“Exactly.”
Phineas was silent for a long time. A strangely long time. The Earl of Burchester was the most loquacious man in London. It made Jack even more uncomfortable.
Phineas finally spoke. “I see. You don’t want to marry her because you know you’ll never be the most important thing in her life. Kinmarloch will always come before you.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? It sounds like a perfectly reasonable objection to me. I fully intend to be the foremost thing in the future Lady Burchester’s life. Although, mmmm.” Phineas laid a finger over his mouth and tapped thoughtfully. “Children. Those pesky creatures. I hear mothers are devoted to them. Well, I’ll just have to remind her constantly how important her husband’s cock is to her. After all, it’s the thing that will give her the children. And it will be there long after the baby birds have flown the nest. Perhaps not in working order, but it’ll be there.”
“I would appreciate some gravity right now. I should have gone to George. Or Edmund.”
“No, no, no. Look at me. I’m grave, I’m serious. Let’s think this through. Does Helen the woman give a damn about the Duke of Dunmore and his title? No. It’s the Countess of Kinmarloch who wants him. There are three questions here. First, does Helen Boyd want you? Let’s hope, yes. It certainly sounds like she can’t get enough of you and you of her. Second, can you live with the fact she will always be a countess first and a wife second and she would sacrifice Jack Pike in a heartbeat for Kinmarloch?”
Jack remembered how Duncan had looked at Helen when they had sheared the sheep. How he had watched her so closely Jack had thought Duncan might be Helen’s lover. Duncan’s looks at Helen had been akin to the way his own sailors had looked at Jack when he was captain. Helen was the captain of Kinmarloch. And a captain would do anything for his ship and his men. The ship and her sailors came first.
“Third, do you love her?”
Love. The word, the idea had been in Jack’s mind ever since Phineas had raised the notion two days ago. His initial reaction had been, no, of course not, never, no, impossible.
Jack had thought he loved Elizabeth years ago, when really, he just had been enamored with her face and her body. The woman he had thought he loved didn’t exist. It had all been illusion and deception. So he had never loved. Not that kind of love. Love of friends, yes. Love of his ship and his men, yes. But he wouldn’t, couldn’t love any woman. And certainly not a thistle.
But he did love kissing Helen. That had never been a lie. And he loved how she looked at him and how she made her raw desire known to him. He loved her body, under his, on top of his, against his. But that was just lust.
And once he told her he had deceived her for so long, she wouldn’t let him near her again. Not the woman who ripped him open with her ferocious honesty.
She would hate him. Genuinely hate him. Loathe him. Despise him. And he would deserve that.
Maybe he didn’t want to marry not because he feared his wife would betray him, but because he couldn’t face disappointing his wife. Scratch that. He couldn’t face disappointing Helen.
“Phin, I don’t know how I’m ever going to tell her John MacNaughton is the same man as—”
“Jack Pike.”
Jack looked behind him. Lord Feces, dressed in a flowered waistcoat and a tailcoat with overly puffed sleeves to make himself look bigger, carrying a walking stick.
Jack swallowed the bile rising in his throat and bowed. “Lord Reeves.” He turned to Phineas. “Lord Burchester, this is Lord Reeves, a greater baron in the Highlands. We met when I was recently there on behalf of the Duke of Dunmore.”
Reeves made a deep bow to Phineas. “My lord.” He didn’t look at Jack or acknowledge him any further. “It’s an honor to meet you, Lord Burchester.”
Phineas looked at Jack and then bowed to Reeves. “Likewise, I’m sure.”
Reeves’ answering smile was akin to a sneer. “London is so full of lords. I find myself meeting them, right and left. Even just here, in the late afternoon, strolling in the park. So many important men. So many introductions.”
“Well, welcome to London, Lord Reeves.” Phineas moved as if to walk on, but Reeves kept speaking.
“But I am here in London to meet young ladies, of course. And one finds it difficult to procure invitations to balls. I was sad to miss Lady Huxley’s ball last week. However, I have gotten an invitation to the Earl of Titchfield’s ball. His daughter Lady Olivia Radcliffe is out and I hear she is unparalleled in beauty and grace. Tell me, do you know the size of her dowry?”
Phineas blinked. “I don’t, Lord Reeves. Good day to you.” He turned as if to go and Jack began to turn as well.
“Ah, but it’s comforting to know if I can’t find a Lady Reeves this Season, I still have my Scottish lass to fall back on.”
Mags? Was Reeves talking about Mags? When Jack had met the man in Helen’s keep, he had said something about Mags being the only attractive woman around, hadn’t he? And he had wanted to see her.
Jack’s fists tightened. He would drive the carriage himself to Gretna Green and get Mags and Duncan married before the end of the Season. He would get Duncan a position in the duchy, whatever post Helen thought would be best for him. Duncan would have the means to marry Mags.
“I’m speaking of Lady Kinmarloch, of course.” Reeves turned his gaze to Jack for the first time since accosting him. “You know her, Jack Pike. I believe that is where I met you, where you were so impolite, in her shithole of a keep. I see your manners are better in London.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed as he hissed, “You think you could marry Lady Kinmarloch?”
