Heiress Without a Cause

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

"I expected Ferguson to arrive by now," Madeleine said, striding back and forth in front of Alex's desk like a councilor urging a lord to war.

"He will come," Alex said. "But if you do not stop pacing, I will think you have turned into Amelia."

She eyed her usual chair with distaste and kept walking. What if Ferguson didn't come? She knew he still loved her, and she didn't doubt his heart. But she did doubt his autocratic tendencies and the fate they might lead him to. If he still thought her safety overwhelmed all other priorities, he could break the engagement and go to Scotland alone.

And she would be "safe" - if it was possible to be safe without a heart.

"You don't have to marry the bounder if you've changed your mind," Alex said in the same mild tone as his observation about her pacing. "I doubt the ton will consider you a jilt. You could hardly be expected to marry a presumed murderer, after all."

That stopped her pacing. She turned on him with a frown, one hand on her hip as the other grasped the back of a chair for support. "You know he's not a murderer. If anything, it is my fault he is in this mess. I cannot abandon him so easily."

Alex drummed his fingers on his desk, his brow furrowed as though confronted with an artifact of dubious provenance. "I don't deny that, Maddie. But if all else fails, you can always come back here."

"I thought I was destined for exile in Bermuda?"

"As long as you don't get caught as Marguerite, you can stay here forever. But even if it comes to that, we could smuggle you back in a few years if you live quietly enough."

"It does not matter," she said, the fire of battle escaping her. She sank into her chair, ready now for whatever bad news might come next. She just hoped it would come quickly - with every moment Ferguson delayed, she grew more uncertain, more afraid that her ultimatum the previous night had driven him away.

By the time Chilton opened the door half an hour later, Madeleine was nearly ready to crawl to Scotland herself if it meant keeping him. It was so unlike her, the mad desire to possess someone at all costs, forgoing pride, intelligence, even self-preservation in order to win them.

If that madness was what drove Ferguson's need to protect her, she finally understood why he would choose to run.

"His grace the duke of Rothwell. Lady Catherine and Lady Maria," Chilton announced, ushering them in and closing the door as he left.

Alex rose when the ladies were announced, and Madeleine stood to exchange kisses with the twins. Ferguson hung back, but when she saw the fierce look in his haggard face, her heart leapt. He had slept just as badly as she had - but he also looked ready to fight.

Kate curtsied to Alex, then turned back to Madeleine. "Ferguson says we must wait elsewhere while you conduct your business. But Maria and I wanted to say we are delighted to have someone with your talents in our family."

Ferguson shrugged when Madeleine turned her incredulous gaze on him. "The twins were present when Ellie offered advice on our problem. It did seem expeditious to prove to them that I am not a murderer."

"Pshaw," Kate declared. "You've never had that look about you that Richard used to have. But your secret is safe. We've no one to tell, after all."

Their brother sighed. "All right, girls - perhaps Lord Salford would be so good as to show you to a salon while Lady Madeleine and I converse?"

Alex joined them by the door, but he raised an eyebrow at Rothwell's suggestion. "Leave you alone with my cousin while you send me off unchaperoned with your sisters? Rather bad form, Rothwell, and you can't force me to marry both of them."