“And who is Mr. Cooper?” he asked, deciding to take the opportunity to learn a thing or two about his opponent. Although why in God’s name he was making the effort he wasn’t quite sure. Something about the viscount and viscountess’s condescension and the manner in which they were trying to dictate their daughter’s life made him want to put these people in their place.
“Nobody,” Miss Russell muttered.
“An American steelworks manufacturer,” her father supplied with a satisfied smirk. “He’s made quite a fortune for himself, owns several estates, and is presently on his way here with every intention of courting Charlotte. And since I’m the one who encouraged him to make the long journey, I’d hate for her to be otherwise engaged during his visit.”
The request for Blayne to walk away immediately was clear.
He ought to leap at the chance to escape this debacle. After all, that was what he’d been planning to do when he’d first arrived. But after seeing the hope in Miss Russell’s eyes when she’d pleaded with him for help, a strange urge to save her had taken over.
Ignore it you idiot.
Leave before it’s too late.
“Unfortunately,” Blayne said while pulling her closer, “I have nae intention of giving Charlotte up without a fight.”
“You don’t?” Miss Russell asked. She was gazing at him as if he were some sort of Arthurian knight intent on championing her cause no matter the danger.
The desire to set aside his own concerns in order to help her was suddenly overwhelming. “Of course not, darling.” Deciding the time had come for him to put on the best performance yet, he dropped his gaze to hers. “Meeting ye was the best thing that ever happened to me. The very idea of having to give ye up would shatter my heart and destroy my soul. Ye’re everything I’ve ever wished for, Charlotte, and knowing ye feel the same about me makes me the luckiest man alive.”
“I…um…really?” she half sighed, half stammered.
“If it’s money you’re after,” Lord Elkins remarked, “I’m happy to come to some sort of agreement.”
Every cell in Blayne’s body drew tight, like a twig being bowed to the point of snapping. He felt Miss Russell flinch and heard her sharp intake of breath. Heat radiated up his spine, settling at the base of his skull where it started to throb. And yet, somehow, by some bloody miracle, he managed to calmly say, “Thank ye, but that willnae be necessary. I’m perfectly capable of supporting Charlotte without yer help. Shall we sit?”
He didn’t wait for a response. Merely guided Miss Russell toward the sofa she’d been eyeing for the past ten minutes. Standing about like this with one proverbial foot out the door was getting ridiculous anyway. It was time to let her parents know he was staying. Indefinitely.
Was he though?
Apparently, yes. He certainly wasn’t about to let them run roughshod over his pride or treat Miss Russell as though she was undeserving of seeking whatever happiness she desired for herself. Mr. Cooper clearly wasn’t the answer and forcing her to tie herself to him for life seemed unnaturally cruel.
That’s the way of the ton.
You know this.
He certainly did, but he’d be damned if such foolishness broke Miss Russell’s spirit. She’d been like a blazing diamond when she’d approached him at The Black Swan. Faced with her parents’ disapproval, however, she’d lost some of her sparkle, and that in itself made Blayne want to hit something.
“But…” Lady Elkins followed them over to the seating arrangement and lowered herself to one of the armchairs.
She waited for her husband to join them while Blayne adjusted his position. The delicate piece of furniture creaked beneath his weight as he did his best to get comfortable in the snug space. He’d apparently failed to consider the sofa’s narrowness, which was suddenly near impossible to ignore since it forced his thigh to press against Miss Russell’s.
“Not to sound unappreciative of our daughter’s fine qualities,” Lady Elkins continued once her husband had claimed the other armchair, “but she spent six years on the marriage mart without acquiring a single suitor and now, all of a sudden, she has two.” The woman wore a perplexed expression. “Mr. Cooper makes sense of course. He’s acquainted with my husband and believes the match would be beneficial to both families, but you…I mean, what exactly are you hoping to gain from marrying her? If it is her dowry you’re after, you ought to know it will be withdrawn if her father and I disapprove of the match.”
“My dear Lady Elkins,” Blayne said in the same tone he’d used to intimidate cutthroats in the past. He clasped Miss Russell’s hand, anchoring himself to her so he wouldn’t leap out of his seat and strangle her mother right then and there. “As we’ve already established, I have no interest in yer money, or yer daughter’s for that matter. In fact, the only thing I care about is her and her happiness, or did ye miss the part where I told ye I love her?”
“I don’t—”
“Here’s what matters,” Blayne said, cutting Lord Elkins off. “I will continue to court yer daughter until she and I have decided upon a date for the wedding. Once we do, ye’re welcome to participate in the planning of said event, if ye wish. Should ye choose not to, ye’ll simply receive an invitation – one I hope ye will choose to accept since I’m sure yer daughter would like ye to. Now, as far as my ability to provide for Miss Russell goes, my annual income of three hundred pounds may not be as much as ye’d hoped for, but I doubt it’s as little as ye feared.”
“It’s certainly not in the same league as Mr. Cooper’s fortune,” Lord Elkins muttered, “but you’re right. It’s not as bad as I would have guessed based on...” He made a gesture with his hand as if to indicate Blayne’s overall appearance.
“As I’ve explained, my current work forces me to dress a certain way in order to blend in. However, I do believe that will soon change as I’m getting closer to finding the proof required to bring these men to justice.”
“I see,” Lord Elkins said.
“So with all of this taken into account, will you give us your blessing?” Miss Russell asked with renewed forcefulness to her voice.
Her hand, warm and delicate, was still wrapped in Blayne’s and for some absurd reason, he was reluctant to let go.
