The Heir

“Morgan isn’t with me,” A

“Otherwise,” Stull sneered, jerking her arm, “nothing. You are well and truly caught, A

The earl stepped out of the crowd and twisted the fat man’s hand off A

Stull rubbed his wrist, eyeing the earl truculently. “I don’t know what she’s told you, good fellow”—he tried for an avuncular tone—“or what she’s promised you, but I will thank you to take your hands off my wife and leave us to return peaceably to our home in Yorkshire.”

The earl snorted and wrapped an arm around A

“Leave her in peace?!” Stull screeched. “Leave her in peace when I’ve traveled the length and breadth of this country seeking just to bring her home? And she’s dragged her poor, addled sister with her, from one sorry scheme to another, when I have a betrothal contract signed and duly witnessed. It’s no wonder I don’t have her sued for breach of promise, b’gad.”

The earl let him bellow on until Dev and Val were in position on either side of the ranting Stull, a constable frowning at Val’s elbow.

“Sir,” the earl cut in, his voice cold enough to freeze the ears off of anybody with any sense. “You have produced no such contract, and you are not family to the lady. I do not deal with intermediaries, and I do not deal with arsonists.” He nodded to Dev and Val, each of whom seized Stull by one beefy arm. “I want this man arrested for arson, Constable, and held without bond. The lady might also want to bring charges for assault, but we can sort that out when you have him in custody.”

“Along with ye, then,” the constable ordered Stull. “His lordship’s word carries weight with me, and that puts you under arrest, sir. Come peaceable, and we won’t have to apply the King’s justice to your fat backside.”

The crowd laughed as Dev and Val obligingly escorted their charge in the constable’s wake. The earl was left with A

“Come.” He led A

When the grooms led the horse away, Westhaven tugged A

“Morgan!” A

Morgan shot a quizzical look over A

“We ran into Stull in the market,” the earl explained, watching the sisters hugging each other. “He was of a mind to take his betrothed north without further ado. I was not of a mind to allow it.”

“Thank God,” Morgan said quietly but clearly. A

“Morgan?” She eyed her sister closely. “Did you just say ‘thank God?’”

“I did.” Morgan met her sister’s gaze. “I did.”

“You can hear and speak,” the earl observed, puzzled. “How long have you feigned deafness?”

“When you went out to Willow Bend, A

“I am so happy for you.” A

“I love you,” Morgan said. “I’ve wanted to say that—just that—for years. I love you, and you are the best sister a deaf girl ever had.”

“I love you, too,” A

“Well, come along you two.” The earl put a sister under each arm. “As pleasing as this development is, there is still a great deal of trouble brewing.” As both sisters were in tears, it clearly fell to him to exercise some rational process, otherwise the lump in his own throat might have to be acknowledged.

He ushered them into his study, poured lemonade all around, and considered the situation as A

“Don’t forget your sugar,” A

“I ca

“Unless…” A

The earl frowned mightily. “Rather than speculate on that matter, what can you tell me about this betrothal contract Stull ranted about. Is it real?”

“It is,” A

“So your brother has sold you to that hog.” It made sense enough. “And you were unwilling to go join him in his wallow.”

“Morgan was to have come with me,” A

“He is depraved, then?”

“I would not have rejected a suitor out of hand,” A

“And you know this how?”

“Grandmother hired on a twelve-year-old scullery maid,” A

“Who is he? He comports himself like a man of consequence, at least in his own mind.”

“Hedley Arbuthnot, eighth Baron Stull,” A

“Don’t be so sure about that.” The earl looked at her, frowning. “I want to see these contracts, as in the first place, I don’t think a conditional betrothal is enforceable, and in the second, there is the question of duress.” And a host of other legal questions, such as whether Helmsley had executed the contracts on behalf of his sisters, and if Morgan was a minor when he did. Or did he sign on behalf of A

And where in the tangle of questions did the matter of guardianship of the ladies’ funds come into it?

The earl looked at Morgan. “You are going to let my brother escort you to the ducal mansion. Stull does not know where you are and does not know you have regained your ability to speak and hear. It is to our advantage to keep it that way.”

“You”—the earl turned an implacable glare on A