Page 114 of After the Abduction

They stood like that for some time, long enough that she remembered what had begun their argument in the first place.

“Um, Griff?” she murmured into his coat, loath to ruin their renewed bond, but all too aware of time slipping away. “Now that you understand about Lord Templemore, and you know he was never anything to me, do you think you could—”

“No.” He stiffened in her arms. “The duel is set, Rosalind. I won’t let him get away with mistreating Juliet.”

Gritting her teeth at his stubbornness, she drew back. “Even if she is perfectly happy with how things have turned out?”

“Can’t you see he’s taking advantage of her good nature to muddy her reason?”

“The way you took advantage of my fondness for certain…naughty vices to muddy my reason when we met?”

“It isn’t the same,” he grumbled. “What he did was worse, and he must pay for it.”

“Curse you, Griff, I don’t want you to die!”

He looked annoyed. “I wish you’d stop talking as if I’m completely inept with a pistol. I can handle a firearm, you know.”

“You’re the one who touted Templemore’s skill, so don’t be grousing at me for believing what you said.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “This is a matter of honor, and I won’t go back on my word. I will fight at dawn, and I won’t discuss it anymore.” He softened his voice. “So let’s stop arguing, and go to bed. I can think of a better way to spend our last night before I fight a duel.”

She rolled her eyes. How typical of her husband to think she could just turn off her anger and hop into bed. “So can I. I shall spend it consoling my poor dear sister. If you’re still alive in the morning, you can join us for breakfast. If not…” She smiled sweetly. “Then you may go into hell with your manly urges unsatisfied. Because I am not sharing your bed until this is all over or you’ve come to your senses, whichever comes first.”

Then turning on her heel, she marched toward the door. She heard him sigh behind her, but knew he wouldn’t come after her. The man was too obstinate for words.

Buoyed by righteous indignation, she went straight to Juliet’s bedroom, where she found the poor girl standing at the window and staring blindly into the night. By now, Juliet had undoubtedly cried herself out.

As soon as Rosalind closed the door, Juliet said in a surprisingly calm voice, “I don’t suppose you changed his mind.”

“No. He’s as stubborn as ever.”

Juliet turned from the window, and Rosalind was surprised to see that she hadn’t been crying after all. Indeed, she looked clear-eyed and determined. “Very well. If they’re both going to be fools about it, then it’s left to us to stop the duel.”

“How do you propose to do that? This stupid male honor business seems insurmountable.”

“Not necessarily. Honor can be a double-edged sword, you know.” A decidedly devious smile crept over Juliet’s face. “Sit down, Rosalind. I have a plan.”

Chapter 25

Nothing is got without pain but dirt and long nails.

English proverb written on a list once mounted on the Templemore schoolroom wall

Sebastian stood in Wimbledon Common with his valet in the icy predawn, feeling more alert than he had in his entire life. He’d sat up all night settling his affairs, updating his will, and writing letters to Uncle Lew, Morgan, and the Navy Board, yet he wasn’t the least bit drowsy. Because at last he knew the truth that had eluded him from the first.

“Do you think he’s coming?” Boggs asked at his side.

“I hope not. But probably.”

“You sure you wouldn’t rather one of your friends serve as your second, milord?” Boggs asked.

“I have no friends in London.”

Truth be told, he had no friends at all. Because he had no relationships beyond those of family. There wasn’t much to those, either—a brother he’d known only a month and an uncle he was only beginning to know well.

The realization last night that there wasn’t a single man he could ask to be his second—other than his servant—had hit him like a blow. It had prompted him to spend the rest of his night examining his life. It, coupled with Juliet’s fervent profession of love, had made him realize it was time to make some changes.

The first one was to recognize how he felt about Juliet. He loved her. There was no getting around it. Why else would he have spent half the night worrying not about whether he would die, but how to make it up to her if he survived this ordeal? How to make everything right for her?