Too Hot For A Rake (28 page)

Later…

With Jane out of the way, the duchess and her daughters resumed their tasks, but not for long. Jane returned not ten minutes later.

“What have you to report, poppet?” asked Olivia.

“I could not hear a word, and I couldn’t see Father’s face, but I saw Father waving his arms. He looked very angry to me.”

Mary stopped playing. The duchess put her needlework down. Curiosity took the place of her usual calm and she asked, “What was the marquis doing, Jane?”

“I could see him better because he was facing the terrace. He was listening to Father, but he didn’t say anything.”

Helena voiced her worst fear. “Did the marquis appear to be angry, Jane?”

“That was the odd thing. He didn’t seem at all angry. He tilted his head like this.” The child illustrated. “If Father were angry with me, I would have been terrified. But the marquis had this little smile on his face even though his lips weren’t moving.”

“Clever man,” murmured Olivia.

Helena, who had the greatest interest in the outcome, said, “Good work, Jane. Go back again and tell us what’s happening now. Do you mind?”

Her young sister beamed, her sense of self-importance elevated in her family’s eyes. She ran to the door, turned and said, “Be right back.”

“What’s wrong with Jane,” asked Georgiana upon entering the drawing room. “Where’s the brat going in such a hurry? She nearly knocked me down.”

Olivia accepted a kiss on the cheek from her husband. “We’ve sent Jane on an important errand. Who won the billiards match?”

“Your sister did,” answered Denville with a grin. He put one hand on Georgiana’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen a more skilled player. I don’t know how she does it, but your daughter put me to shame, your grace.”

The duchess grinned at this. “The last time they played billiards, she beat her father. Ever since then, he manages to find a host of excuses to avoid a rematch.”

Amid much laughter, the door opened to admit Jane. “Oh. You’re all here.” Unsure, she turned to Olivia, her eyes pleading for direction.

“It’s all right, Jane. Everyone knows what you’re about. Tell us what you saw.”

“Well, I could see only the back of Father’s head. He nodded from time to time, so I don’t think he was doing the talking. Father was seated with his legs crossed, but his arms weren’t waving like they were before.”

“What was my…the marquis doing, Jane?”

“He looked sort of…like my governess when she’s teaching me. He was explaining something to Father, but he wasn’t waving his hands in the air. He didn’t seem at all angry to me.”

Hugh Denville raised Jane’s hand to his lips. “Well done, Jane. I’ll hold a place for you at the spy academy when you come of age.”

“Thank you, sir, but I don’t want to be a spy when I grow up.”

“I agree, poppet. One spy in the family is quite enough,” said Olivia. “Though you do seem to have a talent for it, my love. Go back again.”

“Make this the last time, Jane,” said the duchess, torn between encouraging her daughter to spy, an odious occupation, and her desire to know what was happening in the library.

Helena lost her self-control and said with asperity, “I’ve had quite enough of awaiting the outcome of this. I cannot allow
my
fate to be decided by my obstinate father.” She stormed out of the room, but when she entered the library, her mouth fell open at an astonishing sight. Poor Jane was entangled in an overturned potted palm on the terrace. Waverley looked on in amusement while her father helped Jane extricate herself from the mess of broken stems and fronds.

On the verge of tears Jane said, “I tripped, Helena.”

“Indeed you did, dearest. Are you all right?”

“Was it you who put her up to spying on us?”

Helena’s face flushed in indignation. “How dare you make such an accusation, Father! I would never stoop to such a low trick.”

“Livy said I could,” the child said helpfully.

The duke said gently, “I won’t scold you, if you promise not to eavesdrop again. Find someone to help you bathe and change.” The duke waited for the child to scurry away before he shut the terrace door.

“Helena, his lordship and I…” he began.

“Have you decided my fate, then? How kind, Father. How
very
kind. With all due respect, I beg to differ. No matter what you have to say to it, I am determined to marry Lord Waverley. I am well aware of the fact that his reputation is less than sterling, but that is my own affair. If I don’t care one whit, why should…anyone?”

