No matter how much he wanted to protect her, she had to do things her way. Wycliff loved that woman so much it was hard to think, but he had to trust her judgement, he needed to prove to her he trusted her. Today was her proof.
“You all right, my lord? You look a little giddy.”
“I can say yes. Most definitely.”
A knock sounded upon the outer door. Like clockwork, the games were afoot. That sealed his decision to let Ruth go about her plans.
Sjambok in hand, he signaled for Lawden to open the door.
Nicholas stomped inside, his boots tracking mud across the white floor. “Sorry I’m late. I had to watch the runners cart off my father.”
Wycliff couldn’t help smiling. The man would be in irons before nightfall. A much kinder judgement than he deserved.
“I’m glad, Nicholas, that you’ve taken my offer. With both our fathers gone, we can strike up a peace.”
“Your note talked of financing this peace. That’s why I’ve come. It’s the only reason.”
Wycliff met him in the middle of the hall. “But you can trust me, Nickie. Not like you would be waylaid along the way.”
Nicholas grunted and laughed. “No, not here in the crowded city.”
This man was as evil as Uncle Soulden. Actually worse, for he pretended to be a friend.
Wycliff opened the door to his study and showed his cousin inside.
Mr. Marks rose from his chair. Wrinkled hair, wrinkled coat, but bright eyed and ready to exact justice.
“I thought we were going to be alone, Wycliff?”
“No, that can prove deadly with Wilkinsons. Besides, Mr. Marks can do the legal paperwork on the transaction. I want every jot in place. No misunderstandings between us.”
Nickie slammed into the empty chair. He put his hand on the bride sculpture. “Misunderstandings have been the capstone of our relationship.”
Rage churned in Wycliff as he glanced at Nicholas’s hands on that bride, but the composure he’d developed serving on the HMSLiverpoolsteadied him.
“I was surprised, Cousin, by your generous offer,” Nickie said. “You have my father rotting in debtors’ prison. Do you know how humiliating it was to see him carted off like that?”
“No, but feel free to describe it in every way. Make me feel like I was there watching.”
“Wycliff. Must you be crude?”
“Yes. I should, and I should be mad at you for sending fools to attack me whilst I was out of town.”
“Well, you are here. Must not have been good fools. This is nothing to me.”
“You never had the stomach for the dirty work. You were the obedient bookkeeper.”
“I should’ve told them to kill you, you know. Father was right about that.”
“But he was right about you not measuring up. You didn’t have the stomach for that or for fair fights. Even picking on girls, I hear. That’s what Madame Talease says.”
Nickie grunted. “I was pushed. The fellows my father hired taunted me. You really don’t think I wanted something you’d had. Your companion is dead now, anyway. Replaceable, remember?”
That gutted.
Wycliff could swing his sjambok and slay the man for that comment, but it was meant to goad and throw him off his game. “Though doth protest too much. But let’s talk about the money. Did you bring the original ledgers?”
“Yes. You have the ten thousand pounds?”
