Tenacious Trents 03 - A Reluctant Rake (28 page)

Matthew stepped forward. “Settle down.
We are just giving you a difficult time.”

“Was there anything that reminded you
of Adele?” John asked seriously.

Jordan nodded. “The tilt of her head
when she spoke. Cocked slightly to the side, the way Adele used to
do when she was listening to whatever we had to tell her. And the
way she gestured with her wrist when pointing out the flowers.” He
imitated the movement.

“I’ll tell them what to look for,” John
acknowledged.

“What were you doing in Covent Garden
so early?” Matthew asked.

“I think we can guess why he was
there,” Clayton answered. “The question should be why you were in
the flower market.”

Not even his brothers believed he could
change. “I was not there for the reasons you believe.”

Clayton quirked a questioning
brow.

Jordan stamped down his irritation and
explained about the property and business transaction, which lead
him to tell of Angelique and Lady Rothsbury. Perhaps they had
insight into the attacks that he may not have noticed.

“Lady Lydell,” Matthew
suggested.

“Why would she do something so
horrendous? Besides, the women were attacked by a man.” Clayton
asked.

“She could have hired someone,” John
suggested.

“But to what purpose?” Jordan
asked.

“Anyone in society can answer that
question,” Matthew responded. “She has made no secret that she is
in love with you. It was blasted uncomfortable at the dinner party
Madeline held.”

And they weren’t even the ones she had
backed against the wall. “I can’t imagine she would do such a
thing. I would be more likely to think Creighton, yet he doesn’t
know anything about Angelique, that I am aware of. Yet he has no
money to gamble at Jesters any longer and Jesters wanted to buy the
land that holds the brothel. Perhaps that is the link.”

John nodded. “It is a possibility. I’ll
see what I can learn.”

“You still didn’t tell us why you were
in the flower market,” Clayton reminded him. “If I recall, Madame
Devine is a few streets away.”

“I was going to choose flowers for
Audrey.” Had he not mentioned that earlier? No, he had simply said
he was there when he noticed Genevieve.

All three of his brothers raised their
eyebrows and studied him.

“Audrey, is it?” Matthew
asked.

Jordan sighed. It was damned
uncomfortable being related to these three. “Yes. I am calling on
her uncle this afternoon to request her hand in
marriage.”

Smiles broke out on all three
faces.

“Congratulations,” Clayton came forward
and shook his hand.

“Neither her uncle or father have
agreed. They may reject me.” That was Jordan’s fear. What if he
said the wrong thing or wasn’t considered good enough. His past was
rather tarnished. It wasn’t just rather tarnished but very badly
tarnished.

“Jordan Trent does not want you,
Millicent.” Audrey stated firmly

A catlike smile formed on Millicent’s
lips. “Of course he does. You are simply jealous.”

Audrey drew a deep breath and blew it
out. “He has no desire to be with you. He was never been with you.
He is not the father of your daughter.” She had to be firm and
bring Millicent back to the reality the rest of them
knew.

“Of course he is,” Millicent insisted.
“I don’t expect him to tell you the truth. He does wish to protect
my reputation.”

“If he loved you and had fathered your
child, he would not have left, even if he had gone to your chamber
that night.”

“I am sure he had no
choice.”

“Why didn’t he object when you
married?” Audrey pressed.

“I am sure he wasn’t given a chance.
Everything happened so quickly and Father did obtain a special
license.”

“Not so quickly that word would not
have reached Mr. Trent in time.”

“I wrote him and he simply didn’t get
my letter.”

Or he tossed it away.

“Millicent, Mr. Trent intends to marry
me. He will not come to you now or ever,” Audrey insisted. Would
this woman ever see the truth? Would she need to be present in the
church to witness the marriage to finally accept it or would she
forever chase Jordan Trent?

“And I intend to make her my wife at
the earliest moment possible.”

The ladies turned to find Jordan
standing in the doorway with Matthew Trent.

“Jordan,” Millicent gave a happy cry
and rose from her seat to go toward him.

Jordan stepped behind his brother and
made his way to Audrey’s side before Millicent could reach him.
Audrey stood and Jordan placed an arm around her waist. It was not
proper to do so as they weren’t officially betrothed but Audrey
sensed he needed to prove to Millicent the truth of the
matter.

“I understand that you need to marry
since I am not available.”

“I would still marry Audrey if you were
free,” Jordan answered with a hint of anger. He was probably more
tired of Millicent than she was.

“I would never consider a lady who
would cuckold her husband or set innocent ladies up to be
raped.”

“Certainly you can see what a good
match Everton and Audrey would have been. You really shouldn’t have
ruined the opportunity I arranged for her.”

Jordan stiffened by her side and Audrey
wondered if he was just realizing how misguided Millicent was. Did
Millicent even comprehend what she was saying? It was as if she
didn’t even understand the reason for his rejection or that he was
rejecting her.