“I see, but—”

Her eyes blazed. “Rake or no, this man was prepared to die to save me from ruin! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Noble of him, but I’m trying to—”

“
I
might have died when that horrid Harry Trasker locked me in the old cellar. Indeed, I might not be here if the Earl of Glynhaven had had his way. I’d be in France suffering the humiliation of being wed to the worst scoundrel in the world. Lord Waverley risked life and limb to save me.”

“So you’ve said, Helena. However—”

“If you think to throw up in my face once again the fact that the man I love is a rake, you may save your breath, because I know all about his past and I don’t care! I love him and I’ll never give him up.”

Exasperated, her father put his hand up and thundered, “Be silent, daughter! Yes, he is a rake. He’s known all over Paris as—”

“
Le roué Anglais!
” She folded her arms in defiance. “What difference can it make to you if it makes none to me?”

Provoked beyond endurance, the duke was roused to anger. “And if you find he hasn’t reformed his ways after you marry, what will you do then, daughter?”

“He wouldn’t be the first man to do such a thing, would he? Are you not the perfect example of such a case?”

The duke turned beet red. “Don’t force me to change my mind, Helena, a thing I can bloody well do even though I’ve given my word to his lordship!”

“And besides, not only did he save me from the clutches of that blackguard Glynhaven, you owe the marquis thanks for saving us all from scandal by arranging for the transport of the earl to France to face sentencing there.” She hesitated. “He saved his worst enemy from losing his bloody life for all our sakes! Wouldn’t that have made a pretty picture? How your opponents in Parliament would have gloated! What’s more, you have no idea of the good he does at Waverley Park. His people there worship him!”

She turned to Waverley. “Isn’t that right, my darling? Tell my father that there isn’t a tenant farmer under your wing who would not vouch for you. They respect you for what you’ve become, not what you once were and furthermore—”

Thunderstruck, she stopped and stared at her father. “
What did you just say?
”

Her tirade at an end, the duke let out a sigh of relief. “I said you have my consent to marry Waverley, you stubborn puss.”

“Oh, Father! Why didn’t you say so?” She ran into his embrace, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

The duke barked a laugh. “I have been trying to tell you, but you were too busy raking me over the coals to listen. When did you turn into such a hothead, my dear? I give you leave to marry your rake, your…er…
reformed
rake, that is.” He rang for a servant.

“Ask her grace to join us,” he said to the footman who answered his ring.

Helena wrapped her arms around Waverley’s neck. “You’ve wrought a miracle today, my love.”

“If you must know, his lordship held a gun to my head, so to speak.” Though harsh, the duke’s words were tinged with humor.

“Did he indeed?” Her grace said, overhearing his remark as she entered the library. “My compliments, your lordship, for…er…
persuading
his grace to bend to your will when even I could not. How did you do it, sir?”

Waverley’s lively eyes spoke volumes. “It wasn’t difficult, your grace, once he heard me out.”

“What does the duke mean about holding a gun to his head, Lord Waverley?”

“I merely delivered grandmother’s message.”

Helena beamed. “Wish me happy, Mother. Father has consented to my marriage to Waverley.”

“Oh, good! You’ve come to your senses at last.” The duchess squeezed her husband’s hand reassuringly. She turned to Waverley and added, “Now I can reveal the contents of your grandmother’s letter. The dowager has asked me to help her repair your damaged reputation, sir. It would be best to begin after your wedding takes place, I think.”

“They can be wed right here. Charles can perform the ceremony in our chapel and…”

“No!” Waverley shouted the word, startling the others.

“No? What on earth do you mean, my love?” Helena stepped away from him, restraining the impulse to keep her arms wrapped around his neck. “Why not here, now that my father no longer objects to our marriage?”

Waverley smiled at her. “We’ll be wed as soon as may be, but the wedding must take place at Waverley Castle.”

“You are wrong, sir! The wedding must take place here at Bodmin Castle. It’s a tradition in our family!” thundered the exasperated duke.

Waverley folded his arms and glared. “No. We shall wed at Waverley Castle or not at all!”

“Bodmin, I say!”

“Waverley it must be!”

In the midst of this shouting match, the duchess took her daughter’s hand and led her out of the library, shutting the door behind them. To Helena’s bewilderment, her ordinarily dignified mother leaned against the wall and laughed so hard, she cried.

