Chapter 15

Christian Hay was a stout, stocky man with a chest the size of a barrel. His hair had gone long ago, so he was completely bald. On the outside, he looked rather intimidating, but as soon as he smiled and started talking, it was clear he was among the most jovial people around. His wife, Maria, was taller than him and had a willowy figure, long black hair, and eyes that looked just like Maggie's. She was certainly far more serious and quieter than her husband.

Maggie had never figured out how they had fallen in love when they were complete opposites, but they made it work. To her, they were the happiest married couple she had ever met. When they looked at each other, there was a genuine love that was rare to see.

Maggie wanted that for herself. She was sure that she could get it with the duke. Adam, she reminded herself. He had said she could call him that. Maggie was going to have to remember not to address him as such in mixed company. Open-minded as her parents were, this would certainly raise an eyebrow.

She was worried that this was not going to work. Adam had suggested bringing her parents over for the weekend so she could spend time with them and they could get to know his family. In his mind, if their respective parents got along and established a good relationship, they would be more receptive to their love when told about it.

There were still misgivings about it, though. Maggie didn't think her parents would accept it, even if they saw her love as genuine. And Ben certainly wouldn't be happy about it. He would be the one who caused the biggest uproar.

Adam hadn't invited him, and yet here he was. Maggie wondered if this was going to end in disaster. Her brother had a habit of making things worse with his behaviour. It was like he didn't want anyone around him to be happy if he wasn't.

She silently prayed that he would behave and not mess this up for her.

At least the day had been passing by nicely so far. Her parents were surprised that they had been invited, but Adam and his family made them feel welcome. Lady Banbury managed to get Maria to open up and they were soon deep in discussion about the various tapestries around the house and their history. The dowager duchess, from what Maggie knew, loved history, and Maria knew about the history of the materials that actually created the tapestries.

Maggie was still smiling remembering how horrified Lady Banbury was when she heard how professional dyers were treated and how the smell was so awful that they had to live outside the city walls because the royal family hated it. Maggie never thought that this would be a conversation between a dowager duchess and a farmer's wife and shop owner.

It was fascinating and surreal at the same time. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

At least her father seemed to be getting on with everyone. But that was Christian Hay all over; he had the ability to get on with anyone, even those who were rude and cruel to others. He just had an affable nature that drew everyone in. It had certainly worked on Eleanor and Sabrina.

They were currently sitting next to him in the library, listening in awe about his life on the farm and raising sheep for their wool. Sabrina was asking a lot of questions to the point Maggie was worried that it would get annoying, but Christian took it in his stride.

She stood at the edge of the room and watched them. It was still a strange scene for her, watching her parents converse with an aristocratic family, but nobody seemed to notice or mind.

Even Adam was getting involved, and he had been asking his own questions about her family's business over tea. Maggie wouldn't be surprised if he suggested a business venture for her parents to get involved with; he did like being proactive.

The only one Maggie was worried about was Ben. He sat away from everyone else, barely saying anything and simply listening in. It was making Maggie worry that her brother would say something to ruin the mood, but he didn't.

If anything, though, his scowl had softened, and he seemed to be relaxing a little. Had he expected tension as well? Did he think that Adam and his family were going to look down on them? Maggie knew that would never happen.

She was more worried about Ben looking down on everyone else. The issues he had faced in the army had never really gone away, and she knew that he struggled with authority, even now. The only person he actually listened to was his father when he was told to do something. He even gave their mother slight pushback, but when it was Christian, Ben did what he was told, albeit with some grumbling.

But seeing him now, he seemed glad things were going well. That was a relief.

Maggie took a moment while her parents were occupied and Adam had gone to his study to slip out onto the terrace. The weather was nice today, and it was pleasant to have the sun tickling her face. Maggie stood at the edge of the terrace, leaning against the low wall, and tilted her face towards the sun, her eyes closed. She felt the relief in her body, easing the tight muscles in her shoulders and back. She hadn't even realized she was that tense.

This was certainly going better than she expected. Thank God for that, although Maggie was surprised that she was even worried; her parents were good at putting everyone at ease, and Lady Banbury seemed to be the same.

