The knot in Merry’s chest, the tension she had carried since the night of Lady Atterley’s party, relaxed the slightest bit. She pulled in a deep breath, then let it go. “God rest his soul. I hope he finds peace.”
Her maid eased the teacup into her hands. “Here, my lady. Drink and find a bit of peace for yourself.”
“Did ye not give her any brandy?” Lady Evelyn asked. “She’ll not rest without some brandy.”
Merry covered the cup with her hand. “No brandy. I must stay in control of my faculties in case Duncan needs me.”
The dowager smiled. “Ye are a good lass, ye are. I am thankful my Duncan found ye.” Eyes glistening with tears, she slowly shook her head. “I feared he would never find happiness. Not after the way his father beat it out of him.”
“Why was he so cruel to Duncan? Malcolm mentioned it once as well.”
“As eldest, Duncan felt it his duty to protect his brother and sister from his father’s rages. Whenever the devil started toward them, Duncan would throw himself into harm’s way and bring down the hell upon himself rather than them.” Nodding to her maid to freshen her cup of tea, she folded her thin, blue-veined hands in her lap. “I tried to save them once. Left the demon and took them away. He dragged me back and made it clear that if I ever tried that again, he would kill me as well as them. I had to stay alive. For them.”
Sick at heart, Merry couldn’t comprehend the horrors that Duncan and his family had survived. She turned to Lady Evelyn, wrapped an arm around thegrande dame’s thin shoulders, and hugged her. “You showed great strength in shielding them as best you could. Thankheavens all of you survived.”
The dowager gave her a reassuring pat. “My Catherine came back and saved us all, sending the devil back to hell where he belonged.”
Merry wasn’t sure if it was the brandy, her weariness, or her sensibilities shutting down after the tumultuous evening, but she didn’t understand. She arched a brow at Serendipity, who replied with a faint shrug that said she had no idea what that meant either.
“Your Catherine?” Merry gently prodded.
“Aye. Duncan’s twin, who drowned in the carriage accident.” Squinting her eyes tightly shut as if trying not to cry, Lady Evelyn forced a smile. “She and her husband were so excited that she finally had a bairn on the way. So many years had passed without their having a child.” She shook her head, then cleared her throat. “At least they all died together.”
“Malcolm said your husband blamed Duncan.”
“The devil blamed Duncan for everything, but Catherine put a stop to that.”
“How so?”
Lady Evelyn threw out her chest with a proud nod. “Catherine appeared to him. Shocked his heart that I never thought he possessed and threw him into a fit.” Satisfaction settled across her, making her sit taller still. “He said she came to him, damning him to hell for the way he had treated Duncan, for the way he had treated all of us. He died the next day at sunrise, his face twisted in fear.” She patted Merry’s arm. “Justice eventually comes, child. Sometimes it takes its time, but eventually, it comes.”
Remembering Lord Brixham’s end, Merry nodded. “Indeed, and now it is time for Duncan to be happy.”
“And yerself as well,” Lady Evelyn reminded her.
“When we return to London,” Serendipity said, “we shall have the banns read immediately.”
“We are not returning to London.” Merry braced herself. Serendipitywould not be pleased. “Duncan wishes to continue to Gretna Green, and so do I. As soon as there is no longer any danger of infection, we shall go.”
“But there is no need now. With Brixham’s death, not only is the special license rendered invalid, but there is no one to bring a claim why the two of you should not wed.” Serendipity started pacing, a mildly irritating habit she had whenever things didn’t go as she wished. “We can have a church ceremony, and a fine wedding breakfast. Would that not be lovely?”
Merry handed her teacup to Lady Evelyn, rose from her seat on the bed, and stopped Serendipity in her tracks. “It would be lovely for someone who wants that. I do not. I wish to marry at Gretna Green as soon as Duncan is well enough. That is what he wishes as well. It would more than likely make us husband and wife faster than returning to London and having the banns read for the next four Sundays in a row, then planning a wedding.”
“Faster?” A leeriness settled across Serendipity. “Is there something I should know?”
“Yes.”
Serendipity’s eyes nearly bulged from her head.
Merry couldn’t help but grin. “What you need to know is that I wish to be Duncan’s wife. Now.” She poked her sister. “And when have you ever allowed me out of your sight long enough for anything untoward to happen?”
“Well, you are most ingenious at times, and I cannot always be with you.”
“I shall take that as a compliment.”
Arms folded and her nose in the air, Serendipity huffed. “That was not how it was intended.”
“We should sleep, or at least attempt to,” Lady Evelyn announced. “The hour grows late. Let us all settle into our beds and on our pallets and try to close our eyes before dawn creeps in and catches uschatting.”