“I fail to see any humor in this situation, Mother,” Helena said unhappily.

“Wait till you have your own children, dear,” she said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “It may not matter to you who wins this battle, but it matters to the Marquis of Waverley. If he wins, his future father-in-law will respect him for it and that’s what he’s after, don’t you see?”

“Yes, I think so, but I wanted to marry here, where you and Livy were wed.”

“What difference does it make where you tie the knot, you goose? You’ll both win. You’ll get the husband you desire and the marquis will get the respect he needs from your father if the wedding takes place at Waverley Castle.”

The library door opened just then, and Waverley beckoned to them. His lips mouthed the words
I’ve won!
to the amusement of the duchess and to the relief of Helena.

The duke sat at the head of the long library table, his hands planted firmly like a schoolmaster about to begin a lesson. “Take a seat, please. Waverley has persuaded me that the wedding must take place at his castle, for the sake of strengthening his position in Land’s End, you see. That’s crucial if the marquis is ever to take a seat in Parliament, which I hope he will consider.”

The marquis choked on his brandy at this bald lie, for he had no thought of parliament.

The duke ignored him. “It remains for us to decide how best to redeem his reputation. I won’t have my daughter suffer any more scandal. She’s been punished enough.”

“I’ll do anything you say to protect Helena from being shunned by Polite Society. We’ll do whatever you suggest, your grace,” said Waverley earnestly.

“Good! For a start, we’ll announce your betrothal at Georgiana’s ball,” said the duchess.

“No, Mother,” said Helena with firmness. “I won’t agree to a betrothal for a second time. I would prefer it if you would announce our
marriage
at my sister’s ball.”

“Be reasonable, Helena. There’s not enough time to arrange a proper wedding before Georgie’s debut ball.”

“We can be married right away, Mother,” Helena replied. “Waverley Park is only a day’s journey from here.”

“Impossible.”

“No it isn’t, Ellen,” interjected the duke. “With a special license, Charles can marry them whatever day they choose.”

“Please say yes, Mother. Waverley Castle has a lovely chapel. Besides, I couldn’t agree to marry without the dowager’s presence. That dear lady means too much to both of us.” She paused and searched Waverley’s eyes for confirmation. When he gave her a slight nod, she became emboldened. “Waverley isn’t a poet like Byron and I’m not a lady of fashion like Lady Lamb. In fact, neither of us cares if we never see London again.”

Her mother smiled at this impassioned speech. “Except for Georgie’s debut, of course. You wouldn’t want to hurt your sister and miss that occasion, would you?”

Helena saw approval in her mother’s eyes. Precisely what she needed. “Except for Georgie’s debut,” she agreed. “At her ball, Father will announce us to the
ton
as the Marquis and Marchioness of Waverley.”

“No bride visits, your grace. My wife and I shall sail for the continent immediately following Georgiana’s ball. She’s always yearned to travel and I want that to be my wedding gift to her.”

Helena’s eyes flew open. “Oh yes! That would be wonderful.”

“Good notion, Waverley. By the time you return from your honeymoon, you will be well established and the gossip will have disappeared,” said the duchess.

The duke exchanged a knowing look with his wife, one of those secret glances between spouses that spoke volumes. “My wife and I are not without influence, you know.”

“Thank you both. When we return to England, Bannington House will be ready to receive us. We shall reside there long enough to entertain visitors. Is that to your liking, your grace?”

The duke turned to his wife and took her hand. “Well, ma’am? Have you any objections?”

“A fine time to ask me, after you and Waverley have already agreed.” She giggled like a young girl and added, “I dare the doyennes of Almack’s or anyone else to snub the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Heatham and the grandson of the Dowager Marchioness of Waverley.”

“It only remains to decide on what day the wedding will take place,” said the duke. “What say you?”

“Lady Helena and I shall decide that. But for now, let us all join the family and share the happy news,” said Waverley.

“Jane shall have an extra scone for her work as…er…courier this afternoon,” remarked the duke as he offered an arm to his wife.

Waverley attended to his beloved. “I’ve won, haven’t I? It was a hard battle, but you’re about to become mine at last.”