Chapter Twenty
Anthony’s raised brows when Edward stumbled into his study told him all he needed to know about his appearance. He plucked another twig from his hair with a grimace.
“Did she throw you out the window?” Anthony asked, watching with amusement as Edward dropped into the seat opposite him.
“Not Selena. Mrs. Haddon. And very nearly, yes.”
Anthony’s brows rose even higher if that were possible. “You were discovered by Mrs. Haddon?”
Edward leaned forward and took the glass Anthony had set down, downing the liquid in one gulp. “Yes.” The word was more a sound as he grunted at the burn of the liquor than an actual word, but Anthony understood well enough.
“Well. I assume she did not raise the alarm since you are here and not marching toward a duel with Sir Rawley. Though, I suppose as the wedding is in the morning, so even if there were…complications from your pre-wedding visit, the timing would not raise any ques—”
“We did naught but talk,” Edward said with a scowl.
Anthony’s lips pulled into a grin. “Hmm. Looks like it went well.”
“It…” Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair, grimacing when his fingers snagged on more shrubbery. “In truth, I do not know how it went.”
“Oh?”
Edward slumped back against his seat, his mind churning over everything Selena had just told him.
Some of it he knew, of course. And some he had suspected.
That there might be more than two husbands, for one.
Four, he had not guessed at. Three, he thought possible, though even that number had seemed too large. But four…no. And a possible fifth?
He gave Anthony a quick rundown of what he had learned, watching with some gratification as Anthony’s expression changed from interest to shock to wariness.
“Four dead husbands?” he finally asked.
Edward nodded and poured himself another glass of bourbon.
“And she did not mention any inquires or suspicions?”
“No. That does not mean they did not exist. I do not know. There were witnesses to the events, after all. At least according to Selena. Whose testimony, albeit is biased.”
“True. I suppose it is possible she poisoned their drink to make them act out of character or lose control of their faculties to make such accidents more likely.”
Edward frowned. “I cannot see my lady doing such a thing.”
“Nor can I. But it is a possibility nevertheless.”
That it might be, but it wasn’t one that Edward would lend any credence to. Though that did not mean that other people would follow suit.
“Regardless, it seems Sir Rawley and Lady Griffiths always removed their daughter rather quickly after these tragedies befell,” he continued.
“To other countries?”
“Yes.”
“Where the same thing happened again?”
Edward’s frown deepened. “Yes.”
“And her intended fifth bridegroom disappeared the night before the wedding?”
Edward gulped down his second glass. “Yes.”
“That is…interesting.” Anthony’s own brow was furrowed, and he wouldn’t quite meet Edward’s gaze.
Edward let out a long sigh. “Yes.”
Anthony toyed with his glass for a few moments, though Edward could see the questions stewing in his mind. “And her explanation is…”
“That she is cursed,” Edward reluctantly answered.
Anthony stared at him a moment, long enough Edward had to repress the urge to squirm.
“Speak your mind, man,” Edward finally said, unnerved at Anthony’s uncharacteristic quietness.
“My apologies, Lockhaven. I suppose I am just surprised that you are still sitting here.”
Edward scowled. “And where else should I be?”
Anthony shrugged. “When you caught Viscount Mulford’s daughter trying to slip a love potion into your ratafia at the Haliford’s ball two seasons ago you disappeared to Mallorca for a fortnight. This is a good sight more severe. I would have thought it warranted a trip to Greece, at the very least.”
“Are you saying you think I should be on my way to Mallorca?”
“No,” Anthony said slowly. “Only that it is odd you do not seem more concerned that the rumors about her seem to be proving true.”
“They are hardly proving true. Only that she has been widowed more than once—”
“Four times,” Anthony cut in.
Edward ignored him. “But she did not murder them.”
“As far as you know. As I said, she could have added something to their food or drink to addle their brains. Or at the very least cause them some discomfort. Enough that they were not as aware of their surroundings as they should have been. She could have chased the first one in front of the carriage herself. Pushed the second into the water. Encouraged the third into overindulging. Even without a potion. And the fourth…”
Anthony’s lips twitched, and Edward shot him a warning glance. “Be careful, Goodwin.”
“I was merely going to suggest that he could have been urged into likewise… overindulging,” he said despite Edward’s glare.
“I very much doubt he did anything of the sort. She did not murder them,” Edward insisted again, though it sounded defensive even to his own ears.
“You are satisfied with her explanations then?”
Edward exhaled heavily again. He wanted to say yes with an urgency that bordered on desperation.
And yet…he could not. “I do not know. I believe that what she told me was the truth. Or at least that she believes it is the truth. But I also think there could be information she is withholding. And I understand why she hasn’t been more forthcoming to this point.
