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‘Running away again?’ he guessed. ‘Living the rest of your life looking over your shoulder? No, Diana. It’s past time for confronting a bully and calling his dare.’
She shook her head wonderingly, tears pooling in her eyes. ‘My brave, honourable, foolish Alastair. What can you do against the power of a duke?’
It pierced his heart to see her in such anguish—and hardened his resolve that this time, whatever was required, this Duke of Graveston would not have his way. This time, Diana would be freed of his menace, able to live her own life—whether she chose to keep him in it or not.
He pulled her into his arms, and to his immense satisfaction, she clung to him. ‘Never underestimate the ingenuity of a rogue,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘I must go make peace with my sister, but I’ll return later tonight, to plan what we should do next. Will you wait here for me?’
For a moment, she looked hesitant. As his mind scurried about, hunting up more arguments to persuade her, she nodded.
‘Very well, I’ll wait. If only so I can convince you tonight we must part for good.’
‘You’ll never convince me of that,’ he said, giving her a kiss. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
And with that, he paced from the room, leaving her staring pensively after him.
Chapter Thirteen
Alastair hoped to catch his sister at home, preparing for dinner and whatever entertainment she’d chosen to attend that night. To his relief, Simms informed him as he took Alastair’s hat and cane that his mistress was still at her toilette.
Alastair went immediately to his sister’s room and rapped at the door. ‘Jane, it’s Alastair. May I come in and have a word before you head off to dinner?’
A moment later, his sister’s maid opened the door. ‘Please do come in, Alastair,’ Jane called from her seat at her dressing table, where she was latching a necklace of pearls and diamonds about her neck. ‘That will be all, Waters. I’ll ring for you when I return; I shan’t be late tonight.’
After the maid curtsied and went out, Alastair walked to his sister. ‘I owe you an apology, Jane. I’ve neglected you dreadfully.’
She turned towards him as he approached, but when he bent to kiss her cheek, she gave him a roundhouse jab to the ribs. ‘Oh, Alastair, how could you?’ she exclaimed, and burst into tears.
‘Damn and blast!’ he muttered, certain he knew the cause of her distress. For all his attempts at discretion, he might just have well have had the town crier stroll the streets, proclaiming the affair.
Still cursing silently, he held her at arm’s length as, weeping, she tried to pummel him with her fists. ‘Merciful heavens, Jane, get hold of yourself!’
Prevented from striking any further blows, she soon subsided. Pushing him away, she looked up at him accusingly, her lashes glistening with tears.
‘I couldn’t believe it when Hetty Greenlow whispered that you’d leased a house in Green Park Buildings. There could be only one reason for that. Oh, Alastair, how could you let yourself be drawn back into that evil woman’s web?’
‘Am I permitted to speak before you’ve condemned me utterly?’
‘Say what you will. There’s nothing that could reconcile me to the disaster of a renewed association with That Woman.’
‘The circumstances surrounding Diana’s marriage were more complicated than any of us could have imagined. I’d ask you to withhold any further judgement until I’ve acquainted you with the facts.’
And so he related the story Diana had told him of the Duke’s machinations, her submission to them, something of the hardship of her life as the wife of a violent, controlling man, and her difficulties now with the new Duke, who wanted to deny her dower and take away her son. Jane sat stone-faced throughout.
‘I don’t blame you for being sceptical,’ he coaxed. ‘I didn’t believe the story myself, at first. But as I’ve learned more, I’ve come to realise that she truly was coerced into the marriage to protect her father.’ With his sister’s expression still so sceptical, he left out the fantastical threat the former Duke had made against him, as well as the current Duke’s threat, if he were to support Diana against him.
‘She may have convinced you to believe that fairy tale, but I don’t,’ Jane said with a sniff. ‘The only pressure upon her was her desire to be a duchess, and when she’d landed her prize, she broke your heart without a qualm. She deserves whatever she gets! And if, in her scheming, she wasn’t clever enough to secure her financial future after her husband’s death, that’s her own fault. Hasn’t she injured you enough? I cannot believe you would let her draw you into a tawdry fight over guardianship and dower! Her well-being and that of any offspring ceased to be of any importance to you the day she severed your engagement in front of half of London.’
‘Jane, you can’t believe I could, with honour, stand by and let any woman be bullied, threatened, and dispossessed.’
‘I could readily agree to it, if the woman involved is Diana.’
The mantel clock chimed. ‘Drat,’ she muttered, looking over at the timepiece. ‘I must leave at once, or I shall be late for dinner at the Weatherfords’.’
As she rose from the bench and went to the wardrobe for her wrap, Alastair said quietly, ‘Would you like me to leave?’
She halted and looked back over her shoulder. ‘No! No, I want you to stay here. Away from her. Far away from her.’ Her eyes glazing with tears again, her lip trembling, she said softly, ‘I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt again. And I’m terrified that the Dowager Duchess of Graveston still has the power to hurt you.’
He went over and drew her into a hug, which this time, she did not resist. ‘I don’t want to be hurt again either. I admit, there is still...something between us. However, whatever it is, whatever it might become, will have to wait until I’ve seen her protected from a family that has already treated her cruelly.’
‘Just...be careful, Alastair,’ Jane said, disengaging from his embrace. ‘Promise me you’ll be very cautious and very careful.’
‘I can certainly promise that,’ he said, before, smoothing her hair and catching up her shawl, Jane hurried from the room.
Alastair watched her go. Though sorry to have distressed his devoted sister, he was not about to be deterred from the course of action he’d already determined to be essential. Despite the danger that his involvement might draw him ever closer to Diana, a woman whose emotions he might never be able to touch, inviting a heartbreak that could decimate him.
Well, he’d not worry about that now. A small boy’s safety was far more important than the risk to his heart. Telling himself he’d try again later to persuade Jane, after she’d had time to take in all he’d told her, he walked out of the bedchamber.
In the hall, he encountered a delighted Robbie. Anxious as he was to return to Diana, there was nothing for it but to return to the nursery with his nephew for a quick session with his soldiers until the nursemaid bore the boy off to bed.
* * *
By the time Alastair was able to quit the townhouse on Royal Crescent, it was already late. Would Diana still be waiting for him? Or, thinking it too late, would she have given up on him and returned to Laura Place. Even worse, might she think she’d convinced him that abandoning her was the best course?
Driven by his anxiety to see Diana again, Alastair was too impatient to wait for a sedan chair, deciding instead to cover the distance on foot.
He was still disappointed that Diana had had the same reaction as Graveston, discounting his ability to successfully counter the power and influence of a duke. Much as he appreciated her desire to protect him, her fatalistic acceptance that the only way to do that was for him to abandon her made him worry she might take her son and flee before he had the chance to convince her otherwise.
* * *
When he skidded over the threshold to be told by Marston that the lady still awaited him in the parlour, the sense of relief left him light-headed.
After ordering refreshments, he went at once.
Diana looked up as he entered, then ran to him. From the fierceness of her hug and the bleakness in her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her, he suspected she’d only waited in order to bid him a final goodbye.
He’d just have to persuade her that wasn’t going to happen.
Marsden brought in wine and food. Not until after he’d coaxed her to sit and take some nourishment, did he finally return to the matter at hand.
‘Thank you for waiting for me. I’m still not convinced Graveston is foolish enough to proceed with his ridiculous vendetta, but it would be best for us to make plans in case he does.’
She gave him a sad smile. ‘I’ve already told you what we need to do. I would have returned to my lodgings when you went out, so I might begin my preparations—but I left you once without a word. This time, I wanted to give you at least the courtesy of a goodbye.’
