Page 14 of A Wicked Business (Wicked Sons #10)

Dear Jack,

We have arrived safely in town. It’s hot and dusty and smelly and I so miss the peace of the countryside and our lovely home. But I must not think of it, or I shall lose my temper all over again and what little china I have has already suffered more than I can afford. Yet I am heartsick and want to rage at Papa for what he has done to us, and at the same time I miss him so dreadfully I want to cry and not stop. Oh, what a terrible mess it all is. I cannot help but remember how frustrated I was by life just a few short months ago, and yet now with hindsight it seems my life was an idyllic existence I cannot bear the loss of.

I know I am making a terrible imposition upon you, forcing you to keep our whereabouts secret, but our stepmother cannot know where we have gone. I will not allow poor Caro to marry that vile man, not while there is breath in my body. I can only pray she will meet a good, kind man whilst she is here and marry him, and then she will be out of danger.

Our new neighbour is a Mr Larkin Weston who was so kind as to help carry the heavy packing cases inside for us, for we still have no servants. Mr Larkin’s valet has been so good as to make some arrangements for us and we shall have a maid of all works, a cook and a lady’s maid arriving tomorrow. Thank heavens for Aunt Constance is rather a trial to my nerves.

How I wish I had a female relation who could advise me. Papa was so rackety after Mama died, I never had a come out of my own and now I am feeling all at sea. I must hope I can make friends who will be good enough as to guide me how to go on.

―Excerpt of a letter from Mrs Magdelina Finchley to her friend and neighbour Mr Jack Woolgar.

5 th August 1850, Montagu House, St James’s, London.

Belinda stared down at the paperwork in front of her and blinked as the words blurred. She had returned home to discover Doris had gone out with no one any the wiser as to her whereabouts, and so she had come directly to Montagu House. Dispirited and disappointed that her staunchest ally seemed to have deserted her when she needed her the most, Belinda had spent the past several hours going through plans for His Grace and Disfavour and several other books and pamphlets she had agreed to publish, but her energy had already been low. Now a headache throbbed behind her eyes and the reading had left her exhausted. “Is it all as you requested?” Ashburton asked politely and Belinda lifted her head, dismayed to discover she had been wool gathering and had not yet finished the first page.

“I’m quite certain it will be, but I think I must take these home with me, if you do not mind. The day has been a rather trying one and I have a headache.”

“Of course. There is no rush on my part, it is only your father’s timetable that makes the necessity an urgent one.”

Belinda nodded. “Indeed. But we can agree on the details of this contract between ourselves at our leisure, so long as my father puts aside whatever Machiavellian plot he has in mind for my future.”

“Is he so very ruthless?” Ashburton asked, his tone surprisingly gentle.

“Oh, yes, when it suits him. I have never been in any doubt that I am a possession to be bargained over when the time was most profitable. I sometimes fear that in my father’s eyes, I am perishable goods that he must be rid of before I spoil.”

Ashburton grimaced. “That is a rather appalling prospect for any young woman. Are you sure he cares so little?”

Belinda shrugged. “Oh, sometimes I believe he has some fondness for me, out of duty if not affection, but certainly not enough to change his plans. Surely you know this is reality for many women, whether or not the case is presented in such an ugly light?”

Ashburton nodded, his expression bleak.

“So, when will you call on my father?”

“Soon. I have some commitments that I must honour, but at the first opportunity, I promise,” Ashburton said as Belinda gathered up the papers and slid them into the leather folder he had provided.

She nodded and got to her feet in relief. She wanted a bath and to go to bed with a good book. Something bloody and Gothic would be best. Perhaps if she lost herself in the trials and tribulations of some poor heroine as she evaded an evil villain, her own difficulties would seem less awful.

Ashburton frowned and turned towards the door as sounds of a disturbance in the hallway beyond reached them in the library.

“Stay here,” he said quietly, aware that it would do her no good to be found alone with him. But before he reached the door, it flew open, and Felix Knight strode in.

“Felix!” Ashburton exclaimed with obvious shock at the sight of his friend bursting in on him.

Belinda gasped, her heart hammering at the sight of the man she had cried over the previous night. He was wild-eyed, his hair in disarray, and he was flanked by Larkin Weston and Doris! Belinda gaped at her maid, wondering what on earth to make of it all.

A harried looking footman brought up the rear. “I beg your pardon, Lord Ashburton. They barged past me before I could do a thing and—”

“Don’t worry, Francis,” Ashburton said. “Leave us.”

The footman hurried out, giving the assembled company a last worried glance before closing the door behind him.

“Well, Felix, is there a reason you have crashed into my home without a by your leave?” Ashburton asked coolly.

“There is,” Felix replied, though his gaze was fixed on Belinda in a way that made her heart thud very hard indeed. “And I tell you now that you’ll marry Lady Belinda over my dead body.”

Belinda’s already overexcited heart gave an odd leap in her chest, and she reached out to steady herself, grasping the back of the chair upon which she had been sitting just moments earlier.

