Rule's Bride (12 page)

“Which is?”

“I want to sell the company.”

He seemed to mull that over. “I recall you mentioned the subject before.”

“Since I never thought to consummate our marriage, I thought I would have the right to dispose of it as I saw fit. Obviously the situation has changed. My intention to sell, however, has not.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand. Griffin is one of the most successful armaments manufacturing companies in the world.”

“True enough and under different circumstances, I wouldn't feel the need. But as you must know, a war is about to break out in my country. I have friends and family on both sides of the slavery issue. I have no wish to build weapons they will use to kill each other.”

“You don't believe people should be able to arm themselves for protection?”

“That is not the issue. I traveled to England with a small pocket pistol among my possessions and I assure you I am a very good shot. This is different. I simply don't want to feel responsible for friends and family dying.”

Rule raked a hand through his hair. “You're asking me to sell my half, as well?”

“It would make things easier.”

“The company makes a good deal of money. Why should I wish to give that up?”

She gave him a sugary smile. “I can't imagine you would give up anything that benefits you personally. That has been your approach since the day we met. So here are your choices. I will sell my half and you will have a new partner to deal with. Or you may buy me out.”

“Bloody hell.”

“There is no call for that sort of language.”

“Dammit, woman!”

She merely lifted an eyebrow and Rule fell silent.

“I'll expect your decision by tomorrow. I would like to hire a solicitor to promote the sale.” She rose from the sofa. “Now, if you will excuse me…”

She thought he grumbled something about preferring to bed her than excuse her, but she couldn't be sure.

Lifting her skirts out of the way, Violet swept out of the study. A small smile tugged at her lips. She wasn't sure why it felt so good to leave Rule Dewar with that irritated look on his face.

But it did.

 

Rule strode into the entry of his brother's recently completed town mansion. Over the years the profits from Royal's successful ale brewing business had helped him rebuild the Bransford fortune, repair Bransford Castle and build an elegant home in London for whenever the family came to the city.

Though they preferred country living and usually made their home at the castle, Royal and Lily and their children were staying in town while Royal worked on the expansion plans for the London location of the brewery.

“Where is he?” Rule asked Rutgers, the longtime family butler.

“His study, my lord.”

Rule strode past the gray-haired man and continued down the hall. The study door was open and Rule walked into the comfortable, wood-paneled chamber where a fire burned in the hearth, warming the room against the April chill.

At his appearance, his brother rose from the chair be
hind the desk. “I haven't seen you this many times in the last two years. What has Violet done now?”

“Violet wants to sell the company—that is what she has done. I can't believe it. She just walks into my study and says she wants to sell and if I don't like it, I can either buy her out or put up with a new partner.”

Royal chuckled as he sat back down. “Sounds like you have finally found a woman you can't sway with pretty words and a night in your bed.”

Rule just grunted.

“So why don't you sell? Did you not tell me a few months back that you were thinking it might be a good idea?”

“I thought it might be. A couple of people have shown an interest in buying the business. It is worth a great deal of money and there are a lot of opportunities out there right now. Railroads and steamships. Industry of all kinds is growing by leaps and bounds. I thought it might be an interesting challenge to see if I could take the company in a new direction.”

“So why don't you do it?”

“Because I am supposed to be the man of the family. I don't want my wife thinking she can just walk in and start making decisions. Her father arranged our marriage because he wanted me to take care of Griffin—and also his daughter.”

“She does own half the business. I believe that's what you said.”

“She owns half.”

“Why does she want to sell?”

“She is worried about the war. She knows there is going to be a conflict in America and she has family and friends on both sides of the issue.”

“I can see where she might be concerned.”

“So can I.”

“So tell her you'll agree to the sale, but you want to keep the partnership intact. Tell her you'll submit a list of investments to be made with the proceeds, and from that list, the two of you must agree on whatever purchases are to be made.”

Rule paced over to the fire then turned back. “Interesting notion.” And one that would keep the two of them together.

“In that way,” Royal continued, “Violet gets what she wants and you get what you want.”

He liked the idea. His brother had a head for business, always had. It was a sound suggestion, a fair compromise.

Then again, Violet was a woman. In his experience, women were rarely open to compromise of any sort.

“I appreciate your thoughts,” Rule said, walking back toward the desk. “Give my best to Lily and the children.”

“Good luck,” Royal said.

Rule just nodded as he headed for the door. Where Violet was concerned, the only luck he'd had so far had all been bad.

