Read Online The Dutiful Rake by Elizabeth Rolls - Free Book Online

why he took me in afterwards. My father, in the light of my mother’s behaviour, had completely disinherited me in favour of my cousin Delian. I believe, had he lived long enough, he would have disavowed me. My cousin Delian and his wife refused to house me in case I should pollute their children.
    I should have told you this, but I was too cowardly to do so. Thank you again for your care of me while I was ill. I shall never forget it.
    Sincerely, Marguerite Fellowes
    Marcus stared at the letter, his emotions in turmoil. Robert and Caroline Fellowes’s daughter! Good God! No wonder none of the good ladies would have anything to do with the chit! He remembered the scandal quite well. Sir Robert’s suicide after catching his wife and a lover in flagrante delicto and murdering the pair of them had been the talk of the town for months ten years ago. He had never heard there had been a child, though. Certainly Sir Delian and Lady Fellowes had never mentioned it. And she had been here with Samuel the whole time.
    He shook his head, dazed. What to do now? He considered his options. He would have to go after Meg, of course; but should he leave it until morning or go at once? Little fool! Why the hell hadn’t she told him? Surely she hadn’t thought he would turn his back on her! He grimaced. Perhaps she had. He’d purposely been cold with her as he was with most people. And nodoubt plenty of people did shun her. Indeed, her own cousin had refused to assist the orphaned child. This must be the reason that no one had come to help her.
    Blast old Samuel! If he had done the right thing by the girl, then her story need not have been such a liability. As it was, it had been allowed to take hold in the popular imagination until it had assumed ridiculous proportions.
    He read the letter again. Too cowardly? He shook his head. That was the last thing Marguerite…no…Meg…Fellowes had to reproach herself with. Too proud was more like it. Too proud to accept his offer made in ignorance of the truth and too proud to tell him and perhaps have to see him turn away in disgust, or worse, pity her. And the letter itself! A more unemotional, uninvolved, explanation of a tragic situation, he never wished to see. The most personal part of the letter was her brief acknowledgment of his care of her!
    He thrust away the thought that this was his own usual way of dealing with the world. That he had, in fact, tried to deal with Meg in that way—with disastrous results.
    Now what to do? Go after Meg in the morning or have his bath and go tonight? He thought hard. He hated the idea of leaving her until morning, but the weather would make going at once impossible. Besides, she was probably exhausted and would be the better for a night’s sleep. If he fetched her tonight, she would not be in bed before midnight. No, he’d go and fetch her in the morning.
    Well, now that all that was taken care of, he could go up to his room and enjoy a nice luxurious soak. After dinner he would write to Di, warning her to expect anindefinite houseguest. Surely between the pair of them they could launch Meg and get her safely established. What the girl needed was a husband. Someone who didn’t give a damn what people thought. Someone who would treat her kindly and make sure others did so. Someone she could trust.
    As he went up the stairs, Marcus vowed that he would take a close look at anyone who wanted to marry Meg. He was damned if he’d have her used as a drudge again! He was running over possible partis in his mind, and dismissing them all out of hand, when his attention was caught by a sudden rustle.
    He stopped just at the head of the stairs and looked around but could see no one. Yet he was sure someone was there. All his senses were on the alert, screaming that he was being watched. Had someone slipped into a room? He didn’t think so. All the doors squeaked and creaked atrociously. The curtains over the window at the far end of the hall caught his eye.