A Perilous Marriage by Ruth Ann Nordin

Author:Ruth Ann Nordin [Nordin, Ruth Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Love, suspense, Mystery, Regency, virgin heroine, virgin hero, Victorian romance, virgin widow
Publisher: Ruth Ann Nordin
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“I can’t believe you ran off to elope,” Heather said the next day as she sat across from Charles in the drawing room. “And to a lady recently widowed!”

Charles urged his sister to keep her voice down. The servants didn’t need to overhear her. “A little decorum wouldn’t hurt,” he told her. “You need to practice some restraint.”

“You ran off to Gretna Green with Jonathan’s widow, and you’re telling me to show restraint?”

He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. “Jonathan wasn’t even married to her for more than a day.”

She crossed her arms and shook her head at him. “If I had done something like that, you would have come after me and dragged me back to London.” Her eyes grew wide. “Come to think of it, you did exactly that. You went all the way to Gill’s estate and forced me to return to London.”

He rolled his eyes. “Are you ever going to forget that? I thought Gill didn’t want to marry you. He gave me no indication that he was secretly hoping you’d kidnap him.”

“You didn’t give me or Gill a chance to explain the situation. That’s why it upset me so much. All you did was rush to conclusions.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that.” Again, he rolled his eyes. Just how long was she going to remind him of that one little incident in his otherwise pristine past? “I can’t go back and chance any of it. Why mention it every time we’re together?”

“I don’t mention it every time we’re together.”

“It sure seems like it.”

The maid came into the room and set down the tea and crumpets. Charles waited until the maid was gone before he poured tea into their cups.

“I didn’t even know you were in love with Eris until Reina explained why you went missing,” Heather said. “Mother and Father were appalled. They’re doing everything possible to keep this scandal from spreading all over London.”

“I’m surprised they’re more shocked by what I did than you kidnapping someone. I didn’t force Eris to go with me. She willingly joined me.”

“Gill hadn’t just lost his first wife, and even if he had, it’s more acceptable for a gentleman to marry right away than for a lady to. What if Eris is carrying Jonathan’s child?”

“She’s not.”

“How can you be sure?”

“He died on their wedding night before they had time to…” His face warmed, and he struggled with how to continue.

Fortunately, that wasn’t necessary since his sister’s eyebrows rose. “Did Eris tell you this?”

Yes, that was a safe way to proceed. He’d rather say that than to tell his sister the evidence of Eris’ virginity had been too obvious to miss. “Yes, she did.”

“Can you trust her to be honest about it?”

“Why would she lie about something like that?”

His sister paused as she thought over the question. “Well, I suppose there wouldn’t be a reason she’d lie about it. But are you sure? The constable wasn’t sure exactly when Jonathan died, and a titled gentleman’s first priority is to have an heir.

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