Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“ S o it is about Lord Cain,” Iris announced as she entered the sitting room. “I’ve just had it from Phineas.”

Rosalie looked up. “That was fast,” she commented lightly.

She had been hopeful that her sister would be able to get the information out of her husband, but she hadn’t been expecting it so quickly.

Iris smirked. “Well, Phineas knows that the key to a happy life is a happy wife. And I am not happy if my sisters are unhappy. Plus… well, he’s a romantic. I think he’s hoping that if he helps me, you and Nathan will get back together.”

This made Rosalie narrow her eyes. “There’s little chance of that.”

The fury she had experienced the day before was still coursing through her. In fact, it had only grown stronger as she remembered all the things her husband had done to control and manipulate her—including marrying her in the first place against her will!

“Well, let’s wait and see on that,” Iris suggested.

“Did you find out anything else about it?” Rosalie asked. “Did Lord Cain also smuggle the opium?”

“Yes,” Iris said. “Apparently he has been importing opium from the Orient onto Redfield’ lands and then exporting it to gangs in London. He started the business when the old Lord Redfield was still alive, and he carried on the work under the son, but he made it out like your husband, the Duke of Carramere, was the one behind it. He played Nathan and Redfield off each other.”

“But why?” Rosalie asked, perplexed. “Surely he knew that it wouldn’t take long for both of them to work out they were innocent? And by then, he would be the only likely suspect.”

“Well, that’s because the opium wasn’t his end goal.” Iris grimaced. “It was you.”

These words sank into Rosalie like a stone sinking to the bottom of a lake. She licked her lips. I knew. That’s what he said at the ball, wasn’t it? ‘I arranged everything so that you and I could finally be together, my love.’

It had all been a bit confusing and hard to follow at the time, but now, it was starting to make sense.

“So, he hoped Nathan would be arrested, and then I would be free to be with him?”

“It appears so,” Iris said, making a face.

“But I don’t want to be with him! Even if I’m not with Nathan, or, God forbid, he’s in prison.”

“Yes…” Iris hesitated. “Apparently Nathan believes that Lord Cain would have kidnapped you and convinced himself you were willing. He is entirely delusional and believes you to be in love with him, even with all evidence to the contrary.”

Rosalie hadn’t known it was possible to be more angry than she already was, but at Iris’ words, she felt positively livid. Who was this man to think he could decide for her what she wanted?! Who would dare to tell her what she felt?! She wanted to make him pay—and most of all, she wanted to stop him.

“What a disgusting, sniveling weasel!” she exclaimed, her hands digging into the sofa. “How does a person become so entitled and terrible?”

Iris shook her head. “I guess he spends too much time with Father.”

“I guess so.” Rosalie was quiet for a moment, thinking. Then she looked up at Iris. A spark of an idea had ignited in her brain, and although she knew Iris wouldn’t like it, she was determined.

“I have an idea,” she said slowly. “What if we used Lord Cain’s weakness to trap him?”

“What do you mean?” Iris asked swiftly.

“I mean me,” Rosalie said bluntly. “If he is really so determined to have me, then I think I could lure him out of hiding. I find a way to make him think I’m ready to run away with him, and then he will come to me. Meanwhile, we lay a trap and catch him then put an end to this terrible saga.”

“I don’t know,” Iris said doubtfully, biting her lip. “I don’t like the idea of you putting yourself in danger.”

“You and Violet have both put yourself in danger for the protection of this family!” Rosalie objected. “Is it really so wrong if I am also willing to put my safety on the line to keep us safe from this monster. I’m not a little girl anymore, Iris. I’m a grown woman, and I want to take Lord Cain down.”

“But our husbands are looking for him as we speak! They have Scotland Yard and the Bow Street Runners out searching for him! They will find him and bring him to justice. All we have to do is wait and keep you safe.”

But Rosalie was having none of that. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want to leave it to the men. I’m sick of letting men determine my fate! I’m the one Lord Cain has tried to harm again and again, and I want to be the one to finally bring him down.”

She glared so determinedly at Iris that her sister relented far more quickly than she had thought she would.

“I understand why you would want to be the one to confront him.” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I’m just worried. This man is dangerous.”

“I know, but I’m determined.”

“What exactly do you have in mind?”

Rosalie thought this over. “I’m not sure yet, but I was thinking that I should write to him and tell him that I’ve decided to leave my husband for him and ask him to meet me somewhere.”

Iris frowned. “Won’t he be suspicious, though? So far, you have rebuffed him every time he’s tried to convince you to run away with him. And if you were to reach out, having changed your mind, exactly when the law is looking for him…”

“But you said that he is completely delusional about my affection for him,” Rosalie pointed out.

“That is what Phineas said,” Iris admitted, “but I’m not sure Lord Cain is really that stupid. He hasn’t evaded the law so far by not having his wits about him. Maybe he likes that you don’t love him. He could find a sick pleasure in pursuing a woman who hates him so much.”

Rosalie shuddered. “He is a twisted man.”

“Indeed.”

But it did make Rosalie think: was it possible that Lord Cain would be suspicious if she reached out to him? She surely would be in his position. And while he did seem delusional about her regard, Iris was right—he wasn’t stupid. Their father never would have employed a stupid man. Which meant she had to be careful.

“What if—” she began, but at that moment, the sitting room door opened again, and Violet burst in.

“It’s not just about Lord Cain!” she announced breathlessly, staring around at Rosalie and Iris with bright, eager eyes.

Rosalie blanched. “What?”

“I just talked to James,” Violet said, “and apparently, Nathan doesn’t just want to keep you safe.”

