Page 5 of When We Touch

“Maggie, I’ve heard you say far worse.”

“Justin!”

“I don’t condemn you for it. I admire your ability to thumb your nose at the entire world. It gives you a dignity you cannot begin to imagine.”

“Language is not the issue here.”

“I fully intend to refuse your hand in marriage to the Viscount.”

“Angus has, I believe, consented already.”

“It is not our uncle’s position. It is mine. Legally, it is my right to allow or disallow your marriage, and that is the way that it is.”

She sighed softly, looking down at her hands for a moment. If her uncle had found this man, he was surely loathsome. But if he was as rich as Angus claimed, and as infatuated, he might be quite a useful companion.

“Ah, come, Maggie, dear! I cannot apologize to you enough. I will make good for this myself. If I find the right old sweetie, she might pop off quite soon enough.”

“Oh, Justin, that’s horrible.”

“So many things that are true are horrible, as well. I mean this, Maggie, I have been a fool. I tried to be all that Angus wanted, the perfect swain, so close to the throne that I was all but perched on the edge! And so here I am. I am. Not you.”

“Justin, do you really love me, dearly, and are you truly, truly sorry?” she demanded.

“Indeed, I am,” he said gravely.

“Then, if you would do anything to make it up to me, you will give your blessing on my marriage to this man.”

“Why?” he demanded in turn.

“Because, Justin, if there is anything I want in this world, it’s to be aunt to a dozen little nieces—and nephews. I swear to you, Justin, there is nothing more important in this world. And we cannot count on an old dowager departing this world expediently, and if there is anything at all that would cause me untold grief, it would be Angus inheriting our father’s title. Do you understand? If you love me and would make amends, find a proper young woman—rich, poor, common, or noble—and marry her. Soon.”

Justin hung his head, quietly folding his hands together in prayer fashion. He looked up at her. “Maggie, for the love of God, you mustn’t hate Angus more than you love yourself.”

She smiled. They were grave and solemn words from him, and spoken with firm passion and resolve.

She came to him that time, taking his hands. “Justin, if this man is truly horrendous, we will talk again tomorrow. But if he . . . if he’s at all decent, then perhaps he can give me things that I do want in this world. A voice among the very rich and important people. You know how I feel about the dreadful conditions in some of the orphanages. Perhaps he’ll buy me a factory for a wedding present, and we can see that people are given fair wages for decent hours.”

“Oh, Maggie!” Again, her very handsome and now humble brother appeared ill. She was almost annoyed. Here she was, the lamb going to slaughter, and she was trying to make him feel better about it!

“Justin, do you remember when I fell in love with Nathan? You were so strong then. You were the great baron, the head of the household, insisting that I would marry as I chose. Well, I did. You supported me when many a man wouldn’t have done so. Well, I have lost Nathan. And I will never love again. So if I marry a very rich nobleman who is ridiculously in love with me—without even knowing me!—it will not really matter in the least. Hopefully, we will be friends.”

He looked straight ahead. “Friends, yes. Oh, yes, because he is surely one of the most decent fellows I have ever met.”

She sat back. “You know him?”

“Of course.” He gave a dry laugh. “He doesn’t run with the likes of Eddy. He is very close to the Queen. One of the few people she will see in private, and with whom she shares her mourning and her confidence. They console one another. His wife has been gone for years, as has Her Majesty’s still so lamented dear Prince Albert. Truly, he is decent, caring, and not at all bad-looking, really. Well, you know, for such an old tar! Tall and regal. Dignified. Indeed, you might make quite a pair, turning the world upside down.” He tried to smile.

She smiled. “So . . . I meet him tomorrow.”

“I don’t like this. I don’t like this one bit.”

“Yes, well, I don’t think either of us would like Newgate, either,” she said a little sharply. Again, for a moment, she felt the temptation to throttle him. Except that she knew that, whatever trouble he might have gotten into, Justin truly rued anything that might now hurt her. He was telling the truth. If she exhibited one bit of distress, he’d offer himself to the authorities.

“Look, Maggie, you must listen to me—”

“Justin, a few possibilities here are beginning to appeal to me. Do you know just how powerful I could become—with the right backing?”

“But there is no agreement, unless you truly wish it.”