The Mischievous Bride (27 page)

A few others in the group turned Milli’s way, their shocked gazes taking in her wet clothes.

 “What happened?”

“Thunderation, what in the world—”

“Zeus! Did you fall in?”

Milli forced a smile as she met with Knightengale, Valford and Bennington who were hurrying toward her. Breadford was speaking to her sister, and the two suddenly looked up, their mouths dropping open in horror.

“Milli!” Lizzie screamed, running toward her. The rest of the family wasn’t far behind. Milli wanted to fall into her sister’s arm and cry.

But the other men were already upon her.

“I had a little accident,” she said, her mouth slipping into a trembling smile. Marcus stood dripping wet, saying nothing.

Her gaze traveled over the horrified faces of her suitors. She pinched her lips together in disgust. Marcus had done a fine job of making them jealous. Yes, indeed, he had done what he had set out to do.

Knightengale glared at Marcus. “What the hell happened?”

Marcus shrugged. “A hole in the boat.”

Hughmont scowled. “I thought you said—”

“There was a hole in the boat,” Marcus said, daring the man to change the story.

“Uncle Marcus!” Gabby screamed, running up to the crowd, pushing everyone aside. She looked at her uncle with huge blue eyes. “Why did you let Milli drown? I thought you could swim.”

Knightengale growled. “She has a point, Marcus. Why did you let our little Milli drown?”

“She didn’t drown.” His voice was harsher than he wanted.

Gabby’s lower lip trembled as she pointed a little finger Milli’s way. “She’s wet!”

Marcus took in a deep breath, watching Milli turn her back on him. He turned his anger on Knightengale and said in a voice for only his friend to hear. “She is not your little Milli.”

Knightengale’s smile barely met his eyes. “Not yet. But she will be.”

Marcus glowered at Knightengale, then at Hughmont who was patting Milli’s hand. Elizabeth and Jane were quickly by her side, mothering her. In no time at all, they had bundled Milli into the carriage, hurrying her home.

After everyone packed up and left, Stephen turned to Marcus while they walked toward their horses. “There was no hole in that boat.”

Marcus slapped a hand against his wet thigh. “How the devil would you know if there was a hole or not?”

Stephen scowled. “Because I was watching you.”

Marcus stiffened. “What?”

“Someone had to keep an eye on you. And I saw everything.”

“Everything?”

Stephen’s lips thinned. “I could not hear every word, but I saw it all. I daresay, we thought we were to keep Milli from harm and you from danger.” He struck Marcus on the shoulder. “Yet it seems you are the danger.”

Marcus shrugged. “You think too much.”

Stephen stopped in front of him. “Devil take it! Kissing Milli was not in the cards.”

Marcus set his chin. “Strike me again, and you are going home with a black eye. As for Milli, I will kiss whomever I want, and if that includes a pretty female who happens to be your ward, so be it.”

“I’ll take the black eye!” The punch was quick and on target.

Marcus staggered back, holding his face. “Hell’s teeth! I should box your ears for that!”

“Go ahead and try. She is like a daughter to me, you . . . you . . .”

“She is a woman! I am a man! It was bound to happen.”

It has been happening beneath your very nose for the past few months
, he wanted to say, but didn’t.

Stephen clenched his teeth. “Thunder and Zeus, if you weren’t my brother . . .”

Marcus was angrier with himself than with Stephen. But he needed to take out his frustration on somebody. “Well, King George, don’t let that stop you! I owe you a black eye anyway.”

And the fight began . . .

Chapter Twenty

“B
y George, heard it was a rather good fight! It was quite the hum at the card room last night!”

Milli grimaced as she walked about the Pump Room and listened to Lord Hughmont’s one-way conversation about the brawl between Marcus and Stephen. “I think I have heard enough, if you please.”

Hughmont sipped some of the waters and sighed. “Jolly good show. Well, well, enough of that.”

Milli wanted to give the appearance to all of Bath that nothing was amiss after that disastrous picnic. She put on her best face. Everyone seemed to be here today, including all the Clearbrooks and their spouses, all except Marcus. She had not seen him since the picnic yesterday.

Milli looked over the crowd. The place was filling up fast. Voices blared above the music. Lady Bringston stood by the string quartet and waved across the room as she spoke to Lady Philomena.

