Invitation to Passion (12 page)

With a sigh, he walked to the writing desk, pulled out a sheet of paper, and began to pen his note to Biggans.

#

“May I have a word, Richard?”

Rufus’s request appeared casual but Richard heard the underlying tone and inwardly sighed. They’d arrived at Hascombe Manor a few minutes previously to spend the night, so as to have time to pack Madeline’s trunks.

Newmarket was only a few hours away by carriage from the city, but it was still too dangerous to be travelling so late at night given the recent rise in crime, so they would set out tomorrow after breakfast.

Since Rheda had accompanied Maddy upstairs to see to the removal of her belongings, it was obvious Rufus wished to poke his nose into matters that were no longer his business.

At Rufus’s familiar raised eyebrows, Richard bit back a curse and smiled angelically. “Of course, lead the way.”

They entered Rufus’s study and Richard took a chair across from his friend, and now brother-in-law, and waited for what he knew was coming.

Rufus did not disappoint him. “What do you intend to do?”

“About what?”

“Don’t be so obtuse. About Sarah.”

“Nothing. I’m a married man.”

Rufus raised one eyebrow in his infuriating way. “Marriage has not stopped other men from taking mistresses.”

“I’m not other men. And I don’t wish to hurt Maddy.”

Rufus considered him for several minutes and then nodded. “Good. I’d not like to see my sister hurt through no fault of her own. It’s unfortunate that Sarah is now a widow, but what’s done is done.”

Richard gritted his teeth and held onto his temper. “I know my duty. Maddy’s my wife, for better or worse. I don’t need reminding of that fact.”

Rufus’s steely gaze would have made any other man quail in his boots. “She is my sister and up until a few days ago, I was her guardian. You, on the other hand, were simply the man she was infatuated with and the man who allowed her to become embroiled in
your
scandal. I do not wish to see her caught up in another.”

“There is nothing to get caught up in,” Richard insisted.

“No. Then why is there the urgency to get back to London?”

Richard pushed up out of his chair and leaned across the desk. “I’m trying to quell the gossip. The news of our wedding and rumors about Sarah and Wrentham are bound to be the talk of the
ton
. I’d like both of us to attend the wake to quell these rumors. If Maddy and I attend the wake and they see we are actually happy and very much in love, then our marriage will fail to feed the gossips.” Richard sat back down in his chair, his temper somewhat under control. “You’re not her guardian now. I am. My marriage—our marriage—is
my
affair.”

Rufus snarled. “That’s what I’m concerned about—an affair. Maddy thinks she’s in love with you. I’d hate to see her made a fool of because I was inattentive when she was growing up. I should have put a stop to your relationship with her. I let it go on far too long.”

Silence descended on the room while Richard thought blast it to hell if
he
was going to be the first one to break it. Rufus needed to learn that his sister was now under his protection.

“I was always jealous of your relationship with her.”

Richard’s gaze jerked back to Rufus at his quietly spoken words.

“She wrote to me but her letters seemed to convey a sense of obligation more than anything else. Plus her letters were always filled with news of the amazing Richard Craven. I was jealous that she idolized you more than she did her own brother.”

“In her letters she often wrote about how guilty she felt that you had to spend your life atoning for your father when she’d wished you were at home instead. She was simply lonely.”

Rufus smiled. “Did she? It’s nice to know I was a consideration.”

Rufus looked down at his hands and then back to Richard.

“It’s always been you. That is why I’m so concerned. I’m not sure if you noticed, but her admiration turned into something else two years ago. I can still picture the day. It was when we were all gathered here for a hunting weekend, Anthony, Stephen, Alex, you and I. She came in to dinner in a very inappropriate new gown, showing far too much bare skin. Do you remember? I made her go upstairs and change and she ran from the dining hall in tears. I asked Mother what had possessed her to wear such a dress and she calmly told me it was for your benefit and that I should not have scolded her in front of you.”

