Secrets (29 page)

Regina appeared in the doorway. “Xandria, what a wonderful surprise. Edward and I have just finished a late breakfast. Would you care for anything?”

“No, no, I'm fine.” Xandria regarded her hostess intently. She wasn't sure what she had expected—probably a glowing bride. But Regina was not glowing; she looked tired.

Edward kissed Regina's cheek casually. “I had better take myself off,” he said, throwing one last look at Xandria. He strolled from the room.

“I'm so glad you have come,” Regina said, the two women settling down for a chat. Xandria praised Regina for the improvements she had made upon the house. Regina seemed glad to detail all that she had so far done.

“How is Slade?” Xandria finally asked, trying not to watch Regina too closely.

Regina smiled, but it was not wide. “He's fine. He returned to work yesterday.”

“And how are you?”

Regina smiled again. “I am fine, just fine.”

“You seem tired.”

“Well—” Regina hesitated. “I've been so busy, reorganizing Slade's home and—and shopping for the Henessy place.”

“So the two of you are going to move in there?” Xandria was delighted.

Regina sighed, her pleasant facade falling away, her expression now openly troubled. “I do not know. I do not know.”

“What's wrong?” Xandria touched the other woman's hand.

“Nothing, really. Slade is just being stubborn.” She paused. “I think we are going to have to close up the Henessy place for a few years, until Miramar is on better footing.”

“I see.” Xandria was silent for a moment. Whatever was going on was not her concern, even if she would dearly love it to be. “Is there anything I can do to help? If Slade needs a good set-down, I will gladly deliver it.”

Regina chuckled. “No, but thank you, Xandria.” Impulsively, she reached out and squeezed the older
woman's hand. “I'm glad you care so much for Slade. And I'm glad we are becoming friends.”

“So am I.” Xandria smiled and faced her hostess more squarely. “Would you mind very much if Father and I held a party in celebration of your marriage?”

Regina's eyes sparkled. “I do love a party.”

Xandria laughed. “So do I! Then it's settled. We shall plan it for the following Friday night. A gala. We shall invite everybody who is anybody. You do know that this marriage is the talk of the town? People are dying to meet you, and I am dying to show you off! You are about to become the reigning queen of the city, my dear!”

 

Regina stood at the window and waved to Xandria as she stepped into her carriage on the street below. The light smiles she had worn during Xandria's visit were gone. Her brow was furrowed, her mouth tight, her heart troubled.

She told herself that everything would be fine in time. It was normal for married couples to have disagreements. But the distance she had sensed Slade was keeping this past week had been more in evidence last night during and after supper. It was only when they had retired to then bed that he had turned to her, making love to her in a manner that was almost frenzied. And after having just had their first real argument, her responses had been equally as wild.

This morning while she had lingered in bed and he had dressed to go to work, she had noticed him looking at her intently. She had smiled at him but he had not been able to smile back. Kissing her cheek before leaving, he had told her he would not be home for supper that night. He had a business engagement.

Regina knew her husband well enough to know that he was still troubled by the issues that had been raised the night before, as she was. She was quite certain that Slade was not coming home for supper because of the issue of her inheritance that now lay between them. He would put a physical distance between them now, she
thought in dismay, as well as an emotional one.

She still could not believe that he would refuse her inheritance when it could solve most of their problems. She hoped he would come to his senses. In a few days, when he had simmered down, she would have to delicately raise the topic again. But if he did not change his mind she would have to accept his decision. But she certainly would not leave him just because they would have to lower their standard of living. It was unbelievable that he might think so.

He had not said when he planned for them to return to Miramar. Obviously it would be soon. On the one hand, Regina looked forward to returning and was thrilled at the prospect; already she loved the rancho and, more importantly, it was where Slade belonged. On the other hand, she was filled with worry. Unless they solved the issue of her inheritance first, these first seeds of conflict would be nourished by the additional problems awaiting them there. Regina was thinking of Slade's relationship with his father. Her feelings had not changed. She had sensed from the start that it would be impossible for them to live at Miramar with any amount of happiness unless Slade and Rick came to some understanding with each other. Whatever was the real cause of the conflict between them, it had to be uprooted and laid to rest.

