One Rogue Too Many (24 page)

“If Drew and I give chase tonight, we may be able to stop Thorne before he catches Gabby and Ellis.”

“Are you certain Drew is your best choice?”

At the landing, he captured his wife around the waist and planted a kiss on her sweet lips. “You know you can’t go this time, Viv. My brother is most suited for this task.”

She may have swayed him in the past to play rescuer to his mother’s companion, but this was a horse of a different color.

Vivian smiled ruefully. “I hadn’t expected you to allow me, but there must be something I can do to help.”

“If you could tell Mother what has happened and reassure her everything will be all right, I would be grateful. She will need to begin penning letters at once cancelling the wedding.”

“I can assist her.” His wife kissed him once more before heading in the direction of his mother’s chambers.

As he watched her walk down the dimly lit corridor with a sensual sway to her hips, he reconsidered thrashing Anthony. Being madly in love was no excuse for ruining another man’s pleasure.

***

Gabby woke contented and warm. Her eyes drifted shut on a sigh. It was nice waking snuggled against Anthony’s broad chest.

Good
heavens!
Her eyes flew open again. Before she’d fallen asleep, he had been across the carriage. How had they ended up cuddled together? The evening’s events came rushing back, making her head spin.

Anthony’s chest rose and fell steadily under her cheek. She lifted her gaze to confirm he was sleeping. Early-morning light filtered through the window and created a golden haze on his strong jaw where his whiskers had grown.

Green pastures beyond the window didn’t provide a hint of where they were. Somewhere between London and Gretna Green, she assumed, but she had no idea how far they had traveled. How had she slept through the changing of horses? Now there was no hope of returning before anyone learned she was missing.

She tried to ease from Anthony’s embrace without waking him, but his lashes fluttered. He blinked several times, his blue eyes red and puffy. It appeared he’d had a rough night. He still had a smile for her, though.

“Back from the sleep of the dead?” he asked in a husky voice.

She ignored his teasing and pulled the blanket up to her neck. The air was much cooler than it had been in London. Now she wished she had listened to Lizzie and worn her wool shawl.

Her head snapped toward Anthony. “Did my sister help you plan this?”

“Your sisters may have suggested it.”

“
Sisters?
As in both of them?”

He stretched like a giant cat instead of answering; his muscles rippled beneath his trousers and shirt. Sometime in the night, he had removed his outer clothes and untied his cravat, and he looked deliciously unkempt. A flash of heat made her too warm all of a sudden. She tossed the blanket aside, her gaze landing on a large black splotch on the crimson silk of her skirts.

“What is this?” She jerked the material up to examine the stain. “Is this paint?” There was a slightly hysterical ring to her tone.

Anthony rubbed the back of his neck, color rushing into his face. “I’m afraid so. There wasn’t time for the door to dry fully.”

She assumed he meant the coach door. She dropped her skirts with an unladylike growl. “And
why
was there paint on your door?”

“I wanted you to be comfortable, so it was necessary to bring the travel coach. But there was the little matter of the coat of arms.”

He’d had the coat of arms covered with paint. No wonder she hadn’t known she was climbing into his carriage. “You—you deceitful bounder!” She thrust a finger in his direction. “You always were a sneaky scoundrel, even when we were children. Well, not only have you ruined my reputation, you’ve wrecked my favorite gown.”

Perhaps she was overreacting. After all, it was only a gown, but the permanent stain reminded her of what
she
was to her family: a dark blotch on their lives. She hurled a few choice words at him, peppered with the appropriate number of references to his lack of intelligence and honor, and finally ended her tirade with another frustrated growl.

“I’ll buy you another gown,” Anthony said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “You may have five new gowns if you’ll just stop screeching in my ear.”

Of
all
the
gall!
Her hands landed on her hips. “Will you buy me a new reputation, too, my lord? How much money do you think it will take to erase my family’s embarrassment? Do you think you can afford to make the entire
ton
forget that Mama and Papa brought fickle girls into this world, ones that run away two days before they are to walk down the aisle?”

