Chapter 10
Gabriel had been waiting two days for Kathleen to be “well.” He had visited the Archbishop of Canterbury and received a raised eyebrow from the man, who must be aware of some of the happenings of the ton. He had purchased a special licence at the same time Stalwood had and had then visited Kathleen. The butler informed him she was not receiving visitors as she was incapacitated.
It was no good. Cedric was beginning to move around the house. He looked gaunt and a bit thinner than he had but Gabriel’s days of gadding about town were definitely numbered.
They had not told the Duke that Kathleen was unwell and so Gabriel had accompanied Stalwood and Christina around town to afternoon teas, balls and musicales. It was not the same without Kathleen’s light-hearted chatter and interesting observations as a newcomer to the ton.
Today he was going to her house and he would barge into her bedchamber if necessary.
He spoke to the butler who said he would see if Miss Roberts was at home. Gabriel explained to the butler that he was not leaving until he had seen his fiancée. He used all the belligerence and obnoxious arrogance that Cedric used when he wanted something he should not have. He hated himself for treating a servant in such a way, but he was supposed to be Cedric and he needed to see Kathleen.
He was in a small parlour at the back of the house, looking out over the back garden when he heard footsteps.
“I am told you were very insistent about seeing me, Mr Onslow.”
Gabriel turned slowly and noted the high colour on her cheeks and her pursed lips. Devil take it, those lips were very kissable. He wanted to take her into his arms and do just that.
“I was rather rude to your butler, yes. When this is all over, I should like to apologise to him.”
“He likes chewing tobacco, I hear.”
“Noted.”
“I have been unwell.”
“You look well. So, you have not had the malady that Ce… my brother had.”
“No.”
“Your courses.”
“My lord!”
“I am no lord.”
“Oh, this is ridiculous. Wait a moment.” She hurried out of the room and returned a few moments later with the butler. He carried Gabriel’s own greatcoat, hat and gloves and she wore her fur-lined pelisse, a bonnet and kid-skin gloves.
“Thank you. And I apologise for my manners earlier.”
“I do not know what you mean, Mr Onslow. You were perfectly polite.”
“You and I both know that is not true. Thank you for your discretion.”
“You’re welcome, Mr Onslow.”
“Come, let us walk in the garden.”
Gabriel followed her out into the frosty air. He was sure it was far too cold for a lady to be out walking but she seemed not to mind.
“I do love cold days, do you not?”
“I cannot say that I do.”
“I prefer snow of course. I believe it may snow soon.”
“It seldom snows in London. So, tell me what ailed you.”
“I did have my courses, but I was actually avoiding you.”
“Do you still have your courses?”
She sighed. “Not that it is any of your business, but no.”
“Then we can marry tomorrow by special licence and we can consummate it immediately. That way no one can say it is not legal.”
“Where?”
“Stalwood has a small estate out near Richmond. We shall go there. He shall marry Christina and I shall marry you.”
“I have not agreed to marry you yet.”
“Do you want to marry Cedric? Do you want to take a chance on marrying a man who might beat you or force you into having sex when you do not feel like it?”
“I thought… sex was a wife’s duty.” She seemed to almost baulk at the word sex. Poor innocent Kathleen. If she knew of some of Cedric’s proclivities and the diseases he brought home from the brothels, he would be able to convince her to marry him immediately.
“It is, but, God, Kathleen, if you are tired or feel unwell or have just had a baby or have your courses, I would like to think I would not force myself upon you. Marital intimacy… any intimacy should be mutual. I have no idea if Cedric has the common decency to go and slake his lust in a brothel or if he would just force you. He may just do both.”
“You would slake your lust in a brothel when I had a baby?”
Gabriel was not doing a good job of explaining this. He shook his head.
“No, Kathleen. I would wait until you were well enough and wanted me back in your bed?”
“Why?”
“Because I believe in fidelity. Look at what unfaithfulness did to my parents. Fidelity is vital in a marriage.”
“I agree.”
“I cannot guarantee that Cedric does.”
“I do not want to marry Cedric. I have known that since I realised you were not him. It is you that I want to marry.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes. I will marry you, Gabriel, Earl of Cindermaine.”
“Gabriel Oliver Marchby, Earl of Cindermaine.”
“That sounds very grand.”
