Chapter 20
Twenty
D ev’s happiness was beyond measuring as the reluctant vicar declared him and Kitty man and wife.
It was not just that he and Kitty had won an astounding victory that would allow Kitty to live as she pleased for the rest of her days, it was the triumph of love above all that had Dev soaring with joy.
He paraded Kitty down the aisle proudly, smiling at his friends and those who had come to the church that morning, perhaps expecting a spectacle.
Whatever the congregation felt they would take away from the wedding, Dev was secure in the fact that he had gained a life that would be filled with never-ending joy and love.
Those feelings were so strong that they were only halted slightly when he and Kitty came face to face with the Duke of Bedminster and Seymour at the back of the church.
“What is the meaning of this?” Bedminster demanded, his rage alone filling the church door enough to stop Dev’s and Kitty’s progress out into their new life together. “What has happened here?”
Dev did not need the situation spelled out to know what the duke meant. The man and his odious son had likely arrived at the church hoping to witness Kitty being dragged off to prison.
“Kindly get out of our way,” Dev said, filling his voice with animosity and threat.
Bedminster glanced between Dev and Kitty with a look of baffled rage. “You cannot tell me that the two of you have been married this day.”
“We have,” Kitty answered with surprising strength, considering the way she trembled as she clung to Dev’s arms. “The vicar has just completed the ceremony and we have signed the register.”
“Impossible,” Bedminster snorted. “It is an abomination. You are an abomination.”
“How dare you speak to my daughter-in-law in such a way?” Dev’s father demanded, marching down the aisle to stand by Dev’s and Kitty’s side.
The rest of his family was quick to join them, as were Lady Everly, Kitty’s dear friends, and Wilkes and Miss Jones. In fact, it seemed as though half the congregation stood in their pews and turned to glare at the duke.
Bedminster looked deeply shocked by the show of support for Kitty and intensely angry. “Have you all lost your minds?” he asked. “This is no fainting violet of a country woman, this abomination is my son.”
Members of the congregation gasped as the new twist of information was added to their already overstimulated minds.
“You are the one who is mad, sir,” Dev’s father countered the duke.
Given Bedminster’s rank, he might have been the only one present who could stand up to the man.
“Miss Dryden, that is, Lady Ogilvy, is well known to be from the country around Alnwick. Anyone who looks at her can know who she truly is at heart. ”
Despite the tension of the moment, Dev could not help but smile. He knew he was asking a great deal of his family in asking them to accept Kitty, but the Ogilvys always had been open, and sometimes scandalous, in their thinking.
Bedminster sputtered and flailed, appealing to anyone who might agree with him. “This man is my son, Christopher Seymour, the Earl of Castleton,” he insisted. “How can none of you see that?”
Many sets of eyes turned to Kitty. Dev was acutely aware of how desperately Kitty hated being stared at in such a way and did whatever he could to shield her from view.
But Kitty stood tall, and though her voice was soft and quiet, she said, “I am and have only ever been who I am. I am not now and never was your son.”
Pride burst through Dev. The courage it took to say such a thing to someone who could potentially ruin her was enough to make him love Kitty even more than he did.
The impasse between Kitty and Bedminster continued for a few seconds before Dr. Pettigrew stepped forward and cleared his throat.
When Bedminster dragged his eyes away from Kitty to look at him he said, “If you please, Your Grace, I am Dr. Pettigrew of Harley Street and London Hospital. I was called upon to, er, examine the bride, and I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that she is, indeed, as she says she is.”
“I beg your pardon?” Bedminster asked, quivering with anger.
“There were other witnesses in the room as well, Your Grace,” Pettigrew said with a nod.
“It is true,” the vicar said, stepping forward and surprising Dev with his agreement. He looked helplessly and apologetically at Bedminster before shrugging and saying, “Dr. Pettigrew was thorough.”
Bedminster’s face went red and his mouth hung open for a moment as if he could not believe what was in front of him. “Are you all destined for Bedlam now?”
Dev was prepared to step in, if only to demand that Bedminster and his son step aside so that he and Kit could finally leave, but another imposing figure strode into the church at that moment.
