Page 33

Victoria

I was sweating and out of breath as Lady Brantford watched me from a few feet away.

She shook her head. “No, you’re standing all wrong. You must stand like this.”

She arranged my body into what she deemed the proper stance, then illustrated what she wanted me to do. She moved with a twist and lowered one shoulder before flinging the large, heavy sack over her shoulder.

She straightened and faced me again. “You cannot hesitate. If an assailant comes up behind you, they won’t wait for you to decide what to do.”

I shook my head, amazed. Of all the things that could have happened today, I never imagined that Lord Brantford’s wife would begin to instruct me in the art of defending myself against an attacker.

“I’m not sure I can do that. I’m not very strong.”

The countess smiled at me. “You don’t need strength. You will have the element of surprise. Although…” She sighed and placed her hands on her hips. “I suspect that word is beginning to make its way among certain gentlemen. We might have to start instructing women on how to use blades.”

I gaped at the woman. “Fencing blades?”

She smiled softly. “No, something smaller.” She lifted the hem of her gown and showed me what, at first glance, appeared to be a garter.

“This is what I mean. If I was leaving the house, I would have a small blade inserted here into this sheath. I also carry one in my reticule. But since I’m home today, I have no need. ” She shrugged and let the fabric fall.

I shook my head, amazed. “How is it possible that you—” My mouth snapped closed. “Of course. Lord Brantford.”

“Yes.” Rose smiled. “His sister, the Duchess of Castlefield, is quite adept as well. She took me under her wing when my husband started courting me. There were other… complications at the time, but that is all behind us. And since then, the two of us have been helping other women. It is horrible that we’re left so defenseless out there.

And often, the very men we expect to watch out for us are the ones from whom we need protection. ”

My mouth twisted to the side. “I can’t see a situation where I would ever take a blade to my father.”

She winced. “No, of course not.” Her eyes narrowed as she watched me closely. “What if Moreland’s life were in danger?”

My heart seized in my chest at the thought.

She nodded in understanding. “You don’t have to kill anyone.

Sometimes, just a small wound is sufficient to give you time to escape.

But you must remember that when we get to that stage in our lessons, if you can’t see yourself using a weapon, it is important not to carry one.

Because if you did, then your assailant would have something to take and use against you. ”

My thoughts spun. “I’m going to be having lessons with you?”

She nodded. “And with my sister-in-law, of course.”

“But I thought we were here to make other plans.”

She smiled. “If you decide you want them, of course. I just thought that perhaps since you were at risk of being abducted, it would be good to show you a few things that might come in handy.”

I straightened my shoulders and nodded. “Show me that movement again, then I will try tossing that sack over my shoulder.”

Rose beamed. It was difficult to believe that I was on a first-name basis with the Countess of Brantford. My father outranked her husband, but everyone stood in awe of Lord Brantford.

“Follow my movements slowly, then I will watch you do it in normal speed. After, we can try it with one of the other bags around the room. I can toss one of them over my shoulder, but lifting one is something else entirely.”

We did just that. I struggled a bit at first when I grabbed what was supposed to be an arm. And though the movement wasn’t swift or as graceful as my instructor had shown me, I managed to send the life-sized sack flying over my shoulder and onto the ground in front of me.

A low whistle sounded from the door, and I turned to see Moreland leaning against the doorframe, watching us. I was suddenly aware of my unkempt hair, and my cheeks were no doubt red from the unaccustomed exertion.

“Tell me, my lady,” he said, looking at the countess, “that you aren’t teaching her how to maim me.”

Rose laughed. “Of course not, my lord. Not unless you’ve decided to turn into a would-be assailant, of course.”

His eyes met mine, and I blushed, thinking about some of the things we’d done in the bedroom. I hoped that the countess couldn’t decipher that look.

He straightened and moved farther into the room. “We’ve decided on a plan.” He looked at the countess. “Can I speak to Victoria alone for a moment?”

Rose smiled at me and squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll meet you both back in the drawing room.”

I watched her leave. Moreland bowed in her direction, then he closed the door behind her. When he faced me again, my stomach sank.

I rushed to his side. “What’s the matter? Please tell me that you decided on a course of action that will allow us to marry. Or have you changed your mind?”

He silenced me with a short, hard kiss. “I am not changing my mind. But there is bad news.”

I sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. Moreland hadn’t changed his mind about marrying me. I didn’t know why my thoughts kept jumping to that conclusion when he’d given me no reason to doubt him.

But that meant the bad news could only be one thing. “Will I have to hide away until I’m twenty-one? Or are we eloping?”

He shook his head. “Neither. Your father has financial difficulties. Your brother and Brantford have decided that he would agree to anything to keep that information from becoming known.”

I nodded. “He would. But I must say that I’m shocked. I had no idea he was having financial constraints.”

“No one does,” Moreland said. “He hid it well. And that is why he wanted you to marry Lord Heddington. Because instead of giving Heddington the customary dowry, your father intended to accept a large sum of money from him.”

I paled at that information. “If that’s true, Father won’t want to give up on his plan.”

Moreland’s expression was fierce. “He won’t have a choice. I won’t give you up, and in no reality will you marry Heddington.”

My breath caught in my throat. Moreland’s eyes blazed with determination, and I was viscerally aware of just how handsome he was.

Beyond that, I could clearly see how dedicated he was to ensuring we marry.

He wanted this, and I wanted him. Even if he never loved me, it was enough that he cared about me.

I nodded. “So, what is this bad news you wanted to tell me?”

He winced. “Your brother is moving into the townhouse, and I’m moving out.”

My mouth dropped open.

“We will rehabilitate your image now, Victoria—erasing all our attempts to ruin you. That is the only way we can move forward with a marriage without eloping to Scotland.”

“But—” I started.

He traced my lower lip with his thumb, and my protest died.

“I know,” he said. “I hate it as well. But I will get a special license so we can wed quickly.”

I leaned into him, holding onto his shoulders. “I don’t want a large society wedding that will take weeks to plan.”

He smiled down at me. “I don’t think anyone expects a Legend’s wedding to be a society affair. They would expect something private.”

I nodded. “That makes sense. Of course, they’re going to think that you ruined me and that I am with child.”

He reached down and placed his large hand over my belly. “You might be.”

A shiver of happiness raced through me at the thought.

“But it doesn’t matter. With Brantford on our side and with your brother’s connections, no one will shun you. You’ll hardly be the first society miss to give birth eight months after marrying.”

He kissed me then, and I sank into him. All my fears for the future vanished. The only thing I cared about was being with Moreland.