“I’ll be guiding the horse to start,” the boy’s mother said. “But he’s a quick learner, and I expect it won’t be long before he’ll be ready to ride without help.”

  “I get Ruby,” Leonard told Malcolm.

  “Ruby?” Malcolm asked.

  “The mare at our stable,” she explained. “She’s being trained so when he’s old enough to ride her, she’ll be ready. That will be his horse.”

  “Stable? You have your own stable?”

  She looked amused. “I have an entire estate. Well, Leonard does. He’s the heir of an earl. When he comes of age, it’ll go to him.”

  “Oh, right.” He briefly remembered her saying something about being a widow.

  “Do we dress like beggars?”

  He caught the teasing tone in her voice, so he didn’t take offense to the question. “No, you and your son are well dressed. I assumed you rented the place you live at, that’s all. Your dresses aren’t as…as…garish as what I expect of nobility.”

  “Why, Mr. Jasper, I do believe you just paid me a compliment.”

  “It’s just an observation.” After a moment, he asked, “Why are you here?”

  “I told you. I wanted you to meet my son. He’s the most important person in my life.”

  “I don’t understand. What does he have to do with me?”

  “You’ll see soon enough.” She winked at him and patted her son on the shoulder. “We won’t keep you. I know what an important gentleman you are.”

  Malcolm frowned. What did she mean by that?

  Before he could ask, she said, “I don’t want to linger too long in case people talk and you risk your reputation talking to a lady as beautiful as myself.”

  She gestured to her body, and he suspected she was alluding more to her curves than her dress. It was a hint the child wouldn’t pick up on, but being a grown adult, he caught her meaning.

  “We’ll see ourselves out,” she continued. “May your pressing engagements prove ever fruitful.”

  Was she alluding to something else this time? The comment seemed to come right out of nowhere, and yet, it was oddly familiar. But he couldn’t place its origin. He knew he’d recently come across similar terminology, though. Maybe Warren or one of his friends had said something about a fruitful endeavor the other day.

  He watched as she and her son left. That had to be the strangest conversation he’d ever had with another human being. Just why was it so important she introduce him to her son? He had nothing to do with the boy, nor would he. He shook his head. He could only hope when he got married, she’d leave him alone. Risking all these scandals was making him more and more nervous.

  After she was gone, he found his butler. “Next time that lady shows up at the door, I want you to tell her I’m not here.”

  “Understood, Mr. Jasper,” the butler said.

  Relieved, Malcolm returned to his investment plan.

  ***

  It wasn’t until his wedding day that Malcolm saw just who Lady Cantrell was. They’d already exchanged vows sealing their fates together, when he lifted her veil and discovered the truth.

  He gasped and lowered her veil. Believing it’d been a trick of the eyes, he blinked a couple times, shook his head, and lifted it again. But it was still the same face that greeted him. And what’s more, the blonde had the nerve to wink at him.

  “I bet you wish you’d taken the time to meet me now,” she said, a satisfied grin on her face.

  He gasped again and put the veil back down. It couldn’t really be her. The lady from Lord Roderick’s ball. The one who’d brought her son over to his townhouse. It just couldn’t be.

  He spun on his heel, went straight for his sister, took her by the arm, and practically hauled her out of the Duchess of Ashbourne’s drawing room.

  “Malcolm, what do you think you’re doing?” his sister asked as he took her down the hall.

  He saw an open door and led her into the den. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his annoying brother-in-law coming after them and decided to lock the door. There. That ought to keep Logan out while he talked to Melissa.

  Malcolm turned to his sister. “What were you thinking?”

  A knock came at the door. “Malcolm, I don’t mean to be insulting, but you are aware you ran off with my wife instead of your own, don’t you?” Logan asked.

  “Of course, I know, you simpleton,” Malcolm snapped. “Go away.”

  “Melissa, do you want me to intervene?” Logan asked.

  Malcolm gritted his teeth, and she called out, “I’m fine. Tell everyone we’ll return soon.”

  “All right, but if you need me, say the secret word we use whenever you get tired of talking to your brother.”

  Malcolm frowned as Logan walked away. “You have a secret word you use when you’re tired of talking to me?” he asked her, unable to believe what he was hearing.

  She chuckled, and he couldn’t be sure, but it sounded forced. “No. That would be silly.”

  He narrowed his eyes, not at all convinced.

  “Anyway, you wished to discuss this matter about your bride, correct?” she asked.

  As much as he wanted to find out why she needed a secret word to get out of talking to him, he had much more pressing matters at hand. With a nod, he headed over to her. “Yes. You lied to me.”

  “I did no such thing. I told you we picked Lady Cantrell for you to marry.”

  “I didn’t realize she,” he gestured in the direction of the drawing room, “was Lady Cantrell!”

  The knob turned and the Duchess of Ashbourne came into the room.

  His jaw dropped. “Can I get no privacy around here?” he asked.

  “This is my home,” the duchess said. “I’ll go wherever I want.” She shut the door and slipped the key back into her pocket. “Now, what’s troubling you?” she asked Malcolm.

  “My bride,” Malcolm said. “I don’t want the one you selected.”

