Pendragon

have lived all your life in Glenclose-in-Rowan.'

'I live in Scotland every year too, Papa.'

'Yes, well, that's true.'

She turned to him then, took one of his hands between hers. 'All right. I'm ready for whatever you have to tell me. Come, spit it out, Papa. What is wrong? What have you learned about Thomas?'

'I don't wish you to misunderstand me,' Tysen said slowly. 'I like Thomas Malcombe. He saved Rory's life, I am quite convinced of that, as is Dr. Dreyfus. He is a charming young man. He seems intelligent, witty, responsible. From what I have heard from your uncle Douglas's man in London, he was no pauper even before his father died and left him his holdings. Thomas's business interests are evidently primarily in Italy, where he has grown rich in shipping, in a very short time. I could find out nothing about him that would make me worry.

'He wanted to pay me a dowry for you. Naturally I refused. You will not go to your husband empty-handed. You are not quite the heiress your aunt Sinjun was, but your dowry is really quite satisfactory. Lord Lancaster is assuredly not a fortune hunter.'

'Then what is Lord Lancaster?'

'Meggie, your dowry aside, you and I have known Lord Lancaster for only two months, maybe not even that long. I knew his father, didn't particularly dislike the man. He was secretive, Meggie, very tight-fisted, didn't speak well of anyone. He was not a man I would have easily trusted. Now, I don't believe you know this. The old earl divorced his wife and kicked both her and her young son out of Bowden Close. Neither of them ever came back. I have heard rumors about a second wife, perhaps another child, but I don't know if any of that is true.'

'None of that in any way redounds on Thomas.'

'No.'

'Thomas told me that there had been a falling out between his father and his mother, and she took Thomas and left. He didn't mention a divorce. I didn't press him. He doesn't like to speak of it. I believe he's been very hurt by it.'

'I asked Thomas as well. He told me much of the same thing, all said in a voice so emotionless that it smote me.'

'Poor Thomas. He finally told me that he remembered terrible fights between his parents. He did see his father a few times over the years, but never here, never at Bowden Close. It is all very sad. I believe he came to hate his father. His father never visited him at school, where he spent most of his growing-up years, only in London, at one of his father's clubs. I know that Thomas doesn't trust easily, certainly understandable. And I know that he was very hurt by his parents, not physically, mind you, but his soul. Naturally he will not admit to any of this. He merely pretends that he doesn't care. Perhaps when we have been married for a while, he will grow to trust me more, to share his concerns, to share old secrets that have hurt him. He feels things deeply, that I do know. You did not see his face when he believed Rory would die. But there is this well of distrust that is very deep in him. These things take time, Papa.

'I do know that Thomas Malcombe is a principled man, a decent man. He told me he wants to marry me because I make him laugh. I cannot think of a better reason.'

Tysen lifted an eyebrow. 'Actually, he could have told you he loved you.'

'Somehow,' Meggie said slowly, looking up at the beautiful old church tower, wishing Mr. Peters would ring the bell at this very moment, 'I cannot imagine him saying those words, at least not now. Actually, I didn't say them to him either.' Meggie paused a moment, looking down at her clasped hands, and Tysen knew all the way to his boots that Jeremy was still in her head, perhaps even in her heart. Damnation.

'Yes, Thomas laughs easily now, a smile nearly always near his mouth. I'll never forget that first time when he laughed with me. I thought he sounded rusty, as if he were somehow surprised that such a sound could come from him. I've made great strides with him, Papa.'

'Meggie, you are not marrying him out of some sort of misguided sense of gratitude, are you?'

'For saving Rory's life? No, Papa, but I was very grateful, and the result was that I spent more time with him initially than I normally would have. And I came to like him a great deal. He is an honorable man, I am quite sure about that.'

'You won't be living here, Meggie. Thomas was evasive. He said he has two other houses, both outside of England.'

'One is in Genoa, Italy. He was living in Italy, making his fortune. He came back to England only to take over his father's holdings. Can you imagine sailing to Italy, Papa? I should love to travel, to see other places, how other people do things, how they think. I wonder where his other house is.'

At least Thomas Malcombe hadn't told him one thing, then told his daughter something else. There were no inconsistencies that meant a lie. But it wasn't the point. Tysen kissed his child's forehead, rose, and crossed his arms over his chest, the father now, the authority figure.

'Meggie, I am very sorry, but I must be blunt. I didn't want you to find out about this, but now there is no choice. You have to know. I cannot believe that Thomas Malcombe is honorable, and therefore I cannot trust his word on anything of import and I certainly cannot trust him with you.'

'He saved your son's life.'

'For that I owe him a debt that will never be repaid. However, I do not owe him my daughter.'

Meggie knew something bad was coming, she just knew it. She drew herself up. 'I'm ready, Papa. Tell me.'

'As you know, Melissa Winters left last Thursday for an extended visit with her grandmother in Bury St. Edmonds. You know that, but not the reason for her leaving. I didn't want to tell you this, I didn't want to tell anyone this, and it is a confidence. I ask that you not betray it to anyone, even Mary Rose. Evidently Thomas Malcombe was in London before he came here. He met Melissa there. She was staying with her aunt and attending parties and such, sort of an informal come-out for her. There's no easy way to say this, Meggie-he seduced her and got her with child. You and I and Melissa's parents are now the only ones to know. And Lord Lancaster, of course.'

Meggie said slowly, 'Thomas didn't tell me he was in London before he came here.'

'He was. I asked. Because he wants to marry you, it was my responsibility to ask, to find out everything I could about him. Mr. Winters heard, of course, that you were to wed Thomas Malcombe. He searched me out. He told me about this, in confidence, just this morning. It was obvious he didn't want to tell me, Meggie, but he has great liking for you and didn't want you to be hurt.'

There was fire in her eyes as she said the fateful words he would have given anything not to hear, ever, 'I don't believe it. Melissa is lying. She wanted him. I know that Thomas must have rejected her, and thus this is her revenge. I know that Melissa-to punish Thomas-was intimate with another man, to make him jealous, perhaps, and this is the result. I am sorry for it, but Thomas is innocent. Papa, if Melissa were truly pregnant with his child, then why wouldn't Thomas marry her?'

'You are not naive, Meggie. You must know that Melissa's birth isn't high enough to tempt a man like Lord Lancaster, nor is her dowry an incentive to overlook her birth. Even though her mother is the daughter of a baron, her father is in trade. In short, there is nothing to induce Thomas Malcombe to tie himself forever to the Winters family.'

She was shaking her head, back and forth. 'I am convinced that Thomas wouldn't behave dishonorably, Papa. Truly, he is all that is kind and honest and-'

'Thomas Malcombe paid Melissa's parents for the care of the child. Her father, although he was reluctant to do so, told me this. I have no reason to disbelieve Mr. Winters, Meggie. His pain over this was palpable. He tried his best to convince Thomas Malcombe to marry his daughter, but he wouldn't do it.'

He watched her face pale, the light of battle fade from her eyes. He hated it, but now it was done.

'Oh dear,' Meggie whispered, 'Oh dear.'

'I believe,' her father said, lightly touching her fingertips to her smooth check, 'that now is an appropriate time for you to say blessed hell.'

Meggie just shook her head, pulled off her bonnet, and dashed her fingers through her hair, shining more blond than brown beneath the morning sun. There had been Jeremy, and she'd been sure her heart would never recover from that stomping. Then, thankfully, she'd seen Jeremy as a fatuous, self-aggrandizing clod, so superior to womankind, who would likely make Charlotte's life miserable, something she probably richly deserved, unless she was a doormat and she'd met the ideal mate for her.