The soft clink of carriage wheels over cobblestone echoed through the quiet morning air as Jaclyn and Kingston made their way back to Easton Abbey. Kingston had hired a carriage for their journey back to the abbey so that Jaclyn could be more comfortable. The journey had been long and filled with the kind of joy she had never before known, but now, as the majestic estate came into view, her stomach tightened with an emotion she could not quite name. This was not her new home—they would travel to Kingston’s estate later, but there were issues here at Easton Abbey they would have to handle first. It was strange to think that if Kingston had not been friends with the marquess they might not have ever found their way to each other. Those long months at Havenwood after her brother’s reckless behavior had led to her ruination had been filled with mixed emotions. At Havenwood she found her closest friends, and in the end, it had also brought Kingston back to her. It had been a long a tumultuous journey, but she was exactly where she belonged—with Kingston.
Kingston’s hand rested gently on hers, his thumb brushing across her knuckles in a comforting, steady motion. She glanced up at him, seeing the subtle tension in his jaw, the way his eyes hardened as they neared the abbey. The problem with Oakley—her brother—was still lingering over them, even now. Jaclyn knew, without needing to ask, that the moment they returned, her brother would be waiting. And with him would come the same insistent demands, the same sense of ownership that had ruled her life for far too long. As the carriage halted before the grand entrance of Easton Abbey, Jaclyn took a deep breath and steeled herself. She knew what was coming.
She was married now, though, and she would no longer be the young woman with no voice. Kingston had given her that—he had given her a place, and she would not let Oakley strip it away. Not this time. As she stepped out of the carriage, the familiar, imposing figure of her brother stood at the entrance, his arms crossed, his face etched with a look of irritation. His gaze flickered briefly to Kingston, but his attention swiftly returned to her, his mouth tightening.
“Jaclyn,” Oakley’s voice rang out, low and commanding, “you’ve wasted enough time. It’s time for you to return home with me.” He narrowed his gaze. “Father will be most displeased with your brazen behavior.”
Jaclyn’s heart raced, her steps faltering for a moment before she steadied herself. She had been prepared for this, but still, the weight of his presence, the authority he had always exerted over her, hit her like a wave crashing against the shore.
“No,” Kingston’s voice rang out, firm and unwavering as he stepped forward, his hand finding Jaclyn’s and holding it tightly. “She is not going anywhere with you, Oakley.”
Jaclyn’s brother’s gaze snapped to Kingston, eyes narrowing, fury crossing his face in a flash. “You’ve no right to keep her here, Amberwood,” he spat, his words sharp. “She’s my sister, and you may have tricked her into marrying you, but that does not change the fact that she belongs with me.”
How had he known they had wed? Perhaps he was only assuming that they had, but he seemed certain that Jaclyn had indeed married Kingston. He was right of course and that unsteadied her a bit. Her brother could not seriously believe that she would leave with him now. Kingston was her home now. She belonged with him, and she would not willingly go with Oakley and back to the stifling environment that was her ancestral home.
Kingston met his gaze with a cold, unflinching stare. “No, Oakley, you’re wrong. Jaclyn is no longer yours to command. She’s my wife, and she will remain with me.” His voice held an edge now, a note of finality in it that brooked no argument.
Oakley took a step forward, his fists clenching at his sides. “Then I’ll have to take matters into my own hands. If you refuse to let her come with me, I’ll challenge you to a duel. You will pay for your audacity.”
Not this again… Jaclyn’s breath caught, and Kingston’s grip on her hand tightened, but his expression remained calm. He didn’t flinch at the challenge, nor did he seem concerned by it. In fact, he looked almost bored by Oakley’s childish tantrum. “You’re an impetuous arse, Oakley,” Kingston said, his tone dripping with disdain. “I will not duel you. I’ve already had enough of your childish behavior to last me a lifetime. You’re not a boy anymore. You’ve no claim on Jaclyn, and you never will again. It’s time you learned that.”
The fire in Oakley’s eyes flared, but he stood frozen, his chest heaving with barely-contained anger. “You think you’ve won, don’t you?” Oakley’s voice was low, threatening, and dangerous. “You’ve stolen her away from her family, and now you think you’ve defeated me.”
Kingston’s eyes softened with something almost like pity. “I didn’t steal her, Oakley. You pushed her away. And I don’t wish to fight you—certainly not over something as petty as this. What’s important is that she is happy now, and that she is safe. And she has a choice now, something you never gave her.”
Jaclyn stepped forward, her heart pounding as she looked between the two men. This was the moment. She had to end this. It would not do for Oakley to keep thinking he could control her life, or anyone else’s. “Enough, Barrett,” she said, her voice steady but firm. “I am not your property to be commanded. I am not a child anymore. I am a wife, and I will not allow you to tear me from my home, from my husband, or from my happiness.”
Oakley’s gaze flickered to her, and for a moment, there was something like regret in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by that same stubborn anger. “This is not how it ends.” He stepped forward and grabbed her arm. “You will not stay with him. Father can have the marriage annulled.”
“And if I am with child?” She raised a brow. “What will be my fate then? Will have my child be considered a bastard and ruin me completely then?”
“Do not be ridiculous,” he said. “Father will find someone else for you to marry.”
“Someone better than a duke?” She sighed. “Have you always been this foolish, or is it just your pride that is dictating this? Let me go, Barrett. This is not a game to me; this is my life. Quit acting so callously and stop to consider what you are doing.” Her voice softened as she said, “I love him. I want to be his wife. I never would have married him otherwise.”
He frowned… “No,” he said. “That scoundrel tricked you.”
Her brother lunged for her and Kingston stepped in and pushed him away. That only made it worse. He lunged for Kingston and swung his fist wildly. Kingston sidestepped and his fist landed a blow that sent her brother sailing across the lawn. “Stop now,” her husband ordered. “Accept that your sister is now my wife.”
Her brother stood and faced her. “I will not give up on you, Jaclyn,” he spat, and with a final, harsh look at Kingston, he turned on his heel and stalked off, leaving them standing at the entrance. Jaclyn let out a long breath, the tension in her shoulders finally easing as she turned to Kingston. He was watching her carefully, his hand still holding hers tightly. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—a look that made her heart flutter.
“It’s done,” she said softly, feeling the weight of the moment. “It’s finally over.”
Kingston smiled, his lips curling gently. “Not yet. But it will be, Jaclyn. It will be. And you, my dear wife, are never going anywhere. You’re mine now. And that’s the way it will always be.”
The soft smile on his lips sent a rush of warmth through her. She knew, in that moment, that there was nothing her brother could do to tear them apart. She was exactly where she belonged. She had everything she had ever wanted. Kingston’s love and a life that had only been a mere fantasy. He saw to the heart of her and understood her as no one else had. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. It was light and gentle and filled with all the promises they had made to each other.
“I do hate to interrupt,” a man said. “But perhaps the two of you should come inside. We do have other guests hoping you would return.”
Kingston pulled away from her and glanced at the Marquess of Easton and frowned. “You have terrible timing, my friend.”
“If you want to kiss your wife uninterrupted then you should do so in the privacy of your bedchamber,” he drawled. “Now come into the sitting room. Charlotte has ordered tea and biscuits. We have much to discuss.”
They followed Easton into the house and into the sitting room. Charlotte was indeed there along with Georgina and her husband the Earl of Foxmoore. But it was the sight of Mrs. Havenwood that had her drawing up short. What was the headmistress of Havenwood Academy doing at Easton Abbey? She stood and walked over to them. “May I have a word with you both?”
Kingston nodded. “Of course…”
“You can use my study,” Easton offered.