Frankly, I likely would have behaved the same if our situations were reversed.
“Yet I cannot help but be hurt that she kept so much from me for so long. That she let things between us go as far as they have before revealing her secrets. She may have told me everything there is to tell, but…can I truly trust that now that she has revealed her willingness to keep things from me? Though, I suppose she didn’t have much of a chance to tell me earlier.
And, in all fairness, can she ever trust me to always stand by her when I seem to be faltering already?
It is our first test, and I am failing miserably. ”
“Well, in fairness to you, my friend, this is quite the test. Most men are faced with a petulant bride or meddling mothers-in-law. Few must worry over whether they will be killed on their wedding night.”
Edward snorted, slightly mollified. “I can’t deny I desperately wish to know what happened with her last fiancé.
Why did the man leave? Had he found something of a nefarious nature?
Or was he just a scoundrel? Perhaps it should not matter.
But I cannot keep from wondering what would cause a man to take such a drastic action. ”
Anthony raised a brow at that, and Edward huffed. “I’ll admit in the past I have been…shall we say reluctant to fall prey to the confines of marriage.”
“Reluctant?” Anthony repeated with a growing smile.
“Disinclined.”
“Disinclined?” His smile grew larger.
Sometimes he enjoyed having a friend who knew him so well. Now was not one of those times. “Oh, very well, I was unwilling. Loath.”
Anthony chuckled. “Petrified, some might say.”
“That is taking it a step too far.” Not really, but Edward didn’t feel the need to admit that. “Nevertheless, even I would hesitate to abandon a woman at the altar. And would never do so without just and dire cause.”
“Hmm.” Anthony’s gaze burned into him. “And what about the night before?”
“I should like to think I am a better man than that,” Edward said, his brow furrowing. “Under normal circumstances, at least,” he added with a mutter.
“Is your resolve faltering then?” Anthony asked.
Edward scrubbed a hand over his face again. “No.” He paused with a frown and then shook his head. “No,” he repeated more firmly. Then he glanced at his friend. “Do I seem to be?”
Anthony shrugged. “Your words are perhaps a bit ambiguous,” he said with a smile. “But I’d say the fact that you are still here proves otherwise.”
He let out another long sigh. “I hope that is the case. And I hope Selena will continue to trust me.” He shook his head. “I fear I haven’t given her much reason to put her faith in me.”
Anthony gave him a supportive smile. “You are too hard on yourself, my friend.”
“Am I?” He shook his head again. “I do not think so. I have proclaimed my love, but not my support. And I have done neither publicly. I have not addressed the rumors that have only intensified over recent weeks, especially with the news of our hasty marriage.”
“That was insisted upon by her parents,” Anthony reminded him.
“Yes, and I had agreed thinking it would help matters. But I fear it has only made everything worse. I confess, I thought perhaps hastening the wedding would remove the temptation for us both to change our minds. As we both seem wont to do,” he added wryly.
Anthony chuckled. “Well, I cannot refute that.”
Edward ignored him. “However, perhaps a lengthy engagement would have been better. Given me time to show Society that I am her champion. That I do not believe the rumors about her.”
“Or perhaps you simply do not care if they are true,” Anthony said.
Edward froze for a second. Was that the truth? Did it truly matter to him?
He thought back over every moment he’d spent with her.
Thought of that first moment when he’d walked in the ballroom and their gazes had met.
The instant feeling of home that had permeated his being the first moment he’d heard her voice.
The happiness that enveloped him in her presence.
The utter bliss of being in her arms. He was more himself with her than he had ever been on his own.
Did it truly matter to him what had occurred in her past?
His breath left him in a rush.
No. No it did not.
The firmness of that realization did not waiver, even as he sat with it for a moment. Examined it. Poked at it. There was truly no scenario he could fathom where he would willingly give her up.
He laughed, the shadowed weight that had been hanging over him finally lifting. “I believe you are correct. I do not care. Let her be a murderess.”
Anthony’s eyes widened though he smiled a bit bemusedly. Still, he raised his glass. “To your murderess.”
Edward grinned again, raised his own glass, and drained it.
To his Selena. Murderess or no, as long as she remained his.
God help him, he was fairly certain he would not only stand by her side were it ever necessary to defend her even against the Crown itself if her rumored crimes proved true but would even help her escape whatever consequences came her way.
Might even willingly lay down his own life if she asked it.
Let her have it. As long as he spent his last moments with her.
He could but hope that she put her faith in him long enough to make it to the church. If she did not come, he would understand. That she had been able to put her fears aside long enough to even accept his proposal was nothing short of a miracle. He could only pray she met him at the church.
Even if he knew that they might both fare better if she did not.