V
iolet accepted Rule's invitation to supper. He was taking her to a restaurant called the Dove, an exclusive establishment he thought she would enjoy. He promised that if she would join him, he would be willing to discuss the sale of the business.

Violet didn't want to go. The last night she had spent in Rule's company, he had ended up making love to her. Every time she saw him, those memories returned—the scorching kisses, the heated caresses, the feel of his mouth on her breasts.

Even now, as she dabbed a spot of perfume behind each ear and smoothed the front of her aqua silk gown, his image returned and she felt flushed and damp. Worse yet, she wanted him to do it again. The man had a powerful effect on her. It was ridiculous to deny it.

She should have refused his invitation. She should move out of the house and in with Caroline and her grandmother, though she had no idea how she would explain that course of action to Mrs. Lockhart. The simple fact was she was married to Rule Dewar and, as her cousin had pointed out, not merely in name.

She owed Rule a chance, owed it to her father and perhaps even to herself.

She thought of Jeffrey and the life she had wanted but could no longer have. She had written to him as she had vowed and seen the letter posted, but it would be weeks until he received it and she received his reply.

In the meantime, she wanted to sell at least her portion of the business, free her conscience from any part the company might play in the upcoming war. Unfortunately, without Rule's cooperation, it wouldn't be that easy.

Violet wondered if Burton Stanfield, the man she had met at the Wyhurst ball, might still have an interest. She would prefer not to deal with him, since Rule didn't trust him, but she might not have any choice.

She would soon discover her options, she thought as she picked up the reticule that matched her aqua gown and headed downstairs. Rule stood waiting at the bottom, handsome as sin in his black-and-white evening clothes, a perfect complement to his thick raven hair. Memories of his fiery kisses and passionate lovemaking returned, and a flush crept over her skin.

Violet steeled herself against his devastating charm and managed to smile. “Good evening, my lord.”

“You look enchanting, my lady.” He bowed gallantly over her white gloved hand, pressing his lips against the back.

“I see you are full of flattery, as usual.”

He only smiled. “I'm glad you agreed to come.”

“Well, I shall have to wait and see if I am glad when I hear what you have to say about the sale.”

He kept his smile in place but it didn't look quite as sincere as before. “Come.” Lacing her arm with his, he led her toward the door. “Our carriage waits out front.”

She allowed him to guide her without saying more. She
wished she didn't have to be on guard every moment she was with him, but he left her no choice.

Rule helped her into the coach and sat down across from her. As the vehicle lurched into motion, Violet fixed her attention outside the carriage on the activity lit by the gas streetlamps and the light spilling out through house windows.

As Rule had promised, London was a fascinating city. The climate here was milder than in Boston, though the air was a little less clean. A dog barked in the distance and a black-and-white mutt ran off into the darkness. She spotted the occasional policeman keeping watch as the coach rumbled on toward St. James, the location of the restaurant Rule had chosen.

They arrived right on time and the footman at the rear of the carriage jumped down and opened the door. Rule climbed out first and helped Violet down, then took her arm and led her into the elegant two-story establishment. A seating area filled with linen-draped tables lit by candlesticks formed the middle of the restaurant, and a row of private booths lined one wall.

“Good evening, my lord.” The maître d' approached, smiling, obviously well acquainted with Rule.

“Good evening, Rafael.”

The man was very tall and very thin, with curly black hair and a Roman nose. She wondered if his slight Italian accent was real or strictly for the benefit of his patrons. “Your booth is ready, sir. If you will please follow me.”

Violet let Rule escort her around the perimeter of the room to a booth draped in heavy red velvet. Once they were inside, Rafael untied the gold sashes and the curtain fell into place, giving them privacy.

Violet's senses went on alert. She had thought in a
public restaurant she wouldn't have to worry. She wasn't prepared for a return to this kind of intimacy. She worried what Rule expected when he had brought her inside the private booth.

“You needn't get that look on your face. I don't plan to ravish you here.”

She cast him a glance, arched a copper eyebrow. “Somewhere else, then?”

Rule grinned and his gorgeous dimples appeared. “If I had my way, yes. I've never lied about my desire for you, Violet. Now that we've made love and I know what a passionate little creature you are, that desire has only grown stronger.”

She started to rise. “I didn't come here for seduction. If you will excuse me…”

Rule caught her hand. “Take it easy, love. We came to talk business. That hasn't changed.”

Violet eased back down in her chair. Rule poured champagne from a bottle in the silver bucket beside the table and handed her a crystal glass.

He lifted his own in toast. “To the future.”

