Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

C ooper had not intended this when he had entered Noelle’s room.

He had only wanted to talk to and spend time with her.

Which was an odd sensation in itself.

His family had never been particularly close, and he had lost his mother early. They were too busy trying to survive in any way possible to be sitting around the fire in entertaining games.

He had spent most of his childhood stealing from other people – a fact that he had yet to share with Noelle, although he suspected that she had already guessed that some of his past was slightly nefarious.

He watched her, this beautiful, well-bred woman, lean in and unfasten his trousers before pushing them lower until his erection sprang free. Her eyes widened, her mouth rounding, and he wondered if he had shocked her.

“Is this too much?” he asked, barely able to voice the words.

“No,” she said. “This is… more than enough. But I’m still interested.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he said as he lowered his hand and wrapped it around his cock, slowly stroking as he watched her. She didn’t even need to be doing anything. Just sitting there with her pink lips slightly parted and those brown eyes round and curious was nearly enough to send him over the edge.

Then she reached her hand toward him.

“Can I do it?”

“I certainly couldn’t say no to that,” he choked out.

“Will you show me how?”

“I’d be glad to.”

She was hesitant at first as her graceful hand replaced his. He placed his overtop, noting how pale her skin appeared next to his darker one, her hand tiny beneath his, before he began moving it up and down, slowly at first so that he could enjoy it, until he became overwhelmed by sensations.

Eventually, he threw his head back, closing his eyes, allowing her to take over.

She was certainly an eager learner, and soon enough, he was coming over her, spending on her stomach as she gasped, the tip of her tongue peeking out as she licked her lips in excitement, watching him.

“Noelle,” he said, just managing to hold himself up. “That was…”

“I know,” she said with a smile, and after a couple of moments, he collected himself to find linen and clean her up, doing so nearly reverently.

“You are a gem,” he said, stretching out beside her. “I don’t deserve you. You know that, right?”

“I wish you would stop saying that,” she said. “For it is not at all true.”

He paused, uncertain how much he should share with her, but if she was going to be his wife, she needed to know everything.

“I have done things in my past that I am not proud of.”

“Haven’t we all?”

“Yes, but…” Best just to come out with it. “I stole. Pickpocketed at first.”

“That explains the lock picking,” she said before lifting her hand to his face. “But you do not steal anymore, do you?”

“No,” he said, resting his head in her palm. “I was… enterprising as a boy. At first, I led a group of other children in pickpocketing. After my mother died – of a sickness that I survived – I knew that wouldn’t be enough. I began to buy what others considered old junk. I’d fix it and sell it. It was my first business, along with fighting for coin. As I made money, I invested a little where I could. I knew who I wanted to be and where to get to, so I taught myself how to move in those circles. I changed my accent, learned manners, and hired experts in areas I knew nothing about – like dancing. I was lucky, but I also worked hard. I’ve always had a knack for knowing what – and who – to bet on. I seldom lost.”

“Until this railroad deal.”

He nodded. “I no longer believe that Sanderson ran off with the money. I think something happened to him.”

“By the same person who killed Lord Northbridge?”

Cooper nodded as Noelle, as bright as she was, began to tie all the threads together.

“Now it is known that you want to follow through with a venture for the same railroad.”

“Yes.”

“So, you could be in danger.”

“I could be, but that is not my concern. I can take care of myself. I have for years. A person couldn’t survive in my neighborhood if he couldn’t defend himself. It is you that I am worried about.”

“There would be nothing to gain by coming after me.”

“Unless it is to get to me,” he said. “All I ask is that you are careful, and you do not go anywhere alone.”

“It’s hard to be alone when this man follows me everywhere I go…” She began to laugh, and he shook his head as his own chuckle coursed through him.

“I am becoming slightly infatuated, I must admit that,” he said, staring at her as the pieces of what he felt began to fall together. He desired this woman with everything within him. He wanted to be married to her. When he wasn’t with her, he couldn’t wait until the next time he would be. He… good God, was he in love with her?

If he was, he had to take care.

She could never love a man like him, meaning he had to guard his emotions carefully. If she knew the depths of his feelings for her, she would likely pity him.

His expression must have changed, for she pushed herself up from the bed, her own gaze shuttering.

“Thank you for sharing that with me.”

“I want you to know who I truly am before we marry. I never want you to regret anything.”

“I cannot see a world in which I would regret marrying you,” she said softly from beneath hooded eyes, causing his heart to jump.

“After learning all of this, you still want me?” How could she?

“Even more.”

“That is more than I deserve,” he said before pressing a kiss against her lips. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

“For my safety?” she asked, meeting his gaze, her expression strangely vulnerable.

“Yes,” he said. “But also… just because I do not want to leave you.”

Her lips lifted shyly, her eyelids dropping. “I would love that.”