Milli nodded. But in reality, she wanted to run the other way. Lady Philomena was the last person she wanted to talk to after yesterday’s fiasco.

“They say it was a draw,” Hughmont blurted, not able to hold back. “Do you know who won?”

Milli rolled her eyes. “For goodness sakes, no one won.”

Hughmont pressed his lips together and was quiet.

Milli looked up as Knightengale approached. “Hughmont, the duke wants to speak to you.” The man’s eyes gleamed with mischief.

Hughmont sat his glass down and scowled. “What does he want now?”

Knightengale smiled at Milli, then shifted his amused gaze back to Hughmont. “I daresay, my good man, I believe His Grace wishes to know your intentions.”

Milli’s eyes widened and her mouth made a small “o”.

Hughmont reddened. “I say . . . I say.”

“I think you had best move to the duke’s tune,” Knightengale said, lifting a warning brow. “The man has been looking quite unhappy lately.”

Hughmont turned to Milli. “I shall return shortly. Do not move from this spot.” And then he was gone.

Milli blinked, saying nothing. One of these men could be the murderer. More than anything, she wanted them to play out their part. Breadford hadn’t been paying much attention to her lately. But Valford and Bennington had both taken her out for a walk this morning. As if he could read her thoughts, Valford grinned at her from across the room. She forced her lips to turn upward, but inwardly she felt as cold as ice.

Knightengale led her to some chairs on the opposite side of the room. “Is there ever a time a gentleman is not with you? I can hardly get a word in edgewise.”

Milli played with a wrinkle in her gown. “I believe my money draws them more than my looks.”

He took her hand in his and kissed it. “You are by far the fairest woman here.”

She let out a giggle, feeling quite at ease with the gentleman. “Oh, do go on, Lord Knightengale. Do go on.”

He burst out laughing. “Your hair is like silk floating on the breeze. Your fine gray eyes are large and luminous, drawing any man into a trance.” His voice turned husky as he whispered in her ear. “Your tiny figure is delightful. Your skin is as white and soft as a—”

She colored, leaning away and laughing. “That is quite enough.”

He shrugged, his blue eyes glittering. “You did ask me to go on.”

She clasped her hands on her lap. “I did, and now I am regretting it.”

“You must know, I have set my cap for you, and I care nothing about your money.”

She swallowed, a bit embarrassed by his attentions.

He put his hand over hers. “If you would do me the honor of marrying me, Millicent, I would be the luckiest man on earth. I love you, you know.”

Her heart gave a little kick of regret. She liked this man, but she didn’t love him. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything, my dear. Think it over. It’s a decision that lasts a lifetime. I know others are in the running, but I will do anything in my power to make you happy. I promise, you won’t be sorry.”

She smiled back, wondering if she should rethink her marriage plans. Perhaps she could learn to love this man. Obviously, Marcus was not prepared to marry her. He had been playing with her feelings only to lure the villain from his lair. And this man was anything but a villain.

“I shall think it over.”

“That’s all I ask, my dear.”

He grabbed her hand, sending a warm sensation through her. It wasn’t the tingle Marcus gave her, but it was nice. They could be friends, could they not?

Marcus’s expert gaze traveled over the crowd in the Pump Room. “Hell’s bells. I don’t see her.”

Stephen stood next to him. There were bruises beneath each of their right eyes, but they didn’t seem to care about the strange looks shooting their way. “She’s over there. Holding hands with Knightengale. You could have intervened sooner if you had been here.”

Marcus’s head jerked. “That weasel.”

Stephen turned to him as if they had never fought at all. “You think Knightengale is our man?”

“No. I’ve known him forever. But he has an affection for Milli, and I don’t like it. The man has a way with the ladies. He is too experienced by far.”

Stephen peered at Marcus through one good eye. “You may have kissed her, but you don’t own her.”

Not yet, Marcus thought.
But she will be mine.

He had decided he wanted her at the picnic. He didn’t want anyone else to have his little princess, and after they found William Shelby’s murderer, he was gong to make it known to Stephen and everyone that Milli was his and no other man’s.

He smiled to himself. She was the light in the sky. The moonbeams at night. The wind in the summer. The food for his lonely heart.

Marcus turned at the sudden tap on his shoulder.

“So,” Jane said with authority, “you two have made up and won’t fight anymore?”