Regina sighed. Just yesterday afternoon she had been blissfully happy. Now she was worried and more than just apprehensive, she was afraid.

She was about to turn away from the window to prepare to go to her aunt and uncle's. She had not seen them since she had reconciled with Slade. She had sent them several notes explaining the situation and that divorce was no longer an issue, but she owed them a personal reassurance that she was fine. Before she could move she saw a carriage stopping in front of the house. She recognized it; it belonged to Brett. She smiled ruefully. Apparently they were coming to her, determined to find out for themselves if all was truly well. Brett stepped down from the carriage. Regina
leaned forward to wave, about to call down to him in greeting. But the words died in her throat.

For the man was not Brett. It was her father, the Earl of Dragmore.

 

The Countess of Dragmore rushed into the house first. Regina cried out in delight, embracing her mother warmly. The countess was petite, even smaller than her daughter. When Jane pulled back from Regina, she was crying openly. “What happened to you? I have been so frightened!”

“I am so sorry, Mother!” Regina hugged her again.

Her father gripped her shoulders, meeting her gaze sternly. “This convoluted tale was just explained to me by your uncle. Thank God you are all right!”

“When did you arrive?” Regina asked.

“We arrived in New York last week. Brett wired us that you were fine, but refused to answer any of my numerous inquiries. We raced here, Regina, undoubtedly setting a world record for transcontinental travel. I have just left Brett and Storm. We have had a long discussion. I believe I am beginning to make sense out of this fairy tale. Are you truly all right?”

Regina nodded, her eyes wide and watchful.

Nicholas Shelton's expression darkened. “Good! Then I can blast you for putting us through hell! Is it true? That you had amnesia? That is why there was no word from you when you disappeared during the train robbery?”

“It's true, Father. You know I would never disappear like that on purpose.”

“Not you, no. That is something your sister would do, but not you.”

“Nicholas,” Jane rebuked softly, “Nicole is a very proper lady now.”

Nicholas eyed his wife. “Darling, believe me, despite her being a duchess, she is no more proper now than she was before she was wed. Hadrian is constantly sweeping up crumbs of scandal after her.” He turned back to Regina. “Explain to me how you married this
man. I was told by Brett that you regained your memory before the wedding. I can not understand this, Regina. You have never been one to be impulsive or irresponsible.”

Regina swallowed. There was no mistaking her father's ominous tone. But she had known that it would eventually come to this. Nicholas was not happy with her marriage. “Father, he is a good man.”

“Did he or did he not marry you for your inheritance?” Nicholas was brutally direct.

Regina froze.

“Well? Brett said that you told him that he married you for your inheritance.”

Regina swallowed. “But that is in the past. He does not want my money now.”

“Oh, really? Well, that's good, because if you remain married to him, I am cutting you off without a single shilling.”

Regina gasped.

“Nicholas!” Jane cried. “Can't we at least sit down and discuss this civilly?”

“I find nothing civil about some fortune-hunting rake seducing my daughter and marrying her behind my back!”

“He did not seduce me,” Regina whispered, horrified. This was worse, so much worse, than she had imagined it would be.

Her father was a very clever man. “He may not have seduced you before the wedding, Regina, not with lovemaking, but he must have done so with words. And can you tell me he has not seduced you now? I understand that you came to your senses and left him, intending to divorce him. Obviously he succeeded in luring you back to him. We shall wait while you pack your bags.”

