Midnight Bride (27 page)

"
Yes
."
Dunstan
poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip.

"Well, you should have acted more quickly."

"What do you mean? I asked her before I left her room."

Charles stood up, squaring his shoulders. "You have never explained why you were there. And do not tell me Elizabeth invited you. I know my sister too well for that."

"Didn't she tell you? Isn't that why you are here?"

"No. I am here because you have ruined my sister's reputation, and you are going to pay for that," Charles said, his anger apparent.

"Ruined," Dunstan repeated. "You know everything, I suppose. I told her someone would find out. She should have married me right away. I told her that." His face was somber. He ran a hand over his eyes. "I tried to convince her that her way was folly."

"That's right. Blame my sister for the spread of the gossip. You, on the other hand, did everything right." Charles glared at the older man, wishing he had his pistols. "I suppose you are proud to admit that you spent the night with my sister?" Dunstan shook his head. "How could you? Dunstan, you are my friend. At least I thought you were," Charles said bitterly. He had hoped in his heart that the rumors were false, that Porter was right.

"I didn't mean to . . ."

"That's even worse. You seduced my sister on a whim?"

"No, I didn't seduce her. At least I don't think I did." Dunstan began to pace. Trying to get the facts straight in his own mind, he walked quickly around the room. Charles, by this time thoroughly dispirited, watched him. Then Dunstan turned to face him. "You remember that day. By the time the ladies arrived home, we had been gambling for hours."

"And you were winning as usual," Charles said, his tone less bitter than before.

"Your cousin came down for supper, but Elizabeth stayed in her room." Dunstan looked at Charles to see if he were following the story. Charles nodded. "After supper we started playing cards again. I remember that part of the evening clearly."

"Are you trying to tell me that you seduced my sister and you do not even remember doing it?"

"Yes."

Charles laughed bitterly. "I have heard of weak stories before, but yours is the weakest. And I suppose that because you cannot remember you have no obligation to her."

"No. I told you that I offered to marry her. I asked her the very next morning, right after the maid left."

"So that's how the story got out. The maid found you in bed."

"No!" Dunstan got himself under control with an effort. "We were not in bed. I was under the bed."

"Naturally.
And I suppose you had been under there all night long." Charles let all his scorn drip into his voice.

"Of course not.
The first thing I remember about that morning was being kicked out of bed." Charles stood up, his fist drawn back threateningly. "Sit down. It isn't as bad as it seems."

"You are not the one with a sister whose reputation is in shreds," Charles said, his face dark with anger once more.

"No, but I am the one who wants to marry her,

Charles.
I don't know how I woke up in her bed. Don't look at me like that, Charles. Do you remember how you got to bed that evening? You had had more to drink than I." Charles shook his head. "Neither do
I
." Dunstan sighed. "She will not listen to reason. But I can't get her out of my mind. And every time I ask, she says no." He straightened his shoulders and faced Charles. "Whatever happened was not planned, I promise you that."

"That should make me feel less like killing you?"

"No. I understand. If I had a sister, I would try to protect her like you are protecting Elizabeth. Damn, Charles, I am sorry this happened."

"Because you will have to marry Elizabeth now?"

"No. I want to marry her. I merely wish I had met her again earlier and had a chance to court her properly." Dunstan slumped forward, his face in his hands.

Almost against his will Charles moved toward him. Then as if embarrassed, he moved back to the opposite chair and took a seat. "You asked her to marry you that morning?" Dunstan nodded. "And she said no." By thinking aloud, he hoped to find a solution.

"Of course, she did. Would we be sitting here now in this dilemma if she had said yes?" Dunstan ran his hands through his thick brown hair. Then he rubbed his jaw. He sank back in his seat and closed his eyes briefly. "When did the rumors start?
Right away?"
He sat up suddenly. "Elizabeth did not mention them the last time I saw her? Did she know?"

"The last time you saw her? Have you been back to the manor?"

"I stopped by the manor several weeks ago and asked her again, but she wouldn't listen. But I keep trying."

"You saw Elizabeth after you left the house party?"

"Yes."

"And you are still willing to marry her?"

"Willing? Charles, I would make her my wife today if she would accept me." By now Dunstan was standing, his face bright with anticipation. "Do you think there's a chance?"

