Chapter Nine
A shot rang out and Lord Halifax clutched his stomach. A moment of expectant silence passed. Then the earl dropped to his knees, blood seeping through his fingers. Pandemonium broke out and Erroll allowed the arm gripping the pistol to drop to his side. He crossed to Halifax, scooped up his pistol, then stood aside for the doctor, who followed two paces behind, along with half a dozen other men. Duncan knelt beside the earl and felt for a pulse at Halifax’s neck. He removed Halifax’s limp hand from his belly and unbuttoned his shirt to examine the wound.
“John, Angus, come on,” he called, then pushed to his knees. “You too, lads,” he addressed two others. “Carry him inside and put him on the table.” Duncan looked at Erroll. “He isna’ dead, but he may yet meet his maker.”
“You will keep me apprised,” Erroll said.
“You may not know for some time, but if he dies in the next few minutes…” Duncan shrugged.
“I will await your word.” Erroll turned and scanned the crowd for the owner of the Scottish pistol. He spotted him talking with another man and strode to his side. The man stopped talking when he arrived, Erroll handed the pistol to its owner, and said, “Thank you.”
The man nodded and Erroll joined the two Miss Crenshaws, who stood with Oscar and Somerset.
“Oh my lord,” Miss Grace Crenshaw said. “How gallant of you to protect Eve’s honor. That blackguard deserved to be shot. But I am immensely relieved you are unharmed.”
“You bloody fool,” the elder Crenshaw sister snapped. “Is he dead?”
Grace Crenshaw gasped. “Eve, do not talk to his lordship that way.”
Her sister cut her a scathing look. “He is not to be congratulated.” She looked at Erroll, “Well, sir?”
“I did not manage to kill him.”
“Have you lost your mind?” she seethed. “That was one of the stupidest things I have ever had the misfortune to see.”
“Would you rather I had let Halifax get away with rape?”
“You could have dragged him in front of a magistrate. Where is your good sense?”
“You mean ‘good sense’ like having a man kidnapped and forced to marry a sister?” Erroll remarked.
“That plan did not include a duel.”
“Lord Somerset might disagree—as would your dear Oscar. Both were ready to send me to my reward.”
She gave a deprecating snort. “Neither would have carried out their threats.”
“You are wrong. Oscar would have made a point of it.”
“Eve,” her sister cut in, “you have no right to be angry with his lordship. He was perfectly correct in dealing with Lord Halifax. Good heavens, what prompted him to kidnap you?”
“That would be Lord Rushton’s doing,” the elder sister retorted.
Erroll gave a slight bow. “Guilty as charged. Next time, I will stay out of Neville’s business.”
“That isn’t what I mean and you know it,” she retorted.
“Madam, I have not the slightest idea what you mean. But I am reminded that no good deed goes unpunished.”
“Rubbish,” she muttered. “But never mind, we should be on our way,”
“Not just yet. I must wait for the doctor’s report.”
Her mouth parted in surprise. “You said Lord Halifax wasn’t dead.”
“Not yet,” Erroll replied.
“My God,” she blurted. “Then we must be going. If he dies—”
“He is likely to live,” Erroll interrupted. “The man doesn’t have the good grace to die like a man.”
“You should pray he lives. A murder charge is no small matter. How in God’s name did you discover he kidnapped me?”
“Ahh, so it was kidnapping.” Her eyes narrowed and he quickly added, “I heard a rumor that you were seen with the earl in his coach.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh dear.”
“Papa will have your head this time,” the younger sister said.
“There is one way to solve all our problems,” Miss Grace Crenshaw said. “I will marry Lord Rushton, and Eve will marry Lord Somerset. He has asked for her hand a dozen times.”
“Not a dozen.” Eve cast an embarrassed glance at him, then Erroll.
“I would be honored to marry Miss Crenshaw,” Somerset said.
“Surely you see the wisdom in the plan,” Miss Grace Crenshaw never took her eyes off Erroll. “Papa has already ordered that you marry one of us.”
“I believe it was your sister he ordered me to marry,” Erroll said.
