“I know Duncan is a gentleman with your best interests at heart,and my hawkishness already failed you once tonight when I allowed you to leave the ballroom unattended. I should have gone with you.” Serendipity pinched the bridge of her nose as though her head ached as well. “Between the two of us, perhaps we could have stopped that despicable fool.” She dropped her hand to her side, tears in her eyes. “I failed you, Merry. Please forgive me.”
Dismayed at her sister’s unfounded guilt, Merry hurried over and pulled her into a hug. “You did not fail me. You waited for Duncan just as I asked, and it wasn’t as though we knew I was headed to that devil. We both thought I was going to visit Lady Evelyn.”
Chance and Malcolm arrived, looking as spent as Merry felt.
“Now what the blazes has happened?” Chance asked.
“Nothing more than has already happened,” Merry said as she returned to her seat beside Duncan. She forced herself to sit a bit more properly this time, for her brother’s peace of mind. She had to take back her control. Brixham would not be allowed to best her. “What did you do with Brixham?”
“Lord Atterley had him removed,” Chance said.
“With our help,” Malcolm added.
“And the footman who assisted him has been dismissed without a reference.” Chance scrubbed a hand across his face and went to stand in front of the fire. “Lord and Lady Atterley appeared sympathetic, as did Lady Kirkston.” He nodded at Duncan. “One of Lady Atterley’s maids accompanied your mother home so she wouldn’t have to make the carriage ride alone. Malcolm informed her of this evening’s details. I believe she was going home to load all of your guns and oil your swords.”
Duncan nodded. “That sounds like Mother. I am glad she nay felt deserted by her sons.”
“She took a great liking to ye,” Malcolm said to Merry. “I told her how ye fought that cur and had him good and bloodied before we finally found ye.”
The ominous detail crushing her chest kept her from smiling. “Chance—did he tell you he had already obtained a special license?”
Her brother raked a hand through his hair, mussing the fashionable blond cut. “He mumbled something along those lines. I hoped it to be a lie, but we found the dratted thing inside his coat pocket.”
“You should have thrown it into the fire,” Serendipity said.
“You know that would have done no good.” Chance sagged into a chair beside the hearth. “The bloody thing is recorded at the ecclesiastical court at Doctors’ Commons.”
Merry covered her face with her hands and groaned. “I am as good as married to that arse.”
“Ye are not,” Duncan said so loudly that everyone jumped. “Ye’ve not spoken the vows in front of a vicar, nor have ye signed the marriage contract or the marriage lines in a parish register.”
“We can bring charges against him,” Chance said, his tone less than hopeful. “But you know as well as I do that the House of Lords would side with him because there are no witnesses and no evidence of his harming you.”
“I know,” Merry said, a sense of despondency settling across her. “I am a mere woman, and my word means nothing.”
Chance jutted his chin higher. “You made us proud tonight, Merry. He will probably never regain the sight in that eye. What did you hit him with?”
“A candelabrum that should have weighed more than it did. I fear Lady Atterley went cheap when decorating that particular parlor.”
“Well done, sister. At least you left him something to remember you by.”
“I wish I had been more effective.” She wouldn’t repeat that she wished Brixham dead, even though all in the room would agree. She feared even more bad luck would come down upon her for saying such a terrible thing out loud too many times.
Duncan rose and paced the length of the parlor like a cagedanimal. “I shall get a special marriage license that will make the first invalid, and then we shall marry.”
Merry’s hopes rose until she noticed her brother’s pained expression. “What, Chance? Why could that not be done?”
Chance raked his hand through his hair again and cast a frustrated glance at the parlor door. “We should have requested drinks.”
“I did,” Serendipity said. “They will be here shortly. Now, answer our sister. Why could Duncan’s solution not be accomplished?”
Rubbing the back of his neck as though it ached, Chance gave them a dubious shrug. “The archbishop will not take kindly to a request for another special license for the same woman, and this time, so she can marry a Scot newly elected to the House of Lords.” He shrugged again and slowly shook his head. “He could very well refuse, seeing the grounds as most irregular.”
“Go with Duncan and explain the circumstances to His Grace. Surely a man of his standing will see sense and find some shred of compassion. He is the senior bishop in the church, for heaven’s sake.” This had to work. Merry refused to let go of this possibility.
“Although pride doth goeth before a fall,” Chance said, “there is none prouder than the archbishop. At the very least, he will refuse to grant another special license until the first one has run its course of ninety days with no marriage.”
“Ninety days for Brixham to stir the gossips and dominate the Season with lurid whisperings about me.” Merry held her head, closing her eyes and trying not to think about all the tales he would tell. And this wouldn’t just affect her. Chance and Serendipity would be just as tainted. Even her married sisters could be affected.
