Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

As Delphine walked away, Bennett had the strangest urge to go after her but he needed to give her time to speak to Charlotte.

White approached Bennett with an air of urgency and said in a hushed voice, "The rider has returned from Gretna Green and he wishes to speak to you."

Bennett's eyes roamed over the crowded hall. "Can it not wait?"

The butler's demeanor grew unusually stern. "I believe you will want to hear this at once, my lord."

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Bennett relented. "Very well. Where is he?"

"In your study," White informed him.

With any luck, his departure would go unnoticed amongst the guests and his family. He did not wish to upset his mother by disappearing during the middle of her soiree.

Bennett headed towards the rear of the manor, acknowledging the guests that he passed by with a slight nod. He arrived at the study and saw the short, stout footman standing in the center of the room .

"This had better be important," Bennett said in a firm voice.

"It is, my lord," the footman replied.

White had followed him into the room and closed the door. "Hugh is not one who is prone to exaggeration."

Bennett turned his expectant gaze to Hugh. "What did you discover?"

Hugh took a deep breath before saying, "Per your order, I found the anvil priest that married Mr. Simpkin and Lady Dunrobin, but he didn't truly marry them."

"I beg your pardon?" Bennett asked, his voice rising. "What are you saying?"

The footman's eyes grew determined. "When I spoke to the anvil priest, he told me that he clearly remembered the wedding since they had brought along a witness. Which is not very common when you are eloping."

Drats. This was a waste of his time. "I know all about how Miss Eden accompanied them…" Bennett started.

"Miss Eden?" Hugh asked. "No, the witness was Mr. Paterson, who was supposedly the bride's cousin."

Furrowing his brow, Bennett pressed, "I don't understand. Mr. Paterson is, in fact, Lady Dunrobin's cousin."

"Yes, but upon further questioning, the anvil priest shared that the bride's blonde hair had been neatly coiffed, despite a long carriage ride," Hugh shared. "He had found that odd since most couples who travel appear somewhat disheveled when standing in front of him."

Bennett reared back at that startling revelation. "Are you sure? I need you to be sure."

Hugh nodded. "Yes, my lord, and the anvil priest is willing to testify under oath to those facts," he asserted.

Running a hand through his hair, Bennett couldn't believe it. Mr. Simpkin hadn't married Delphine since she had dark hair. So who had he married? Had it been Miss Eden? That would certainly make sense, but why the deceit ?

With the anvil priest's testimony, the judge would have no choice but to void the marriage since it was done through deception.

Hugh spoke up. "I asked around and no one saw a young woman that fit Lady Dunrobin's description. I do not think she ever made it to Gretna Green to begin with. I suspect she jumped out of the coach on the way to Gretna Green."

Bennett had so many questions but he needed to inform Delphine of what Hugh had discovered. But she was with Miss Eden.

His heart dropped.

Her friend had been in on the whole thing and she was meeting with the woman in the gardens… alone. He needed to find Delphine and ensure no harm had befallen her.

Turning towards White, Bennett ordered, "I want every available footman to meet me in the gardens at once."

White looked unsure. "Will that not cause a commotion amongst the guests?"

"I do not care about that," Bennett said. "Lady Dunrobin went to the gardens to meet with Miss Eden, and I want her found."

Understanding dawned on White's expression. "I will go round them up now, my lord."

Bennett refused to wait another moment longer. He needed to go find Delphine, and quickly. As he raced out the back door, his eyes roamed over the vast gardens. Where was Delphine?

His eyes landed on the garden maze, knowing that high hedges provided privacy to anyone who entered it. That is where they had to be. In a few purposeful strides, he arrived at the entrance of the maze and stopped to listen.

He heard nothing.

What if he was wrong? Time was of the essence and he didn't have the luxury of making a mistake. He didn't know what Miss Eden was capable of, which is what scared him the most.

Bennett continued down the maze as he tried to make out any sounds that would indicate Delphine was in here.

Finally, he came to a stop when he heard hushed voices from the next path over. He kept his steps light as he turned the corner.

To his horror, he saw that Mr. Simpkin was pointing a pistol at Delphine, his finger twitching on the trigger. Miss Eden was standing next to him and she didn't appear the least bit concerned about her friend's well-being.

Knowing he needed to do something or risk Delphine being shot, he shouted the first thing that came to his mind, "Wait!"

Mr. Simpkin shifted the pistol towards him. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "You shouldn't be here."

Taking a step towards Delphine, he replied, "I could say the same about you. I thought you two were staying at the boarding house in the village."

