A Marriage Most Inconvenient (Inconvenient Matches Book #1)

Chapter 50: Ben

'She tried to tell me.' His mother finally broke the weighted silence that followed the thump of Needham's body crashing against the floor. Her voice was hollow and fraught with her anguish. 'She tried to tell me and I didn't listen. She must have thought that I would leave her to him. She must have thought I would send her back.'

'You couldn't have known. I didn't know. We should have seen it, and we did not.' Ben hung his head in shame. 'We owe my wife everything.'

'Where is Ophelia, Rothbury? You must find her and bring her home.'

'I don't know, but she is safe. She went to my wife for help and she told me that Ophelia was safe.'

Christ. His heart gave a saddened lurch, the familiar ache settling in once again. He felt so damn lost, as if he had been cleaved in two.

His wife.

His poor, lovely wife who had only sought to help and how had he repaid her? By not even having enough control over his fear to think about things logically? To soften his words even if he was angry?

He should have had god damned faith instead of letting his panic rule his reaction and thinking. He should have known. He should have known, goddamn it.

'Do you think they will sentence me to death?' Lady Amelia asked in an uncharacteristically small voice.

'Listen to me. Listen to me!' Benedict shook his mother by her shoulders to snap her out of her reverie. She was taking large gasping breaths as her entire body trembled. She looked him in the eye and nodded. 'I will not let you get arrested, do you understand?'

'You can't stop it. I k-killed a man. A peer, no less. There will be consequences and I am prepared to face them. I would do anything for you and your sister.' She took in a large breath and collected herself, years of being overly aware of her conduct would not allow her to behave so poorly, even in the given circumstances. She squared her shoulders, her posture becoming the typically regal one as her eyes hardened. Her hands fisted into the fabric of her gown were the only outward sign of her turmoil.

'You did it to protect me. I will take the blame, do you understand? They cannot arrest me. Worst comes to worst, I will be tried in the House of Lords. I have no dearth of allies among the peerage. I will be fine.'

'No! I won't let you do it. I won't!' She shook her head fiercely. 'You will be ruined. If you think you will have any friends left should all this come to light, you are mistaken. You will be completely and utterly ruined in ways a man can't live down even in decades. I will tell the constables the truth and if I must die protecting my children, it will be a death that I am satisfied with.'

Ben's eyes pricked with emotion as he was faced with the undisputable depth of his mother's love. A love he had not thought existed for so many years

'You are not going to die. I will not allow it!' He snarled as he paced the study, trying to think of a way- any way- out of this mess. 'There are inspectors that can be bought. Constables that can be paid off.'

'One person. One person refusing would be all it takes to bring this entire thing down like a house of cards. I will not let you take a risk like that. You stand to lose everything.'

She was right. He stood to lose everything. His businesses, his connections, his influence would all go up in smoke, but he could not very well allow his mother to get carted away in manacles! His honor would not allow it. His entire sense of duty would not allow it.

A throat cleared delicately as the footman gently opened the door and a uniformed man strode in, hat tucked under his arm and a grave expression on his face. He inhaled sharply at the sight of Needham's body lying on its side and crossed himself muttering a small prayer to Jesus. Without acknowledging Ben or his mother, he took out a notebook and began scribbling.