The younger man smiled, his eyes dancing. "Will you return to the country with me?" he asked, already planning his entrance.

"To the manor?"

"To Elizabeth."
The heavy burden of responsibility lifted, Charles beamed. "And if she won't have you this time, we will take your offer to a higher authority—my mother."

"In Brighton?
What is Elizabeth doing in Brighton?" Charles demanded as he stood in the entry hall of the manor. Dunstan and he had arrived only minutes before, determined to make Elizabeth agree to the wedding.

"I believe Mrs.
Beckworth
and Miss
Beckworth
are visiting your mother, sir," Jeffries explained, his manner hiding his interest in their unexpected arrival. Not for a moment did he allow his glance to stray from his master to the other gentleman.

"But Elizabeth sees my mother only at Christmas. What could have caused her to go?" Charles turned to Dunstan as if the older man could give him the answers. "My sister has been refusing to go to Brighton for weeks now. Cousin Louisa was determined to get her there, but I was certain that Elizabeth would never give in."

"I trust you did not put a wager on it," Dunstan said dryly, noting all the servants loitering about the hallway. He raised one eyebrow and started to comment but thought better of it.

"Did the ladies expect you, Mr.
Beckworth
?" Jeffries
asked,
his face carefully blank.

"No. But I knew they would be here. Elizabeth refuses to go anywhere." Charles was frowning in concentration, trying to make sense of his sister's behavior. "When did they leave?"

"Two days after you left for London.
Miss
Beckworth
decided quite suddenly."

Dunstan and Charles exchanged worried glances. "Heard the rumors, did she?" Charles
asked,
his face as impassive as the butler's. Dunstan waited, his hands shoved in his pockets, fingering the special license he had had the forethought to get before he left London. While Charles had slept in the coach that afternoon, he had been reliving every moment with Elizabeth, dreaming about the first night of their marriage. He closed his eyes for a moment, wishing he could recapture his dreams. Charles's question, however, brought him back to reality with a thud much like the one he had experienced only weeks before.

Jeffries simply looked at his master. Charles finally said quietly, "Prepare rooms for both of us for tonight. And send in a bottle of wine and some glasses to the library. Dunstan, we need to talk about the change in plans and find some means of getting her to agree." The two gentlemen walked down the hallway, leaving a stunned group of servants behind. For once Jeffries was pleased at the ability of the staff to pass along gossip. The news of the marriage would be around the estate by nightfall.

In the library Charles took the tray from the footman and put it on the table, pouring both himself and Dunstan a glass of claret. Handing him a glass, he asked, "How would you like to visit my mother?"

"Your mother?
I have not met her in years. What will she think of me, of us, when I appear to stay with her?" Dunstan asked
,
putting the fragile glass down so hard he almost cracked the stem.

"No, not stay with her. With Louisa and Elizabeth there the house will be full. When Mama and Lord
Ramsburg
began going to Brighton, Mama insisted that they purchase a small house. She said she did not intend to house every cousin with a marriageable daughter who wanted to pursue husband hunting at little expense.
Wouldn't be going there if it weren't so.
For the last year she has filled her house with young ladies anxious to be my wife."

Dunstan gave a bark of
laughter,
his memory of the lady was of a petite blonde who looked angelic. "To whom did she say this?"

"To us.
Told us we were welcome. She had rooms for all of us but not to plan to bring guests.
More comfortable at an inn anyway.
No matchmaking mamas around." Charles laughed ruefully. "Well, will you go with me?"

"We will stay at an inn?"

"Or we could take lodgings." Charles said. Dunstan
nodded,
his face somber. "I will need to discuss a few things with
Carstairs
, my agent." He laughed ruefully. "And I had better have a talk with my grooms before I have a revolt on my hands." His eyes glittered dangerously as he remembered the conversation that had sent him to London. "And at least two will be leaving if they were not smart enough to have left while I was gone."

The trip to Brighton was disturbing for Dunstan. He knew he would be seeing Elizabeth again soon, but what would she say?

As Dunstan and Charles left their inn in Brighton a few mornings later, the question of Elizabeth was on both their minds. They were silent in the coach. Then Dunstan asked, "Should we have sent a message to your mother that we had arrived? What if they are not at home?"

"They will be. Mama is at home from eleven to one today. There may be a few callers, but they will not stay long. It will be easier, too, because