The Duelist's Seduction (12 page)

“Don’t look at me like that,” he growled.

She continued to glare, her gray eyes throwing daggers. “There is a gentleman in the parlor. He wishes to speak with you.”

“Gentleman? What gentleman?”

“He would not give his name sir, but he and Miss Banks are two sides of a coin if I ever saw one,” Mary declared.

Gareth’s stomach clenched in irritating knots. Of course Martin Banks would choose now to show up and rescue Helen.

“I’ll see to him directly. Thank you, Mary.” He growled and left her standing by the door, no doubt still scowling at his backside. He didn’t bother to change into dry clothes, he was too tired and frustrated to care about his appearance. He burst into the parlor, sending the door crashing loudly into the wall.

“Banks?” he snapped. He wanted to be done with this, to put distance and time between himself and this awful situation. The room seemed to be empty. He turned around, finding himself face-to-face with Helen’s twin brother, a cocked pistol aimed at his chest.

He wasn’t afraid. Martin would either pull the trigger or he wouldn’t. Gareth was already dead inside. Losing Helen had destroyed him.

“Where is my sister?” Martin, a man Gareth had sworn could care less about Helen, now had a heroic glow of determination in his handsome face. Gareth saw his eyes were just like Helen’s, his nose and lips were so like hers yet more masculine where hers had been delicate and feminine. They were truly as Mary had said, “two sides of a coin”. It would be hard to deal with this man when all Gareth saw was Helen in his every feature.

“Where is she, Fairfax? I know she’s here.” Martin’s finger tightened slightly on the trigger.

“She’s probably in her chamber, packing her things. She is leaving.”

“You’re damned right she is.” Martin shoved Gareth into one of the tall-backed chairs and bent down over him. “I ought to blow you to hell for what you’ve done to her.” Martin’s voice was soft but black with hate. “You’ve compromised my sister. She should have been able to make a good match or find a post as a governess. But no! You took advantage of a sweet and caring woman whose only weakness was her kindness. You’re a damned bastard, and I will see you dead over this.” He jammed the muzzle of his pistol into Gareth’s chest, his hand shaking slightly with his anger.

“What about you, you coward? She fought your duel for you, even managed to graze my bloody arm. You’re lucky she gave herself away before I decided to fire my shot. And need I tell you that you’ve done a poor job of caring for her?”

“What the devil do you mean?” Martin spat viciously.

Gareth plowed ahead, anger emanating from him.

“When I brought her here, it became immediately clear that the girl was half starved and had no proper clothes. To my horror, I discovered she’d been abstaining from food to feed you, and that the two of you were barely getting by. It was your duty to care for her. Family should mean something to you.” Gareth delivered his verbal blow to a stunning effect. Martin’s pistol lowered half an inch as he processed Gareth’s words.

“Was my duty?” Martin replied suspiciously.

“I’ve compromised your sister. I mean to rectify the situation however I can. I want to keep her safe and cared for. If I thought I deserved her, I’d marry her, but I don’t. She’s too good a woman for me, but I’ll be damned if I don’t make sure she’s goes without food or decent clothes again.” He meant it with every violent beat of his heart and ragged breath as he faced her brother down.

“Helen doesn’t need you.”

Gareth’s gaze was thunderous. “She may not need me, but she certainly doesn’t need you, either. You’re starving her and running her into the ground with your gambling. If she’ll let me, I can give her the life a woman like her deserves.”

“She’s not going to marry you. Helen would only marry a man who loved her.” Martin didn’t even flinch at Gareth’s blazing glare.

“I love her enough that losing her will drive me mad, but I know she won’t have me. And I’ve destroyed her future and will do what I can to make amends. There can only be me or spinsterhood, and given your proclivity to gamble, she will likely be dead from starvation in a fortnight if left with you.”

Before either man could speak further, Helen materialized between them. The look of hurt and betrayal in her eyes made his blood freeze in his veins. Shame flamed his face and he looked away for a brief instant.

“Helen…” Gareth started, but the words withered on his lips as he saw her. An agonizing maelstrom of dark emotions played across her face. It struck him numb with dread. She’d heard what he’d said, that she was destroyed and her brother couldn’t care for her. The damned fool didn’t even handle his sister being compromised properly. The Banks twins were a disaster if left to take care of themselves.

Helen forced her brother’s pistol to point down at the carpet. “Martin, we are leaving.
Now
.” Helen’s voice was different, harder. Her brother didn’t argue. He let her pull him away from Gareth, who made no move to follow. He remained in his chair, listening to the rumble of thunder from both the skies and within his soul.

CHAPTER FIVE

Helen and her brother rode down the muddy lane away from Gareth’s house. The horses kicked up puddles, and for a long while, the only sound was the splashing and the patter of rain.

She’d donned her brother’s stolen clothes once more, wanting to take only what she’d brought. Helen had no need for Gareth’s charity. Mary had insisted they take a pair of Gareth’s horses, with instructions on how to return them once they’d reached Bath.

“How did you find me, Martin?”

Martin’s cheeks reddened as though embarrassed. “After I had the maid pick the lock on my door, I found my extra breeches and overcoat were missing. I was ready to panic when I received a note from Rodney Bennett. I went to see him immediately, and he told me everything about the duel. It seems he felt responsible for you falling into Fairfax’s clutches. The hard part was finding Fairfax’s house. I had to walk the second half here after I got a ride from a farmer in his cart.”

Helen didn’t say anything for a long while, just rode in silence. She didn’t want to think about Martin or what they were going to do when they got back to Bath. All she could think about was Gareth—his smile, his touch, the sweet way he kissed her, and the passionate way he showed her how close a man and woman could be. The union of bodies and souls, when all time seemed to slow and nothing was stronger than the shared breathing and the locked gazes. There was a holiness to that moment, a sacred spell woven between the lovers’ hearts that could never be undone. No matter what harsh words one might say or the cruel actions one might do, a person was bound forever in the depth of that connection, unable to escape the pull. She was no different.