Richard knew exactly which dinner Rufus was referring to. He knew too whom the scandalous dress was for, and he’d not known how to handle the situation. He hadn’t wished to hurt Maddy, but she was his best-friend’s sister and a dalliance at that stage would have seen Rufus cut off his balls and feed them to him. At the time, since marriage was not on Richard’s agenda, a hasty retreat was in order.

“You left the next day. I assume, looking back, it was a tactical retreat.”

Richard nodded. “It seemed the appropriate thing to do.”

“Is that why you did not return for the hunt the following year?”

Richard moved restlessly in his chair. “I didn’t wish to encourage her.”

Rufus’s eyes took on a sad puppy dog look. “And now? Are you unhappy with the match? You’re my friend too. God, I hate this….”

“No. I’m not unhappy. I’m quite content, actually. Maddy and I will be happy together. She means a lot to me.”

“My little sister is in love with you and therefore you have the power to hurt her very badly. Do you love her? Scratch that question—of course you don’t.”

Richard felt his face redden. “Actually, I’m not sure I know what I feel for her. But I promise you this, I’ll not hurt her.”

“I’d wished more for Madeline. I truly want her to be happy. I’m not sure you can make her happy. However, I’ll reserve judgment at this stage.” He stood and indicated they should join the ladies who could be heard chattering in the entrance hall. Rufus stopped before the closed door and looked at Richard as if he were the devil. “I warn you, if you hurt her…. If you make her life miserable, I’ll beat you to a pulp. And if you dishonor her in any way, I will kill you.” The icy tone and stern scowl made Rufus’s meaning very clear. He was not joking. It was not an idle threat.

“Duly noted. You can be an arse sometimes. Now get out of my way so I may collect my wife and take her into dinner,” and Richard pushed Rufus aside and opened the door, strolling casually towards Maddy as if her brother had not just threatened him with his life.

When she saw him, Maddy’s face lit up, and she could no longer hide the look of love exuding from her countenance. His heart clenched painfully, deep within his tight chest. She deserved to be loved. As he was her husband, he prayed that he was capable of giving her what she truly deserved.

Dear Princess

Don’t
ever
let yourself be alone with men like Timothy Chesterton. I hope you told your mother, or better yet Rufus, what has happened to you.

If only I were at home… Needless to say, not all men are as honorable as me.

Chesterton knows Rufus is often away from the estate, and, please forgive me for saying so as I don’t want to hurt you, but you are still considered the traitor’s daughter. Some men will think you will be an easy target to compromise. Now that you’re older, I don’t think you should be away from the house without a male escort. I will have to speak with Rufus about this.

Please be careful, I may not be there to protect you next time.

Your worried White Knight,

The Honorable Richard Craven

Maddy had gone to bed early but Richard had stayed up drinking with her brother. He’d come to her bed in the early hours of the morning and simply pulled her into his arms and fallen sound asleep.

Unfortunately, her maid had woken her early, trying to organize all her trunks. Richard had simply pulled the pillow over his head and slept on. Maddy didn’t mind; it would give her time to say a private farewell to her mother.

She decided they would take breakfast on the terrace because it was such a warm and still morning.

Her mother arrived and placed a kiss on her cheek. “You look very happy, my darling girl. Marriage obviously suits you. Where is that handsome husband of yours?”

Maddy felt her face flush. “Rufus kept him up drinking most of last night. I left him having a lie in.”

“Very wise. Are you happy?”

“I’m content, Mother, I just hope my husband is,” she said with a hitch in her voice.

Her mother took her seat, patting Maddy’s hand. “I have faith in Richard. He’s a fine gentleman. He will do the right thing.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t want him to
have
to do the right thing. I want him to
want
to. Sarah’s a widow. I feel sick that he’s not free to follow his heart.”

“You’ve tried to do the right thing all your life. Growing up the daughter of a traitor wasn’t easy. Children can be cruel. For once, I want you to think about your desires. You have married a good man. Is he who you want?”

“Yes, absolutely.” She frowned at her mother. “I do know you can’t
make
someone love you, but as we’re already friends, I’m hoping love can grow. However, if Sarah continues to be in his life, that’s unlikely to happen. I know her. Now she’s free, she’ll come after Richard.”

