A Dangerous Man (41 page)

"Do you honestly think me a fool?" he said, his voice vicious and cutting. "Do you think I would come here to claim
another man's son? A bastard at that?"

"Do not say that word!" Leah clutched her hands to her
ears. She knew she needed to conquer her fear lest this monster take advantage of her weakness, but she was helpless and
lost, sinking in a swamp of muddy confusion.

Only one thing was clear. She would not lose her nephew.

Richard pried her hands away from her ears, pressed them
to his chest. She wanted to crawl into his arms and pretend this was a horrible dream, that any minute she would awaken
and all would be well. "How can we be sure he is Matthew's
father?"

"I saw the parish register," Richard said gently, his hands
stroking soothingly over her arms. "His name is recorded as
Matthew Pierce Daimont Jamison. Although she never claimed
Pierce as the father, I think that is proof enough"

She glared at Pierce, who had stood quietly through this
exchange, then turned back to Richard. Her pounding heart
and growing fear confused her thoughts, shortened her
breath. She started to shake as ugly suspicion reared its head.
She could scarce give voice to the accusation. "Is this a conspiracy? Are the two of you plotting the best way to take him
from me?"

"Leah, stop this at once," Richard said, his voice harsh.

For a wild moment she wondered if he might slap her. Perhaps he should. Perhaps that would clear the hysteria from her
brain. Did she look as wild as she felt? As wild as the Cornish
winds whipping the breakers into a frenzy?

"I do not want you to overset yourself," Richard said,
gently, soothingly. "Think of the babe."

Leah nodded. He was right, of course. She took a deep
breath, turned to face Pierce.

The rigid slant of his jaw, his dark brown eyes that burned
with ruthless determination told her he would never give up.

Well, neither would she. She searched for a logical argument to dissuade him from this course.

"You cannot possibly wish to claim him," she finally said.
"What would your future wife think?"

Pierce rolled his shoulders, as if brushing away a distasteful throught. "This has nothing to do with Julia."

"Of course it does. You would be asking her to raise a child
you had with another woman. One born outside the bonds of
wedlock. Do you think she will welcome him with open arms?"

"She will do as I say," he said through his teeth.

"But will she accept him?" A violent trembling raced
through Leah. Her tears rose in her throat. "Will she love him
as her own? Or will she resent his presence in her household?"

"She will do as I say."

"She will hate you!"

"I do not care if she hates me," Pierce said, his jaw rigid.
He planted his feet hip-width apart. "It is a marriage of convenience, for her as well as for me. You, of all people, must
understand that"

Leah sucked in a searing breath. She glared at Richard.

A guilty flush stained his cheeks, and she knew he had told
Pierce the circumstances behind their marriage. That he could
have discussed such intimate details with anyone, especially
this scapegrace, was insufferable. Like a rabbit caught in a
snare, she felt hopelessly trapped, but she would not yield.

She gave a scornful laugh. "Your reputation precedes you,
my lord. You live in the brothels and spend your days hopelessly drunk. How are you to raise a child?"

"I may have turned to the stews," Pierce said quietly, his
gaze never wavering from hers. "But it was in desperation. I
thought I had lost the woman I loved for the lack of a title. I
did not know the truth. I was bitter and angry and I have wallowed in that anger for five long years. But that is over."

He raised a shaking hand to Leah. "I do not know how to
explain it, but I feel . . . redeemed. As if Catherine has
reached out from beyond the grave to give this gift to me-to
save me"

Unable to bear the naked truth in his eyes, Leah turned
away. Pressing her fingertips against her brow, she shook
her head. "You look at me and you see Catherine. Well, he
looks at me and he sees her, too. He has been hurt so much in
his short life. He has a family here that loves him. You cannot say that. You cannot guarantee your lady will love him.
Oh, God "

She covered her face with her hands.

Richard dragged her into his arms. She could hear his heart
beating, hear the air moving in and out of his chest.

She clutched his shoulders as if she were drowning and he
were her lifeline to safety, to sanity.

"Pierce, wait for me here" His voice rumbled beneath her
ear, a soothing sound that cut through her pain and confusion.

