A Scandal By Any Other Name

Delaney looked at him. Her vision was still a little blurry, but she could see his face clearly enough. She saw the deep, dark shadows beneath his eyes. She saw his messy hair and the wrinkles in his usually perfect clothes. He looked as though he had not slept in a very long time. He looked completely exhausted, and it was all because he loved her.

Rowan leaned closer, his eyes scanning her pale face frantically.

"Are you alright?" Rowan asked quickly, his words rushing out in a breathless panic. "Do you feel hurt anywhere? Does your head ache? I am coming, let me call the doctor."

He began to push himself up from the floor, intending to run to the door and shout for the servants to fetch the physician.

But as he moved to get up, Delaney reached out from beneath the warm blankets.

She held his hand. Her fingers were slightly weak, but her grip was firm.

Rowan stopped instantly. He froze, looking down at her hand wrapped around his large, warm fingers. He slowly lowered himself back down to his knees, his eyes wide and completely focused on her.

Delaney swallowed hard, trying to moisten her dry throat. She wanted to sit up. She tried to push herself up against the soft white pillows, but her muscles felt very heavy.

Seeing her struggle, Rowan moved immediately.

"Allow me, my darling," Rowan said softly.

He leaned forward and gently slid his arm behind her shoulders. He moved with incredible care, as if she were made of the most delicate glass. With his gentle help, Delaney sat up slowly on the bed, resting her back against the headboard.

She looked at his face. She could see the pain he had suffered over the past week, waiting for her to open her eyes.

A fresh wave of tears filled Delaney’s hazel eyes. She raised her arms slowly and pulled him closer. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and hugged him tightly.

Rowan let out a long, shaky breath. He closed his eyes and buried his face in the crook of her neck, being very careful not to press on her bruises. He breathed in the sweet scent of her skin, finally believing that she was truly back.

"I am sorry," Delaney whispered softly against his hair. A warm tear escaped her eye and fell onto his coat. "I wanted to leave you behind. I was so tired. Please forgive me."

Rowan tightened the hug, holding her securely against his chest. He would never let her go again.

"No matter where you go," Rowan spoke, his deep voice vibrating firmly against her, "I will always find you. I would follow you anywhere, my love, even if it means fighting death himself."

He pulled back just slightly so he could look directly into her tearful eyes.

"So do not worry about the past," Rowan promised, his eyes blazing with devotion. "The most important thing is that you are here now. You are with me, and you are with all of us. You are safe, Delaney."

Delaney broke the hug completely. She reached up with her trembling hand and gently traced the side of his face. She felt the slight roughness of his jaw, showing he had not shaved that morning.

"I miss you," Delaney said, her voice filled with pure, honest love.

Rowan caught her small hand. He took her hand gently from his face and brought it down to his lips. He pressed a long, tender, incredibly warm kiss to her palm.

"I miss you more, Del," Rowan replied, his voice thick with emotion. "Every day. Every second you were not here with me, I missed you completely."

They stayed like that for a quiet moment, simply looking at each other, letting the beautiful truth of their reunion settle over them.

Then, Delaney remembered the terrible events in the woods. Her eyes widened slightly with sudden worry.

"Hamish?" Delaney asked quickly, her voice urgent. "What happened to Hamish? Did he survive the fight?"

Rowan nodded quickly to calm her fears. He rubbed his thumb gently over the back of her hand.

"He is fine, Del," Rowan replied in a soothing tone. "He is still receiving treatment in his room, but the doctor said he will recover just fine. He is a very strong man. But I must admit, he was in a much worse state than you when the other guards finally found him on the road with two other dead men."

Rowan’s expression turned deeply serious. He looked at her closely.

"What actually happened out there?" Rowan asked softly. "Hamish was barely conscious. He only told me that you took the horse and rode away with the evidence. He said Lucas Kingsley and a hired driver attacked you two."

Delaney took a slow, steady breath. The memory of the cold dirt road made her shiver slightly.

"It was my cousin, Lucas," Delaney replied, her voice dropping into a quiet, serious tone. "He is a complete psychopath, Rowan. When I returned to the estate after seeing Celine for the evidence, he was waiting for me. He had taken over the house because my uncle was arrested."

Rowan’s jaw clenched tightly in anger, but he stayed quiet, letting her speak.

"We could not send the evidence or even letters to you," Delaney explained, looking down at their joined hands. "I was afraid he would intercept them. He was watching my every move. He also killed Owen. He hired a wicked man to drive the carriage. During the journey, Lucas ordered the driver to kill Hamish. He wanted to kill both me and Hamish."