“That was his second order,” she said. “He did intend you marry me first. He cannot very well shoot my husband.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Oscar said. “You father doesn’t like being disobeyed.”
“Nonsense,” the younger sister said. “If Eve marries Lord Somerset, then there will be no need for papa to be angry on any account.”
Halifax’s second joined Erroll. “Seems ye had better be on your way.”
“Has Halifax died?” Erroll demanded.
Graham shook he head. “Nay, but you know how it is. There is always one busy body who wants to be in the thick of things. One such fellow sounded the alarm after the duel was finished.”
“At least he stayed for the show,” Erroll said. “How long before the sheriff arrives?”
“Word has only been sent, but if you leave now you will have an hour’s head start,” Graham replied.
Erroll grasped Miss Eve Crenshaw’s elbow and hurried her through the field and back to Halifax’s carriage. Erroll opened the carriage door.
Miss Crenshaw pulled free of his hold. “You will make better time without us. If you ride at a gallop, you can reach the border in minutes.
“You might think twice about going to England,” Graham said. “The sheriff is English.”
Erroll looked sharply at him. “When did Scotland start employing English law enforcement officers?”
The man grinned. “This is Gretna. English come here to escape their own marriage restrictions. We see our fair share of trouble from angry fathers. The Crown decided they were losing too many fair maidens to the scoundrels we let marry them.”
“We cannot possibly outrun him in a fully loaded carriage,” Miss Crenshaw said. “You must flee on your own.”
“I do not flee,” he said.
“For heaven’s sake, forget your pride and go.”
“You might consider a ship,” Graham said. “Fishing vessels dock at Silloth.”
“Thank you,” Erroll said. “But not Silloth. If the tide is low, we would not be able to sail until high tide.”
Graham nodded. “Aye. You may want to go direct to Allonby or Maryport. The trip is longer, but you are sure to find a ship captain willing to take you at one of those ports.
“Quite right.” Erroll faced his companions. “You ladies will ride in the carriage. I will drive and, you, Oscar and Somerset, will ride.”
Miss Eve Crenshaw shook her head. “You can elude the sheriff faster without us.”
Erroll grunted. “You two ladies sealed your fate and mine when you had me kidnapped. We all go together. We’ll sort out this mess once we reach our destination.”
“And where might that be?”
“That does not concern you.”
“It does—but never mind. I plan to return home.”
“Oscar,” Erroll said, “if you are going to stop me, now is the time; otherwise, I am putting your mistress in this coach and you will see to it she doesn’t jump out.”
“Have you lost your mind?” she demanded.
“Eve,” Somerset said, “he’s right. You cannot simply return to England. There is an alternative, however. Marry me—”
“For heaven’s sake, I have no intention of marrying you.”
His lips pursed. “As you wish. Then you will marry Lord Rushton.”
Somerset rose a notch in Erroll’s estimation, even if the viscount wasn’t helping Erroll’s cause.
“Lord Rushton is my betrothed,” Grace Crenshaw interjected.
“I thought you were going to marry the other one,” Graham said.
“Oh no,” the younger Miss Crenshaw went on. “That has been the plan all along.” She smiled up at Erroll. “Hand fasting takes mere minutes. Surely we have time to complete the ceremony before we leave? We can then use my coach for the trip.”
“You have a coach?” he asked. “Is it ready?”
She shook her head. “I was not anticipating a hasty departure. I engaged a room for us at the inn.”
Erroll cut a look Eve’s way. “I see you thought of everything.”
“That was not Eve’s idea, my lord.”
“You?” he asked the younger sister.
“Yes. But as we now must leave immediately, we can have my carriage readied while the ceremony is performed. That way, we can ensure all is in order when we reach the coast.”
“All is in order?” he repeated, then comprehended her meaning. “Madam, are you suggesting that we consummate our marriage during a carriage ride? Good God, you are what, eighteen years of age? How does a mere chit of a girl contrive to spread her legs for a man in a carriage?”
“You are as guilty as her,” the elder sister cut in with asperity. “She started this mess by lying, but you have even less excuse than her. She is young, you are not. You should have kept a cool head and spoken with my father instead of breaking into my room. You have no one to blame but yourself for this mess.”
