Haddon’s arms didn’t loosen as he gently moved her to the loveseat in the center of the room.
Marissa wept for what seemed like hours. She cried for Reggie and the life he hadn’t gotten to live. For the years she’d been alone. And Haddon. The man who loved her so unconditionally he was willing to loseeverythingto have her. She didn’t deserve Haddon or his love, but Marissa would take it and him, for as long as he would stay with her.
She squeezed him tight, feeling whole for the first time in years. Maybe in forever.
Finally, with her eyes swollen, hiccuping as her sobs faded, Haddon produced a handkerchief which Marissa gratefully accepted.
“I love you,” she said to the heart beating beneath her cheek.
“I know.” His fingers slid through her hair, destroying her coiffure.
The last thing Marissa cared about at the moment was her hair. “I didn’t,” she said in a quiet voice. “Why do you smell like spices? Ginger?”
“Didn’t what, my love?” He pushed a loose tendril from her forehead, pressing a kiss to the spot. “And you adore ginger cookies. I have it on good authority.”
He’d found that out from Adelia too. “Ruin Miss Higgins. I wasn’t giving Nighter instructions for the evening, I was telling him tostop.”
“I see.” Haddon’s lips brushed her temple again.
“I know you think I’m terribly...bloodthirsty.”
He said nothing for a moment, only stroked her hair. “Yes. You would have made a good pirate or highwayman.”
Another sob left her. “But—”
“Pendleton told me what his parents did to Reggie. What they stole from Morwick. I wanted to kill him myself.”
“He confessed?” At Haddon’s nod, she said, “Reggie was a kind and thoughtful man. He would never have approved of my methods. Nor would he have sought revenge. I could never have lived with myself had I harmed Miss Higgins.” She plucked at his coat. “And Icould nothurt you. Doing so would have destroyed me. I love you.” Marissa looked up at Haddon, tears still clouding her eyes as she thought of the dream of Reggie leaving Haddon on her pillow. “Even if you are only a dalliance.”
Amusement rumbled low in his chest. “Are you done with revenge then, my love?”
She was. Her father may not have approved of leaving Pendleton still standing, but Marissa was not the ‘Old Spider’. Only his daughter.
“Yes. Andyouwon’t be impoverished, Haddon.” Marissa curled into him, as close as the mountain of silk of her gown would allow. Safe and comforted by the steady beat of his heart. This was where she always wished to be. With Haddon.
A deep, resigned sigh moved his chest. “It’s just as well I won’t be poor because I’ve finally decided to take your suggestion.”
Marissa turned her head to look up at him. “You have?”
“Yes. I’ve decided to take a wife.”
29
“Now tell mewhyyou helped Pendleton. You don’t even like him. Not really.”
“No. I don’t.”
She and Haddon lay in Marissa’s bed, Haddon’s long legs entwined with hers and the sheets tangled around their bodies.
After becoming a watering pot for the better part of an hour, they’d finally been interrupted by Adelia, who immediately rolled her eyes at them and left, muttering she had the wrong room. There was no telling how many assignations Adelia had interrupted during Lady Ralston’s ball in her pursuit of Nighter.
After concluding they couldn’t very well spend the night in an obscure parlor of Lady Ralston’s, primarily because there was no whisky to be had, Haddon had taken her hand and led her through the gardens and up the street to her carriage. Cradling her close to his chest, he had stroked her head, his fingers sifting through her hair. “I won’t leave you, Marissa.”
Marissa had clung to him, blinking back tears.
Greenhouse, lips thinning at their arrival, had given a small sound of disapproval as Marissa took Haddon’s hand and led him up the stairs, but nonetheless recovered himself. “Shall I fetch your son’s robe forLord Haddon?”
“No,” Haddon had answered before she could. “I don’t think I’ll need it tonight. Perhaps you can bring the robe to me in the morning?”