He helped her to her room, eased her onto her bed. He
arranged some pillows behind her back to relieve the pressure
of her heavy stomach, then poured her a glass of brandy.

She drank it desperately, seeking the warmth of the potent
liquid. He brushed her hair away from her face. His eyes were
shadowed, his lips tight with tension as he sat on the edge of
the bed and gathered her into his arms. She leaned back to
look into his eyes. "Why did you not tell me any of this?"

"I intended to, but I thought I would have a few more
days" He sighed, his warm breath brushing her ear. He kissed
her brow, stroked her back. "I sent a missive to Pierce before
I left Holdhan, but I did not think he would arrive so quickly.
I should have known better. I am sorry you had learn the truth
like that. I'm so damned sorry you had to go through that. I
wanted to tell you in private."

"It was not your fault. I insisted. How foolish of me. I
should always listen to you"

Richard cracked a weary smile. "Yes, you should. But I
know that you won't." He pushed her back against the pillows, arranged her hair about her face. "If it comforts you at
all, I have known Pierce for many years. He is a good man.
He told you the truth. He loved your sister. He turned to the
drink in despair."

"I heard the truth in his words." Leah plucked at the blankets, her heart thundering as loudly as the rain against the
windows. "But I do not want to lose my nephew. Do you
think Matthew belongs with him?"

Her stomach twisted as she waited for his answer.

"It is not a matter of what I think," he said, tracing his
knuckles along her jaw. "It is a matter of what is best for the
child. Under the law, a father has absolute authority over his
children." He raised a hand to stifle her protests. "I know you
do not like that, but that is the law. In this case, where they
were not wed, I am not sure what the legalities are. But I do
know this. Pierce is a good man. He will make a good father."

"But

He placed two fingertips against her lips. "Hush, and listen
to me. Pierce is the first to admit he has not lived an admirable life, but he means to change. For the child, I hope he
succeeds." He laced his fingers through hers. "You see, I
know how he feels. It was not so long ago that I was living
in the stews myself, wracked by guilt and bitterness. If Eric
had not died, I would probably be in my grave by now. But I
had to sober up. For Alison."

Leah closed her eyes as swift, merciless, shame swept
through her. "Oh, Richard, I am so sorry."

"Whatever for?"

"For my selfishness. For-"

His lips against hers stole whatever protest she was about
to make. His tongue swept in, his kiss all that was tender, a
gentle stroking, a silent offer of his love.

He cradled her cheeks between his palms. "You have done
nothing but try to protect your nephew, as you should. The
point I wanted to make is that Pierce can change, too. He can
reform. When he does, he will make an exemplary father."

She tried to look away, but his palm on her cheek forced
her to meet his gaze. "But not yet, and I believe he recognizes
this truth. And in his heart he knows the best place for Matthew
is here with us. I also believe we cannot deny him a place in
Matthew's life. 'Twould be cruel to do so. Wouldn't you
agree?"

Leah wanted to deny him, but she nodded her head.

"I love you," he said, bringing his lips to hers in a kiss that
was as reverent as it was soothing.

When he broke the kiss, she moaned her protest, but he
rose from the bed and tucked the coverlet beneath her chin.

He stroked the back of his hand along her jaw. She thought
he might kiss her again, but he turned and strode from the
room.

The emotional upheaval of the last hour had drained all of
Leah's energy, but she could not sleep. Her thoughts consumed her, dragging over the confrontation with Pierce, every
word, every nuance, every heartbreaking detail.

The room was dark, the afternoon sun covered in hazy
black clouds. The rain had slowed to a dull drizzle, the moisture trickling down the glass. A fire burning low in the grate
cast dull shadows across the room. She clutched her coverlet
beneath her chin. Her eyes stung, but not from tears.

Her door opened. Leah expected Richard, but it was Rachel.

Draped in a heavy woolen cloak of royal blue, the hood
pulled low over her face, a matching muff clutched in her
hand, she rushed to stand beside the bed. "Leah, I do not want
to upset you, but you must get up. It is Matthew. He's missing."

