Page 41 of Seduced By a Scoundrel

“You…you cannot expect me to waste my life in Italy when my inheritance and entry to power are here in England,” Lord Albert defended himself in a clumsy rush.

“Did I not tell you all those years ago what would happen to you if you returned?” Derrek asked, shaking the man for good measure.

Jeremy’s eyebrows shot up. Derrek had mentioned his previous encounter with Lord Albert, but until that moment, Jeremy had not grasped the reality of it.

Fortunately for him, Lord Albert seemed absolutely terrified of Derrek.

“Please! Please let me go,” Lord Albert said, bursting into tears, which seemed only right, considering the man’s character. “It was all a misunderstanding. Lady Suzanne was a part of it as much as I was.”

Jeremy had no understanding of what the man meant, but he had no need for particulars to know Lord Albert was the worst sort of man imaginable.

“You are part of a plot to commit regicide in order for Sir John Conroy to control the throne through a regency,” he said, stepping forward with as much righteous anger as he could muster. “You tried to kill me, on more than one occasion.”

“Conroy!” Lord Albert shouted. “It is Conroy’s plot, and the Duchess of Kent’s, not mine! I was simply acting as a servant so that I might return to favor once they are in power.”

“It will not happen,” Derrek said, shaking Lord Albert once more. “You are an attempted murderer and a rapist. Your crimes will be exposed and punished.”

“No! Please, please! Moreland would murder me if he knew I had returned,” Lord Albert whined.

Jeremy’s eyes widened. “So you have no qualms about murdering a king or a tailor, but you turn squeamish when the murderous intent is directed at you?”

Derrek adjusted his grip so that he held his hand around Lord Albert’s throat and asked through clenched teeth, “Where is your father?”

“Italy! Italy!” Lord Albert choked. “He is in Italy!”

Derrek must have squeezed, because Lord Albert’s eyes bulged before he let him go and pushed him away. Once out of his grip, Lord Albert coughed and sputtered and bent forward.

“You will return to your father in Italy at once,” Derrek ordered him. “Go back to the manor house of Maidstone Close to gather your things, if you have anything there to gather. It is my suspicion that you only just arrived in the village and that you intended to hide in this cottage until some anticipated action has come to pass.”

Jeremy blinked and turned to Derrek. It was a good guess and probably accurate.

“The king is dying. Everyone says so,” Lord Albert said, his voice hoarse. “Princess Victoria does not turn eighteen for another week or so yet. Once Conroy’s regency is established, he and the Duchess will extend it as long as possible to solidify their power. I will return to London and?—”

“You will do nothing!” Derrek shouted. “You will take your things and book passage on the next ship sailing for Italy, if you know what is good for you.”

“You cannot tell me?—”

Derrek made an almost comical roaring sound and jerked toward Lord Albert. Lord Albert screamed at such a high pitch that it startled the birds in the trees around the cottage clearing then turned to dash off down the patch, damp spreading down the legs of his breeches.

“What a swine,” Derrek said. He shook his head then spat in the dirt as if he needed to clear a sour taste from his mouth.

When he turned back to Jeremy, he wore a triumphant grin. That grin did not last long, however.

“We need to pack our things to return to London at once,” he said, sadness and defeat in his voice.

“I know,” Jeremy said, his own feelings of grief and loss for what had been so beautiful for such a brief time pinching him. Derrek moved closer, and when he stood in front of Jeremy, Jeremy rose a hand to rest on the side of his stubbly face. “You know we could not have stayed here indefinitely, though.”

Derrek looked surprisingly stricken by the comment. In his eyes, Jeremy saw a charming story of the two of them living out their days in that sort of peaceful setting fade away.

“We still have London,” he said, trying to keep his smile. “It will be a joy to return to our friends and businesses.”

Derrek grunted and nodded, then walked past him into the cottage. Jeremy let out a heavy breath. They truly were happy in their cottage in the woods. God only knew what sort of trials awaited them in London.

“I’ve no doubt that whether Lord Albert returns directly to the Continent or not,” Derrek said several minutes later, as the two of them hastily packed their things and set the cottage back into as close to order as could be done with no notice, “he will find a way to send word to Conroy of your whereabouts.”

“With any luck, Conroy will be searching here instead of London until Princess Victoria’s birthday,” Jeremy replied.

Again, Derrek replied with only a grunt.

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