He nodded. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
When the carriage door closed behind him, I sagged back against the cushioned seat and closed my eyes. Despite all evidence to the contrary, this couldn’t be real.
If I were a more noble person, I’d speak to Clifton when he returned and explain that he was overreacting. My life wasn’t in danger. I’d already suspected that my uncle was hoping to keep me unwed so that he could control my fortune, but he wouldn’t harm me.
Perhaps Clifton could advise me on how to proceed. Mother had mentioned that after father died, arrangements had already been in place for someone to manage the factories. And I knew they had a solicitor who oversaw all the legal matters. My uncle was now the person who spoke to those men.
I frowned as I contemplated what would happen when I turned twenty-one. I didn’t even know with whom I should be speaking, and my uncle would never divulge their names. But Clifton could intercede on my behalf. He had connections and would know how to go about finding that information. He didn’t have to marry me.
A pang filled me at the thought. It was extremely selfish, but I didn’t want to give him up. Even when he was younger, Clifton had always seemed larger than life. And my instincts told me that I could trust him above all others. He wouldn’t hurt me. Despite the fact ours wasn’t a love match, I still wanted it.
The door swung open, and for a moment, I was afraid my uncle would be standing there. Instead, Clifton was already bending to unfold the carriage step.
“Moreland’s wife wants to speak with you before we start the trip,” he said.
I let out a soft breath and nodded, thankful that he’d asked Victoria Moreland for assistance instead of Caroline. I felt guilty enough that she’d already been dragged into this mess the day after her wedding.
I pulled up the hood of my cloak before taking his hand and stepping down from the carriage. The door to the townhouse was already open, the butler standing at attention. Clifton turned me to the left, into the drawing room.
Victoria was already standing there, her husband by her side. We knew each other, but not well.
I lowered my hood. “My apologies for putting you to so much trouble.”
“Nonsense,” she said, threading her arm through mine. “Come with me for a moment. We should talk first.”
I allowed her to lead me from the room and down the hall into what was clearly her husband’s study.
She closed the door behind us and turned to face me. A small vee formed between her brows. “I’m not sure what’s happening here.”
I laughed. “Neither am I, not really, but Clifton seems to think my life is in danger.” I rolled my eyes.
Victoria clasped my hands and squeezed them. “Diana, if Clifton is worried and if the others are involved, I would take what they have to say very seriously.”
I shook my head. “No, I can’t believe that. But am I being selfish for taking advantage of him?”
She dropped my hands and smiled at me. “I was in a similar situation not that long ago with Moreland. He took care of me when my father wanted to marry me to a horrible man. I’ll tell you the whole story later when we have more time. But despite the reputations that the Legends have for being carefree and loose with their morals, they’re honorable men. They don’t dally with innocents just for fun. For whatever reason, they believe this to be true. And Clifton wanted to be the one to keep you safe. Remember that.”
A shiver went through me. “His mother and my mother were friends, and he feels a responsibility because of that connection.”
“Perhaps,” Victoria said, “but if I didn’t like you and if Caroline wasn’t such a good judge of character, I’d suggest my brother send you somewhere to keep you safe.”
Victoria’s brother was Rexford, the owner of Kings and the head of the Legends.
“Was that a possibility?” I asked.
Victoria nodded. “Yes, but Clifton wanted to marry you to ensure you were kept safe.”
Something about the way she was looking at me sparked a strange feeling inside me, but I pushed it aside. It was too much like hope, and I had seen too much loss in my life in the last few years to allow myself to foolishly hope that my marriage with Clifton would ever be anything other than a practical union.
“Thank you for telling me this.”
She nodded. “Before you leave, I must ask if you’re sure you want to do this?”
I didn’t hesitate. “I have no doubt.”
Victoria grinned. “Excellent. I oversaw the packing of the trunk. You and I have a similar coloring, so I made sure the dresses would complement your skin tone.” She leaned a little closer. “And you should start loosening your hairstyle. You no longer need to scrape it back into that severe bun. You’re not an elderly spinster. You’re about to become the Countess of Clifton.”
Those words echoed in my head as I followed her to the drawing room and allowed Clifton to escort me back to the carriage. Everything was happening so quickly. When I’d woken that morning, I was expecting today to be yet another disappointing birthday. But instead, my entire life had changed. I was eloping with the Earl of Clifton.
