Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

" T hank you," James murmured, having no other thought of what to say. He found himself rather overwhelmed by what he had just witnessed and now, realizing that he was walking with his betrothed on his arm filled him with nothing but wonder. He had seen the fear in Lady Prudence's eyes and had been afraid that she would turn to Lord Kingshill again rather than lingering beside him as she had promised. Even now, he did not understand the threat that Lord Kingshill had held over her, but he was aware of it, nonetheless. The way that she had jerked back just a little when Lord Kingshill had spoken of her past, of their reputations, had told him there was some sort of weight still lingering on her shoulders, something yet unspoken, and certainly not shared with him. There was no time to speak of it now, however, for James' only thought was to find Lord and Lady Lymington.

"You can trust me, Lady Prudence," he murmured, glancing across at her as they walked together around the ballroom. "No matter what is said or what takes place, you can be certain of my commitment to you. I assure you that there is nothing that can take me from you. I feel like the gentleman who has won a great prize, a prize that I am entirely unworthy of. When you said, in front of the rest of the society, that you would marry me rather than Lord Kingshill, my heart flung itself so far up in exultation as to reach the very heights of the sky."

Lady Prudence looked back at him, her face a little pale.

"I am relieved that you were still willing to accept me," she said, softly. "There is much that I need to explain, things that I should have said to you before now." Her lips twisted for a moment. "Mayhap you will not be so willing to accept me then."

James stopped immediately, turning so that he could look straight down into Lady Prudence's face.

"I can assure you, Lady Prudence, that no matter what it is that is revealed to me, no matter what it is that is said, I shall never turn away from you." The lady said nothing for some moments, gazing back into his face as though she desperately hoped that he meant what he said. "I am a scoundrel, remember," he told her, a slight tone of irony in his voice. "There is nothing which you can have done that I cannot match, and likely a good deal worse. You have accepted me, you have given me your trust, and I can promise you that such a thing will not be thrown back at you. Instead, I will not only respect it, but value it, holding it close to my heart and reminding myself of just how fortunate I am to have you beside me." He pressed her hand. "Can you trust me in that?"

Lady Prudence took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and then nodded.

"I think that I can."

"Good." Glancing behind him, James saw the other guests still following them, gathering more and more as they went. The whispers and the gossip would soon begin, and he did not want Lady Prudence to endure anything like that. "Come now, let me get you back to your mother."

Lady Prudence fell back into step with him quickly enough, her mouth still pinched, however, as though she feared that a great disaster was going to befall them once she told him the truth. Resisting the urge to ask her what it was, so that they might discuss it and thereafter, set it aside, James let out a slow breath of relief as he came into sight of Lord and Lady Lymington.

"Good evening to you both." He bowed and then looked at Lady Prudence. "I have been told by your daughter that we have an understanding?"

Lord Lymington nodded.

"Yes, we do."

"Which is just as well, as I have had to take the circumstances and push them a little further ahead," James continued, looking over his shoulder again. "I am sure that Lady Prudence can explain to you a little more but there are already a great many of the guests come in search of her, eager to question her a little."

"Question?" Lady Lymington's eyebrows shot up but, thankfully, Lady Prudence was the one to respond. "It is not something that you need to be concerned with, Mama. Lord Kingshill did not take his rejection particularly well and I was forced to speak publicly."

"Goodness!" Lady Lymington looked behind James and, after a moment, caught her breath. "Then we should take our leave, I think!"

James nodded and released Lady Prudence's arm.

"I think that might be best. The crowd is already growing, and they will soon want to speak to Lady Prudence again, given that we have now declared ourselves to be betrothed."

There was a breath of silence for a moment as Lady Lymington's gaze went first to her daughter and then, moved to James. He did not explain himself, did not see the need to do so, but instead, simply held the lady's gaze and nodded as though this was all the explanation she needed.

"I am sure that Prudence can explain on the way home, my dear." Lord Lymington put out one hand to his wife, urging her towards the door. "And you, Lord Childers, might you call upon me tomorrow?"

James nodded.

"Of course."

Immediately, his stomach began to twist, his heart pounding as he feared what it was that Lord Lymington would say to him about what he had done but there was no time for questions or the like. Instead, Lord Lymington turned and led his daughter away, leaving James to stand alone, wondering just how tomorrow's conversation would go… and just how much he would be able to explain.