“I have been told that the Duke of Bedminster is here,” the strong, broad man said with a presence that made everyone in the room sit up straight and pay attention. Wilkes the tailor suddenly beamed and blushed and, if Dev was not mistaken, winked at the man.
“I am he,” Bedminster said, twisting to snap at the new arrival. “Who in blazes are you?”
“Detective Talboys of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the man answered.
Bedminster suddenly looked extraordinarily anxious. “And what do you want with me?”
Det. Talboys glanced briefly at Dev and Kitty, which Dev found curious, before giving his full attention to Bedminster. “Your Grace, I have come to report that the body of your son, the Earl of Castleton, was found in the silt and mud of the Thames early this morning.”
Another round of gasps rose up from the congregation.
“That is impossible,” Bedminster said, twitching as he glanced back to Kitty, who still clung to Dev’s arm, leaning into him.
“Positive identification was made this morning by a physician who has treated Lord Castleton in the past, Your Grace, though there has been a great deal of decomposition,” Talboys went on.
Several people behind Dev made disgusted sounds at the idea of a decomposed body.
“It is likely that the unfortunate man met his end several months ago, around the time he was first reported missing,” Talboys went on.
“If you would like to come with me, I can refer you to one of my associates who might assist you in the legalities of registering your son’s death and naming a new heir. ” He glanced to Lord George.
“I…I…this cannot,” Bedminster stammered.
“I am the new Earl of Castleton,” Lord George said before he could form his thoughts. “Just leave it at that, Father.” He lowered his voice and added, “Is this not what we wanted from the start?”
Bedminster snapped his mouth shut and glared at his son.
He did not contradict him, however. He narrowed his eyes at Kitty for a moment as well before turning back to Talboys.
“Very well,” he growled, clearly unhappy with the turn of events.
“Lead on and we will settle this matter once and for all.”
Talboys stepped aside, bowing slightly and gesturing for Bedminster and the new Earl of Castleton to follow him out of the church. He turned back to Wilkes and winked before leaving himself.
Dev kept Kitty where they were for a minute or so to give Talboys time to take Bedminster away entirely, then escorted Kitty out into the bright, clear morning, followed by their family and friends. Once in the sunlight, Kitty took the first deep breath that Dev was sure he’d ever seen her take.
“It is done,” she said, smiling up at the sunny sky, eyes closed. “It is finally over.” She lowered her head and opened her eyes to beam at Dev. “I can live the life I was always meant to live now.”
The family carriages were waiting to take them all back to Russell House.
Dev was beyond grateful to be able to whisk his bride out of the eye of the public and into the very private life he was certain the two of them would live.
His parents climbed into the carriage with them, but they were all surprised when Mr. Wilkes leapt into the carriage at the last moment to join them.
“Forgive the intrusion,” the lithe man said as the carriage began to move. “I would not insert myself so boldly into your private moment, but there are things you must know immediately.”
Dev exchanged a glance with Kitty, and then with his father. “What things?” he asked.
Wilkes took a breath then spoke quickly, as if he had much to say and little time to say it.
“Detective Talboys is my beloved,” he began.
“He was, indeed, employed by Scotland Yard, but you should know that he is not now. He is in private employ as a man who assists others and fixes awkward problems, all as part of The Brotherhood.”
The amount of information contained in those few words had Dev’s head spinning.
“Are you saying that no body was found?” Dev’s father asked. “That Bedminster will discover the truth?”
“That is not what I am saying at all, my lord,” Wilkes said, holding up a hand and shaking his head.
“Forgive me if I was unclear. Derrek, that is, Detective Talboys, still has a great many friends at the Met. They have worked with him in this particular situation. A body was, indeed, found in the banks of the Thames this morning. It was decomposed enough to be unidentifiable. We have been waiting for a circumstance like this in order to verify the Earl of Castleton’s demise.
It is a bit dramatic that it should happen on the morning of your wedding,” he glanced to Dev and Kitty, “but also convenient.”
“So when my…when the Duke of Bedminster is taken to wherever Talboys has taken him, he truly will be presented with a corpse that has been identified as the Earl of Castleton?” Kit asked.
Wilkes beamed. “He will. The physician has agreed to the identity of the corpse as well, though Derrek will not tell me what incentive the man was given to corroborate our story.”