A Matter of Scandal (26 page)

“No, Brendale,
you
go too far. Any accusations you make of Emma, you make of your own daughters. She has been their teacher, their advisor, and their friend.” He gestured at his students, all teary-eyed and clinging to one another. “Have you found any fault with them? Have you seen any evidence of lascivious behavior? Each and every one of them has exhibited nothing but bravery, intelligence, and loyalty throughout this debacle—which is more than I can say for you, their parents.”

Greaves was shaking his head. “This isn’t about our daughters, Wycliffe. It’s about the conduct of their headmistress. That is the beginning and the end of this matter.”

“I don’t think it is, Gr—”

“Excuse me, Your Grace,” Emma said in an unsteady voice.

When he looked at her, her face was gray. “Emma?” he murmured, alarmed.

“I thank you for clarifying the objective of this…investigation,” she continued. “And I am glad to hear from Lord Greaves that the Academy isn’t being blamed or its integrity questioned. I am the only one whose conduct is being ques
tioned, and so I must of course remove myself from the students and the school.”

“No,” he said, striding toward her.

“Lord Greaves, Mr. Brendale, allow me to tender my resignation as headmistress of Miss Grenville’s Academy. However strong my personal attachment to the school, even more I wish for it to continue teaching young girls to be successful in the world. If that can only take place in my absence, then so be it.”

“You see?” Freddie said, rolling into a sitting position, “I told you it was she who was unfit to be here.”

“Oh, shut up, Freddie,” Jane said, thwacking him on the head with Emma’s notebook. With a grunt Mayburne collapsed again.

Grey grabbed Emma’s arm, half afraid she would bolt and he would never see her again. “This is ridiculous. None of this is your fault. It’s mine. You love this school.”

“It
is
my fault. I allowed all of this to happen. Please let me go, Grey.”

He heard the murmur of voices in response to her use of his Christian name. For a moment he searched Emma’s tormented hazel eyes. “All right, then,” he said softly, “resign. But in my opinion, you’ve done the impossible. You’ve convinced
me
, Emma. Me. I pushed you into this wager because of my half-witted prejudices about educating females. In the weeks since then, I have come to admire the teachings and the mission of this Academy, and to realize that you embody all of a woman’s best qualities.”

“Grey, stop,” she whispered, another tear running down her face.

He shook his head, brushing her damp cheek with his thumb. “No. If they won’t have you here, then I would like you with me. You are the finest teacher, the finest woman—the finest person—I’ve ever known. I love you, Emma. Please, will you m—”

Lizzy stepped forward, tugging on his muddy sleeve. “You’re supposed to kneel,” she whispered.

With a slight grin, Grey nodded. “Thank you, my dear.”

He sank down on one knee and pulled the signet ring from his finger. Taking Emma’s shaking hand in his own, he slid the huge garnet onto her finger. “I love you, Emma,” he murmured, gazing up into her eyes, “with all my heart. Please, for God’s sake, will you marry me?”

She searched his face for so long that he began to fear she would turn him down. Finally she collapsed into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around him. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Grey tilted her chin up and kissed her. “Thank God,” he said fervently, brushing the rest of the tears from her face. “Thank God.”

“I thought you’d left,” she sobbed, her voice muffled against his neck.

She was getting filthy, but he didn’t want to let her go. Ever again. “Freddie ambushed me and stole my horse. I’m afraid I may have been a bit…stern with Tobias on my way in here. I was in something of a hurry.”

Emma lifted her head to kiss his cheek. “I love you, very much,” she said.

“I thought you were going to get away from me, for a moment.”

She smiled through her tears. “And I thought you wouldn’t ask me again. I’ve been so stupid.”

“Never.”

“Again? You’ve asked her before?”

Grey stood, one hand still gripping Emma’s, as the Marquis of Greaves reached them. “I’ve been in pursuit for some time,” he said brusquely. “And will assume any and all remarks made here today against my duchess were simply said in the heat of the moment.”

“Yes. Yes. Of course.”

He’d half hoped Greaves would utter another insult so he could set the man on his backside, but the marquis apparently had more sense than that. “I assume, then, that we can adjourn this little meeting?”

His mother came forward. “I would like to invite everyone to Haverly for luncheon. I think a celebration is in order.”

Chuckling, Grey kissed Emma again. “A celebration, indeed.”

E
mma could tell that Grey wanted to talk with her, and she still had several questions for him. On the ride back to Haverly, though, his mother and cousin had joined them in the coach, apparently deciding to minimize the possibility of any further improprieties before the wedding.

The wedding. Marriage with Grey Brakenridge. She could scarcely believe it, after the nightmare of the morning. He had said it in front of witnesses and repeated it several times, however, so it had to be true. She wanted it to be true, with all her heart.

“You might have arrived earlier and spared Emma some of that nastiness,” the duchess commented, as they turned up the drive.