“I don’t understand…”

“Don’t you?” Violet pressed a hand to her chest as she tried to catch her breath then came over to sit down on the sofa. “Your husband isn’t merely pushing you away because he fears for your safety. James wouldn’t tell me everything, of course, but after much convincing he hinted that Nathan might be pushing you away because of a feeling that he isn’t worthy of you.”

Iris rolled her eyes. “Well, we already knew that.”

Violet gave her an irritated look. “Stop insulting Rosalie’s husband!”

Iris folded her arms over her chest. “I said what I said.”

“We need to encourage reconciliation, Iris! I know Nathan loves Rosalie, and I know they can be happy together!”

“Then Nathan needs to prove that he’s worthy of her!”

Rosalie, however, had stopped listening to her sisters’ bickering. She was thinking about what Violet had said. Does that mean there is truth to the story he told me about killing his father and brother? Does he feel unworthy of me because he really is responsible for their deaths?

For a moment, she thought about asking Violet to convince James to tell her the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Nathan’s father and brother. He would know. They are first cousins. Those were his cousin and uncle.

But then Iris’ words came back to her: What do you want?

She set her jaw. What Rosalie wanted was to focus on capturing Lord Cain and making sure he never darkened her doorstep ever again. What she wanted was for her husband to talk to her and tell her the truth—not to have to covertly ask his cousin for the truth. She wanted her husband to be brave and honest enough to tell her.

But until he was ready to do that, she was going to take charge of her own fate.

“It doesn’t matter if there is another reason Nathan pushed me away,” she announced, silencing her sisters, who were still bickering next to her. Both turned to look at her, Iris triumphantly, Violet sadly.

Rosalie reached out and took Violet’s hands. “I appreciate you trying to find a way for Nathan and me to reconcile—and perhaps we will—but it has to come from him. In that regard, Iris is right. He needs to find the courage to apologize to me for pushing me away and to reassure me it won’t happen again. And if that doesn’t happen, well then, I need to start thinking about what my life will be like without him.”

“See?” Iris crowed. “I told you.”

“You’re not exactly right either, though,” Rosalie said, frowning at Iris. “I am grateful to you for standing up for me. You are the best oldest sister I could ever ask for. But it’s not true that Nathan isn’t worthy of me. He’s a good man, but he has demons to overcome, and if he doesn’t, well then… I can be a free, independent woman.”

She swallowed. The prospect was never how she had imagined her future. She had thought she’d find a safe, caring, reliable husband, someone who would protect her and provide for her. But now, she was facing the idea of a future without a man, and although it scared her, she knew she had to be brave enough to seize it. “Phineas and I will support you,” Iris assured her at once. “You can live with us if you want.”

“You are, of course, welcome with James and me as well,” Violet offered. She bit her lip. “But… how will you live? What will you do, if not be a wife and mother?”

Rosalie’s mind brushed against something Nathan had told her, and she smiled. It had only been a few days, but already it felt like a lifetime ago. All thought of his proposal had been driven from her mind by the appearance of Lord Cain, but now, it came back to her and filled her with tentative hope and excitement.

“I will write,” she heard herself say. “I will find a publisher, and I will write stories and sell them. Perhaps I will even write a book.”

Both her sisters’ eyes were wide. Iris’ jaw had even fallen open in shock.

“Write?!” Iris spluttered. “But… is that possible?”

“Why not?” Rosalie laughed at the dumbfounded look on her sister’s face. “Other ladies write. Not many, but a few. I don’t have to publish under my real name.”

“You should publish under your real name,” Violet said at once, and Rosalie felt a jolt of physical pain in her heart, as if someone had just driven a stake through it. That’s what Nathan said as well.

She tried to force herself not to think about this.

“Have you been writing stories?” Iris asked. “I never knew about this!”

“I haven’t been writing,” Rosalie admitted, “but I am always coming up with stories. Nathan was the first person who pointed it out to me: the way in which I romanticize things and turn them into stories in my head. I’m always hoping things turn out the way they would in a novel, and I’m able to see through to every possible ending that would make it either a romance, a mystery, or an adventure novel.”

“Nathan pointed this out?” Iris sounded uncertain, and she and Violet shared a glance.

“Yes. Actually…” she hesitated. “He was the one who suggested that I become a writer. But I’m not suggesting I do this because of him,” she added quickly. “It was his idea, yes, but it is a good idea. I do want to write. And if he and I do not reconcile, if I’m not able to have the life I dreamed of, then I can create many different lives through my writing.”

She looked around at her sisters, expecting to see skepticism and amusement, but their reactions shocked her.

Violet’s eyes had filled with tears. “Oh, Rosalie…” she murmured, “I am so proud of you. You have truly grown into a strong woman.”

“Violet is right,” Iris agreed, and Rosalie was surprised to see that her eyes were also misty. “I’ve been treating you like a little girl this whole time because I’m so used to you being one, but I haven’t realized that you have grown up right in front of me. You can take care of yourself. I see that now.”

Rosalie felt a lump rise in her throat. “Thank you,” she whispered. “It means the world to me to hear you both say that. It’s not always easy being the youngest and feeling as if I’ll never be taken seriously by my older sisters.”

“We take you seriously,” Violet assured her. She took her hand again, and then Iris took her other one. Rosalie and Violet also held hands so that they formed a circle on the sofa, the three of them together like they always had been, fighting for one another.

“Does that mean you’ll support me in my plan to capture Lord Cain?” Rosalie asked Iris.

Her sister hesitated, then gritted her teeth. “Yes, of course. I trust you.”

“Thank you,” Rosalie whispered. “I know I can do this.”

And she had never felt so sure of anything: she could do this. She could bring down Lord Cain and protect her family, once and for all.

The moment was broken by Violet, who stared at both sisters in horror. “Wait, what’s happening!?”