Chapter 16
Sixteen
Nicoll wasn’t certain what had happened but Cecil was here during the day and her cousin had come to call, something he had not done since he had delivered his petition.
This could only mean one thing—the Court of Chancery had moved quicker than anyone could anticipate and they had made their decision.
“I thought Lord Cecil had rejected your request to represent you,” her cousin demanded.
“I had no funds in which to pay him,” she answered because she could think of no other excuse.
“Well, that did not keep him from filing a pleading on your behalf this morning.”
“Why would he do so?” Cecil had told her that there was nothing that he could do.
“I assumed it was because he wanted you, or maybe you seduced him into making the claim.”
She sucked in a breath. “How dare you…”
She caught Cecil’s eyes and he shook his head in warning…not to overreact.
“He is a friend; therefore, he must have had a reason for filing the pleading.”
“He may be able to get away with claiming you, and I honestly do not care if he does, but I will convince the court that a rake has no business being responsible for a house full of misses, nor should he have control of the estate since you should have no claim to it either. I am still your father’s closest male heir and I know what is best for my family. ”.
“Which one of them lifted their skirts for you, Claxton? Or did they all?”
Before Nicoll could even react, Cecil drew back and planted Retford with a facer, blood gushed from his nose as he stumbled back.
“You will not win,” he warned.
“I already have.” Cecil nodded to the footman who came forward to assist Retford from the house.
“What have you done?” Nicoll asked as she came to her feet.
“I hit him.” Cecil grinned.
“Yes, I saw that, and have no objection,” she quickly assured him. “What pleading did you file?”
Cecil drew in a deep breath, his hand shaking, but because of the discussion they were about to have and not because he hit Retford. “Might we speak alone?” he nodded to her sisters.
“Yes, of course.” Worry knitted her brow as she nodded to her sisters and gestured to the door.
The last one out appeared to be the eldest, and she closed the door behind her.
He knew their names, and what they looked like, but not who was who. He supposed he should learn that if his petition was granted.
“What happened?” she asked.
He quickly told her what he had learned the day before and how he knew that he needed to act before it was too late, how long it took him and why he hadn’t called on her at midnight.
“What was in your pleading?” she asked.
Cecil drew in another deep breath then blew it out as he tried to prepare himself for her reaction, whatever it maybe.
“I claimed that as I intended to marry you that I should become the guardian of your minor sisters and of the estate. I further explained that given my position and the fact that I am the son of a duke, I can see that everyone was protected and that the funds set aside for the daughters would be safe until they reached their majority or married. I also made the claim that while in most circumstances Retford might be considered the male heir, there was no entailed property, nor was your father titled, therefore, all inheritance belongs to the children of the decedent and that the daughters should benefit from the estate, not a cousin who was barely known, and deeply in debt.” Cecil crossed to the sideboard and poured himself a brandy.
“I am certain that the Court of Chancery will grant my petition and deny Retford his.”
Only then did he turn and look at Nicoll.
She simply stared at him, silver eyes wide.
“Why would you claim that we are to marry?”
“Because I do plan on making you my wife.”
Though, perhaps he should ask her, Cecil feared her rejection.
“You do not have to sacrifice your freedom for me, Cecil.”
He snorted. “Is that what you think I am doing?”
“Yes,” she answered. “You expect me to believe that you want to marry me after you explained why you would not seduce me?”
“They are two different matters entirely.”
“Do not both serve to take advantage of my vulnerable position?”
“Yes, well, when you put it that way, I might seem…”
“Then I cannot allow you to make this sacrifice.”
“But I am not,” he said quietly. “Unless you see it as one—sacrificing your freedom.”
“That is all I have,” she reminded him. “But I would gladly let it go in the right circumstances.”
“Are these not those?”
“Not when you are giving up so much more.”
“What if I want to?”
“How could you possibly want to tie yourself to me…my family? What do you gain?”
He smiled. “You.”
“That is not enough.”
Why was she fighting him? Then again, he was offering a solution to her situation, and a marriage was more than simply solving a problem, which was how it was being presented.
“It is more than I deserve,” he stepped forward and took her hands in his. “I want you. I desire you. I…” He had never said the words before but they needed to be said now. “I love you.”