“You are right,” Erroll said, then lifted and tossed her into the carriage.
*****
In the last three hours, Eve had failed to devise a way to unravel the mess that now had her and Grace settled in the cabin of a collier ship bound for the Isle of Mull. The Isle of Mull. Holy God, she didn’t want to contemplate what would happen once they reached Lord Rushton’s childhood home. The possibilities boggled her mind.
The carriage trip had given Eve time to think—too much time—and, in the end, she couldn’t fault the earl for forcing her and Grace to go with him. He was, in fact, acting far more chivalrous than they deserved. No doubt, news of the duel was already speeding toward Manchester, headed, ultimately, for London. By tomorrow night, the tidbit would be in all the gossip papers and on the lips of Society’s best. If Lord Halifax died, a warrant for Lord Rushton’s arrest would be issued, and he would have to flee again, probably aboard a ship bound for America.
“I do not understand why you didn’t accept Lord Somerset’s proposal,” Grace’s voice broke into Eve’s thoughts. ”The two of you could have returned to Manchester.”
Obviously, Grace, too, had been mulling over recent events. Eve looked up from her folded hands that rested on the small table and met her sister’s gaze. Grace lounged on the bed they would share for the voyage.
“I do not love him.”
Grace shifted against the pillow she’d propped up in the corner. “Love has nothing to do with marriage.”
“Not everyone marries for position and money, Grace.”
“People do not marry for love, either. If you and Lord Somerset weren’t here, I would have no trouble with his lordship.”
“He seems decided against marrying you.”
“Why?” Grace said. “Because he wants to marry you? Or is it that you want to marry him?”
“What?”
“Is that why you lured him into the gardens at Lady Grendall’s party?”
Eve’s heartbeat jumped.
Grace’s stare bore into her. “Did you think I didn’t hear when Lord Halifax told Lord Rushton on the dueling field?”
“Things are not what they appear.”
“No?”
Eve hadn’t allowed herself to dwell on those minutes in the garden when Lord Rushton had kissed her, or the even longer minutes they’d been jammed together and he had—“No,” Eve said. “It isn’t what you think. I did ask him to walk with me, but Oscar was there, waiting to kidnap him. By that time it was late, very late, and I had thought Lord Rushton was already on his way to you in Gretna. Grace, I was beside myself when he appeared at Lady Grendall’s ball.” All the truth. “Lord Somerset was there making a nuisance of himself, I feared he would call out Lord Rushton right there. He told me outright he would shoot the earl.”
Grace frowned and Eve could see the wheels turning inside her head. She rushed on. “I knew Lord Rushton wanted to speak with me—think nothing of it,” she added, when Grace opened her mouth to interrupt. “He and I have had no chance to speak since this mess began. It only makes sense he would want to speak with me. In any case, I saw that Oscar was lurking in the bushes and knew it was then or never. After Oscar hit him over the head, I tried to put a halt to the insane scheme, but Oscar said it was you or me.”
“Oscar really said that?” Grace asked.
“Yes, and he was right. So, against my better judgment, I relented. Lord Rushton does not want to marry me. But beware, Grace, despite our father’s threats, he seems quite determined not to marry anyone.”
“There is no reason he can’t marry me,” Grace said. “Papa might not like it at first, but he would accept it.”
“Papa will not be pleased if it turns out you wed a murderer.”
“Rubbish. Lord Rushton was protecting your honor. Lord Halifax kidnapped you.”
“But we kidnapped Lord Rushton,” Eve reminded her.
“That is different. We were only facilitating the inevitable. Lord Halifax took you against your will and intended you harm. The brigand,” she said with surprising force. “He deserved getting shot and it would serve him right if he dies—though I hope he does not. It is better for Lord Rushton if we do not have to flee the Continent.”
Eve recalled the fury in Lord Rushton’s eyes when he punched Lord Halifax, then the determination when he’d lifted his pistol and shot the earl. A tremor rippled through Eve’s stomach. He’d been in a cold rage.
