhaps the whiskey would help.”
Colin moved the whiskey glass back, but not before wiping at an amber drop that fell from her lip with his finger.
“I – I’m not sure where I should start.” Her lips burned both from the whiskey and the movement of his finger over her mouth.
“At the beginning. That is the best place to start.” He moved across the chair and in doing so, pulled her off the arm of the chair until she half sat in his lap.
Warmth emanated from him. He smelled of clean linen, cheroot, and the whiskey, a delicious combination that sent tendrils of longing through her.
“I – I did shoot him, Colin.” Her heart began to race, as much from his closeness as the remembrance of that horrible day. “He was going to kill my brother. Hurt Alex. I really had no choice.” A shudder ran through her as her body bent towards him, seeking the solace he offered.
“You absolutely had no choice, Miranda. No one, in the same situation would have done otherwise.”
His arm came around her shoulders to press against the middle of her back. The slight pressure brought her body against the length of his. “Continue. I’m here.”
He’s only trying to comfort me. “Sutton left Alex. When she was with child. Or, children, I suppose I should say, although she didn’t realize, of course, that she’d have twins. No one did. But, he left, I’m not sure he-”
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Colin leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “Slowly, Miranda.”
Traitorous body. She was about to recite the most horrible moment of her life and her body was paying her mind no heed. The tips of her nipples were hardening to pebbles beneath the nightgown and an ache started low in her belly from just the merest touch of Colin’s mouth on hers.
His arm slid down until it rested on her waist.
“Sutton left because Mother,” she couldn’t keep the venom out of her words. “You know that Alex and Sutton had a scandalous start to their marriage. Alex was once engaged to Cousin Archie. But of course, after Sutton and Alex were found together, her betrothal to Archie was over. Thank God.
“He told me.” Colin’s fingers moved lightly against her.
“Everything was fine. Then Mother filled Sutton’s head with nonsense about Alex. That she had married him for other reasons. Even though Grandmother and I told him differently, he took off to be part of some ridiculous expedition. He left Alex with barely a word. He didn’t know about the child yet. I mean the twins.” She waved her hand. “Maddy and Robert.”
Colin brought the whiskey to her mouth again, allowing her a sip. He took it back from her and tossed back the remainder before setting the glass down on a table next to the chair. He turned her hand and laced his fingers through hers. As he used to. Before.
“Nick did not intervene?” Colin’s fingers squeezed hers. “I’m somewhat surprised, because he has a strange propensity for doing so. He enjoys meddling in the affairs of others.” His voice hardened. “I’m a bit surprised Nick didn’t rid the world of Archie Runyon himself as a favor to the Dowager.”
“He wasn’t here. Bermuda.” Miranda whispered. “Nick left for Bermuda, but he dispatched several men to watch over Sutton. He knew of Mother’s desire to harm my brother. Several attempts had been made on Sutton’s life since he’d returned from Macao. We all knew, deep down inside, that the attempts were somehow Mother’s doing. Without Sutton’s knowledge, Nick instructed several men to watch over my brother as he was being an idiot. Thankfully. Though Grandmother and I didn’t know then. About the men, I mean. My mother and her merry band of assassins.” A small choking laugh came from her. “God, she’s horrible. I don’t even know what she expected to accomplish.” Her mouth held a terrible bitter taste that she felt certain only more whiskey would dispel.
“I don’t suppose I could have some more whiskey?”
“In a moment. Thank God for Nick’s meddling. He’s as bad as the Dowager. Inside the Devil of Dunbar beats the heart of a matronly busy body.”
Miranda gave him a weak smile. “Alex was alone in Hampshire at her family’s estate. At Grandmother’s urging, I went to visit her. She was nearly ready to give birth and big as a house. You should have seen her. At any rate, I didn’t want her to be alone just because my brother is an idiot. Just before I left for Hampshire, I received a note from Sutton. He’d finally come to his sense after being such an—.”
“Ass.”
“Yes. Sutton was being anenormousass. And he finally realized it. He arranged to surprise Alex and beg her forgiveness. I was to take the carriage and pick him up in the village on the outskirts of Helmsby Abbey. I told Alex a package had arrived from London.”
