Page 16 of To Follow her Heart

“If you wish to deny that we ever married, that is one thing,” Miss Connolly said, raising her chin and looking altogether regal with her dark eyes flashing fire. “But tell me you never promised to marry me, or that you never begged to marry me, to run away with me to Gretna Green the moment we could. Tell me I’m lying.”

Mr Baxter stared at her and Jasper knew he couldn’t do it. The poor bastard’s throat worked and he opened his mouth and then closed it again.

“I thought not,” Miss Connolly said, smiling.

“This is the outside of enough,” Mr Derby said in fury. “St Clair, I demand you remove this… this madwoman from the premises at once.”

Jasper stiffened and returned a cool look of disdain. “Miss Connolly is a guest in my house, sir,” he said, giving Derby a look that reminded him he was dealing with the Earl of St Clair, and not some wet behind the ears boy. “Furthermore, I do not believe her to be in the least mentally impaired.”

He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he’d lost his mind but… damn it, he wanted to see if such a thing as true love really existed, if a childhood romance could survive into adulthood.

“In fact, Mr Derby,” he said, moving to stand beside Miss Connolly. “If Mr Baxter has made promises to this young lady—which he has not tried to deny—then I feel honour-bound to support her in any legal endeavour she may undertake.”

Miss Connolly turned an expression of bewildered amazement on him, and Jasper smiled a little.

“My Lord St Clair,” Mr Derby said, the words low and furious. “May I remind you that the Earl of Trevick is a powerful man? Luke Baxter is his last living heir and he has gone to great lengths to get the boy to this point, and to arrange this marriage. The Trevicks and the Lymingtons are eager that the two great families be joined by this union and I assure you the earl will not take kindly to your support of this mad female, dragging the family name through the dirt at such a moment.”

He took a breath, and Jasper could see him trying to arrange his face into something less confrontational, perhaps realising too late that intimidation was the wrong tack.

“Her family is in trade,” said Mr Derby, holding his hands out in supplication. “Surely you can understand…?”

He spoke this last in a cajoling manner, as though a man of Jasper’s bloodline should understand such niceties.

It was a rare thing for Jasper to lose his temper, but he had never warmed to Mr Derby and now he felt his instincts had been spot on. He was a vile bully. Anger surged through him at the temerity of the man, threatening him in his own home.

“I might remind you that I am also a powerful man, Mr Derby,” Jasper said, feeling increasingly like a dog marking his own territory and growing angrier still that such ludicrous words were being forced from his lips. “And if promises have been made to Miss Connolly, then those promises ought to be kept. I suggest you refrain from any further remarks about the lady’s sanity or her family background, or I will not take kindly to it, as I do not take kindly to being threatened.”

Mr Derby stared at him, his expression suggesting he ought to lie down and loosen his cravat if he didn’t want to turn up his toes in the next few minutes. He was purple in the face, his eyes bulging, and he looked as if he hadn’t taken a breath for some time.

“Come, Luke,” he said through gritted teeth. “There is nothing more to be said tonight. We shall speak of this again when everyone has had time to think about their actions.”

The words were snarled more than spoken, his eyes never leaving Jasper’s until he turned and stalked from the room.

Mr Baxter hesitated, apparently torn between helping Lady Frances who was clutching Mrs Drake and sobbing quietly, and going to Miss Connolly, who was staring at him with such hope in her eyes.

“Luke!” Mr Derby bellowed, making everyone jump, but none more so than the man himself, who paled.

He turned to Jasper and bowed.

“My lord,” he said, his voice strained. “Please forgive the disturbance.”

He turned back to Miss Connolly, such despair in his eyes that Jasper knew both his instincts and Miss Connolly’s were right. Derby had some hold over him.

The young man turned and left without another word. Jasper saw Miss Connolly’s eyes fill. He moved to her and grasped her arm, shaking his head. She must not break down yet, not until Lady Frances was gone. To her credit, the girl squared her shoulders, understanding.

Jasper pulled the bell, relieved when Temple appeared at once. Bless the man, he could smell trouble a mile off.

“Please fetch Lady Frances’ maidservant. She has been taken unwell and needs to retire at once.”

It seemed an eternity before this had been accomplished, but finally the woman arrived, and she and Mrs Drake helped Lady Frances to her feet. Jasper was just about to let out a breath of relief when the woman paused at the threshold and turned to give Miss Connolly a look of utter disgust.

“He’ll ruin you,” she said, the words stark. “My father is a duke and the Earl of Trevick wants this marriage badly, and you….” Lady Frances put up her chin. “Irish trade,” she said with a snort, as if that was enough.

In the circumstances, she was probably right.

“That will be all,” Jasper said coldly, earning himself a look of deep reproach from the woman.

“You’ve made an error of judgement, my lord,” she said, her tone icy. “I pray you do not live to regret it.”