Invitation to Passion (15 page)

She gave a weak smile. “I know. I lost you the day I married Charles. I realize that now. I was foolish.”

“We cannot change the past, so don’t let regret destroy you.” Richard held her gaze hoping to diminish her pain.

She took a large sip of her drink before replying. “That’s true. I’m hoping that one day I may even find happiness once again, but…”

Anthony said, “Of course you will. You’re a beautiful young woman.”

It did cross Richard’s mind that she looked anything but radiant at the moment.

“You don’t understand. I’m worried I may not live long enough to get that chance.”

That got their attention. “I beg your pardon?”

She looked directly at Richard and said, “I’m almost two months gone.”

Anthony cleared up Richard’s confusion. “You’re with child?”

She was still looking at Richard and nodding her head.

A rush of thunder filled his ears but he’d never been bad at math. “Two months. But that could mean…”

Anthony turned to him. “Christ.”

“It could be my child?”

A tear trickled down her cheek. “You were my lover before I married Charles. We both assumed we would marry, I was never supposed to marry Charles, and so we did not take care…I cannot be sure who the father is.”

His
child, it would be a part of him. He never knew how much he had wanted children until he heard those words. He might be a father soon. A smile was beginning to form until he looked at Anthony. Anthony’s eyes were not filled with joy. They were filled with infinite sadness.

His smile died. Sarah wasn’t his wife. Cold crept up each limb. He instantly hoped Sarah wasn’t carrying his child, for he’d never be in a position to acknowledge it. At least, not if he wanted to protect Sarah and their child. She could be carrying the next Marquess of Wrentham. A son, regardless of his parentage, would be the heir.

The thought was too terrible to face. How had he been so stupid? His arrogance and thoughtlessness may end up destroying the three people he cared about, Sarah, Maddy, and a child yet to be born.

If the babe
were
his, he would never hear the word ‘father’ from its lips.

“I know I shouldn’t care but I want it to be yours so badly. Then I’ll have a part of you always,” Sarah admitted softly. “Selfish, I know.”

It hurt him to say the words. “It would be better for the child, and for you, if it is not mine.” How was he to tell his wife about this? “Maddy.” He didn’t even realize he’d said her name out loud until he noticed Sarah flinch. If the child was his, and looked like him, then society would know, and Maddy would forever be a victim of gossip and pity in their eyes. The child would be her husband’s love child. She’d hate that.

Would she hate him for putting her in this position?

“Does she need to know?” Sarah asked.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Both Anthony and Richard spoke simultaneously. “I won’t hide something so important from her,” he told Anthony.

“We shall talk about this later,” his twin replied. “Sarah is in trouble, so let’s focus on one problem at a time.”

“I’m sorry.” Sarah reached and took hold of Richard’s hand. “I don’t want to cause either of us more pain. I wouldn’t have told you except I need your help to protect me and my child.”

“Protect you both from whom?” his brother asked before he could get the demons swirling in his brain into some semblance of order.

“Timothy Chesterton could not hide his triumph, as he’ll inherit the title. So you can imagine his anger when he learned I was with child. Once again, I was foolish. I should never have told him, but pretty soon I’ll not be able to hide it.”

“He has to wait for the required fourteen months before he claims the title in case you are with child.” Understanding dawned. “If you have a son, Timothy will no longer be the heir.”

The men looked at each other, both not articulating what the other had deduced. Timothy was capable of doing anything to ensure a child would not take everything from him.

“Worse. The groomsman assigned to me at the Wrentham Estate, whom I took with me from my home when I married Charles, has written to me privately. He’s certain that Charles’s saddle was tampered with. Luckily, I’d stayed in London at the last minute and hadn’t accompanied Charles to the hunt. I was feeling too ill to travel. I’m sure Timothy would have made me look guilty of the tampering otherwise. I would have been the perfect villain. Everyone knew I wanted to marry you.” She started shaking again. “I’m sure he killed Charles, just as I’m sure he will try to kill me too. I’m too scared to sleep in case I’m killed in my bed, and I’m too scared to eat in case the food has been poisoned.”

