Page 48 of The Marchioness of his Desire
“What did my uncle want? Why did he come to see you?” Rebecca asked as soon as they were out of anyone’s hearing, walking down a wide boulevard, lined with oaks.
“I know why Edward Johnson came to see you. I know that he asked you to run away with him,” Nicholas replied, and Rebecca looked at him in astonishment.
“You … you do?” she gasped, and he nodded.
“Your uncle told me, and I am only heartened that you refused him upon my account, even believing as you do, that I am nothing but a philanderer and a womanizer, a man of low morals and low taste, who would take a countess to my bed and leave her with a child,” he replied.
Rebecca turned to him, tears rising in her eyes, and she shook her head, pulling out her handkerchief and dabbing at her cheeks.
“It is because I believe that you are far more than that that I resisted his advances, and because he is a man I have no wish to entertain, not now or ever again,” she said.
“He bought you,” Nicholas said, watching for her reaction, which was immediate.
She let out a cry, gasping, as though struggling to breathe, and clutched at Nicholas’ arm. He took her in his arms and led her to a bench beneath one of the trees, sitting her down, and taking her by the hand.
“But from whom? Not you? Oh, tell me, Nicholas, not from you, she gasped, and he shook his head.
“Could a man ever be so foolish as to sell the most precious thing in all the world? No fortune could buy you, though your uncle believed it could.” At these words she looked up in astonishment.
“The scoundrel!” she exclaimed, bringing her hand to her mouth in astonishment. “How could he? Is that what he came to tell you? No doubt Edward has come demanding his money back.”
“That is precisely what he has done. You were sold to him, and now that he has not received his dues, he is angry and wishes to be recompensed. It is a terrible and dreadful wickedness, one I am only sorry you have had to endure, albeit without realizing it,” Nicholas replied, shaking his head.
“Then what are we to do? For it is certain that Edward will stop at nothing to secure the prize. He will not wish to lose his money, that much is certain,” she said, clutching at Nicholas’ hand.
In that moment, he felt such a tender notion run through him as to be quite overwhelming. He loved her so deeply, so much so that he would willingly do anything to see her honor restored and their happiness secured.
“How much simpler it all seemed when we were but children in the first throes of love,” he sighed.
“How could he ever think that I would ever love him? I chose you, and not because of what occurred in the library, but because I love you, and I know you love me, but … oh, I must know, tell me again, Nicholas. Do you love me?” she cried, and he threw his arms around her, kissing her cheeks, and enfolding her in his embrace.
“I love you with all my heart, with every ounce of my being, Rebecca. I vow never to allow anything else to come between us, but how sorrowful I am that this has. The countess, she is surely a foil sent by Edward. He would know how upset you would be to think this to be the truth, and he must have thought it would be easy for him to step into your affections. But now, he has realized that is not to be the case, and he demands his money back. I swear to you, Rebecca, on our marriage vows, that I know nothing of this woman,” he said, and she took a deep breath and nodded.
“You are sincere. I know you are; I can see that. This terrible wickedness only confirms it, but we must find a way to expose the truth. Alas that will mean further encounters with the countess and Edward, but we must know. We must discover the truth,” Rebecca said as Nicholas held her in his arms.
He never wanted to let her go; she was so precious to him. She meant the world to him. More than that! His very being was hers, and without her he knew he would be nothing. For many years, he had felt empty and alone, searching for something, he knew not what. But now, he had found it in Rebecca, and he would fight for all he was worth to clear his name and prove that he was the victim of a terrible injustice, one which looked set to play itself out in the coming days.
“Come now, perhaps we shall return to the house. There is much to consider, but we must be careful and stay our hand until the moment is right,” he said, offering her his arm as they began to make their way back through the park.
“But when will the right moment come? How will we know?” she asked as they climbed the steps to the front door.
“I wonder … Yes, why not grasp the bull by the horns,” he replied, turning to her with a smile.
“But what do you mean?” she asked.
“We invite all of them here, though none will know about the others. The countess will be invited to discuss the terms. Edward too, though to discuss money, not paternity, and your uncle can be present, if only to confirm what he has already told me. Once together, they are surely to incriminate one another, at least by recognition.”
“Can it work?” she exclaimed, and Nicholas smiled.
“It will give us the chance to be in control, and that will be a most interesting thing indeed …”
Chapter Twenty-One
Rebecca had said goodnight to Laura and retired to her chambers. Her mind was racing with all manner of thoughts. At last, she felt somewhat at peace, knowing in her heart that Nicholas was telling the truth about the countess, but despite this, she had another worry on her mind, the thought that her uncle had been so cruel as to sell her to the highest bidder. The thought repulsed her, and she wondered if she could ever forgive him.
She had taken off her jewelry and was slipping off her dress when a there was gentle tap at the door. She blushed and quickly pulled back on her dress, taking up a candle from the bedside and going to the door. Opening it, she found Nicholas standing in the corridor, holding aloft a candle and with a smile upon his face. He was dressed in his night robe, and he slipped the cord apart, reaching out his hand to touch her face.
“I thought I would come to you; I wanted to come to you,” he whispered, and she stepped back to allow him to enter.
