Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

LEVI OVERTON, DUKE OF LENNOX

"Y our sister?" Levi's eyebrows nearly flew past his hairline. "Did you change your name?"

"No," Mr. Braddock replied, his blue eyes—the exact same shade as Helena's—shifted between the two of them. "I've always been Ernest Braddock."

"Did you have different fathers?"

A frown rippled across Mr. Braddock's face as though he didn't understand Levi's odd focus on the family's history.

"How did she become Miss Rowe?" Levi gestured to Helena, who'd subtly shuffled away from him and hovered near her brother.

"Rowe?" Mr. Braddock shook his head. "Her name is Braddock, too. Eveline Braddock."

Ice spread through Levi's body, beginning in his heart and seeping into the surrounding organs, freezing him from the inside. The words of the first newspaper article floated through his mind.

"Eveline Braddock," he repeated, his gaze flicking to Miss Rowe—correction, Miss Braddock. "Did your sister happen to suffer from a failed engagement as well?"

"By her choice." Mr. Braddock glanced at his sister as though he couldn't fathom why this conversation was necessary. "She claimed the gentleman was unsuitable."

Levi's hands clenched. "And did she return the ring he presented to her?"

"You have a lot of questions for someone who seems to know more about the situation than he should." Mr. Braddock stepped forward, raising his chin. "What business do you have with my sister?"

"Absolutely none." Levi strode around Mr. Braddock, yanked his greatcoat and hat from the rack, jerked open the door, and nearly collided with Miss Webb.

"Your Grace!" she said, stepping backward into Miss Fernsby-Webb. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes." He pushed past them, then spun, knowing he owed them more courtesy than that. "I've learned some distressing information."

"Which was?" Miss Webb's gaze slid over Mr. Braddock, moving from his scuffed shoes to his wind-blown hair in silent inspection.

"Both newspaper articles written about Miss Rowe were true, with the exception of one tiny detail." Levi shoved his arms into his coat's sleeves. "They printed her name incorrectly."

Miss Webb's eyes rounded. "What name should it have read?"

"Eveline Braddock, and that man,"—Levi indicated Mr. Braddock—"is her brother."

Miss Fernsby-Webb leaned around her sister and glared at Miss Braddock. "You lied to us from the moment we met. Was anything you said the truth?"

Standing mute in the center of the foyer, Miss Braddock kept her eyes on the floor and slowly shook her head from side to side.

"I've heard enough," Levi snarled, jamming his hat onto his head. "Miss Webb, I'll advise Roxburghe that you and your sister require alternative lodgings prior to the wedding."

Miss Braddock stepped forward. "Levi?—"

He cut her off with a glare. "Do not address me as though we are intimate friends. I'm your superior in every way."

Her face crumbled, tears springing to her eyes. With a sob, she turned and raced up the staircase. The slam of her chamber door echoed through the house.

Mr. Braddock's head swiveled between Levi and the staircase. "I do believe my arrival may have caused more damage than intended."

"Why are you here?" Levi seethed.

"Eveline sent for me." Mr. Braddock pointed the crushed missive at Levi. "Why are you here?"

"I'm not." Turning, Levi stepped off the doorstep and strode down the snow-covered pathway toward the street.

He didn't look back at the house. Head down, he trudged to his coach, climbed in, and banged on the wall. Leaning his forehead against the window's cool glass, Levi sighed, then punched the wall, expelling a vulgar swear word, followed by a string of the foulest concoction he could imagine.

It didn't ease the stone weighing down his stomach.

She lied.

The words circled around his head like buzzards, suffocating him in the carriage's shrinking cabin. He needed to walk.

Banging on the coach wall, Levi directed Mr. Spencer to pull over. However, Levi opened the door before the coach stopped and leaped from the cabin. Stumbling, he struggled to maintain his balance, flinging his arms out to prevent himself from falling.

"I must surmise," Roxburghe said, appearing at the rear of Levi's coach, "that your presence at this club means Mr. Philbert did not depart your house as we hoped."

"My appearance has nothing to do with him," Levi said, joining Roxburghe on the sidewalk.

"Would it be regarding the article about an unnamed gentleman and Miss Rowe?—"

"Braddock," Levi said, leading Roxburghe toward the gentleman's club.

