Chapter Ten
Mattie woke to voices coming from the ground floor of Mary Jane and Lord Adam’s home. Charlotte had gone to the country to nurse her aunt, and Mary Jane offered to let Mattie stay with them, most likely so she could continue her matchmaking efforts.
It was barely light, much too early for callers, so something serious must be wrong. Donning her robe, she hurried to the staircase and peered down. Thorn and Lord Adam argued in the entry hall, their voices bouncing of the marble floors and pale walls.
“You’ve got to stop him,” Lord Adam said. “The accusation was made and that should put a stop to the cheating.”
“That’s what I told him, but he thinks he’d be dishonorable if he doesn’t appear.” Thorn clenched his hair with both hands. “That man is too stubborn by half. I don’t know how to stop him.”
Who were they discussing, and where did they not want him to go?
“I plan to be there, just in case Sir Rollo shows up.”
Lord Adam tightened the belt on his robe. “I’ll come, too. Let me dress.”
Mattie turned to return to her room before Lord Adam discovered her eavesdropping, and froze at what she heard next.
“I’ll kill Markham for this, if Sir Rollo doesn’t do so first. He should never have agreed to a duel!” Thorn muttered something more, then, “I’ll have a drink while you dress.”
A duel? A duel! Mattie’s knees when weak and her hands began to shake. She rushed to her room and pulled on the first gown she saw. Twisting her hair on top of her head, she stabbed enough pins in to keep it there.
Where was the duel to take place? The likelihood that the men would let her come along was nil. She prayed it was close enough she could walk—or run—there.
She heard Lord Adam descend the stairs a short time later and ran to the stairwell.
“I called for your carriage,” Thorn said.
“Where are we going?”
“Epperly Green.”
Mattie had no idea where that was. She went back to her room for her reticule and made certain she had enough money for a hack, if she could find one at that hour. Surely one would have taken home a late-night reveler in the neighborhood.
She slipped out the door without seeing any of the servants, and Mary Jane must still have slept, thank goodness. Turning in the direction of the center of Town, she walked two blocks before hailing a hack.
“Epperly Green,” she told him as he helped her board.
Wishing you could tell him to hurry, she kept her face against the window, looking for sign of Lord Adam’s or Markham’s carriage.
The park was on the edge of the city. Mattie’s heart raced, the beats becoming louder and more distracting the longer she rode. When the carriage halted, she leaped out and paid the coachman.
Now to find that foolish man, Markham.
She entered the parkland, staying close to a line of trees to not be seen.
Then a shot rang out.
Her heart stopped.
Lifting her skirts, she ran in the direction of the sound. Tears began to fall and her throat burned, but she kept from calling out. If Markham and the others weren’t there, if someone else was shooting, she didn’t want to be discovered.
Breaking through another copse of trees, she saw Markham standing opposite another man. Which man had already shot? She must stop this before he was killed.
“Markham, no!”
He turned in her direction as the other man shot. Before she could reach him, Thorn grabbed her and held her back. She struggled, pounding on his arms, needed to break free.
“Lady Matilda, stop! He’s all right. You can’t go to him until the matter is settled.”
“I heard two shots. They only get one each. It’s done.”
“No more shots, you’re correct. No one was hit, so now they must agree the matter is settled. A gentleman’s agreement not to renew the argument in the future.”
Slumping back against Thorn, Mattie’s entire body shook. She wouldn’t believe Markham was unhurt until she saw it for herself.
“Calm down, I promise you he’s all right,” Thorn said gently.
As her tears dried, she noticed two other men joining the duelers, one being Lord Adam, the other a stranger. They spoke for a short time, then Markham and the man who’d watched from the side shook hands.
Finally, Markham approached.
Mattie pushed Thorn’s arms open and ran to her man. She wouldn’t accept anything else but his acknowledgement he was her man. And she was his only woman.
Markham trotted up and caught her in his arms, hugging her tightly. “What are you doing here?”
“I came for you. I was afraid for you.”
He pressed her head to his heart. “What am I going to do with you? It’s useless to remind you of the danger you faced—”
“I faced? That man pointed a gun at you!”
“He was so tired, he couldn’t have shot an elephant at three feet.”
