Married By Midnight (25 page)

“
Yes,” he replied. “And no, because all I’ve done since they dragged me here was pray you would come to me. I could think of nothing else.”

Rose scoffed. “There it is again. The flattery and seduction. Did you imagine I would learn of your peril and try to rescue you? Did you think I would drop to my brother’s feet and beg him to set you free because I had fallen in love with you? Even after what you did to my family and how you used me?”

He stepped forward, but she held up a hand. “Stay where you are, sir. I know everything. My brother told me of your plot to replace him on the throne. I know how you came to the palace to win the queen’s affections. I know that your father has been planning your marriage to her since the day you were born so that you would one day rule this country at her side. You have been deceiving us all, and for that reason I came here to tell you that anything I felt for you in the past is annihilated. Nothing I said remains true any longer for I was misled, and I certainly have no intention of helping you escape your sentence, whatever it may be.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “You’re lying. If you felt nothing for me, why did you come here? If I did not matter to you, you would simply watch my head roll.”

Her fury erupted again, for he was not wrong. She was not indifferent, but damn him for recognizing it. Damn him for pointing it out.

The chill of the prison cell seeped into her bones, and she rubbed at her arms. “I will never forgive you,” she said.

He stared at her. “Yes, you will, Rose, because you know I am innocent.”

She felt nauseous suddenly. A part of her wanted to weep at the loss of him. Another part of her wanted to strike him and shake him senseless until he confessed that he had treated her wrongly and that he was sorry. That he regretted all the lies and betrayals, and that this was all just a bad dream.

“
I know no such thing,” she replied nevertheless. “My brother was poisoned with arsenic just like my father, who is now dead. You of all people know how much I loved my father. Yet you, as a devout Royalist, were behind the plot to kill him.”

He made a fist at his side. “No, I knew nothing of that, just as I knew nothing of the attempt on Randolph’s life. I love you, Rose. You know that. You know I would never do anything to hurt you.”

He tried to move closer again, and what was left of her heart split in two. He was still the most beautiful man she had ever known, and despite all her cool, contemptuous bravado, she could never forget the passion they shared, how his touch had ignited her whole world into a boundless realm of happiness.

But she must push those memories aside, for she was devastated by his betrayal and by the total destruction of her first love.

How could she have been so foolish? How could she not have seen the truth? How would she ever recover from this?

“
Please,” he said, spreading his arms wide in open surrender. “Tell Randolph I had nothing to do with the arsenic. I confess I was raised as a Royalist, and yes...my father wanted to remove your family from the throne and I was involved in that. But since the day we met on that muddy road in England, Rose, I have cared less and less for politics and thrones. I fell in love with you. You know it in your heart.” He inhaled deeply. “Speak to Randolph on my behalf. Tell him I am sincere. I knew nothing of the attempt on his life or your father’s murder. Treason, yes...I am guilty of that. I was part of the plot to take back the throne, at least in the beginning, but I am no killer.”

Her heart was beating so fast she feared she might faint, but it was not like before, when her heart raced simply because Leopold Hunt, Marquess of Cavanaugh, entered a room. This was different. Everything had changed. She was not the same naïve girl she was six months ago. The trust was gone. She must smother all that remained of her foolish infatuation.

“
It will fall on the court to determine whether or not you are a killer,” she told him. “I cannot help you in that regard, for clearly I am incapable of sensible judgements where you are concerned.”

“
That is not true.”

A part of her wanted to believe him, but she clung to the dark shadow of contempt that had taken over her soul.

“
Yes, it is,” she replied, “for you were the worst mistake of my life.”

All the color drained from his face—as if she had thrust a knife into his belly.

“
I pray you will not feel that way forever,” he said.

She laughed bitterly. “Why? So there might be a chance for us? Or perhaps you hope my feelings might change in time to reduce your sentence?”

“
It has nothing to do with that.”

For a flashing instant, her thoughts flew back to that muddy road in England when the world was a different place and she still believed in heroes and fairy tales.

She quickly pounded the life out of that memory and kicked it into a deep grave.

“
If I must repeat myself, I will,” she replied. “I want nothing more to do with you, Leopold. I want to forget what happened between us and move on with my life. I wish you luck in the trial, but I will not be here to witness it, for I will be leaving Petersbourg as soon as possible. I intend to marry the Archduke of Austria as planned.”

“
Rose, wait...”

Again, he took a step closer but she swung around, fearful that he might touch her, hold her, weaken her resolve. She rushed to the door and rapped hard against it with a tight fist. “Guard!”

The bar lifted and the door opened. Rose rushed out.

“
Is everything all right, Your Highness?” the guard asked, looking more than a little concerned.

“
I am fine,” she lied.

While she struggled to resist the treacherous urge to change her mind and return to Leopold’s side, the door slammed shut behind her.

Suddenly, to her utter shame and chagrin, she wondered what would happen if she spoke to Randolph on Leopold’s behalf. Would he show mercy? Life in prison perhaps, instead of death?