"Pardon?" Roxburghe stretched his arm across the doorway, preventing Levi from entering. "Miss Rowe is Miss Braddock?"

Levi nodded his head once. "Miss Helena Rowe is actually Miss Eveline Braddock. A fact I discovered from her brother just after I proposed."

He shoved Roxburghe's arm away, jerked open the door, and marched inside, heading straight for his favorite corner. Selecting the chair nearest a small, beveled window, Levi flopped down and stared through the glass at the white blanket of fluff coating a neighboring garden.

The clink of glass drew his attention, and Levi glanced over, his eyes dropping to a half-filled glass of sherry on a small table beside the chair.

"You said you proposed." Roxburghe sat in the other chair and sipped his drink. "Have you lost our wager?"

"Certainly not! I withdrew my request when I learned of her deception." Levi lifted the sherry, drained the liquid in one gulp, and slammed the glass back on the table. "As any sane man would have done."

"What was her reason for the falsehood?" Roxburghe asked, studying Levi over the brim of his cup.

"She didn't give one."

"Or you didn't ask…" Roxburghe swirled his glass.

"What would you have done had Miss Webb lied about her name and her past?" Levi asked, leaning forward and lowering his voice.

"I'm a fool in love. It wouldn't have swayed my affection," Roxburghe replied, saluting Levi, then swallowing half of the glass' contents.

Levi grimaced as the memory of his promise to Miss Braddock echoed through his mind.

"And," Roxburghe pointed his glass at Levi, "she did lie to me… about the cruel treatment she and her sister were subjected to at the hand of their mother, but she had a viable reason."

"Which was?" Levi toyed with his empty glass.

"She didn't trust me."

His jaw dropped. "You don't agree with my decision?"

Roxburghe set his glass on the small table between their chairs.

"For someone who needed a mound of evidence to accept his house was haunted by Mr. Philbert's spirit, you've given up on the prospect of happiness without any complaint."

"I wasn't ha?—"

"You were!" Roxburghe's outburst drew the attention of several men seated nearby.

He gestured an apology to the glares slithering in their direction, waited until the men resumed their conversations, and then leaned in.

"Miss Rowe, Braddock, whatever her name may be, encouraged a lightness I haven't seen in you since your father passed."

"She. Lied. To. Me."

"Have you been truthful in all your interactions with her?" Roxburghe arched his eyebrows.

A commotion at the front of the club drew their attention, and each man held his tongue, attempting to decipher the words reverberating through the front lobby.

"I must speak with the Duke of Lennox!" Mr. Braddock's blond head appeared in the doorway as he struggled to fight past the footmen restraining his arms.

Roxburghe snorted. "Is that a friend of yours?"

"It's Miss Braddock's brother," Levi groaned, standing and waving at the footmen. "Allow Mr. Braddock entry. I'll see him."

Mr. Braddock shook off the two men, straightened his coat, took off his hat, and strode across the room, his eyes locked on Levi.

"Your Grace, there's been a misunderstanding," Mr. Braddock said as he bowed.

"Your sister didn't lie to me?" Levi ignored Roxburghe's irritated glare.

Kneading the brim of his hat, Mr. Braddock grimaced. "No, she did. However, she had cause."

"What cause is so great it necessitates lying to a duke?"

"One that can result in death."

"Sit." Levi gestured to one of several empty wooden chairs lined along the wall.

Sliding his hand through the slats, Mr. Braddock lifted the nearest chair, carried it back to the corner, and placed the seat equal distance from Levi and Roxburghe. Then, he paced back and forth behind it.

"The entire situation is my fault," Mr. Braddock said, dropping his hat on the chair as he passed. "If I'd heeded Eveline's concerns six months ago, she wouldn't have had to run."

"What were your sister's concerns?" Levi steepled his fingers together.

"I have four sisters." Mr. Braddock stopped, wrapping his hands around the chair back. "Did she tell you that?"

The corner of Levi's mouth pulled. "All of them have names beginning with the letter ‘E'."

"Three of them were easy to match. However, Eveline… well, she has opinions." Mr. Braddock sank onto his chair, smashing the hat. "I felt fortunate to find a suitor. However, after one carriage ride, she begged me to end the connection. I refused."

