Catherine hesitated. “I would not say that I am entirely free of doubts,” she said truthfully. “For a change in character must be evidenced over a period of time before I will accept it entirely.”
He inclined his head. “That is very wise indeed.”
“Although,” she said softly, “I have been told of your fervent desire for me to know that things between yourself and Miss Hyde were brought to a very decisive close, before you were struck and injured so terribly.” She watched as his eyes darted to hers, giving him a quiet smile which, after a moment of searching her face, he returned. “I think now, Lord Rutherford, I should be glad to know you a little better.”
There was a smidge of hopefulness in that last sentence, with Catherine battling against her feelings even as she spoke them. She was drawn to Lord Rutherford, wanted to have him prove himself to her so that she might let her emotions free.
“Then let us hope I will not be brought down to the grave this very afternoon, Lady Catherine,” he said, his eyes burning with an intensity that she was too afraid to ask about. “For that is my dearest wish also. You are the one who has brought me to this place, to this new situation in which I find myself, and I am filled with a deep gratitude and a desire to prove to you that this change that has been brought about will not fade away. Rather, it will grow until I no longer recognize the gentleman I once was.” His hand reached out tentatively and Catherine, without hesitation, took it. His fingers ran across hers as though he were reassuring her that she had nothing to fear. “And if I am given such an opportunity, Lady Catherine, then I can assure you that I will take it.”
There was no more time for them to speak, for the carriage came to a gentle stop just outside of Lord Nottingham’s townhouse. There was not a moment to spare. Catherine glanced at Lady Ann, who nodded, knowing the silent question that was upon Catherine’s lips, just as Lord Rutherford climbed out of the carriage.
“Do be careful, Catherine.”
Catherine smiled, albeit with a little tension in her frame, and begged her sister to pray for them before she climbed out alongside Lord Rutherford.
“You do not have to attend with me, Lady Catherine,” he said for what was now the fifteenth time. “I am well able to accept the consequences of my actions.”
“And I will not allow you to be killed because of them,” she said firmly. “Now, do come on and let us hope that all will go just as we intend.”
Lord Rutherford nodded, took a breath, set his shoulders, and then hurried up the stone steps, knocking loudly at the door. The moment it opened, he swept inside without allowing the butler to even speak, with Catherine following hastily after him.
“The master of the house, if you please,” he said with such an air of authority that the butler seemed to jump to attention. “I believe he already has a visitor?”
The butler stared at Lord Rutherford for a moment, before giving himself a slight shake and quickly stumbling forward. “In the drawing room, my lord,” he said, glancing back at Catherine, who gave him her haughtiest of looks. “Lady Serena is there also.”
“But of course,” Catherine replied with an air of someone who already knew such a thing. “We do not need to be announced. They are expecting us.”
The butler, clearly overawed by both Lord Rutherford and Catherine’s manner, gestured to the door and then stepped to one side, allowing Catherine to push the door open and walk through, with Lord Rutherford at her heels. The scene that met her was one that she had already expected, with the two gentlemen sitting with a glass of liquor in their hands, and Lady Serena sitting across from them both, her needlework in her lap and a tea tray in front of her.
“Gentlemen,” Lord Rutherford boomed, striding in and planting his hands on his hips. “I hear you have been trying to do me in.”
Shock rippled across Lord Nottingham’s expression, Lord Chesterton staring blankly at Lord Rutherford as though he were seeing a ghost.
“You did not think he would be well enough to even stand, I presume,” Catherine said condescendingly, as though speaking to a child. “You did not hit him hard enough, I think, Lord Nottingham.” She tilted her head and looked at Lord Chesterton. “And you were the one to drag him away from the ballroom, I suppose? Those scratches on your hand suggest that Lord Rutherford was fighting you off, just as he said to me.”
Again, there came an astonished silence, with both Lord Nottingham and Lord Chesterton looking from Catherine to Lord Rutherford and then back again. No one spoke. No one moved, and aside from a quick glance toward Lady Serena—a glance that she hoped would be reassuring in some way—Catherine herself chose not to say more.
“What are you doing here?” Lord Nottingham demanded, rising slowly to his feet, his brows knotting together. His eyes turned toward Lady Serena, who immediately dropped her head. “Serena?”
“There is no need to mention Lady Serena,” Catherine said firmly, coming to stand a little closer to Lord Rutherford. “There has been an assertation made, Lord Nottingham.” She arched one eyebrow. “What do you have to say about it?”
“It seems your acquaintance with Lord Chesterton has not been as brief as I first thought,” Lord Rutherford said, taking a step closer to Lord Nottingham, just as Lord Chesterton rose to his feet. “How long has it been since you started discussing matters with Lord Chesterton, Lord Nottingham?” One shoulder lifted. “Even though I must admit that I am entirely worthy of your anger and your disdain.”
Lord Chesterton laughed harshly, his eyes narrowing. “You pursued my sister, Lord Rutherford.” He cut the air with his hand. “My sister, who is already engaged to another gentleman.”
Catherine’s stomach tightened. There was nothing incorrect with what Lord Chesterton said and yes, they were correct to have such fury directed toward him. Yet she could not allow them to take their revenge in the worst way possible.
“I will freely admit that I took very little interest in Miss Hyde, other than to attempt to steal a few kisses from her,” Lord Rutherford said darkly. “I did not even know that you were her brother, Lord Chesterton.”
“Would it have made any difference?” Lord Chesterton growled, his brow furrowed low, his face beginning to burn with anger. “Would you have treated her with a little more respect?”
Catherine’s stomach swirled with nerves as Lord Rutherford considered this, then shook his head.
“In truth, I would not have done so, no,” he said plainly. “I speak honestly, with the full awareness of the cad that I have been. I was selfish, cruel, and uncaring. I treated others with contempt and disdain and I have come to apologize for it.” He looked over to Catherine and she tried her best to smile at him, despite the tension that poured into her veins. There was nothing to worry about, she knew, but still, the atmosphere felt like a swirling wind, pushing her this way and that and trying to tug her into every direction whilst she did her level best to stand firm. She did not know what Lord Nottingham or Lord Chesterton would try to do but she was still determined to stand by Lord Rutherford, believing that every word from his mouth was nothing but the truth.
“In a way,” Lord Rutherford continued, “I am grateful for what you tried to do. I have been forced to look at myself in a fresh light and realize now just how callous and arrogant I have been.” He gestured toward Lady Serena. “And whilst I will not pretend that I have not been pursuing your sister eagerly, she has never once given her affections to me.”