The Duke's Night of Sin (27 page)

He held up the letter Poplin, the butler, had given him. “Is this the confession you sent to Lord Aster?”

Siusan’s eyes went round. “Aye, but where did you get it?”

“I went to Lord Aster’s house earlier this night, but instead encountered Basil Redbane—”

“The man who placed the anonymous proxy bet at White’s!”

“Yes, but he was not alone. He was with Miss Aster. We spoke briefly, during which time he admitted that he was the father of Miss Aster’s child—and though I am not certain of it, I believe he will marry her.”

“But … the letter.”

Sebastian handed it to Siusan. “It was never delivered. It seems Lord Aster was not at home to receive it, and so, your butler, per your instructions, never delivered it.”

Siusan turned it over in her hands. The seal had
never been broken. She raised her eyes slowly until her gaze met his.

“Siusan, I love you, and no matter the circumstances, I always will. You have shown me what true honor and courage are. This is the greatest lesson you’ve ever taught because you imparted it by example.” Sebastian rose and did his best to kneel before her in the wobbly carriage. He took her hand in his. “Siusan, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

Siusan’s eyes welled, and her lips quivered as she prepared to answer. “Aye, Sebastian, I will.” Her voice was a mere whisper to his ears.

His balance was uncertain, but his intent was sure. From his pocket, he withdrew a large sapphire set in a ring of gold and eased it onto her finger. “This ring belonged to my mother, who taught me what love was, and now I wish for you to have it, the woman who made me remember.”

“I love you, Sebastian.”

“I love you too … Miss Bonnet.”

Siusan stared into his eyes.

“Well, I do. I love Miss Bonnet, because through her, I met the love of my life—you. I love you, Lady Siusan Sinclair.”

Siusan shook her head but grinned as she cupped her hand behind his neck and pulled
him into a deep kiss. His arms came around her and slowly he guided her back down against the bench’s cushion.

Nearly two hours later, Sebastian’s carriage rolled up before Siusan’s house. “I shall return in the morning to request an audience with your father and ask for your hand in marriage.” Sebastian leaned down and kissed her.

“And if he refuses?” Siusan pressed her lips and held him close, as though it were the last time.

“I know his acceptance is important to you. So I shall ask again, and again if needed. He will accept my offer, Siusan. I will not stop until he has. I can be quite persistent.” He stepped out of the carriage and helped Siusan down, then escorted her to the door.

Siusan touched the latch and was pleased that it had not been locked. “Good night, my love. I will see you in the morning.” She pecked his cheek as he passed her her bag, then she slipped inside.

She hurried into the parlor to watch his carriage leave the square, but when she entered her father was sitting beside the fire. “Father.”

“So that was the Duke of Exeter, was it?” His face was expressionless.

“Aye, Da, it was.” Though the parlor was warm,
Siusan shivered but shed her cloak and shook off the cold. “And you should know that on the morrow, he will ask you for my hand in marriage.”

“His family name is tarnished with dishonor. Why should I approve such a union?”

“Because he is an honorable man, a good man, a kind man. He should not be held to blame for his father’s past misdeeds. A son should not have to atone for the sins of his father. Have you not taught us that we must atone for our own sins—restore honor to ourselves to restore it to the Sinclair name?”

The Duke of Sinclair raised a white eyebrow at that comment. “Aye, I did.”

“This is what I am trying to do. I have made a great many mistakes, but had I not made them, I would not have learned the value of honor. I would not have learned to love and be loved. I would not have learned that I am happiest when I am working. And that I will never lose my brothers and sisters, even if we are apart, because as a family, we are one.”

“Aye, Siusan, ye are right. This is why family is so important and why we must all strive to overcome our weaknesses, to become strong, so when one of us needs support, we are able to give it.” He
set his cane to the carpet and rose, then crossed the parlor to Siusan. “Ye’ve grown, cast off that which held ye in a place of pain. And now, ye’re a strong woman, and I am proud that ye are my daughter.” He reached out and hugged her to him.

