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Chapter Nine
Richard had been pacing Daniel's parlor for several minutes when the other man finaly made his appearance. Before he could cry out the "Finaly!" that was trembling on his lips, Woodrow rushed forward, saying, "What is it? What's happened? My valet said you told him it was an emergency and urgent that you speak with me. "
Richard nodded. "Where is - " he paused to glance toward the stil open door and then almost whispered, " - the you know what? "
Daniel came to a shuddering halt, his face going blank for a minute before he asked, "You mean - " he too paused to glance toward the door, and then whispered,
" - the you know who?"
"Aye," Richard said impatiently.
"That is your emergency?" he asked with disbelief. "You had my valet roust me from a dead slumber to ask me that?"
"Wel you know who's whereabouts is rather important to me," Richard said stiffly, and then pointed out, "And I wouldn't have had to wake you from a dead slumber to find out where he is if you hadn't left without me last night. "
Daniel dropped into the nearest seat with disgust. "Wel what else was I to do?
Sit about in my carriage while you gave you know who's wife a tumble?"
Richard stiffened. "She is my wife, thank you very much. "
"My, we've certainly changed our tune this morning," Daniel said dryly. "Last night you weren't sure you wanted to keep her. "
"Yes, wel , I changed my mind. " He paused to scowl at the man. "How the devil did you know I tumbled her?"
Woodrow's eyebrows rose. "Was it supposed to be a secret? If so, you shouldn't have done it in the front window for anyone on the street to see. "
Richard's eyes widened in horror as he realized they had been in front of the window at first. How much of Christiana had been on display? Good Lord, what had he been thinking? Richard knew the answer to that wel enough. He hadn't been thinking at al , his manhood had been the one in charge last night, his presently very content, wel spent manhood.
Richard had woken this morning thinking that marriage to Christiana might be a very fine thing indeed, and he'd been reaching for her again when he'd realized sunlight was peeking through the bedroom curtains. Then, suddenly his brain had managed to speak loudly enough to drown out his manhood and remind him of certain problems that needed dealing with. His brother's body, for instance. Recal ing his intent to hunt down Daniel this morning and find out what he'd done with George, Richard had leapt from the bed, found some clothes in the master with George, Richard had leapt from the bed, found some clothes in the master bedroom that his twin had obviously purchased, and reluctantly donned them.
George had always favored bright, flashy colors while Richard preferred more somber attire. He would have to see about a whole new wardrobe, he thought now.
"Wel ?"
Richard blinked his thoughts away and glanced to Daniel in question. "Wel , what?"
"Are you real y planning to keep her?"
"Yes, of course. " He settled in a chair with a sigh, and then admitted, "She was a virgin until last night. "
Daniel blew out a silent whistle. "That was very remiss of you know who. "
Richard grunted, not bothering to mention that he'd heard a thing or two in the past that suggested it wasn't so much that George was being remiss in not consummating the marriage, but that he was incapable of it. He hadn't paid much attention to the gossip then, but now supposed it must be true.
"So after a year of misery with you know who, whom she thought was you, she just forgave al and fel into your arms last night?" Daniel asked quietly. Richard heard the reprimand in his friend's voice and scrubbed his face guiltily.
Daniel had been there listening at the door when the women had gone past. He too knew about the drink and how it had affected Christiana, so knew exactly what state she'd been in. And while it hadn't seemed that important last night when he'd thought her an experienced woman, now, in the bright light of day with his manhood final y quiet, it seemed rather shameful behavior.
Shaking his head, he muttered with self-disgust. "I took advantage of an inebriated virgin. "
Woodrow did not let him off the hook, but left him to wal ow in his guilt for several moments before final y clearing his throat and saying, "Wel , at least you are going to do the right thing and stand by the marriage. "
"Which isn't even a legal one," Richard muttered, and then his eyes widened suddenly. "What if she is pregnant from last night's tumblings? Technical y, the child would be il egitimate. "
"Wel , one time isn't likely to bring about a child," Daniel said soothingly.
Richard grimaced. "True, but it wasn't one time. "
"Wel even two . . . " He paused as he noted his expression and then said,
"Three?"
Richard merely stared back.
"Four?"
Richard remained silent.
"Oh," Daniel said, looking impressed. "Wel , she must be very . . . er . . .
inspiring. We must just hope she is not equal y fertile. " When Richard's shoulders slumped, he added, "Or you could marry her to ensure everything was legal. "
"We are already supposed to be married," Richard pointed out dryly. "How the devil do I explain the need to marry again?"
Daniel opened his mouth, but then glanced to the door. In the next moment, he'd risen and crossed the room to close it. As he returned to his seat they exchanged a grimace at having said so much before thinking to close it, and then Daniel suggested, "Rather than present it as a need, perhaps you could suggest to Christiana that you want to do it again, as a sort of fresh start to the marriage to make up for this last very bad year. She wil think you are the most romantic bugger alive, and you wil be assured that any heirs are legal. "
Richard raised his eyebrows. "That is actual y a good idea. "
"I have been known to have a good idea or two on occasion," Daniel said dryly, no doubt a bit insulted by his surprised tone. Richard merely grunted, his thoughts on what exactly he would say to Christiana and how he could convince her.
