Regency 09 - Redemption by Jaimey Grant

wryly.
    Leaning back, he closed his
eyes briefly, knowing what a precarious position such an action
would put him in. His mind whirled back and forth over the events
of the past months. Part of him, now, had no idea why he’d ever run
in the first place. He should have stayed and at least tried to
convince Jenny’s family that he was worthy of being her
husband.
    His lips twisted cynically.
He should not have touched her that night, invitation or
not.
    He heard a step a moment
later. His eyes opened slowly to see his brother bearing down on
him, fury emanating from his every pore. If Dare hadn’t been the
target of that anger, he’d have laughed.
    Standing, he said, “And how
is the happy bridegroom? Have you married her yet?”
    He dodged the fist aimed at
his face, but only just. The next fist met with his hand. He
clenched his fingers over it, in far better physical shape than his
bookworm brother was.
    “Let go,” snapped
Miles.
    Dare released him with a
little jerk, nearly toppling the other man to the
ground.
    “I will allow that you have
every right to hit me, Miles. But I will not let you do so
here.”
    Miles nearly growled. Dare
was amazed at how different he was behaving. His brother, the
epitome of gentlemanly conduct, was acting like an
animal.
    He couldn’t help it. He
laughed. And Miles lunged for him.
    Backing quickly away, Dare
said placatingly, “Miles, I assure you, you can beat me as much as
you want. Later. Right now, I need to know why you’ve promised to
marry Jenny.”
    Miles took a deep breath,
trying to calm his rage. “Yes, oddly enough, you are right. We
should not do this here.” He sent a significant look toward the
back of the domicile where, Dare was quite sure, a group of very
interested servants hovered.
    Moments later, the two
brothers were standing in Adam’s study. Dare glanced around,
asking, “Has Adam returned yet?”
    “No. Bri said Lord
Derringer was found and Adam remained there for a while to patch a
few things up.” He turned, facing his brother with the stoicism for
which he was well known. “And where have you been?”
    “America, mostly,” he
shrugged. “I was in Bath, on my way back, when I picked up a London
paper over a week old. Imagine my surprise,” he finished
dryly.
    “Damn your surprise, man!
I’m engaged to Jenny because you were not here to fix your mess.
Tell me, Dare. Will it always be up to me to clean up after
you?”
    “I don’t understand what
the big tragedy is, Miles.”
    Miles’s eyes widened until
they threatened to pop. Dare’s grew, too, reflexively.
    Then, abruptly, Miles
frowned. “You don’t know. No, how could you?” he muttered to
himself.
    It was Dare’s turn to
frown. And he did. With great displeasure. “What don’t I
know?”
    “Sit down,
Dare.”
    Dare wasn’t sure he wanted
to comply but decided the news would be bad no matter what he did.
So he sat.
    Miles didn’t. He started
pacing. Yet another action so unlike his brother that Dare grew
very worried indeed.
    Trying to lighten the mood,
he quipped, “Miles, this behavior is very unbecoming in a
gentleman. You make me dizzy to watch you.”
    Miles stopped abruptly,
glaring. His next words were cruelly blunt, angered as he was by
his twin’s continued disregard for what was a very serious
matter.
    “Jenny’s
pregnant.”

 

Chapter Twelve

    Dare stared at his brother,
uncomprehending. He blinked twice, slowly. Then, “Excuse
me?”
    “You heard me,” snapped
Miles. He sat in the chair behind the desk, glowering at Dare all
the while. He refused to say more.
    Dare was having trouble
breathing. His neckerchief felt too tight and he was quite sure his
face was turning purple. His mind just couldn’t wrap itself around
the idea that Jenny, his Jenny, was going to have a
baby.
    “Is it mine?” he asked,
stupidly.
    A very foul word passed his
brother’s lips. “I should kill you outright for that, Dare,” he
said through gritted teeth.
    Dare shook his