Lord Dorchester averted his eyes and his brows knit for asecond—long enough for Matthew to lose all respect for him. Either Lord Dorchester knew and did nothing, or he didn’t know at all.
Both made him complicit.
“He bruised her. You might turn a blind eye to her mistreatment, but I refuse. I’ll not allow his offense to go unpunished.”
“Marquesses do not have the luxury of revenge, Lord Lincolnshire, nor do viscounts. And a father must balance emotion with reason.” Lord Dorchester straightened his spine. “You cannot pick up a pistol or a pen and smite your foes as you see fit. Where do you believe this cycle leads? Wash your hands of it. Make this right before it gets worse.”
“That teaches him that he can get away with it.” Matthew’s voice rose. “He hurt Jasmine, and you would have me reward that with a clean financial slate?”
“Matthew,” Lord Dorchester warned. “Controlyourself.”
“No! You don’t understand! Men like Rothwell don’t stop after the first attack!” He was shouting, but he couldn’t stop. “They bide their time, hiding in alleys and parks! And just when you’rehappy—” he choked. “They ambush you at night!”
When he closed his eyes, he stood in the middle of a hedge maze in the darkest winter, where Sir Reginald held a pistol to Cassandra’s temple. Time had slowed then, like it slowed now. He had hidden in the shadows, waiting for a clear shot—asure shot.And when he squeezed the trigger, he had only one thought in his mind.
Never again.
Never again would he spend months looking over his shoulder, waking at every sound—waiting for a beast to attack. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
Better to have a man under his thumb than at Jasmine’s throat.
“Evil men don’t stop. They have tobestopped,” he finished coldly. “And if I have to be the one to do it, so be it.”
Lord Dorchester’s eyes narrowed.
“One detail you seem to forget is that not only is Jasmine joining your family, you are joining mine.You will not step into my house with mud on your shoes. I’m suspending your courtship with Jasmine.”
“Suspending?!”
“You may resume your courtship once you’ve resolved this matter,” Lord Dorchester said pointedly. “Until then, you are not to see or speak to my daughter.”
“You would keep her from me over this?” Matthew hurled himself to his feet and thrust his arms wide. “Uncle Edward, I love her! I’m doing thisfor her!”
“As am I.” Lord Dorchester’s expression hardened. “I stand by my words and actions, as you do yours.” He pointed to the door. “We’ll speak again when one of those changes.”
***
Jasmine was woken by a hand shaking her shoulder. Disoriented, she peeked open her sleep-heavy eyes. Light drifted through the curtains of her canopy, landing directly across her face. She squinted against it and groaned, burying her face in her pillow. The hand shook her shoulder again.
“Wake up, slugabed,” Mama teased. “It’s almost eleven.”
Jasmine rolled onto her back and glanced up at her mother, sitting at the edge of her bed. Jasmine rubbed her eyes and smelled the leftover rose water still on her palms, with just a hint of the factory underneath. Her body was sore, her legs and abdomen in particular,and a memory flashed through her mind of Matthew—with his head between her thighs.
A flush covered her, and all traces of sleep evaporated. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to sleep so late.”
“Are you unwell?” Mama reached out to touch the back of her hand to Jasmine’s brow. “When you said you were exhausted yesterday, it’s plain to see you meant it. You slept through breakfast.”
Jasmine’s stomach growled in response to the word.
Mama smiled and tucked Jasmine’s hair behind her ear. “I’ll have a tray prepared. You can have lunch in the sitting room while you wait for your caller.”
“Mother, I truly don’t feel up to visitors today.”
“I think you’ll feel up to this visitor,” Mama said mischievously. “A certain curly-haired viscount is in your father’s study.”
“Matthew is here?” Jasmine jolted up. “But we saw each other yesterday. He wasn’t supposed to call today.”
Mama had a twinkle in her eye, similar to one she gave days before Christmas—when she purchased the perfect gift and couldn’t keep it to herself. “Today might be aspecialday. You should wear your best dress, just in case.”
