In the Heat of the Bite (35 page)

“That’s not a good match by any stretch of the definition,” Rhiannon tossed back with a laugh. “Where has Ginny gone?”

“She has gone for Gretna,” Cait said quietly.

“With whom?” Rhiannon hoped it wasn’t that dreadful Mr. Finchley.

“
Lord Steven
, of all people!” her aunt shrieked at the top of her lungs. “Can you believe it? She had to choose a second son who hasn’t a farthing to his name. I had her all set up to marry Mr. Finchley.”

“Ye had her set up ta be
ruined
by Mr. Finchley,” Rhiannon shot back. “No’ married. There’s a difference, ye ken?”

Her aunt’s scathing glance moved across her and Matthew. “Yes, I’m aware there’s a difference between ruined and married. Ruined would be what you are. I never expected better of you, but I always wanted more for Ginessa. I wanted a home with opulence that she could be proud of.”

“That she’d have ta share with a man who wanted her for nothing more than a dalliance and an heir!” Rhiannon said. “Everyone knows Mr. Finchley has more than one mistress. And more than one of them has been mistreated.”

“She would have to endure his attentions but for a short time,” her aunt tried to explain. “Then she could do whatever she wanted.”

“Let me tell ye this,” Rhiannon started, pointing her finger at her startled aunt as she advanced at her.

Matthew’s arm circled about her waist and drew her into his side. “Rhi,” he began. When she fought against his hold, still trying to approach her aunt, he said, “Stop,” his voice direct and biting.

Everyone in the room stopped moving and looked at him.

He turned and faced her aunt. “How much?” he asked.

Aunt Greer pretended to appear confused by his question. “How much what?” she asked softly, sniffling in her handkerchief.

“How much had he promised to settle on you when the match was made?” Matthew asked.

“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” Aunt Greer said, her back bristling, but her face colored. She was lying.

“How much had he promised to settle on you in exchange for your niece?” he asked again as he folded his arms across his chest and peered down at her with a stony glare.

“You make it sound like I planned to sell her.”

“Exactly,” Matthew bit out. “How much? I’ll match it.”

“No, Matthew,” Rhiannon started, tugging on his arm.

“How. Much?” He repeated the words slowly, as though his patience was growing thin.

“He’d promised five thousand pounds,” her aunt grumbled.

“I canna believe ye would sell yer own niece,” Rhiannon spit out. “Ye should be ashamed.”

“Matches such as this are made every day,” Aunt Greer tried to explain. “You would know that, dear, if you’d been prepared for the season the way your sister was. We had no hopes of an advantageous match for you, with you being what you are… But Ginessa, she had prospects…”

Matthew’s tone was biting when he replied, “Rhiannon is not your concern.” He clucked his tongue at Aunt Greer. “I’m tempted to tell you that I’ll pay the amount to you in one lump sum. But I believe I’ll make it a trust, one which you can only withdraw from if certain conditions are met.”

“Conditions such as?” It was sad that her aunt seemed so willing to beg.

“If my future wife, the future Countess of Blodswell, ever tells me that anything you have said or done has made her unhappy, I will stop all payments. In fact, I would like for her to tell me you’ve performed random acts of kindness in her company as well.” He leaned forward as though Aunt Greer was addled. “You will be nice to your nieces,
both
of them, from this day forward. If you meet my conditions, the trust will pay an annuity to you. Fail, and you get nothing.”

Her aunt sputtered.

“Do you accept?” he barked. Rhiannon saw Eynsford hide a grin beneath his hand.

“I accept,” she replied quickly. Then she turned to Rhiannon. “You know, dear, I am so happy you found a wealthy earl to marry.”

“I’d imagine ye are,” Rhiannon said dryly.

“I knew you would make a brilliant match all by yourself. That’s why I spent so much of my time on Ginessa. You were always destined for greatness.” Aunt Greer’s eyes sought out Matthew’s, as though looking for approval. He just scowled.

Rhiannon exhaled loudly and shook her head. She shot a glance at Matthew. “She need no’ lie ta me. Yer dictate may need some adjustments ta keep me from castin’ up my accounts.”