Pacing up and down the hallway, James tried not to let his worries take hold of him. Last evening had been one of the most extraordinary evenings of his life, though he had not spoken a word to Lady Prudence since then. He had thought that they might have exchanged a note or two this morning, but he had not found anything to write and though the desire had been there, he had struggled to put pen to paper. Just what had she told her parents? Had she explained to them all that she had done, and all that Lord Kingshill had said? No doubt Lord Lymington would find himself angry with Lord Kingshill's threats, but the deed was done. Whether Lord Kingshill would do as he had threatened, James did not know, but he prayed that he would not.

"I thank you."

James turned, just as another gentleman stepped out into the hallway, one whom James did not recognize. He stepped aside and let the fellow pass, only for Lord Lymington to greet him.

"Thank you for being so prompt in your arrival, good sir. Forgive me for being a little tardy. There is much to do now that my daughter is betrothed!"

James put one hand to his heart and bowed.

"I thank you for permitting me to call on you – and for betrothing myself to your daughter without first speaking to you, I can only apologize."

"It is quite understandable, given what has taken place," came the reply. "Now, let us not stand together here in the hallway and converse! Please, come in."

Feeling a little less concerned, now that Lord Lymington had spoken with consideration and understanding, James did as he was asked and followed the gentleman. The study was just as he might have expected, with a large wooden desk to one side, sitting in front of some bookshelves. Lord Lymington did not go to sit down at his desk, however, but instead, gestured for James to sit down in one of two overstuffed chairs to the other side of the room. James did so quickly, rather surprised when Lord Lymington offered him a glass of brandy. If the gentleman had brought him here to berate him, to rail at him for what had happened, then surely he would not be as generous as this!

"To your wedding!" Lord Lymington smiled, holding up his glass as James blinked in surprise before finally lifting his own to his lips. "Goodness, Lord Childers, I confess that I am rather surprised to see you so astonished. What sort of reception did you think that you would receive from me today?"

"In truth, Lord Lymington, I thought that you would likely show nothing but anger," James admitted, seeing the gentleman smile. "I thought that you would be greatly upset that I had betrothed myself to Lady Prudence without even speaking to you first! I am a gentleman with a dreadful reputation – though I will admit that this is not something which ever troubled me before meeting your daughter – and to have one's daughter betrothed to someone such as I cannot be pleasing."

"It is certainly not what I had hoped for her, yes," Lord Lymington admitted, "but my dear fellow, it is better than her being wed to Lord Kingshill! You know as well as I that Lord Kingshill had no interest in Prudence and would have made her nothing more than miserable for the rest of her days. With you, however, I can see that there is a hope that she will be happy and contented." Tilting his head, he looked at James steadily. "You care for her, I think."

A little embarrassed, James nodded but looked away.

"I do, Lord Lymington, though I am well aware that I do not deserve to have such a young lady as she on my arm. After all that I have done, and the disrespect that I have shown to so many, I do not think for a moment that I deserve to have your consent to my marrying Lady Prudence – nor hers either!"

"But you have it," Lord Lymington said, quietly, his eyes suddenly grave. "I must ask you, however, to consider this matter with great seriousness, Lord Childers. She is my daughter, and I love her as any father loves his child. That does mean that I am concerned for her welfare, that I want what is best for her, so that I can see her happy and contented. I am entrusting her to you, Lord Childers, and that is a great responsibility. I do not think that Lord Kingshill would have taken that with any sort of seriousness, but I must hope that you will."

James quickly nodded.

"I do, and I will," he promised, fervency in every word that he spoke as he moved to sit a little further forward in his chair. "Lord Lymington, I did not ever expect to care for any young lady in the way that I care for Lady Prudence. I thought that, when it came time for me to wed, I would do so reluctantly and unwillingly – and yet now, here I am finding myself utterly delighted at the prospect! I want to hasten the day that will bring Lady Prudence to me as my wife, and I swear to you, as I will swear to her, that I will take my responsibility as her husband with all seriousness. I will commit myself to her happiness, I will devote myself to her care. I will not turn my back on her, I will not turn again to the ways which have been so familiar to me and yet so hurtful to so many. I can assure you of that."

It took a moment but, eventually, Lord Lymington smiled.

"That is excellent to hear," he said, a small smile drifting across his face. "I believe, for the first time since we came to London, that my daughter has a real chance of happiness… and it seems that she shall have it with the worst rogue in all of London!"

James found himself laughing along with Lord Lymington though it came more from relief than genuine good humor. He had nothing to worry himself about, it seemed, for Lord Lymington was quite contented to see his daughter wed to James. The way that it had come about had been surprising indeed, but James was, as he had said, truly grateful to now find himself attached to Lady Prudence. She was so very wonderful, gracious, considerate, and kind, and his heart was slowly filling with an increased affection for her.

All he had to do now was tell her that.