Page 53 of Miss Hawthorne’s Unlikely Husband (The Troublemakers Trilogy #3)

Melbroke House, London

R ichard was more than grateful to attend Lord Melbroke’s dinner, especially for Elodia’s sake, but he would have been lying if he’d said he was enjoying it.

If he did marry Rachel, Richard would have to find a way to keep her away from himself and then his family without excluding his new father-in-law.

The only thing keeping Richard from saying or doing something regrettable was Elodia.

He’d spent most of the season hiding his connection to Rachel for both of their sakes.

But she seemed determined to reveal their sordid past to the world.

He knew Elodia loved him, or rather loved the version of him that she was familiar with.

The man without fault. It was flattering but he would be lying if he said it didn’t make him uneasy at times.

Uneasy that if he fell off his white horse, she would see him as something not worth keeping or loving.

Basil leaned over to Richard and murmured under his breath. “Am I wrong in thinking you have a particular dislike for your future mother-in-law?”

He glared at him. “What gave me away?”

“Your face. What’s the matter with her?” Basil asked, “Other than her condescending bigotry?”

“I am familiar with her from before.”

“Before when?”

He stared at Basil hard. “ Before. ”

It took a moment for Basil to understand him. “You mean…” his head whipped around to Lady Tremaine, and Richard took a gulp of his wine, trying to hide his exasperation. “Richard.”

“What?”

Basil’s eyes looked set to pop out of his head. “She was your…”

“Yes.” He grumbled.

“Do your wife and father-in-law know?”

“What do you think?” he hissed back.

“I think that I wish Leo were here.”

Richard looked up at the ceiling, praying for patience. Of course that would be the one thing he had to say.

“What on earth is she doing here?” he asked.

“She’s punishing me for leaving her behind.”

“You have to tell Elodia at least.” Basil reasoned.

“How exactly?”

“The devil if I know. But she must know regardless.”

“Gentlemen do not, as a rule, speak of such matters with their in laws and especially to their wives.”

“Yes, but typically they are not in danger of having to call them belle mere.” Basil hissed. “Think of how much worse it will be if they actually marry.”

His head was pounding. Basil was right, of course, he had to speak up, but what on earth could he say to salvage the situation? Would Lord Melbroke even believe him? “I am aware.”

“Richard,”

“If you have nothing useful to add then I beg of you to hold your tongue.”

“As you wish.”

He was being a coward, he knew that. But he didn’t want to risk his life with Elodia.

She held nothing but contempt for the woman.

If she found out that she had been his mistress, she would never be able to look at him the same way again.

There was nothing he could do to change the past. It wasn’t as if he’d done anything wrong.

He’d merely taken a despicable woman as his lover for a few years.

He hadn’t spread any rumors or taken advantage of anyone.

He’d done the honorable thing and made a clean clear break when he’d decided to marry.

How could he have known that his mistress would end up trying to be his mother-in-law?

His eyes caught Elodia’s and she winked at him.

For the first time, it didn’t loosen the knot in his chest. He smiled and nodded, taking a sip of wine.

His eyes dropped to the plate in front of him.

He didn’t want to keep secrets or lie to her, and it would be impossible to keep this a secret.

If Rachel wanted to play this game, he would have to meet the challenge with more than silence.

The only way for him to truly move forward was to break free of her entirely.

He had been willing to leave her her dignity, but if she was willing to put it at stake then why did he have to bend himself into shapes to protect it?

Was it more his responsibility than hers?

The only person he wanted ignorant of all of it was Elodia, and she was arguably the person who needed to know the most. He needed to tell her the truth and he couldn’t wait until he wasn’t about to throw up. The moment he thought about it, the feeling returned.

With dinner nearly over, he didn’t have much more time to wait. He’d tell her when they got home, and she could tell her father. She would be angry with him, but at the very least, it would be over one way or the other.

“Sir,”

Richard looked over to see a servant leaning over his shoulder with a silver platter.

“What is it, Marks?” Elodia asked.

“A message for Mr. Thornfield, it just arrived,” Marks said.

“Thank you,” Richard snatched up the ivory envelope and stood, glancing at Lord Melbroke.

“The reading room on the first floor is free for you, Thornfield,” he said with a nod.