Maggie doubted that this civility would remain once she and Adam told them that they were in love, but Adam said not to say anything for now. It was one small step at a time. They didn't have to rush anything.

There was the issue of Lady Phoebe. She would not be happy that Adam didn't want to see her anymore, and she would demand to know who the other woman was. It would be really uncomfortable, and Maggie would have to deal with the brunt of it; she was constantly lashing out at Maggie because there was no one else in the immediate vicinity.

Adam had offered to let her have a job in his house so it would be easier to see her, but Maggie wasn't sure about that. Even if she did accept, the household would find out eventually, and then the whispers would start. Maggie didn't want to be seen as a money-grabbing mistress.

She needed to figure something out, though. Continuing a romance with Adam when she was a lady's maid to the girl he turned down was going to be a disaster.

They would find a solution. Adam was confident about it. Maggie trusted him, but she couldn't stop herself from wondering if it really was going to be alright or if this was doomed to fail.

You need to have more faith in the process. Adam is confident, so you should be as well.

He hasn't got anything to lose if this goes wrong. I do.

Maggie wished that she would stop worrying about it all. She did love Adam and was relieved that it was not one-sided. But there were a lot of consequences coming from this. Adam was certain they could weather the storm.

But could they?

"You look lost in thought."

Maggie opened her eyes and turned around. Ben had come out onto the terrace, limping as he approached her. It didn't seem as pronounced as it had been before. Maggie had noticed that he was doing less of it recently. She nodded at his leg.

"You look like you're doing better."

"What? Oh." Ben looked down at himself and gave a sheepish smile. "Father told me I should try to walk normally as limping would make it worse. He was right about that."

"He always seems to be right about everything." Maggie sat on the wall and patted the space beside her. "Come and sit with me. I haven't had a chance to talk to you yet."

"We certainly haven't." Ben walked over and settled down beside her, grimacing as he stretched his bad leg in front of her. "I like how the duke's family has done really well in making us feel welcome. Although I'm surprised with the topic of conversation between our mothers."

Maggie laughed.

"I can agree with that. It's not something I would associate with the dowager duchess. But at least they've found some common ground, even if the common ground is a little … odd."

Ben chuckled.

"It's certainly odd. Much like those two girls are interested in what Father has to say about the farm. They were so eager to learn all about it, and I'm sure I heard the younger one asking if she could come and look herself."

"I'm not surprised. Eleanor and Sabrina are very intelligent, and they love to learn. Sabrina's a bit more … active than her sister. She's the one that loves the crafting side, while Eleanor prefers her books."

"They sound like well-rounded children."

"Their governess has done well with them." Maggie sighed. "Eleanor did confide in me that she was in distress about her father passing, and she and Sabrina didn't know what they were going to do with themselves, especially when their mother pulled away from everyone. So she focused on her books, and it helped her. Sabrina chose to draw, and that was her outlet."

Ben regarded her curiously.

"They actually talked to you about that?"

"They did. About how glad they are to see their mother pulling out of her depressive state. They loved doing things as a family." Maggie looked up at the house. "They're just like any other family, just with a different title and the ability to do a lot more than anyone else because of their money."

Ben grunted.

"Sounds like a lot of families in the ton. But at least they're decent people."

"Even though you haven't actually interacted with them yourself?"

"I have my reasons. You know what I'm like around members of Society."

Maggie did and wished she could get Ben to ease off on his behaviour. There was a chance that he and Adam could actually get along. She gave him a gentle nudge.

"You just need to open your mind up to different possibilities. There's nothing wrong with this."

"You can't trust those with a title, Maggie. They're always going to turn things around to make themselves look good, and those like us end up worse off." Ben's scowl was coming back again as he glowered at the house. "No matter how friendly we can be, it can change in an instant."

"Ben, is this you talking about your problems in the army again? You're not in there anymore."

"That is a time of my life that I wished had been different, but it's not that." Ben's jaw tightened, leaning back on his hands. "You know I got into trouble before I went into the army, don't you? That father said I needed to enlist or be sent away?"

Maggie blinked.

"What? I thought you wanted to go into the army anyway."

