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“How do you know that? We chased her up here—”
“You thought she was missing, but in actual fact, she was not.”
“I don’t understand. You thought she was missing too. Didn’t you?”
He shook his head.
“Och, the lad be in trouble with his new bride already!” the Scotsman said with far too much glee.
“Then Becky isn’t missing?”
“She appeared not an hour after you left,” her grandfather said. “Just like I told her to.”
“You what?”
Theo’s high-pitched ascending note drew a gasp from young Bellingham and further mirth from the tollbooth officer.
Daniel frowned. “Thank you, sir. I don’t know that we’ll require your services anymore.”
“Nae?” The Scotsman rubbed his jaw again. “Weel, that be half a guinea then, me man, that’s me usual charge.”
Daniel paid the man, who chuckled, reiterating with a wink that they’d paid for the use of the bedchamber, before wishing them well and retreating to another room, leaving Daniel to turn to his disgruntled bride. “Theo, darling, I hope you don’t judge me too harshly—”
“Put the blame on me, lad. Put the blame on me,” the general said.
“Grandfather, whatever do you mean?”
Theo listened as between them her grandfather and her new husband shared about the general’s plan. Everyone she’d thought she knew—Mama, Becky, the lieutenant—actually had conspired against her?
The knowledge was so galling she could not look at either man who claimed to have her interests at heart. How could they have treated her so?
“You had to beforcedto marry me?” she whispered, inching away from Daniel and placing her hand on her mouth.
“Ah, don’t blame him, lass,” her grandfather said. “We knew how you felt about the man—”
Heat tingled through her skin. Oh dear heavens. How obvious had she been?
“—and circumstances would never allow for a traditional wedding.” He cast a withering look at Frederick. “So this was the best way.” His bearded cheeks lifted as he offered a rare smile. “And my being here lends countenance to it all. Now we can just say you were lately married, not how you were married.”
She glanced at Frederick, who wore his own look of disbelief. The knowledge he was witness to her grandfather’s machinations and her own mortification caused her to whirl away from them and move to the other room, wrapping her arms around her.
“Young Bellingham is witness that the marriage is legal too. And I’m sure he won’t want it spread around that he lost out to the better man.”
She closed her eyes, barely hearing Frederick’s mumbled assent or his muttered farewell. Her heart swelled with a dozen conflicting emotions: anger at being manipulated, shame at being meekly led, uncertainty about what she had just done.
“Now, Theo.” Her grandfather patted her shoulder, and she had to fight the inclination to jerk away. “You have a good man here. I’m sorry you did not like the method, but I cannot be sorry about the outcome. You will be happy, I know.”
It was a good thingheknew, because she was feeling uncertain about so many things right now. Tension rooted her stock-still, the click of the door closing giving a measure of relief. What had she done? Who had she entrusted her life to?
“Theo, dear heart.” The heat of Daniel’s presence drew behind her. “You cannot think I’m such a ninny that I would need persuasion to marry the most wonderful woman in the world.”
“How can I believe anything you say?”
“Because.” He placed his hands on her hips and gently turned her to face him, his eyes intent and true. “Because youknowme, and you know my heart is yours, as I am.”
Moisture blurred his features and she blinked hard.
“Oh, my love.” He drew a finger to wipe away spilled tears. “Do not cry. Truly, the reason I wished to marry you in this manner was because I wanted to protect you, especially after the trouble my actions caused you. I love you, and at the risk of sounding presumptuous, hoped you might be kindly disposed to me. And this presented a chance to wed without the watchful stares of those who may not wish us well.”
