When Sheridan eyed Wolfe askance over what truly was an outlandish claim, Grey said, “Don’t listen to him. I told him to leave.” He nodded to Wolfe, his soon-to-be brother-in-law. “Thank you for trying to help, Wolfe, but I don’t want the smallest hint of suspicion hanging over your head. It’s not fair to you.”
Then Grey smiled at his brother. “I knew he was innocent, so I helped him. I wasn’t sure you’d listen to reason about his alibi.”
Sheridan crossed his arms over his chest. “I still think that someone murdered Father. Perhaps not Joshua, but someone else.”
“I understand,” the constable said. “And if you can provide some proof of that, I’ll be happy to investigate.”
“The note is the obvious place to start,” Grey put in.
“True.” The constable glanced at the people gathered there. “Do any of you have an idea of who might have forged the note summoning the previous Duke of Armitage to the dower house?”
No one offered any suggestions.
“Very well,” said the constable. “If any of you discover anything, let me know. In the meantime, I shall be looking further into the matter.”
Sheridan frowned. “Thank you, sir. We appreciate your efforts.”
Even as the constable left, Gwyn strolled in. “The Times has arrived. There’s a curious announcement in it.” She flashed Beatrice a smile. “Apparently, the paper made a mistake in naming Vanessa Pryde as Grey’s fiancée. It seems you are actually Grey’s fiancée.”
Beatrice brightened. “Let me see!”
“Ah, ah, ah,” Gwyn said, holding the newspaper away from her. “First, tell me if you actually knew of this when we were going on and on about Grey’s awful behavior to you.”
“Leave her alone, Sis.” Grey snatched the paper from her and handed it to Beatrice. “She wasn’t sure of me yet, so she behaved cautiously. And I don’t blame her for that.” Especially since he was partly responsible for her caution in the first place.
Beatrice read the announcement eagerly, then handed it to Wolfe. “You see? I told you he really wanted to marry me.”
Wolfe glanced at the paper, then at Grey. “So you weren’t lying.”
“Did you think I was?” he drawled. “That doesn’t bode well for our future as brothers-in-law.”
“Oh, hush, Grey,” Gwyn said, tapping his arm with her fan. “You have a reputation. What did you expect?”
“An undeserved reputation,” Beatrice said stoutly. “Do not think otherwise.”
As Gwyn shot Beatrice a bemused glance, Sheridan laughed. “Oh, you have certainly got her wrapped around your finger, Brother.”
“Trust me, no one wraps Beatrice around his finger,” Grey said. “Which is precisely why I fell in love with her.”
At the word “love,” Gwyn looked shocked and Sheridan uncomfortable, but their mother beamed at Grey. “And that is certainly something to celebrate. Come, let’s go to the drawing room. I’ll send for champagne, and we’ll toast the lovebirds.”
When Beatrice blushed and smiled, looking already the part of a bride-to-be, Grey felt his heart beat faster. “We’ll be right behind you,” he said. “Just give us a moment.”
Fortunately, his family had the good sense to go on without them. Then he pulled Beatrice into the cloakroom, where they could be more private.
“Thank you for seeing me for what I really am,” he murmured. “You’ll never convince the others of it, but as long as you believe it, it’s enough for me.”
She shook her head at him. “Give them some credit for recognizing the truth. Yes, they probably listen to the gossip about you a bit too much, but in time they’ll realize how false it is. And they’ll be right there to champion you when the gossips treat you unfairly. Because they love you. They may not understand you or even know how to treat you, but they love you deeply. You’re as much a part of the family as anyone can be.”
With his heart in his throat, he stared down at her. “You’re marvelous, do you know that?”
“I do,” she said lightly. Then she sobered. “But you, Your Grace, are more than marvelous. Because you saw the goodness in me and ignored the rest. For that, I will always love you, too.”
Feeling his heart beat wildly in his chest, he kissed her. At last he’d found a woman who could not only know him thoroughly, but could accept him for what he was—a man with flaws and fears, but a man still capable of loving.
After a long moment of relishing the softness of her mouth and the tenderness of her heart, he drew back to