"We are, but we had some unfinished business that we had to see to before we left," Miss Eden said.

Delphine kept her gaze on the pistol as she shared, "I am the unfinished business."

"I figured as much, considering they need you dead to conceal their deceit," Bennett said, wishing that he had taken the time to retrieve his father's dueling pistols.

Turning his attention towards Mr. Simpkin, Bennett continued by asking a simple question. "Isn't that right, Mr. Simpkin?"

Mr. Simpkin scoffed. "And what do you know of our deceit, my lord?" he jeered.

Bennett moved over to stand next to Delphine and hoped he was correct in his assumptions. "I know that you married Miss Eden, who pretended to be Delphine, because she escaped from the coach on the way to Gretna Green. "

Delphine gasped. "How could you betray me like this?" she asked, her voice betraying her emotions.

Charlotte's expression shifted to one of amusement at the accusation. "You always thought you were better than me, but who has the upper hand now?" she taunted, a hint of triumph in her voice.

"I have never thought I was better than you," Delphine asserted.

"I wish you had stayed dead when you jumped out of the coach," Charlotte declared.

Delphine's eyes grew wide in disbelief. "Is that how I ended up in the woodlands, running from you and Mr. Simpkin?"

"And me," Mr. Paterson said from behind Bennett. "How could you have forgotten your own cousin so easily?"

Turning to face her cousin, Delphine asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't miss out on all the fun," Mr. Paterson sneered, his tone dripping with malice.

Delphine's voice quivered with a mix of confusion and trepidation. "Why are you doing this?"

Mr. Paterson joined Mr. Simpkin, brandishing his pistol as he spoke. "The reasons are quite simple," he replied. "I want your title, and Mr. Simpkin wants your business. And in order for us to both get what we want, you have to be dead."

Mr. Simpkin cocked his pistol. "It is a shame that you brought Lord Dunsby into all of this," he said. "Now he has to die, too."

Delphine moved to stand in front of him, much to his chagrin. "Do not shoot him!" she exclaimed. "He has nothing to do with this."

"I'm afraid he knows too much," Mr. Simpkin responded.

Bennett needed to buy some time. If he did, perhaps the assembled footmen would come looking for him. "But I am not the only one who knows what you did," he said, coming out from behind Delphine.

Mr. Simpkin's mask slipped slightly and he looked unsure for the first time. "Who else knows the truth about my marriage?"

"I am sure my whole household staff knows by now," Bennett said. "And if we turn up dead, I have no doubt they will tell the constable what they know. It will only be a matter of time before you hang for our murders."

Miss Eden narrowed her eyes. "He is bluffing," she said.

Bennett shrugged. "How else could I have discovered the truth about the farce of your marriage?"

Mr. Simpkin's pistol wavered in his hand. "He is right. If we kill them, then the truth will come out."

"But we can't just leave them," Miss Eden said. "They know too much. We will be ruined and we will have nothing to show for it."

"We will make do," Mr. Simpkin responded.

Miss Eden tossed her hands up in the air. "How?" she asked. "The creditors are knocking at your door. The only way for you to keep your lands is for you to inherit Delphine's business and I refuse to be poor."

Delphine interjected, "If you let us walk away, I can speak to your creditors and perhaps we can come to a fair price on your lands."

"No, you do not get to swoop in and save the day!" Miss Eden shouted. "We planned this out meticulously and you ruined it. You were supposed to die on the way back to Skidbrooke, but you refused to leave your precious Lord Dunsby."

Bennett noticed that Mr. Paterson hadn't said anything in a while and the intensity of his glare was directed at Delphine. Instinctively, he positioned himself in front of her, shielding her from any potential harm.

"Move aside, my lord," Mr. Paterson ordered.

"I will not," Bennett said firmly .

Mr. Paterson shoved the pistol towards him, his threat chillingly clear. "Do not think I will hesitate to kill you," he warned. "But it is not you that must die. It is Delphine. I want that title. It should have been mine in the first place."

Bennett stood his ground, refusing to yield. "If you want Delphine, you are going to have to kill me first."

"Gladly!" Mr. Paterson said as he cocked the pistol.

As Bennett braced himself for the worst, he heard another voice, authoritative and commanding, pierce through the tense air.

"Put the pistols down or suffer the consequences!" the voice demanded, its tone brooking no argument. "I will only ask once."

Turning slightly, Bennett caught sight of Grady standing resolutely with two other men by his side, each armed with pistols aimed squarely at Mr. Paterson and Mr. Simpkin.

