Page 25 of Under the Earl's Wicked Spell

“Whatever happened to Katherine Romaine? Is she still around?”

“You’re not thinking of starting up again with her, are you?”

Rafe snorted.

“Not a chance. I blame her as much as whoever killed Richard for his death. We wouldn’t have fought if she hadn’t played with both of us.”

Sebastien sighed.

“Well, her family weren’t too keen on her being associated with us, so they married her off to someone else. They live in York, and I believe she has children now.”

Rafe tried to be happy about that, but he didn’t feel anything. His love for Katherine had died years ago. While he couldn’t blame her for saving her own reputation afterwards, he could blame her for being a part of it. It showed she didn’t really love him at all if she could flirt with Richard as well and also not show any support for him once Richard’s death was made public.

It had taken a while to get over his bitterness and resentment for the woman. Rafe would be happy not to see her ever again.

“You two wouldn’t have been very good as a married couple,” Rafe commented. “She wasn’t right for you.”

“Nor for you, as I remember.”

“That’s not happening again. I learned my lesson with her.” Rafe frowned. “If you’re really not interested in marriage, why on earth would you agree to marry Victoria Hayward?”

“You think I agreed to it willingly?”

“I wondered if you had taken a leave of your senses like Father.”

Sebastien pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked uncomfortable.

“Father said I’m the only hope of giving him heirs. His health is poor, and he would like to know that the line for the Earldom is secure. And, from what I’ve heard about the Viscount’s daughter, Victoria hasn’t had any prospects for marriage at all, and they’re getting concerned. To Father, it was a situation where we would both benefit, but only if they agreed to let you come back to England.”

“How did he manage to persuade them?”

“He must have cast enough doubts about what happened to get them to agree. Either that, or they’re desperate to marry their daughter off to someone. She is getting to an age where she might soon be too old.”

Rafe shook his head.

“I can’t see her being a catch for anyone. I seem to remember her being gangly, covered in freckles, and rather plain.”

“Don’t be deceived by what you remember. Victoria is a very beautiful young woman now. Not the person I would marry, but she is very easy on the eye.” Sebastien sipped his brandy. “She still believes you killed her brother. No one is changing her mind about it. And she was fighting this as much as I was, if not more so.”

“Then why did she agree?”

“We talked. And we both made a decision about our impending marriage. It would only be in name. We wouldn’t need to live together or even see each other if she didn’t want to. I’m going to be gifted our house in Wales, and she’ll live there while I live in Scarborough until Father passes.”

Rafe frowned.

“I can’t see Father agreeing to that if he wants grandchildren.”

“He’s not going to get any from me. I’m not going to force Victoria to do that for me. If he wanted grandchildren and heirs, he shouldn’t have done this.”

“I can’t see him being too happy when he hears that.”

“He won’t be. Which is why he won’t know about that until we’re officially married.” Sebastien shook his head. “Father might think he’s doing a good thing, and it did get you home, but he’s not going to get any heirs from me.”

“Oh, marvellous,” Rafe snorted. “More pressure on me, then.”

“I’m sure you’ll have better luck than me, even with your past.”

Rafe didn’t know about that. But if he did have to marry, it would be to someone who really captured his attention.

Like the woman on the cliffs. Even as she stared at him with anger and disgust, there was a fire in her that he would love to have around him every day.

She would certainly make married life interesting.

But he wasn’t here to get married. He was here to see his family, to watch his brother get married to their friend’s sister.

And then he was going back to America. There wasn’t really anything for him here anymore, and it was only a month’s trip on a boat, at the very least. It would be for the best that Rafe lived elsewhere.

At least he wouldn’t have to worry about people looking at him and thinking that he was a killer when he was stalking wild animals. They had no mercy.

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