Matthew chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Like a dog with her tail between her legs, Aunt Greer departed Thorpe House. Rhiannon sagged against Matthew in her aunt’s wake. He’d been so strong. He’d handled her aunt with such efficiency. “Thank ye, for that. Ye dinna have ta pay her.”

He grinned down at her, his light green eyes twinkling in the candlelight. “It’s a small price to pay for that termagant to behave herself around you.”

“Shall we?” Eynsford gestured with his arm that they should retire to the closest parlor.

“After you, dearest.” Matthew placed his hand at the small of Rhi’s back and gently directed her into the room, which was adorned in white with golden accents.

She settled on the brocade settee, relieved when Matthew took the spot beside her. She leaned against him and rested her head on his arm. It would be like this forever. The two of them side-by-side facing whatever came their way.

Eynsford dropped into a chair across from them, the twin of the seat Cait had already assumed. A glare that could halt an army focused on Matthew. “Now that it’s just us, Blodswell, I’d like an explanation from you.”

“Dash,” his wife soothed, “take a good look at his lordship.”

“And what exactly am I supposed to be looking for?”

“Does he seem different at all?”

The marquess grumbled, “Most men seem a little smug, Caitie, after…”

Cait cleared her throat. “That is certainly no’ what I mean.” Then she flashed a smile in Rhi’s and Matthew’s direction. “He is different in almost every way. If ye look, I’m sure ye’ll notice it.”

Matthew didn’t even stiffen beside her; he seemed as relaxed as though they were enjoying a lovely picnic in a meadow.

Rhiannon caught Eynsford’s eye and knew he would never tell the difference. He didn’t have a clue what to look for. “He’s human,” she explained. “As human as ye or… All right, we’re bad examples. How about as human as the Duchess of Hythe?”

Eynsford intensified the stare he cast in Matthew’s direction. Then he closed his eyes. “I can hear it. His heartbeat. At least I can hear four different hearts in this room. I don’t know which belongs to him.” The marquess’ golden eyes flashed open. “How is this possible?”

“Love,” Cait explained. “It’s the most powerful magic there is.”

Her husband leaned back in his chair. “Of that, I am well aware, Caitie. I just had no idea it was
this
powerful.”

At that moment, the Hadley men all burst into the room. “Brilliant handling of the old harridan.” Gray beamed at Matthew.

Rhiannon noticed then that he looked quite different from his twin. She gasped and rose from her spot. “Wes! What happened ta ye?”

The Lycan touched the red, swollen mark on his face. “Does it make me look dangerous?”

“What?” she squeaked. Dangerous? Was he mad?

Matthew tugged her back down beside him. “Callista,” he reminded her.

He had said Callista had scarred one of Eynsford’s pups, hadn’t he? But she’d had no idea he meant
this
. Right across his face! Poor Wes would never look the same. He was still handsome, but now… “Well,” she said as brightly as she was able, swallowing heavily to remove the lump in her throat, “I suppose it does make ye look more dangerous.”

Wes’ brown eyes twinkled. “I think so, too.”

“The swelling will go down,” Matthew put in quietly.

Rhiannon glanced up at her knight. “I canna believe she did that.”

He sighed. “She’s capable of much more than that, dearest.”

“So,” Gray began as he leaned against the wall, looking at Matthew. “Love brought you to life?”

Matthew nodded. “It did.”

“Hmm.” Wes frowned. “Do you figure that would work on Lycans? That if we found the love of our life we’d stop changing, howling at the full moon, and all that?”

Radbourne sighed. “Have you met our brother, Wes? Do you think it’s possible for a man to love a woman more than Dash does Caitrin?
He
still sports a tail and claws every full moon.”

Wes shook his head. “You’ve got a point there, Archer.” Then he grinned. “What a relief. I’d hate to just be a
normal
man.” He threw an apologetic glance at Matthew. “No offense, Blodswell.”

Matthew chuckled. “None taken, Mr. Hadley. After more than six centuries, I’m quite looking forward to being a
normal
man.”

