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T hea had been wrong to think her words might strike some bit of compassion in her brother, but still she hadn’t expected him to grab hold of her throat to choke her.

Fortunately, Shay was close enough to come to her rescue, yet again. After pulling Stephen’s hand away from her, he punched her brother in the face, laying him right out on the ground.

Shay pointed to the lump on the ground. “Billings, please take your friend away from here before I cause him more damage.”

Lord Billings frowned and stepped up to Thea.

“You should know, my lady, I had tried to talk him out of this plan. I only came with him in the hope I might save you such a fate.”

“I thank you. Unfortunately, the viscount has become too desperate in his sickness to do what is right,” Thea explained something she was certain Billings knew well already.

“I would strongly encourage you to sever all ties with him once you’re back in London,” Shay added. “His future is uncertain.”

Thea felt a twinge of sickness in her stomach at Shay’s words. She was not an innocent ninny, she understood well enough what could happen to her brother when all hope of paying his debts had passed, but the finality of it…

This was her brother. She shook her head as she rubbed at the soreness along her throat. Proof he was no longer any kind of brother. She’d known for some time the sweet, funny, boy she remembered had left her.

“Yes. That is good advice,” Billings answered as he attempted to get the other man up.

His butler and housekeeper came running.

“M’lord, he wouldn’t stay at the castle. He insisted on coming to the cottage.” Mrs. Murray tilted her head at Stephen. “It seems you took care of him, ye did.”

“Aye. John, will you fetch our guest’s conveyance and have it brought down so the viscount can be loaded up and taken back to London? Mrs. Murray, Frannie is inside the house. Would you please see to her and make sure she’s well?”

“Aye. Right away,” the Murrays said at the same time as they hurried off in different directions. But not before Mrs. Murray stopped to squeeze her arm.

“All will be well now, lass.”

But would that be true? She was now married to a man who’d never wanted a wife. He seemed pleased now, but what might happen later when he’d had time to think on it?

At that moment he had come up behind her, supporting her as if he worried she might faint.

She smiled up at him. “Thank you, but I’m not one for swooning,” she assured him.

“I wouldn’t have expected it. You’re far stronger than him.” Shay cast a sneer in the direction of her brother who had let out a moan as he began to come round. “Still, I’ll see you safely inside.”

Instead of going to the drawing room he took her into the dining room she’d never used. He helped her into one of the elaborate chairs and went to the sideboard where he poured her a glass of whisky larger than she’d seen civilized people drink. She didn’t argue when he placed it in her shaking hands.

“It is over now. You are safe. No one will ever hurt you, I promise.”

“It is strange how I’m able to manage an ordeal as it happens only to fall apart when it’s over.” She chuckled but the sound seemed forced.

“I would say that’s better than the other way around.” He winked and placed a soft kiss on her temple before he turned for the door. “I’ll be back after seeing to…” He waved toward the front of the house and Thea knew what he meant.

She took a sip of the strong liquid and coughed before taking another one. While the burn in her throat was uncomfortable, the warmth in her belly soothed her frayed nerves.

She’d never expected her life to take on the plot of one of her books. So many days she’d sat in her room at Percival House writing of adventure while her life was as unexciting as a white handkerchief. It seemed the only thing missing now was a hungry crocodile.

*

Stephen rallied slightly when he was dumped into the carriage with little decorum from Shay. Shay couldn’t bring himself to be gentle with a man who would treat his sister so abdominally. The man was a disgrace. Thea had been right, that having a pure bloodline didn’t ensure the person was honorable.

He smiled thinking how much of his life would now be taken up by Thea being right. Shay had seen the way Finn conceded to Lily when she said something more astute. There was no resentment when Finn was proved wrong on something.

How surprised they would be to learn Shay had married. He knew they would be as happy as he was. And Shay was happy about the situation. It was new and he’d probably never have considered it if Stephen hadn’t forced his hand. For that, Shay should be grateful to the rotter, but he wouldn’t be thanking him anytime soon.

“Will you…?” Stephen’s breath caught on a pathetic sob before he tried again. “Will you take care of her, Flemming? Please? Make sure she’s safe.”

Shay looked over his shoulder toward the house where his new wife was sitting inside with a stout glass of whisky he’d given her. He was fortunate she had not wanted to join him to see her brother off, for this display would surely be confusing for such an adoring sister. To hear Stephen worry over Thea showed a small glimpse of the man he’d once had been. Before the vicious vines of his addiction had pulled him under.

“I will see her happy,” Shay said when what he’d wanted to do was lash out by saying, “She’ll surely be happier with me than with the life you’d planned for her.” But there was nothing to come from such accusations.

Shay had seen this sickness with men who couldn’t pass up the table or a drink or even a woman. There was no denying how badly Stephen wanted to be that brother. But he didn’t have the strength to fight off the demons haunting his life now. Few did.

Shay watched the carriage until it couldn’t be seen and then turned for the house. It wasn’t until his foot came down on the first step that he felt the weight of what had transpired today.

He’d married Thea.

She’d said she was selfish for accepting his offer, but now as the repercussions settled in, he realized he was the selfish one. He’d married her under false pretenses. He’d lied to her as he’d lied to everyone else. She didn’t even know him.

Perhaps it wasn’t such a strange thing to be strong in the height of a crisis but crumble once the dust had settled. He’d done what he needed to do to protect Thea, but now he would need to find a way to tell her the truth.

To share a part of him he’d never told another soul.