“Well, now that he’s whisked us off in a ship, Lord Rushton will have no choice but to marry me,” Grace went on, “which means you must marry Lord Somerset.”
“It means nothing of the sort.” Though she seriously wondered how she was going to avoid marriage after a trip to Gretna and an unchaperoned voyage to the Highlands.
“The captain can marry us,” Grace said. “Once Lord Rushton has had a good night’s sleep, we will speak of it.”
“Take care,” Eve said. “His lordship was angry over our plans to marry him to you.”
“True. Perhaps we trod upon his male pride. Men do not care to be ordered about by a woman, at least not until they are married, and even then it is best if they think they have acted of their own accord.”
“That sounds like advice our mother would give.”
“It is.”
“If you are foolish enough to listen to her, then you deserve the consequences. Lord Rushton is no fool. You received a taste of his temper when you suggested the two of you consummate your marriage on the carriage ride from Gretna. My God, what possessed you to suggest such a thing?”
“He did respond rather violently,” she replied in a quiet tone, to Eve’s surprise. “I don’t understand. He was almost…”
“Prudish,” Eve finished for her.
“Yes, that is it.” Grace scrunched up her nose. “Quite unbecoming.”
Eve stared. “What?”
“He is not at all cooperating.”
“How dare he?” Eve said.
Grace’s brows furrowed. “Are you mocking me?”
“Clearly, he is in the wrong for not going along with your plans.”
Grace’s eyes narrowed. “You are no better than me, Eve Crenshaw. I told a small lie. You, however, had him kidnapped.”
And there it was. Their mother would be proud.
*****
Erroll halted outside the ladies’ cabin door with Oscar and Somerset at his side. “Are you gentlemen ready?”
“A man is never ready when it comes to Miss Crenshaw,” Oscar said under his breath.
“Which Miss Crenshaw?” Erroll asked, then shook his head. “Never mind. They’re both troublesome.” Though the elder sister had proven more troublesome than any other woman he’d known.
“I may have done you an injustice,” Somerset said. “I’m beginning to see how you got tangled up in this mess.”
“I am gratified.” Erroll knocked on the door and called, “May we speak with you, ladies?”
A moment of silence passed before Miss Eve Crenshaw called, “Come in.”
Erroll entered, his reinforcements close behind. The ladies sat at the small table, their hands folded demurely in their laps. That, he decided, was not a good sign. His gaze snagged on Eve Crenshaw’s torn sleeve. He would have to do something about that dress.
“Ladies.” He gave a slight bow.
Somerset followed suit, and said, “Are you well?”
“We are fine,” Miss Eve Crenshaw replied. “And you gentlemen?”
“As well as can be expected,” Erroll rejoined.
“Oh dear,” she said. “Do you get seasick, my lord? Perhaps a voyage wasn’t the best idea. We are barely out of harbor. The gentle waves we have experienced thus far are nothing compared to the massive swells we are sure to encounter at sea. I would advise a diet of dried toast. That will be much easier when the waves pitch your stomach into your throat.”
Erroll suspected she would enjoy seeing his stomach pitch into his throat. “I have spent some time at sea, madam.”
“Ah, yes,” she said. “You were in the navy. That must have been terrible for you, with your seasickness and all. I hope you can manage all right for the duration of this voyage.”
“I will muddle through,” he said.
“I have never been on a ship before,” the younger sister joined in. “This should prove to be quite an adventure.”
Erroll eyed her. “I would think you had had enough adventure for one day.”
“I have, but bear in mind, sir, the only reason Eve ended up in Gretna is because Lord Halifax was angry with you. That means the duel you fought with him had nothing to do with us.”
So the younger Miss Crenshaw was giving him a gentle but firm setback in payment for taking her to task over the suggestion they consummate their marriage in a carriage. The young lady had a bit of backbone.
“I feel certain I could have caught him long before he reached Gretna had I not been…indisposed,” Erroll said.
She gave an elegant cant of her head. “Of course. But you still would have shot him.”
The girl would choose this moment to argue logic. “Perhaps,” he said, “but we three—we five—wouldn’t have ended up on this ship.”