Grey scowled, though he squeezed Emma’s
fingers; he hadn’t let her go since the dining hall, as if he was afraid she might vanish. “I would have been there earlier, if you and Georgiana hadn’t absconded with my coach.”

“Yes, well, I needed to speak with Emma.”

“And I want a report of everything that was said before I arrived.” Anger touched Grey’s face again.

Emma shook her head. “No, you don’t. They are parents; they’re supposed to be concerned about their children.”

“Humph.” Frederica flicked a piece of mud from Grey’s greatcoat. “It seemed to me, Emma, that they were more concerned with throwing about disparaging remarks and insults.”

It was odd, suddenly being on a first-name basis with the Duchess of Wycliffe—soon to be the dowager duchess. Emma swallowed. A duchess; she never would have imagined such a thing.

Grey lifted an eyebrow, then winced and touched his free hand to his forehead. “So you’re on our side now, Mother?”

“I’ve always been on your side. It merely took some observation to determine which side that was.”

Lady Georgiana, a slight smile on her face, leaned forward to touch Emma on the knee. “When will you hold the wedding?”

“As soon as I return from Canterbury with a special license,” Grey answered. “I’m not taking any chances.” He lifted Emma’s hand, kissing her fingers. “And I thought we might wed at Haverly, so your students will be able to attend.”

“My
former
students,” she corrected, sadness
touching her heart. Her Aunt Patricia had devoted her life to that Academy, and Emma had lasted only three years. What would happen to it now?

“I have some ideas about your former school,” Grey murmured, as though he could read her mind. She’d been half convinced that he could, anyway.

“What?”

“Later,” he replied, as the coach rolled to a stop.

Hobbes pulled open the door, Dare on his heels. “Well?” the viscount demanded, taking a quick step backward as Georgiana emerged from the coach.

“We’re getting married,” Grey informed him, smiling at Emma as he lifted her to the ground.

“It’s about damned time. And what happened to you, Wycliffe? You look as though someone pitched you into the mud.”

“Someone did.”

The guests trailed into the manor and upstairs to the drawing room. Everyone seemed chatty and friendly, as though they’d merely been out for a morning drive. Emma knew better, and though for the girls’ sake she would never bring it up again, neither would she forget.

“Em?” Grey tugged on her hand. “I need to speak with you for a moment.”

“The guests—”

“Forget them. My mother invited them, anyway; she can entertain them for five minutes.”

He led her into Lord Haverly’s office and shut the door. “That was still rude,” she informed him.

Grey leaned down and kissed her. “They de
serve it. And I deserve a moment of privacy with my bride.”

She kissed him back, revelling in the warm strength of him. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“For what? Other than being late and making a muck of everything, of course.”

Emma smiled. “The last time someone tried to get rid of me, I ended up on my own for six months, until Aunt Patricia rescued me. You didn’t let me go at all.”

“Jesus, Em,” he whispered, taking both her hands.

The tender, passionate look in his eyes was nearly enough to make her cry again. “So,” she said, clearing her throat, “tell me your ideas about my former students.”

He hesitated. “I know how much the Academy means to you,” he said, his expression growing even more serious. “If you want to remain headmistress, no one can stop you, now. I’ll move Miss Grenville’s Academy brick by brick to Wycliffe Park, if you wish it.”

“No. If I stay on, the scandal won’t be forgotten. And the Academy belongs here.”

“Then might I suggest that with the increased funding the school will be receiving, it could use a good administrator?”

Emma put her hands to her mouth, overwhelmed. “Funding? You would—”

“Of course I would. How else will girls like Lizzy be able to obtain the education they deserve?”

“My goodness, I love you,” she whispered.

“The feeling is mutual. And I want you to
know, my next conversation with Sir John will be about Lizzy. She’ll have adequate funds to do whatever she chooses with her life.”

Sweeping her arms around his neck, Emma kissed him again. “You’ve turned out to be an excellent student,” she managed, tears overflowing.

“I had an excellent teacher,” he murmured. “Oh, and one more thing. Uncle Dennis loved your brickwork idea so much he’s already sent to London for an engineer. I, for one, want to read that estate plan of yours in its entirety.”

“You don’t have to keep trying to make amends,” she said, cupping the sides of his face with her hands. “I really don’t blame you for any of this.”

“I assure you, I’m being entirely selfish,” he returned, touching his lips to hers. “I find discussing barley crops and rainfall with you to be very engrossing.”

She smiled. “Really?”

“Definitely. I want to continue learning.”

“You have a great deal of potential,” Emma replied, chuckling. “And with a little more instruction, you’ll make a very good husband.”

“A little more instruction?” he murmured, leaning down to sweep her into his arms as she laughed breathlessly. “How about beginning another lesson right now, Miss Emma?”