“What’s wrong?” Isobel asked, watching as Dominic moved towards the window, looking outside briefly before closing the shutters.
Dominic shook his head. “Nothing,” he said, returning to the bed.
Isobel pulled away slightly averting her face from his kiss instead leaning backwards to meet his gaze steadily.
“I will tell you in the morning. It is nothing to worry about,” he added, knowing if he didn’t offer her any reassurances, she would badger him until he told her everything. He knew her well enough to know that distraction was the key. “We will discuss it in the morning. It is our wedding night. Everything else can wait.” With that he rolled her backwards, and gave her no further opportunity to question him further.
Sunlight was streaming through the open shutters when Dominic pried his eyes open the following morning. Instinctively, he moved to curl around his wife. God that sounded good, he thought to himself as he rolled over. He found himself smiling smugly as his questing hands found warm flesh. Resisting flesh. With a frown, his eyes popped open. His gaze locked with her steady periwinkle stare. He waited only to frown again when she didn’t move or speak, only returned his steady regard.
With a sigh he blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. He knew she was waiting.
“I don’t want to start our marriage on a lie.” Dominic heaved himself up to prop himself up against the pillows. When she remained quiet and unmoving, he continued. “Rupert knows you are here.” He watched as her only movement was the slow closing of her eyes.
Isobel felt her stomach lurch with a familiar sickening dread as Dominic spoke. She knew it was inevitable that at some point Rupert would re-appear. He wasn’t one to take defeat lightly and would want retribution, such was his nasty nature. However Isobel hadn’t expected it to be so soon, especially given the inclement weather.
“Where is he?” Her voice was almost too calm.
“He is in a house near here, about two miles out of Town. He is there with DeLisle,” Dominic said, seeing no reason why she shouldn’t know, especially now. Still, he hated how pale her cheeks had gone and wrapped her securely in his arms.
“I promise you here and now my darling, neither man will get anywhere near you. Not only would they have to get through me, but they would have to get through Peter, my brothers and the house staff. They are not so bold, foolhardy or clever to consider it.”
“But I cannot remain here a prisoner. At some point, I need to go outside, if only to walk the gardens.” Isobel battled to control the rising fear.
“You shall do so without fear. But one cannot ignore the hard fact that things are likely to get worse before they get better. At some point, there will be a confrontation with Rupert or DeLisle, if not with both. I don’t want you ignorant of that fact. You shouldn’t fear being alone or moving freely around the house should you want to. However, you cannot take any risks.” Dominic could feel the slight tremor that swept through her as she curled against him. “You are my wife. It is my job to protect you now, and I shall do so.” Or die trying, he thought to himself hoping it didn’t come to that. Wisely, he kept that last thought to himself.
He knew that if he wanted to gain Isobel’s trust, he had to take her into his confidence. To lead by example and hope she trusted him enough to tell him everything about her evasion of Rupert and the help she received.
“We know that Rupert is mired in debt,” Dominic said, staring at the ceiling. “He has no property to speak of, and more billets and i.o.us around London than anyone I have ever heard of. His creditors are now getting anxious to have their money back. I think that is part of the reason he has taken to the countryside, and removed himself from the City and the threat.”
“What about DeLisle? Why is he sticking so close to Rupert if he owes money? Surely, there is a risk to him being associated with significant unpaid debts.” From where Isobel rested her head against Dominic’s broad chest, she could hear the steady, reassurin
g thump of his heartbeat.
“We can only assume that Rupert also owes DeLisle money.” Dominic began to run his fingers absently through her hair as he talked. The rhythmic motion of his fingers running through the silken strands soothed them both. “If he did, he clearly expected to use you to pay his debts.”
“Me,” Isobel whispered, closing her eyes against the prospect.
“We understand from Kitty that you were supposedly betrothed to DeLisle, so we can only assume there was a monetary agreement between the two men.”
“That makes DeLisle angry that he hasn’t got what he is owed.” Isobel frowned and closed her eyes against the memory of DeLisle’s lascivious gaze rose in her mind.
“Rupert is desperate,” Dominic added his voice tinged with menace. “Needless to say, both men are dangerous.”
Dominic slid his fingers through her hair and tugged her head upwards until she was leaning over him.
“I need you to be strong and trust me. To do so will bring you peace, I promise you.” Dominic’s steady green eyes locked with hers silently asking for her trust. “Rupert has to be brought down, darling. Peter has already set about plans in London and has men working on the matter; men who worked with us on the smuggling operation. We fought with them in the War. They are the best in the business.”
Dominic needed her to feel reassured but knew he had also unsettled her by telling her as much as he had. “Rupert’s days are definitely numbered. DeLisle’s too, if we can find anything to stick on him.” Dominic drew her down for a lingering kiss. “By telling us everything -” he paused to make sure she understood his meaning. “- you will be giving us vital information that will help us to plan his downfall effectively. We may also be able to pass information back to those working to help us which could speed things up a bit.”
Isobel nodded in understanding. If everyone else was working on bringing Rupert and DeLisle to justice, then it was down to her to do her bit too. After all, it was because of her that all of these people were now involved.
Rising from the bed, she began to select her clothing for the day, lost in quiet contemplation. She was aware of Dominic watching from the bed and was somewhat relieved when he made no move to follow her.
“What I don’t understand,” Isobel said, half to herself. “Is why me?”
“Pardon?” Dominic drew himself onto his elbow, so he could see her as she moved across the room.
“Why me? I mean I can’t be the only woman he knows. Even if he did get me to marry DeLisle, it wouldn’t pay his debts around Town.” Isobel froze as her uncle’s snarled words trickled slowly into focus.