"What reason did she give?"

"She believed him a most violent brute."

Touching the tips of his fingers to his lips, Levi studied Mr. Braddock for a long moment. "Was her assessment correct?"

"It was." Mr. Braddock hung his head. "He called one evening while I was out, and she received him as a dutiful fiancée should. Taking advantage of their solitude, he attempted to force himself upon her; I discovered proof of the attack. She struck him with a log from the fireplace—which left a noticeable scar on the side of his face—and disappeared."

Levi banged his fist on the cushioned arm of his chair. "Why did you not publicly denounce him?"

Dragging his hand down his face, Mr. Braddock released a heavy sigh. "Because Eveline kept and apparently sold a family ring he bestowed upon her. Humphrey will have her arrested for theft, or worse, if he discovers her."

Roxburghe snapped his fingers. "Thus the reason for her false name."

Levi shot a scowl at Roxburghe, then returned his attention to Mr. Braddock. "Did this dismissed fiancé ever strike your sister while they were engaged?"

Shifting in his seat, Mr. Braddock dug his hat out from beneath his legs. His gaze dropped to Levi's chin, and he nodded once.

"I didn't learn of the incidents until after Eveline vanished, and by then, I understood why she felt she possessed no other alternative." Mr. Braddock set the crushed hat on his lap. "I thought I'd never see her again."

Leaning forward, Roxburghe asked, "How did you know where to find her this morning?"

"She wrote to me." Sticking his hand into his coat pocket, Mr. Braddock extracted the wrinkled missive.

"Peculiar." Roxburghe stroked his beard.

"What is?" asked Levi, his tone sharp.

"Why would Miss… Braddock go to such lengths to hide her identity, then write to the one person who could reveal the truth and not warn him of the ruse?" Roxburghe's eyes slid to Mr. Braddock. "I'm assuming you didn't know."

"I didn't." Mr. Braddock shook his head. "The letter gave very little detail."

"May I read it?" Levi asked as he leaned forward and held out his hand.

"Certainly, Your Grace."

Levi silently perused the terse two-line missive. "This sounds extremely cold."

"I thought the same," Mr. Braddock replied, adding a heavy sigh. "I assumed Eveline hadn't yet forgiven me for ignoring her protests."

"Has she?" Roxburghe asked, accepting the letter from Levi and reading over the words.

"Doubtful, Your Grace," Mr. Braddock said, tilting his head toward Levi. "My arrival caused more difficulties in her new life."

Roxburghe folded the missive in half and returned the page to Mr. Braddock. "I don't think your sister sent this letter."

"Which is the conclusion I reached as well." Mr. Braddock shifted his attention to Levi. "Your Grace, I realize, with your title, that her offense is greatly magnified. However, I implore you to consider the motivation behind her deceit."

"Thank you." Levi inclined his head. "I will reflect on what you've shared."

Mr. Braddock frowned and stood. "The reason I arranged matches for my sisters was to protect them from falling prey to gentlemen wolves. I fear I may have been unable to prevent Eveline from suffering through that experience."

"What are you implying?" Levi growled, standing as well.

"Merely that your sudden departure this morning left quite a gloomy cloud over my sister's residence." Mr. Braddock's fist clenched. "She cried."

Silently, Roxburghe rose and moved beside Levi.

Mr. Braddock stepped to both of them and stabbed his pointer finger into Levi's chest. "I know you took liberties with Eveline; don't think your title will frighten me away from seeking restitution."

Levi smacked away his hand. "Did Miss Braddock make the same claim?"

She could insist he'd duped her with false promises of marriage…

"She stated you acted as a gentleman in all your interactions with her. However,"—Mr. Braddock leaned closer and lowered his voice—"I can tell when Eveline is lying."

Chest constricting, Levi jutted out his chin, feigning bravado. "If your sister has no grievance with me, neither do you. Good day, Mr. Braddock."

Jamming his hat on his head, Mr. Braddock snapped his mouth shut, turned, and strode toward the exit.

"That was a bit harsh," Roxburghe said as the man's blond head vanished into the lobby.

"He accused me of having relations with Miss Braddock."

"Did you?" asked Roxburgh, reclaiming his chair.

