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‘There’s probably one more thing I should tell you.’
Will raised an eyebrow. ‘Why is there always one more thing?’
‘The Duke also threatened me. He had Diana watched, and so discovered that, very soon after she fled Graveston Court for Bath, we...began a relationship. He advised me to keep my distance, warning that if I intervened to help her, he would drag me into this, claiming that I’d encouraged her to do away with her husband so she might take up with the man who’d once been her lover.’
‘The cad!’ Will exploded. ‘There’d be immense satisfaction in thwarting him just because he’s a duke—but now, it’s personal. No one can get away with threatening one of the Rogues. But devil’s teeth, Alastair,’ he added in exasperated tones, ‘you certainly led straight into the Duke’s trump suit with that play!’
‘Well, I wouldn’t have, had either of us any idea there was a game on. Or maybe not,’ he admitted. ‘Once I saw her again, once she approached me, the...need to be with her, to try to finish what had been between us, would have been too strong to resist, whatever the danger.’
Will studied him for a moment. ‘Am I allowed to ask whether this will end once and for all what was between you?’
‘You can ask,’ Alastair said with a sigh. ‘I just don’t have an answer yet—and not because I’m trying to fob you off. It’s impossible, of course, to recapture the innocence of the passion we shared eight years ago. Too much has happened, to both of us. This business with the Duke interfered before I’d been with her long enough to decide whether this was the bittersweet epilogue to something ended long ago, or the start of...something new. Either way...she’s still in my blood. But all I mean to concentrate on right now is seeing her safe from his bullying—she and her son, whom, by the way, the Duke is also trying to take away from her so he may make the boy suffer. I’ll worry about what happens next afterward.’
‘He’d vent his pique on a child?’ Will said in disgust. ‘He truly is a piece of work! You do realise if the Duke continues to be unreasonable about this, there is no way, short of kidnapping and transportation—which I might be induced to attempt on a man vile enough to prey upon a defenceless woman and an innocent child—to prevent him from making the accusations public, however groundless they may be. You know how London loves a scandal. The demise of a duke, accusations against the widow, an illicit affair with a former lover when the earth has scarcely settled over her late husband’s grave—the penny press would make a fortune! Not that anyone who knows you would credit your being involved in such a scheme, but the hullabaloo might seriously damage your reputation. You are sure you want to do this?’
Alastair looked at his cousin incredulously. ‘You don’t truly think I’d turn tail and abandon a woman—any woman—to face slander and intimidation alone, after walking her into it?’
‘If you did, we’d have to ceremonially break your sword and drum you out of the Rogues,’ Will agreed. ‘I just wondered if, in your zeal to right this wrong, you fully understood the risk.’
Alastair shrugged. ‘If we fail, and scandal is the result, so be it. After years of snubbing virtuous young maidens in favour of actresses, widows and matrons of dubious character, my reputation isn’t that shiny-bright anyway. Whether the Duke’s vendetta succeeds or fails, if he convinces the Court of Chancery to give him custody of the boy, I’ll take them abroad. But I have a high regard for your powers of discernment and invention. If anyone can figure a way to pressure Graveston into reconsidering his attack, it’s you.’
Will made a bow. ‘Many thanks for the vote of confidence. Have you thought of speaking to our uncle? In case the Duke does manage to intimidate the local authorities into pressing forward to a trial?’
‘I don’t imagine the Earl would receive me with much enthusiasm. Last time we spoke, I left him in a cold fury for not defending Max—though I wasn’t bold enough to take him to task for not supporting his son during the scandal.’
‘Then you’ll be happy to know Max and his father have reconciled,’ Will informed him. ‘Max told me when we stopped at Denby Lodge on our way from Paris. Not that the Earl admitted he’d been wrong not to embrace Max’s cause, but he did apologise.’
‘He apologised?’ Alastair echoed incredulously. ‘Wish I could have heard that! Maybe he’s mellowing, now that Max has produced a grandson.’
