Read Online The Wedding Duel (The Dueling Pistols Series) by Katy Madison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Katy Madison
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had to account for his behavior. "I went to congratulate or console George on the early arrival of his child. The servants told me he was closeted in the library and no one will disturb him. Amelia was quite distraught. I thought maybe the baby was born too soon and was in trouble, but no. The baby is healthy and full size. I had no thought other then George had been a little before in his duties. I opened the library door and found him with his pistol in his mouth."
Nothing could explain the sheer terror that had iced his spine at that sight. George had put the gun down before Keene could approach him to wrestle it away. Put the gun down and told Keene to go away. Instead, Keene had taken the gun away and held George as he sobbed like a baby over Amelia's betrayal and learned it was with a friend they both considered as a brother.
"She never told me," said Victor.
Keene stared at Victor as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. "I promised George to punish you. I would have slit my own wrists if I had thought it should stop him from killing himself."
"So you would kill one of us to save him."
"I was not thinking straight. Richard was not in his grave above two weeks."
Victor waved off his explanation. "Have you seen George?"
"This morning. He is drunk."
Victor reached behind him and grabbed the headboard. "So early? It is barely noon."
"They tell me this is normal. It is better than blowing his brains out, isn't it?"
"How is she?"
"Amelia is despondent. George will not speak to her."
"Not her."
Keene looked at Victor's pinched face and the dark brown locks that normally would be brushed into a disordered study of windswept waves. His hair was simply brushed back, although its natural tendency to curl meant his hair swooped down and brushed over his temples.
"My daughter."
Keene felt a wellspring of despair. Why did everyone persist in making this situation worse? "She's not your daughter; she's George's."
"Is she well?"
"The baby is healthy."
"Do they care for her? Or will she be an outcast in her family?"
"George will do what is right. He will raise her as he should." Keene would see to it.
"But will he love her?"
The question plagued Keene. George was one of the most honorable men he knew. Surely he would come around. "Give him time."
Victor's brown eyes narrowed. "Her lifetime?"
Keene shifted uneasily.
"Perhaps we should join George in his cups so all these confidences seem less painful."
"You do not look healthy enough to indulge."
"These concerns for my health overwhelm me." Sarcasm laced Victor's voice.
None of Keene's apologies and explanations would mend the wound in Victor's shoulder. Remorse sat heavily on Keene. He stood. "I should leave. Your servant, sir."
"Sit down. I have no company. George has disowned me and everyone else is out of town. I am heartily bored with myself."
"Would you care for a game of whist?" offered Keene.
"I should. I see you have announced your engagement in the paper ."
"Yes."
"Shall you care to introduce me to your bride?"
"After she is my wife."
Victor grinned. "This is quite sudden. Where did you meet her?"
"I have known her all my life. She is my cousin."
"So when shall you marry her?"
"Three weeks from yesterday."
"So fast? Is there a rush?"
Keene frowned as he dealt the cards he'd retrieved from the cluttered dresser. "No. She is as pure as I found her."
"You disappoint me."
"I promised her father."
"So why the hurry? It's rather fast upon Richard's passing."
Keene shrugged. It was indecently fast considering his brother had only been dead three months.
"Amelia's parents tried to convince George to marry sooner, right after he proposed."
Keene hadn't heard that before. He looked up at Victor.
"Said they wished to have her settled before they traveled to Europe."
Keene vaguely remembered George complaining that his in-laws hadn't taken a trip they had said they would take, but then shortly afterward Amelia's father had passed
Nothing could explain the sheer terror that had iced his spine at that sight. George had put the gun down before Keene could approach him to wrestle it away. Put the gun down and told Keene to go away. Instead, Keene had taken the gun away and held George as he sobbed like a baby over Amelia's betrayal and learned it was with a friend they both considered as a brother.
"She never told me," said Victor.
Keene stared at Victor as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. "I promised George to punish you. I would have slit my own wrists if I had thought it should stop him from killing himself."
"So you would kill one of us to save him."
"I was not thinking straight. Richard was not in his grave above two weeks."
Victor waved off his explanation. "Have you seen George?"
"This morning. He is drunk."
Victor reached behind him and grabbed the headboard. "So early? It is barely noon."
"They tell me this is normal. It is better than blowing his brains out, isn't it?"
"How is she?"
"Amelia is despondent. George will not speak to her."
"Not her."
Keene looked at Victor's pinched face and the dark brown locks that normally would be brushed into a disordered study of windswept waves. His hair was simply brushed back, although its natural tendency to curl meant his hair swooped down and brushed over his temples.
"My daughter."
Keene felt a wellspring of despair. Why did everyone persist in making this situation worse? "She's not your daughter; she's George's."
"Is she well?"
"The baby is healthy."
"Do they care for her? Or will she be an outcast in her family?"
"George will do what is right. He will raise her as he should." Keene would see to it.
"But will he love her?"
The question plagued Keene. George was one of the most honorable men he knew. Surely he would come around. "Give him time."
Victor's brown eyes narrowed. "Her lifetime?"
Keene shifted uneasily.
"Perhaps we should join George in his cups so all these confidences seem less painful."
"You do not look healthy enough to indulge."
"These concerns for my health overwhelm me." Sarcasm laced Victor's voice.
None of Keene's apologies and explanations would mend the wound in Victor's shoulder. Remorse sat heavily on Keene. He stood. "I should leave. Your servant, sir."
"Sit down. I have no company. George has disowned me and everyone else is out of town. I am heartily bored with myself."
"Would you care for a game of whist?" offered Keene.
"I should. I see you have announced your engagement in the paper ."
"Yes."
"Shall you care to introduce me to your bride?"
"After she is my wife."
Victor grinned. "This is quite sudden. Where did you meet her?"
"I have known her all my life. She is my cousin."
"So when shall you marry her?"
"Three weeks from yesterday."
"So fast? Is there a rush?"
Keene frowned as he dealt the cards he'd retrieved from the cluttered dresser. "No. She is as pure as I found her."
"You disappoint me."
"I promised her father."
"So why the hurry? It's rather fast upon Richard's passing."
Keene shrugged. It was indecently fast considering his brother had only been dead three months.
"Amelia's parents tried to convince George to marry sooner, right after he proposed."
Keene hadn't heard that before. He looked up at Victor.
"Said they wished to have her settled before they traveled to Europe."
Keene vaguely remembered George complaining that his in-laws hadn't taken a trip they had said they would take, but then shortly afterward Amelia's father had passed
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