“It is a shame Everton is
dead.”

“Everton is dead?” Matthew Trent
questioned.

“Yes,” Millicent sighed. “Stabbed last
night. I am really surprised none of you knew about it. The
servants were talking about nothing else when they returned from
the market.

“Wasn’t Dalton killed just a few nights
ago?” Matthew Trent asked, looking at Jordan.

He nodded.

“It is a shame that two such fine young
gentlemen are gone,” Millicent said, plucking at the glove on her
hand. A slow smile formed and she looked back up at Jordan. “But
you are safe and that is really all that matters.”

“Yes, it is.” Audrey placed
an arm around Jordan’s waist. The familiarity would scandalize
the
ton
but she
needed to make Millicent understand. “As he is to be my husband I
plan on him living a very long and happy life.”

Millicent’s eyes hardened and the smile
froze on her lips. The look sent a chill down Audrey’s spine.
Jordan must have noticed too because his hand tightened at her
waist as if to protect her. “I will let you live with your
delusions for a bit, Audrey. But he will tire of you soon and
return to me.”

“Audrey isn’t the one who is deluded,”
Jordan bit out. “I never went to the house party and I was never in
your room.” His eyes bore into hers. “I never wanted you, nor do I
now. Please cease interfering in my life and return to your
husband.

Audrey glanced at Jordan. She had never
seen him so firm and angry, yet controlled. Pain flashed in
Millicent’s eyes for a moment only to be replaced with cold
determination. Hopefully Jordan’s words would sink in and she would
now leave them alone and fixate on someone else.

“Excuse me,” Grace’s butler stepped
into the room. “Bow Street is here to speak with Mr.
Trent.”

Everyone looked to Matthew
Trent.

“Send them in,” Matthew Trent
answered.

Two gentlemen, rather burly stepped
into the parlor. One approached Matthew Trent. “We need to know the
whereabouts of your brother.”

“He is right there.” The other one
said, pointing to Jordan. “You need to come with us.”

Jordan pulled away from Audrey.
“Why?”

Two soldiers entered the room behind
the Runners. Audrey glanced back at Jordan. What was
happening?

“For the murders of Mr. Dalton and Mr.
Everton.”

Audrey watched in horror as Jordan was
lead from the room. This was a terrible mistake. Jordan would not
murder anyone. How could anyone possibly think he would murder
Dalton and Everton?

“Matthew?” Grace questioned her husband
as if he had the answers.

Matthew Trent stared at the doorway,
worry etched on his brow and his eyes were stark with fear. He
blinked, shook his head and pulled Grace into an
embrace.

Grace looked up at her husband. “I
don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.” He kissed her forehead
and pulled away. “I need to tell Clayton and John and find out what
is going on and fix this.”

“This is horrible,” Millicent cried. It
was the first thing the woman had said that Audrey agreed
with.

“It is all my fault.” Millicent sank
down into a chair.

Matthew Trent took a step forward and
towered over the woman? “Your fault? Explain!”

She sniffed and looked up. “Don’t you
see? If I hadn’t used Dalton and Everton to make Jordan jealous he
would have never killed them.”

Trent stiffened. “My brother did not
murder anyone.”

Millicent blinked up at him and
sniffed. “Yes, yes, of course. I shouldn’t say such
things.”

“No, you shouldn’t,” Grace
agreed.

“I think you should leave, Lady Lydell.
This is a family matter.”

Millicent glanced around the room, a
look of confusion on her face. Perhaps the shock of the situation
was setting in. She focused on Audrey. “Yes, Audrey, we should
go.”

Audrey didn’t want to leave. She
couldn’t return home only to worry about what was happening to
Jordan. Would they think to send word to her?

“I would like Audrey to stay with me,”
Grace insisted. “She is my dearest friend.”

Millicent turned. “I am also your
friend.”

“No Millicent.” Pain slashed across
Grace’s face. “Not any longer.”

The woman stiffened as if
insulted.

“Besides,” Matthew Trent began. “Audrey
is family as she is to be my sister-in-law, as soon as we can get
Jordan back home.”

Relief shot through Audrey that she
would be allowed to stay.

“I’ll have Wallace escort you out.” The
butler appeared and waited for Millicent. She glanced around,
befuddlement in her features before she allowed Wallace to lead her
from the room, closing the door behind him.

“Thank you,” Audrey
muttered.

Matthew Trent smiled gently at her.
“Jordan told my brothers and I of his plans to marry a short while
ago and is, was going to call on your uncle today.”

She needed to send word to
her uncle, but what did one say.
Mr. Trent
has been detained due to his arrest for murdering two gentlemen. I
am sure you won’t hold this against him when he does come to call
to ask for my hand.

Audrey shook the thought away. Was she
slipping into madness like Millicent? “I just hope he doesn’t
reject Jordan’s request.”