Alastair fell silent, thinking furiously. He’d not meant to approach his uncle unless absolutely necessary—but if the Earl had belatedly developed some family feeling, perhaps he should rethink that decision. Someone of the Earl’s wide-ranging influence could be tremendously helpful in squelching whatever scandal the Duke could dredge up.
‘Maybe I will consult him. I’d like his support, but even if he won’t offer that, if yet another Ransleigh cousin is about to stir up a hornet’s nest of trouble that might come buzzing into the Lords, I should give him a warning before he gets stung.’
‘A good precaution. About your lady... I don’t think any man can offer truly useful advice on a matter so individual but...let me just say this. Regardless of the scandal that might ensue, if you can’t envisage life without her, don’t give her up. The Earl’s displeasure, the censure of those who know your name but not the man, the vast titillation you’d provide for Society’s tattle-mongers—none of that matters a pin. To build a life with Elodie, I was willing to risk a break with everyone—even the Rogues, and you know how much all of you mean to me. If what you feel for Diana is that strong, the Rogues will stand by you—regardless of our initial doubts about the lady. And if she must flee England to keep her son, bring her to us in Paris.
‘But enough of melodrama,’ Will pronounced before Alastair could get past the lump in his throat to thank him. ‘Let me pour you another glass while I put my reprobate brain to formulating a plan for evidence-gathering. I shall also have to think of an excuse to put off Elodie, lest she try to come along and keep a watchful eye over me.’
‘You think she might be induced to visit Barton Abbey instead?’ Alastair asked, taking another sip of his brandy. ‘Mama would enjoy seeing her, and Diana’s son is of an age with Philippe. James, I’m sure, would love to have another boy to explore with.’ He gave a short laugh. ‘Though Mama’s come round to supporting Diana, I don’t think my sister Jane has yet forgiven me enough for taking back up with her to lend me Robbie.’
‘If I can convince Elodie I don’t need her to guard my back, you could probably persuade her to visit. Our being safe and together, like her recovering Philippe, is still so new, we’re hesitant to be apart. Though she was a full participant during our adventures on the road from Vienna to Paris, I think she views disguise and subterfuge as unfortunate necessities, rather than tricks that add spice to the game.’
‘Still the same Wagering Will,’ Alastair observed with a grin. ‘Your journey being a continuation of the sleight-of-hand spectacles you organised at Eton to earn pennies? No, don’t tell me—I’m probably better off not knowing. I always thought, though, you enjoyed the thrill of besting the other boys—and the risk of punishment if you were discovered—more than the meat pasties you bought with your earnings.’
‘Spoken like a true privileged son, who’s never known what it is to be hungry!’ Will shot back, though Alastair noted he did not disagree. ‘Elodie is looking for activities to amuse Philippe, so he will be as eager to accompany us on our trips back to England as she is to have him with us. I’m sure she’d be delighted for Philippe to make an acquaintance he can look forward to renewing each time we return.’
‘Beginning a new generation of Ransleigh Rogue cousins?’
‘Something like,’ Will agreed. ‘You can ask her yourself at dinner. You will stay a few days, won’t you?’
‘Just the night. Diana will be anxious,’ he explained to Will’s murmur of disapproval. ‘I want to reassure her you will soon be in place, with our plan under way, and I think I’ll take your advice and consult our uncle in London before I return to Barton Abbey.’
Will whistled. ‘Your case must be serious indeed, if you’d rather face our censorious uncle than go rousting about with me.’
‘If I thought I could be useful slinking about Wickham’s End with you, I’d go without hesitation. But as someone once pointedly informed me that I look and act too much like a “privileged son of wealth” to pass unnoticed, I’d better leave subterfuge to the master.’
‘Probably wise. I do understand the need to do everything you can for someone you’ve pledged to protect, so I’ll not tease you any further. You’ll want to change out of the dust of the road before dinner; Susan will show you to a bedchamber. Did you bring your valet?’
