Page 66 of The Seductive Love of a Lady
Drew’s eyes narrowed. ‘If you hope to get me off on those grounds, you cannot. Caro and I share a mother, but the Marquis is not our father.’
‘I see. I only asked because I know some families take illegitimate children from other mothers too.’
He did not see, he would have no concept of it, no more of a concept than Mary had. But now he knew just how low a match his niece had made. ‘You could, of course, leave me to hang. You would be rid of me then.’
Wiltshire’s eyebrows lifted. ‘You think I think less of you because of your parentage. I do not judge a man by his birth, I judge him by his actions, Lord Framlington. I judged you as a bad man, when you ran off with my niece. I judged you even worse when you hit Lord Brooke in a public place. And I admit, when I first heard this accusation, I thought you the lowest of scum.
‘But now I know the truth. You helped your sister, not harmed her, and I have seen how Lord Brooke respects you despite that brawl, but most importantly I know of your trueaffections for my niece. I judge facts, and so now I know the truth I am doing my utmost to get you out of this mess and I will continue to do so. But I can tell you, neither you nor Lady Kilbride will have any help from your family.’
‘Pray tell me something I do not know.’
Wiltshire held Drew’s shoulder. ‘It is of no matter, you are part of Mary’s family now.’
Devil take it. Emotion caught in Drew’s throat and punched him in the chest. This was what he had craved when he watched Mary in the beginning – to be a part of a family like hers. He had hoped to steal her away and make their own family. He had never considered he might become a part of her life like this.
‘I am grateful, Your Grace.’ No more words would come without displaying the emotions he would rather hide.
‘Not Your Grace, just Richard.’ Wiltshire’s grip on Drew’s shoulder firmed. ‘You are my nephew now.’
‘Enough!’ The shout came from outside.
‘Keep your chin up,’ Wiltshire said as the guard let him out.
When the door shut, Drew sat down, wondering if he got out of here, how he would fit into the heart of Mary’s family when he had struggled on the edges.
36
The sun’s light crept across the grey stone in the cell as the sun breached the horizon. Another day of incarceration dawning. Drew sighed. He was bored of lying on an uncomfortable mattress, staring at the same four walls.
How people survived years in prisons he had no clue. The hours of the day were marked only by the jangle of keys.
The first jangle came when a lump of dry bread was handed to him through the bars.
The second came an hour after that… Too early for luncheon.
Drew stood and looked through the hole in the door trying to see if someone was coming to visit him.
Peter smiled at him from behind the jailor’s shoulder.
Drew stepped back as the door was unlocked.
‘You will not believe this…’ Peter began, with a broad grin, when the jailor closed the door. ‘Wiltshire confronted Kilbride last night. It was deliberately done to be a spectacle. He challenged him in the middle of the Devonshires’ ballroom, raising his voice so all could hear and denouncing Kilbride’s claims as an utter lie. When Kilbride argued, Wiltshire turnedto the crowd and told them they would hear the truth in the morning.’
‘Those were bold words.’ Drew rubbed his unshaven jaw. ‘I am not so convinced. It is still the word of a bastard against that of a nobleman.’
Peter risked the fleas again and sat on the mattress. ‘Not now. Now it is the word of twenty noblemen, as well as you and Caro, against a single man. They were all there, Mary’s uncles and cousins, standing behind Wiltshire, ready to defend you and Caro. When Wiltshire was done, the room was abuzz with women claiming you must be the wounded party. People trust that family, and if that family is on your side – they trust you. Harry and Mark are bragging about being your friends.’
‘To win women.’
‘To win women,’ Peter agreed, and laughed.
Drew shook his head, a shallow smile raising his lips.
‘Your mother and the Marquis were there,’ Peter added. ‘They walked out.’
‘Please tell me Wiltshire did not threaten them too?’
‘No, but he scowled.’ Peter grinned.