It was a toast she could drink to, whatever it might hold, though she would be careful this time not to drink too much. “The future.”

They made small talk as the waiter appeared to take their orders, a turbot in lobster sauce for her and roasted veal with pecan dressing for Rule.

The curtains fell into place once more and Rule set his champagne glass down on the table. “You're still determined to sell, I imagine.”

“I explained my reasons. They haven't changed.”

“All right. Perhaps, as you suggested, we should explore the possibility.”

For the next few minutes, he outlined his thoughts, ex
plaining that he had actually examined the possibility of selling several months back but, because of his obligations to her and her father, hadn't really considered it.

“As I told you, I received an offer from Burton Stanfield, but I don't like the way he does business.”

“So you said.”

“There is another party who may be interested, a man named Charles Whitney. He approached me about it some time back, but I discouraged him. He lives in York but spends a good deal of time in London. I believe he may be in town. I can approach him again, but with the market as strong as it is, I don't think finding a buyer will be a problem.”

“Everyone is betting there will be war in America. If there is, there are great profits to be made. We should most certainly get offers.”

“But selling only half is much harder.”

“Probably,” she agreed.

“Then here is what I propose. I'll consider selling my half along with yours on two conditions.”

“Which are?”

“First, you agree to keep our partnership intact and we reinvest the proceeds of the sale. I'll put together a list of possible investments. Both of us would have to agree to whatever is purchased.”

He went on to relate the potential of various industries including shipping and railways, both of which appealed to Violet greatly.

“I realize it would be somewhat of a compromise on your part, since you might wish to dissolve the business altogether, but that is the first of my terms.”

She sat back in her chair, her mind running over his proposal. On the surface, there was nothing untoward
about it. They were business partners now and that would continue. Only the nature of the business itself would change.

And the various possibilities intrigued her. “It sounds fair enough.”

He actually looked surprised. “You are telling me you will agree?”

“Is there a reason I shouldn't?”

“Not at all. I merely thought… I suppose I thought you might be determined on some other course and not open to compromise.”

“I have often found compromise the best way to achieve one's goals.”

He smiled faintly. “As have I, Violet. Which brings me to the second condition—the one I deem most important. If you agree, whatever happens, you will have the chance to obtain both of the things for which you came to London.”

He was talking about the divorce, a subject she wasn't yet ready to discuss.

“What are you suggesting?”

“I want you to agree to continue our marriage for at least another month.”

“That is impossible.”

“Why? It's what your father would have wanted. It's what I want. And I think, deep down, you might even want it, too.”

If things were different, she might, but there were other considerations. She looked him straight in the face. “Do you love me, Rule?”

His gaze held steady. “I care for you, Violet. I desire you greatly. To tell you the truth, I don't really know what love is. I know I would like for us to stay married. Say you will give us a chance.”

Violet glanced away. The last thing she wanted was a
too-handsome husband who didn't love her, a man who had half the women in London vying for his attention.

“There are other women you could marry. Why are you so determined it has to be me?”

He leaned toward her across the table, his features turning dark. “I don't want another woman, dammit. I already have a wife. We spoke vows in front of God. What could it hurt to find out if your father was right?”

Violet closed her eyes. She could almost see Griff's face, his expression stern but loving. She knew what he would want, understood why he had arranged the marriage in the first place.

If only he could have known Jeffrey. She was certain he would have wanted her to marry a man who loved her.

“Violet?”

“What about…about…conjugal rights? You are the sort of man who would expect his wife to abide by her wifely duties.”

“I would never force you. I would hope that you would welcome me into your bed as you did before.”

She felt the color rising in her cheeks. “And if I did not?”

“Then I suppose I shall have failed in my duties as a husband.”

Violet mulled that over. He had promised not to force her. She could say no to his efforts at seduction if she wished. “All right, I'll agree. I suppose whether we divorce now or a month from now doesn't matter.”

Rule grinned broadly. “You won't be sorry, sweetheart, I promise.”

But she was already sorry. She wished she had stayed in Boston, communicated her wish to end the marriage through her attorney. Now it was too late.

She held out her champagne glass, though it wasn't
completely empty. “If you wouldn't mind, I think I would like a little more to drink.”

“Of course.” Rule lifted the bottle out of the ice bucket. When his gaze returned to her face, she could see the hunger, the desire he no longer tried to hide. He was thinking about the liquor she had consumed the night of the fire and the hours that they had spent making love.

Violet set the glass back down on the table. “On second thought, I think I've had enough.”

Rule made no reply. Violet was grateful when the waiter arrived with their meal.