If necessary, he’d contemplate possible consequences at another time.
But he could not dwell on this right now.
Upon awakening, he had feared he was going to be late, but Cecily had proven herself an equally efficient gentleman’s valet in helping him dress quickly. He had not summoned Hamilton.
He’d helped her don a few of her own garments and then escorted her, unseen by any servants, back to her own room. As he’d kissed her goodbye, his heart would not admit that what they had was over. He’d never experienced such a feeling ofrightnessas when he held her in his arms. Like a heady drug, she had the ability to make him euphoric. The removal of her from his life would likely bring despair. She was probably right when she’d said they had plenty of hell to face in the future.
Captain Devlin Brooks had already arrived and awaited him with two snifters and a decanter of what looked to be some fine brandy. Brooks, a military comrade of the colonel’s, was nearly more intimidating than the colonel himself. He had black hair and piercing black eyes. When he stood to shake hands, Stephen noted that the man was well over six feet tall.
“Brooks,” he said as they both took their seats. The other man poured Stephen a splash of liquor and pushed the glass toward him.
“Nottingham,” Brooks said casually. “Your cousin is a blackguard. I’m surprised a man such as you would champion him.”
His words were irritating — true, but irritating nonetheless. “You have family, Captain,” Stephen responded with equal nonchalance.
Brooks was a distant heir to one of the most powerful dukedoms in England. In fact, Stephen realized. He must be a cousin to the fellow who was courting Cecily’s friend, Sophia.
“One doesn’t turn his back upon his own blood.” Taking a sip of his drink, Stephen leaned back into his chair and regarded the other man thoughtfully. “Shall we get down to business then?”
The room was excellent for serious conversation. There were no windows, and the door effectively shut out any noise that might have drifted in from other rooms within the club.
Nodding, Benning’s second took a deep breath. “Your cousin has ruined my comrade’s daughter. And to compound his deviousness, he has run from the colonel’s challenge for over a week. Might I inquire as to which weapon your cousin wishes to die by?”
Stephen was not going to be intimidated by this man. “Die by? Captain, I had rather thought it would be sufficient for my cousin to merely leave England for, what say, two years? I hesitate to point out that the lady in question was not taken against her will. Rather, she quite willingly participated in the activities that led to her ruination.” He would never say these words to the colonel, but Brooks had been known to be something of a rakehell himself. Perhaps a bit of empathy could be found there.
A grim smile twisted the captain’s lips. Covering his mouth, he cleared his throat self-consciously. “That may be the case, but I can assure you, Nottingham, the colonel demands satisfaction. The facts remain that Kensington disappeared with the girl in the middle of a ball. Since the earl already has a wife, he obviously cannot repair her reputation by marrying her. The colonel will settle for no less than his death.”
“And… might I add, strictly between the two of us…” Stephen continued daringly, as though Brooks had not spoken at all. “…my cousin has informed me that the experience was… not the lady’s first.” Swirling the dark liquid patiently in front of him, Stephen waited a moment before finishing quietly. “If it must be a duel, I think a duel to first blood ought to be more than satisfactory to settle this matter.”
Brooks stared intently into his own glass, which sat untouched upon the table. Finally, taking a deep breath, he responded cautiously. “This information…” He paused. “…will remain confidential, then.”
Stephen nodded.
“And the weapons?”
“Swords,” Stephen stated, informing him of Flavion’s choice. He would have preferred Flavion fight with his fists, and rather than a field, a boxing salon. And being the challenged party, Brooks would have been forced to agree on behalf of the colonel. That being said, he could not make this decision for Flavion.
“Very well.” Pulling out some papers and reaching for a pen and some ink, the two men went about finalizing the less important details to make it all official. Stephen had accomplished all that he could to assist Flavion in defending his person. He was not so hypocritical to believe, even for a moment, that this duel had anything to do with Flavion’s honor. At this point, it was merely about survival.
Resigned, he returned to Nottinghouse to relay the details to Flave. Stephen was also keen to see Cecily again. She had managed to take up a permanent residence in his thoughts. It was odd, but as he had finalized the details with Brooks, he’d been wondering what Cecily had chosen to do with the rest of her day. When he’d realized this later, he was more than a little disconcerted at their inevitable separation.
What choice did they have?
If, by God, his cousin did not survive the duel, Stephen knew in his heart he could not simply step in and take possession of Flavion’s wife. Lord Almighty, he would already be duty bound to take over the earldom. How could he find any benefit — any pleasure — in the death of his cousin?
The only possible opportunity he could have to spend his life with Cecily would be if Flavion would begin divorce proceedings. This concept did not sit well with Stephen either, however, as he knew it would mean utter ostracism for her. And further betrayal to his uncle. Was this attraction, this need he felt for Cecily strong enough to endure a lifetime of guilt? Even more uncertain were the lady’s feelings. She adamantly wanted to be free from Flavion. Why ever would she then choose to turn right around and wed another man?
The longer his thoughts wrestled with both reason and emotion, the more hopeless it all seemed. By the time Stephen reached Nottinghouse, the optimism he’d felt earlier that day was considerably eroded.
Again, the thought taunted him. They both were bound to face a great deal of hell in the future. Was he willing to sacrifice his honor further by allowing them a bit more heaven in the here and now?
Cecily was happyto finally be well enough to venture out and meet with Emily and Rhoda. After a bit of half-hearted shopping, the three ladies settled in comfortably at their favorite teahouse. Lord Harold, Cecily was happy to hear, was quite actively courting Sophia. His family, the duchess and some aunts, were squiring her about for the day. From what Rhoda said, an offer was most definitely in the making.
Finally able to relay all that had occurred since she’d last seen them, she could not believe it had been only one week since the night of her dreadful dinner party. Once she was done with her recitation, all three of them sat silently considering who might be the culprit.
“I think,” Rhoda finally said, “I would have expired on the spot if I were to have discovered a snake in my chamber. And I would never sleep in that bed again.”
Emily shrugged. “It was only an adder. It is rare for apersonto die from an adder bite. There are other reptiles that would have been far more deadly. Why an adder? Either the person who put it there did so only to scare you, or he is a complete ninny-hammer.”
