Chapter 12 #2
“She is the most alluring woman I have ever met,” Marco said frankly.
For what reason did he have to lie? He had no cause to shield anything from his family.
As Giovanni was more than a cousin to him, Beatrice was more than his cousin's wife.
They were like siblings to him when his blood brothers and sisters were so far away. He could trust them with his feelings.
“Yet I sense that more than attraction is at play here,” Giovanni said, eyeing Marco reflectively.
“I agree,” Beatrice said quickly. “You are a handsome man, Marco. You have been pursued by many and have enjoyed your dalliances and flirtations. Why has Miss Fitzroy prompted a proposal of marriage so swiftly?”
“Precisely what I meant, my love,” Giovanni said, taking his wife’s hand before looking at his cousin.
“I cannot believe that your heart has been engaged and so quickly.
You love only one thing outside your family, Marco, and that is your business.
And the only thing you have truly cared about since your factory was destroyed is getting revenge upon the man who caused it.
“So that begs the question. How does marrying the Duke of Fitzroy's daughter bring that about? For I cannot think of any other reason for your precipitousness," Beatrice declared, reaching over and again taking a sip from her husband's whiskey glass.
Marco's mouth gaped. Their astute questions and accurate deductions were astounding, as was how they worked in harmony with one another. A product of them having known each other for years before they fell in love.
When Giovanni saw that Beatrice's questions had caused Marco to hesitate, his eyes widened dramatically. He stared at Marco for a moment before leaning forward and whispering, "Good lord. He's the one, isn't he?"
Marco had never told Gio who burned down his factory, just that he was of high rank and had died before Marco could get his revenge.
The marquess had not pushed because he could see how much it bothered him that he could not avenge Thomas’ death.
He’d wanted him to move on, not dwell on something that could not be changed.
Marco couldn’t help but curse his cousin’s quick mind, but decided to try to put him off.
“I am sure I do not know what you mean,” he said, masking the tremor in his hands by sipping his whiskey.
“By God, man. Do not act the fool with me, of all people. Fitzroy was the saboteur!" Giovanni exclaimed.
“Is that true, Marco?” Beatrice asked, giving him a searching look. Marco didn’t answer. He did not wish to lie to them, these people he trusted more than anyone in the world, but the truth was ugly, and he did not want to voice it.
“Do not try to fob us off with a falsehood,” Giovanni said as if he had read Marco’s mind. His face was suddenly very stern. “We deserve your honesty.”
Marco sighed and set his whiskey down, folding his hands in his lap.
“You are correct. Fitzroy was the man who burned down my factory,” he said slowly.
He knew the admission would impact their opinion of his engagement, and he needed to tread carefully.
“He caused the death of a man who was very dear to me.
I have known this since the day of the fire.
I am sorry that I did not tell you. But it didn't seem relevant when the Duke died soon after. "
“So why pursue his daughter? For some kind of revenge?” Giovanni questioned quietly. Marco could hear the hint of disapproval in his cousin's voice, which stung.
“No, ” Marco said reflexively. Then realized he must be frank with his family and himself, so he added, "At least not anymore."
“Good heavens, Marco. Please, tell me you do not intend to ruin the girl.
That would be far beyond the pale," Beatrice stated, her voice as sharp as cut glass.
Marco was reminded that Beatrice was capable of a queenly viciousness when enraged.
She had gained a reputation for this quite apart from her brother's legendary wrath as Lucifer of London.
“No, Beatrice, I do not," Marco told her, hoping to reassure her. "I merely plan to rebuild what the Duke destroyed with his money. Alice wishes to marry me and will not be harmed by this."
"And how will she feel if she learns how much you hate her father?
Or that you plan to use the money you will gain through her for your revenge?
If she loved him, your actions will be a terrible betrayal.
" Giovanni's eyes were dark and unreadable.
Marco could not tell if his distaste was on Alice's behalf or if he was upset that he had kept the identity of his tormentor a secret for so long.
“As she does not seem like she was very fond of him, I do not think it will be an issue,” Marco said, shrugging lightly.
Everything Alice said about her father revealed that she bore her sire no love or respect.
She might have also been hiding something from Marco, but he did not want to think about that.
“But you do not know for certain,” Beatrice said, frowning as she looked down at her hands. “She has run off every other gentleman who dared to approach her, yet she accepted your proposal. That must mean that she trusts you, Marco.”
“That makes me wonder what you have offered her to gain that acceptance,” Giovanni asked, frowning at his cousin.
“Are you saying that you do not deem my considerable charms enough?” Marco asked in a weak attempt at humor. It was a little offensive when both of them shook their heads emphatically.
“Do not take offense. It is not your charms that are in doubt, Marco.
It is just that I know her enough to sense that there must be more to this than you are telling us.
To why she has, after months of disdaining everything about the marriage mart, consented to wed a man who does not even have a title," Beatrice said shrewdly.
"She does not really have to marry at all.
She cares nothing for what the ton says she must do.
She could easily live on her father's money for the rest of her life and not tie herself to anyone. "
Marco cursed Beatrice’s perceptiveness. It seemed he would be unable to keep a single detail of his arrangement with Alice a secret. Beatrice and Giovanni would work it out eventually if he did not confess all now.
“Out with it now. What is the true nature of your engagement?” Giovanni demanded.