As he curled around her, her back against his front, Cooper wondered how his life had changed so abruptly.

Yes, he had luck in business, but people didn’t stay with him. That was why he had always put his energy into his financial endeavors—they never disappointed him and left him in control for the most part.

He was trying to trust Noelle’s not running away, which was never a sure thing—even if she had the best intentions.

Which was why he was now awaiting the inevitable — for reality to come crashing down.

When it did, it was going to hurt. Agonizingly.

But for the first time, he felt ready to take that risk.

They were all assembled in the drawing room late the next morning, seated on various pieces of furniture as well as chairs that had been brought in from the library to line the side of the room.

Cooper entered the room after Noelle and walked straight toward where she sat on the plush burgundy sofa resting against the wall beneath angelic landscape paintings of the Cornish countryside.

Noelle couldn’t help the smile that graced her lips at the sight of him despite the circumstances, and when he sat next to her, she slipped her hand into his. He tucked her in close to his side and she snuggled into him, taking the comfort he silently offered. How had she not realized just what a good man he was? She knew that he wasn’t proud of his upbringing, but it had made him into the man he was today, so for that, she could find no fault.

Her father walked in and nodded a greeting to them. Noelle knew that he had agreed to this marriage due to its financial implications, but she appreciated that he was also accepting of Cooper despite the differences between their backgrounds.

“This feels like we should be posing for a Christmas portrait,” Noelle whispered to Cooper, who couldn’t help but grin. This arrangement seemed so odd and out of place that Noelle almost felt like laughing at the absurdity. Lord Burton glanced their way as though sensing her misplaced amusement before striding to the front of the room as another stranger joined them.

“Good morning, everyone,” Lord Burton greeted them. “Today was supposed to be a day of sledding, but we have something different on the agenda, what with… recent circumstances.”

Lord and Lady Burton’s attempt at normalcy would have been humorous if it wasn’t so sad.

“You will remember Mr. Briggs, the coroner. He examined the body and the location where Lord Northbridge was found. Lord Northbridge will, of course, have a proper funeral. His sister, Lady Jennifer, has asked that his body be transported to his home parish. She will depart after today’s inquiry.”

“Oh, my good heavens,” Lady Burton said, fanning herself from her place on the chair beside Lord Burton. Lady Aster and Lady Crupley also looked ill at ease, while the younger women seemed more resigned to the situation. “This is all too much.”

“We will do our best to have this taken care of as quickly as possible,” Mr. Briggs said. “I understand this is Christmastide, but a man has lost his life. We must do this properly.”

“Of course, Mr. Briggs,” Lord Burton said with a nod, although his expression belied his true feelings before he turned to the group before him. “The coroner’s jury – which he assured me is necessary although I had hoped that it wouldn’t be – will be assembled in the side of this room.”

He waved to the dining room chairs set in front of them, facing them as though they were for an audience who would be watching them onstage. Noelle supposed that would be precisely what it would feel like.

“Are there any questions before we begin?”

“How long will this take?” Hermione asked as Hattie sniffed loudly beside her.

“It depends on how much information there is to impart,” Mr. Briggs said. “We will ask you to leave the room, and then we will interview each of you and the servants, one at a time.”

“Are we suspects?” Lord John demanded, standing abruptly.

“Our main purpose here today is to determine whether or not this was a murder,” Mr. Briggs said. “Due to the circumstances as well as the request to expedite the process before Christmas, the magistrate will also be in attendance to determine if anyone is at fault in case this does conclude to be a murder.”

Lady Burton let out a moan at that before covering her mouth while Hattie sobbed again.

“Very well,” Lord Burton sighed. “We appreciate your discretion in the matter. We have food set out in the dining room and card games in the adjoining parlor to play while we each await to be called. I will be assisting Mr. Briggs.”

Lord Burton stood beside Mr. Briggs in the room as the rest of them filed out. Noelle wrapped her arm around Cooper’s elbow, and as they exited the room, she couldn’t help but hear Mr. Briggs telling Lord Burton that, no, he could not stay in the room to listen to the testimony. Cooper’s lips were pressed into a firm line, and she could tell he was also intrigued about what would transpire. But they couldn’t exactly listen in without raising suspicion.

She tried to steal a glance at Cooper, but he was too busy craning his head around the room, although she had no idea what he could be looking for.

“Mr. Hartwell,” Mr. Briggs said, stopping their progress. “Why do we not begin with you?”

Cooper’s mouth quirked into a wry grin, but he showed no outward sign of annoyance.

“Very well,” he said. “Where would you like me?”

“On the sofa in the middle,” Mr. Briggs said, and Noelle squeezed his arm before following Hattie into the dining room.

She agreed with Lord Burton on one thing. She would also like this over as quickly as possible.

She just hoped that it wouldn’t end with an accusation against Cooper. He must remember the story they had agreed upon.

It was the only way out.