Chapter Twenty-Two #2
Her father’s outraged grunt was matched by Edward’s. She bit her lip to keep her laughter from turning hysterical.
“I will not warn you again,” Edward said, stepping in front of her once more. “While I understand your concern for you brother, I will not tolerate you threatening or insulting my wife.”
“Not wife quite yet,” Mr. Burgess leaned in to quickly point out.
“Close enough,” Edward growled, making Mr. Burgess scurry back a few paces. Edward turned his attention back to Johann. “Do not do it again.”
Johann swallowed hard. “I deserve answers,” he insisted. “I was willing to let things lie, despite my questions, when I thought she truly grieved him as a proper widow should. Assuming he is dead as she has told everyone.”
“I have said nothing of the sort to anyone,” Selena insisted.
“The last I saw him, he was alive and well. I was humiliated when he abandoned me the day of our wedding. The last thing I wanted to do was bandy about that sordid tale. And my laughter just now was not due to my amusement. Far from it. This is all just so ridic—”
“I will not stand for her becoming a marchioness,” Johann interrupted, “a future duchess, conniving such an exalted future for herself whilst my brother likely lies rotting in some roadside grave!”
Mr. Burgess stepped forward once again, and Edward flashed him a warning look, moving closer to block Selena from anyone who might try to get too close. Her heart swelled at his protectiveness, but she hardly thought she was in danger from the vicar.
She reached out to take Edward’s hand in her own. He gave it a gentle squeeze and did not let go. But he didn’t look at her either, his entire focus on the man he considered a threat.
“Edward,” she said, tugging his hand until he dropped his gaze to her. “I believe Mr. Burgess has a suggestion?” She glanced at the vicar, hoping she was right.
He nodded and gestured to the pews as if he were trying to gather everyone together without actually touching anyone.
“There is obviously a discussion to be had. Perhaps you would like to use the table in the office?” He gestured toward the back.
Edward’s eye narrowed, but Mr. Burgess glanced at the sun coming through the windows. “It is only, there are several other weddings scheduled for this morning and the next one is due to begin shortly. I am assuming you’d prefer to keep this all priv—”
He cut off his words at another glare from Edward. “Right. Just so. Well then, I will again offer the use of the back room to get this all sorted out.”
“But what about our ceremony,” her mother broke in.
Mr. Burgess shook his head. “I’m afraid I cannot proceed once an objection has been lodged. Unless the objection is retracted?” he added, glancing hopefully at Johann.
Who simply jutted his chin into the air and crossed his arms. “Not unless my questions are answered to my satisfaction.”
“You cannot do this!” Despair flooded through Selena.
It was her curse. It had to be. Edward may not be dying—yet—but fate had once again intervened to take him from her.
“Herr von Richter, if I had the answers you seek, I would tell you. I swear it on my soul. But I do not know what happened to your brother.”
“That is not good enough for me,” Johann said. “And if you will not confess, then I will have no choice but to take it up with the magistrate.”
*
“Oh, no you will not,” Edward said, squeezing Selena’s hand again. “I warned you not to threaten my wife again.”
“You should be grateful I came, or you would have been her next victim,” von Richter insisted again.
Edward dropped Selena’s hand, his own hands clenching into fists.
Every word, every threat, from von Richter’s mouth had Edward seeing red.
The thought of any harm coming to Selena, in any form, had a rage so furious burning through him it nearly made his head spin.
That the rage was laced with fear only served to heighten the emotion, and his blood pounded through him, urging him to do something.
He would never allow any harm to come to the woman he loved.
“I do not know your brother or what kind of man he is,” he said, his words vehement with every ounce of love and faith he had in Selena. “But I do know my wife.” He glared at Mr. Burgess, daring him to contradict the moniker again. “She is no murderess.” His voice broke no argument.
Von Richter let out a derisive snort. “If even half the rumors about her are true, then she could be nothing but.”
