CHAPTER 29
CLIFTON
Diana stormed into the breakfast room with the confidence of a general stepping onto a battlefield. And heaven help me, when she announced she was coming to London with us, I was powerless to refuse. Truth be told, I was filled with relief, because I was already dreading being away from her.
Of course, that didn’t mean I wasn’t tempted to punch Fairfax when he grinned and said he was delighted because now he’d have something attractive to look at during the journey.
Mother, of course, was pleased with Diana’s declaration and announced that she, too, was thinking of following soon and spending more time in London. She proclaimed that since I spent much of the year there, she’d need to remain in town so she could spend more time with her grandchildren.
She was getting ahead of herself, but given that she’d gotten her wish when I’d married Diana, I knew that it was only a matter of time before her desire for grandchildren became a reality. I also suspected she wanted to make up for the last two years, when Diana was supposed to be in her care.
The carriage ride from Hampshire to London was surprisingly carefree.
I’d feared Diana would be angry with me for keeping my suspicions to myself for so long, but that worry turned out to be groundless.
It also helped knowing that Tuttleford had no reason now to harm my wife.
But that didn’t mean I wanted him anywhere near her.
When we arrived in London, we drove past King’s first to drop off Fairfax, who seemed anxious to get back to the others.
Diana looked at me with surprise when I didn’t go with him. “You’re not leaving as well?”
“Of course not. I’m coming home with you.”
“But we are in London now.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And?”
She shrugged. “Don’t you want to go to your club and spend time with your friends?”
I didn’t like the way she was falling into her old habit of trying to hide her real feelings. I preferred it when she told me exactly what she was thinking.
I crossed my arms. “I think I’d rather spend time with you.”
She smiled. “Truly?”
I shook my head. “Fairfax has things well in hand. He and the others have been looking into what can be done about the Tuttlefords since we escaped together. There is no point in interjecting myself right now since it would only slow down their progress if I insisted they explain all the threads of their investigation. Besides—” I plucked her off her seat and deposited her on my lap.
“I think I would much rather spend time with you. It has been far too long since we’ve made love. ”
She laughed. “It has only been one day.”
“Yes, far too long.” I nuzzled the side of her throat, and she giggled—a sound that lightened my mood considerably.
The townhouse wasn’t far from King’s, so soon we were slowing to a halt and I was escorting my new wife into the house. The staff had been told to expect her since I’d written my valet with news of our marriage. But they hadn’t known we were arriving today.
My butler was startled when he saw me. “My lord, we weren’t expecting you quite so soon.”
“Tomlinson, this is my wife, Lady Diana Clifton.”
Diana inclined her head graciously while Tomlinson bowed. “I will gather the staff so introductions can be made.”
I shook my head. “Not now. But Smithers will be following with her trunk. He shouldn’t be too far behind us.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“Thank you. We’ll see you at dinner.”
“But we haven’t had anything since breakfast,” Diana said.
“Send a tray up,” I said before sweeping her into my arms and taking her upstairs.
“You are terrible.” Diana kissed a line from my jaw to my ear.
“I am a newly married man. It is to be expected. There will be time to meet the staff later.”
“Of course, husband. Whatever you want.”
My heart soared. Everything was going to be fine. The others would reach out to me when they had news of how we were going to proceed. If that didn’t happen today, I’d drop by King’s tomorrow to see what was happening. But for now, I had a wife to pleasure.
I’d had to bring her the worst news of her life yesterday and had watched her break into a million tiny pieces. In that moment, nothing was more important than putting her back together.
The next time she broke apart, it would be from ecstasy.
When we reached our bedroom, I lowered her onto her feet and twisted to lock the door behind us.
Anyone arriving with a tray of food didn’t need to walk in on what was about to happen.
I turned back to see Diana standing with her back to me.
With a sly glance over her shoulder, she said, “Can you help me disrobe, husband?”
Who was I to ignore her plight?
Far too soon, Diana was dragging me out of bed for dinner. “We’ve been up here for hours. It’s time to meet the staff.”
I grumbled, but she was correct. As we helped each other dress again, I made a mental note to ask my valet if we had someone on staff who could serve as Diana’s lady’s maid.
When we reached the main floor, Tomlinson led us to where the staff were lined up at the back of the house.
He introduced them to Diana, who made a point of acknowledging each person, telling them how delighted she was to meet them.
The sentiment was clearly reciprocated. The housekeeper in particular gushed over Diana and declared that she hadn’t thought this day would ever come.
“To be frank, neither did I,” I said, and everyone laughed. “How long until dinner?”
“It will be ready in half an hour,” Tomlinson said. “If Lady Clifton has any preferences for how the household is to be run, we will, of course, make any necessary arrangements to ensure she is satisfied.”
Diana smiled, and I could see that she had already won over our butler. I couldn’t say that I blamed him.
When the staff dispersed, Tomlinson pulled me aside. “My lord, you have guests waiting in the drawing room. I was about to send Smithers up to inform you.”
“Who is it?” My nerves were on edge, and for a moment, I expected him to say it was Tuttleford.
“Two of your friends, my lord. Lord Rexford and Lord Greyson.”
“Thank you,” I said before turning to Diana. They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t have news.
We hurried to the drawing room. Rexford and Greyson stood when we entered and offered their congratulations.
Diana dipped into a curtsy. “Thank you, my lords. Clifton has told me everything that you are doing for me, and I must tell you that I am forever in your debt.”
Greyson shook his head. “Nonsense. We are all family now.”
“Indeed,” Rexford said. “When someone crosses a Legend, or one of our loved ones, then there is no question about whether or not we will come together to make sure they regret that decision.”
Diana looked down, her cheeks turning pink. But I didn’t know why she was so embarrassed.
“At any rate,” Greyson said, “Fairfax is having a meeting right now with a certain carriage driver.”
“You found him,” Diana said.
Rexford nodded. “Yes, one of Fairfax’s contacts was able to track him down. The man is now working for a family just outside of London. It appears that while Tuttleford paid him to disappear, it wasn’t all that much.”
“No,” Greyson said. “The man had to seek out a new job within a year. But the search was complicated by the fact that the driver had altered his name.”
Hope was shining in Diana’s eyes. “So we have evidence now? Tuttleford will be brought to justice?”
“Yes,” Rexford said.
I frowned, unable to hold back a sense of disappointment.
Diana placed a hand on my arm. “What is the matter?”
“I want him to suffer.”
Greyson’s brows drew together. “He will be arrested for murder. All of his assets will be seized, and he’ll be hanged. Lady Tuttleford will be ruined.”
Diana was deep in thought. “I believe that my uncle…” She shook her head. “I mean Tuttleford. I believe that he might visit White’s every day. Wouldn’t it be glorious if he could be arrested there?”
I stared at her in amazement then looked at Greyson and Rexford.
Greyson was grinning. “It sounds like a fine idea.”
Rexford’s eyes were narrowed on Diana, assessing her worth. Then he looked at me, one brow raised. “Indeed. My congratulations, Clifton, on securing yourself a brilliant strategist for a wife.”
Diana smiled, but there was a hint of sadness to it. “I wish I could be there.”
Rexford shrugged. “Why not?”
“They wouldn’t let me in. Not to White’s.”
I was smiling now. “They can try to stop us, but they won’t be successful.”
“Indeed,” Rexford said. “They won’t deny us. Especially not when we arrive with the most feared lord in all of England.”