She laughed. “I imagine we would have found ourselves together in some fashion. Eve is quite determined not to marry you.”
That she was. He clasped his hands behind his back. “I have a few instructions for you ladies.”
“Instructions?” the younger asked, but the elder cast him a suspicious look.
“You are not to leave this room. There are no locks on any of the doors aboard ship, so Oscar,” he nodded toward the brute, who stood nearest the door, “will remain stationed outside your room to ensure no one enters.”
“Or leaves,” Miss Eve Crenshaw said under her breath.
There it was. “Forgive me, madam, if I am skittish in regards to your ability to follow orders, but there is no room for shenanigans on this voyage. I do not wish a repeat of this morning.”
“None of these sailors will try to kidnap me,” she said.
Erroll stopped cold. “No. They would simply finish the job Halifax started.”
Her mouth parted in a silent gasp.
“We shall do exactly as you say,” Grace Crenshaw said. “But how are we to stay in this tiny, stale room for the next three days?”
“I will arrange for you to take walks, but you will be escorted by either Oscar or Lord Somerset.”
“What about you?” she asked. “Surely, you do not plan to abandon us the entire voyage?”
“Count yourselves fortunate I did not abandon you in Gretna Green.”
“Lord Rushton,” Eve said, “at this point, you must admit that the three of us are equally to blame for this mess. It really is unfair to snipe at Grace.”
Hers was a rational and perceptive response. Why did that make him nervous? “Not wholly unfair,” he said, “but you have a point.” Erroll gave a small bow to the younger sister. “Forgive me, Miss Crenshaw. Now, let us begin anew. This ship is a collier, a cargo ship, and such vessels are manned by rough characters. You two ladies are not to leave this cabin without the escort of myself, Somerset, or Oscar, and only with my permission. I must know your whereabouts at all times. This, I promise, is for your safety. Understand?”
Both women murmured agreement, which didn’t allay his concerns. “I understand this is a cramped space, and will arrange for two walks a day.”
“Do you really expect someone to accost us?” Eve asked.
“The crew could be exemplary. But I do not know them.”
“If we could ask a favor,” she said. “Does the captain perhaps have any books we might borrow? It will be difficult doing nothing but staring at the walls.”
“That is a reasonable request.” Too reasonable, in fact. “I will inquire.”
“May we ask where you will be staying, my lord?”
“We gentlemen will sleep with the sailors.”
Her brow furrowed, but she said nothing. Surely she wasn’t concerned for their comfort or safety—especially not his.
“The ship will make one stop in Belfast to unload cargo,” he continued.
“Belfast,” Grace said in an excited voice, and Erroll realized what she had in mind.
“Miss Crenshaw—”
Oscar groaned.
“Too late, my lord.” the elder sister shook her head. “Grace will badger you into an early grave if you do not capitulate.”
Not if I’m absent, he thought.
“Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can hide from her,” Eve Crenshaw said, clearly reading his thoughts—or the horror that must be expressed on his face at the thought of escorting the girl for a day. “You may avoid her during the trip, but you will have to face her once we dock in Scotland. You will not escape retribution.”
The younger Miss Crenshaw beamed, clearly not the least bit chagrined at being cast as a harpy, and said with even more enthusiasm, “Papa always promised to take us to Belfast, but he never found the time. Now then, when we arrive, it will take the better part of the day to unload the coal from the ship. Why should we rusticate in this room when we can enjoy a day in the city?”
“I did not realize you were acquainted with the coal business,” Erroll said dryly.
“Am I wrong?” she asked without rancor.
Sadly, she was not, and he said so.
“Excellent. We must go into town. Eve and I require new dresses.”
“New dresses?” he blurted, and didn’t miss the hard twitch of perverse satisfaction on the elder sister’s mouth.
Grace Crenshaw said, “Indeed, Eve’s dress is torn, and we cannot wear these dresses the whole time we are away from home. Not to mention, it won’t do for us to arrive at Ravenhall soiled and dressed in rags.”
They weren’t quite dressed in rags, but Erroll refrained from pointing that out.
