Page 79 of Unmasking a Wicked Marquess
“He saw one of the most important things in the duke’s life was his friendship with your husband, Lord Clarence, and he sought to divide them. It was he who sabotaged your horse that day.
It was he then who told your husband such things as to make him challenge the Duke of Lantham. He knew the duke was proud enough to be outraged at the implication without having to go to great lengths to refute it. He set in motion their argument and their divide.”
“Why not speak of this at the time?” Cecily asked, reaching for a handkerchief in the pocket of her gown and passing it to Meg to use. “Why not say anything, Meg?”
“I … I thought we were to be married.” Meg shrugged helplessly. “I was young, foolish, and believed him to be in love with me. He pleaded with me not to tell anyone, saying it was for our own happiness that we should stay quiet. When there seemed no chance of the families reconciling, I thought it was best to be quiet, not to say a word, then he left me.
He never came to the altar where we were to meet, and I wondered whether I should say something. To my shame, it became so hard, My Lady. The more time I let pass, the harder it seemed to be, and I kept promising myself I would say something someday, but it never happened.
“Then now …” She paused and gestured towards the house with her handkerchief. “Lady Juliet is heartbroken because of it. She says Lord Ashton’s name aloud when she thinks she is alone. She longs for him. Another heart torn asunder because of one man’s lies? I cannot let it happen, My Lady. I cannot. Please, by all means send me from this house, and I will go, carrying my shame, but I beg you to help remedy this divide. Heal the families.”
Cecily laid a hand over Meg’s and urged her gently to calm herself. She did not blame Meg, for the maid would have been scarcely more than a child at the time, perhaps just seventeen years of age. This groomsman, Wally Matthews, took advantage of her.
“It’s time we revealed what truly happened in the past, Meg. You are quite forgiven, but there is one we must speak to. We must tell my husband all of it now. Come with me.”
***
Edward waved Violet off at the bottom of his driveway, and she darted down the busy street, evidently heading home again. Edward urged the carriage driver to take him all the way down the track towards the house, and when they reached the front door, he jumped down.
“Please, fetch me a horse at once,” he called to the stable boy who had appeared. The boy nodded, turned, and ran off again.
“Edward? What is all this?” Philip appeared in the doorway. “Where have you taken the carriage this morning?” Behind him stood Amelia and Jane, both looking thoughtful.
Edward wasn’t going to explain where Clarissa was now. He wanted to give her as much time as possible to get a head start on the road and get to Gretna Green before her father could send a man after her to stop the wedding.
“Edward?” Philip said again as a horse was brought around and Edward reached for the reins. “Where are you going now?” Philip stepped off the front porch and hurried towards the horse. “Good God, man, say something.”
“Very well, I shall.” Edward had had enough. He felt as if something had snapped inside of him as he turned to look at his father, still clutching the reins of the horse. Having seen Clarissa get the happy ending she so desired and knowing that he could be about to lose Juliet forever, he was done lying. He’d had enough of keeping the truth hidden so secretly in his breast. “I am going to ask someone to marry.”
“Well, this is great news. You must bring Clarissa back here with you when you are done, and we shall celebrate.”
“You misunderstand, Father.” Edward shook his head. “It is not Clarissa I am to ask to marry me, but Juliet.”
“Juliet?” Philip’s brow furrowed in confusion for a second as Edward pulled himself up onto the horse. “Wait …LadyJuliet? Robert’s, I mean. .. Goddammit, Lord Clarence’s daughter? What in hell’s name are you thinking, Edward?”
Edward didn’t listen. Once he was in the saddle, he pulled the reins tightly and turned the horse around.
“Edward! Come back here at once, do you hear me?” he ranted and raged, but Edward didn’t listen. He just urged the horse to gallop away down the track road, increasing the distance between him and his father. “You cannot do this!” Philip bellowed, but his voice soon disappeared into the wind.
Edward lost track of time as he made his way to Juliet’s house. He rode his horse like a madman through the streets of London, determined to reach the building as quickly as he could.
When he got there, his whole body was clammy with sweat despite the rain that had started to fall once again. The horse came to a shuddering halt in front of the door, and he flung himself from the saddle, hurrying towards the door so fast that he slipped in one of the puddles and nearly fell over.
Slamming his knuckles against the wood, he knocked repeatedly, demanding an entry that would not come. He kept knocking, praying the door would open, and at last, it did.
The butler, Travers, stood defiantly in the way.
“My Lord, we have had this conversation. Lady Juliet does not wish to speak to you.”
“I must see her,” Edward insisted. Rather than waiting for Travers to let him, he lost sight of all propriety and stepped past the butler, striding into the house.
“This is unthinkable! My Lord? Lord Clarence?” Travers began to shout for his master. “We have an intruder.”
Faces began to appear everywhere. Maids poked their heads out from a door nearby, and two heads appeared above the banister.
Juliet was there, and beside her was Violet. With damp hair stuck to her neck beneath her bonnet, Violet had clearly not long arrived. She was still pulling Juliet’s hand, clearly intent on speaking to her, though Juliet was not taking any notice. She was staring straight back at Edward over the great distance of the staircase between them.
“Juliet?” he called to her, not bothering with her title, watching as she flinched, her lips parting.