Tears of great happiness rolled down her face, and she began to laugh. Never had she been so happy, but one thing could make her joy complete. “And the Duke of Exeter?”

Her father took her shoulders in his hands and straightened his arms to look at her. “He will have my blessing.”

The aged Duchess of Exeter was standing before the grand staircase when Sebastian returned to Blackwood Hall. “It is morning. Where have you been all night? You stormed out of here so angrily that I worried for your safety. Thought you might do something rash and—”

“Die in some freakish accident like the other Dukes of Exeter?” Sebastian shook off the notion and started for the parlor.

“Do not mock me, Sebastian.” She narrowed her eyes at him as she followed him into the parlor. “The Curse of the Duke of Exeter exists.”

Sebastian flung himself onto the sofa and covered
his face with his palms. He was too exhausted for this, but he’d let talk toy with his mind and alter his actions for long enough. “The Curse of the Duke of Exeter does
not
exist.”

“How can you deny the evidence?”

“I do agree that the men in this family have a foolish, adventurous streak about them—and that, Grandmother, is what killed them. Not some ridiculous curse.”

“A ball of lightning struck your grandfather!”

“Well, if a man chooses to walk across a flat field in a thunderstorm, he may be struck.”

His grandmother gasped. “Your own father died in a flood of beer!”

“Because when the beer vats burst, he went swimming in it while drinking all he could. I ask you, what sane man would do that?”

“Your brother’s death was—”

Sebastian rubbed his eyes. “My fault. It was a hot day, and I’d just purchased my high-perch phaeton. I bragged about its speed and challenged him to race it around the park. When he didn’t return …” He sucked in a deep breath. “He’d tried to remove his neckcloth, and it somehow had gotten entangled in the wheel, snapping off his—” Sebastian swallowed deeply. “There is no curse. Never has been. We look for adventure,
though sometimes we are reckless and pay the ultimate price.”

His grandmother’s eyes were tearing. “You share their blood. How will you avoid a fate to rival theirs?”

“Because I know why they died. It wasn’t Fate. It was recklessness. I won’t make the same mistake.” Sebastian pushed up from the sofa and started for his bedchamber. “If you will excuse me, Grandmother, I must bathe and dress.”

“Why? Where are you planning to go? You just returned home.”

“To Mayfair, to call upon the Duke of Sinclair and offer for his daughter, Siusan.”

His grandmother reached out and caught his sleeve as he passed her. “Wait, Sebastian.”

He looked down at her. “I cannot be dissuaded. Lady Siusan Sinclair has offered up her own life for mine twice already. I have never met such an honorable, kind, and loving woman. I love her, Grandmother, and I will marry her.”

She drew him close and hugged him. When she pushed away she was smiling. “Then I shall love her too. We are family after all.” She clapped her hands together as a notion struck her. Allow me to throw a glittering gala in honor of your engagement!”

Good Lord. A gala.

Sebastian shuddered inwardly at the thought. “Actually, Grandmother, I have read in one of Siusan’s columns that small dinner parties are becoming all the crack.”

“Really?” She peered into the air as if assessing his statement. “Perhaps you are right. Yes, I think I quite like the idea of fashionable dinner party. I shall begin planning the menu at once.”

Sebastian chuckled as his grandmother scurried out the parlor door ahead of him.

Siusan’s happiness was nearly complete. In a moment, she would marry Sebastian Beaufort, the fourth Duke of Exeter.

Her father offered his arm, she took it, and together they moved slowly through the great abbey.

As she approached the altar, where Sebastian waited, the morning sun was shining through the soaring windows of Bath Abbey, making the gold embroidery glisten atop her white satin-and-lace gown.

On her shoulders was her mother’s velvet cloak, lined with whitest ermine.

Another lesson. It is possible to be warm and entirely fashionable.

Nearest the altar stood her family. On the right were her brothers, Grant, Killian, Lachlan, and even Sterling, with his wife, Isobel. On his left, her sisters, Priscilla and Ivy with her husband, Dominic Sheridan, the Marquess of Counterton. Her heart swelled at the sight of them all together, the way it used to be.