“What will happen once we reach Ravenhall?” Eve Crenshaw asked.
“We will sort out this mess,” he said.
“When do you think we might hear news of Lord Halifax?” she said.
Erroll shrugged. “That depends on how quickly he dies.”
Her brow furrowed into a ferocious frown. “Do not say that.”
“We are deeply gratified you were not killed, my lord,” her sister said.
He kept his gaze on Eve. “If I had been killed, you would be free of me.”
“I shall be free of you soon enough,” she muttered.
Erroll couldn’t deny a twinge of frustration at her staunch refusal to marry him. “There are any number of ladies who would thrill at the chance to marry me.” Though he wouldn’t marry a one of them.
“Of course,” Grace Crenshaw chimed in. “Any lady would be thrilled to have you as her husband, my lord.”
Eve Crenshaw rolled her eyes. “I imagine his title and bank account have a great deal to do with his popularity.”
“I beg your pardon,” he said. “I am a very eligible bachelor.”
“That does not make you a desirable husband.”
“It could,” Erroll said under his breath.
“Eve,” her sister said, “where are your manners? You should not talk so.”
“Tell me, Miss Crenshaw,” Erroll addressed the elder, “how do you propose we extricate ourselves from this new tangle?”
The younger sister waved a pretty hand. “Eve and I have discussed the situation. Tell him, Eve.”
“You two discussed it?” Here might begin his reckoning.
“You are a fortunate man,” Somerset said.
“So it would seem,” Erroll agreed. “Pray tell, what did you two conclude?”
“I wish I knew,” the elder sister muttered.
“Really, Eve,” her sister recriminated. “You, sir, were defending Eve’s honor when you challenged Lord Halifax to a duel. Of course, by the time we return to England, everyone will know what happened but, as you and I will be married, everyone will understand what a noble thing you did in protecting your sister-in-law’s honor. Papa will be quite proud, Eve’s reputation will be saved, and all our problems will be solved.”
Somerset laughed.
Oscar muttered something unintelligible.
The elder sister stared. “She almost makes it sound plausible.”
“She does,” Erroll agreed.
“Of course it is plausible,” Grace said. “You and I are meant for each other, my lord.”
“Meant for each other?” he blurted, then couldn’t help asking, “Why do you think so?”
“For many reasons, my lord. My beauty will compliment you in such a way that makes the envy of Society. This will, of course, guarantee that your heir will be a testament to you. I am well trained as hostess, so you will always shone in the best light, and you may rest easy that I will never take you to task for having a life—which means I would never embarrass you.”
“I am exactly the kind of wife you need,” she finished.
And she was, he realized in astonishment. She had all the proper qualities and understood her duty as wife to a man like him. She only lacked the one basic element he demanded from his wife: honesty.
This realization—along with the day’s events—frustrated him all the more. “Forgive me, Miss Crenshaw, we have all agreed to be friends—” Erroll stopped and looked at the other two men “—we have agreed?”
“Indeed,” Somerset said.
The brute gave a small bow. “As you say, my lord.”
“I am gratified you are on our side, Oscar. You as well, Somerset, but I cannot forget that Oscar brought me down with one heavy blow. I had not thought I was that old just yet.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Oscar offered in consolation.
“That helps,” Erroll said, then returned his attention to Miss Grace Crenshaw. “We have all agreed to be friends, so I won’t take you to task. But I haven’t forgotten that you lied about me.”
She shrugged. “It was an innocent fib.”
“Pray, do not plead innocence. I dislike fools as much as liars.”
“I daresay the ladies you compromised would say you have been less than honest,” she retorted.
“They may say what they will,” he replied. “But I never promised them anything, and they were not innocents to be compromised.”
“When a gentleman takes liberties, it is implied that he intends to marry the lady.”
He laughed. “Is that what your mother told you? If you believe that then you are naïve. Though I am beginning to suspect that is not the case.”
“Sir—”
“Enough,” Erroll said, in no mood for further argument.
The full weight of their situation—and the unexpected knowledge of what he might want in a wife—pounded into him like Thor’s hammer.