Read Online A Lady Betrayed by Nicole Byrd - Free Book Online Page A

truth—well, most of the truth, anyhow. Best to get the worst of it over, he thought.
    â€œMadeline, I want you to marry me, but there is something you should know first, before we are pledged to each other before God and your neighbors. I have killed a man,” he said, letting the words fall like blows against the innocent silence of the garden. “Worse, the man was my cousin and my heir.”
    Her eyes wide, she stared at him. “An accident?”
    Shaking his head, he braced himself for a look of disgust or even fear. If she moved away from him, he thought it might destroy him.
    Instead, she looked at him seriously but seemed more puzzled than anything else. “Was he trying to kill you?”
    â€œYes. It was a duel, a most foolish combat,” he told her, shaking his head at the inanity of it. “It began with a quarrel over a game of cards. Linley was drunk, I’m afraid, and quarrelsome, although he was often that, drunk or sober. I tried to joke him out of it, but to no avail. Then I tried to get his chosen second, his younger brother, Francis, to persuade him to change his mind.
    â€œNot only did he not try to settle the quarrel peacefully, Francis allowed Linley to drink all night instead of taking him home to get some sleep. So he came to the appointed place still drunk. I had meant to delope, but he fired the first shot while I was still turning and it struck my arm, making my own shot go wild, out of control. He was hit and later died. Dueling is, of course, illegal, and I could have gone to prison or been executed, except the evidence showed that he fired first and improperly, before the time was called. In the end, I was released.”
    â€œSo it was not your fault, not really, that he died,” Madeline said, as if trying to reassure him.
    â€œAh, but his brother now blames me and has announced his intention to see me dead in revenge for his brother’s demise.”
    â€œBut you said—he is now the heir. It was to his advantage that his brother was drunk and fired against the rules.” She stopped as if trying to puzzle out the connections.
    Adrian nodded. “Yes, there has been gossip enough about that. Perhaps Francis planned to be next in line to my wealth and title. If we had both died, he would have been in prime shape, would he not? The gossip has not helped his temper, I must say. And since he is now my heir, you must see why I would be most happy to have a child to inherit, an heir of my blood.”
    â€œSurely the law will not allow him to inherit your property if he murders you!” she exclaimed, putting one hand to her face in horror.
    â€œIt would be a nice tangle for the solicitors,” he agreed, knowing his tone was dry. “But keep in mind, they would have to prove that he is the one who had killed me. If we meet in a dark alley or on a distant moor, only the two of us, who will be left to give evidence?”
    â€œBut you must not be alone! And for goodness’ sake, you must inform the courts of his evil plans, tell someone! You must not allow him to do this!”
    Madeline looked deeply distressed. He wished he could simply kiss her again and forget this wretched story.
    â€œI have hired Bow Street Runners,” he told her. “They have eaten me out of house and home, annoyed my servants, and arrested my tradesmen. In the meantime, they have never been able to put hands on my cousin. Francis continues to dog my steps and has twice put a bullet much too close, once ruining a brand new hat, and another time creasing my side and breaking a rib. It hurt like the devil until it healed, not to mention destroying an almost new coat. I really should send him my tailor’s bills.”
    â€œIt is not a matter to laugh about!” she snapped, and to Adrian’s surprise, he saw that her lashes had dampened.
    â€œMy dear Madeline,” he said more gently. “I must laugh—otherwise, it is too depressing