No. No! She would do nothing of the sort! She was a Sebastian and had a duty to fulfill. Her brother’s new monarchy had only just begun. She must remain strong, serve her beloved country, and marry the future Emperor of Austria.

She would forget about Leopold Hunt, and she would be more sensible from this day forward. She would not spend another moment wondering how this unthinkable heartache had come to pass, nor would she wonder what she could have done differently to avoid it.

What was done was done. He was dead to her now.

It was time to leave Petersbourg.

Part I

England

Six months earlier

Chapter One

June 22, 1814

“What is happening? Dear Lord, we are all going to die!”

The coach swerved ominously like a snake’s tail behind the frightened team of horses. With terrifying violence, Rose was tossed out of her seat and thrown against the side door.

“
We are not going to die!” she shouted to the dowager Duchess of Pembroke. It seemed a rather silly assertion, however, spoken from the floor of the coach when she was blind as a bat because her bonnet had fallen forward over her face.

She tugged it back and groped at the seat cushions to remove herself from the floor, when suddenly the coach veered sharply again in the opposite direction. She shot across the interior like a cannon ball and slammed into the window.

“
Oh, my word!” the duchess cried. “Are you hurt?”

The coach was still careening left and right. Rose scrambled to her knees and reached for something—anything—to hold onto for she had no wish to go flying through the air a third time.

“
I am well enough,” she replied, though she’d landed hard on her wrist and it was throbbing painfully. “And you, Your Grace? Are you hurt?”

A cacophony of shouts and hollers began outside the coach as the team was brought under control and the coach at last drew to a halt. Everything went suddenly still and blessedly quiet.

“
What happened?” the dowager asked in a daze.

Rose struggled to her feet and tasted blood on her lower lip. It was already beginning to swell.

“
I am not certain,” she replied, “but we at least seem to be out of harm’s way.”

She was just climbing onto the seat when the coach door flew open. “Everything all right in here?” the driver asked with wide eyes. The dowager’s footman appeared in the open doorway beside him.

“
Yes, I believe so,” Rose replied, though she was aching all over and the dowager was white as a sheet.

“
My apologies,” he said. “We hit a slippery patch and one of the horses kicked another before they all went stark raving mad. We’re lucky we didn’t flip over and roll down the hillside.”

“
Lucky indeed,” the dowager replied with notable sarcasm.

Rose leaned her head back against the seat and shut her eyes. Thank God we are all safe.

Quickly recovering her senses, she sat forward. “What about you, Samson? And Charles? Unscathed I hope?”

“
Yes, ma’am,” Samson replied. “Just a little shook up, is all. It was quite a ride. I thought we were done for.”

Perhaps it was the fragile state of her nerves, or a sudden burst of euphoria at having cheated death, but Rose found herself laughing.

“
I believe we are in agreement there, Mr. Samson. If only you could have seen me! I’ve never been airborne before today, and I am quite certain I do not wish to repeat the experience.”

Samson’s shoulders relaxed and he bent forward with relief. “Indeed, madam. I saw my life pass before my eyes. It made me realize I didn’t eat nearly enough cakes and pies.”

She laughed uproariously, despite the fact that her lip was throbbing and she was having some trouble moving her wrist without considerable pain.

The dowager shook her head at them. “You young people are half mad! We all nearly met our maker just now, and you are laughing!” Then she, too, joined them with a smile. “But I daresay there are times one must appreciate being spared from near-fatal disaster. We are still breathing, and that is what matters.”

A short while later, they were all standing outside the coach staring at the rear wheel that was up to its axle in a puddle of sticky muck, while the wind gusted across the rolling green hills and whipped at the ladies’ skirts.

Samson had tried with considerable effort to motivate the horses to pull, but the coach simply would not budge.

“
Whatever shall we do?” the dowager asked. “It will soon be dark. We cannot remain here all night.”

“
Have no fear, Your Grace,” Samson replied. “We will unhitch one of the horses and send Charles to fetch help. He’ll be back before we know it.”

The men set to work to prepare a horse to ride, while the ladies returned to the coach. An hour later, it was pitch dark outside, and they were still waiting.

“
How much longer do you think it will be?” the dowager asked as a few raindrops went plop on the roof.

Seconds later, a thunderous downpour began.

Rose looked up. “Oh dear. Poor Samson. He’ll drown out there. I must invite him to wait inside with us.”

She opened the door and poked her head out into the driving rain. “Mr. Samson! Please come inside! I insist!”

“
Thank you kindly, madam, but I am fine here at my post. Must keep an eye out for help when it arrives.”

“
No, you most certainly are not fine out there, and you have done your duty a dozen times over. Come down here at once, or I will drag you out of that seat myself.”

The wind shook the coach while raindrops, hard as pellets, pummelled the rooftop. At last, Mr. Samson surrendered and joined them inside. He was soaking wet and shivering as he took a seat across from Rose and the duchess.

“
How much longer do you suspect it will be before help arrives?” the dowager asked. “I am beginning to believe we may be stranded here all night. What a shame. Don’t you have tickets for the play at Covent Garden tomorrow evening?”