God, no wonder she looked like hell. Fury filled him. She might be carrying his child and he’d be damned if he’d let another Chesterton hurt Sarah or the baby. “I will ensure your safety.”

“We will protect you, Sarah,” added Anthony.

Her shoulders shuddered in relief and he silently thanked his sibling.

“But how? I’m too scared to stay in this house. Besides, I’ll be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life if I produce a son. Timothy seems to be a patient man. He waited until he saw the opportunity to make his move with Charles. I was perfect for the role of murderess. He had hoped to frame me for Charles’s death. I know it.”

She was probably correct. Richard’s fists gripped the arms of his chair. “Then we must prove he’s guilty of Charles’s murder, while in the meantime keeping you and the babe safe.”

“I’ve written to my brother. He’s in Italy and until he returns, I have nowhere to go.”

“You’ll come and stay with me and Melissa until your brother returns. That will get you out of this house and to a place where my men can watch over you.”

Richard had never been so grateful for a brother in his life. There was no way he could have made the offer. It would have been unfair, not only on Maddy, but all of them. He still didn’t know how he’d tell her about Sarah and the baby.

On hearing Anthony’s offer, a bit of color returned to Sarah’s cheeks. “How?” She rubbed her forehead. “What possible excuse can I give for leaving my home to move into yours? Timothy would get suspicious.”

Once again Anthony came to the rescue. “I have a plan but it needs very careful implementation.” He pulled a cheroot out of his pocket and lit it. “I suggest a small fire in the kitchen. At this late hour, I assume the staff has retired for the night. We’ll contact Rufus and his men, and we’ll light a controlled fire.”

“Brilliant. We can say we were visiting Rufus and everyone will simply assume we came to help.”

“Exactly. A fire that destroys the kitchen will ensure there is enough damage to make the house inhabitable. Until it’s repaired, you’ve accepted my offer of hospitality.”

“Rufus’s house is across the street. We can say we came to your aid when we saw the smoke.” Anthony nodded at Richard’s statement. “It will also give us time to gather the evidence against Timothy.”

Anthony rose and made to leave. “I’ll go out through the kitchen and over to Rufus’s and we’ll get everything in place including plenty of buckets of water to wet the areas we don’t want burnt and to stop the flames getting out of control.” With that he slipped quietly out of the room.”

Sarah’s eyes widened with worry. “Is this safe? Does Anthony know what he’s doing? I don’t want anyone hurt.”

“You’d be surprised at what both Anthony and I are capable of.”

“I don’t know how to thank both of you.”

Silence fell, yet surprisingly it wasn’t awkward. Sarah was the braver one. She spoke first. “You look happy.”

“I am. I don’t want to hurt you, Sarah, but…”

“I know, Richard. I could see it on your face as soon as you walked into the room. Madeline is special to you. She always has been. I just thought what we had shared was rather more.”

“At the time I thought it was too. I owe you an apology. I’m sorry, but if you had not married Charles, I would have married you.”

Sarah looked away. “I don’t believe you pursued me maliciously, you
did
love me. I know you did. If Maddy…”

Richard remained silent. Maddy did not cause his feelings to wane. He didn’t understand himself why his feelings for Sarah had changed.

Sarah wouldn’t let the conversation politely die. “I can’t help but wish I’d eloped with you, then this child would be yours and we’d be happy. If you were free, now that I am widowed, would we be together?”

Richard very much doubted that, but his lips spoke other words. They were words that needed to be said, given her delicate state. “I will never regret being with you.”

She noticed his evasion. “Even if this child I carry is yours?” At his strained silence, she sighed. “It seems a high price to pay for our wantonness. I will protect this child from scandal. It is the innocent party here. To do that, I shall deny any rumors the child could be yours. I’m sorry but that is how it must be.”

