Page 27 of Once Ruined, Twice Shy

“Having met your father, I dare anyone to say a word against him. All your neighbours must tremble at the knees if he so much as glances in their direction.”

She granted him a faint smile. “But you faced him undaunted, armed only with a walking cane.”

“I have been practising fencing left-handed. A man never knows when he might need to defend himself. But I digress. I intend, as you suggested, to find Ebbworth and negotiate with him. I have seen what the thirst for revenge can do. Too many people get hurt. My actions have, inadvertently, driven you into penury, and I can’t forgive myself for that. Nor can I escape the fact that, had I allowed Josephine to return to her first love without a fight, all this could have been avoided. She might even still be alive.”

He was speaking sound sense. And Hestia began to see that perhaps, ultimately, she would have to forgive his sins too. But not now. Her feelings were still too raw.

“But that is not the man you are, Conall. I can’t see you ever giving up something that matters to you without a fight.”

“A man can change. Or find less demanding ways of fighting for just causes. I mean to return Ebbworth’s IOUs to him. He can honour them himself, with whatever means he has at his disposal. I will also abandon any business interests I have, which may be damaging to his.”

Very magnanimous. But would Frederick accept?

“And what will you ask in return?”

“That he lays no further claim to you, and never impugns your honour. In fact, I’d prefer it if he never mentioned your name at all, in connection with his.”

“But what of Mrs Ebbworth, of 66 Great Pulteney Street, Bath?”

“We’ll let him concoct his own explanation for her disappearance. He’s more likely to stick to a story if he’s thought it up himself.”

“It all sounds so fair and reasonable, Conall. Do you honestly think it can work?”

“It must work, my darling. I want you to feel happy and secure. I can’t answer for your father’s behaviour, though. I only hope whatever action he takes will be discreet.”

Frederick’s home was in Bath. Which meant Conall would be returning to Spyle Court soon, so he could be closer to his quarry. Leaving her alone with her parents.

“I wish to be involved in the negotiations.” After all, she knew Frederick far better than Conall.

His face hardened. “Too risky. Such things need to be settled man-to-man.”

“I don’t care about your accursed codes of chivalry, or honour or whatever—I’m an injured party too, and I want to have my say.”

He abandoned his chair and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his. “I quite understand. But I beg of you, please let me do this my way.”

Wanting to control everything again—how typical. She snatched her hand away.

He turned his head aside, so all she could see was the eyepatch and the damaged side of his face. Why had he turned away from her? She needed to know how he was feeling. Hurt? Angry?

It was frustrating. “When are you going to take that wretched eyepatch off? I’m fed up with only being able to see half your face.”

He reacted as if he’d been stung, and she wished she could take back the words, which sounded harsh, even to her own ears. “I mean, if you still wish to marry me, should I not know what lies beneath?”

The air warmed as Conall treated her to his disarming grin. “You are considering my offer, then? I feared by my actions today I’d lost you entirely.”

“Not entirely. But don’t congratulate yourself yet. I’ll need a good deal of persuading. As will Papa.”

“If I show my face, it will discourage you. An act of the utmost folly for an ardent suitor.”

“You’ll have to do it sooner or later.”

“Very well.” He sighed, and reached behind his head to undo the eyepatch, before turning slowly towards her.

His undamaged eye was downcast—she knew he feared seeing disgust or pity in her face. Determined to be guilty of neither, she traced her fingertips gently over the silky red and white scars in the flesh around the eye socket. His eyelid was browned, a few stumps of lashes visible—perhaps in time they might grow again. He kept his eye closed, the eyelid trembling where it met the ravaged flesh of his cheek.

“Is there a void?”

“Yes. They thought it best to remove the eye itself, for fear of infection.”