Good. At least he had left a mark on the beast.
“Why, Lord Lincolnshire, I’m surprised to see you so soon,” Duke Kendall said. “I thought to see you on your wedding day. I hear it’s fast approaching.” He pressed a finger to his ear and prompted, “I don’t hear ‘thank you,Your Grace.’”
“Then it appears your ears are working fine.” Matthew glanced at the women pointedly, then fixed his eyes on Duke Kendall. “Might I request a private audience?”
“Such formalities.” Duke Kendall tapped each woman’s nose. Their giggles rang out like bells. “Whatever you need to say can be said in front of these lovely ladies.”
“Very well.” Matthew lifted his case, set it on the desk, and then opened it. The dark steel on the pistol glinted in the light. “Here is the pistol you requested. Inside, you’ll find a bank draft refunding your advanced payment—with interest—for wasting your time.” He snapped the case closed. “We could not satisfy your accuracy requirements, and our contract is now voided.”
Duke Kendall’s eyes narrowed to slits. The women quieted and raised their fans over their faces, nervously meeting each other’s eyes.
“Lord Lincolnshire,” Duke Kendall warned. “You should watch your tone with me. I would hate to throw away years of friendship over a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?” Matthew held a hand to his heart. “I caused a scandal at one of your balls!” He allowed the corner of his lip to lift. “To which I offer mysincerestapologies, along with my regrets that my family will not be attending your birthday celebration. It would hardly seem appropriate to sully your good name further.” Matthew bowed once more. “Good day, Your Grace.”
He turned on his heel and walked away.
“Lord Lincolnshire!” Duke Kendall stood, knocking the woman from his lap. “If you walk out of that door, I will withdraw my testimony and let the law decide what to do with you.”
“And perjure yourself over a petty feud?” Matthew challenged. “Such a shame. Your word is the most respected in the country, solid gold, and written in ink that has long since dried.” He narrowed his eyes. “If you attempt to go back on your good word, Marquess Dorchester is more than willing to vouch for my character. And yours—for not alerting him that his daughter had fallen ill at a ballyouhosted—leaving me no choice but to rescue my fiancée myself. A rumor in thescandal sheet this morning, by the way. Try to retract that while you’re at it.”
He left the room, and he didn’t look back.
“Lord Lincolnshire!”
He kept walking.
“Get back here and apologize this instant!” Duke Kendall’s booming shout followed him. “Lord Lincolnshire! You cannot walk away from me!”
“Watch me,” Matthew muttered under his breath.
Lord Dorchester taught him that mistakes were expensive, but he did not need to repeat them. With the flick of the wrist, Duke Kendall had handed it all to him. His life, his wealth, his wife—but also hisfreedom.
Now that his hands were clean, he could offer them to Jasmine. He stepped out of the manor, squinting in the afternoon sun. Before climbing into his waiting carriage, he patted his chest pocket and reassured himself that his mother’s ring was still inside.
The only thing left to do was propose.
Again.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“It’sbeautiful, Mama,” Jasmine whispered.
Mama pinned the mantilla veil at the crown of Jasmine’s head. She adjusted it to fall around her arms, shoulders, and back. Jasmine twirled slowly in the mirror for a full view. Sheer lace with scalloped edges cradled her like wings, draping delicately over her ivory wedding gown.
“It was yourabuela’s,” Mama said. “I wore it on my wedding day, and your daughter will wear it on hers too—if you take good care of it.”
The weight of womanhood settled on Jasmine’s shoulders with the lace, and she wasn’t certain she could do this—step fully into her role as a wife, a viscountess, and one day, a mother herself. She didn’t know the first thing about what to do, but she had an excellent example to live up to.
How far her mother had come.
She had once run barefoot on the beaches of Spain. Now she wore silk slippers in London ballrooms. But she hadn’t lost her wildness by marrying a nobleman—she had honed it. She ruled every room she stepped into, and everywhere she walked, she left footprints for Jasmine to follow.
She met Mama’s eyes through the mirror and confessed, “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll missyou.” Mama’s voice broke, and she gently held her. “You need to know that I’ve always been proud of you.” Her eyes misted,and her Spanish accent slipped through. “Estoy orgullosa de ti. Tienes la fuerza de un toro, el corazón de un león y eres lo mejor que tengo en la vida.”
A sob caught in Jasmine’s throat as Mama kissed her cheek, then handed her a bouquet. The white roses and pink camellias were tied with a silk handkerchief—littered with colorful flowers she had stitched for Matthew. But before she became his wife, she needed to tie up a loose end.