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CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Rhys understood that he might lose all of her trust if he continued to hide the truth from her, and he considered that it would be better to have her run from him after he had revealed himself than to lose her by lying.
When she nodded, he took a fortifying breath before saying, “It all began with my father. He gambled away his fortune and incurred mountains of debts, and the largest sums were owed to merchants who were not known for their mercy when they came to collect.” He could feel his hand trembling as he ran it through his hair.
She touched his arm. “Rhys—”
“I did not know this until years later, but some of the merchants he owed money to died suddenly, and no one knew what happened. Then a woman died…she was my father’s mistress. Her death did not seem odd at the time until my father died a few months later. I was in Eton at the time and had not seen him in more than two years.”
He saw her swallow and wished he knew what she was thinking because her face had gone completely blank. Still, he continued, “People related to the merchants that died killed my father’s mistress then my father. It was revenge for my father’s crimes committed against them.”
He had deliberately framed his words that way to lessen the impact, and Elizabeth frowned as she considered what he had told her. Then her eyes widened when she understood. “Your father killed them.”
Rhys nodded. “Whomever he did not want to pay, he either killed them himself or made someone do it. After his death, the word began to spread, hence the taint on our family name.” When he felt he could no longer stand, he sat on the divan at the foot of their bed. “I was three-and-ten, but men seeking revenge came for my blood, and nowhere was safe for me.”
Elizabeth sat beside him and took his hand. He closed his eyes to relish her touch while she still wanted to touch him. “What about your grandmother?”
Rhys laughed bitterly, and the memory of how he had been left to deal with his troubles alone made bile rise in his throat. “She was occupied in London. She did not know the trouble I faced until much later when I was already in Oxford.” He cleared his throat. “My father also owed Paxton, who was twenty at the time. Instead of threatening me, he pitied me and offered his help. He would help me cover my father’s crimes, keep the men my father owed from killing me, and in return, I will share everything I earned with him.”
“Did you accept the offer?” she asked.
Rhys decided not to look at her as he answered. He did not want to see the disappointment he was sure was in her eyes. “Yes. Over the years, Paxton and I covered everything we could find that could damn my name. I buried my father’s crimes while I paid the debts. I did not study while I was in Oxford. I trained my body to fight then covered my face and challenged prizefighters in a ring. Paxton would place the wagers, and I would fight. When my interest in building ships grew, I invested the funds I earned while fighting into building my shipping venture.”
He felt her hand on his cheek, and she slowly turned him to look at her. “I understand why you said I will hate you, but I do not, Rhys. You did what you had to do to save your family, and you did it alone.” She smiled up at him. “I can never hate you. Never.”
He quickly pulled her into his arms, not entirely sure he had heard her correctly, but he had to hold her close. “Do you mean that? Because I bear a great deal of guilt. My father should have paid for his crimes, but I concealed them.”
“I mean it, Rhys. And I believe your father had already paid with his life. You wanted your name and title clean, and I do not blame you for it. You did not harm anyone. I want you to find comfort in that.”
“I do not know how I deserve you, Liza.”
“Neither do I,” she laughed. “I think I know why you had those stupid requirements for your bride.”
He chuckled. “I wanted the past buried. I wanted to give the image of perfection to mask the dirt underneath.”
“It is not dirt,” she disagreed, her glorious green eyes alight. “I never imagined that you were once a prizefighter.”
“Now you know.” He smiled. “And Myers will say nothing about it.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” Her fingers lightly grazed his jaw.
“When I started building ships, I gave William the Hammer and Abraham Faraday my support because I was passionate about the sport.”
“What happened to Faraday?”
“He cheated in several fights by giving his opponents opium without them knowing, and then he would bind his hands with a cloth lined with sand, so he could deal harder blows. I withdrew my support, and his career in fighting ended. Four years ago, I received news of his death.” Rhys would tell her about his suspicions when he had confirmed whether Faraday was truly dead.
“That is unfortunate.” She rested her head on his chest, and the relief and joy that filled his heart nearly overwhelmed him. He wanted to tell her about the feeling he had been holding inside since they married, but he wanted to wait a little while longer until he was certain he could have her heart.
“What happened to William is a consequence of my actions, Elizabeth, and I placed you in the path of danger.”
She shook her head. “You did not place me in any danger. I walked into your arms of my volition.” She kissed him. “I am here because I chose to be.”
Rhys leaned back against their seat and pulled her with him. “Do you know what I realized?”
“What?”
“I was an idiot, and I was courting you the entire time. I had requirements I wanted to adhere to, but I still wanted only you.”
