Lady In Disguise (The Langley Sisters) (37 page)

“Do you trust me?”

Livvy nodded.

“Then know that what I am about to do is the best thing for your family, love, allow me to share your burdens now, you are no longer alone, Livvy.”
 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Lord Ryder said you were to stay in bed until he returned, Miss Olivia,” Jenny said as she helped Olivia down the stairs and into the front parlour.

“Yes, Livvy, Will was insistent in this, he said you would try to override his orders and we were not to let you,” Bella said from behind them.

“I will not receive the Duke in my room, it is bad enough that none of you will help me change into a dress,” Livvy snapped and then hissed as some other part of her damaged body protested.

“You’ll lie on the sofa and have a blanket pulled up to your chin before Lord Ryder returns or we will all be in for it,” Jenny added.

Livvy didn’t say anything further as she was now seriously regretting her intention to face the Duke in the parlour. Her head swam as Jenny lowered her onto the seat.
 

“Pinch her cheeks, I hear a carriage,” Phoebe ordered Bella as she hurried to the windows. “She looks like a bloody ghost and we shall be in for it if Lord Ryder walks in and she’s fainted.

“Please, I can take no more of your tender care, sister,” Livvy said as she tried to fight off Bella’s hands.

“It takes a lot to intimidate me, Livvy, but when he stormed into the kitchen after locking you in your room, I swear I have never seen an angrier man. His eyes were narrowed and his fury seemed to fill the room even though he was speaking to Jenny politely.”

“You should have shared a carriage with him.” Bella shuddered. “He sat with his fists clenched on his thighs the entire journey and his eyes never moved from Livvy.

Rather than feeling intimidated by her sisters words, Livvy felt warmth fill her. He would never hurt her she knew this; his anger was because he loved her.

“Perhaps you should slap some colour into her cheeks,” Phoebe said, returning to Livvy’s side.

“Witch!”

“I thought I told you to keep her in her bed!”

Livvy could do nothing to stop the foolish smile that lit her face as Will stormed into the room, over coat flapping around his heels, head bare he frowned at her which only made her smile more.

“Prey enlighten me, why you are smiling?” he said, dropping to his knees beside her.

Livvy grabbed a handful of his coat and pulled him towards her.

“Because I love you and finally I feel hope.”

The scowl fell from Will’s lips. “You humble me, love.” Kissing her he then stood once more to make room for his brother.

“I’m sorry you have been brought into this, Your Grace,” Livvy said as Joe bent to take her hand. “It was never my intention.”

“We are to be family, Olivia, in fact I believe I am to inherit three sisters when my brother marries and family must always stick together, sister.”

Will watched Livvy as tears filled her eyes. “You always were a silver-tongued sod.”

 
“I inherited my nature from our mother, unlike you,” the Duke added, taking the seat next to Bella.

Will snorted but said nothing further; he had never loved his brother more than at that moment.

“If you’ll allow me, I will tell Joe your story now, Olivia, Phoebe, Isabella.” They all nodded and so briefly he told his brother what Livvy had told him.

“Good grief, you robbed people to survive?”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Will watched Livvy blush.
 

“Lord Ryder was our first robbery,” Phoebe added. “The second was Major Bruntly, and the third two women who seemed rather pleased with the experience.”

“They do not need to hear that, Phoebe,” Livvy said softly. “What we did was wrong, no matter the outcome.”

“Good grief!” Joe said again.

“I almost wish I’d been there to see you robbing Bruntly,” Will said softly.

“I understand you must be horrified over what we have done, Your Grace, but I felt we had no other choice,” Livvy rushed to add.

“You did what you thought needed to be done, Olivia, however misguided,” the Duke said, mirroring his brother’s words. “I have no right to judge you because of it.”

Livvy sent Will a look when he snorted.

“However, I wish you had come to me for help when your father died and the subsequent years after, but I understand pride as both my brother and I have plenty of it.”

“A horse is coming,” Phoebe cried, running to the window. “It must be Jaccob alerting us that Lord Langley is near.”

“Perfect timing,” Will said, taking a large bite of Jenny’s fruit cake.

“But what will we say?” Livvy tried to rise, her face pale with worry and pain.

“Trust me, Livvy?” Will said, reaching for her and lifting her to her feet.

“I do, Will.”

“Then let your sisters button you into a dress and then I shall carry you to a chair in here and we shall await your cousin.”

“Should she not be resting?” The Duke questioned.

“If she is not in the room, she will be standing outside of it listening at the door,” Will drawled.
 

Forty minutes later Livvy was sitting in a large, comfortable chair with Will sitting on the arm at her side. The Duke was sitting in another slightly further back. They had discussed what needed to be said and Will had told Livvy she was to keep her mouth shut, he had little hope of her obeying but he had asked anyway.

“Oh dear, he is here,” Livvy whispered, grabbing his hand.

“He can’t hurt you anymore, love, remember that.”

Nodding she let his hand go with a final squeeze and tried to look calm.

Lord Langley walked into the parlour and then stopped upon seeing Will standing beside Livvy and the Duke at the rear.

“What are you doing in my house?”
 

Neither of the brothers rose to their feet.

“Waiting for you, Langley,” Will said calmly.

Olivia’s cousin looked foolish, dressed in lavender breeches and matching waistcoat with a neckcloth that was tied in so many folds he looked like a puppy. He was fat and sweaty and the thought of him touching the woman he loved had him clenching his fists.