Thorn and Lord Adam joined them. Thorn clapped Markham’s arm. “I knew you’d be uninjured, just as I knew Sir Rollo would have someone stand in for him.”
“The same poor fool who aided him in cheating. Maybe I should have called him out, too.” Markham’s grip on her loosened and he stepped back, catching Mattie’s gaze. “Now, what are we going to do with you? Does Mary Jane know where you are?”
Mattie shook her head. “I’m hoping she still sleeps, but I don’t know how that’s possible. Those two were arguing loudly,” she added, nodding at the brothers.
“I’ll take Lady Matilda home,” Lord Adam said. “If she’s with me, it will reduce some of Mary Jane’s questions.”
She didn’t want to leave Markham, though. “Won’t you come, too?”
“It won’t look proper. Let me go home, sleep a few hours, and I’ll come to you.”
“All right.” She wanted to argue, being afraid to let him out of her sight, but she knew she wouldn’t win.
“I’ll escort you to the carriage.” Markham held her hand as they walked, but she was uncertain if it was for her comfort or his own. Regardless, she enjoyed every bit of the warmth and comfort his hand offered.
***
Markham feel asleep almost the instant he lay down, even though he thought the excitement would keep him awake for days. The relief at having fulfilled his promise to Ringley was most likely the cause.
After he woke and dressed, he went to see Mattie. Since she’d barely spoke to him the last time he saw her, he couldn’t be more shocked by her appearance at the park. He still needed to explain his relationship with Georgie, and convince her she could trust him with her heart.
Trust him the rest of her life, hopefully, as his wife.
When he reached Lord Adam’s home, he found Mattie sitting with Mary Jane in the morning room. Mary Jane greeted him and said, “Why don’t I call for tea.” She left the room.
“Good afternoon,” Markham said.
Mattie didn’t look up.
“Are we back to this? After your appearance in the park, I was certain we’d gotten past whatever upset you.” He remained standing a few feet from her.
Her head snapped up and her eyes shot darts at him. “Whatever upset me? Are you truly that blind?”
“Apparently I am.”
“Who was that woman? She appeared to be a very close friend.”
What woman? Then it dawned on him, having seen Mattie when he and Georgie left the theatre. “That’s a long story. You’ve heard part of it already. You recall what I told you of Lady Susan?”
“Yes, the woman you didn’t marry.”
Markham paced to the fireplace, overwhelmingly awkward at having to speak to Mattie of things like he was about to. “Yes, well. When I learned she rejected me, I behaved foolishly, but not unreasonably for a youth of eighteen.”
He strolled to the window and looked out on the street. “I got drunk—stupidly drunk. And then I thought to prove myself desirable by going to a bawdy house.”
Waiting to hear her gasp or outcry, he was relieved when she asked, “That’s it? You…were entertained by this woman and are so grateful you took her to the opera some dozen years later to thank her?”
He chuckled. “Not exactly. Georgie ran the house. When she saw how drunk I was, she took pity on me and took me to her room.” He raised a hand. “No, I’m not going to shock you with some indecent act. I passed out after crying out my pain. Yes, I paid Georgie to let me cry.”
That was the part he’d never admitted, the crying. No one should know how weak he was, nor how drunk.”
“And still, you were out with her after so many years.”
“She’s the reason I’m called a miscreant. I’ve frequented her house, and have enjoyed her company in Town many nights. But I’ve never slept with her.”
Now he could face Mattie. He took her hands and urged her to stand. “She’s the only woman willing to see me as a person, not a marquess. Until I reconnected with you.”
“You’ve always been Lavinia’s older brother. I don’t care about the rest.”
He brought her hands to his chest. “I know. I never realized that you cared more than that, or how important you are to me. I love you, you know.”
“You told me once, but then I saw you with that woman.”
“Her name is Georgie. I’ll introduce you, if you like. You and she would enjoy each other’s company.”
“Ahh, I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
He chuckled. “Well then, are you ready to marry me?”
“What? Yes, yes, yes!” She threw herself at him, wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss.
For the first time, he felt at peace with his life. His trials had never been horrid, never more than he could bear, but he was stronger for Mattie’s love.