He blinked. He’d just assumed she wanted what other women of their social status wanted. A titled husband and children.
Before he could say anything, Lucien and Adrian entered the room. They both looked surprised to see Allison, but neither of them commented on it.
“Where’s Fiona?” Adrian asked, his eyes troubled.
“She’s still sleeping,” Morgan replied. “I didn’t want to wake her.”
Adrian nodded. “Good. I was afraid she wouldn’t sleep a wink.”
“She was very upset. I know she’s still worried about what will happen to her.” He steeled himself for their protests. “I think I have a plan, though.”
“Good.” Lucien filled a plate for himself and sat down next to Allison. “I managed to put off Inspector O’Brien last night. I told him that we’d answer all his questions this morning. I expect him to arrive any time now.”
Relief washed over Morgan. He’d feared that O’Brien would press Lucien for details and that Lucien would have had to tell him something that they’d now be locked into.
“I’m going to tell him that I’m the one who killed Roger,” he said without preamble. “I’ll claim that I did it to keep him from killing Fiona.”
The room grew quiet, though Allison let out a soft gasp. He frowned. He’d nearly forgotten she was there. Hopefully, she could be counted on to keep his secret. If not for the conversation they’d just had, he would have been worried, but he now felt a bit differently. As for his brothers, he couldn’t tell what they were thinking.
“Why don’t we just tell him the truth, that Fiona killed him to save her own life? It was self-defense; we can all vouch for that.” Lucien looked troubled, but despite his words, his tone was more that of a devil’s advocate.
“You know why,” Adrian interjected. “Because of who she is. Her history. Nothing will happen to Morgan if he claims responsibility for this. He is a peer, involved in a dispute with another peer. They will paint Fiona as a low-bred whore who killed an earl.”
Morgan gave his brother a grateful glance.
“No!” Fiona’s voice cut through the room, and he whirled to see her standing in the doorway. “I won’t let you do this, Morgan. I can’t.”
He surged to his feet and went to her side, grabbing her hand and staring into her eyes. “There’s a chance that they’ll prosecute you. I’m nearly positive that I’ll face no repercussions at all. Please, Fiona, let me do this for you.”
She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “I love you for wanting to, but I can’t let you risk it. Think about your children. They need you here.”
Her words washed over him like ice water. He’d been so concerned with what would happen to Fiona, he hadn’t even considered that he might leave his children orphans.
“I know that Lucien is right. That I’ll be seen as... a whore.” Her voice broke, and he gathered her into his arms, not caring what anyone thought. “But I have to take responsibility for what I’ve done. I took a man’s life. I have to bear some responsibility for that.”
“No,” he said hoarsely. “He was going to kill you. You only did what you had to do.”
“As did you,” she whispered. “I feel the same guilt that you did.”
“But I didn’t take responsibility then,” he reminded her. “I was a coward.”
“You were a child,” she reminded him.
Lucien cleared his throat. “I admire how you’re both willing to sacrifice yourselves, but I think Morgan is right. The authorities won’t dare do anything to him. Not with me and Adrian vouching for him.”
Fiona laughed bitterly and stepped back. “Unlike a whore such as me.”
“Don’t say that,” Morgan snapped. “I don’t ever want you to use that word in regard to yourself again.”
“You might as well get used to it,” she said hollowly. “It’s the word everyone else will use.”
He rubbed his hand through his hair, frustrated. “Fiona, I told you last night. I don’t care what people say. I don’t care what they think. I want you to be my wife, and everyone who has a problem with that can go hang. But if you do this, I could lose you. And I can’t bear that. Your father didn’t protect you when he should have. Let me fix that. Let me do this for you.”
Her tears spilled over, streaking down her face.
“Let him,” Adrian said softly. “Please, Fiona, let him help you.”
Fiona looked around the room, obviously stunned by the show of support.