“I shall pick you up here tomorrow at nine o’clock. We shall take some clothes and head to Stalwood’s estate.”
“Are we leaving London?”
“Yes.”
“But it is nearly Christmas.”
“But we cannot marry and still live in London. The Duke and your father will be angry with us. God knows what state Cedric will be in. And there shall be scandal.”
“Can we not wait until after Christmas?”
“You are to marry on St Stephen’s Day.”
“That is after Christmas.”
“Only just.”
She sighed and her eyes filled with tears. “I may not see my parents on Christmas Day for years. They shall be back in America.”
“I know.” He sighed and considered the problem. “All right, we marry, we consummate the marriage so that it cannot be put asunder and then we return to London as if nothing happened. On Christmas night, we flee London. Christmas Day is one week today.”
“Thank you.”
“I shall come for you in a carriage at nine o’clock tomorrow then. We shall have to stop at an inn on the way home. It is hardly how I wanted to...” he waved his hand in her general direction. He was rather aggrieved at the whole situation if he was honest. “… make love to my wife for the first time. But it is the way it shall have to be.”
“I am sorry.”
“None of this is your doing, Kathleen. You are an innocent victim of the bad behaviour of men. It is I who should apologise to you and I do. Most humbly.”
“You are also a victim, my lord.”
Gabriel did not like to think of himself as a victim. He hated everything about his circumstances, but he could have changed them. He had chosen not to and now Kathleen had been dragged into it, and Myles and Lord and Lady Beattie. It was a dreadful mess.
“No. I have been a coward for not standing up to my sire sooner. Until tomorrow, Miss Roberts.” He bowed over her hand, very properly and took his leave. It was a far cry from practically undressing her three nights before and what he would do to her on the morrow. They would work it out. Somehow.
∞∞∞
“Tell me you did not debauch my sister, Stalwood.”
They were sitting in a carriage on their way to Richmond the next morning, the ladies in another carriage just behind them. Gabriel was on tender hooks. His bride may be behind him in a carriage, but he was still nervous that she would change her mind or that someone would work out what they were doing.
She had told her parents they were going for a picnic. He was not sure if her parents believed that the English indulged in such outdoor activities in December any more than anyone else did, but he cared not. As long as, by the end of the day, she was Lady Cindermaine.
Stalwood gave him a sidelong look of utter contempt.
“Do you honestly believe that Lady Christina Marchby would allow me to debauch her? Good God man, do you not know your sister at all? She would be more likely to chop my ballocks off than let me tumble her before our wedding day.”
“Did you try to force yourself on her?”
Stalwood sat up straight and faced his friend. “Christ, Cindermaine, you really do want me to either slap a glove in your face or plant you a facer. I am a gentleman. I understand the concept of the word no.”
Gabriel nodded solemnly. “I had to check.”
“Not with me. I am not Cedric. It is time you learned that everyone in the world is not like your awful, ridiculous family—present company and your sister excepted.”
“I find it hard to trust people, Stalwood. Even you and Beattie.”
“I know. But I am still Myles. The young man who you discussed your darkest secrets with. Well, most of them. Such as waking up with a damp patch on your nightshirt.”
“Oh hell.”
Stalwood grinned at him. “Bloody worse these last few weeks, would you not agree?”
“Absolutely.”
“We are nearly there. Are you ready to become a married man?”
“I am. I never thought I would see the day when two handsome young bucks would be so delighted to be getting leg-shackles.”
“And me getting a leg-shackle for the second time.”
“Have you and Christina discussed your son?”
“We have. I will collect him this evening from his grandparents. He will be living with me from now on.”
“And she is happy to become his mama?”
“She tells me she is delighted, though she has not yet met the tiny tyrant. I have missed him terribly but his grandparents needed this time with him and I wanted to grant them it. Charlotte’s parents miss her dreadfully, as you can imagine, and the little mite does look very much like her. He has her eyes. My own parents dote on him of course but are not so keen to have him overnight. Despite having a nurse and being all the way on the top floor in the nursery, my mother swears his crying upsets her nerves. She always was a rather dramatic woman.”
“And Christina has no problem bringing up your heir and the child of another woman?”
Stalwood sighed. “Cindermaine, your sister is pragmatic. She is not a wilting flower who needs smelling salts. She is five and twenty and assumed herself to be on the shelf. She was willing to marry for comfort and companionship. To have found love is a dream come true. A child was never going to be a stumbling block.”
