“No. I did it for duty.”
God damn the cur.Vivian deserved to be loved, not seen as a burden. Anger surged through Rupert, but that wouldn’t help him win this fight. Suddenly the bout became all about Vivian, protecting her and making her his. This match was for her. Doubling up on his punches, he aimed for his opponent’s head and stomach.
No more than thirty seconds later Beresford collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. “She says she’ll never wed again.”
The reason for that was what Rupert wanted to know. The attendant took off one of Rupert’s gloves and Rupert held out his hand, grasping Beresford’s. “I know a pub where the ale is the best you’ll find in London.”
Beresford climbed to his feet and nodded. “Excellent idea. You’re bloody good, by the way. I’ve never been taken down before.”
“It’s all in the technique and concentration.” Two things Beresford lacked. “I never allow myself to be distracted from the task at hand.” Nor would Rupert now. Winning Vivian was his main focus, and if he could convince Beresford he need not wed Vivian, the man might be the key to accomplishing Rupert’s nuptials to the lady.
Less than a quarter hour later, they strode out of the boxing saloon, down Bond Street, through the labyrinth of small streets making up Soho, to the Dog and Duck. Rupert kept the conversation to a minimum until they entered the pub, found a table in the back, and called the bar-maid over.
A girl who couldn’t have been more than fifteen swung her hips provocatively as she greeted them. “What you hav’n, me lord?”
“Two pints, if you would, Meg.”
She speared a young man behind the bar with a look. “I just loves the guv’nor. He’s a real gent.”
“Ah, Meggie, give a chap a break.” The young man screwed his face up. “We can’t all be like his lordship here.”
“Harrumph.” Tossing her head, she flounced off.
Rupert glanced over to her father, who rolled his eyes as the man watched Meg drive her betrothed mad.
Once the ale was served, Rupert took a long drink, wanting to carefully form his questions. What he learned about Vivian’s prior life might be crucial to convincing her to marry him.
As before, Beresford jumped in. “Look, call me Nick, if you like, or Beresford if you don’t want to be so informal. I can see you don’t like that I proposed to Vivian, er, Lady Beresford. If you think you can give her a better life, I’ll stand aside.”
That was unexpected, but fitted into Rupert’s plan. “You said she would never wed again. Why is that?”
“She was married to my cousin Edgar. The union was less than desirable for both of them. Although Vivian tried to be a good wife. My cousin had been and was until he died, in love with another woman. She was the exact opposite of Vivian in every way, from birth to appearance.”
Rupert leaned back against his seat and listened.
Beresford took a long draw of his ale. “Edgar and Vivian’s marriage was arranged by their fathers. I honestly think Edgar did his best for the week or so after the ceremony. I do know that Vivian fancied herself in love with him, but that didn’t last long. Their honeymoon was cut short by my uncle’s death, and Edgar was furious that he was stuck with Vivian. He became involved with his mistress, Mrs. Raeford, again, and convinced himself that if he’d waited, he would have been able to find a way to marry her. Which was rubbish. The earl had her married off to an older gentleman farmer as soon as he saw which way the wind was blowing. The old man didn’t mind Edgar keeping her on the side, and paid her husband to turn his head, but he’d be damned if he let his son wed the chit.”
No matter the reason, Rupert couldn’t countenance any man purposely hurting a woman, particularly one he was duty-bound to protect, but he wasn’t an innocent and knew it happened. “Was he cruel to her?”
“He didn’t beat her.” Nick drained the rest of his glass, and Rupert signaled for another. “But he became so angry that he couldn’t be with the woman he wanted, I expect he said things he should not have, and he always compared her to his mistress. I don’t have to tell you that Vivian did not fare well.”
No, she would not have, yet this type of abuse was not what Rupert had expected. Still, it made sense. When he’d complimented her today, she had pulled back. She might be afraid of the same pattern occurring again. “Did he flaunt his mistress?”
“I was gone much of the time”—Nick shook his head thoughtfully—“but I don’t think she knew until close to the end.”
That meant she had been denigrated and had no clue of the reason. Not that knowing would have made it better. “You said you asked her to marry you out of duty. What did you mean?”
“My cousin asked me to. I arrived on the heels of his fall. Edgar knew he’d treated Vivian badly and wanted to make amends.” Nick’s lips formed a grim line. “I told myself I’d ask her twice. The problem is that I’m in love with someone else, as well.” He stared into his empty glass. “For reasons I don’t know, she hates me, but there you have it.”
Rupert stared out the grimy window, watching the passersby. “When did Lady Beresford tell you she would not marry again?”
“When I proposed.” Nick raked his hand through his hair. “I’m a military man. Plain speaking is what I do best. I was always in line after Edgar, but never expected to inherit. If he had done his duty by Vivian, they would have had children. God knows he had several by the other woman. I didn’t know what else to promise her, so I told her I’d give her children.”
Rupert had never heard of a worse proposal in his life. Even Robert’s to Serena had been better than that. Thank God Vivian had had enough pride left to refuse.
For the first time, Rupert wanted to laugh and did, long and hard enough that Beresford started to flush with anger.
“I don’t think it’s that funny,” he groused. His lips began to twitch. “It wasn’t at the time. Although, it probably saved me from a wife I didn’t want.”
