The Accidental Countess (Accidental #2)(83)
“I’m afraid what Donald’s been doing is quite dangerous, quite dangerous, indeed. Hunt will be back tomorrow afternoon and all of the details will be revealed, I fear.”
“And you think Donald and Captain Cavendish…?” She swallowed. “You think they may be … dead?”
Julian rested his chin atop her head. “I fear it. Yes, and I damn sure hope that’s not the case, but now I realize, with your love, I can fulfill the duties of being the earl if I must. I can do anything with you by my side.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
When Owen Monroe appeared at Julian’s front door the next morning bright and early, Julian wasn’t entirely surprised. He’d managed to sneak Cass back to her parents’ house in the wee hours of the morning, but he expected a reckoning. He just hoped it wasn’t going to be down the end of Owen’s pistol at twenty paces. It would be a shame to shoot Cass’s brother.
Owen and Lord and Lady Moreland were just going to have to be reasonable. They didn’t want a scandal. If the servants began talking, they’d be forced to allow the match. It was in their best interest to agree to the engagement as quickly as possible and begin planning the wedding.
“Mr. Owen Monroe is here to see you, my lord,” Pengree intoned imperiously from the doorway of the breakfast room.
Julian didn’t glance up from his newspaper. “Does he appear to be armed, Pengree?”
“My lord?” The butler’s voice was inquiring.
“Does he have a pistol in his hand? Or a large bulge in the pocket of his coat?”
“My lord, I—”
Julian smiled behind the newspaper. “Never mind, Pengree. Show him in. I suppose I must take my lumps.”
Pengree left then. Julian folded down the edge of the newspaper just in time to see him retreat from the room, a confused look on his butlerly face.
He returned less than a minute later. “Mr. Owen Monroe,” he announced.
Owen brushed past the butler and strode into the room. Julian eyed him up and down. No apparent pistol. A good start, actually. Hmm. But Monroe was big, quite big. In fact, he’d forgotten just how big he was. Good thing Julian was adept with a pistol himself; if a duel was necessary he had no desire to challenge Monroe to a boxing match and hoped to hell Monroe didn’t suggest it. Perhaps he could challenge him to a duel of press-ups.
“Care for some eggs and toast, Monroe?” Julian asked with a devilish grin on his face. He folded the paper in half and tossed it onto the table in front of him.
“No, thank you,” Monroe replied quite evenly.
“Care to take a seat then or do you simply want to have a go at me right now?”
Monroe grabbed the nearest chair in front of him and turned it around. He straddled it and braced his forearms on the back of it. “What I’ve come to say is quite simple.”
“And that is?” Julian braced his elbows on the tabletop.
Monroe looked him square in the eye. “Marry my sister or I’m going to kill you.”
Julian couldn’t stop his laugh. “Is that all?”
“Is that funny?” Monroe’s voice took on a shade of anger.
“No, not at all. It’s just that I have every intention of marrying your sister. I plan to do so as soon as possible, in fact. I’m in love with her.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it. As you know, my parents are opposed to the match but I’ve reasoned with them. I believe they see the—ah—merit in the idea now.”
“Your parents don’t approve of me because I’m a second son, but I don’t give a bloody damn.”
“I don’t, either. I spoke with Cass before I came. She says she loves you. That’s good enough for me. You and I have always been friends. I’m still not certain what that mad house party was all about but I suspect Lucy Upton, I mean, Hunt, had everything to do with it. I was forced to go along with it because I lost a bloody hand of cards to Upton.”
Julian laughed aloud at that. “You lost at cards? That’s why?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Monroe replied.
“She has quite the reputation for troublemaking, the duchess, does she not?” Julian asked.
“You don’t know the half of it. You should have seen her as a child, a bigger tomboy you’ve never known. But Cass has always been devoted to her and any friend of Cass’s…”
“Understood.” Julian wiped his mouth with his napkin. “You know, Cass has told me that you and she were not particularly close. Why come here now to defend her honor?”
“We may not have been close as children, I am eight years older than she, after all, but Cass is my sister and I love her. I’ll murder anyone who hurts her.”
Julian gave him a knowing nod. “I feel the exact same way about my sister.”
“So, we’re agreed. You and Cass will marry, my parents will, however reluctantly, approve the match, and we’ll all be one big happy family.”
“One big happy family? I don’t know about that, now, Monroe.” Julian grinned at him.
Owen grinned back. “Pass the eggs, future brother-in-law.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
When Derek Hunt arrived at Donald’s town house later that afternoon, he was not alone. His brother Collin was with him.