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“No, thank you. I fear this is more of a business call than a social one.”
“Of course,” the viscount returned distractedly. He exhaled heavily then turned to face Miles. “You said Eugenia is at the Marlington Estate?”
“Indeed,” Miles said evenly. “She arrived with the claim about being enceinté with my bastard child and demanded that I marry her.”
“I… see.” The viscount’s voice was little more than a whisper.
Miles reached into his jacket and withdrew the marriage contract that he’d found in the safe. “I also recovered this at the estate. It’s the original agreement between you and the previous duke, but this one has the Marlington seal on it, the vital part that was missing from the one you had shown me.” He tucked it back into his jacket and lifted a brow. “It made me wonder why you had fabricated yours, and also why the duke might have withheld such vital information from his daughters, until I read the amendment. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what it says.”
The viscount shook his head, his shoulders slumped in defeat as he walked over to his desk. He downed the last of his drink and set it on top of the wood. “No, you don’t. I’m well aware of the words exchanged between us.” He dropped his hand temporarily out of sight, and then lifted it to reveal a gun in his grasp. He pointed it directly at Miles, his eyes lit with an unholy fire. “But neither do I intend to allow Eugenia’s name to become besmirched because you can’t be manipulated by the rumors surrounding your own madness.”
Miles kept his hands at his sides. It wasn’t the first time he’d had a pistol pointed at him, nor was it the first time he wondered about the lucidity of the man aiming it at him. “I admit that there have been times I have wondered about my own sanity. But I don’t see what you might gain from shooting me, other than to be arrested for murder and hanged. And where would that leave your daughter?”
The weapon wavered slightly. “It’s not as if it matters. I don’t have a way to properly care for her myself. I’m nearly penniless. It was all I could do to keep my wife satisfied with her visits to the modiste.”
“Then perhaps you should have curbed such an extravagant lifestyle to one more suited to your circumstances until you found a way to alter them,” Miles pointed out.
The viscount snorted. “I loved my wife, and I would have died myself rather than allow society to snub their noses at us. You may not care if there are whispers behind your back, but when there is speculation that your child is touched in the mind, it’s a difficult burden to carry. We did what we must to protect her, and ourselves, from scandal.” He glared down his nose at him. “But it’s not as if you would understand. You never had to worry about anyone else’s needs but your own.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Miles countered. “I had a younger sister whose death has haunted me for years. I also witnessed brave soldiers die all around me on the battlefield while I continued breathing.” He clenched his jaw. “So don’t tell me that I don’t understand how it can feel to assume responsibility for others. Rest assured I have had my share of loss and misery.”
The seconds ticked by and then the viscount finally lowered his weapon to the desk. He braced both of his hands on the mahogany and hung his head, as if he didn’t have the strength to hold it up any longer. “Forgive me, Your Grace. If you feel the need to call Bow Street, I will not resist.”
“I don’t think there’s a need for that. We’re both still standing,” Miles returned. “And although I should just leave you and your daughter to your fates, I would like to offer the opportunity to help you.”
Lord Rundale lifted his head and a momentary glimpse of hope passed across his features. “But why would you do that after I just threatened you?”
Miles’s gaze was steady. “Because I don’t know about you, but I’ve witnessed enough suffering in this lifetime. Why should I wish to enact more when I have it within my power to ease it?”
The viscount’s eyes had a glimmer to them, as if they had filled with tears. “You are a good man, Your Grace.”
“It took me a long time to accept that,” Miles murmured. “But I’m starting to finally believe it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“I’m still not sure about this, Callie.”
Olivia had just entered the parlor, dressed and ready to go to Vauxhall, when Isadora quickly covered some correspondence with another sheet of vellum. She frowned, because it seemed quite out of character, as she had never known her eldest sister to be so secretive before.
“Is something amiss?”
“What? Oh, it’s nothing. Just a letter I was penning to ah…er… cousin.”
Olivia definitely wasn’t convinced now, for Isaneverstuttered, but when she would have questioned her further, Calliope strode into the room in a flurry of green satin. “Shall we depart? We shouldn’t want to miss any of the festivities!” She paused abruptly. “Oh! I nearly forgot.” She grabbed a mask from a nearby table and shoved it at her. “This is yours.”
Olivia smiled weakly, but she followed her exuberant sister into the foyer.
She gathered her velvet pelisse from the footman, and once Calliope had donned hers, they marched out the front door and entered the carriage that was waiting.
Olivia shivered, because although it was not as cold as it had been in recent days and the sky was clear, the stars twinkling in the inky night, she was rather anxious about the ball. Not only was this her first visit to Vauxhall Gardens, where any number of clandestine arrangements were rumored to take place, but it was as if that courageous woman she’d recently uncovered had abruptly retreated into her shell and slammed the door, locking it firmly. She yearned for the duke’s strong presence—but he wasn’t there.
She had made sure of that.
As the carriage stopped and the door was opened, Calliope started to climb out, but Olivia stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I… can’t… do this,” she breathed. It seemed as though her lungs had seized up on her, as her heart hammered in her chest.
Calliope paused and put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll do fine, Livy. Remember what Minty always said. Just put one foot in front of the other.”
Olivia closed her eyes and released a steady exhale. After a moment, she nodded her head. “Promise me that we won’t stay long?”
