Chapter 15

Callum had no doubt his marriage to Emily would be a smashing success. During the last few days, their relationship had been severely tested. They”d gotten engaged, fallen out with each other, mourned the loss of her grandmother, and made up.

Not only had they found their way through all of that together, but Callum believed they”d come out stronger. The connection they shared, because they”d had to deal with these difficult challenges, was one that couldn”t be broken.

Happy in the knowledge she would become his wife, he returned home with a much lighter heart than when he”d left. He”d spoken with her parents before departing Seaton Hall. A hasty marriage by special license was off the table.

For starters, a mourning period was required. Emily’s parents refused to accept anything less than three months. This, they claimed, would also allow enough time for the crying of banns and to make arrangements for the big day, which would include a respectably large wedding breakfast.

Callum hadn”t argued too much, despite his impatience. He understood that a respectable amount of distance would be necessary between yesterday’s funeral and the happy occasion. Plus, Emily was Lord and Lady Rosemont”s only child. Of course they”d want to plan a big celebration when she married.

Peter greeted Callum when he entered the foyer.

“How was it?” he asked while Callum removed his hat and gloves.

Callum pondered how to answer that question and eventually settled on, “I’m glad I went.”

“Did you hug her like I suggested.”

“Yes,” Callum said, unable to keep from smiling.

“And did it help her feel better?”

“I believe so.”

“That’s good.” Peter dropped his gaze for a second before saying, “Now that you’re back, I was wondering if you might show me how to fly the kite you bought me.”

Callum’s heart squeezed. He’d purchased the kite a month ago. Until now, Peter had completely dismissed it. It was good to see him showing an interest in pastime activities, and in spending more time together.

“We can certainly try. Our success will depend on the wind. But first, before we go, there’s something I’d like your help with.”

“Really?” Peter’s eyes widened with interest.

“Come with me.” Callum led the way to his study. Once inside, he gestured for Peter to close the door. “You can’t share this with anyone, all right?”

Peter nodded. “I promise.”

“Very well then.” Having crossed to one of two bookcases filling the room, Callum retrieved a large wooden box that sat on the top shelf. He brought the box to his desk and opened the lid to reveal a wide selection of gemstones set into various pieces of jewelry.

“Blimey.” Peter stared at the twinkling stones.

“Our task is of the utmost importance,” Callum told him, deliberately infusing a conspiratorial note to his voice. “We must select the future Duchess of Stratton’s engagement ring.”

“That won’t be easy,” Peter muttered.

Callum rather agreed. The five options were equally splendid, but he’d have to pick one. Having proposed four days ago, it didn’t sit well with him that Emily still didn’t have his ring on her finger.

“How about this one?” Callum asked, holding up a diamond ring. It was simple but elegant.

“Very pretty,” Peter agreed.

Callum frowned and set the ring back before picking up another containing rubies. “Or this one?”

“That’s also very pretty.”

“You’re supposed to be helping me, Peter.”

The boy rubbed the back of his neck. “All right. How about that one, to match her eyes.”

Callum selected the one with a square cut emerald flanked by diamonds. He smiled. “It’s absolutely perfect.”

“Will you give it to her today?” Peter asked.

“That’s my intention.” Callum placed the ring inside his jacket pocket and returned the jewelry box to the shelf. “I’m not sure Emily will have returned home yet since she went by carriage. It will probably be another hour until she arrives, so why don’t you and I go to the park in the meantime. We can stop by her house later on the way home.”

“That’s a brilliant idea. I’ll go fetch the kite.”

Callum chuckled. “Take your time, Peter. Don’t trip on the stairs. I need ten minutes to freshen up too.”

They arrived in the park after a brisk walk and found an open area without any trees for the kite to get tangled in.

“You’ll want to hold it like this,” Callum instructed. He gave a quick demonstration first, then passed the kite to Peter and adjusted his grip. “Don’t unwind the spool too much. Keep it taut as you try to get the kite airborne. You can always add more length later.”

“Which way do I run?”

“In the same direction as the wind.” Callum stilled for a second to gauge the airflow, then pointed toward his right. “That way. Once you feel the wind starting to pull the kite out of your hand, you release it and unwind the spool.”

Peter knit his brow as though in deep concentration, lifted the kite as Callum had shown him, and started to run. Callum watched as the kite started to flutter. Peter released it and turned with hope and excitement in his young eyes, only to watch as the kite lost momentum and drifted toward the ground.

“Try again,” Callum told him. “Maybe hold the kite a bit higher.”

