No Duke Will Do - Eva Devon Page 0,57

“I shall not change my mind on the subject matter until he makes me do so. I doubt he will, my dear, if you love him so well.”

For so long, she had been afraid of what her mother would say. What her brother would do.

Nervous laughter burst out of her.

“Why are you laughing?” Robert asked.

“Because I was so certain you two would hate me for this, but you do not hate me at all. Do you?”

Mary’s mother put her sewing down, stood, and crossed to her. She took her hands in a firm grip. “I could never hate you, my love. You are my strength too. You have been there through every dark moment and every pain. I know how you tried to swallow your dreams and desires to shore up this family. Now I shall shore up your dreams and desires, but that is what we do. We will not be the family we were in the past when pain ruled everything. We shall choose to believe that all will be well.”

Mary stared at her mother, amazed. Awed, this beautiful rock of a woman who had endured so much was now her champion. “I love you, Mama,” she said.

“I love you too, my darling girl.” Her mother lifted their hands and kissed Mary’s knuckles. “Now, what do we need to do to make this better? For it seems as if you and your husband have quarreled over this.”

Mary smiled, for she had a plan, indeed.

Chapter 27

Heath contemplated the bottle of brandy, tempted to drink straight from it. He drove a hand through his hair. Hours and hours alone, in the room where they had kissed, was not improving his disposition.

A loud banging on the door caught his attention.

Very few people knew about the cottage. So, the sound was a shock. Carefully, he went to the door, opened it, and caught sight of his brother standing in the rain.

It soaked Jamie’s long, dark leather coat.

Jamie was the last person he wished to see. Still, he couldn’t turn him away. “Come in, then, if you must.”

“Oh, Oi must,” Jamie drawled. “Oi’ve got news for you.”

Heath groaned.

He didn’t wish to hear news about the club right now or anything particularly bad happening in the streets of London. But if something had to be dealt with, he would. Even if he wished to, he couldn’t abandon the world.

They walked down the hall towards the fire.

“What is it?” Heath demanded. “Out with it.”

Jamie yanked off his coat and threw it before the fire. “Well, your secret’s out.”

Heath stopped on his way to the brandy. “What the devil do you mean?”

“This.” Jamie reached into his waistcoat, pulled out a newssheet, and flapped it open. The headline read in remarkable bold letters, “Lady Mary, sister of the Duke of Blackstone, weds City Man, Richard Heath.”

Heath snatched it out of his brother’s hands and poured over the article, speeding along immediately.

“I-I. . . H-How the devil did the newssheets get this?” he rasped, horror coursing through him.

“Oi thought you might say as much,” Jamie said. “And Oi thought you needed to know immediately. Did Oi do the right thing?”

“Yes, by God, you did,” he growled, crumpling the paper. “It’s going to be a terrible fallout from all of this.”

“Well,” Jamie nodded. “Oi’m here for you if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Heath said, knowing this was a fire too wild to put out on his own. Jamie was a strange devil, but it was good to have him by his side. After all, he sure as hell couldn’t do this alone.

Chapter 28

Heath faced the townhouse door of the Blackstone family, his insides fairly quaking. . . Something that hadn’t occurred since he’d been thrown out of the Foundling Hospital with his brother to fend alone on the London streets.

He was not a man easily given to the terror of unknowing. But the idea of facing Blackstone at this moment, it was a bit harrowing. After all, they were supposed to be friends. Still, he squared his shoulders, strode up the steps, and before he could even lift the brass lion knocker, the door opened.

Blackstone stood in the way, positively radiating with the power of his title.

“Hello, Your Grace,” Heath said steadily.

Blackstone’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t insult me. It’s always been Robert to you.”

Heath gaped. “I beg your pardon?”

“My name is Robert. You’ve called me Robert for some time now. You’re not a bloody servant to be Your Gracing me. You’re my friend. . . and my brother. So get