"Are you telling me that you never heard about that?"

"About what?"

"The reason I went into the army." Ben sighed. "I suppose Father didn't want to burden you with it. You were very young, after all. He didn't think you would understand."

Maggie had no idea what was going on. What was he talking about? Christian wouldn't have kept anything from her; they were always transparent.

You're not transparent about your feelings with Adam. And you think you're on higher ground to talk?

"Something happened when I was younger." Ben tilted his head back, seeming to be looking at nothing in particular. "I got into trouble stealing."

"What?"

"Apparently, a lot of things were being stolen near where I was working at the time. Because me and a few friends were always at odds with the people who got stolen from, we were blamed for it all. Even though we didn't do it, we were charged with theft.

Our parents managed to make sure that we were given the option to enlist in the Army or Navy; otherwise, we would have gone to jail. I have no idea how they managed that, but we all escaped a sentence behind bars. My friends chose the Navy, and I went into the Army. I can't stand being on the open water for too long, so that was an obvious choice."

Maggie didn't know what to say for a moment. Hearing that Ben had been charged with a crime was a shock. She had thought that Ben just wanted a better life, and being a soldier certainly paid more. She shook herself.

"I … I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me about it? You know I wouldn't have judged you."

"I know, but I didn't want to talk about it. It's still a sore part of my life, especially as whoever really did steal got away with it, leaving my friends and me to be ruined. We had to start again, and everyone knew about it."

"I …"

"Gossip goes a long way, even with the lower classes." Ben looked at her. "Why do you think I had a problem with authority in the army? They knew why I had enlisted, and they made sureto let me know I would not have an easy time of it. If I hadn't been injured and medically discharged, they would have found a way to have me court-martialled or something."

Maggie didn't know what to say to that. She had thought that Ben had developed a hatred for titled gentlemen during the army when they were being too big for their boots. She would be the same if she was stuck in that situation. But to hear that not only was this a forced choice to avoid jail but that he was humiliated and treated badly because of it …

That broke her heart.

"I … I wish I'd known," she murmured.

"What could you have done? It's not like you could confront everyone who was horrible to me." Ben shook his head, his expression darkening. "If I ever find the one who put me in this position in the first place …"

He didn't finish the rest of the sentence, but Maggie didn't need him to. She could guess what he was thinking.

"What are you two doing out here?"

Adam had come out of the house and was heading towards them. The question was directed at both of them, but his eyes were warily on Ben. Maggie stood up, turning to help her brother up.

"We were just talking," she said quickly, smiling at him. "It's not often that we get just to sit and talk. We're always so busy."

"And whose fault is that?" Ben asked, arching an eyebrow at her. "When you are a lady's maid to such a spoiled brat? And speaking of which, Your Grace, when are you going to tell Lady Phoebe Cavendish to take a jump off a cliff?"

Maggie gasped and smacked his arm.

"Ben! Don't say things like that."

Adam just laughed.

"You don't need to worry about anything. I've made my decision on that." He turned to Maggie. "I've mentioned to the kitchen that we can have dinner soon. How hungry are you?"

"I'm famished." Maggie linked arms with her brother. "Both of us are."

"Speak for yourself," Ben muttered, pulling his arm away. "I'll be inside with our parents. You'd better make sure Mother and Lady Banbury are not still talking about how badly shellfish stink."

Maggie laughed as she followed her brother towards the house. Just as she was about to enter, she felt a warm grasp around her hand. She stopped and looked around to see Adam holding her. He gave her a smile that made Maggie want to kiss him. But with Ben so close and being out in the open, she couldn't. Squeezing his fingers, she lingered a little longer before pulling her hand back.

Her fingers were still tingling as she returned to the house, her heart fluttering at the thought of catching private moments alone with the man she had fallen for.

#

Adam was glad that things had gone well with Maggie's family. He liked Christian and Maria Hay; they were not a couple he would have expected to be together, but they worked so well as a pair.

Mr Hay was jovial and warm-hearted, and he was happy to answer any questions Eleanor and Sabrina aimed at him despite how many they were asking, while Mrs Hay was quieter and more serious, but she and Lady Banbury seemed to be of similar minds and had such an interest in history. Adam was surprised that they stopped talking to eat; he didn't think they actually drew breath.