Peter did as Callum suggested but once again, the kite dipped to the ground instead of rising.

“This is impossible,” Peter muttered.

“It’s rare to excel at something on your first try,” Callum said. “Took me several go’s when I was your age before I was able to get my kite into the air. You’ve got to keep at it if you want to succeed.”

He watched as Peter walked back to his starting position, held the kite as he’d been instructed, and started running again.

“Are you sure you taught me the right way?” Peter asked after three more failed attempts.

“Yes,” Callum assured him, “but it does require practice, and the wind today is a bit too gentle. We can always come back tomorrow. What’s important is that you do not give up.”

Peter huffed a breath and considered the kite. “One more try then.”

Callum wished him luck and prayed Peter’s efforts would be met with success. Arms crossed as he stood to one side, he tracked the boy’s movements when he started running. “Yes, that’s it. Faster, Peter. Keep going. Now release!”

The boy followed Callum’s command and the kite began rising upward.

“Unwind the spool,” Callum shouted, not caring that he was behaving without the slightest trace of decorum. “Slow and steady.”

“I did it,” Peter laughed as the kite rose even higher.

Grinning, Callum ran across the grass to where he stood. “Well done, lad.”

He placed one hand on the boy’s shoulder and stared up at the sky where the kite now twisted and twirled in response to the wind.

“Can we still come back tomorrow?” Peter asked when they gathered the kite a bit later and rewound its spool. “Even though I managed to do it today?”

“You’ve gotten a taste for it now, eh?”

“It’s fun.”

“I agree, and to answer your question, of course we can come back tomorrow.”

Peter beamed. He looked mighty proud as he carried the kite along when they left the park. Callum could not be more pleased. He knew how important each small success was in life. Especially after a crippling experience.

Having exited the park, they started along Park Lane and continued toward Mount Street. They were just nearing Rosemont House when Callum spotted Emily who was hastening toward them from the opposite direction. She was alone, Callum noted, and a look of panic strained her features.

His pulse quickened with apprehension and he instantly lengthened his stride in order to reach her faster.

She spotted him in the next second and hurried to meet him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked when she came to a halt before him. His hand caught her arm in a show of support. Whatever had happened, he’d help her through it.

“I scarcely know where to begin.” Her voice was strained, her gaze darting about as though she herself sought some means of escape.

“Where’s Georgina? Why isn’t she with you?”

“What?” Emily finally focused on him, allowing him a glimpse of the turbulent angst in her eyes. She blinked and looked around as though surprised to find Georgina missing. “I was in such a hurry to speak with you, I must have forgotten to ask her to join me.”

Callum glanced in the direction from which she’d come. “Are you saying you went to my house without taking your chaperone with you?”

“Your butler said you were out.”

Callum grew increasingly worried. It was unlike her to leave home unescorted. He steered her toward Rosemont House’s front door while making sure Peter followed. “Let’s go inside, Emily. You look like you could do with a soothing cup of tea.”

Or perhaps something stronger, he decided when he realized her hands were shaking.

Whatever had happened, it had to be dire. She wasn’t the sort of woman who needed smelling salts or whose nerves unraveled when faced with adversity. Emily was made of sturdier stuff. Seeing her like this made him worry another relation of hers might have died.

He ushered them into her home and directed her toward the parlor before addressing her butler. Unlike the previous time when he’d called, the man appeared more amicable, most likely because of Emily’s presence.

“Lady Emily is feeling a little unwell,” Callum said. “Can you please make sure a tea tray is brought up and that her lady’s maid is informed. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d also appreciate it if my ward is able to spend some time with Heidi while Lady Emily and I speak. He’s very fond of her.”

The butler’s expression remained carefully schooled. “I trust you’ll leave the parlor door wide open until a maid joins you?”

“Of course,” Callum assured him, adding a glower on account of the man suggesting he might be up to no good.

“Very well.” The butler lowered his gaze to Peter. “Come with me, young man. Heidi was in the servant’s hall having her fur combed, last I checked. There might be some cake for you too if you ask Cook nicely.”

Reassured that the man in whose care he’d left Peter was not as severe as he appeared, Callum breathed a sigh of relief and entered the parlor. Emily, he saw, was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace while wringing her hands. Seeing him, she came to a halt, even as she remained in restless motion. Biting her lip, she fidgeted with her skirts.

“I’ve done something terrible,” Emily told him. She shook her head. “I don’t know how you’ll ever forgive me.”

