"It'll be too late then."
"Hopefully Payne don't read the classifieds in The Times," Cyclops said.
Several voices chimed in agreement, but not Matt's.
"India's right," Duke said. "Patience ain't your responsibility, Matt. She made her bed, now she must lie in it. You don't have to protect her."
"I disagree," Matt said. "Setting aside the fact it'll be my fault if Payne talks to Cox, I am the heir to the Rycroft title and estate. That puts me as the head of the family after my uncle dies."
"He ain't dead yet!" Willie cried.
"And you don't even care about the title," I said hotly. "Nor about the estate or the way the system of inheritance and entailment works here. So you claim." I could no longer look at him. All this time he'd told me the customs associated with the English upper classes didn't matter to him, and yet now he claimed the opposite. Did that mean it mattered that I was beneath him after all? Was he lying about me being his equal? I was too confused and angry to think clearly on the subject.
Matt shot to his feet and grasped my elbows. "India," he purred. "I know what you're thinking and—" He cut himself off and glanced at his aunt. "We'll discuss it when we're alone."
I jerked free and turned my back to him. Needing something to do, I poured myself a brandy then drank the entire glass. The liquid warmed my chest, but did nothing to calm the emotions roiling inside me.
"Matthew is correct," Miss Glass said, proving she had been listening after all. "Patience and the girls are his responsibility. My brother Richard is their primary guardian, of course, but as his heir, Matthew has a duty to see that he plays a part in situations like this. They will be, after all, his burden to bear if they don't marry before he inherits."
"Just like you're Lord Rycroft's?" Willie said, brows arched.
"Willie," Matt snapped. "That's not fair."
She muttered an apology. Miss Glass accepted it with a curt nod. "My point," Miss Glass went on, "is that Matthew has a responsibility to stop this from happening if it's within his power to do so."
"But to expose himself like this," I said to her. "Surely you can see that he's putting himself in danger by inviting Payne to meet with him."
"I do see it, and that's why I can't agree to it."
Willie threw her hands in the air. "Then what are you saying?"
"That Matthew must be prepared to make amends if Lord Cox backs out of the arrangement."
"Fair enough." Willie tilted her chin at Matt. "You've got money enough to give her. Hell, you've got enough to give to her sisters if they're affected too."
"Which they will be," Miss Glass noted. "It's not financial recompense I'm referring to, however."
I suddenly felt the need for another drink and turned back to the sideboard. My vision blurred and my hand shook as I poured the brandy.
"Then what are you referring to?" Willie asked carefully.
"No," Matt said, also catching on. "Don't even think it, Aunt."
"Think what?"
"Are you talking about marriage?" Cyclops asked. "As in Matt marrying Patience?"
"God damn," Duke muttered.
Willie burst out laughing but it died just as quickly. I felt all their eyes on me but I didn't turn around. Couldn't. I didn't want to face Matt.
"All three girls will be affected if Lord Cox ends the engagement," Miss Glass said. "Their reputations can only be rescued if one of them marries well, but who would have them once the scandal erupts?"
"Patience is the only one who put herself about," Willie said. "Not the other two."
"It won't matter. The scandal will stick to all of them. At least for long enough to ruin their chances of making swift and good marriages."
Willie scoffed. "I don't believe it."
"Why can't one of them make a good marriage?" Duke asked. "The middle one's got a few matches missing from the box, but the youngest, Hope, ain't so bad. She's pretty, too. Some lord or other could fall in love with her."
"How, when she won't be invited anywhere?" Miss Glass asked. "She won't get to meet any suitable gentlemen, closeted within the walls of Rycroft House. Besides, she's not that easy to love. Believe me, I tried. None of the girls are."
I expected Matt to admonish her for being unkind, but he remained silent. Too silent. I hazarded a glance at him only to see him watching me, a small frown forming a line between his brows.
Miss Glass emitted a small sigh. "What gentleman of quality will love a damaged girl?" she murmured.
"This is absurd," Matt said. "I am not marrying one of my cousins. I'm meeting Payne and resolving this once and for all."
"Aye, with your death," Duke muttered. "That's the only thing that'll satisfy him."
"I don't want to hear any more about it. Is that clear?"
Duke and Cyclops stormed out, shaking their heads. Miss Glass touched her fingers to her temple and declared herself too tired to discuss it anymore. She followed them out.
"I'll come with you," I said.
"India, wait," Matt said. "Stay a few minutes."
"I'd rather not."
"Please."
How could I refuse when he injected so much vulnerability into that one word? I waited as Willie gave him a final dressing down over the subject of him meeting Payne then left too. She shut the door. I wished she hadn't.
"Don't try to sweet talk your way out of this, Matt," I said as he moved toward me. "I'm still angry with you." He drew closer, his gaze intense beneath heavy lids. I backed up against a chair. "Surely you must see how foolish it is to meet with Payne. He's not going to—"
He touched a finger to my lips. "I meant it when I said I don't want to discuss it."
That simply wasn't being fair. He had no right to cut me off from voicing my opinion a second or third time. I pushed his finger away and stamped my hands on my hips. "Then why did you ask me to remain here? And do not say to kiss me. I am not kissing you. Either we talk or I leave."
"Very well." His mouth flicked up on one side. "You're beautiful when you're angry."
I crossed my arms. "Is that it? Are you done?"
"Not in the least." He backed away and indicated I should sit before doing so himself. The distance between us allowed me to catch my breath but my nerves remained brittle. "I want you to know, without a shadow of doubt, that I intend to marry you if you'll have me. No matter what my aunt says, I will not be marrying Patience, Charity or Hope. Only you."
I simply stared at him. After a moment, I realized my mouth was ajar and closed it. "Now is not the time," I said, rising. "Considering Sheriff Payne might kill you, you won't be marrying anyone. Let's see if you live, first."
I regretted my quip the moment I said it. How could I be so thoughtless? If Payne didn't kill Matt there was a good chance he'd die anyway if we couldn't fix his watch.
"You're right," he said. "And yet I wanted you to know my feelings."
"I am aware of your feelings," I murmured, my face heating.
"Are you?" He crouched before me. "Because sometimes I don't think you understand the depth of them. India, I—"