*

When Stephen was gone, Thea felt as if she’d been awake for three weeks straight, but it was not quite time for supper. How could that be?

She wandered back to the drawing room and took her seat at her desk. She’d been writing the scene where the hero prevailed when Shay had come rushing in with the news and it felt like someone else had written it.

In just a few hours’ time she’d married a man she’d fantasized about for weeks. She looked at that man now as he came into the drawing room. Her husband.

“Let us sit, there is much to discuss,” Shay suggested. He gestured toward the settee where he’d spent many hours reading and dozing off.

As exhausted as she was, she knew she wouldn’t be at risk of falling asleep during this conversation.

He took the seat next to her, so close their legs touched. She looked up at his face, drawn in seriousness. Was he already regretting their marriage?

As he’d said, there was much to discuss. So much, in fact, she didn’t know where to start, so she just sat there looking at her hands twisting the fabric of her gown.

When he didn’t say anything either, she imagined he, too, was at a loss. She risked a glance at him at the same time he looked at her and when he smiled, she couldn’t help but grin back. Then something else seemed to take over and a chuckle broke free. Shay laughed and soon they were both laughing uncontrollably. She wiped at the tears streaking down her face.

After such an emotional day she wasn’t surprised to be dealing with tears, but them being from laughter was quite a shock.

Eventually their mirth died down to a few deep breaths and the marquess spoke.

“I have a wife. That is not something I ever expected to say. Yet, I find I’m not displeased about it. I like you a great deal. And truth be told, I’ve wanted you in my bed for some time. Even before the kiss, I’d dreamed of you.”

He was so confident. He seemed at ease to just say what he felt. She decided she wanted to be like that as well. And what danger was there in agreeing with the man.

“I feel the same way. In fact, I even wrote a story about the things I thought of doing with you.”

Shay winced and she wanted to assure him, but didn’t know what he’d found fault in.

“I know of the story. I read it.” His wince wasn’t from disgust, but guilt.

“But… how?”

“It was in a stack of pages. At first I just thought it was out of order, but then I realized it wasn’t part of the golden feather story at all. Perhaps it would have been honorable if I’d stopped reading once I learned it wasn’t for my eyes, but I’m sorry, knowing only made me want to study every swirl of every letter. It was lovely, if… incomplete.”

Incomplete.

They kissed.

Except at the time she’d not been able to write about the kiss for she’d never experienced such a thing. Now she had. And she hoped now that she was his wife she might have other experiences. Things that would never be written on a page for being too erotic. She knew there were such books, but Theodore Stonecliff wouldn’t write one.

Shay was staring at her lips again and her body leaned closer without her having to consciously think to do so. But her movement seemed to startle him out of his trance.

“You should move to the castle.”

“Oh.” She looked around the room of her borrowed home. She’d hoped to have found a place similar, but now she did not need to buy a home for herself. Her home would be with Lord Flemming.

“Not to worry, the marchioness’s rooms boast a large study that looks out over the garden. As I recall the desk is rather small, but we can have this one moved up, or better yet, I will commission a new one that is big enough for your needs.”

She blinked, shocked into silence by his kindness. Not only had he saved her from a life of danger and unhappiness, but he knew her secret and was willing to modify his home so she might continue writing. It was more than she could have hoped for. A husband who would understand, and accept her. But Shay more than accepted her, he encouraged her.

Tears came again, not from laughter this time but with relief.

“Lord Flemming, I cannot—”

“Shay,” he interrupted her with is given name.

“Shay.” She nodded. “I cannot thank you enough for what you have done today. I thought only of evading my brother, but now that the events of the day have settled in I realize it is more than that. You have given me your name, your protection, a home.” She took a breath. “Safety.”

“It was not without some selfishness, Thea. Please don’t make me out to be the hero in one of your books. I don’t want this to be a marriage in name only. I also desperately want you in my bed. And maybe I offered for you out of desperation to keep you safe, but I do hope you will allow me to assist in your research of more… carnal topics.”

Her face flushed hot. If this had been a traditional marriage with plans and preparations she would have had time to arrange her wedding night. But this morning when she’d woke, marriage was the furthest thing from her mind. And now she was a bride.

She nodded and smiled so he might know she wanted the same thing, without needing the courage to speak on it.

“Frannie,” he called. The maid came rushing in.

“Aye, my lord?” The girl was back to not looking at him. In fact, she didn’t look at Thea either, keeping her gaze upon the floor in front of them.

“Are you well from your scare today?” he asked quietly.

“Aye, my lord. I am so sorry I couldn’t…”

“It is over. You are safe. So is Thea. That’s all that matters. Well that, and knowing if you would be up to making us a tray of food so we can retire upstairs.”

“Straight away, my lord. I’d be happy to.”

“Thank you, Frannie,” Shay said, though he doubted Frannie had heard as quickly as she’d hurried from the room to see to her task.

Shay turned his attention back to Thea and she got caught in his blue gaze.

“I thought you may want to stay one last night in your room here.”

She laughed. “You did not want to have to wait for us to make our way up to the castle,” she guessed at the real reason he was content to stay here with only the one servant and a tray of meat and cheese instead of a full meal.

“My but you know me so well already, wife.” He paused. “Did that sound as strange as it did for me to say it?”

“I’m sure it did.”

“We will have time to get used to it.”

“Yes,” she agreed. They would have the rest of their lives to get used to it or spend the rest of their days in regret.