Ines jumped at his outburst, and everyone but his mother turned to stare at him. Lady Charlotte took her seat, looking almost relieved. “You have something to say, Duncan?”
“Nae tae ye, Mother.” He shook his head. He looked at Ines, and she stared back at him, hoping her glare was harsh. She wanted to hurt him as much as he’d hurt her. Duncan’s look softened as he stared at her, and then he was moving toward her. Ines started to back up, but Duncan was too quick. He caught her hands and held her. Then, to her shock, he knelt before her.
“Stand up, Duncan!” his mother said, her voice like iron.
Somehow Duncan ignored her. He looked up at Ines, and no matter how much she tried to look away, it was his face that she wanted to see above all others.
“Lass,” he began, then shook his head. “Ines. I owe ye an apology. I faltered when I should nae have.”
Ines did not speak. It was not enough. She wanted to forgive him, but his words were not enough. Her heart still hurt. It still felt hard and unyielding when she looked at him.
“It’s strange, aye?” He glanced at Fortescue. “I never faltered when a line of soldiers fired at me, but last night, I hesitated.”
Fortescue gave him a sympathetic look, but Lady Charlotte was becoming more agitated. She stood. “Duncan, sit down.”
He ignored her and looked only at Ines.
“I love ye, Ines. I love ye heart and soul.”
Ines gasped. Or perhaps she sobbed. She just knew her heart lurched hard in her chest.
“I wanted tae tell ye last night. I tried tae show ye instead, but I wanted tae give ye the words as well. I’m giving them tae ye now.”
“Thank God,” his mother said. Duncan turned to look at her, then put his arm about Ines’s shoulders. Ines stood still and frozen, not shying away, but not accepting his touch either.
“Mother, ye ken I love ye and respect ye.”
Lady Charlotte blew out a breath. “I know that. I’ve been waiting for you to tell me what you feel for her.”
Duncan frowned, looking confused. “I should have said before. I should have stood by her side last night. It’s where I should have been from the start. I ken I’m a failure in yer eyes. Ye sent me tae London tae find a titled English bride, and I fell in love with a Portuguese lacemaker. But ye of all people should understand love. Ye felt it once with my father.”
Lady Charlotte gripped the table hard then eased down into her chair, looking suddenly older and frailer.
“I’ve spent years trying tae atone for my mistake. I ken if I hadnae run away that night, yer husband and my father would be at this table now. I never wanted tae disappoint ye or defy ye again, but I have tae. I love Ines Neves, and I want tae marry her.” He looked down at Ines. “If she’ll have me. And if ye dinnae approve”—he looked back at Lady Charlotte—“then I’ll accept that and we’ll leave right now. But I willnae ever leave her side again.”
Lady Charlotte sat back, nodding resolutely. The room had gone silent except for the crackling of the fire. Duncan went to his knees again and took Ines’s hands. “I dinnae deserve ye, lass. I dinnae ken if ye can ever forgive me, but I swear if ye’ll have me for yer husband I will nae give ye a moment’s regret.”
Ines realized everyone was looking at her. She looked down at Duncan. There was still pain when she looked at him. He’d hurt her, and that would not disappear in an instant. But more than the pain was the love. She loved him too. First, she’d loved the idea of him. Then she’d loved the look of him. And now she loved the man himself.
“I love you,” she said. “Sim. Yes, I will marry you.”
Duncan rose to his feet and pulled her into his arms. And then she was off her feet as he lifted her up and swung her around. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, and he kissed her back, and in that moment, she felt her heart soften and melt and she fell in love with him all over again.
Somewhere a door slammed open, and Ines supposed Lady Charlotte had fled the room. But then she heard a familiar voice. “Take your hands off my sister-in-law.”
DUNCAN
Duncan had known Lieutenant-Colonel Draven would arrive. He just hadn’t thought it would be during the happiest moment of his life. He broke the kiss and stared at the dining room door where Draven stood, his gaze dark and full of anger. Just behind him, Duncan spotted Jasper, his black mask covering the burn scars on his face.
“Put her down,” Draven said. “Get your pistol and meet me outside.”
Duncan lowered Ines to the floor and pushed her behind him, wanting to protect her, though she needed no protection from her own brother-in-law. “Sir, I want tae...” Duncan knew that was not the way. He began again. “May I have yer permission tae marry Miss Neves?”
“No,” Draven said. “You will be too dead to marry anyone.”
“Sir,” Jasper said from behind him.
Draven pointed at Stratford, who was now standing at the table. “You here too? Did you formulate the plan to abduct my sister-in-law?”
Stratford shook his head. “Sir, you are mistaken. This is not what it seems.”
“Really?” Draven stepped further inside. “It looks to me like Murray has taken advantage of my charge and now feels duty-bound to marry her.”
“Nae, sir,” Duncan said. “I want tae marry her because I love her.”
“So you did not bed her?” Draven asked.
Duncan hesitated, eyeing the pistol at the colonel’s side. Then he noticed Ines tugging at his arm, trying to loosen his hold on her. Finally, she pushed herself forward. Duncan could see his former commander brace for some sort of dramatic scene, but Ines only gave him a short curtsy then smiled.
“Benedict, I have missed you.”
The colonel’s eyes narrowed.
“The truth is Duncan did not abduct me. It was all a mistake.” She looked at Duncan and smiled. “Except it was not a mistake, and I love him.”
“Ines, move aside.”
She held up a hand, turning a withering look on Draven. “And if you so much as hurt a hair on the head of my soon-to-be husband, I will tell Catarina and she will flay you alive.”
“Your sister is home and worried sick about you.”
Ines looked repentant at those words. “I am sorry about that. But she will forgive me when we tell her about the wedding.”
“There will be no wedding!” Draven yelled.
Jasper moved beside him. “Sir, I have met your wife, and she has something of a temper. I beg you not to act in haste. Perhaps if we send for her...”
“Perhaps I can kill him and beg forgiveness later.”
Ines moved toward him. “Benedict.”
Quicker than Duncan thought a man of his age could move—but then Draven had always seemed as fit as any of the men, despite being fifteen years their senior—he caught Ines by the wrist and thrust her at Jasper. “Hold her.” And then he lunged forward, head down like a charging bull. Duncan didn’t even try to resist. He deserved this much, at least. The colonel slammed into his midsection, and Duncan stumbled back, crashing against a wall and sending a painting flying off its hook and clattering to the floor.
Colonel Draven pulled his right fist back and plowed it into Duncan’s cheek. Duncan winced at the pain but didn’t fight back. The next punch brought the taste of blood. His ears were ringing, but he could hear Ines screaming and Stratford yelling and Jasper and Miss Wellesley somewhere in the midst of the fray.