That was good. At least they were getting along. This should help when Adam and Maggie told them they were in love. It would be a shock for everyone, but Adam was confident that this would work. Maggie was nervous about her parents being understanding and accepting it, but Adam was sure it would be fine. Once they got used to it, everyone would be happy.

A tiny voice in the back of his mind said that this would end in total disaster, and then they could never be together, but Adam dismissed that. Having confessed his love, he was not going to let anyone take that away. Even if it ostracized the pair of them, he would make it work.

What would be the point of saying to Maggie that he loved her and then nothing happening after that?

Adam knew he was being selfish and jeopardizing everything, but he wanted to be selfish. As far as he was concerned, Maggie was worth it.

Even if it came back to bite him.

The major problem Adam could see in the immediate future was Ben Hay. He had been watching Adam from a distance and was still rather short with him, but Adam decided to let that be. It seemed to be part of his personality, and Adam wasn't going to get upset about it. Maggie loved her brother, and he didn't want discord between them. He would settle down in time. Maybe they could be friends.

Or maybe that was too much wishful thinking.

When Adam went to bed, aware that he had just two more days with Maggie before she went back to the Atterbury estate, he knew that he needed to make all of this count. He wanted to be sure that relations between his family and Maggie's were good.

Now was not the time to admit they were in love – too much too soon – but it was a good starting point. They would ease into it at a later date. Hopefully, they would be able to get the families together more in the future; Mr and Mrs Hay sounded like they would be happy to do that.

Even though waiting to tell them was the best move, Adam wished they could do it soon. He didn't like having to sneak around with Maggie and snatch a few moments on their own. It felt like they were playing a dangerous game, smiling at each other across the room or holding her hand whenever no one was looking.

Adam liked touching Maggie, and he loved seeing her smile at him. They had even managed to steal a kiss after dinner when everyone was heading out of the dining room. That had been the most daring, and Adam had no idea how they hadn't been caught.

Hopefully, there wouldn't be snatched moments for much longer. Then, they would be able to express how they really felt. Adam was aware of the backlash that would happen, but he would protect Maggie and her family as much as he could. He would do whatever was possible.

He was still smiling as he fell asleep, glad they were making progress, although he wished they had the same feelings about the thief. There had been no sign of the individual for a while now, and Adam was wondering if he had actually left. If that were the case, good, but Adam hated not knowing what was happening.

He woke up to a loud banging that rattled around inside his head. Adam groaned and grabbed his head. Now that hurt, and he hadn't even drunk that much. It took him a moment to realize that someone at the door was trying to get his attention.

"Come in, for God's sake!" he growled.

"I can't, Your Grace. You've locked the door."

"Oh." Adam tried to get out of bed, only to catch his foot in the sheets, and had to catch himself on his hands before he landed face-first on the floor. "Just a minute."

Kicking his feet away, Adam tumbled to the floor, smacking his knee on the boards. Wincing, he got up and limped over to the door.

"Are you alright, Your Grace?" Morrison asked.

"I'm fine. Just a moment."

Adam got up and moved gingerly to the door, which he unlocked and opened. Morrison was there, his jacket half-buttoned and his hair still standing on end. Even with the dim lighting in the hallway, Adam could tell that the butler looked a bit flushed in the face and appeared to be out of breath.

It was not often that he saw Morrison like this. And that got Adam's attention.

"What is it, Morrison? Has something happened?"

"Young Mr Hay was attacked, Your Grace."

Now Adam was more awake. Ben had been attacked? Just when they thought the thief had decided to walk away?

"What? When did this happen?"

"Just now. He was walking around and came upon someone painting more on the side of the house. There was a fight, and he's injured." Morrison gulped in air. "You must come quickly!"

Adam didn't need to wait. He got dressed quickly, not bothering with his jacket, and followed Morrison through the house. The sun was just coming up, casting a low orange glow on the floor as it came through the windows, the curtains already open. It was enough that they didn't need any candles, but it was still somewhat eerie.

