Valentine's Vow (Avenging Lords 3)

“You saw Mr Cassiel again?”

“He broke into Miss Kendall’s house while we were rescuing her brother from being beaten to a pulp by Mr Maguire.” Arrogance filled Valentine’s voice as he delivered the comment like a sudden punch.

Honora appeared unfazed. “Yes, and Miss Kendall has been staying in Hanover Square ever since.”

Valentine’s eyes widened. “You know about the intruder, about Mr Maguire, about my need to offer Miss Kendall a safe place to stay?”

“Mr Kendall spoke to Mrs Stagg yesterday when she returned to the house to fill a valise.”

Heat rose to Ava’s cheeks. By rights, she should have approached Honora for help. It would have been the respectable thing to do.

Valentine remained silent for a brief time. “Then know that with regard to Miss Kendall, my intentions are honourable.”

“By honourable you mean honest though not necessarily moral?” Honora replied, though she did not seem annoyed or shocked.

“I am standing here,” Ava reminded them. They spoke as if oblivious to the fact. “Regardless of how this looks, Lord Valentine is a dear friend who offered his assistance in a time of great need.”

Honora touched Valentine affectionately on the upper arm. “My son is the most loyal and trustworthy friend a lady might have.”

“He is,” Ava agreed.

“But he also carries a position of responsibility that means his conduct is open to scrutiny.” One could not mistake Honora’s meaning. “I’m afraid Lady Durrant has had a lot to say on the matter.”

Valentine breathed a weary sigh. “I never intended to disappoint you, but you know that I cannot make Lady Durrant an offer no matter how hard you try to convince me of her suitability.”

A mischievous grin played on Honora’s mouth. “I have never thought Lady Durrant a suitable companion for you, Lucius.”

Valentine frowned. “But I made a vow.”

“A vow to marry. A vow not to let past experience act as a deterrent.” Honora glanced at Ava and smiled. “You were the one who mentioned Lady Durrant. I simply went along with the notion, knowing one day you would come to your senses.”

“Tell them,” Jonathan interjected. “Tell them what brings me here.”

Ava considered her brother’s tense shoulders, noted the dark circles under his eyes. “Tell us what?”

“Every gossip in the ton believes you’re conducting an illicit affair,” Honora informed them. “By all accounts, Lady Durrant grew desperate and decided to visit you at home, Lucius. Before alighting from her carriage, she watched you escort Miss Kendall inside.”

A sudden panic sprang to life in Ava’s chest.

Guilt flared when she considered the fact that despite her protestations about having worldly experience, she had become one of those foolish girls whose scandalous activities provided hours of ballroom entertainment.

Valentine shrugged. “I don’t give a damn what the gossips have to say. Surely my own mother must know that I take responsibility seriously. Miss Kendall and I will be married.”

“I should damn well hope so,” Jonathan mumbled.

It took a moment for Valentine’s words to penetrate Ava’s addled mind. She should be ecstatic at the prospect of spending a lifetime with the man she loved. But something about the comment left her cold to her bones.

Did he want to marry her out of guilt?

Did he want to marry her because his position demanded he act responsibly?

Did he want to honour his vow?

An outpouring of sadness, of disappointment, whirled in her chest, growing in size and momentum the more her mind concocted its imagined stories.

“Would you excuse me for a moment?” Ava did not wait for a reply but turned on her heels and hurried from the room.

“Ava, wait,” Valentine called, giving no regard to the fact he had used her given name.