He grimaced. “Your parents only had one fickle daughter. I’m sure the other two know their minds well enough.”

She cried out. Of all the things he could have said to her, that had to be the most hurtful. “But
I
didn’t change my mind. You took me and now I’ll be held responsible. Everyone will be talking behind my back, which wouldn’t bother me so much except I will be a disgrace to my family.”

He had the decency to look chagrined. “Gabby, I’m sorry. I didn’t see any other way.”

“I told you—” She swallowed a sob, closing her eyes to regain control of herself. “I told you I wouldn’t marry you. That’s all you needed to see.”

The coach slowed and she realized they were approaching the next stop. They passed several small cottages before the buildings became butted up against each other. A bakery, haberdashery, and a butcher’s shop. None of the landmarks looked familiar. “Where are we?”

He reached for his waistcoat and jacket, avoiding eye contact. “Litchfield, I believe. We’ll change horses here and you may freshen up if you are quick about it.”

“We aren’t traveling the Great North Road?” Her family always traveled the Great North Road en route to Northumberland.

Anthony shook his head as the coach rolled to a stop. “There wasn’t enough lead time. We would have been overtaken in the night if we had traveled that route.”

“Oh.” Her eyebrows lifted. She hated to admit she was impressed with his thinking, especially after she had made such a scene and insulted his intelligence. In truth, she was relieved her brothers hadn’t found them last night. Even when she was furious with Anthony, she couldn’t bear the thought of any harm coming to him, and that is what she feared would happen if her brothers caught them before she had time to make an appeal on his behalf.

Anthony’s manner was short as he escorted her into the small inn, arranged for fresh water and a room, then left her in the care of the innkeeper’s wife. The woman was dressed in a plain gray gown with her hair pinned under a snow-white cap. Her tidy appearance was a reflection of the surprisingly well-kept room she led Gabby to above stairs.

“Is there anything else I can get for you, milady?”

“Perhaps a bite to eat?” Her stomach had growled twice on the stairwell.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll send something up at once,” the woman said before leaving Gabby to fend for herself. She caught her reflection in the looking glass and gasped. Her hair stuck up at odd angles, and red creases from sleeping on Anthony’s shirt crisscrossed her cheek. Add in her soiled gown and she looked a mess.

Gabby set to work on her hair and had just finished her toilette when there was a knock at the door. Anthony entered without waiting for permission. He leaned back against the closed door with a dark piece of material draped over his arm and tucked his hand into his pocket. He jiggled his fingers, an unbecoming habit he had developed later in life.

He smiled, but there was an air of sadness about him. “I couldn’t find a suitable gown, but I managed to locate a cloak.”

“Thank you.” Her distress had little to do with her ruined gown, but he seemed incapable of understanding her position. Still, her heart warmed to him. He was trying to please her, even when she had treated him poorly.

She allowed him to drape the garment over her shoulders and tie it at the neck. His hands lingered on her shoulders, and tingles traveled to her fingertips.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said in the coach,” he said. “You did tell me you wouldn’t marry me. I should have listened, but I’ve been miserable without you. I can’t eat, and I have no gumption to do anything. I thought if there was any chance to change things…”

Sympathy welled up inside her and urged her to reach out to him. Their fingers laced together. She had been just as miserable as he. No matter how wrong it was to put herself above her sisters, she loved him. She couldn’t lie to herself or him any longer.

“I forced myself to eat when Mama started fretting, but I could have been eating mud for all the taste food had. Heartache is the worst kind of pain.”

“Forgive me, Gabby. I don’t want to be at odds.” He wrapped her in his embrace, exhaling loudly when she sagged against him.

She didn’t want to be angry either. It created a wall between them, keeping them apart when they had been separated long enough. Deep down she was grateful for what Anthony had done. If she had thought there was any way to get out of marriage to Lord Thorne without harming anyone, she would have done it. Now he’d taken the burden from her.