Callum went to her and took her hands gently between his own. He smoothed his thumbs over her skin in an effort to calm her. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

She wasn’t the malicious type. If she’d done something she believed he’d be angry about, it would be accidental. Callum was certain of this. The pained look in her eyes confirmed it.

“No,” she whispered, her voice so small it clawed at his heart. “It’s worse.”

Georgina entered at that exact moment, bringing a tea tray with her. Callum waited until she’d arranged the tea things and removed herself to her usual spot at the opposite end of the room, before guiding Emily to the sofa.

“Let’s have some tea,” he suggested, “and then we’ll talk.”

He urged Emily toward the spot on the far right of the sofa, then claimed the one on the left for himself. She served the tea and they each took a sip.

“Better?” Callum inquired.

“A little,” she said even though she still looked as though she’d like to leap from the nearest window.

He took a deep breath and angled himself toward her. “Emily, whatever you’ve done, please know that it won’t affect how I feel about you.”

She shook her head. “How can you say such a thing when you don’t know what it is yet?”

“Telling me would probably be a good start.” He took another casual sip of his tea, attempting to look as non-threatening as possible.

She followed suit, then snatched up a biscuit, which she proceeded to eat with a striking degree of gusto. “I now know how you must have felt when you realized the threat your writing posed to our relationship. It’s this horrible dread that’s manifested behind my breastbone. It’s an unbelievably wretched sensation.”

“Emily,” he said, firming his voice a little. “It won’t go away until you confront the situation head-on. Tell me what happened and maybe I can help fix it.”

“I don’t see how. The man I spoke with said it was already too late.”

“Man?” Callum tilted his head and frowned. “What man?”

“The one I spoke with at The Mayfair Chronicle. I went straight there when I realized what had happened. I explained to him that—”

“Emily.” Callum set the palm of his hand against her cheek, forcing her gaze to meet his. “What did you do?”

“I… I wrote a review.” Tears welled in her eyes. “You have to understand, Callum. I was hurt and angry at the time.”

Callum’s heart knocked back and forth with unsteady beats. “What did the review say?”

“That Seductive Scandal wasn’t worth the paper on which it was printed and that I’d struggled to finished it. It’s due to appear in tomorrow’s paper.”

He stared at her. She’d been right to worry. This was so much worse than what he’d expected. But he couldn’t fault her for it. She’d responded in pain, but that didn’t make her action less damning or hurtful. Least of all when considering all that had happened during the course of the last few days.

“I don’t understand.” If The Mayfair Chronicle already had the review, she must have given it to them before departing for Seaton Hall. Before their conversation in the garden. Before their spectacular kiss. “How could you do this to me and then say that you love me?”

It wounded him more than he’d ever admit.

She shook her head. “I never intended to send it.”

“And yet it still ended up at the printers.” Try as he might, he couldn’t quite keep the accusatory tone from his voice.

“By accident, Callum. I wrote it in anger, then left it on my desk.” Emily sent her maid a quick look and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Georgina found it while I was away and thought I’d forgotten to have it delivered, so she did so herself. It’s not unusual. She often delivers reviews on my behalf.”

Callum stared at her and heaved a sigh. “We have to tell the others.”

“Westcliffe and Corwin?” she asked with a note of dread.

“Exactly so. That book you’ve written a harsh critique of was meant to provide an income. As you know, I’m not financially secure, but neither are they. We were counting on that book to provide us enough funds so we might invest in profitable enterprises and grow our wealth.”

“And I’ve wrecked it,” Emily croaked.

Callum considered her sorry appearance. What was the point in agreeing with her when she clearly felt bad enough as it was? Besides, she’d only done it in response to his own actions. If she were to blame then perhaps so was he.

“All that matters now is stopping the publication.”

“I tried to do so, Callum. It was the first thing I did before going in search of you.”

“We have to go back and try harder.” Callum stood. He swiped his jaw with his hand and attempted to gather his thoughts. He glanced at Emily. “Is your father home?”

“I believe he’s in his study.”

“Good.” The earl was both well connected and wealthy, which could prove useful in this situation. “I want you to speak with him. Tell him what’s happened. Do not omit a single detail. Explain to him how important it is that we fix this. I’m going to call on Westcliffe and Corwin in the meantime. We’ll meet you at the newspaper in about half an hour. Please make sure your father comes with you.”

“What’s your plan?” Emily asked as she too stood, the anxiousness in her eyes so sharp it cut straight through him.

“To add some pressure.” Callum headed for the door, speaking as he went. “It’s not yet four in the afternoon. If they’re refusing to pull the review, it’s only because they’re being stubborn.”