“Easy,” Joseph whispered.

“I demand to know the meaning of this!”

“I don’t believe you addressed me correctly, Langley,” the Duke said. He, like Will, had a dark, implacable gaze leveled on the man. Langley must have seen something that gave him pause because he quickly slipped into a clumsy bow.

“Your Grace, pardon me, I was merely surprised to see you here.”

This man had dared to touch Livvy, threaten her and her sisters, and were it not for the lecture about winning this battle with words that Joseph had given him just moments ago, he would have planted his fist in the man’s face by now.
 

“You will listen to what I have to say, Langley, and not speak,” Will said. “You need not concern yourself over your cousins any further as they are no longer your worry and are now under my care.”

“I care for my cousins!” Langley declared, taking a step closer to Olivia.

“Step back, Langley,” Will said quietly. Something in his voice had the man doing just that.

“I have heard disturbing things about you this day, Langley, things about murdered girls, gambling debts, bungled investments, and more.”

“T—tis untrue, Lord Ryder!”

“I think not, Langley,” Will said. “In fact, my man is, as we speak, on his way to London to buy up every one of your markers.”

“What? Why would you want my markers? They can be of no interest to you,” Lord Langley said, darting a look from Will to Livvy and then finally Joseph.

“You will be indebted to me, Langley, for some time, if not the rest of your life,” Will added. “And make no mistake that I am bluffing, because I am a very wealthy man and your debts will cause me very little discomfort and a great deal of control.”

“Why?” Langley asked again. He was clearly baffled by the animosity in the room. “What have I ever done to either of you?”

“The Langley sisters are very, very good friends of ours, Langley. It is my belief you have not treated them as a family member should have.” Will climbed to his feet and walked closer to the man. “You have neglected to care for them and left them to fend for themselves.”

“Tis untrue! Would you believe their word over that of a nobleman? If she has spoken against me it is slander, I tell you, and jealously that I inherited and she did not,” he said, pointing at Olivia.

“Liar,” she hissed. “You are a weak, gutless man who failed in his familial obligations and furthermore you suggested vile, horrible things to me when I visited you in London.”

“Be quiet, Olivia,” Will said.

“I will not, he is a abhorrent, perfidious man who deserves a thorough thrashing, and I want you to give it to him, Will!”

Will heard Joe cough to cover his laughter while he struggled to keep his features calm. She was fiery, his beloved, and he couldn’t wait to have all that fire centered on him.

Lord Langley’s eyes bulged and his fists clenched as he took a step towards her, which foolishly put him in Will’s path.

“I tell you, those bitches lie if they have slandered me. They are the worthless daughters of a man who took his life and I can prove it. You will not want to associate with them when I produce proof!” Langley cried. “She propositioned me in London, came calling and begged me to take her, she’s nothing but a little slut!”

“You can’t stop me, Joe, no one can,” Will said calmly, taking a step forward and reaching Langley. Gripping the man’s collar he shook him like a bed sheet.

“Just the one, Will, and not the face,” the Duke said from behind him.

Will planted his fist in the man’s soft stomach and forced him backwards into the door he had recently entered. Hauling him to his feet he then shook him again.

“Never again speak of my fiancée, do you understand, Langley, nor her sisters. Were we alone I would frighten you like you did her, you gutless coward.”

Dropping him to the floor once more, he took a few steps backward, putting himself out of striking range. He felt Livvy’s hand slip into his and then she was leaning against him. Lifting his arm he tucked her into his side.
 

“It’s all right now, my love,” he whispered.

Langley floundered about on the floor like a landed fish while he tried to haul in a breath.      

“Here is what will happen, and if you do not comply with what I say, Langley,” Will said when he knew the man could once again hear him. “I will have you before the magistrate for the deaths of those two innocent girls your name is linked too. “You’ll be leaving England for America on the next available ship, coincidently owned by me. Someone will escort you to London and retrieve any and all evidence you have on the Langley family and then they will help you pack and take you to the docks to meet your ship.”
 

Will looked at the man and thought of the pain he had caused Olivia. He had never wanted to hurt someone so much before. This is what love did to a person.
 

“You will sleep at Rossetter House in a room that locks from the outside, there will also be a guard stationed outside the door so there is no possibility of escape Lord Langley. Do I make myself clear?” Will added.

“Yes.” He was a beaten man and Will was happier knowing that fact. They were safe from him now, Livvy was safe.
 

***

Livvy watched the Duke light the Yuletide Log in the hearth with the embers from last year’s log. The Popplehinges stood arm in arm, Mrs Popplehinge resplendent in deep forest green with matching red trim on her hat and coat. Bella stood chatting with Thea and Penny, whilst Luke, Freddy and Jenny stood at the rear. Phoebe was having a heated debate with Lord Levermarch about the correct way to shoot a pistol.

“Are you happy, my love?”

Livvy’s smile was full of love as she turned to the man who was responsible for the joy inside her.
 

“So very happy, Will, and it is because of you.”

He looked down at her for long seconds and then a slow smile spread over his lips.
 

“Will you spare me a few minutes of your time, Miss Langley?”

Nodding, she let him lead her from the room and out towards the front doorway. He bundled her into warm clothing and then they were outside. Pulling her into his side they walked slowly down towards the lake.
 

“It’s so beautiful out here, Will.”

He didn’t speak just led her down to where the willows stood silently. Tugging her beneath, he then kissed her. Livvy melted against him seeking his warmth and the magic of his kiss.