Being the coward that he was, Mr. Simpkin dropped the pistol to the ground and took a step back.

"What are you doing?" Miss Eden demanded. "You can't give up so easily."

"It is over, Charlotte," Mr. Simpkin responded with a look of regret in his eyes.

"No, no, no…" Miss Eden rushed out. "I refuse to give up. We have worked too hard to throw it all away now."

Bennett could see the panic in Miss Eden's eyes and he suspected she might do something foolish. In a swift motion, he retrieved Mr. Simpkin's pistol and handed it to one of the constables.

Grady turned his attention towards Mr. Paterson. "Lower your pistol, and I will put in a good word for you with the judge."

Hatred flashed in Mr. Paterson's eyes as he stared at Delphine. "This isn't over. You have no right to that title. It should be mine!"

"The pistol?" Grady asked, holding out his hand .

Mr. Paterson remained defiant, despite the overwhelming odds against him. "No," he said. "No judge will take the word of a mere servant over that of an earl. All I need to do is kill Delphine and everything I desire will finally be mine!"

As Mr. Paterson's finger twitched on the trigger, Bennett knew he had to act quickly or Delphine could lose her life. Without hesitation, he lunged forward and tackled Mr. Paterson to the ground, fiercely wrestling the pistol away from him.

Rising to his feet, Bennett handed the pistol to Grady with a sense of satisfaction, knowing Delphine was safe. "Get this man out of my sight."

Grady's tone was stern as he addressed Mr. Paterson, who was struggling to regain his composure. "Just so you know, I am a Bow Street Runner and my two companions are constables. We heard every single word of your despicable plans. And if it were up to me, all three of you would be transported for your crimes."

One of the constables stepped forward and grabbed Mr. Paterson's arm. "We will take it from here," he said. "If you aren't good, we will parade you through the ballroom so everyone can see you being arrested."

Delphine watched Miss Eden's retreating figure before shouting, "Wait!"

"What is it?" Bennett asked.

With purposeful strides, Delphine went to stand in front of Miss Eden. "I thought we were friends."

Miss Eden scoffed. "You thought wrong, my lady," she mocked. "You lived your perfect life and you had no idea how much I despised you for that. At least now I don't have to pretend anymore."

Bennett slipped his arm around Delphine's shoulder and said, "Let her go, Delphie."

"You are right," Delphine said, leaning into him. "Goodbye, Charlotte. "

Miss Eden's face contorted with pure hatred as she glared at Delphine. "No, you don't get to win… not like this."

A constable yanked on Miss Eden's arm. "Let's go, Miss."

As the constables forcefully led the prisoners away, Grady approached Bennett and said, "I'm sorry that I didn't make my presence known sooner but I wanted to ensure we got a confession that was admissible in court."

"I am just grateful that you were here to stop them from shooting us," Bennett said.

"As am I," Grady responded. "I followed Mr. Paterson out of the village, only to see him circle back towards the manor. It was evident that he was up to no good so I quickly enlisted the help of the constables."

"Thank you," Bennett said, hoping his gratitude was adequately expressed. He owed their lives to this man. "How can I repay you?"

Grady tipped his head. "I will send you my bill, my lord," he responded before he walked off, leaving him alone with Delphine.

Sensing the weight of unspoken words between them, Bennett turned to face Delphine, only to find himself utterly speechless.

Delphine couldn't quite believe what had just happened. Her friend had betrayed her, concocting a plan to end her life and steal her fortune. How had it come to that?

Bennett watched her with concern in his eyes as he asked, "Dare I ask if you are all right?"

"Yes… no… I don't know," Delphine admitted. "Everything I thought I knew was a lie."

"Not everything," Bennett responded.

Delphine wrapped her arms around her waist as she attempted to make sense of what she knew. "I can't believe Charlotte would do something so nefarious. I thought I knew everything about her."

"Greed can be a powerful motivator," Bennett said.

She heard what he said, and she knew he was attempting to comfort her, but his words fell flat. Charlotte hated her so much that she wanted her dead. How had she not seen through her friend's fa?ade?

The worst part was that she wasn't entirely surprised by Vincent's actions. She had long suspected his desire for her demise, but never imagined he would be so brazen as to attempt it outright.

Bennett took a step closer to her, but still maintained a proper distance. "You did nothing wrong."

"I must have," she replied. "My dearest friend turned out to be my greatest enemy. How can I reconcile that fact?"

"Miss Eden deceived everyone, not just you."

"But I should have known," Delphine asserted.