Matthew stepped through the entrance of
Brysi
. How foreign the club seemed now. He glanced around at the dark walls and wondered how he’d spent so much of his life in this dreary place. He made his way into the main parlor and immediately noticed the blue-eyed Tillie.

The sultry Cyprian batted her eyes at him from across the room. Then she crossed the floor, pouting as she did so. “Are you ready to have me now, my lord?”

Matthew frowned at the chit. “I’m looking for my friend Mr. MacQuarrie.”

She ran a finger down his chest, stopping to unbutton his waistcoat. “He’s abovestairs. Shall I take you to him?”

Matthew removed her hand from his waistcoat and scowled at the girl. “I’ll just wait here for him, shall I?” At least he’d found Alec. He had hoped the Scot would be at his rooms in Piccadilly, but that had proved to be false.

Tillie heaved an indignant sigh and stalked from the room. “Suit yourself.”

Thank God, he’d never have to step foot in this establishment again. Matthew sank down into an overstuffed leather chair he had sat in many times in the past. His life had irrevocably changed in a way he had never imagined possible. How could he ever explain it to Alec?

“Blodswell!” the Scot boomed from the threshold, sans shirt. At least the man had donned his trousers. “What the devil did you do to make the chit cry?”

Matthew stared at his one-time protégé who now would have to face this world without him, without his guidance or insight. “We need to talk, Alec.”

“I’ll say. It’s bloody difficult staying in the mood when a chit burst through your chamber door in tears.”

Of the crocodile variety, Matthew was certain. The girl had been annoyed when she walked away, not distraught. “Do forgive me for interrupting your tryst.”

In the blink of an eye, Alec was before him. “What happened to you?”

Had he ever moved that fast himself? It didn’t quite seem possible anymore. Matthew sighed. “We need to talk.”

Alec dropped into a chair across from him, horror splashed across his face. “You’re different. Your eyes are… green,” he sputtered in disbelief.

Everyone seemed so intent on his eyes all of a sudden. “Something has happened,” he confirmed. “Something magical. Something I didn’t know was possible.”

“Is your
heart
beating?” Alec asked incredulously. “I can hear it.”

“If you will just listen, I will try to explain.”

Alec clamped his lips closed, though confusion still clouded his eyes.

“To be honest, I’m not sure how it happened. I only know the why.”

“What happened?” Alec bit out.

Matthew rose from his seat. This wasn’t nearly as easy as he had thought it would be. He began to pace a small path before his friend. “I’m human.”

In a flash, Alec had him pinned against the wall, his hands around Matthew’s throat. Something he never could have done before. “What did you say?”

“Put me down,” Matthew said calmly.

In utter confusion, Alec removed his hand from around Matthew’s neck and let him slide back down the wall.

“You’re taking this badly.”

Alec’s black eyes lit with anger. “How am I supposed to take it?”

“With hope, perhaps,” Matthew suggested, catching his breath. “If it could happen to me, if it could happen to Kettering, it could happen for you, too.”

“Kettering?” Alec asked. “He’s
human
, too?”

“So Rhiannon says, and I have reason to believe her.” Matthew rose to his full height and tried to straighten his jacket. “It was love, Alec. Pure love that made my heart beat again. For the last little while, I’d felt twinges and pain. But tonight, when I looked at Rhiannon, I fell to my knees from the pain because it was so strong. I thought I was dying, but then air filled my lungs. And I
had
to breathe. I can feel the blood flowing through my veins. I am human once more.”

“Love?” Alec barked. “Your true love?”

“Yes,” Matthew replied, staring at his friend with every ounce of sincerity he possessed.

“Then how does that help me?” Alec roared. “Tell me, Matt, how
does
that help me, if my one true love married another, loves another?”

“Then she’s not for you,” Matthew began, but he closed his mouth when he saw the rage in Alec’s eyes.

“It means I’m bloody doomed,” Alec whispered. Then he dropped back into his seat and raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t even know what I’m doing. You haven’t told me half the things I need to know. And now I’m all bloody alone in this world.”

“You know everything,” Matthew assured him. “I’ve taught you everything, Alec. The rest comes with time.”

“Well, I have plenty of that, don’t I?” Alec shot him one last withering glance and stormed from the room.