29. A Rivalry is Put to Rest
CHAPTER 29
A RIVALRY IS PUT TO REST
M eanwhile, in the hotel
As the members of their party entered the hotel and split off in two directions to dress for dinner, David waited until Jane had disappeared into her room before he followed Marcus down the short corridor in the opposite direction.
About to enter the room he shared with Antonio, Marcus paused when David hurried up to stand before him, essentially blocking his way.
“Might I have a word with you, Mr. Henley?” David asked.
Marcus scoffed. “Look, Penton, if you’re sore with me because I escorted...” He stopped speaking when David pulled a ruby ring from his waistcoat pocket and held it up between a thumb and forefinger.
“I wish to make a peace offering,” David said.
Confused, Marcus angled his head to glance down the corridor before he returned his attention to the ring. “Isn’t that... isn’t that Jane’s betrothal ring?” he asked in alarm, lowering his voice to a hoarse whisper.
“It was ,” David acknowledged. “And it can be again.”
Marcus inhaled, his eyes widening. “I don’t understand. Did she throw you over?”
David resisted the urge to grow angry with the viscount’s heir. Why couldn’t he understand he was trying to help him with his pursuit of Miss Jane? “No, you dolt. I could see she was growing to favor you, so I encouraged her to end our betrothal,” he explained. “As a result, we have come to a mutual agreement as to our futures.”
Blinking, Marcus looked as if he had been slapped across the face. “What sort of agreement?”
Rolling his eyes, David said, “That’s not what’s important at the moment. Do you love her?”
Marcus’ face reddened, but apparently not with anger, for he asked, “Can we talk about this in private?”
David waved in the direction of his room, and the two filed in. He turned to face Marcus and pointed to the room’s only chair. “Do you love her?” he repeated, once the door was shut.
“That’s really none of your business,” Marcus replied.
When he didn’t move to take the proffered chair, David realized they were going to stand for their discussion. “It is my business. Jane wishes to marry sooner than later. She wants children,” he explained in a low voice. “I am not yet ready to take her to wife, so I have let her know her obligation to me is forfeit, unless she should find herself without a husband when I am ready to take a wife.”
Marcus dipped his head. “You know of my regard for her. I have not tried to hide it,” he said.
“Do you love her?” David repeated.
A growl sounded from Marcus before he finally nodded. “I do. I want her to be my viscountess. The mother of my children.”
“Good.” David once again held up the ring. “Then propose to her. You can give her this ring to seal your betrothal?—”
“Why would I do that?” Marcus asked on a scoff.
David sighed and displayed a look of annoyance. “Because she likes it, and because I’m giving it to you,” he said, his exasperation evident. “If you have something better you’d like to offer her?—”
“I don’t,” Marcus admitted, his manner softening. “I don’t. I... I thought to ask her father’s permission before I saw to the formalities.”
David resisted the urge to wince. He had never so much as written to Viscount Reardon regarding Jane’s future. He hadn’t even met the man. “Damn it, Cousin. She’s gorgeous?—”
“You don’t need to tell me that. I have eyes.”
“If she doesn’t have a ring on her finger, every man looking for a wife is going to pursue her when she and Antonio make it back to British shores,” David stated. “It’s why we agreed to a betrothal in the first place. So she wouldn’t have to receive callers and put off potential suitors and randy old widowers in search of a second wife.”
Marcus gave a start. “What? Are you saying...?” He stopped, his gaze sweeping the floor. “Yours was a fake betrothal?” His query was said in a whisper.
David rolled his eyes. “No. Maybe.” He grunted. “Yes, but I have every intention of marrying her if she’s not married by the time I am ready to wed,” he claimed. “And I will love her,” he added, a finger stabbing the air to emphasize his point.
Marcus visibly swallowed. “You won’t have to,” he replied. He plucked the ring from David’s finger. “I’ll propose.” He glanced in the direction of the door. “Tonight. After dinner. I’ll... I’ll write a letter to Lord Reardon to ask his per?—”
“Tell him.”
For a moment, Marcus seemed uncertain. Then his eyes widened as he seemed to grow emboldened. “To inform him of my intention to...” Here he paused and sighed.
“To inform him you intend?—”
“To marry Miss Jane,” Marcus finished.
“And?” David prompted.
Another look of confusion crossed Marcus’ face. “And?” he repeated.
“Marry her, damn it,” David stated. “Otherwise, she’s going to leave for Spain in less than a fortnight, and who knows how long it will be before you two see one another again? You’ve already talked about where you would go on a wedding trip. Marry her and take her there on your way back to London.”
Marcus began nodding, his head bobbing up and down with every one of David’s points. “All right,” he replied. “I’ll do it.”
“Good man,” David said. “Now, get the hell out of my room so I can change for dinner, won’t you?”
Marcus chuckled softly, but instead of moving to the door, he held out his right hand. “Thank you, Penton,” he said.
“Don’t make me regret this,” David warned.
“I won’t,” Marcus assured him. He took his leave and closed the door behind him.
David stared at the back of the door for several moments, torn between cursing his loss of Jane and cheering his freedom.
“It’s a good thing I fall in love so easily,” he murmured, moving to change his clothes for dinner.