“I do not suppose it was. And she does know what she wants, and that appears to be you.”
“She believes that anyone who helps her baby brother is a saint. I have officially been beatified by your sister.”
“What has Godfrey to do with it?”
“She calls you her baby brother on account of the eight-minute difference. That said, have you noticed how, when in our company, Godfrey has been, well, almost human. He has even taken to wearing breeches and pantaloons instead of those God-awful inexpressibles.”
“I had noticed his clothing choices, yes.”
“I think he is a little in awe of you, Gabe.”
“I think Godfrey is a simpleton who does not know which way is up and just follows anyone blindly who happens to be close at hand.”
“I think you are being self-deprecating, Cindermaine. The lad looks up to you because you are not an arse to him.”
“He is not a lad. He is five and twenty, just as we are.”
“He was not educated as we were. He was not shown how to be a proper gentleman. His only examples were Cedric and the Duke. Hardly a way to learn to be a gentleman.”
“They were my examples too.”
“You had masters at Eton and tutors at Oxford, Gabe.”
“That is true.”
“Look, we are here. Time to get wed.”
The gentlemen hurried out of their carriage in time to hand the ladies down. Gabriel was surprised to find Lord and Lady Beattie also in attendance. Lady Beattie was looking rather flushed and rumpled as if they had… Oh, Gabriel did not want to go down that line of thought. Not when he was about to enter a church. But he would have thought a carriage a bit cramped to do that. He wondered if it would be terribly gauche to ask Beattie how one managed it. Just for interest’s sake, of course.
The church service was short and sweet. Stalwood paid the vicar, and the vows were said. There was no great pomp and ceremony. It was like signing a business contract, Gabriel guessed, though he had never done such a thing. That said, in his heart he knew this meant it was now his duty to protect this woman under his care. He was aware of feeling jealous of Stalwood. His friend was head over ears in love with Christina after such a short time. And though he cared for Kathleen, he was not yet in love with her. At least he did not think he was. He supposed he had kept such a tight rein on his emotions for so long, he was not sure if he knew how to love anyone but Christina and that was a filial love. Was he capable of romantic love?
Kathleen, standing in a pretty pink gown and matching bonnet, with a white fur-trimmed pelisse looked beautiful. Curls framed her face under the bonnet and her eyes sparkled. He knew this was not the wedding she wanted or planned but she was making the best of it. He smiled at her, hoping she could read from his expression that this was not entirely duty that caused him to marry her. He wanted her. And not just in the bedroom.
Damn, why had he thought about that in church? Luckily they were moving outside now.
“We are heading for the inn one mile down the road back to London. We shall book rooms for the night but leave two hours before dark. We shall have lunch first with Lord and Lady Beattie.”
“No, it is only eleven o’clock. You have your lunches in your rooms. We shall continue on our way. I do need to get home anyway. I have to discuss menus for Christmas with the cook. Sophia is coming and Aunt Gertrude. Thank you for allowing us to be at your weddings, my dears. And if you need anything, a refuge, a place to… stay, be alone for a while, please let us know.”
“Thank you, Lady Beattie,” Gabriel said taking her hand and kissing it. Good grief, the woman was offering out her house as a place for them to have sex in the next few days if necessary. He had been told she had a bit of a loose tongue but that was getting ridiculous. However, he smiled at her and bid her a good day.
Beattie helped her into their carriage and turned to Gabriel. “Emily means well. She knows you are stuck in London for a few more days. She knows what we were like in our first few days of marriage. I could not keep my hands off her. Still cannot if I am honest. The invitation to visit is there and if you need time alone, we shall be delighted to offer it. It is much more respectable for you to come to our house than Stalwood’s since he is officially still a bachelor. Unless you plan to announce your nuptials in tomorrow’s papers.”
He turned to Myles.
“I think not. I do not want the wrath of the Duke of Hartsmere on my head. I shall make sure I, my wife and my son are out of London before that news filters to Hartsmere House.”
“Good plan.”
“I thought so.”
“You both know where we are if you need us.”
“We do.”
Beattie climbed into the carriage and their coach moved off.
“To the inn then?” said Stalwood.
“To the inn.”