Page 64 of Gone With the Rogue
The duke picked up a handful of papers that were scattered on his desk and threw them at Garrett. “Get out of here. This proves nothing. And what could you do about it if it did? Who cares if I make money offthe two things I detest most—gaming houses and brothels?”
“Gentlemen, Duke,” Julia said. “Most men enjoy both but for years they have listened to you say you are above such evil pursuits. What do you think Society will feel about such a pious man, such a wealthy man as you profiting from them while you malign them?”
“Tell the whole of London. No one will believe you, but if one should, he won’t care,” he muttered contemptuously.
“Do you really want to take that chance?” Julia asked. “I realize that as a duke you are immune from prosecution in any form. But as a man who gains from his self-made reputation as a man who is everything kind and good and the model for how one should conduct his life, this will make you go down in the history books as one of the most evil and uncaring men in history. How will you like that? Your likeness alongside the worst cheaters in England. What will your sons say? Your daughter and her children? What would the Prince say if he knew you were the man who owned the building where the gunpowder explosion happened and not the fake person to which it was registered? And you stood by and did nothing to help in the aftermath.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” he murmured menacingly, shifting his cold gaze from Julia to Garrett.
“I’m going to give you two days. If I don’t hear that restitution has been made and money has been paid to the families of the victims in the Manchester disaster, I will be distributing copies of all this to every door in Mayfair.”
The duke looked from Julia to Garret again. Rage and disgust were evident in his features. “I always knew you were just like my cheating wife. I take careof you and show you how to live properly for your son and your husband and this is how you repay me. You turn on me for a younger man who probably hasn’t a penny to his name.”
Julia glanced at Garrett. His calm expression of determination hadn’t changed since he’d come. His quiet assurance gave her all the courage she needed. “You forced my hand by your rigid unbending rules and suffocating ways. My mind can’t be changed. Your reputation can be destroyed and everyone will whisper about you when you walk by or you can do what is right for the town of Manchester and for me and Chatwyn. It’s up to you how you want this to end.”
The duke crumpled and fell back into his chair, winded and jerking. “Brigid was never good enough for me,” he said in a raspy, slurring voice. “She betrayed me with other men before she ever married me just as you betrayed your husband. But she got what she deserved and so will you. After the wastrel she ran away with had wagered away all the money she stole from me, he left her hungry and penniless in a wet ditch.” The duke chuckled low in his throat as he rested his head against the back of the chair. “No one knew she ever came back to me, but she did. She was destitute and wanted my help. Just like you will one day. And I’m not without mercy. I gave her what she deserved. I opened a brothel and forced her to work there. I was amazed at how profitable it was. That’s when I realized I could make money from the two things I hated most. Gambling and loose women.”
“You are a despicable wretched soul,” she whispered.
“Go. You’ll come crawling back one day. Just like she did.”
“I think you’ve heard enough,” Garrett said to Julia.
She nodded. “What are you going to do?”
“Stay here with him to make sure you get out of the house without any problems.”
Julia turned back to the duke. One of his hands jerked and one side of his mouth was slack, but he was laughing and mumbling in a whispered breath. It was clear he wasn’t well and he might have suffered a fit of apoplexy.
“I’m going upstairs to get my son. We’ll be staying at the house at The Seafarer’s School. I’ll send for our things tomorrow.”
The duke tried to rise. “You can’t—”
Garrett held out his hand toward the feeble duke. “I’m the one who’s going to see that she leaves here with her son. And I’m the one who will stop you if you try to prevent her.”
Julia looked at Garrett. She met his gaze and tried to tell him how much she appreciated his help, how much she loved him. His support had given her all the courage she needed. She looked at the duke again and for reasons she couldn’t fathom, she felt a pang of sorrow for him. “I’ll ask Mrs. Desford to send for a physician to tend to you.” She then turned and walked out.
Sometime later, Julia walked into the house at the school with Chatwyn, Miss Periwinkle, her maid and York. An aching weariness had settled over her. Mrs. Lawton didn’t seem surprised. Julia knew why when the housekeeper told her she had a visitor. Mr. Stockton was already at the house and waiting for her in the drawing room.
Chapter 22
Julia swallowed hard and drew in a strong uneven breath. She wondered how Garrett had made it to the school so fast. She’d wanted to see him. She started taking off her gloves. There were questions that needed to be settled.
“Thank you, Mrs. Lawton,” Julia said. “After you finish helping prepare the rooms, you can retire for the evening. I’ll see Mr. Stockton out and lock the door before I go abovestairs.”
“Yes, my lady.”
After laying her gloves and cape aside, Julia took off her hat and placed it beside them. She then removed the pins from her chignon and shook out her long hair. It tumbled and pooled down her back and around her shoulders. A strange feeling settled over her and she didn’t know if she felt like laughing or crying. She was now free to be herself. That meant she could wear herhair down in front of a man in her own home if she wanted to.
And she did.
The drawing room was washed in the golden glow of lamplight. Garrett knelt in front of the fireplace, bringing the flames back to life. York stood guard beside him as if watching to make sure he did everything right. Hearing her walk in, Garrett rose and laid the iron beside the wall. They faced each other across the distance, neither of them speaking for a few moments. She felt mesmerized by him and the loving emotions he stirred inside her.
“Is Chatwyn all right?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered, appreciating Garrett for asking about her son. “On the way over I told him he was going on an adventure and he was excited about that.”
Julia walked farther into the room and York wandered over to her and brushed against the side of her skirts. She reached down and patted the hound’s head a couple of times and rubbed behind his ears. That seemed to be enough attention. He turned around and wobbled back to the fireplace and laid down.
