Chapter Fourteen #2
Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s regard turned towards him behind her veil. “You hold feelings for the lady?”
Navan sighed heavily. “She deserves someone better than me, but I have told Marksman that when I return to England for the next season of Parliament, I intend to court the lady.”
“Why must you wait until your return?” Mrs. Dove-Lyon asked.
“In my absence from England, I must tend to my maternal grandparents’ estate. It will take all my efforts to right the estate again. Long days. Stubborn Irishmen. A new bride deserves better,” he argued.
“Better than a man who loves and adores her?” Mrs. Dove-Lyon countered.
“I would not use the word love.”
“Men never do,” the lady said with a slight chuckle.
“May I ask, my lord, how you will feel if those who attacked the lady today return while you are in the wilds of Ireland and cannot protect her? Most assuredly, her brother’s interests are elsewhere.
Do you not believe those in Ireland will not be charmed by the lady?
From what Mr. Rheem said, Lady Annalise is not as polished as an English lady might be.
I can say with some confidence, my Irish staff would take one look at her and consider her one of them. ”
Navan smiled easily. “I considered something similar in regards to the lady.”
“She would be in your bed sooner, rather than later,” the woman said with what he interpreted as a large smile in her voice, for her veil hid her expression. “You do desire her, do you not, my lord?”
“I shan’t answer that question.”
Mrs. Dove-Lyon barked a laugh. “Take the lady home. See she is healed. Propose and… well you know what comes next.”
“Permit me to arrange for a coach,” he said without responding to the woman’s taunt.
“I will have Titan call around a hack. I must return to the floor. When you leave, take her out through the musicians’ entrance. Fewer will see you in that manner. Likewise, at her brother’s house, enter through the mews,” she instructed.
“What do I owe you, ma’am?” he asked.
“Whatever you think the lady is worth.”
“I could put no such number on Lady Annalise’s head. Some things have no monetary value. They are simply intrinsic to a man’s existence, but I will send my man around tomorrow afternoon with a token of my appreciation.”
An hour later, he led Annalise carefully down the back staircase in order to exit the rear door of the establishment. “Just a few more steps, my girl, and then I will carry you. The carriage is not so far removed.”
“Going where?” she murmured as she leaned heavily against him.
“Back to Dutton Hall, but I am staying with you. No one will harm you again,” he said as he swept her up into his arms. “To hell with society’s rules.” He kicked the door open and nearly stumbled into Aaran Graham.
“Graham?” he asked in obvious surprise.
“I came to offer my assistance,” his brother said.
“Rheem gave her a large dose of laudanum.”
“I had my coachman bring the carriage closer. It is on the other side of the tree line marking the street.”
“You are a blessing.”
“Duncan has men out on the street looking for Honfleur’s coach and coachman. From the maid’s description of the woman with him, it was the housekeeper.”
“That is what I suspected also, but we may discuss this in more detail later. Our girl here requires her rest.”
Aaran hustled ahead of them and opened the carriage door. “Mr. Jamison will assist you.”
“Yes, my lord, permit me to crawl inside to catch the lady up, then we will be off to Dutton Hall.”
When they reached Marksman’s home less than a half hour later, Navan turned Lady Annalise over to the maid who had assisted her mistress earlier. “I will be in the chambers at the end of the hall if her ladyship requires anything.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He turned to find Lord Graham still in the open door. “I did not realize you remained,” Beaufort said as he looked once more at the sleeping Annalise.
“Are you proposing soon?” Graham asked.
Navan nudged his friend from the room. “I am still considering the possibility.”
“Marksman will not approve,” Graham suggested with a grin. “Especially as you would be taking his sister so far away from him.”
“At the moment Marksman does not have a say in the matter. It will be Lady Annalise’s choice. If necessary, we will go to Scotland or Jersey to marry. Marksman gave up his rights to have a say in his sister’s life when he permitted Theodora to drag him around as if he were an obedient puppy.”
The following morning, Beaufort ordered breakfast for them both to be delivered to the lady’s room. “I pray you are hungry, my dear,” he said as the maid Sarah admitted him to Lady Annalise’s chambers.
“Famished,” she said with a smile. She had made her way to a nearby chair and table before his arrival. “I pray I shall not embarrass you, my lord. Sarah tells me Mr. Rheem gave orders for me not to dress in a day gown until he inspected my injury today.”
Navan smiled, for he had repeated Rheem’s orders to the maid. “Just pleased to view you recovering. I asked Glenstorm to have Cook include your favorites.”
“Then the meal will be Cook’s sweetened bread with butter and honey,” she said with another smile.
He waited until the butler and footman had set out all the plates before he excused them. “Leave the door open, Glenstorm.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“You frightened me quite thoroughly, my girl,” he said as he drank his coffee and watched Lady Annalise butter the bread and take a bite, before closing her eyes as she chewed and then sighed.
Beaufort found himself smiling contentedly.