“Well,” Anthony said, drawing out the word, “she’s had a spot of bad luck, surely. But she’s no murderess. Cursed, perhaps. But not a criminal.”
Edward glowered at him. “Stop helping.”
Anthony held up his hands with a slight grin and backed away a few steps. “Apologies. Simply trying to lighten the mood.”
“My sincerest apologies,” Mr. Burgess broke in, “but I’m afraid I really must insist—”
“I am not going anywhere until I get some answers!”
“If you levy one more accusation at my daughter I—”
Everyone started shouting at once. Everyone but Selena, who sat staring in stunned silence at the pandemonium breaking out around her.
Selena, breathtakingly beautiful in her wedding down, her midnight hair swept up from her elegant column of a neck, pearls and diamonds dripping from her ears and throat, glitteringly beautiful and somehow still paling in comparison to the sheer beauty of her.
His sweet love. Who looked up at him, her sapphire eyes filling with tears.
And that was suddenly all he saw.
He reached out, his thumb caressing her cheek. And then looked around at the arguing people around him.
“Enough!” His voice thundered from the rafters, stunning everyone into silence.
“Excuse me,” a hesitant voice called, drawing everyone’s attention to a slight man with ginger hair and an armful of papers in the back of the room.
“Who the bloody hell are you?” Edward snapped.
“Edward,” his mother gasped.
“Apologies,” he muttered to her, though he was anything but sorry. This lot was going to drive him mad.
“I am Mr. Travers,” the man said.
“I’m afraid that doesn’t help—”
“He’s the investigator, dear,” his mother said, leaning in to speak quietly.
He turned incredulous eyes to her. “You invited him to my wedding?”
“Well, no. Not exactly. But he arrived this morning and rather than have him wait, I thought…if there was a lull…”
Edward’s jaw dropped, and for the first time in his life he was struck well and truly speechless.
“You’ll be pleased to know he found no impediment to your wedding,” she said, offering that morsel up like a peace offering.
He just blinked at her, unable to find a response that would be both appropriately damning and still respectful to the woman who gave him life.
Saying nothing at all seemed the wisest course of action.
But he couldn’t just leave the man standing there, milling about.
And if he did have information that could help sort this mess…
“Investigator?” Herr von Richter asked, his surprise turning triumphant. “You see! You suspect her too! Someone must fetch the constable—”
“No one is fetching anyone!” Edward shouting, then looked around absolutely nonplused. This lot would be the death of him. “We will get to the bottom of this. Right now!”
Selena stood and he took her hand. “You and you,” he said, jerking his head at Herr von Richter and the investigator, Mr. Travers. “The rest of you stay.”
There was another rash of voices of protesting voices until Edward held up his hand to silence them. Anthony leaned in. “Perhaps I should accompany you. Just in case.”
Whether he meant to offer his services in helping to quell Herr von Richter or to keep Edward from doing so, Edward was not sure. Either way, his presence was likely a good thing. Edward nodded. “Very well.”
“Wait a moment,” Lady Griffiths said. “My daughter should hardly be ensconced with three men, alone—”
“I will go with her,” Mrs. Haddon said, glancing at Edward. He nodded, though he had a feeling she had been informing him, not asking his permission.
“Well, if they are going, I should go,” his mother insisted. “After all, he is my investigator and—”
“Later,” his father said, giving his mother a stern glance. “They don’t need our presence mudding the waters just to ease your curiosity.”
She looked as though she would argue but finally sat down with a huff.
“Any more objections?” Edward asked, glancing at everyone with a look that dared them to speak. He nodded sharply. “Very well, then. You lot, with me,” he gestured to the relevant people. “The rest of you, enjoy the next wedding.”
“But—” Mr. Burgess started to object, but Edward thoroughly ignored him, instead marching for the back room with Selena at his side, his best friend at his back, and the rest bringing up the rear.
They were going to get this mess cleared up so he could marry the woman he loved or by God he would make every last one of them disappear and whisk her away to Gretna Green.