He remained silent for a few moments letting the knifing pain of truth cut him to his core. “You’ll make an excellent mother.” Her head lifted to meet his gaze and the haunted look in her eyes dimmed slightly. “You’re already doing what must be done for your child and I can see the fierce protectiveness there. If it is mine, I could not have asked for a better mother. It is more than I deserve.” He took both her hands in his. “I understand what you must do, but I don’t have to like it. And remember this. I will always, always, be here for you and the child regardless of its parentage.”

“You don’t owe me that pledge.”

“Yes.” He smiled at her. “Yes, I do. I want to. You will always be special to me.”

“Do you think, if we had eloped, we would have been happy?”

He hated that he lied, but perhaps in her delicate state he could be forgiven. “Yes. If there had been no Maddy or Charles, I believe we could have been happy.”

She finally smiled back at him. “Thank you, even if that is not the truth.” She took a deep breath. “And thank you for helping me. Once my bother returns from Italy, I’ll bother you no more.”

“I’m hoping we’ll get to the bottom of this long before your brother arrives. The longer it takes, the greater the risk of Timothy uncovering what we are up to. That will make it virtually impossible to prove his guilt. Plus, I suggest we send your groom to Hascombe, Rufus’s estate, to keep him safe.”

It was almost morning by the time the fire was completely out. The whole street was awoken by the small fire, the event providing plenty of neighbors who could attest to the fact that Rufus and his guests had rushed to help put it out.

As morning broke, Anthony and Richard stood in the water and fire damaged kitchen. “Now let’s go home and sleep so we can start trying to catch Tim-bastard-Chesterton.”

Richard couldn’t have said it better. He collapsed into Anthony’s carriage. His twin climbed in after him. They’d sent Sarah and her maids on to Anthony’s house as soon as the fire had started, and the carriage driver had brought more men back to help fight the blaze.

Richard had almost nodded off, when his brother spoke. “I know you share everything with Madeline, but I don’t think you should tell her the babe might be yours. There is nothing to be gained by doing so—yet.” Richard made to open his mouth to object, but Anthony continued firmly. “You will
never
be able to acknowledge the child.” He drew in a breath. “Think what the child will face if there is even a hint that you could be the father. Worse still, think of Maddy. She will have to live with the fact you have a child with another woman.”

Richard closed his eyes and swallowed the guilt and pain. “I made Maddy a promise that I would never lie to her.”

“Why would she even think to ask who the father is? I’m sure she’ll assume the child is Wrentham’s.”

“What if she asks me? I can’t lie…it could destroy the life we’re trying to build together.”

“Let me ask you this. What will be achieved by telling her? The child is more likely to be Charles’s.”

Richard thought long and hard. If he told Maddy the child could be his, she’d suffer more guilt. He knew she was upset that Sarah was widowed and he was not free. If Maddy thought the child might be his, her guilt would only multiply. Her heart would break to learn he could never claim his child. He could wait until the child is born and then, if the child bore any resemblance to him, he could tell her. “I risk more by not telling her. Trust lost is not easily won back.”

Anthony nodded. “You, my brother, are in a situation that has no winner. Tell her and hurt her, or not tell her and hope she never learns the truth.”

“I’m buggered either way.” He ran a hand through his hair and tried to clarify his thoughts. He sighed, “I’ll not tell her. The idea of not being able to acknowledge my child is the punishment
I
should have to live with, not Maddy. Not innocent, big hearted Maddy.”

Anthony slapped him on the shoulder. “Good man. Now, where should we start our investigation?”

The Honorable Mr. Richard Craven

I didn’t tell mother about my incident. Rufus has not been home for months. No one has told me but I overheard Mother telling the estate manager that he’s in France, so I could not tell him. However, I did alert Francis, our head groomsman. He now accompanies me if I need to leave the estate. Before you say anything further, I also take a groom with me when I go riding on the estate too.

Now, tell me everything about India. I hear it’s very hot and the air is filled with the smell of spices. I’ve even heard that the women wear brightly colored cloths wrapped round their bodies. Is it true their midriffs are bare? I suspect you’ve noticed that!

I can’t wait to hear all your stories. When are you next in England, and will you be paying a visit to Hascombe?

Your, eager for news, friend

Madeline Knight