The Betrayed Lady Winters Page 8

  Chapter 13

  It took many hours for Lord Winters to explain the situation to the police and to make them understand that his son had not poisoned him but that it was a health problem which had caused him to collapse. Things were so disorganized at the station that it took a long time for things to change for the better. But with his determination and the help of Ivy, Jonathon, and Duke Merrick, Lord Winters finally managed to make it happen.

  Ivy’s emotions churned over and over the entire time, she kept darting between nerves and excitement to finally have that security blanket of her father back in her life. She tried her hardest to keep steady to help her father’s case, but it was not easy to keep herself contained. It had been the most overwhelming day of her life, so far.

  Royce’s feelings were also all over the place. He did not really have to be at the police station, he could have left the family to sort out their own issues, but he feared something else might happen to Lord Winters, and Ivy might have to deal with it alone. He watched Lord Winters all the time, checking up on him.

  “I shall go and let him free,” the police officer finally agreed once he sorted out the facts. “And of course, I would like to apologize for any errors in judgement. We worked with what we had at the time.”

  Under other circumstances, Lord Winters would have pushed this further, conferring with the police officer over the errors made, but he was exhausted, and he wanted to get back home to rest up. When he left the hospital, he felt utterly full of energy, but now that had been zapped from him. He just wanted to get back to normal.

  “That is fine, thank you very much,” he said simply instead. “It is very much appreciated.”

  Ivy, Jonathon, and Royce assisted Lord Winters towards the front door of the police station where they would wait for Ewan. As they stood there, Ivy’s fear levels grew. The last time she had seen her brother, he was struggling, but that was a while ago now. He could have been in a terrible state now. Ivy imagined, in her mind’s eye, her brother dirtier, thinner, looking more dreadful and it left her shaking with fear. The image grew so powerfully in her mind that when her brother finally appeared, looking more like himself than the version she held in her mind, she almost did not recognize him. He took her by surprise, almost knocking her backward.

  “Ewan,” she gushed in shock, clapping her hands against her mouth. “Oh, my goodness. It is you!”

  She ran forward and wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him tightly. Having her brother back and knowing that her family was finally together again filled her with so many emotions. Everything finally felt whole again; she had everyone that was important to her back in her life… and that included the man who was nothing to her beforehand. The man who stood behind her father, silently supporting them all. Duke Royce Merrick.

  Now that they had achieved what they set out to do, she had no idea what would happen with them next. Would they go their separate ways? Was the damage done by stealing the journal be too much, and they could never get things back? Or would the sizzling chemistry between them win out? Maybe this would be the time that something real could happen between them. There was no way to know for now.

  “Let us get out of here,” Lord Winters said calmly, with his last energy. “We have much to discuss at home.”

  “Are you coming too?” Ivy gave Royce a hopeful look. “Or do you need to go home?”

  Royce was not sure what to do for the best. He did not want to leave Ivy’s side while things were so up in the air, he felt like they had a lot to talk about, but he also did not want to impose on another private family moment.

  “Yes, you must come,” Lord Winters interrupted with a smile. “This now involves you, too. Please, come with us. Since you have been so helpful to my daughter, I would like you to know everything, too. You and Jonathon. If you do not mind.”

  As Royce nodded, Ivy could not help but smile. The idea of him leaving gave her a tight knot of panic in her chest, but as soon as she learned that he was going to stay, it loosened. They did not have the stressful situation surrounding them any longer, her family was free, and her feelings were stronger than ever. She certainly felt something like love for Royce, ironically now she wanted to marry him more than anything.

  They left the police station and Ivy remained close to Royce the entire time. She loved the sizzle that he gave her, and wanted to cling on to it forever more. She had always seen marriage as a chore, something that she did not want to get involved in because she thought that it would be horrible. Seeing Elizabeth scared to give birth and Mary married to someone she did not like, put her off. But if Duke Merrick could be her husband, someone that she got along well with and that she had a very strong attraction to, then it would not be too bad.

  For a moment, Ivy imagined kissing this man and starting a family with him, she thought about what it might be like to live with him, and it was a picture that she liked. She would not even mind leaving the comfort of her family home to be with him. But not right away, she had only just got her family back. She did not want to leave them just yet. For the time being, she just wanted things to be normal for a little while.

  * * *

  The four of them stepped into the Winters’ household with a heavy silence surrounding them. Ewan had been quiet ever since they left the prison, and Lord Winters appeared too tired to talk. Ivy was starting to think that nothing would get resolved tonight because everyone would want to go to bed… but then Lord Winters took them all into the living room to talk. As exhausted as he was, he wanted everything out in the open.

  “I do not wish for there to be any more secrets in this family,” he told his children firmly as they all took their seats. “Because secrets have caused a lot of unnecessary stress and drama, which no one needed to deal with. If I had been honest about my issues with my heart, then you would not have suspected poisoning of me.”

  “You have troubles with your heart?” Ewan looked shocked; this was something he did not know.

