“I know. My apologies for imposing on you at this late hour, but the matter of ending this betrothal has become quite urgent.”
His solicitor frowned, but did not probe further as to the reason. “We have prepared it in duplicate so that each of you will receive a fully executed version once all parties have signed.”
“Very thoughtful of you,” Julius muttered, not caring what Allendale did with his copy after it was inked. What worried him presently was Allendale panicking and running off with Sarah in order to hide out until the matter of Lord Easton’s murder had been settled.
How was he to obtain his signature then?
Well, Havers had put a man onto the task of watching that pair and would have reported if they were trying to run off.
It was not long before they reached Bayswater and the neatly maintained house where Sarah and her child had been settled. The older woman who had opened the door to him the first time recognized him and allowed him and Havers entry without question.
The woman stared at Havers.
He gave a polite nod. “Mr. Havers, ma’am. The viscount is acquainted with me.”
“Acquainted, indeed,” Julius muttered once the woman lumbered upstairs to advise Allendale of their arrival. “I hope he does not leap out a window to avoid you. Perhaps I ought to have left you in the carriage.”
“No, it is better for Lady Gregoria’s sake if he knows I have my eyes on him. Not only for her sake, but for that of the next heiress that bounder decides to court.”
Allendale hurried down the stairs and stalked into the parlor where they had been left to wait.
“What do you want now, Thorne? And why did you bring him here?” He nodded disdainfully in the direction of Havers. “I thought we had a deal.”
“We do. I am only here to get your signature on this formal acknowledgment ending your betrothal. Sign both copies, and then we shall leave. Nothing more will be required of you. And nothing will be mentioned to your family.”
“So long as you do not break the law,” Havers added.
Allendale snorted, shot them both a dark look, but then strode to his writing desk and hastily scrawled his name on both sets. “Satisfied?”
Julius nodded. “Take care of your child, Allendale. If you do one thing right in your life, make it that.”
“Save your righteous breath, Thorne. I will never acknowledge her as mine.”
“Never?” said a soft voice from behind them.
The three of them turned to see Sarah Martin standing in the doorway. She appeared frail and overset as she stared at Allendale. “But she is yours. I gave up everything for you. Lord Thorne, I am so sorry I lied to you and Lady Gregoria. I was afraid of what she would do if she knew Lord Allendale was the father of my child. But then, she spoke so kindly to me…”
Allendale rushed to her side. “Sarah, you know I will take care of you both. I gave you my word of honor.”
Julius and Havers left them to work out whatever their situation was to be going forward. Havers grunted the moment they were once again settled in the Thorne carriage. “What do you think he will do, Thorne? Does he have any honor?”
“I doubt it. Who knows? I may have been harsh in my first impression of Miss Martin because of her prior employment. I think she sincerely cares for Allendale.”
“He seems to care for her, too,” Havers remarked.
“For her sake, I hope he does. I don’t know if he will ever have the courage to marry her, though. He enjoys being a gentleman, and that also means not working hard, if at all. He was counting on Gory’s dowry to pay for Miss Martin and the child. And now that he knows you are watching him, he will have to think twice before preying on some other heiress. He may have to connive his uncle into lending him funds until things quiet down. I’m sure he’ll make up some excuse to soak the old goat.”
“So long as he does not decide to gain inspiration from Lady Easton’s actions and plot to murder his uncle,” Havers remarked with a wry smile. “Perhaps I’ll have another visit with Lord Allendale, just to be neighborly.”
“An excellent idea.” Julius hoped he was wrong about Allendale’s weak character.
Lots of people were greedy, but rarely did any of them turn to murder. Nor did Sarah appear to be particularly grasping or evil, just a mother trying her best to protect her child. That she apologized for her deception spoke better of her morals, but did not completely absolve her of wrongdoing. She and Allendale had no qualms about using Gory’s money for their own purposes.
Well, hopefully a visit from Havers would keep both of them from doing something foolish.
They next stopped at St. Michael’s parish office to obtain the marriage license. Ambrose and Octavian were waiting for him when he arrived. Their presence had smoothed matters over, and the vicar – despite having been awakened from his slumber – issued the license without delay or complaint.
Once that was done, his brothers took the license and betrothal document into their safekeeping, and then hopped into Ambrose’s carriage to return to their wives.
