Earl of Exile (Lords of Scandal 3)

Emily nodded. “Of course.” Then she looked to Diana. “I feel responsible. I—”

“You aren’t.” Diana gave her a smile. “Don’t even think it.”

“Jack.” Minnie turned to Emily’s husband. “Start assembling the staff, I’ll need to speak with them about the guests.” Then Minnie turned back to Exile. “I trust you’ll keep Diana safe while I’m gone.”

“Ye have my word,” he answered, pulling her close again.

The moment that Minnie disappeared, Exile started up the stairs, looking for a quieter sitting room. “Why did Minnie just leave us alone?” Diana asked as they entered a lovely room.

Exile sat, pulling her into his lap. “She kens that tonight the normal rules dinnae apply.”

Her nose brushed his and a tingling shot straight to his groin from just the light touch. “They don’t?”

“No.” He grimaced, a look of exaggerated pain. “I was shot while protecting ye.”

She leaned back, looking down at him, her lips pressed tighter. But she couldn’t quite hide her smile. “A tiny wound if ever I saw one.”

He stroked her cheek. “Ye told Lady Abernath yer secret. She can use it as a weapon against ye.”

Diana shrugged. “Funny thing. I don’t care what she does with the information. I guess I never did. I believed I wasn’t worthy of anyone’s love because of what I’d done. It was always about me.”

Exile shook his head. “How can ye be so damned intelligent?”

She dropped her nose to his again. “Let me tell you, if I am so smart, that you aren’t responsible for your cousin’s death.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “Saving ye tonight, in some strange way, makes me feel better. Like I lived when he died to do some good in this world. All this time, I felt like he should be alive and I should be dead because he deserved it more.”

Diana took several ragged breaths. “You’re a fine man, Callum. I wouldn’t love you if you weren’t. Stop trying to live the life he would have chosen and follow your own destiny.”

He stopped and looked deep into her eyes. The words were so simple, but they rang with a truth that took his breath away. This whole time he’d been so focused on how Ewan would have been Earl, who Ewan would have cared for and helped. “I…”

“Everything all right?” Minnie asked, entering the room. She didn’t even blink at the fact Diana was in his lap when she sat across from them. “I didn’t want to ask before, but what happened tonight?”

Exile listened as Diana relayed the events of the evening, Minnie gasping a number of times. “So Lady Abernath is still at large?”

Diana nodded. “And Grace and Ada are in even more danger than we imagined. Abernath isn’t just bad, she’s unhinged.”

Minnie nodded. “We have to tell our parents the full extent of what’s happened. If we don’t…”

“I know.” Diana looked in Callum’s eyes, her own scrunched in pain.

He stroked her cheek. “Ye should go to bed. It’s been a trying evening.”

Bed? Sleep was the last thing she wanted but then he raised his brows giving her a side stare. Suddenly Diana realized he wasn’t actually discussing sleep. “You’re right. I am exhausted.”

Emily walked back in the room. “Exhausted? Don’t go to bed yet. I was so worried and I’ve hardly even seen you.”

Diana sighed. Her sister was right. She’d been so wrapped up in the situation with Lady Abernath and, honestly, her feelings for Callum, that she’d barely seen her sister since she’d returned from her elopement. “How are you feeling?”

Emily shrugged. “Good overall. A little tired and a bit nauseous.” She touched her belly.

Diana glanced at Emily’s belly too. Her sister was pregnant. Soon she’d have a baby of her very own. Why did that sound so wonderful? She’d never considered that. If she didn’t marry, she wouldn’t have a child. Well, she supposed she could. Her gaze strayed to the man who had just slid her from his lap and tucked her into his side.

Then she thought of Harry. Not that she would ever be the horrible mother Lady Abernath had been, but still. The child’s future was unknown. She nibbled her lip.

“How do you think Malice and Cordelia did, taking a child with them on their honeymoon?”

Emily shrugged. “They were going to visit Malice’s family.” Her hand held her chin. “But why did they take responsibility for Lady Abernath’s child again?”