“Ah,” Ashburton said, lifting one elegant blond brow but otherwise showing no other sign of interest or surprise. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Felix said shortly, and crossed the room to stand in front of Belinda.

Looking up at him, Belinda felt suddenly small and fragile and rather out of her depth. Yet there was a thrill of excitement rushing through her veins too, an urgent desire to know exactly how far Mr Knight would go to stop her engagement to Ashburton and, more importantly, why. “Lady Belinda. I owe you an apology. I behaved very ill yesterday. My only excuse is… is…”

“Yes?” she asked, her voice sounding oddly faint.

“Is that I lose my wits when I’m near you,” he said with a sigh. “You’re a dreadful girl and marrying you will probably give me heart failure before I’m forty, but I think I must do it. Ashburton here can’t know what he’s getting himself into or he wouldn’t be in such a damned hurry. I’m sorry if I seemed less than enthusiastic at the prospect when you asked me yesterday, but the truth is you scare me to death.”

Despite the rather unromantic words, Belinda’s heart leapt, and a smile curved her lips. “A not uncommon reaction,” she admitted.

Felix laughed. “I do not imagine it is. You need someone with nerves of steel and a good deal of confidence. Luckily for you, that description fits me rather well.”

“Do you mean it?” she whispered, gazing up at him in wonder.

“I’m rather afraid I do,” Felix said ruefully.

Belinda gave a startled little laugh and covered her mouth with her hands, tears springing to her eyes. Felix moved closer and took her hands, smiling down at her when a polite cough disturbed the moment.

“I beg you will forgive me the interruption, but am I to understand that Lady Belinda proposed to you yesterday , Felix?” Ashburton demanded.

“She did,” Felix said, looking rather smug. “You were her second choice. No hard feelings, old man. She’s a practical girl.”

Ashburton gazed at him for a long moment. “I need a drink,” he said, shaking his head.

“Oh, might I join you, my lord?”

Ashburton turned and stared at Miss Bodrott in surprise, having not remarked her in the chaos of the past minutes. “Who the devil are you?”

“Doris Bodrott, my lord,” Doris said, giving him a hasty curtsey. “Lady Belinda’s maid.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Ashburton muttered. “Brandy will be acceptable?”

“Yes, my lord. Perfect,” Doris said, grinning at him.

“I’ll take one of those if I may,” Larkin said.

“Me too, and I think my betrothed needs a drop, too. You’re looking a little pale, love,” Felix said, patting Belinda’s hand. “Come, sit down,” he added, guiding her to a seat.

5 th August 1850, Montagu House, St James’s, London.

“Well, one never knows what the coming day will bring,” Ashburton muttered, shaking his head. He looked up at a knock on the library door, wondering who was likely to come crashing in on him next. “Come.”

Mrs Harris appeared in the doorway and her face fell as she saw the assembled company. “Oh, I beg your pardon, my lord. I did not know you were occupied.”

“No, no, Mrs Harris, do come in. It seems I am holding an open house today,” Ashburton said dryly. “Here, have a brandy.”

He pressed a glass into her hands, pleased and amused by the shock in her eyes. “B-But—”

“No, Mrs Harris, I insist. We are celebrating, you see.”

“We are?” she said, giving him an intent look that made him frown.

“Yes. An engagement. Lady Belinda Madox-Brown has just agreed to marry Mr Knight here.”

Mrs Harris took a large sip of her brandy. “Then I must offer you many congratulations, my l—wait, what? Did you say Mr Knight?”

“Yes, I said Mr Knight,” he replied, registering her surprise. “Did you just congratulate me —Ah, Tilly has been listening at keyholes, I suppose,” he said, shaking his head.

“It’s my fault,” she said, rushing to her charge’s defence. “I beg your pardon, my lord. I’m so—”

Ashburton held up a hand to silence her. “Do not disturb yourself. We both know much of her worst behaviour is because of my spoiling her. You do an admirable job. Come, sit down and take a moment to celebrate with us.”

“Oh, no, my lord. That is quite inappropriate and—”

“And I will decide what is appropriate in my own home, I thank you,” he told her firmly, getting a glare of exasperation in return. “Do not fret. I will take full responsibility if Tilly burns the house down in your absence.”

Mrs Harris gave a reluctant laugh and gave in, and Ashburton smiled in response, wondering why he had invited her to join them, for his friend’s engagement was certainly not her affair. Noticing his regard, she stiffened, her spine becoming ramrod straight, her expression settling into one of polite indifference. Ah, a return to form, he thought ruefully, wondering if she would ever thaw towards him, and more importantly, why it mattered.

5 th August 1850, Montagu House, St James’s, London.

Belinda stared at Felix, suddenly feeling rather daunted. She had exactly what she’d wanted, but that hardly solved all their problems.

“What now?” she asked.

Felix snorted. “Damned if I know. You’ve been running the show so far. What did you have in mind?”

Belinda hesitated. “Eloping to Gretna Green,” she said apologetically.

“No.” His voice was firm. “Absolutely not. There must be a better way.”