  “I have.” Lord Winters nodded. “But I am not the only one with secrets, am I?” Ewan remained tight-lipped for the moment, unwilling to be honest. “Son, there is a reason that the police arrested you without waiting around to find out the truth, is there not? And before you deny it, please know that I already know about it.”

  “What do you know?” Ewan asked quietly, his head hanging low with shame.

  “I have been told some things about you.” Lord Winters used his firmest tone. “And you know what I am like, I do not believe things that I am told unless I see evidence of it myself. I even heard things about Duke Merrick, but I did not listen to any of them. Rumours are merely words that do not mean anything.”

  “Why did you not tell me that you did not believe it when I spoke to you at the party?” Ivy felt stunned as she listened to her father speak. “I might have listened to you and not acted in such as rash manner.”

  Lord Winters laughed. “You are very determined once you set your mind to something, I have learned over the years of raising you that there is not always much pot in trying to change your mind.”

  Ivy was not sure whether or not to feel chastened by that. She knew that she had a stubborn personality, but she did not realize that it was quite so obvious to everyone else. Then again, her father was smiling, so clearly this was not something about her that irritated him. Perhaps it was even something that he liked.

  “So, Ewan.” Before Ivy could say anything else, Lord Winters turned the conversation back to his son. “I did not listen to what I heard about you, I did my own research, and what I learned has troubled me.”

  If Ewan had not just spent so much time in prison for a crime that he did not commit, then maybe he would not have been more dishonest with his life. But his father was right, keeping secrets had done the Winters family no good, it had simply led to a terrible misunderstanding that could easily have been avoided.

  “I have made bets,” he admitted quietly. “Many bets, and sometimes with some bad people.
I did not think that my behaviour would be so troublesome and that it would lead to so many issues, I always felt like I had it under control… at least until I was arrested, and the police believed that I had poisoned you, Father, to regain some of the money that I had lost. That was when I was forced to confess the truth to myself.”

  Ivy could hardly believe what she was hearing, the news that her brother had kept this secret, illegal life terrified her. Ewan had always been a quieter version of herself in her eyes, and Ivy would never do anything as risky as what her brother was talking about. However, the news came as much less of a shock to Royce. He had been suspecting this very reason from the moment they left the police station. To him, Ewan displayed all the symptoms of having an addiction, and since he spent a lot of time with people who shared similar issues, he could tell. This was not a person who had set out to hurt his family; it was someone who had made some bad choices in his life and simply needed help. The hopeless cloud that surrounded Ewan confirmed that.

  “I work with people who have gambling problems,” he said seriously to Ewan, hoping not to appear like he was interfering. “I understand how badly it can affect people’s lives. I can help you too if you would like me to.”

  Ivy’s heart thawed, as she listened to this man that she had fallen for, offering to help her brother. She did not understand the full extent of what Ewan had done, that was something which would probably come out over time as all the members of the Winters family got used to having no secrets, but she felt much happier about it knowing that Royce had no intention of going anywhere. He was staying to help out.

  He might not have made a promise to stick around for her, but as he turned to give her a loaded glance, she felt like that was there, underneath it all. Knowing that Duke Royce Merrick was going to remain in her life, becoming increasingly important to her every single day, gave Ivy the strength to get through anything.

  “Ivy.” Her father’s voice suddenly grabbed her attention. “I would like to extend great thanks to you. You did not give up on me and your brother and that means a lot. We are a strong family, and with you, we can get through anything. I am grateful to Duke Merrick and Jonathon as well, but especially to you. You saved us.”

  Ivy soaked in the praise loving how it felt. Now she could understand why Royce enjoyed helping people; it gave a wonderful satisfaction. Maybe that was something she would do one day, too.

  Chapter 14

  In the months that followed, Duke Royce Merrick became a common fixture in the Winters’ household as he helped the family repair their ruined reputation. He assisted Lord Winters in reminding the city that he was a strong man who ran his business in an astute manner. Royce helped Ewan repay his gambling debts and also to get involved in the family company. Before this, Ewan had been determined to create his own path in life, but he soon gave up that idea once he realized how successful he could be working with his father.

  It was wonderful to see; Ivy felt proud of them all. She loved seeing her family coming together in a way that they had not really done before. There were never fractured, but secrets had created an unnecessary rift.

  She had a lot of reasons to be proud of herself as well. Ivy had started to achieve things that she did not even know she wanted to do. She had started building her own charity to help children who had been orphaned. When deciding to help others, Ivy knew that she needed to find something that she felt passionate about, and learning how many children there were in London city alone without anyone to help, she immediately knew that was what she wanted to do. Royce had helped her a lot; he was wonderful and had a lot of experience. Ivy was utterly grateful to him. She probably could have started her charity alone but was glad to have him.

  “What time will Royce be arriving?” Lord Winters asked Ivy, so familiar with him now that he now referred to him by his first name. “It feels like he is much later than normal, does it not? He is usually here by now.”