"When did this happen?" Adam asked as they hurried down the stairs. "Who found him?"

"One of the footmen did. We were preparing the house for the day, and there was a loud crash when he opened the morning room curtains. We went to investigate and saw young Mr Hay on the ground. He looked unconscious, and there was a cosh beside him, along with an upended bucket of red paint and a paintbrush."

So Ben had confronted the man and they had got into a fight. This might be a good lead for them, even if someone else had been hurt. Adam quickened his pace and entered the morning room right behind Morrison.

Ben was lying on the chaise, his face pale, and there was a cut over his temple and right eye. Maggie was kneeling beside him, gently pressing a cold compress to his head that made him flinch. Mr and Mrs Hay were also there; Mrs Hay looking seemingly agitated as she wrung her hands. Mr Hay gave Adam a grim nod as he entered.

"He's hurt badly, Your Grace. I think he's exacerbated his old injury again."

"What happened?" Adam went to the older man's side. "Has he been able to tell you what occurred?"

"I'm still conscious," Ben growled, making Adam jump. "You don't need to talk about me like I've lost my senses."

Adam cleared his throat and approached the chaise. Maggie glanced at him, and Adam could see the worry in her eyes. He wanted to reach out, touch her, and assure her that things were alright, but he didn't know what to say.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked gently. "You saw the man, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

Ben waved Maggie's hand away. The cut on his head looked nasty. He grimaced as he slowly sat up. Maggie tried to push him back down, but Ben waved her away again.

"Don't, Maggie. I'm not an invalid."

"You've just been attacked!" Maggie protested. "You need to lie down and rest."

"I'll rest once I get home. I've dealt with worse." Ben absently swiped his face, which just smudged the blood coming from the cut into his hairline. He looked up at Adam, his eyes clear and alert. "I woke up really early, and I thought I'd go for a walk around the estate while I waited for everyone to wake up. As I went outside, I heard something and went to look. Someone dressed in black was carrying a bucket and painting the word ‘liar' onto the side of the house."

Adam glanced at Morrison, who nodded.

"I've looked. It's currently being washed off right now."

"I confronted him about it, and he attacked me. He took a swing at me with the paint bucket, and then I knocked it out of his hand. Thank God I didn't get any of that stuff on me." Ben looked down at himself, at his pristine clothes.

"I grappled with him, and he got a cosh out from under his jacket and swung at me. I dodged but, in doing so, caught my head on the side of the house. It knocked me out, and then I came around to find one of your servants shaking me awake."

From the look of his wound, Ben had taken a run at the corner of the house; the cut was straight down. Adam was surprised that Ben was talking coherently after that. He certainly wouldn't be if he had collided with a building. Ben was made of stronger stuff than him.

"Did you see his face?" he asked. "Anything at all?"

Ben shook his head, which made him grimace.

"No, he had a scarf tied around his face. Only his eyes were visible, and his hat was pulled down low. I couldn't even tell what colour hair he had. But his eyes …" Ben shuddered. "They were … intense. Angry. I don't know who you angered, Your Grace, but it's not someone I want to come across again."

Adam couldn't blame him for that. At least Ben hadn't been hurt beyond this. Maggie would be distraught if her brother had been badly hurt.

"We need to get him home, Your Grace," Mr Hay said.

Adam turned to him.

"I can fetch my physician, and he can take a look …"

"Thank you, but we don't want to abuse your hospitality any further. It would be best that we take him home so we can take care of him."

Mrs Hay nodded, her expression solemn.

"I agree. It would be best for everyone. Ben would recover better in his own environment."

Hearing her say that made Adam wince. Despite everything, the class barrier between them was still there, and they were making it clear to him. He looked at Maggie, who nodded.

"I'm going with them. Someone needs to watch my brother while he's recovering."

"We have the best …"

"Mother and Father are right," Maggie cut him off. "I'm going with them. Forgive me, Your Grace, but I need to be with my family right now."

Adam wanted to argue, beg for her to stay, but he knew he couldn't. He had to let her go. And he really didn't like it.

But this wasn't about him anymore. He had to remember that.