Martin tugged the reins of his horse, bringing it closer to hers. “Helen… Was it true, what he said?”

“About what?” She struggled to focus on her brother.

“The food…and the clothes.” His mouth pulled into a grim line.

She was tired of pretending that everything was fine, that life was good. Martin’s decisions had cost her too much.

“Yes, it’s true.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have…”

“You would have what? Gambled harder? Lost me to another man? No thank you. I’ve paid your debt to Gareth and it stops here.” She vowed resolutely. Things were going to be different now. She was not going to let Martin control their future. He’d had his chance and she’d suffered long enough.

“How did you pay him?” Martin’s voice was hoarse, as though he was afraid he already knew the answer.

“He was very lonely. You see… He lost his wife and child. In exchange for your life, I stayed at his house and kept him company. I was his companion.” She felt strangely compelled to justify his actions. She understood him, after all…his unhappiness was from his loneliness.

Martin’s face paled. “Companion? You mean he actually…”

“Yes, I was
that
sort of companion. He ruined me, as he put it.” She did not spare him anything. After his lack of responsibility, it was time Martin understood what price she’d paid for him.

“I should have shot him,” Martin cursed.

Helen flashed him a vicious look. “No, you shouldn’t have. He was kind to me, more than kind. I wanted for nothing and…” Helen stopped before she said something she’d regret.

“And?” Martin prompted, his eyes suddenly sharp, seeing something in her reaction that she hadn’t meant to betray. “Don’t tell me you fell in love with him.” Martin stared at her.

Helen blushed, more from anger at herself than anything else. “It wouldn’t matter if I did. He didn’t want me. He let me go.”

“Helen, the man only let you leave because I had a pistol on him. Bullets can be very persuasive. He cares for you—” Her brother’s features were blurred with confusion, as though he was sorting something out in his mind.

“He doesn’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I do,” Helen snapped. There would be no way to unhear the words he’d spoken in his study when speaking with Ambrose. He’d never marry her. If he loved her, marriage wouldn’t have been a problem. It was that simple.

“Well, you didn’t see his face when he was lecturing me on how I failed you. He loves you. He practically shouted at me that he loved you. I may be terrible at cards, but I’d wager my very life that he would marry you if he thought he deserved you. If you love him, I won’t stand in the way.”

Martin stopped his horse abruptly, forcing Helen to do the same. The skies shook with distant thunder.

“Hurry, Martin. We’ve a long way to go before nightfall.” Helen’s response held a note of irritation.

“Helen, perhaps you should go back to him. If he loves you…and you love him…well, it’s that simple isn’t it? I’d rather you were safe and happy, that you were
loved
, than suffering with me.”

Since when had he ever given her happiness a second thought?

“I’m serious, Helen. At least think about it. I saw his face. He cares deeply for you. How can you turn your back on that?”

She peeped up at him from under her lashes. For the first time in years, she felt that old connection to him, as twins, return to her. He was thinking of her again, about how she felt. He hadn’t done that in a long time. It made her consider his words more carefully. Could she return to Gareth? Would he take her back if she threw herself upon his mercy? Did he care enough about her that they could make a go of it? Did he truly love her?

“What about you?” she asked softly. If she returned to Gareth, she’d be leaving Martin to fend for himself.

Her brother flashed her a winning smile. “I’ll get by. It is time I took care of myself.”

Helen stared at him for a long time, wondering if he could. His face was solemn and his eyes were hard with determination, a look she’d never seen before. Had her leaving him changed him for the better? Perhaps he realized she was not a crutch he could lean on.

“I mean it. I am done with the gambling hells. I’ll apply for clerkship positions with some of the local barristers starting first thing tomorrow. Father still has a few friends here, and I know which men to call upon for employment.”

The tightness in her chest eased and she knew he meant it. Martin would be fine, and she could be with Gareth. Everything would be all right. It had to be. She would fight for her happiness and Gareth’s.

Finally, she turned her horse back to face Gareth’s home—her home—if he would still have her.

“What the devil are you waiting for? Go back to him!” Martin reached forward and whapped her horse’s flank with his crop. The horse jumped into a slow gallop back down the road. Helen clung to the reins and dug her heels into the stirrups to remain astride.

By the time she reached the house, she was soaked to the bone. A groomsman ran out to catch her horse’s reins and help her down. She breathed a quick thank you to him and went inside. Mary, lecturing a servant on tracking mud through the house, froze when she saw Helen.

“Where is he?” Helen asked her.

“In the garden. Determined to catch his death in this weather. He was muttering about climbing trees. I couldn’t stop him. He’s in one of his moods,” Mary replied grimly.

Helen headed toward the door to the gardens. Through the small window, she caught a glimpse of a pair of fine legs in black trousers vanishing up between the branches of a tree. Helen opened the door and strode out to the tree, trying to figure out what she was going to say.

She looked up to see him resting on a familiar branch, his eyes gazing into the distance. He didn’t seem to hear her approach. She waited a long moment, burning him into her memory in case he sent her away again. His shirt was wet and clung to his muscles, their fine lines so vivid in her memory that her body shivered at the ghost of lost passion. Gareth’s hair was nearly black with the rain as it curled slightly at the ends.

“Shall I have the head gardener fetch you a ladder, Master Gareth?” She mimicked Mary’s voice.

“No Mary, that won’t be nec…” His head dropped as he peered down at her. His eyes were wide, his lips parted as though stunned to see her.