“Must you see to it right now?” Elodia asked.

“I must. It shouldn’t take long,” he replied with a wink.

“Let the man see to his business, Ellie,” her father said.

“Thank you, my lord, I will rejoin you all shortly.”

“We’ll be in the sitting room,”

He stood and followed Marks out to the reading room.

The note was from his lawyer. The magistrate had given the injunction.

His uncle was being sent to debtor’s prison.

It had taken less time than he had anticipated.

The creditors must have been after him for some time.

Now, he only needed to wait for him to be picked up.

He would have to expedite the arrangements for Aunt Cordelia and her daughters.

When he got back, he’d write to her with the news. Would they want to stay in Bath, or should he offer to house them with himself and Elodia for the time being? He’d have to see what humor Elodia was in before he decided on that. He could end up in Bath by himself in very short order as it was.

He wasn’t in the habit of courting messes. This one was likely to upend his life entirely.

“Hello, lover,” he heard her voice over his shoulder and his whole body tightened in alarm.

Rachel.

Here.

For fucks sake, even here she wouldn’t control herself.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“I see you still imagine yourself to be suited for marriage, how droll,” she said and he heard the door close.

He turned around to see that she was unfortunately still in the room. “I see you are still laboring under the delusion that you know me at all.”

She gave him a smug look. “Oh, I know you, lover, you may convince yourself otherwise but I know you better than you realize.”

“This is a pointless conversation.” He started to walk past her.

Her hand whipped out to grab his arm. “I will not be cast aside, damn you.”

He jerked his arm away, balling his hand into an angry fist. He didn’t want to use it, but by God, she was testing his patience. “Then see it as the inverse. I do not care overmuch.”

“Because you are too good for me?”

“I thought it was the other way around.”

“What if I changed my mind?” she insisted.

“You haven’t.”

“And you know that because you know me so well?”

“You aren’t that unique. I’ve faced you a thousand times. You like to play games, you are good at them. But my life is not a game. You do not love me, you do not want me—”

“—yes, I do.” She slid her hand up his arm and his skin began to crawl. The last thing he wanted was her anywhere around him.

He shoved her hand away and started towards the door. “No. You just don’t like that I ended it first. I am telling you one last time to leave me be. If you disregard me on this, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“You think that little girl has what you need?” she snarled, the switch from cloying seduction to rage swift and disconcerting, but he was already at the door.

“She is more than you ever were. More than you could ever be.” He turned the handle or at least tried to. It wouldn’t budge. Fucking hell, had someone locked the damn door?

“Having trouble?” her voice came from behind him.

His body went cold as he turned to face her. “What did you do?”

“I’ve explained my position before this, but you seem to think it wasn’t anything you needed to be concerned with.”

“And you thought this would get you your way?”

“There’s only one way out of this room and I have it.

” She held up a key then dropped it down her bodice.

“Give me what I want, and I’ll let you leave.

Otherwise, I cannot promise you won’t be missed.

That child will be so heartbroken to find out that her shining knight still has a taste for the finer things.

What will happen to the wedded bliss then? ”

“I don’t suppose you’ve considered the danger you might be in.”

“Me? I’ve had two bad husbands, but they left me money.

” She strolled up to him again and his hands curled into fists at his sides.

“My worst case scenario means I go to Italy until the scandal dies down.” She pressed her body against his, straining upwards to bring her face closer to his.

“Yours involves the love of your life, that simpleton, realizing just how soiled her new goods are.” He snapped into motion and shoved her back into the wall. She staggered backwards and laughed.

He turned to face the door and started banging on it. “Is anyone there?”

“Too overdressed? Shall I get started for you?” she asked.

“Stay away from me.”

“I’d stay away from that door, darling, unless you plan on using it. You don’t want her finding us alone, do you?” He glanced over his shoulder and saw her dress half undone. Fucking hell.

He pounded on the door again, harder and harder until the door frame began to shudder. “Hello?”

“Richard?”

“Basil?”

“What are you doing in there?”

“Can you open this door?”

Hands slid around him from behind and he shoved them away.

“Give me a minute,” Basil called back.

“Hurry.”

There were voices on the other side of the door while he fought against Rachel’s tentacle-like arms.