Page 95 of To Wed a Wild Scot
“He lost.” Logan took her hand again. “Two thousand pounds, on a single game of piquet.”
“Two thousandpounds!” Juliana gasped. Dear God, it was a fortune.
“Aye. He wasn’t pleased. I left with his vowels in my pocket, and he sent his manservant after me to retrieve them. We got into a, ah…scuffle.”
“Ascuffle! Is that what you call it? You came back here carved up like a Christmas goose!”
Logan grinned at that description. “It’s not as bad as all that. But aye, the scoundrel had a blade, and he managed to get in a few slices before I left him bleeding in Lord Cowden’s stable yard.”
Juliana shook her head. Logan considered the matter settled because he held Benedict’s vowels, but the opposite was true. This business between Benedict and Logan had just begun. “What happened to Lord Cowden’s vowels? Did his manservant get them back?” If he had, it might put an end to this, but if he hadn’t…
“No, of course not.” Logan looked offended. “The paper is in my coat pocket. I don’t want the money, just the land in Perth. Cowden has too many debts to be able to meet them all, even with his wife’s money. He loses another wager with me and he’ll have no choice but to settle his debt with the property.”
No choice? A man like Benedict—the sort who’d stop at nothing to win no matter what it cost—always had a choice. “What do you intend to do now?”
Logan shrugged, as if the thing were as good as settled. “Go back to Cowden’s tomorrow, challenge him to another wager, and then another until he gives up the land in exchange for his vowels. That will finish the cursed business.”
Oh, no. A chill rushed over Juliana’s skin. It was madness to suppose Benedict would simply give up the Perth land without a murmur, no matter how many thousands he lost. He was far more likely to order his manservant to attack Logan again. He’d done so once. What was there to stop him from making a second attempt? How far would Benedict take it, before he’d admit defeat?
Juliana couldn’t be sure, but she knew this: he’d take it much further than she’d ever willingly let Logan go.
She clutched at Logan’s hand, dread lodging in her stomach. “You don’t understand who he is, Logan. He won’t behave honorably. What if he loses again, but refuses to settle the debt?”
Logan let out a short laugh, but his blue eyes were hard. “I don’t plan to give him a choice,mo bhean.”
Juliana swallowed. Benedict would be equally as determined not to give Logan a choice. It would end with another brawl, or worse. She hadn’t the slightest doubt of it, and with Logan in this weakened condition…
He might brush off his injuries, but he was pale with exhaustion and blood loss, and he was in a good deal of pain. He was trying to hide it from her, but his lips were white at the edges, and every time he stirred in the bed she saw him wince. Logan was a big, powerful man, but as strong as he was, he was still flesh and bone. There was no way he could withstand more injuries.
If this manservant should attack him a second time…
Juliana thought quickly. There had to be another way to settle this, one that didn’t involve any more brawls, or another stabbing. Something civilized, like some sort of trade, or exchange. Not money, though. Benedict would always choose revenge over money, no matter how deep his debts. No, it had to be something else. She had to offer him something he knew it would hurt her to lose—
Juliana sucked in a quiet breath. There was only one thing she had she was willing to offer him. One thing it would cause her so much pain to lose, it would be enough to satisfy even Benedict.
Bile flooded her throat at the thought of seeing him again. She was no coward, but there were some people it was wise to fear, and Benedict Reid was one of them.
Logan squeezed her hand. “I’ve dealt with much worse than this, Juliana. It’s going to be all right. I promise you.”
Juliana gave him a vague nod, but her thoughts were in a whirl. It would need to be done at once, this afternoon. Logan would insist on returning to Benedict’s tomorrow. She wanted the business settled well in advance of that.
She hadn’t any doubt Benedict would receive her. He wouldn’t be able to resist.
All she needed now was for Logan to go to sleep and she’d duck out. She’d be back at Graystone Court before he even knew she’d gone. If he knew what she intended to do, he’d stop at nothing to prevent her.
She rose from the bed, reached behind him to plump his pillows, and pulled the coverlet over him. “You need to rest, Logan. Go to sleep.”
She began to move away, but he grabbed her hand. “I don’t feel like sleeping. Come to bed,galla.”
Juliana stared down at him, openmouthed. “You must be jesting.”
“I’d never jest about something so important.” He drew her toward him with much more strength than she’d expect from a man in his weakened state. She tugged her hand free, but a smile rose to Juliana’s lips. He really was incorrigible. “Later.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “After you’ve rested.”
“A man doesn’t want a rest after a brawl. He wants his woman,” he grumbled, but he allowed her to ease him back against the pillows. She took the chair beside the bed and stroked his hair until his eyes grew heavy, and his breaths became slow and even.
Once he was asleep, Juliana crept across the room and took up his coat. She found the paper with Benedict’s vowels tucked into one of the pockets.
She found something else, as well, and drew it out, frowning.
