Page 26 of Never Doubt I Love (Calloway #3)

Lord Calloway was leaning against the frame of the open stable door when they finally arrived in London near dusk, his arms folded and his expression unreadable. Alexander had always been intimidated by the man, but never more so than now. Strange, how a silent and unarmed man could be so much more frightening than an enraged duke with a sword.

Hugh had only threatened his life. Calloway threatened his every happiness.

No one said a word as the three of them dismounted and handed their horses off to a waiting groom, though Wilson looked near ready to faint and would not make eye contact with his employer. Olivia seemed equally nervous, and yet not so anxious that she didn’t take Alexander’s hand as soon as she was on her feet.

Alexander held fast to her fingers, knowing he was likely never to have the opportunity again.

As they approached him, Calloway’s eyes took in their wet and disheveled appearances before lingering on their clasped hands.

“Wilson,” he said eventually, his voice calm.

The footman snapped to attention, looking frightfully pale. “Yes, m’lord?”

“Can you give me any reason to think anything untoward happened on your journey?”

Eyes going wide, Wilson gaped at Lord Calloway, as if he never could have imagined he would be trusted with such important information. After a quick glance at Alexander and Olivia, he shook his head. “No, m’lord. I was with them the whole time, ’cept for at night when they were with Mrs. Bailey.”

Alexander had been holding his breath, waiting for condemnation, but apparently Wilson really had been dozing on the bridge and was blissfully unaware of Alexander’s impulsive decision to kiss Olivia. A decision he hoped he would not come to regret. As long as Calloway never found out about Alexander’s indiscretion, everything would be well.

Calloway waited for a moment, then nodded. “Thank you, Wilson. You may take a paid day off tomorrow, as I am sure you are tired. Go get dry and see if Cook has something for you to eat.”

Wilson nearly choked on his tongue. “Th-thank you, my lord!” He darted inside as if afraid Calloway might change his mind.

“Now.” Lord Calloway’s shoulders grew tense as he fixed his eyes on the pair of them. He looked from one to the other before turning his focus solely on Alexander. “I am going to ask you the same question.”

“I kissed her.” The words were out of Alexander’s mouth before he could stop them, and he winced at the same time Olivia squeaked in surprise. “Please forgive me, Lord Calloway. I should not have presumed—”

“Yes, you should have!” Olivia interrupted, scowling up at him. “I wanted you to kiss me!”

Oh, and how desperately he had wanted to. “But the circumstances—”

“Hang the circumstances! You said you wished to marry me, Alexander Bailey, and—”

“Olivia.” Calloway’s sharp voice cut them both off. “Go inside. Show Mother you are alive and well, or she will never believe it. She has been worried sick since yesterday.”

Tears filled her eyes, and Alexander desperately wanted to brush them away. Those tears were his fault, and he knew it.

Olivia’s hand tightened around his, as if she was unwilling to leave his side. “Simon.”

Calloway pointed toward the house, and his gruff tone left no room for argument. “Go.”

Though every part of him fought it, Alexander released Olivia’s hand and let her trudge to the house. He feared he may never see her again, but he would accept the consequences of his actions, no matter what they were.

Calloway waited a long time before he said anything, allowing Alexander the silent minutes to imagine what would happen next. Would they duel? Alexander would sooner lose his life than hurt the man. Perhaps Calloway would have him arrested. He had, after all, dueled a duke only the day before, which was highly illegal. Perhaps Calloway intended to fight him here, just outside the stable. Man to man. Fist against fist.

“Is it true?” Calloway asked eventually.

Alexander hung his head. “Yes, my lord. I kissed her.”

“Of that I have no doubt. I want to know if it is true that you intend to marry her.”

Head snapping back up, Alexander barely dared breathe. “If you allow it, yes.”

Calloway pursed his lips, leaning against the doorframe once more. “What do you have to offer my sister?”

“Nothing.” The word eased out of him like a breath. “Nothing but my love for her kindness and cleverness. For the way she speaks her mind and cares little what the world thinks of her. For the light she brings into a room each time she smiles. I can give her nothing but my own heart and a prayer that it will be enough for her.”

Calloway nodded slowly, though that was hardly an agreement. “Where would you live?”

Alexander wished he had a better answer to that question. “I... I do not know. I must find an occupation so I will be able to afford a good home for her.”

“You intend to work?”

“I have no choice, but I will gladly work as hard as I can to give her everything she deserves.”

Calloway looked down at his boots, which meant Alexander could no longer see his expression clearly. “What of the income from her dowry?” he asked slowly.

This was a test, Alexander knew, but he could only guess at the right answer. “Olivia’s dowry is her own. If I cannot care for her by my own abilities, then I do not deserve her.”

Was that a smile? “How is your mother? Not as homeless as you feared, I hope.”

“She . . .” Alexander paused, frowning. “How did you . . . ?”

Yes, Calloway was most certainly smiling now, and he looked up as he let his arms fall. “As it turns out, Lucy was feeling rather overwarm yesterday afternoon after being in the sun, and she opened a window while she rested inside. Heard everything.”