  The duchess clasped her hands and straightened her back. “To be fair, you didn’t specify who you wanted. You didn’t even answer the questions I gave you. You only said to consult Melissa, and that’s exactly what I did.”

  He turned to his sister whose eyebrows rose innocently.

  “Did you know she was the lady who almost created the scandal with me at Lord Roderick’s ball?” he asked Melissa.

  “Yes,” Melissa replied.

  “Then why did you pick her?” he demanded.

  “I like her, that’s why.” She crossed her arms. “If you can’t take a more active interest in your love life, you deserve what you get. Besides, I stand by my decision. Regan is exactly the kind of lady you need.”

  “She isn’t a proper one,” he said, bewildered Melissa, the one person who knew him better than anyone else, would pick someone like her for him to marry.

  “That’s my point,” Melissa replied. “She’s nothing like you. You need someone who can bring some excitement into your life.”

  “I already have excitement in my life.”

  “I mean, something other than money.” When he stared at her in disbelief, she added, “I want you to be happy.”

  “I’m already happy.”

  “There’s more to being happy than having money.”

  “Don’t you think I know that?”

  “No, I don’t,” Melissa said. “You spend all your time figuring out how to make more of it.”

  “That’s not true. I see important people.”

  “To talk about money,” she pointed out. “You need something more than money.”

  Unwittingly, he recalled his father’s admonition to him to remember he wouldn’t live forever, and when he did die, he couldn’t take his money with him. He had to leave it to someone, and he’d rather pull out his eyes than give it to his brother-in-law. As loathe as he was to admit it, he needed a child, someone he could mold into his image and instruct on the proper way to handle the money he’d be getting one day.

  Granted, Lady Cantrell—Regan—had a child already, automatically making him a father. But no doubt since the child wasn’t his, she wouldn’t allow him to influence the lad. No. He needed his own child in order to pass on his wisdom, not to mention idealistic moral behavior.

  “I don’t suppose I can get an annulment?” he asked the duchess. He had to make one more effort to get out of this marriage, even if it was a feeble one.

  “You’ll do nothing of the sort,” the duchess replied. “You agreed to marry Regan. You signed the contract specifically stating you would follow through with it. It’s your own fault you refused to answer my questions or see her before today. You’ll just have to be a gentleman and treat her like the lady she is.”

  He almost snorted at the comment. If Regan was anything, it definitely was not a lady. Ladies didn’t drag gentlemen to the dance floor, come up to them on the sidewalk, or barge into their townhouse uninvited. But the duchess was right. He had failed to make sure the match was a suitable one, and because of that, he’d have to deal with the consequences. He’d do so if he lost money in a business deal, and he’d do so now.

  Finally, with more conviction than he felt, he said, “Fine. I’ll follow through with my part of the arrangement.” Then, feeling like a gentleman about to go out for a duel, he left the room to confront the enemy.

  Chapter Seven

  “You needn’t worry,” Logan said as he handed Regan a glass of sherry. “Malcolm has a hard time liking people. It’s in his nature.”

  Regan took it then sat on the settee, putting the veil next to her. “I’m not worried. I wore the veil on purpose because I knew he’d run off as soon as he saw it was me he was marrying.”

  Eyebrows raised, Logan sat in the chair across from her. “You did?”

  Sensing his amusement, she grinned. “I did. He’s got an unnecessarily strong fear of tarnishing his reputation. Anyone so much as sneezes in the wrong direction near him has him in a panic.”

  He laughed and slapped his thigh. “I like you! I can already tell we are going to get along splendidly. Welcome to the family, my lady.”

  She nodded her thanks and sipped her sherry. “I don’t mind a challenge when I see it. I just want to make sure the challenge is worth taking.”

  “And you believe Malcolm’s worth all this trouble?”

  “He’s good to my son. I’d like for my son to have a gentleman in his life who can be a father to him.”

  “I’ll grant you that one. He is good with children. It might be his sole redeeming quality.”

  “I’m sure he has others,” she said. “It’s just a matter of finding them.”

  “Well, I hope you have more luck than I did. I couldn’t find a single one.”

  “Why do I have the feeling you enjoy saying and doing things in hopes of annoying him?”

  He seemed to consider her question before his smile widened. “All right, I admit it. I do. The more annoyed he gets, the better. But,” he pointed to her, “when I was betrothed to his sister, he tried to get rid of me.”

  “Did he?”

  “Can you keep a secret?”

  “Better than you can imagine.”

  He lowered his voice. “He kidnapped me and took me out of London. Then he forced me into a duel.”

  Her eyes widened, and she leaned forward. “He didn’t!” she whispered.

  “He did. I grazed his wrist with a bullet. I had no intention of killing him. I only wanted to get him to stop.”

  “It must have worked. Both of you are still here.”

  “Yes, it worked.” With a shrug, he leaned back in his chair. “He was trying to save his sister from having to marry me. I can’t completely fault him. I might have done the same if I were him.” A twinkle sparked in his eye. “Of course, I would have won.”

  She chuckled. “You’re a mischievous one, aren’t you?”

  “I am.”

  She laughed. His humor was wonderfully refreshing. It’d been a long time since she’d had such a delightful conversation with someone.

