He did not notice Miss Carshaw’s quiet voice through his exclamations, and it was only when she stepped forward that he finally realized she was present in the room.
“Do not lay any blame upon Lord Wiltsham, brother.” Her voice was calm as she walked toward him. “Did you truly think that I would simply allow you to continue with this scheme as though you were quite able to do such a thing without consequences? Did you not hear Lord Wiltsham last evening? We have a great and immovable affection for each other, one which surpasses all else. Were you so foolish as to believe that even if Icoulddo something about the situation, I would not do so? You are quite mistaken in that, Kingston. I will do whatever is required to return what you stole from him to my betrothed.”
“You will return that to me at once.”
Lord Kingston’s lips had gone white with anger as he took a step forward, but Miss Carshaw merely shook her head.
“No, I shall not. Why should I do so, given that you have refused to return what you have stolen?”
Lord Kingston threw up his hands in evident exasperation.
“That is not yours to take! You cannot simply lay claim to what is mine, not without consequence.”
“Which is precisely what I believe can be said to you also.” Benjamin smiled at her determination and came to stand beside her, looking to Lord Kingston with naught but pride in his heart for the lady next to him. She was nothing but wonderful, refusing to be cowed in the face of her brother’s darkness. “Did you truly believe that I would marry Lord Wiltsham without doing anything and everything I could to regain what my brother stole from him?” she continued, speaking clearly and very distinctly. “I do not do so for my own comfort, but because it is therightthing for me to do. I could not have lived beside Lord Wiltsham, knowing that his struggle was because of you, because of what you had taken from the man that I love. My conscience will not permit me to do so. Therefore, I have taken something of great value that belongs solely to you, so that you will return what is of value to Lord Wiltsham. I will not say it is of the greatest value, for we have found something much more precious than money could ever buy, whereas money is all that you have.”
Benjamin watched and listened, as the courage he had seen so often in her before reached an even higher strength. Her emerald gaze was dazzling; the proud tilt of her head one that brought admiration. Lord Kingston’s cruelty could not stand in the face of her quick wits, her fortitude, and her love for Benjamin.
“You know all too well the value of that necklace,” Lord Kingston spat, his eyes like dark hollows. “That has long been in our family. You are stealing from your own kin, from those who have entrusted you to care for such items. How can you turn your back on them now?”
His harsh words did not send even a spark of guilt into her eyes.
“It is not I who ought to question my behavior, brother.” Placing her hands on her hips, she tilted her head. “To take an almost priceless heirloom is one thing, but to just behave in a manner which brings shame on the family name is something else entirely. My conscience was not pricked even a little. My heart has cried out over the change in your character these last years. I believe that when the family fortune became yours, Kingston, you have found yourself not master of it, but almost slave to it instead, driven to forcefully seek to gain as much as you possibly can for yourself. That eagerness has torn any kindness from you, and now I fear that there is nothing which can be done to save your slowly darkening heart.”
One look towards Lord Kingston and Benjamin could tell that his sister’s words had dealt him a great blow, although Lord Kingston attempted to cover it up just as quickly as he could. There was a pallor to Lord Kingston’s cheeks now and his eyes were no longer narrowed. Instead, he stared at Miss Carshaw as though he had never expected her to speak with such vehemence - which, to Benjamin’s mind, simply declared all the more that the man did not know his sister very well at all; that he believed his authority was all that was required to make certain his sister obeyed. Had he learned nothing these last few months? Had he not seen Miss Carshaw’s courage in the same way that Benjamin had? To him, it was one of her most admirable traits, but to Lord Kingston, it would be quite the opposite.
It took Lord Kingston some moments to regain himself. On three occasions, he attempted to speak, only to swallow and look away. After much coughing and clearing of the throat, he shook his head and once more, pointed one finger at Miss Carshaw.
“If you do not return it, you shall not wed Lord Wiltsham.”
There was a quiet feebleness to his voice, and before Benjamin could give any retort, Miss Carshaw let out a sorrowful laugh.
“How weak you are, brother. Do you still think that you can make such threats and have them mean anything to me?” Leaning against Benjamin but keeping her eyes trained on her brother, she shook her head. “You may forbid me all you wish, but if you do so, then I shall simply elope. You may lock me in my room for all I care, but I will still find a way. You cannot separate us. Your threats mean nothing. They are as dust.”
Lord Foster and Lord Stoneleigh rose to their feet, coming a little closer to Lord Kingston.
“Your threats are not welcome here,” Lord Foster stated, his gaze steadily fixed on Lord Kingston. “Your reputation is already sullied. Do you truly wish to add our voices to those who disdain you, and tell others of that disdain? When it comes to your own time to wed – for you will be required to do so to produce the heir - I sincerely doubt that you will find any young lady willing to take your hand, given the rumors that are already spread about you.”
Benjamin saw the slight droop in Lord Kingston’s posture.
“You have no choice, Kingston. Either you return my fortune to me, and your sister will return the necklace, or you do not, and we continue as we are, each in possession of something we ought not to have. Decide what you will do and, regardless of what your choice is, I can promise you that Julia and I will be more than content.”
Lord Kingston said nothing, keeping his eyes fixed on his sister for some moments, as though he expected her to change her mind. But when she did not, he glowered at them each in turn, his lips white with fury, before turning and making his way from the room directly, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed around the room and Miss Carshaw let out a deep and heavy sigh, turning so that her head nestled into his neck, Benjamin slipped one arm around her waist and drew her close, only then realizing the full extent of what she had done, and the strength of mind required to do it.
“My admiration for you knows no bounds,” he murmured against her temple. “You are a woman of great courage. You have such fortitude and uprightness of heart which will not allow you to see or be satisfied with injustice. The depth of love you have for me within your heart is so obvious that it has me spellbound. That you would go to such lengths for me means more to me than I can express.”
Miss Carshaw heaved another sigh, leaning against him even more as he held her close.
“I could not simply allow him to continue with such evil and to be victorious in his wickedness. I do not know whether I shall succeed, but at least now there is a little hope.”
Benjamin chuckled.
“You are aware that we cannot keep the necklace, even if he doesnotdecide to return my fortune?”
Miss Carshaw lifted her head and looked into his eyes, a smile on her lips.
“My intention was never to keep it, only to use it to regain what is rightly yours. I did not tell you for fear that your honorable heart would not permit me to do such a thing in the first place, but now that it has occurred, let us hope that it is enough to bring success.”
“And if it does not, then you are not to carry any guilt,” he told her, as Lord Foster and Lord Stoneleigh turned away so that Benjamin and Miss Carshaw might have as much privacy as could be afforded. “You have done all that you can and more. We shall not carry this burden any longer. There is only to be joy from now on.”