Regina had been about to protest her father's gravely erroneous assumptions. She stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“You have made a mistake but it can be corrected.” His tone softened. “You do not have to fear for your reputation, darling. I will take care of everything. I can
obtain a swift divorce, and when you return home, you shall be married immediately. Any scandal will be swept away quickly enough. The Marquis of Hunt is eager to marry you. He will be the next Duke of Cardham, Regina. With such a husband you have nothing to fear.”

Regina was in shock. “I am not leaving Slade! Slade is my husband! Nothing will change that.”

“A divorce will change that.”

“No!”

Nicholas struggled for control. Jane touched his waist. “Nicholas, this is not the way, please! I know you are upset, but you must calm yourself so we can discuss this rationally!”

“I do not see what there is to discuss. That bastard has deceived and seduced my daughter, Jane. He is not going to get away with it.”

“He did not deceive me! I knew he was marrying me for my money and I agreed anyway! Please, Father! I love him!”

“You loved Hortense, too.”

“No,” Regina cried, “I never loved Randolph! I just thought I did.”

“Need I say more?”

His implication was clear—that she only thought herself to be in love with Slade now.

Regina knew she could not win a war of words with her father. But she would win this battle. She had to. Taking a deep, calming breath, she said, “Please, Father, come into the salon and sit down. We can talk about this. I can explain. Soon Slade will be home and you will meet him and see for yourself the kind of man that he is. Please.”

“No, Regina. There is nothing to discuss except your divorce.”

Regina took another breath, this time for courage. “Then there is nothing to discuss at all. Please leave, Father.”

Nicholas was stunned. “You are defying me? You are defying me and ordering me to leave your home?”

Tears crept into her eyes. She could not recall a single instance in her life when she had ever disobeyed her father. “Yes, Father, I am afraid so.”

 

Slade did not lift his head. “Enter.” He flipped through the pages of the file he was reading. When he had finished, he handed them to his assistant. “Run these over to Rob Levine immediately, Harold.”

“Yes, sir,” the young man said. He hurried past the newcomer and out the door.

Slade looked up. The instant he saw the man he knew, without having to be told, that he was Regina's father. It had nothing to do with the slight resemblance he saw in his features, but it had everything to do with instinct. And the man had an unmistakable aura of power and authority, well-suited to an earl. Slade straightened and cautiously stood. “Mr. Shelton?”

Nicholas's expression was dark. “You are clever, Delanza,” he said bluntly. “But then I expected you to be clever. Any man who could talk my proper, intelligent daughter into marriage in the space of a few short days would have to be very clever indeed.”

Slade prepared to do battle.

“Or did you seduce her?” Nicholas demanded. “She says that you did not, but I have doubts.”

“I did not touch her before the wedding,” Slade said tightly.

“How noble of you.”

“When is the hanging?” Slade asked.

“Now,” Nicholas shot back. “Make no mistake about that. My sister and brother-in-law told me that you married her for her money. Regina admitted it. Thank God she is not capable of lying to me. I have an aversion to fortune-hunters, Delanza.”

Slade gripped his desk until his knuckles were white. If attacked, he was used to fighting back. Yet he did not want to fight with his wife's father. “You're making this very difficult.”

“Am I? I should hope so. I want to see you squirm.”

“No,” Slade gritted. “You do not understand. You're making it damn difficult to be polite, you're making it damn difficult not to get down in the mud with you, dammit.”

“Feel free,” Nicholas said coldly. “I would relish the opportunity of smashing in your nose.”

“But I don't want to smash yours.”

“Why not?”

“Because you're Regina's father.”

Nicholas studied him. “Even if you do not fight with me, it won't change a thing. I intend to see my daughter divorced from you and married to a man who suits her. If she remains your wife—and you can be sure that I control her inheritance—you won't get a cent. So feel free to try and smash my nose.” Nicholas tensed, eyes blazing.

Slade shook his head. “I need money to save my home and it's no secret. And in case she didn't tell you, I was honest with her from the start. Regina knew why I wanted to marry her and she accepted me anyway.”

“I find that to be proof of your powers of seduction.”