She’d reflected on their situation in these moments alone, and she had come to a realization. She and Anthony
were
getting married, and they would be better off facing the fallout together. Another revelation was that her family would love her no matter what scandal became attached to her name. They had proven as much after her ill-fated assignation with Lt. MacFarland. Her nose tickled and she blinked away her tears. She wished someday to prove herself worthy of her family’s devotion. There would still be consequences to pay when they returned to London, but she would have Anthony by her side.

He kissed the top of her head and hugged her tighter. “In light of your distress, I have decided we’ll turn back. There’s still a chance no one outside of your family and Lord Thorne knows.”

She broke his hold with a loud protest and glowered up at him. How could he even consider returning her to London after she’d admitted how she too had been miserable during their separation?

“
Now
you want to turn back? For heaven’s sake! Lord Thorne will know we spent the night together, and if he has any sense at all, he will break the betrothal on the spot. Are you trying to destroy my life?”

Oh, no. It was too late for Anthony to back out now. With a huff, she marched for the door. “I hate to disappoint you, Lord Ellis, but you are saddled with me now. You will marry me good and proper. And you had best feed me soon, because I can become churlish when I’m hungry.”

A shocked laugh sounded behind her. “As you wish, my lady.”

Blasted
right, as I wish.

Once they were settled in the coach and on their way again, she avoided looking at him. Of all the insufferable things he had done to her, this was at the top of the list. Take her back, indeed.

Anthony cleared his throat. “I think you misunderstood me.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I have no desire to return you to Thorne, but if that’s your wish, I will do it. Even if it kills me,” he added softly. He pulled a bundle from his jacket and passed it to her. “The innkeeper’s wife wrapped this for you. It isn’t much, but perhaps it will keep starvation at bay until we reach our next stop.”

She accepted the offering with a thank-you and unwrapped the bundle. Inside was a hunk of bread, a slice of ham, and two small apples. Her stomach grumbled loudly. “There’s enough to share. Would you like to split it?”

“That’s all for you. Can’t have you wasting away to skin and bones.” He smiled smugly, pulled another apple from his jacket, and bit into it. Juice dribbled down his chin and he swiped at it with his sleeve.

“Neanderthal,” she grumbled, but she couldn’t hold back a slight smile. “You should inform your driver to keep up the pace. I’d like to reach Gretna before I become an old woman.”

He beamed and took another hearty bite before opening the trapdoor and calling out for the driver to increase their speed. For some time they traveled in silence, except for the occasional crunch of his apple. The emptiness in her stomach was fading by the time she popped the last bite of bread into her mouth and started on the ham. Her mood was much improved, too.

“Thank you for the food.”

“I’ll always take care of you, Lady Bug.”

She studied him, letting go of her temper fully. Anthony had always been dutiful. He may have had his moments of engaging in tomfoolery with her brothers, but there had been an air of seriousness about him for as long as she could recall. “What was it like inheriting the earldom at such a young age?”

He flinched and she wished she had thought before she’d spoken. She didn’t want to bring back bad memories for him.

“I’m sorry. We can talk about something else,” she said.

“I don’t mind.” His slight frown told her he was lying. “Honestly, I don’t remember what it was like before I became earl. I have vague recollections of my father and older brother, but I’m never certain if my memories are real or based on stories my nurse told me about them.”

“Your nurse? Didn’t your mother ever talk about them?”

He shook his head. His eyes glazed over as he stared at something beyond her shoulder; perhaps he was seeing another time. “Sometimes I thought Mother wished she had died with them. I think that’s the reason she avoided the living.”

An image of a young boy with golden locks and short pants rambling around Ellis Hall alone made her throat scratchy with unshed tears. She forced herself to swallow the bite of ham she had taken, then set her food aside.

“I tried to live up to expectations, but I never quite knew what those were.” He smiled wryly, suddenly back in the present. “Someone forgot to hand me a list of instructions. I supposed I muddled through well enough, though.”

He was being modest. She had overheard her father speaking proudly of how well Anthony had managed his properties, much better than the former earl had.