“It takes two people to have a relationship. Are you sure he loves Sarah?”

“Of course. They would have married if it were not for Charles Chesterton. They were going to elope.”

Her mother sighed. “I forget how young you are, and how sheltered. You’ve been in the country too long. I should have swallowed my pride and taken you to London more often.” She took both of Maddy’s hands in her own. “Think for one moment. Do you think Rufus would have calmly stepped aside and let Rheda be forced into marriage with anyone but him?”

“Of course not, she is his life. He almost died for her.”

A smile spread across her mother’s mouth. “Is Richard any different from your brother? Take a moment to really consider the situation.”

Maddy thought about the man she knew. Would Richard give up on a woman he loved? Hope flickered into a slow fire burning deep in her belly. “But he tried to get her to elope.”

Her mother picked up her teacup and shrugged. “Would Rufus have just tried and then accepted failure? No. He would have swooped in and taken what he wanted.”

She eyed her mother warily. “Are you saying you don’t think Richard really loved Sarah? But he…, that is, he and Sarah …and she was a….”

“Oh, I’m sure at the time he
thought
he loved her, and he would have married her, but he didn’t fight very hard for her when another option presented itself.”

Maddy sipped her tea trying to assimilate her mother’s words. “That doesn’t paint Richard in very nice colors. I’m almost beginning to feel sorry for Sarah.”

“You should. However, she didn’t help herself either. She didn’t elope with Richard when he offered her the opportunity. It’s always made me wonder why. She couldn’t have been
that
scared of her father, not with a man like Richard, as well as his brother, Anthony, on her side.” She sat lost in her thoughts. Under her breath she added, “Perhaps she wanted both, a distinguished title and Richard.”

“I can see her doing something like that, certainly,” Maddy scoffed. However, her mother’s words about Richard standing back and letting her marry Charles sent her stomach rollicking. What kind of man said he loved a woman and then allowed her to marry another?

Her mother noted her disquiet. “I’m not having this conversation to upset you, dear. I just want you to understand the man you’ve married. You have always had blinkers on where Richard is concerned. If you are to make a go of this marriage, those blinkers have to come off. You have to see that he’s only human, with human frailties.”

“It’s a fine time to tell me this, after I’m married to him.”

“You
had
to marry him. You would have been destroyed if not for Richard doing the honorable thing. I have to like him for that.”

Maddy rose and started pacing. “I must admit I don’t really know anything of his personal life other than what he has told me in his letters. I have of course heard rumors of his rakish ways, but has Rufus inferred he always had just the one woman at a time. Please don’t scold me for spying, but when I was younger, I often heard Rufus scoffing at his faithfulness to his paramours, when the men were here in residence.” She turned to her mother. “What do you know of his affairs?”

“Really. You know I detest gossip.” At Maddy’s raised eyebrow, she added, “Are you sure you want to hear this?”

She nodded, her heart suddenly in her throat.

“Good girl. Better to face problems head on. It was very true that unlike other men of his standing, looks, and position, he stayed faithful to one woman at a time. He did not have numerous women in his bed, and he never kept a mistress. It was as if he fell in love with each and every one of them consecutively. However, just as things seemed to be getting serious, Richard would extricate himself from the relationship.”

Sharp stabs of jealousy assailed her at the mention of his past lovers. “They were obviously not the right women for him then.”

“I agree.”

Maddy’s mouth dropped wide open. “You do?”

“Of course.”

Maddy gripped the edge of the table. “Richard mentioned that Anthony thinks he has a savior complex. Richard tries to save people because he could not save his brother from his father’s abuse while they were growing up.”

Her mother’s eyebrows rose. “Come to think of it, I remember that quite a few of his paramours were damsels in distress.”

Maddy slumped in despair. “Great. Sarah owns his heart and I’ve been compromised. He must be torn. What happens now? This time, he
can’t
walk away.”

“I have faith that you can win his heart. Anyone who knows you can’t help but love you.”