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Victoria

T he details about what would happen next were decided quickly. Lord Branford would call on my father later in the day to explain that Moreland and I had his support for our upcoming union.

While I knew that Lord Branford had a lot of power, under normal circumstances, his support wouldn’t have swayed Father from his desire to see me wed to Lord Heddington.

But Lord Brantford’s threat to make it known that Father was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy would be a powerful threat.

I was shocked to learn that my father had spent the money set aside for my dowry and had already sold one of his unentailed estates.

I wasn’t sure their threats to expose him would be enough to convince Father, but I remained hopeful.

Rexford suggested that we ask our father to call on us at King’s. But I suggested we invite him to visit us at the townhouse. I’d grown comfortable in the home that Moreland and I had made for each other in the past few days.

When I returned to that house, it was my brother who accompanied me.

It made sense, after all. We’d come up with the original plan to ruin my reputation, but now we had to reverse course.

The townhouse was Rexford’s, so the story would be spread that I was staying with my brother.

When I asked about all those times Moreland had visited the house, Rexford had shrugged and said, “He was merely visiting a friend.”

I knew that his assurances wouldn’t stop the gossips, but society would move on quickly enough when the next scandal broke. And if life had one constant, it was that there was always another scandal.

We entered the house, and I stepped aside as Rexford explained to the staff that he would be spending the night in Moreland’s room. Since the baron would be returning to his own townhouse, there would be no need to set up another bedroom.

I turned away, my cheeks heating. The staff knew that Moreland had been spending the night with me recently, so his room was already clean. I was sure Rexford would know that, but I wasn’t about to mention it.

Rexford took me into the drawing room and settled next to me on the settee. “It is not too late to change your mind about inviting him here. We both know how unpleasant Sherbourne can be, and I would spare you his anger. I can ask him to meet me at the club tomorrow. You don’t have to be there.”

I bit my lip as I considered his offer. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted, but in the end, I shook my head.

“I need to be there, and I feel most comfortable here, with Moreland and you by my side. It is time for me to stop running away from Father. I’ve been hiding from his wrath my whole life, but that ends now. ”

He stared at me for several seconds, and I knew he was searching for any sign of doubt on my part.

But I was determined to see this through.

If I wanted to marry Moreland, it was time to become worthy of him.

He had risked much to save me from my father.

I needed to show him that I could stand by his side.

I knew the meeting would be unpleasant. I had witnessed my father set others in their place. He would be vicious to Moreland, and I had to be there to show my support.

Finally, Rexford nodded. “I’m proud of you.”

I laughed. “Did you know it would come to this?”

His smile held hidden depths. “Come to what?”

I huffed out a breath. I didn’t know my brother that well.

He’d left for school when I was still young, and whenever he’d visited between school terms, he’d been aloof and distant.

I knew it was because Father had done everything in his power to control his son and make him into little more than an extension of himself.

I didn’t know how Rexford managed to gain his independence and find the funds to set up his own club. I suspected that Mr. Clarence had helped him since he was no longer Father’s steward and was now managing Rexford’s club.

But the fact that Rexford had installed people within my father’s household whose sole purpose was to see to my welfare meant that he’d worried about me. And he hadn’t hesitated to help me when I’d come to him.

“Did you suspect that in the end, I would need to marry?”

I could see Rexford weighing his words. “I’d hoped that it would be enough to ruin you, but Sherbourne is stubborn. It was always possible that you might have to marry, but it was equally possible that I would have to find a way to hide you up north.”

I nodded. “And Moreland?”

He shrugged. “I was willing to be led by you in this, but I must say, I’m glad you chose him.”

I shivered at that. Did Rexford actually approve of our upcoming marriage? “I know about his reputation with women.”

Rexford winced. “We all have something of a reputation. But Moreland…” He shook his head. “Moreland is loyal. When he gives you his word, he won’t break it.”

“Are you saying that your other friends aren’t loyal?”

“They’re loyal to me, of course, and to each other.”

“But?” I prodded when he hesitated.

“I don’t know. I’ve always had this feeling that Moreland, of all of us, would be the first to wed. Of course I’d expected him to wed out of convenience. But with you…” His gaze settled on me, searching. He seemed to be trying to read my thoughts. “He cares about you.”

I took a deep breath. “I care about him as well.” My voice lowered. “I love him.”

Rexford’s smile softened. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Do you think it’s possible that he might…?”

Rexford’s expression was impassive. “That’s a question you will have to ask him.”

I shook my head. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter. He assured me that he’s not marrying me out of a sense of responsibility, but how can I be certain? As you said, he did give you his word that he would look after me.”

He took my hands and squeezed them. “I released him from his promise, Victoria. I told him that I would send you away and Brantford has the means to ensure you are never found. Between the two of us, you would be free. And if Moreland wanted his freedom, he could have had it.”

My breath hitched. “So you think there’s a chance for the two of us?”

“I think you’ll have to ask him about his feelings for you. But I can tell you that Moreland would call out any man who tried to take you from him. I think it’s safe to assume he’s not merely acting out of a sense of duty to me.”

My heart raced. Even if Moreland didn’t love me, my brother’s words did much to assure me that he cared. It would have to be enough.