Bennett reached out and touched her sleeve. "You must not blame yourself. It will do no good and only bring you misery."

Delphine shifted her gaze over his shoulder, knowing what he was asking was easier said than done.

"Delphie…" Bennett sighed. "I know this might not be the ideal time to speak of such things but I'm afraid I cannot wait any longer."

"What is it?" Delphine asked, bringing her gaze back to meet his.

Bennett's usual composed demeanor wavered, replaced by a rare glimpse of uncertainty in his eyes. "Now that we know you were never truly married to Mr. Simpkin, I was hoping that we might come to an understanding."

Delphine had longed to hear those words from Bennett, but she couldn't tie herself to him. Not now. With a heavy heart, she said, "You must know that my reputation will be shrouded in scandal once the truth comes out about what Mr. Simpkin did."

"I do not care about the scandal," Bennett said.

"You should," Delphine insisted. "You must think of what a scandal would do to your family. It could even jeopardize your sisters' prospects this Season."

Bennett closed the distance between them, their faces mere inches apart. "Do you want to know what I think?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.

With him so near, Delphine felt her heart quicken, its erratic beats betraying her composure. Try as she might, words eluded her in his presence. How was it that he held such power over her? Though he awaited her reply, all she could manage was a nod.

"I believe it is perfectly acceptable to be a bit selfish, especially at a time such as this," he said, his voice soft yet resolute. "Because, my dear, I do not think I could bear to ever let you go, especially now. You must know that I love you with everything that I am."

Fearing she may have misunderstood, Delphine's voice was tinged with hesitation. "You love me?"

"I think a part of me started falling in love with you the moment I found you in the woodlands," he replied. "Since then, you have consumed my every waking thought, and when I dream, it's of you."

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes at his heartfelt declarations, but she made no effort to halt them. These tears were born of happiness, a testament to the overwhelming emotion coursing through her.

Bennett grew solemn. "Was I wrong to assume you held some affection for me?"

Delphine shook her head. "No, you weren't wrong," she replied.

"Then why are you crying?"

She knew there was only one thing left to say, and she drew in a deep breath to steady herself. With a voice quivering with emotion, she uttered, "I love you, Bennett."

A wide grin spread across his face. "Do you love me enough to marry me? Because, quite frankly, I won't accept no for an answer," he said, his tone laced with determination. "And before you decide, I promise that I will let you manage your own estate and goat cheese business, and we will be equals, in every sense of the word."

Feeling a mischievous impulse, Delphine asked, "Was that an offer?"

"It was, but I can do better," Bennett replied with a chuckle, dropping to one knee before her. "Delphine, my love, will you do me the great honor of marrying me?"

She returned his smile. "Yes, yes, I will marry you!" she exclaimed, her heart overflowing with joy.

As Bennett rose to his feet, he reached out to cup her right cheek tenderly. "I have loved no other as I love you," he whispered. "You have my whole heart." With gentle fingers, he brushed away a tear that trailed down her cheek.

"I never thought I could be this happy," Delphine admitted.

Bennett's eyes were fixed on her as if nothing else in the world mattered. "I have learned what love truly is because of you," he said. "I promise to be the type of man who will never let you down."

Delphine could feel his warm breath on her lips and she found that she desperately wanted to kiss him. "May I kiss you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He grinned. "You do not need to ask permission."

With hesitant anticipation, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes, her heart fluttering as she pressed her lips against his, not knowing if she was terribly bad at it.

She broke the kiss and leaned slightly back. "Did I do that right? "

"I'm not entirely certain," he replied, his voice soft and playful. "Perhaps we need another kiss to confirm."

Embracing her tenderly, he drew her closer, his arms enveloping her in warmth as their lips met once more. This time, the kiss was deeper, making her feel cherished. It was the way every woman wanted to be kissed by the man she loves. She had never looked forward to forever as much as she did with Bennett by her side.

Bennett moved to rest his forehead against hers. "You do that spectacularly well, my love," he praised. "I do not think I will ever tire of kissing you."

Delphine could faintly hear the strains of music drifting from the ballroom. As much as she wished for this moment to stretch into eternity, she knew their absence would not go unnoticed for long.

"Shall we return to the ballroom?" she suggested reluctantly, acknowledging the inevitable.

"Yes," Bennett agreed, but not before capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

She laughed softly against his lips. "Your words and actions seem to be at odds," she teased.

"We should go back," Bennett conceded, holding her close, "but I'm not quite ready to let you go."

"Well, I suppose a few more moments won't make a difference," Delphine relented, content to linger in his embrace a while longer.