  Ivy smiled serenely at her father, trying to hide her inner turmoil. Once Royce arrived, she found it easy to relax, but she always felt on edge when he was on the way. The nerves and excitement to lay her eyes upon his handsome face were almost too much. The closeness that she now felt to Royce, the fact that she had been given the chance to get to know him, made her grateful for everything that had happened. It was a terrible situation, it had been utterly horrible at the time, but a lot of good had come from it, including Royce.

  It hit Ivy every now and again that she almost rejected him, that she had an instant dislike for him. How different things could have been if her father had not collapsed. He could be courting some other Lady now, planning a proposal and a subsequent marriage to someone else. While he and Ivy were not courting in the typical sense, it felt to her like there was a promise between them, that something would eventually happen.

  Or so she hoped. The last thing she wanted was to get her hopes up for nothing.

  “I do not know,” she replied blandly, hoping that there was not a shake in her voice. “I am sure it will not be long. He has promised Ewan that he will meet with him today and he does not ever let him down.”

  Lord Winters gave his daughter a curious look. He had been wondering for a while now about where her feelings stood when it came to Duke Merrick, but he did not want to push her. He knew that this man would be good to her daughter, that he would treat her well and give her the life that she deserved, which was the very reason that he tried to introduce them in the first place. But he did not want to push it and force her away from him. However, now he felt like he needed to ask, just to try and figure out where her head was at.

  “How are things with you and Royce? How is your… friendship developing?”

  Ivy flicked her eyes towards the window so that she did not have to look at her father, but he did not miss the pink tinge in her cheeks. “Oh, fine. He is a very nice man, a wonderful friend to us all.”

  “Yes, he is a very good man.” Lord Winters smiled to himself as he teased his daughter about very first meeting with Royce. “It is such a shame that you do not want to see him or spend any more time with him.”

  Ivy giggled. “Yes, I know. I was very wrong to judge him so quickly. I have learned from that mistake.”

  “You have learned a lot from Royce.” Lord Winters nodded knowingly. “It is wonderful to see.”

  He was impressed with how much his daughter had grown up recently. She had changed from a child into a woman in a very short period of time. He no longer felt like he needed to be worried about her. Whatever Ivy did in her life now, he knew that she would be fine. Her stubbornness and fiery nature had transformed into a steely determination. His wife would have been proud of her daughter, she would have loved to see what Ivy had become. She was now a younger, even stronger, version of who she used to be.

  “Do you think that you might revisit your opinion about Royce now?” Lord Winters asked. “In a marriage sense, I mean. I know this might be a lot for you to consider, but I would just like to know…”

  “I am not sure.” Ivy’s heart pounded in her chest. Marrying Royce was all that she wanted, but she did not want to tell her father that in case it did not work out. “I have not thought much about it. For the moment, I am simply concentrating on myself and my charity. I am not worrying about marriage right now.”

  Lord Winters could tell from the way that Ivy said that it was not the whole truth. What she had not said had told him more than what she had. He thought his daughter might be falling for this man, which was wonderful. It would make Lord Winters very happy to know that his daughter would have such a remarkable husband.

  “I see. Well, that is fine. Simply tell me again when you do decide to marry, and, of course, I shall help you.”

  Ivy did not answer her father, because her eyes had caught a glimpse of something out of the window that caught her eye. It was Royce’s carriage; he was finally here which was the best news ever.

  “Oh look, Duke Merrick is here. We should go and greet him at
the door.”

  With Ivy effectively cutting off the conversation with her words, Lord Winters had no choice but to follow her towards the front door. Not that he minded, he had all the information that he needed to know.

  Lord Winters stepped back and allowed his daughter to greet the man that she was falling for. It was even more obvious from their interaction that there were feelings there. It appeared to be from both sides as well, which made him even happier. If his daughter could marry for love, that would be wonderful!

  Lord Winters did not know much about his wife before he married her, their union was arranged by their parents. They had simply been very lucky that love had come from that wedding. It was the very reason he had not wanted to bring a second bride into his life because he knew that he would never love anyone as much as he had the mother of his children. He wanted his daughter to find the same thing.

  “Lord Winters,” Royce said, insisting on using his full title even though he had been offered the choice of using his first name. He preferred to be as respectful to Ivy’s father as possible. “May I speak with you?”

  Ivy was instantly taken aback. She had been looking forward to seeing Royce all day, and now he wanted to see her father first. Even though she knew that it was silly to feel that way, she felt put out. She had spent all morning with Charlotte picking out her finest lilac-coloured dress, styling her hair, and applying a thin layer of makeup; she wanted him to really see her and notice her for her beauty.

  “Yes, of course, Royce, let us go to the drawing room where we can have some privacy.”

  Ivy knew what was expected of her. She was supposed to wait for the men to come back into the living room after having their meeting, to find out the parts of it that they wanted her to know. But Ivy did not have the patience for that, and needed to know now. Even if it was business related, they never usually hid that from her. They treated her as an equal, which was exactly where Ivy liked to be. Maybe she had not changed the world for all women, but she had become more respected in her own home, and that was something.