"I've never been introduced to a Miss Braddock," Levi replied as he sat.

Roxburghe clucked his tongue. "A coward's distinction."

"Careful, Roxburghe," Levi growled. "Friend or no, I'll still trounce you in the middle of this club."

Shoving his chair several inches backward, Roxburghe rose. "Before your sour mood ruins my day, I'm going to call upon my fiancée, her sister, and their friend, who apparently was seduced by a scoundrel."

Several pairs of eyes followed Roxburghe across the floor.

Delightful. What horrific tale of gossip would be printed about the Duke of Lennox tomorrow?

Cursing under his breath, Levi stood and followed Roxburghe out of the gentlemen's club. However, instead of instructing Mr. Spencer to take him to Miss Braddock's house—which truly was the location he wished to be despite the overwhelming betrayal tearing through his heart—Levi requested to return to his lodgings.

He climbed into his coach, yanked the curtains closed, plunging the cabin into darkness, and sunk down on the bench.

Why hadn't Miss Braddock claimed they'd been intimate?

The question swirled around in his head, echoing until it drowned out every other thought. She ruined her chances of finding a match in Wiltshire—well, truthfully, he had by appearing at her house every day for the past four weeks.

The coach stopped, but Levi didn't move. He stared, unseeing, at the bench opposite him, enveloped by the ghostly scent of lily of the valley. His eyes closed, and he inhaled.

The door creaked open, and Mr. Spencer peered into the coach. "Are you ill, Your Grace?"

Eyes popping open, Levi shook his head, then climbed from the carriage. He trudged through the snow into his house, leaving a trail of melting footprints through the foyer as he headed toward his study. Opening the door, he expelled a shout of fright upon discovering Warwick seated behind the desk.

"You look as though someone died." Warwick's smile faltered when Levi plodded into the room and flopped onto the sofa. "Lord, who's deceased?"

"Miss Rowe." Levi stretched to his left and grabbed a decanter of whiskey and two glasses from a side table.

"When? How?" Warwick rose and hobbled around the desk, groaning as he leaned on his cane.

Levi filled both glasses. "This morning, when her brother arrived at her house and announced her true name was Eveline Braddock."

Warwick's jaw dropped. "Why would she lie?"

"Her brother claimed the deceit was due to her hiding from a violent, rejected fiancé."

"A plausible excuse." Shoving Levi's legs out of the way, Warwick sat on the end of the sofa. "However, if you're uncertain, seek out the jilted man and determine his character for yourself."

"I don't know his name." Bitterness spread across Levi's tongue.

Warwick's mouth stretched into a slow smile. "You're in love."

"Was." Levi held out a mostly filled glass of whiskey. "I was in love with someone who doesn't exist."

"She lied about her name, not her nature," Warwick said, accepting the snifter.

"Why didn't she trust me enough to share the truth?" Levi slammed the decanter back on the table. "I proposed."

"You proposed?" Glee exploded on Warwick's face.

"The moment I learned of her deception, I retracted my intentions," Levi snapped, causing Warwick's amused expression to transform into horror.

"Did you… were you intimate with her?"

"You sound like Roxburghe."

Sighing, Warwick placed his hand on Levi's shoulder, giving it a hard squeeze. "Ten thousand pounds won't be of great comfort when you're alone in this house with not even Mr. Philbert's ghost to keep you company."

"You don't intend to marry." Levi jerked his arm from Warwick's grasp. "Are you attempting to convince me of its merits to win our wager?"

"I'd trade twenty thousand pounds for a chance at what Roxburghe and Grisham have… for what you had." Warwick kicked his cane, sending it skittering across the floor.

"Unless you crawl across the floor to retrieve that, I'm leaving you on this sofa." Levi tapped the rim of his glass against Warwick's.

"Mrs. Grove will assist me when she returns from the market." Grinning, Warwick sipped his drink.

A door slammed in the room above them, followed by the soft scrape of chair legs moving across the floor. Both Levi and Warwick tilted their heads back and stared at the ceiling.

"Did Mr. Northcutt escort Mrs. Grove to the market?" Levi asked, his voice quiet.

"He did," Warwick replied, his tone equally soft.

"Just you and I in the house, then?"

"And apparently, Mr. Philbert's spirit."