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“But you are still concerned,” she added.
“Yes. I am going to meet with the runner I hired and tell him what I know about Jonathon and what has happened to him. Then I shall get the special license and we will marry in the morning before we leave. Send a note to Hart and your sister so they can witness the event.”
“I will.”
He tightened his arm around her as he nuzzled her neck. “Please don’t leave the house today. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you.”
She nodded. “Please be careful today.” She rolled over and stared at him. “I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you either.”
He wanted to make love to her right then, but he had far too many things to settle before leaving for the estate. “I need to get out of bed.”
“So soon?” she said, tracing a finger down his jaw.
He groaned. “Yes. I really must.” He clasped her hand and kissed it. “This we will do later.”
“Good.”
He quickly dressed and went downstairs for some coffee and food. As he ate, he pondered what he could do to find the person responsible for trying to kill him. A knock at the front door brought him back to reality.
“My lord, Mr. Alistair Tavers is here to see you and says it is of the utmost importance.”
“Show him to my study, Nelson.”
Braden wondered why Alistair would be here so early in the morning. It was only nine. With a shrug, he walked to the study, where he found Alistair pacing the room. “Alistair, what is wrong?”
“Thank God, you are all right,” he said. Relief filled his face. “When it happened, I could only assume someone must have gotten to you and Jonathon.”
“Sit down and tell me what has you in such a state.”
Alistair took a deep breath and sat in a chair. “Last night, I was arriving home and as I left the carriage, someone took a shot at me. It just missed me.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Braden asked. “I certainly had nothing to do with it.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Alistair said vehemently. “I thought if someone was trying to kill me that you and Jonathon must already be dead.”
“I see.” Braden stared at his cousin. Nothing in his attitude today looked as if it was a performance. Alistair seemed genuine. “And if I were dead and Jonathon too, you would be the next viscount.”
“I don’t want that responsibility,” he said with a wave of his hand. “I wouldn’t mind the money, but I also know most of what you have is from your gaming interests and not the estate. It would only be a burden to me.”
“Good point. I spoke with Jonathon yesterday and he also believes someone is making an attempt on his life.”
“Good God! What the bloody hell is happening?” Alistair rose and started pacing again. “Why would anyone want to kill us all? Is there some kind of curse on the title?”
Braden almost laughed at the idea of a curse on them. “Do you have any idea who would inherit if you had the title and died?”
Alistair halted his pace. “I have no idea. It never occurred to me to check, because I assumed the chance of inheriting was too slim. After Constance and Louisa, there are no other close relatives and they obviously cannot inherit.”
A very strange plan came to Braden’s mind. “Why don’t we find out?”
“What do you mean?”
“What would happen if all three of us should happen to die in an accident?”
“Dear God, don’t think of such a thing.”
Braden laughed. “I meant, what if everyone thought we had died?”
“Oh,” Alistair said with a slight grin as he realized Braden’s plan. “Then whoever believes he is the next in line to inherit will appear to claim the title.” He sat back down. “But Middleton, that could take weeks. I don’t want my sisters to believe me dead all that time.”