Alexander gaped at him. “Why did she not stop us? Running off to a small village overnight is far from proper.”

“And yet still you went,” Calloway argued, lifting an eyebrow. “But it is not as if Lucy and I were entirely proper either. I practically became a highwayman in order to propose to her.”

“Yes, but— A highwayman?” Alexander choked on his words, and he honestly couldn’t decide whether Calloway was in earnest. His confusion would have to wait, however. “You should be calling me out, Calloway.”

Calloway chuckled. “Have you not been in enough duels lately?”

“You know about that too?”

“Have you forgotten that Nick Forester is one of my closest friends? After you ran off, he spent an hour or so ensuring the rumors that spread from your, ah, argument were as accurate as possible. Then he ran straight here to tell me all about it, though I could not quite figure out how much of it he exaggerated.”

Alexander was still too confused by Calloway’s calm response to the events of the last two days to know what to say, though he did his best to keep up with the conversation. “What did he tell you?”

“He said you refused to fight the duke, but His Grace would not accept that answer.” That part was true. “He also said you were injured.” Alexander’s arm twinged with pain, though the cut was not deep. “It was the thought that you beat him within five minutes that I was uncertain about.”

“Oh.” He wasn’t sure why, but Alexander felt rather hurt by Calloway’s disbelief. Perhaps it was a good thing to be humbled. “Well, perhaps it was six minutes, but...”

Calloway laughed. “You, Alexander Bailey, have been a surprise from the moment I met you.”

“I hope that is a good thing, my lord.”

“Thus far, yes.”

Did that mean he approved of a match between him and Olivia, then? Alexander knew he needed to ask, but he feared the opposite outcome. “Lord Calloway...”

“If I am to be your brother-in-law, Alexander, then you had best return to the informality we had before.”

All of the air rushed from Alexander’s lungs, leaving him dizzy. “Do you mean that?”

Calloway lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, well, I am not overly fond of my title to begin with, so—”

“No. You will allow me to become your brother-in-law? To marry Olivia?” He could hardly believe it. Since the day he’d met Olivia, she had been the most fascinating creature he had ever known, and each day with her had pulled him closer until he could not bear the thought of being away from her. Hugh had been beaten, and Charles would never do anything that would not directly benefit him, which meant there was nothing standing in Alexander’s way of finding happiness.

Smiling softly, Calloway put his hand on Alexander’s shoulder. “I trusted my sister yesterday, albeit reluctantly, believing she would not do something so dangerous if she did not have a good reason. And I trusted you to look after her. You have both proven yourselves, and I cannot in good conscience stand in the way of love. If you promise that you will strive for her happiness as long as she lives, then I will allow the match.”

Alexander had never been an affectionate man, but he threw his arms around Calloway and held him tight. He felt as if he might fall to pieces if he did otherwise. “You are a good man, Simon Calloway,” he said, shutting his eyes against his tears. “How can I ever repay you?”

Calloway grunted, standing stiff rather than returning the embrace. “You can continue to assist me with my businesses because you are clearly more business-minded than I am,” he said with a chuckle. “You found a solution to my haberdashery problem when I could not.”

Pulling away, Alexander tugged on his clothing to straighten it, only now realizing just how much mud coated him. “The answer was rather simple,” he hedged.

“And I was rather stupid for not seeing it. But you did.” Calloway held out his hand. “Soon I will be a father, and I intend to devote as much time to my child as I am able. I will need a partner I can trust.”

Alexander gasped. “A partner?”

“Who better than family?”

Alexander could think of hundreds of people better than his family, but he kept that remark to himself. He would do well to stay in Calloway’s good favor. “You will not regret this, Calloway.”

He laughed. “I certainly hope not. Now, if you truly intend to court my sister, as I believe you should—”

“I do.”

“Then, I suggest you relocate to Harstone House. Lord Harstone would be delighted to have your company, and I will rest easy knowing you are not under the same roof as Olivia.”

Though Alexander understood the need for caution, especially after he and Olivia had ridden off together the way they had, he did not love the implication of Calloway’s words. “I assure you, I would never do anything to—”

“Oh, it is not you I am worried about.” Calloway’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Once Olivia decides she wants something, she cannot easily be kept from it. For your own sake, get yourself to Harstone’s. He will be expecting you.”

Unable to stop his smile from spreading across his face, Alexander took a moment to study the man in front of him. After all of the trouble Alexander’s family had caused him, Calloway had every reason to cut all ties with him. Instead, he was giving Alexander both an occupation and a place to stay, which was far more than he deserved.

“Thank you, Simon,” he said, bowing his head in respect despite using the man’s Christian name. “For everything.”

Calloway smiled. “You had best be on your way, Alexander. Olivia will not wait long before she seeks you out.”

Alexander did not see that as a problem, but he would do as he was told. Hurrying upstairs, he instructed his valet to pack everything as quickly as possible. Within twenty minutes, they were climbing into one of Calloway’s coaches and on their way to Harstone House, where Alexander was welcomed quite literally with open arms.

He fell asleep that night with a smile on his face and his heart beating strong. Beating for Olivia Calloway and the life they were going to build together.