This could be my life: her at my breakfast table.
At my side in society. His eyes drifted to the bed, as his mind announced, In my bed.
The idea pleased him enough he felt himself begin to harden.
“I am thankful,” she said as she briefly closed her eyes to savor the food a second time, “for your care.”
“Might you tell me what occurred?” he asked cautiously. “Titan recognized the man who shot at you as Honfleur’s coachman.”
“Yes. Mr. Stark and Mrs. Sable have combined their efforts. They claimed they would kill me at Amgen House and leave my body there. When Mrs. Sable said we were in Whitehall and I noticed the light-blue house that Lady Emma had described to me previously, I thought I had no choice but…”
“You were excessively brave,” he remarked.
“I am a woman who had no choice. Last night, I was thinking how selfish it is of me to remain at Dutton Hall. I do not think Mr. Stark will give up so easily, and I would be placing Alexander and Theodora in danger.”
Beaufort did not approve of Lady Annalise being in danger, but he liked the idea that she did not wish to remain at Dutton Hall. “In truth, at this moment, I do not much care whether Alexander and Theodora know a bit of chaos. My concern lies with you.”
Tears formed in her eyes, and Navan knew he had made the best decision for him.
He stood and removed the fork from her fingers and set it on the table.
Then he knelt before her and claimed her hand.
“Lady Annalise, since I first laid eyes upon you, you have truly bewitched me body and soul. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“What?” she gasped and looked around frantically as if considering an escape.
“Are you confident?” she asked softly. “I know nothing of London society. I shall never be capable of serving as a hostess as does Lady Orson. I would not wish to be an embarrassment to you. Moreover, I do not expect Mr. Stark to take his failure quietly.”
“I am Irish, not English, and, in truth, I am not so enthralled with London society myself. In my opinion, it is a necessary evil,” Beaufort admitted.
“And what I require in a wife is a woman who can easily relate to my cottagers on my English estate, but mainly my Irish one, while still assisting me in leading them from the last century into this one. I require someone who does not fear a bit of work or a smudge of dirt on her cheek or her gown. I shan’t lie to you; those upon Beaufort land in Ireland are some of the most stubborn and unreasonable people you will ever encounter, but they are also excessively loyal to my earldom. ”
“Would Alexander approve of our joining?” she asked.
“At the Beleward ball, I told your brother that it was my intention to court you when we returned to London for the spring session of Parliament,” he confessed.
“You did?” she asked with eyes big in surprise. “He never mentioned it, even in passing.”
“Before you respond, permit me to explain what I am thinking. Though I would prefer to wait until you reach your majority and you can make legal decisions for yourself, I must leave for Ireland in a matter of days, a week, at the most, if I am to reach my grandparents’ estate before snow arrives in Ireland’s mountains.
If it is your wish, we may wait until the spring, but I am hoping you will agree to travel with me, first, to Scotland to marry, and then, we might take a ship to Ireland. ”
“My brother will be livid,” she admitted.
“I do not fear him,” he said with a shrug, “but I would understand if you would prefer to wait. I shan’t change my mind regarding my offer, and, though disappointed, I would respect your choice.”
“Alexander left me here, though he knew I am not familiar with London society,” she reasoned, raising Navan’s hopes of success.
“I do not imagine Mr. Stark will quickly forget what I executed yesterday afternoon.” She paused to look about her.
“There is nothing in this house or room that announces my presence at Dutton Hall. Even my wardrobe was chosen by Lady Orson. I, too, have entertained the idea of our marriage,” she admitted, “though I never thought it possible,” she announced with more boldness than Navan had expected.
The idea she had also favored him had Navan hiding a flinch of concern at meeting her expectations, while another part of him knew great pride in her choosing him above all other possible suitors.
“I must warn you that your reputation will be ruined by our traveling together to Scotland, which will take us five or more days to achieve, depending on the weather. I promise not to claim you as my wife until the vows are exchanged, though I may steal more than one kiss to sustain me. I thought we might use the time for you to learn more of what to expect in Ireland, and we might exchange more tales of our upbringings—though each was assuredly not traditional.”
“I would enjoy further conversations,” she admitted innocently.
And he would enjoy teaching her more of how to please him. “When do you believe you would be well enough to travel?”
Her face screwed up in a bit of dread before she asked, “When shall word reach Alexander of my injury?”
“By late tomorrow or early the following day,” he supplied.
She nodded her understanding. “Then if we left tomorrow, we could be in Scotland before my brother reaches Dutton Hall,” she reasoned.
“Will you be well enough to travel by then?” he questioned in concern.
“The bullet only grazed my side,” she insisted. “And I can lay out on the bench in the coach if I tire too soon.”
He could barely breathe. Navan had never considered marriage previously, and this was a monumental commitment.
“With your permission, I will leave you to your meal. I have much to accomplish today. I will return later.” He rose and then leaned down to present her with a gentle kiss.
“You have made me a happy man, my lady.”