“The lady raced to take comfort in your arms.”Kingsbury raised his eyebrows.“And she is pregnant?Is the baby yours?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.The baby is her husband’s.She was pregnant already when we met.I have been helping her find a way to get away from the bastard she was married to.He was regularly harming her.I have seen the bruises.”
“What?!”Hart sat forward.“Did you kill him?”
Rhys shook his head.“No, I offered.Trust me, I would have taken pleasure in dispensing of him.But as I told you before, I promised her I wouldn’t kill him.We were working together to find out dirt on the duke and his son so that she could have some leverage to force him to keep away from her.The man died by falling down the stairs, drunk.Violet saw the whole thing happen in front of her.They were fighting, and he tried to save himself by grabbing for her.”The whole thing still sent a tremor of fury through him.He clenched and unclenched his hands.
“Bastard.”Hart and Kingsbury exchanged furious looks.“But why didn’t she ask for help?”Hart’s voice was laced with frustration.
“That is for her to explain,” Rhys replied.“When she is ready.”
“And between the two of you?”
“I don’t know.”Rhys shrugged.“She is far above me.Probably something I shouldn’t be touching at all.”
Kingsbury stared across at him, his expression contemplative.
“What?”Rhys said testily.He already felt raw at his revelation of how much he cared for Violet.He didn’t need judgment from these two confirming what he already knew—that he shouldn’t even be thinking of stealing the lady’s heart.
“It’s a real bitch when you take the fall, isn’t it?”Kingsbury’s smile was rueful.“No matter what your mind thinks is sensible, the heart doesn’t care.”
Rhys leaned back and closed his eyes with a sigh.“Fuck.”
The two men’s chuckles were annoying but somehow comforting as well.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Violet rushed downthe stairs for the second time that night and burst into Hartwick’s study.The three men sat around a table in the corner, playing cards.All three came to their feet.She focused on Hartwick.“The baby is here.You have a perfect little girl, Your Grace.”
Hartwick sat down with a thud as though his legs wouldn’t support him.“And Lucy?”
“She is doing as well as can be expected.There has been no excessive bleeding, which I am told is good.She is bundled in the bed with the babe and is anxious to see you.”
Hartwick rose and strode out of the room without his cane, his sole focus apparently to get to his wife and new daughter.
She turned to Rhys.“Will he be all right on the stairs?”
“I think he manages just fine in his own home.He only needs it in unfamiliar terrain.”Rhys crossed to her and took her hands in his.“How are you feeling?Tired?”
She nodded.“What time is it?”
“A little after one,” Rhys replied.
“Goodness.It felt like it all went so slow, but then at the end, it was so dramatic when she gave birth, and the baby was squalling as it took its first breaths.”Tears welled up in her eyes.“It was amazing and beautiful…and bloody.”
“Good Lord,” Kingsbury said, looking slightly green.
“Darling, that’s why birthing is women’s business.Men are not cut out for it.”Adeline’s voice, full of mirth, came from the doorway.She crossed to her husband, and he enfolded her into his arms.He leaned down and kissed her with a reverence that was hard to miss.
Violet smiled at the loving exchange.She hadn’t had any time to observe Addy and her husband.She had never been allowed to go visit them at their estate in Dorset.But the love between them was obvious, and she promised herself she would make the trip soon.She wanted to make sure that everything was as good as it appeared.
“Let’s go to bed.”Kingsbury cupped his wife’s cheek.
Addy nodded, looking as tired as Violet felt.
Townson arrived in the doorway just as Kingsbury and Adeline exited.“Lady Sommerset, can I prepare a guest room for you?”
Violet shook her head.“No, thank you.I wish to sleep in my own bed.”She glanced at Rhys, who nodded.
