Page 23 of Marry in Secret
Ashendon swore under his breath, then continued his interrogation. He didn’t even offer Thomas a seat but prowled back and forth in front of the fireplace, hurling questions at Thomas.
Thomas was soon fed up with it.
“Yes, I knew who she was—the beautiful Lady Rose Rutherford, daughter to the Earl of Ashendon and heiress to a considerable fortune—of course I did. Her aunt Dottie made—”
“Lady Dorothea to you,” Ashendon snapped. Thomas’s transformation had apparently exacerbated an already bad mood. Or maybe he was always a bad-tempered bastard.
Thomas eyed him coolly and continued, “She made no secret of it. She was bursting with pride in her lovely niece—and why not? But that wasn’t why I married Rose.”
“It was out of the pure, disinterested goodness of your heart?” Ashendon said sarcastically.
“Of course it wasn’t. I wanted her.”
“And had no interest in her fortune.”
Thomas shrugged carelessly, knowing it would annoy Ashendon. But then he was annoyed, too. The reason he’d married Rose in a hurry and in secret four years ago was not one he was proud of—but what did it matter now? The world—and Thomas, and no doubt Rose too—had changed, but the fact was they were married.
“Of course her fortune will come in useful. I’m not a wealthy man. My father was a younger son and died at sea when I was a boy. I was raised on the goodwill of my uncle, but he sent me to sea when I turned sixteen. I’ve known allmy life that I must make my own way in the world.” He let that sink in, then added, “But her fortune was not why I married Rose.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“Believe what you like, it makes no difference. But it’s no compliment to your sister to assume a man would only marry her for her money.”
“I don’t. But a naval officer who would coax a schoolgirl into a clandestine marriage without her family’s knowledge?”
“I was twenty-three, a mere boy.”
“You were an officer. You should have known better.”
He should have, of course. An officer, yes, but at the time he’d thought himself a man, fully grown and mature. Now with the hindsight of experience he could see he’d been a boy, but a boy full of good intentions, just the same.
He’d been young, and relatively inexperienced in the way of women, and Rose had been so ardent and eager and lovely. He’d been dazzled, entranced, and unable to resist her, even though he knew she was too young and innocent to know the possible consequences of what they were doing.
And once the deed was done... well, Thomas knew his duty. “I married her for her own protection—giving her the protection of my name. In case.”
Thomas saw the moment when Ashendon realized what he was admitting to. “You filthy, lustful swine!” Ashendon’s fist slammed into him.
Thomas saw the punch coming but made no attempt to dodge it. Delivered with fury, strength and no small degree of skill, it sent him reeling. He staggered back, steadied himself against the wall and straightened, but made no move to retaliate.
Ashendon waited, and when it was clear Thomas had no intention of fighting back, his lip curled with scorn. “Still a coward, I see.”
Thomas felt his jaw gingerly. “I probably deserved that.” Or at least his twenty-three-year-old self had. No brother could be blamed for reacting so to the news that hisinnocent young sister had been seduced. In Ashendon’s place, Thomas would feel much the same.
“Probably? You deserve a horsewhipping.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes. “I don’t advise you to attempt it.” He’d allowed that one punch, but that was his limit.
Galbraith intervened. “Now, now, gentlemen, we’re not here to brawl.”
“I know I shouldn’t have lain with your sister,” Thomas said, “but once I had, I did my best to protect her from any consequences of our imprudence. It was the only honorable thing to do, to give her the protection of my name.”
“Honorable?”Ashendon practically spat the word. “You smooth-tongued villain, prating of honor and love! You seduced a young girl and married her for her fortune!”
Thomas didn’t respond. It might not have been true back then, but he’d be lying if he claimed that Rose’s fortune wasn’t very much on his mind now.
“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” Galbraith interrupted again. “Going over old ground is pointless. We need to sort out what is to be done about the situation.”
“Nothing to sort out,” Thomas said. “I married her, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep her.”