  Malcolm came into the room, not looking any happier than he had when he stormed out. He glanced from her to Logan and rolled his eyes. “You two would get along. Let me guess. You’re both trying to think of ways to irritate me?”

  Logan cocked an eyebrow in her direction. “Did I mention he’s self-absorbed?”

  “Pardon me for having something better to do than to sit around and gossip all day,” Malcolm muttered as he walked over to Regan.

  “What was that?” Logan asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Oh, please do repeat it. I know how important everything you say is.”

  Regan tried to hold back her laughter, but it came out anyway. She quickly compensated for it with a cough.

  Malcolm groaned. “I can already see how things will be.” He looked at her. “It’s a shame you didn’t marry him when you had the chance.”

  She stood up from the settee and gathered her veil. “Your sister’s happy with him. And I’m sure, in time, you’ll find I’m not as bad as you think I am. You might even be happy with me.”

  “I’ll settle for contentment.”

  “Promise me you won’t be that boring,” Logan told her.

  Helena and Melissa came into the room, and Logan jumped up so he could give Melissa a kiss on the cheek.

  “Where are my parents?” Melissa asked.

  “Oh, they left with the vicar,” Logan replied. “They figured the damage was already done and if they stayed here, it would only get worse.”

  “Too bad not all of us had that option,” Malcolm blandly said. Turning to Regan, he asked, “May we talk?”

  Regan nodded. “We may. We’ll take my carriage to my townhouse.”

  “Actually, I was thinking we could go in my carriage to my townhouse,” he argued. “I am the husband, and it’s the wife’s duty to go where the husband is.”

  “But I have a son, and everything is already arranged for him at my townhouse.”

  “You can have his things moved over to my townhouse.”

  “This townhouse belonged to his father. It’ll one day be his.”

  Logan snickered. “I love my new sister-in-law.”

  “I think we’d all be better off without your comments,” Malcolm snapped, shooting a pointed look at Logan that dared him to say something.

  Logan only shrugged and slipped his arm around Melissa’s waist. “I’ve grown bored of his childish antics. Take me to our happy home.”

  “I’ll be over to see you soon,” Melissa told Regan before she allowed Logan to escort her out of the room.

  Regan turned her attention to Malcolm. “I left Leonard at my townhouse with my mother-in-law. She watches him from time to time.”

  Though he tapped the floor in irritation with his boot, he finally said, “Fine. We’ll go to your townhouse.”

  Glad he at least was willing to do this, Regan offered a thank you to Helena, who gave her a sympathetic smile, then headed out of the drawing room.

  Malcolm followed, and though he didn’t say anything, she could hear him sighing in frustration.

  To be honest, she wasn’t the least bit surprised. She’d fully expected this. He felt betrayed, but he was unwilling to take responsibility for his part in the whole deception. Had he shown her enough consideration to meet with her prior to today, he would have known exactly what he was getting into…or he could have taken measures to prevent the wedding from happening. Either way, she refused to take sole blame for this.

  Without a glance in his direction, she went straight to her carriage and got in. She wasn’t sure if he’d join her. In fact, she expected him to take his own carriage and follow her. But he was soon sitting beside her, looking more like a child denied his favorite toy instead of a besotted groom. What a contrast to her wedding day with Frederick. He’d been so happy he couldn’t stop smiling and talking about all the things they’d do together. Things, of course, they had such a short time to do. They hadn’t even been able to do half of them, but she had his son. She wouldn’t trade that for all the sorrow following his death.

  The carriage pulled forward, and she pulled herself out of her memories. Frederick would want her to be happy with someone else. Life was too short to be stuck in the past.

  “Will we have this talk before or after we get to the townhouse?” she finally asked Malcolm.

  “Might as well do it before. I don’t wish to be arguing in front of an innocent child.” Then, he quickly added, “Or your mother-in-law.” He turned his gaze to her. “Do they know you were going to marry me today?”

  “Yes. I told Leonard you were going to be his father after I left your townhouse the other day.”

  “How unfortunate it is you didn’t think to tell me.”

  “You had your chance, Malcolm. I sent you a missive requesting to meet with you. You were too busy to waste any time on me. You had your pressing engagements.”

  “And yet you came by unannounced to talk to me.”

  “I had to know if you would be good to my son.”

  “Apparently, I was or else you would have stopped this travesty.”

  She knew he wasn’t trying to be funny, but something in the way he crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side, his eyes going skyward, made her laugh. If there was one thing she could say about him, it was that he had no trouble letting her know exactly what was on his mind.

  “Part of this is your fault, Malcolm,” she said. “You should accept that instead of trying to blame it all on me.”

  She wasn’t sure he would listen to her or not, but fortunately, good sense prevailed. He uncrossed his arms. “You’re right. I should have taken the time to meet with you before today. Though, it would have been nice if you had mentioned something about you being my bride when you brought Leonard over.”

  “Maybe this will teach you a good lesson. You shouldn’t ever assume anything.”

  “Well, I just hope you’re happy with how things developed. You’ll be stuck with me. I married for the sole purpose of having children. I want people I can pass on my legacy to.”