"What?" Leah struggled to a sitting position. Her frock
twisting around her gaping belly made it difficult for her to
swing her legs over the edge of the mattress. "What do you
mean, he is missing?"

Rachel wrapped one hand around Leah's arm and hauled
her to her feet. "He overheard you and Richard discussing his
future with Lord Greydon. Everyone heard you. You were
quite loud about it. But that is beside the point. He thought
you didn't want him, thought you meant to send him away.
Now he's run off. I tried to stop him, but he was too swift.
Poor child. He was weeping so disconsolately. He ran toward
the cliffs."

The cliffs? Heart pounding, Leah stepped into her half boots, didn't bother to lace them. She couldn't reach her feet
and she had no intention of asking Rachel for help.

She did not believe Rachel, nor could she dismiss her words
as a lie. Not until she saw for herself that Matthew was tucked
away in the nursery, where he belonged.

She lumbered for the door, but Rachel blocked the exit with
her back against the wood, a lurid smile upon her lips, her
muff pushed up her arm so it rested between elbow and wrist,
and in her hand, aimed at Leah's midsection, was a pistol.

"I am sorry I upset your wife." Pierce hitched his hip on a
table covered with books and maps. "I have been more than
half-mad since I received your missive. Truly, I am sorry."

Richard stalked to the liquor cabinet and sorted through the
bottles of brandy and claret until he found the whisky, hidden
at the back. He would have to pack it all away before Geoffrey arrived, but for now, he was grateful to have it.

This situation was distressing for all involved, and he could
see no easy way out. He shoved a glass into Pierce's hand.
"Upset her again, and I vow, I will kill you"

Pierce slammed his glass on the table. Amber liquid sloshed
over the rim and dripped onto the rug. "I said I was sorry, but
how would you feel? To find out you have a son you never
knew existed? And the woman you thought had betrayed you,
never did? And now she is dead? I feel as if I've been horse
kicked in the gut. I cannot breathe. I cannot eat"

Richard swallowed his whisky, the languid heat spreading
through his veins nothing to the temper he held under rigid
control. "I know only too well how you feel, as I have been
there myself, and that is the only reason you are still breathing at this moment"

"Good God, I forgot" Pierce yanked his hands through his hair. His eyes were hollowed by shadows, his cheeks sunken
crevices framed by his hard, jutting jaw. "Everything seems
to have slipped from my mind except the fact that I have a son
and Catherine never stopped loving me ..

Richard stalked to the windows, his heart aching for Leah,
for Pierce, for the child, and for all the suffering still to come.
"I am happy for you, Pierce, but my wife raised valid issues
which you need to address"

"Such as?"

"Your betrothed, for one. Lady Julia might be beautiful,
but she is also an ice princess. I cannot see her welcoming
your bastard into her home. And do not try to fob me off with
platitudes about how no one will care because he is just a
child. Julia is from a rich and powerful family who will not
look kindly upon the situation. Not to mention that the child
will offer visual evidence of the woman you once loved. The
woman you love still, even though she is in the grave"

Pierce laughed bitterly. "Why should that matter to Julia?
She cares naught for me."

"She might not care for you, but neither will she want it
flaunted in her face that you once loved another, even if that
other woman is dead" Pierce looked about to argue, but
Richard cut him off. "You know as well as I, appearancesand discretion-must be maintained above all things. Bringing your bastard home to your wife is hardly discreet."

"I said I will explain," Pierce snarled, grabbing his whisky,
slugging it down in one swallow. He swiped his hand across
his lips. "She will understand. Even if she doesn't, the contracts are signed. It is too late for either of us to cry off."

I know that," Richard said gently. "But will she blame the
child? That is the question you need to consider. And what of
your drinking? I never thought you would mend your ways
for a wife, but if you think to raise a child-"

Pierce let out a growl, a low, animal sound of frustration.
"I told you I mean to change. Why are you plaguing me?"

"But how do you know you will you succeed?" Richard
said with brutal honesty, pushing from his chair. He paced to
the windows. "Look at Geoffrey. The foolish lad nearly did
himself in. As did I, before Eric died. I shudder to think what
would have happened had Alison been in my care at that
time."