Page 71 of Her Heart's Rightful Earl
‘I played the devoted brother so well, don’t you think?’ Marcus looked very impressed with himself and began cackling again. ‘Yes! I orchestrated it all perfectly! By using Alexander’s dagger, it framed him undeniably. And my timing was impeccable, that Alexander found father’s body at exactly the opportune time, with me coming across him at the very moment I had hoped to!’
Arabella watched Marcus’s joyful retelling of that horrific night with absolute disgust and despair. ‘All this trouble could have been avoided, had it not been for the one problem my brother, Alexander, has always battled with.’ Marcus was suddenly eclipsed by a seriousness.
‘What problem has he, that you believe has caused all this?’
‘Sentimentality.’ Marcus spat the word with repulsion.
Arabella frowned, not able to understand how sentimentality could have caused such atrocities.
‘I am not a sentimental man, Lady Spencer. And as a result, I have been able to systematically kill off any threats to my freedom. Alexander, though; he loved father so much that he lost his head when he found the old man’s body and his sentimentality led him to trust my advice that he should disappear forever.’
Arabella stared at him in dismay, hardly able to believe that he could suggest affection and tenderness could cause this in place of his own abominable acts of violence.
‘Then there isyou, Lady Spencer. Alexander has always loved you—and it will be his downfall. I have sent a note to Lord Carrington appealing to him that Alexander should attend to save you. If he does not come, you will die; I have been quite explicit in my note. Alexander will attend presently.’
‘No!’ Arabella yelled in vain.
‘He will come for you regardless of personal danger—heroes are predictably stupid about saving women they love.’
‘Please do not do this!’ Arabella begged.
‘It is too late. They probably have the letter by now, and he will be foolishly making his way to rescue you.’
Arabella released a sob that she had been holding back.
‘Then I will eliminate both threats permanently.’
Arabella fell silent and looked up at him fearfully. Marcus smirked and nodded just once, confirming her fate.
Chapter 26
Alexander rapidly unlocked the sitting room door with a swift turn of the large brass key, and the moment it clicked, Thomas flew through the doorway as if he had been leaning against it.
Only as the feminine waft of Charlotte’s skirts whisked past him was Alexander hit by the sudden fear of discovery.
For weeks now, he had covertly navigated spaces where familiar people resided, managing to retain anonymity and now, here he was, in a moment of extreme panic, revealing himself to Arabella’s sister without having given any thought to the risk this may potentially pose to her safety.
However, the alarm with which the young couple entered suggested strongly to Alexander that the situation had escalated somewhat, and he countered that it was probable Charlotte would inevitably discover his survival.
Thomas and Charlotte invaded the room with such energy that they had already passed him and begun the approach to where Lady Wellwood sat before they turned to see where Alexander stood at the door.
Charlotte released a squeal of shock as her wild eyes set upon him.
Understanding the impact of this visual revelation, Alexander stepped forward, his palm outstretched to placate her.
‘Miss Charlotte! I am not a ghost! Do not fear!’
Thomas weighed up the importance of his mission versus his need to comfort Charlotte, looking between the two of them. He placed an urgent arm around Charlotte in case she should faint and gently extricated the sealed envelope from her hand, holding it out to Alexander.
‘This letter is for you.’
Alexander took it, a concerned frown worrying his brow. No letters should address him since all believed him to be dead. He quickly tore the envelope to reveal the letter inside and immediately recognized the familiar tilt of the writing he had coached and supported through years of their childhood.
Before Alexander could commit his eyes to the words on the page, he was terrified to hear Charlotte’s voice, shrill and ringing out.
‘They took Arabella! The men …! They had guns!’
‘What?’ Alexander’s head snapped up to look at Charlotte, only to see her eyes red-rimmed and her face wet with tears. Her usually immaculate blonde hair had come loose from where it would normally be scraped up and bundled on top of her head. Her complexion was flushed red, and her body trembled in fear and shock.
