Resting against the doorjamb of Clayworth’s green parlor, Greg watched his sister for a moment. With a book in her lap, she looked quite content, to be honest; and he was relieved to see her so. She deserved contentment, she deserved happiness every day of her life. Even so, he was more than certain that she’d meant to play matchmaker for him with Bella from the very onset of this little plan of hers. As it was, he couldn’t even be annoyed with her. The prospect of making Bella his was one he was quite eager for, especially after the way they’d spent the afternoon together. Until this foray into London, he’d had no plans to ever marry and would have most likely lived out his days in complete loneliness at Rufford Hall. Oh, he would have never admitted that he was lonely, not even to himself, but looking back on the last several years of his life, he had definitely been that; something he would have never realized if Bella hadn’t come into his life. And if his sister hadn’t interfered in something that was none of her concern… Well, he supposed he owed Cordie another debt, and he’d happily repay her in kind, if he only knew how.

Greg must have made some sort of sound because his sister glanced at him. She smiled slightly as she closed her book to spear Greg with one of her more perceptive stares. “Alone, are you?”

“Bella has returned home.” He crossed the floor and stopped behind a chintz chair across from his sister, grasping the back in his hands.

Cordie shook her head slightly. “Oh? I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see her before she left.”

As Bella had been more than embarrassed at the prospect of visiting with Cordie after she’d stumbled upon them, Greg had promised to speak with his sister first. She was, after all, his sister; and therefore his to deal with. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that she and I have decided to marry.”

Cordie grinned at him. “You’re not toying with me?”

Greg shook his head. “Our betrothal is no longer a pretend one.”

His sister’s green eyes lit with joy. “Oh, Greg! I am so happy for you, for both of you.” She dropped her book onto the settee and leapt from her spot, navigated the chair before him to throw her arms around his neck. “She is a charming girl, isn’t she?”

She was more than charming. She was…perfect in nearly every way.

“As soon as I met her, I hoped you’d love her. She’s—”

Love. There was that word again. “—mortified that you stumbled upon us. She’s quite shy, Cordie.”

His sister pulled back slightly from him. “And that’s why she left without saying goodbye to me?”

He nodded.

“Oh, Gregory.” She shook her head, making her dark tresses bounce against her shoulders. “I don’t care about any of that. Just that the two of you found each other! I am beyond thrilled.”

His sister wouldn’t care about any of that. She had, after all, cavorted with the Marquess of Haversham before eloping with Clayworth in Gretna Green. Cordie had never been a beacon of propriety.

“Please tell her I’m overjoyed for both of you and not to worry about anything else.” Then she took his hand in hers and dragged him over to the settee where she’d previously been. “And I’ll want to help with wedding arrangements since her mother is not available. You should acquire a special license first thing in the morning, and—”

Greg shook his head with a laugh. “I told her family I wanted to wait until Russell could be here.”

His sister frowned up at him. “Heavens, that’s not a very good idea.”

Well, at the time he’d said it, he’d meant to stall Ayelsford from wanting a quick wedding. And even now, “There’s no need for us to rush. Mother would probably kill me if I married while she’s on the Continent.” Even if it might kill him to wait any amount of time to make Bella his.

Cordie did laugh then. “Gregory, you should marry her now before Mother can scare her away.”

“You may have a point.” He couldn’t help but laugh right along with his sister. Dealing with Mother was not for the faint of heart.

“No reason to risk it,” she agreed.

“But, honestly, Cordie, if Russell could be here…”

His sister blew out a breath and her brow furrowed just slightly. “Russell is very much in love with Bridget, but there is still so much animosity between him and Tristan. They nearly came to blows at Bayhurst Court, and he told Tris he never wanted to see him for the rest of his days.” She shook her head. “I hope the two of them can find their way back to each other at some point, but neither of them have made any sort of effort to do so. And it hasn’t been that long since Tristan absconded with Phoebe, not really.”

“And it could be a millennia before they can be in the same city again, let alone the same room,” Greg agreed, knowing she was right. Unfortunate as that was, it did seem to be the case.

His sister shrugged. “Do you really want to wait that long?”

No, he really didn’t. After kissing Bella the better part of the afternoon, Greg was rather anxious to have her in his bed, but he wasn’t going to say that to his sister of all people, even if she hadn’t ever been a beacon of propriety. “A special license first thing in the morning.”

“Perfect.” Cordie grinned. “And I am already preparing the guest list in my mind. But we’ll need to speak with Mr. Bailey about availability at St. George’s.” She clapped her hands together with glee. “Oh, Greg, this is going to be wonderful. The absolute, most perfect wedding ever.”

* * *

Bella was nearly floating up to the clouds when she and her maid reached Chatham House, the memory of each of Greg’s kisses fresh in Bella’s mind. She was going to be his baroness. Lady Avery of Rufford Hall. She hoped she’d love Nottinghamshire as much as he did, but she suspected she would love any place as long as Greg was there.

Lady Avery of Rufford Hall.

The name rolled around and around in her mind. It was the last thing she’d expected when she’d left home that afternoon. She’d been so focused on…

Drat!

She’d been so caught up in kissing Greg, in daydreaming about their future, she hadn’t asked any of the questions she meant to about Elliott. She still had no idea if he had encountered her brother other places the last little while. She had no idea if Greg had somehow learned anything else about Elliott? She had no idea if there was anything else she should be aware of before telling Papa of her concerns.