She beamed as she walked past Miss Hopkins and Miss Grassley, who gestured madly at the man beside her, her fiancé, to the amusement of the gaggle of Siusan’s former students, who were trying very hard to remain ladylike.

The Duchess of Exeter stood nearest Sebastian, with Miss Gentree at her side.

As she and her father reached the altar, she took Sebastian’s strong hands, and within minutes, he swore before God to love and honor her all the days of his life.

She peered down at her hand, her eyes swimming with tears of joy, as Sebastian slipped a circlet of gold onto her finger.

And then the ceremony was over. The tears
she’d held in her eyes during the ceremony cascaded down her cheeks. Still, she didn’t care.

This was the happiest day of her life. And from this moment on, she and Sebastian, the man she loved with all her heart, were married.

After the wedding breakfast and festivities had concluded, a grand ball was held in the Upper Assembly Rooms in honor of the marriage of the Duke of Exeter and Lady Siusan, the new Duchess of Exeter.

All of Bath Society was present at the glittering event, at least, or so it would be reported in the
Bath Time’s on-dit
column, according to Mr. Hercule Lestrange, who amazingly seemed to move through the crowd without drawing notice.

When Siusan and Sebastian quit the dance floor, she noticed that her sister was watching with the queerest expression on her face. “What is it, Priscilla?”

“I was just thinking.” Whatever it was she was thinking about must have taxed her mind, for her brow was drawn.

“What were you thinking?” Movement caught her eye, and she looked to see Grant standing
behind Priscilla shaking his head fiercely, but with a most amused smile upon his lips.

“If you had just observed my claim on the duke at his gala ball, none of this would have ever happened.” She lifted a single eyebrow as if to punctuate her point.

Siusan promptly leaned over and kissed Sebastian’s lips, then settled her hand atop her belly, smiling. “I know.”

Siusan heard the door open. Her breath seized in her lungs.

M
oonlight just touched the angular face of a large man, hardly two strides away.

Her heart pounded. How respectable would it appear for her to be found in a room meant for family, not guests? Thankfully, the library was cloaked in night. If she didn’t move … barely breathed, the man mightn’t even know she was in the room with him.

But then his eyes shifted to her and she saw a smile roll across his lips. “There you are,” he whispered, striding fast toward her.

Siusan’s heart thudded harder in her chest. Panicking, she opened her mouth to tell him that she was not who he thought her to be, when suddenly his lips were moving over hers. She shivered as she felt his tongue ease into her mouth and begin stroking the insides of her cheeks, twirling around her tongue.

In this man’s arms something miraculous was happening. And she did not want him to stop.

Her eyes snapped open. She could do it. She could let herself have this.

Just one night of sin. That was all

Dear Readers,

As you read this book you may think it odd that London’s late summer and autumn temperatures would vary so greatly from the usual. The reason for this is that the weather of 1816 was unique, not only in London, but across the Northern Hemisphere.

On April 10, 1815, Mount Tambora in the Dutch East Indies erupted, ultimately killing tens of thousands of people. The explosion was so intense that miles of thick ash spewed into the stratosphere. By 1816, that massive ash cloud had reached the Northern Hemisphere.

The volcano’s dust in the atmosphere greatly reduced the amount of sunlight passing through to the earth, causing unseasonably cold temperatures and an extreme change in weather patterns, so much so that 1816 became known as the Year Without Summer, or worse, the Year of Poverty.

In England, Europe, and America, there was snow in early June. In July, August, and September, daytime temperatures were cold and nighttime temperatures frigid. The lack of sunlight stunted plant growth and what crops managed to survive the spring withered during the droughts of July and August, or died from the biting cold and frosts of September. There were mass food shortages, raiding of public food stores, political unrest, chaos, and protests in the streets.

By September, the Thames was frozen and the people of London were in dire times indeed.

This is the climate in which the Sinclairs find themselves in
The Duke’s Night of Sin.