“What is it?” One of John’s hands curled into a fist. What now? He didn’t trust the earl by half.
“I won’t let you take Caroline to Hadleigh Hall or anywhere else without you marrying her first. In all seriousness, this was a bit of Drury Lane acting you performed for us moments ago. If you’ve gone to the trouble of proposing, I want you to wed her instead of changing your mind down the line when the novelty of an engagement might wear off.”
“Well, damn,” Brand breathed from somewhere behind him.
“God, you never disappoint in being an arse, do you, Drew?” Finn asked softly.
Disbelief ricocheted through John’s chest. Hadleigh had him by the balls and they both knew it. He looked at Caroline, and the expression on her face nearly broke him. It was as if she’d been given the best gift, but had it yanked immediately away. He refused to disappoint her where everyone else had. Slowly, he nodded. “Fine. If that’s what it will take to remove her from the Stormes, then she and I will marry.” The urge to curse rose in his throat, but he tamped it. What the hell would he do with a wife? Fear trickled down his spine, not for the act itself but for what might become of it.
Then he reminded himself of one glaring fact. I am not my father. And he would renew his efforts to follow that dictate.
“Excellent.” The earl’s smile held smugness. John wanted to land him a facer merely on principle, for he’d been manipulated, plain and simple. “Give me a couple of days to draw up a contract.”
“I am free.” A giggle from Caroline brought all eyes to her. “He has settled my future.”
The implications of wedding her were staggering. He’d never been a rogue like Brand, nor had he frequented prostitutes regularly, but that didn’t mean he’d been a monk either. In allowing Caroline the space she needed to heal, he’d sealed his own future as well as hers. They would both go into this union of convenience without the assumption of romance or even physical affection, which made for a very long life indeed.
And he would not betray those marriage bonds. Once he pledged his loyalty to her, he would mean every word.
Still, it was well worth it. No one gave a hang about her, but he did, and he hoped someone would do the same for him if the occasion demanded.
While annoyance crawled down his spine from the earl’s highhandedness, his words came out on a faint growl. “Don’t drag this out, Hadleigh. I wish to be certain Caroline is well away from the naysayers in her life as soon as possible.”
Bloody hell.What was he to do now? He had not a steady income yet from the shipping business. Neither could he bring a viscount’s daughter home to the rooms he rented at one of the premier hotels in Ipswich.
“If you think to order me about, let me disabuse you of that notion, Mr. Butler.” Oddly enough, there was a certain amusement in Hadleigh’s voice. “However, if you hurt my cousin…”
“I won’t, but you must realize that your actions thus far have. I aim to reverse that.”
“Argh!” With a hard glance, the earl swept from the room. “William! We need to talk immediately!” His roar echoed in the corridor beyond.
Both the inspector and his sister Isobel, raced from the room with murmured excuses. Stunned, and with a fussing baby, Sarah followed.
Silence roiled through the room like a heavy fog. The Earl of Worchester drew Caroline to the opposite side of the room. No doubt he would attempt to counsel her about the decision, but knowing the doctor, he wanted her out of the line of fire when her cousins dressed John down. Marsden was a good man.
As confusion racked his brain, John turned to face both Brand and Finn, who stared at him with expressions ranging from shock to amazement. “Well, that didn’t exactly go as I’d thought.”
“Seems to me you didn’t think about any of this at all,” Brand hissed. He shoved a hand through his hair. “You would willingly go into parson’s mousetrap for the sake of my cousin’s well-being?” Incredulity rang in his low tones.
“Aye.” Though it meant the complete upending of his life, if he could help Caroline find herself, it was more than worth that sacrifice. There was a connection between them, a friendship, that he wished to nurture if only to show her that not every person she met thought her incapable. “Everyone deserves a chance in life, and London won’t give that to her. Neither will the ton. Or, apparently, will the Stormes.”
Finn cleared his throat. He didn’t appear as flabbergasted as his brothers. “You realize marriage is permanent.”
“Oh, yes, but only if she wills it.”
Brand scoffed. “She said she’d marry you. No doubt she wants that stability, but are you that? Our friendship aside, we both know what your life has been up until this point.”
“I will do the best that I can.” If it meant becoming a better version of himself for her, then that’s what he’d do. “If marrying Caroline gives me the right to oversee her care and healing, I absolutely will. It’s up to her exactly how and what sort of marriage we shall have, and I will abide by that decision.”
Both brothers exchanged glances. Finn shrugged.
“It’s his prerogative and hers, Brand. They are both well past majority age, and it does appear Caroline favors him more than any of us.” He rested his gaze on John. “But Drew was correct. If you hurt her, you won’t be able to withstand the collective Stormes in retribution.”
“You have my word and my promise. She’ll be treated as a queen.” He glanced at her while she talked—or rather, listened—to the doctor. “Everything I do from here on out will be with her in mind.” Of that he was serious.
“I believe you.” Finn nodded. “I can’t see what you hope to gain or why, but I believe you’ll be good for Caroline. Perhaps we can all learn from your courage.” He then wheeled himself across the room toward the sideboard.
Brand dropped a hand on John’s shoulder. His grin was genuine, and that brought John a modicum of relief. “I knew you were better than a brother. You’ll show the Storme connection what it is to be a good man.”