She heaved a sigh, annoyed with herself for being so easily distracted. Though, she doubted any girl could have kept her mind focused on anything with Greg kissing her as thoroughly as he had done.

Bella shook her head as she started for the staircase and then her heart nearly stopped when…

“Arabella!” Grandfather’s bark from his study caught her completely off-guard and she almost tripped over her own feet.

Blast! She’d been so careful to avoid him this morning, but she’d let her mind wander about her future with Greg and her worries over her brother, and—

“Arabella!” he bellowed again.

Bella gulped as she started for the open door to her grandfather’s study. “Sorry, I was woolgather—”

“Planning something else nefarious, no doubt,” he said from behind his desk, glaring at her as though she was the worst possible fiend in the world.

Nefarious? Before Bella could even reply to that comment, Johann pushed out of a chair facing their grandfather’s desk to look her over with his icy eyes. Goodness, she hadn’t even realized he was in the study until that moment. The two men whose notice she never wanted to capture, and both were looking at her right then.

“You wanted to speak with me?” she said so quietly, she could barely hear herself.

Grandfather shook his head in annoyance. “One would think after all the time spent at that school Aylesford sent you to, you could be somewhat articulate.” He flicked a glance to Johann and said, “Excuse us, my boy.”

“Of course, Grandfather,” her cousin said, his Prussian accent filling the air. Then he started toward the threshold, where Bella stood, staring at her with complete disdain. That feeling was more than mutual. She didn’t even want to contemplate how awful a life with a man like him would be. Even so, it was difficult not to feel uncomfortable with the intensity of his stare.

“You!” Grandfather barked, his eyes narrowed on Bella. “Sit.”

As though she was a dog. She certainly felt like one at the moment. Bella brushed past Johann, glad she wouldn’t have to suffer his presence any longer. Only Grandfather’s, which was bad enough on any given day, but seemed worse for some reason today.

“Shut the door, will you, Johann?” Grandfather asked, and a moment later, the door clicked shut at the back of the study.

Bella swallowed nervously.

The hateful glare her grandfather shot in her direction reminded Bella that he’d ordered her to sit, but she was still standing. So she sat quickly in one of the chairs facing the ducal desk and tried to ignore the trembling of her hands. What in the world did he want with her?

“You wanted to speak with me, Your Grace?” she asked, hoping she sounded more articulate to him this time.

Grandfather narrowed his eyes even further until they were nearly dark slits filled with contempt. “I have never cared for you.”

He had never made that much of a secret, but he’d never come out and said that before, at least not to her face.

“You are too much like your mother in all of the worst possible ways,” he continued.

Bella wasn’t certain how she was supposed to respond to that, but muttered, “I’m sorry I’ve been such a disappointment.”

He snorted as though that was an understatement. “Even so, I never would have guessed you were nothing more than a common thief, however—”

“A thief?” she breathed out in surprise.

“Do not pretend otherwise,” he snapped. “It makes you less palatable than usual.”

He thought she was a thief? Bella’s stomach twisted, and then all the pieces fell into place in her mind… “On my honor—”

“You steal from me and want to talk about honor?” he growled.

She had never stolen one thing in her life. But Elliott had. And somehow, for some reason, Grandfather thought she was the culprit. She wasn’t sure how or why or…

Grandfather opened a drawer and placed Grandmama’s yellow diamond earbobs in the middle of his desk. “Hidden under your mattress.”

That was where she’d hidden them, to keep Elliott from finding them again and selling them once more. The trembling in Bella’s hands intensified and she thought she might faint. She and Prissa wanted to talk to Papa about Elliott, not Grandfather. She would never do that to her brother, not even now. They needed a plan to figure out what to do with Elliott, how to help him; but the duke would never care about any of that.

“I need to talk to Prissa,” she said and stumbled to her feet.

“Certainly, you’re not going to blame your sister,” her grandfather began.

“No.” She shook her head. “But I am innocent, Grandfather, I—”

“You are a disappointment, just like your brother. And considering your choice for a husband, I have no hope for your future.” He leaned back in his seat, the intensity of his glare never lessening for even a moment. “You will end this ridiculous betrothal and I will find you a suitable husband, one who will give you the guidance you are sorely lacking.”

End her betrothal? Bella’s heart tightened and the possibility of her fainting seemed much more likely all of a sudden. “I will never marry Johann!” she blurted out.

Her Grandfather’s eyes rounded in surprise. Then a mirthless smile graced his lips. “Did Aylesford tell you that?”

Papa hadn’t, and lying about it would surely come back to haunt her. So she shook her head.

“No?” Grandfather heaved a breath. “So then you’re listening at doors too, hmm? A thief and a spy, right under my own roof. You need a stronger hand than Avery could ever provide, Arabella. If you will not end things with him, I’ll see that Aylesford does.”

A wave of nausea washed over Bella as she shook her head. “Papa would never—”

“Defy me?” The old man laughed. “You and I both know he will fall in line, like he always does.”

And he very well might. But Bella couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t lose Greg, not now. She turned on her heel and raced for the door, throwing it open and rushing down the corridor toward the library. If she could just talk to Papa first, tell him about Elliott…

But Papa wasn’t in the library. Oh, no! A trickle of tears streamed down her cheeks. Where in the world could Papa be?