“My lady is of age,” Doris said, apparently having no notion they were engaged in a private conversation. “With a common licence you can marry in seven days. You need only make sure the vicar doesn’t go to your pa and let the cat out of the bag.”

“Seven days?” Felix looked a little pale at the notion his bachelor days would be over so suddenly.

Belinda wondered if he really wanted to marry her, or it was more that he was a dog with a bone and only wanted no one else to have her. She prayed that was not it, but they needed time, time enough to discover if these maddening feelings which had erupted between them were really the basis of something true and lasting.

Doris shrugged. “Well, the licence lasts three months, but you’d have to wait a minimum of seven days.”

“Yes, but Papa has some scheme and intends to announce my betrothal on the twelfth,” Belinda reminded them. Not that it was likely Felix had forgotten what was driving this headlong dash into a relationship which was going to cause the most appalling ructions. “He’s obviously got someone in mind to replace Ashburton, no matter what I might think of them.”

“I believe I may be able to help.”

Everyone turned to look at Ashburton, who smiled. “Well, I feel so invested in the outcome now, having played my small part to perfection,” he said, lips quirking.

“I do beg your pardon, my lord,” Belinda said, belatedly realising she owed the poor man an apology. “You have been shockingly ill-used.”

Ashburton waved this away. Mercifully, he looked amused rather than annoyed by the outcome of his first engagement. “I will go to your father as arranged and tell him of our engagement,” he began.

“The devil you will!” Felix said, surging to his feet.

Ashburton sighed and shook his head. “Felix do listen to the rest before you make plans to call me out. We will allow Lady Belinda’s father to believe we are engaged, though one of my caveats will be that he not announce our betrothal until we feel ready. In the meantime, the two of you may take the time you obviously need to make certain you are not making a horrible mistake. If you’re not, you’ll marry when you are ready—within the three-month window. If, however, you change your minds, Lady Belinda and I will proceed to the altar as planned.”

“Oh, that’s a marvellous idea,” Belinda said, gazing at Ashburton with admiration. “Well done, my lord.”

She glanced at Felix to discover he looked less pleased with the arrangement and smiled. “I won’t change my mind,” she whispered. “It only gives you the chance to cry off.”

Felix snorted. “We’ll see,” he said with a laugh that held a touch of uncertainty.

That laugh made her wonder if he was quite as arrogantly confident as the world seemed to believe. With hindsight, she realised that being Gabriel Knights only son must be quite a burden. He obviously admired his father and wished to emulate him, and she wondered how much the weight of that responsibility drove him.

“You can meet here, if you wish,” Ashburton offered, apparently warming to the idea. “If you’ll forgive me for saying so, Lady Belinda, I’ve never liked your father, and I should be pleased to help you thwart the plans he has for your future.”

Belinda stared at him in wonder. He was really not quite so cold and unfeeling as she had always thought. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said, and then glanced at the governess, who was doing her utmost to appear unobtrusive. She looked from the woman to Ashburton, who smiled.

“You may put your confidence in Mrs Harris. She is the soul of discretion and may be trusted absolutely.”

Mrs Harris gave her employer a slightly startled look, as if surprised by such praise, but Belinda nodded, reassured. She turned back to Felix.

“Well?” she asked him.

“I’ll arrange the common licence first thing in the morning, but how do I silence the vicar? I can promise him a new roof or the like, but I don’t want to offend the fellow,” Felix said, frowning.

“Take your mother,” Ashburton said, smiling. “I know for a fact the vicar admires her and I very much doubt Lord Keston has ingratiated himself to the man. If she can get him onside, you’ll need no bribe to convince him.”

“Well, you are certainly full of good advice today,” Felix said with a laugh. “That likely would work, except it means I must confess all to Mama.”

Belinda considered his rueful expression. “You don’t wish to?” she asked, feeling another stab of uncertainty.

Felix took her hand and shook his head. “It’s not that, it’s just that she’ll get herself all excited. I promise you she’ll have planned out the wedding before she’s even met you. Especially when she discovers you’ve bought that blasted print shop and are responsible for His Grace and Disfavour. She thinks it’s marvellous.”

“She might not think it marvellous when she discovers her potential daughter-in-law published it. Likely she’ll disapprove,” Belinda said in despair, wondering just how his father would take the news. It was hardly a secret that Gabriel Knight despised the Earl of Keston as much as the earl reciprocated.

“Wait,” Ashburton said, gazing at them. “ You published that?”

Belinda returned a sheepish smile. “Perhaps you’ve had a lucky escape, Ashburton. I’m afraid your parents will certainly think so, Felix… and wish you to escape too.”

“Nonsense.” Felix shook his head.

“I don’t think it nonsensical!”

Her new fiancé only shrugged. “Well, then perhaps it’s time we found out and faced the truth.”

Belinda swallowed anxiously, feeling suddenly unsuitable when she had always been the catch of the season.

“When?” she asked, a knot forming in her belly and making her wish she’d kept her mouth shut.

“Well, there’s no time like the present.”