Marcus lifted an amused brow. “Stephen is my brother, and will always be my brother, whether I agree with him or not.”

Jane smiled. “And Stephen, I take it you feel the same way?”

Stephen stuck his hands in his jacket. “If he kisses Milli one more time, I will—”

“You will what, dear husband?” Elizabeth came up beside him and squeezed his arm.

Stephen frowned. “Well, confound it. I think—”

Marcus snorted. “I believe he would like to say that me kissing Milli makes her suitors all the more aware of her beautiful qualities.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “Why Marcus, I never though you had it in you to be so . . . so . . .”

“Poetic,” Elizabeth put in, eyeing him as if she had never seen him before.

Marcus bristled beneath the ladies’ stares.

“Yes,” Jane replied. “But Milli is such a delicate creature, she may believe you love her. She might not understand that you are only testing her suitors.”

Marcus colored. “I would never intentionally hurt her.”

Elizabeth frowned. “I don’t like it. I wish you would not pretend to set your cap for her. All of Bath is talking about it. Yet there is also talk that you and Miss Canton may be setting a date soon. It is a whirlwind of gossip, and it sets my teeth on edge.”

From the corner of his eye, Marcus saw Milli laughing with Knightengale. Thank goodness Hughmont had entered their conversation.

“Marcus?” Elizabeth remarked, watching him.

“Miss Canton is a beautiful woman,” he finally said.

Elizabeth poked her husband. “Stephen, tell him he must not continue this farce. I don’t want some suitor thinking he must ask for my sister’s hand because he’s afraid Marcus might ask for her first. I fear many of her suitors are only interested in her money. She is a very fine girl, and I think she would make a wonderful wife, but I want Milli’s husband to love her and nothing short of that will do.”

Stephen turned to Marcus. “My wife says to tell you to stop kissing Milli. If you love her, it is quite all right, but if you do not love her, you are messing with the rest of the suitors. And if the suitors want to marry Milli for her money, I will sniff them out.” He turned to his wife. “Is that about it?”

Elizabeth twisted her lips into an exasperated frown. “Not exactly.”

Marcus scowled. He wanted Milli, but it was not the time to discuss his intentions, not until the murderer was found. “I will not marry for love, so you can be assured, I am not a threat.”

Stephen turned to Elizabeth. “Allow me to translate. Marcus says he will not fall in love, so he is not a threat.”

Elizabeth poked Marcus in the stomach. “What if Milli is love with you?”

“Yes, then what?” Jane asked, scowling.

Stephen sighed. “I am going to fetch a glass of the waters. Perhaps it will cure everything.”

That left Marcus alone with the two women. They could stare down a tiger with those glares. Marcus pulled at his cravat. “That, dear ladies, is between me and Milli.”

Jane jabbed her finger into his side. He winced. “If you dare hurt that girl I will send your Mama to live with you . . . forever.”

Marcus’s expression turned serious. “Bringston won’t let that happen, I can tell you that.”

Elizabeth frowned. “Oh, Marcus, I don’t want Milli to be hurt. She has loved you since the first time she saw you at Elbourne Hall. She is still quite young, and she may want a husband. But I fear she may be running away from you and into someone else’s arms, someone who does not love her.”

Marcus didn’t like the turn of conversation, and he certainly didn’t like the thought of Milli in someone else’s arms. “Well, what the devil can I do about that?”

“You can marry her,” Jane said with a smile.

Before Marcus could open his mouth and defend himself, Captain Argyle walked up to them. “Afternoon, Argyle. You know Lady Elizabeth and Her Grace.”

The captain bowed and made his greetings.

As Jane and the captain chatted, Elizabeth turned to Marcus. “Do have a care,” she said in a low voice. “Milli is a delicate soul. I know you are trying to help, but somehow, I think there is something else going on between the two of you. Is there?”

Marcus wished he could tell the lady about her father, but he couldn’t. “I would tell you anything if I could.” And that was the truth.

Elizabeth’s worried gaze shifted toward Milli. “Is she in danger? I feel she is hiding something.”

Marcus’s face went blank. “In danger from me?”

Elizabeth’s distressed expression stabbed at Marcus’s heart. “That is something you must determine for yourself,” she said in a frustrated tone. “But no, I am not talking about your relationship with my sister. I am talking about the reason we are in Bath.”