Page 23 of Mr. Notorious and the Nefarious November

He heard the crunch of gravel under wheels and finally roused himself and stepped out of the coach. He and Beatricehad driven about London so long, Lavinia and her parents were home.

He waited for them on the walk in front of the house, watching as Lavinia exited first. She had a dreamy look every bride should possess, and Munro vowed to strangle Ramsbury if the man ever took that look away from her.

Next came her parents, Judith stiffening visibly when she saw Munro. Arthur put his arm on his brother’s shoulder. “Care for a drink before going up to bed?” Arthur asked.

“I could use one,” Munro admitted.

“I’ll see you both in the morning,” his sister-in-law said as she started up the stairs.

“Actually,” Munro said, “I wanted to speak with you, my lady. Would you join us?”

She turned sharply and narrowed her eyes at him. “What can you possibly have to say to me?”

Munro gestured toward the stairs to the drawing room, and she gave a small nod.

A few minutes later, Arthur had poured Judith a glass of wine and handed Munro a snifter of brandy. He sat on the couch beside his wife and drank from his own brandy. “What’s this about, Munro?”

Munro’s gaze met Judith’s and lingered. She shook her head and pointed at him with her wineglass. “Don’t try and use those eyes on me, Munro Notley. I’m immune to your charms.”

“I’ve never once tried to charm you, my lady. I’ve never treated you with anything other than the respect owed to my brother’s wife and a viscountess. Do you not agree?”

She sipped her wine again. “Yes.”

“Then why don’t you like me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never said I didn’t like you.”

“When you stare daggers at me, you don’t really need words.”

“I don’t—”

“Judith,” Arthur interrupted. “You don’t like him. You’ve made no secret of that fact to me. You might as well tell him why.”

She turned her head to give her husband a look that Munro was glad had not been directed at him. He suspected Arthur would be sleeping alone tonight as punishment for siding with Munro.

Judith set her glass on the table and stood. Munro made to stand as well, but she motioned for him to stay where he was. “You are correct, sir, that I do not like you. You wouldn’t be here if Lavinia didn’t beg and plead. I would have been happy never to see you again. And for my sister never to see you again.”

“Beatrice? What does this have to do with her?”

“Everything,” Judith said, sweeping one of her arms in an arc to encompass the room, and seemingly, the world.

Munro looked at his brother, hoping for clarification, but Arthur merely massaged the bridge of his nose, looking tired and as though he’d heard all this before.

“Do you know how much she agonized over you all those years ago?”

Munro stared at her. “Agonized over me? Hardly. I asked her to marry me, and she barely had time to consider my proposal before she rejected me. And before you accuse me of ruining her or some such nonsense, I never did anything but kiss her…well, not much more than kiss her,” he admitted. “I was almost a complete gentleman.”

“I heard it all from her,” Judith said, “and I do not want to hear it from you. I know you didn’t take advantage of her, but you did make her fall in love with you.”

Now Munro jumped to his feet. “If she loved me so much, then why did she reject me and marry my best friend? She’s not the only one who was in love, Judith. I loved her more than life itself. Why do you think I left for the Continent? I couldn’t standto be here in London and watch her paraded about on the arm of another man.”

Judith pointed at him. “Ah, yes. You ran away and buried your sorrows and your manhood in drink and women while she stayed home and regretted her decision every day of her marriage and every day since.”

Munro stared at her.

“That’s right, sir. She never loved Barnet, but she married him because she was too afraid to marry you. She didn’t think she’d survive it if you weren’t faithful to her, if you lied about loving her. She knew she could survive it if Barnet was unfaithful. She cared for him, but she never loved him like she loved you. And then he was so awfully convincing, telling her he worshipped her and would do anything for her. And then when, not even a year later, he paraded his other women about in Society, you were off doing the same in Italy or Brussels!”

“I was a free man, and nothing I did was to hurt Beatrice. I was hurting too, Judith.”

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