Page 75 of Maid for the Marquess

“He will not. I assure you. Be at peace with that.”

“He will try. He is an ugly man.”

I looked at the journals. “Does Lady Wheaton know?”

“No.”

“I will tell her once I have dealt with the baron. It might ease her mind in many ways.” I lifted a journal. “What of her real father?”

“A young nobleman, deeply in love with my mistress. They planned to marry, then he was killed by a footpad. My Felicity—my mistress—was beside herself with grief. A few weeks later, she was introduced to Lord Barnett…” She trailed off. “The rest you know and can read in greater detail in the journals.”

I ran my hand over the dull leather.

“Inside the second book is a likeness of Lady Wheaton’s mother. It was all I could save before the baron destroyed everything.”

I flipped open the pages, staring at the small image tucked into the back.

“She is like her,” I said quietly. “He should have found comfort in that instead of hating her.”

“He is not of sound mind, my lord. Once she died, I don’t think he ever was. Grief and anger destroyed him.”

“No, he is not.” I glanced up. “This will mean the world to my wife. She has said often she wishes she had an image of her mother.”

“I have been guarding that image, knowing one day I would give it to her. I removed the journals from the desk before we departed. They should belong to Lady Wheaton, not the baron. I felt today was the day to give them to you and you were the person to trust to tell her this story.” She reached into her pocket, withdrawing a small brooch. “I found this after his rampage. It had fallen under the dressing table. I have kept it hidden for her ladyship all these years.”

I studied the delicate brooch. The dull gold glinted in the light, the sapphires and small diamonds twinkling. The center stone was surrounded by filigree and tipped with matching jewels, enhanced with the tiny diamonds at each of the four tips of the oval brooch.

“It is lovely.”

“It was a gift to Felicity from Lady Wheaton’s real father. It was all she had of him.”

“She will treasure this.” I looked up. “Do you recall the name of her father?”

“Louis Dupont.” She sighed quietly, then finished her glass of wine. “He was the last of his line.”

“So she has no family left,” I mused. “She will be saddened by that.”

“I have heard there is a much younger female cousin somewhere in England, but I don’t know if that is true.” She reached over and patted my hand. “She is more than happy with you, my lord. Her own family. And I think knowing the truth will only add to her happiness.”

“I am in your debt once again for telling me all this, Geraldine. Thank you.”

She left, drawing the door shut behind her. My mind was ablaze with what she had shared. Barnett was not Maddie’s natural father. For some men, it would be a blow, but they would move on. However, he became so twisted with his own anger and grief that he took it out on her. A defenseless, naive child who had just lost her mother. He had punished her for years for something that was no fault of hers. She had tried her entire life to be the daughter she thought he wanted. Obedient. Subservient. Anxious to please.

Only, you cannot please a monster filled with hate.

And now, he was back, wanting once again to destroy her. Dissolve the happiness she had found. He didn’t want the information these journals contained to be known.

That was the reason for this duel.

He thought I knew. That Maddie knew.

And he wanted us both silent.

I stood and bellowed for Edward.

This changed things.

CHAPTER 20