"And then you could travel to Gretna Green with Suzette and me when we head off to do the deed. "
"Yes, we could leave - " Richard paused and blinked. "You and Suzette?"
Daniel cleared his throat. "Er . . . yes. "
"You're marrying Suzette?" he asked, just to be certain he wasn't misunderstanding.
"I haven't quite made up my mind, though I am leaning that way," Daniel muttered, picking imaginary lint off his trousers. Richard considered him silently, his eyes narrowing as he recal ed the passionate embrace he'd stumbled upon and the fact that the man hadn't rejoined him as he'd expected. Just how long had Daniel been in Suzette's room in the end?
He tried to work it out, running through the events of the evening.
"I haven't tumbled her," Daniel snapped, apparently reading his thoughts, and then he sighed and admitted, "But it was damned close, and only you know who's presence prevented it in the end. "
"You know who was in the carriage," Richard said at once.
"Yes, wel , so were Suzette and I," Daniel muttered.
"You had Suzette in the carriage with you know who?" he asked with horror. "Did she know you know who was there?"
she know you know who was there?"
Daniel grimaced. "Can we not think of another name for him? This is getting annoying. "
"Answer the damned question. "
"Wel , of course she didn't know. Hel , I didn't know until I got in. In fact it was my attempt to distract her from his presence that led to the 'damned close'
bit. " He sighed and added, "So it's ironic that it was also his presence that brought an end to it. "
Richard almost asked how that could be, but then decided he didn't real y want to know. Running a hand through his hair, he asked, "If you haven't bedded her, why consider marrying her? It's rather sudden, isn't it? You hardly know the chit. "
"Wel , I know her as wel as you know Christiana and you're marrying her. "
"Christiana is a special woman and our situation is not a common one. "
"Wel Suzette is just as special and our situation is not common either," he shot back, and then sighed. "She proposed to me at the bal , and then when she found me in her room thought I had come to tel her yes. Rather than explain my real purpose in her room I let her believe it because I couldn't come up with an alternate explanation for my presence there. I am stil trying to come up with one. But I am also considering her proposal seriously in the meantime. "
"Why the devil would she propose to you?" Richard asked with surprise. "She wants a husband in need of money who wil agree to her terms. "
"Yes, wel , I may have misled her as to my financial status," Daniel muttered.
Richard raised his eyebrows. "Why?"
"Because when she asked me about my income I assumed she was just another fortune seeking debutante and lied," he admitted wryly. "You can imagine my surprise when rather than scaring her off, it prompted a proposal. "
No doubt he'd also been a little fascinated, Richard realized. They were both used to fortune seeking debutantes and their mothers chasing them about. Other than this last year and a half when he'd been absent, it had happened on a regular basis. A woman who wanted just the opposite would make an interesting change.
"So rather than just tel her that you have money - "
"I have no intention of tel ing her that, and you'd best not either," Daniel said grimly. "And don't even think about offering to pay off the father's gambling debts. I shal attend those myself whether I marry her or not. "
More than a little fascinated, then, Richard thought with amusement, and asked,
"Why should I not offer to pay them off? It would remove the pressure the women are under. "
"Suzette is not enthral ed with the idea of marrying after al she's learned about Christiana's experiences this last year. She may very wel bury herself in the countryside and eschew marriage altogether should she learn it isn't a necessity, and I can hardly get to know her better if she is at Madison Manor and I am at Woodrow. "
"Ah," Richard murmured, understanding more than his friend was tel ing.
Whether he knew it or not, Daniel had already decided to marry the girl. At least that was his opinion, "Fine, I shal refrain from offering to pay . . . for now. "
Daniel relaxed at once. "Thank you. "
Richard waved his gratitude away and changed the subject. "The good news is that since I've decided to uphold the marriage to Christiana, we can simply dispose of you know who. I was considering our options on the way here - "
"That might not be the best idea," Daniel interrupted quietly. When Richard raised an eyebrow in question, he added, "I think perhaps it would be best not to dispose of him at al yet. At least not until we sort out this business of who kil ed him. "
Richard sat back with a frown. "Why? It is not as if he can be a witness in his own murder. "
"No, but we cannot prove murder without a body," Daniel pointed out and then added, "Whoever poisoned him wil soon think they failed, if they don't already. They wil try again. "
"Then I shal have to be careful," Richard said grimly. "But I see no need to keep you know who around until we catch his kil er. We can charge whoever it is with attempted murder when they try to kil me. "
Daniel frowned. "It just seems to me to be smarter to keep you know who around until we have it al sorted out. "
"Very wel ," Richard said final y. "Have you hidden him somewhere safe?"
"Er . . . wel , actual y no," he admitted, looking uncomfortable. "I placed him in the pavilion in the back garden for the night. "
"In the . . . ?"
"It was the only place I could think of. I needed somewhere cold but covered, and that was al I could come up with at the time. But he shal have to be moved before too much longer. "
"Yes, he definitely needs to be moved," Richard agreed grimly.
"I had an idea about that too. "
"Do tel ," Richard requested dryly.
