Page 76 of What a Widow Wants

“Yes, quite right. Must have slipped my mind.” Theale glanced at Matthew and his face transformed into a snarl. “What is that traitor doing in my house? I’ll have Noyes’s guts for garters.”

“He is here with me, Father. I have spoken with Lord Lathbury, who has informed me of your recent behavior regarding Aunt Frances.” Craighaven firmed his mouth and continued. “He has shown me proof that you tried to have her and Cousin Ella murdered.”

“Lies, all lies.” The marquess reared back in his chair. “He cuckolded your uncle. Do you think he will speak truth to you?”

“I have spoken the truth, Lord Theale.” Matthew stared at the man with abject loathing. “I informed your son about our meeting here and what you did to Fanny and Ella.”

“Lies.”

“I have proof.”

Theale sat up so quickly his chair scooted back across the Aubusson carpet. “What proof ?”

Reaching into his jacket, Matthew withdrew a sheet of paper. “An affidavit, sworn before the magistrate in Southwater and signed by Davies, attesting to the fact that you instructed him to abandon Fanny and Ella along the road and hire men to set upon them and murder them.” Clenching his fist, and itching to ram it into Theale’s face again, he breathed deeply and instead held the sheet up for Theale to see. “I think you will need to hire another coachman. In return for this sworn statement, I persuaded the magistrate to commute Davies’s sentence of death. He’s currently in Newgate awaiting transportation. The locals are still searching for the three ruffians who tried to seize them.”

Nonchalantly Theale waved the paper away. “That has nothing to do with me. Davies lied to save his own skin.”

“The magistrate thought him truthful enough to issue this.” Matthew slipped the document back into his pocket lest Theale get ideas about snatching and burning it too.

“Father, attempted murder is a felony.” Craighaven had paled, although he’d turned as white as the affidavit when Matthew had shown it to him. “Should Lathbury or Aunt Frances bring suit against you, you could hang. You should be grateful they have chosen not to do so.”

“For the moment.” Matthew shot that caveat in quickly.

“Pah.” Theale gave his son a disgusted look. “Thought I raised a man not a milksop.”

“A man who will see reason is no less of a man.” Of course, as far as Matthew could tell, reason and Lord Theale seemed to have parted company some time ago. “You are fortunate, my lord, that the attainder of corruption of blood was abolished last year. Had I brought suit and you’d been convicted under that, your titles and properties would have been forfeited to the Crown after you were hanged. Now you will only lose your life.” He stared straight into Theale’s eyes. “If I bring suit against you.”

“Which Lathbury has promised not to do,” Craighaven broke in, “if you cease to persecute Aunt Frances and Cousin Ella.” Now his son’s gaze bored into Theale’s eyes with deathly intent. “I have given him my word you will. Do I now have yours?”

With a deeply frowning countenance, Theale returned Matthew’s stare. “You and she dishonored my family.”

“As your brother did her.” Not willing to give an inch, Matthew raised his head. “He is dead and we will be married shortly. Let this matter end now. For if anything should happen to Fanny or Ella, if you attempt the same dastardly actions against them, I will pursue not only you, but your entire family as well. Craighaven will immediately undergo my challenge, and I think you know my reputation with a pistol.”

Giving a short nod, Theale swallowed hard.

“I will make sure, my lord, it will not come to that.” Craighaven had paled again. The gentleman surely needed to disguise his feelings better.

Perhaps his father’s estimation of milksop had not been far off the mark.

Stepping to the door, Craighaven called for Noyes, who appeared amazingly quickly. “Please have Aunt Frances’s and Cousin Ella’s trunks brought to the entrance hall. Lord Lathbury will take charge of them.”

The butler gave a quick glance to his master.

Theale paused, then nodded.

“Very good, my lord.” The relief in the man’s voice echoed that in Matthew’s mind.

“I will take my leave of you then, Craighaven, Theale.” Matthew bowed and shot a final angry glance at Theale. “I pray we do not meet again under such circumstances.” Turning on his heel, he strode quickly from the room, a huge weight rolling off his shoulders, although he’d continue to be vigilant for a while as far as Fanny and Ella’s safety was concerned. Likely until he read Theale’s obituary in the Times.

His and Fanny’s path to love had been difficult in the extreme and he would do everything in his power to safeguard his new-made family for as long as they both should live.

EPILOGUE

The blustery, cold month of January proved a busy one for Fanny and Matthew.

After the final ordeal wresting her belongings from Theale’s hands, they had arrived at Hunter’s Cross in good time to celebrate a quiet Christmas with Lady Lathbury, Lady Beatrice, and his younger sisters, Lady Eugenie and Lady Marianne, who took to Ella as another sister with open arms.

After the holidays, both she and Ella had settled quickly into a routine of work and play at Hunter’s Cross. Ella joined Matthew’s sisters in the schoolroom, and had taken to their governess, Miss Gleeson, instantly. The girl’s studies had since gone at a clipping pace.