Page 123 of Rogue of My Heart

Christian shook his head, sniffing wetly and wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “I was angry at Father for engaging me to Lady Aoife without my consent. Marie is the woman I love, and I was determined to do whatever it took to get out of one marriage so that I could marry her.”

“That did not kill your father, a carriage wreck did,” his mother said. With a supreme effort of will, she raised her good hand to pat his head.

“But the wreck was my fault.” Christian forced himself to go on. “I thought that if Father was unable to reach the engagement party, it would buy me more time to get out of the betrothal. So I…I loosened the bolts on the axle of Father’s favorite carriage so that it would break down on the way to Dunegard Castle.” He lowered his head in absolute shame.

“Oh, my dear, sweet, foolish boy. We discovered the problem with the bolts before we got into your father’s preferred carriage,” his mother said. Christian snapped his head up at her revelation. “Morris knew something was wrong with that one and had already determined we should use the other carriage. And so we did.”

“You were riding in another carriage that day?” The idea had never crossed Christian’s mind. Nor had he thought to visit the carriage house to see whether the carriage he’d tampered with was still there. He felt like the biggest fool imaginable. But he also felt free.

“It was a hare,” his mother said, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes shut. “I saw it dart across the road and was in the middle of noting its speed to your father when the horses reared. Seconds later, it happened. I don’t remember anything after that.”

“Spooked horses could cause that kind of an accident,” Marie said in a gentle voice, stepping closer to Christian. She had hope in her eyes, as though something she had known all along had finally been proven true. Christian loved her more than ever for it.

“Good heavens, Lady Marie?” his mother said, sagging back against her pillows. She was losing strength. Christian wanted to leave her to sleep and recover, but his mother’s gaze was fixed on Marie. “Oh, my dear, I have done you such a great disservice.”

“You’ve done nothing of the sort, Lady Kilrea,” Marie said, coming forward, but stopping short of sitting on the bed or reaching out in her current state.

His mother shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. “I should have stood up to my husband when he suggested you marry Miles and dear Lady Aoife marry Christian. I could see as clear as day from the moment I first saw the two of you together that you were meant for each other and no one else.”

“You could?” Christian blinked, his heart feeling lighter and lighter with each new revelation.

“A blind beggar could see that the two of you are best suited for each other,” his mother went on, her voice growing softer as her strength waned. “Who else would be able to keep the two of you rapscallions in line but each other?”

Marie laughed, then clapped her hands to her face. Her eyes grew glassy with tears.

“I should have forced your father to renege on the marriage arrangements,” his mother said.

“There’s no need to worry, Mama.” Christian stood, leaning close to kiss his mother’s forehead. “Everything has worked out well in the end. I’m no longer engaged to Lady Aoife.” And Marie clearly wasn’t betrothed to Miles any longer. “You need to rest and build up your strength.”

“Yes, yes I must be strong for the wedding,” his mother said, her eyes closed.

“Mama, I just said there would be no wedding. Lady Aoife and I have agreed to end our engagement.”

“Not that one,” his mother said, managing to sound humorously scolding in spite of her exhaustion. “You and Lady Marie.”

Christian smiled with his whole heart. He glanced over his shoulder at Marie, and his smile grew. “You’re right, Mama,” he said. “You need to regain your strength for the wedding.”

A few more soft words were exchanged as Christian supervised the nurse tucking his mother in for a nap. He gave the order for the doctor to be called, only to find out a footman had already been sent to fetch him. There was nothing to do after that but to retreat downstairs.

“Do you need any other assistance here?” Ned asked, thumping Christian’s shoulder in a brotherly manner.

“No,” Christian breathed. He reached for Marie’s hand, drawing him closer to his side. “I think we’ll be all right.”

Ned nodded, then exchanged a smile with Lady Aoife.

“Please do call on us if there is anything we can do,” Lady Aoife said.

“We will,” Marie answered for both herself and Christian.

A few more pleasantries were exchanged before Ned and Lady Aoife left. Once they were gone, Christian walked into the afternoon parlor with Marie. He wanted to flop into one of the chairs and let go of every ounce of tension he’d been holding for weeks. No, he wanted to go up to his bedroom and take Marie with him. Even if he didn’t have the energy to make love to her, he would have been content just to hold her and sleep. Provided they were both naked, of course.

“I should go home, seeing as I’m such a mess,” Marie said, attempting to pull her hand out of his.

He wouldn’t let her go. Not only that, he tugged her closer, closing his arms around her and resting his forehead against hers.

“I love you and I want you, whether you’re a mess or perfectly presentable,” he said, then kissed her lips lightly. “I want you, whether you’re wicked and scandalous or whether you’re a saint. I want you in my life, in my arms, in my heart, and in my bed, from now until the end of time and beyond.”

“You’re in luck,” she said, looping her arms over his shoulders and smiling. The heat in her eyes was enough to warm him for good. “Because I want you even more than you want me.”