Delaney paused. She looked up directly into Rowan’s eyes.

"But I fought back," Delaney said firmly. "I killed him, Rowan. I shot him with the dueling pistols you gave me."

Rowan let out a heavy breath. He did not look shocked or disgusted. He looked at her withadmiration and deep relief.

"You did what you had to do to survive, my brave girl," Rowan said softly.

Rowan lifted his free hand. He reached out and gently, incredibly lightly, touched the dark, ugly purple bruises on her pale neck. His eyes filled with a dark, dangerous storm of anger toward the dead man.

"He also did this to you?" Rowan asked, his voice a low, rough growl.

Delaney nodded her head slowly. "He tried to choke me in the dirt."

Rowan closed his eyes for a brief second. A look of painful guilt crossed his face. He hated that she had been hurt while he was sitting safely in London.

"I am so sorry, Del," Rowan whispered, his voice cracking with regret. "I could not protect you."

Delaney immediately shook her head. She would not allow him to feel guilty for a single second. She held his hand tightly in both of hers and brought it to her lips. She kissed his knuckles gently, just as he had kissed hers.

"It is fine, Rowan," Delaney assured him, offering a small, comforting smile. "I protected myself. Hamish and Owen protected me. You also saved me long before that road. You gave me the courage to fight."

She moved over slightly under the blankets. She patted the empty space on the large bed right next to her.

"Come," Delaney said softly.

Rowan did not hesitate. He took off his dark morning coat and his boots. He climbed carefully into the large bed and sat very close to Delaney, leaning his back against the wooden headboard next to her. He wrapped his arm securely around her shoulders, pulling her gently against his warm side. Delaney rested her head comfortably on his broad chest, listening to the steady, comforting beat of his heart.

"Tell me everything," Delaney said quietly. "What happened while I was unconscious?"

Rowan rested his cheek gently against the top of her dark hair. He began to fill her in on the events of the past week.

"The trial was a complete success," Rowan started, his deep voice vibrating pleasantly against her ear. "Because of the ledger and the manifest you brought, Lord Hawksley and Lord Farrington were both found guilty. They will hang for their crimes. Your father’s name is completely clean."

Delaney closed her eyes, feeling a wave of peace. "And my aunt?"

Rowan sighed softly. "Eunice Kingsley was sent to the madhouse."

Delaney lifted her head slightly, looking at him in surprise. "The madhouse?"

Rowan nodded. "Her being utterly destitute, combined with the sudden loss of her son and her husband, completely drove her mad. She was wandering the village streets, harassing strangers. Her own daughter, Anne, sent her there. Anne was afraid her mother’s terrible condition and wild behavior would stain her husband’s family reputation."

Delaney rested her head back down on his shoulder. She did not feel happy about her aunt’s terrible fate, but she did not feel sad either. It was the bitter result of Eunice’s own cruel choices.

"Hmm," Delaney said softly, accepting the news.

Rowan continued, his hand gently caressing her dark hair.

"Lady Celine is here, at Hamilton House," Rowan told her.

Delaney looked up quickly, a bright smile of genuine happiness appearing on her face.

"Celine is here?"

"Yes," Rowan smiled back. "She left her mother behind. Her mother tried to force her to marry a terrible man, so Celine ran away to find honest work here in London. When she arrived at our door, my Aunt Margery decided to take her in immediately. Margery is acting as her sponsor now. Celine is safe."

Delaney felt a warm glow in her chest. "She must have gone through a lot to finally break away from her mother. I am so glad she is safe."

"She is a very strong young woman, much like you," Rowan agreed, kissing the top of Delaney’s head. He continued with his report. "I have also settled Miss Flora and her family."

"Celine’s handmaiden?" Delaney asked.

"Yes," Rowan confirmed. "She testified bravely at the trial. I gave her family one of my smaller, comfortable country manors to occupy. I also provided them with enough money to enable them to start a completely new, quiet life far away from the scandal."

Delaney smiled widely. She was so happy that the innocent people who had helped her were finally finding peace and happiness.

"That is very good, Rowan," Delaney replied warmly. "You are a very kind man."

Suddenly, a loud, distinct rumbling sound broke the quiet peace of the bedchamber.

It was Delaney’s stomach. She had not eaten a single bite of solid food for an entire week.

Delaney froze. A bright blush of pink color rushed into her pale cheeks. She looked down in deep embarrassment.

Rowan paused. Then, a deep, rich, completely genuine laugh rumbled from his chest. It was a beautiful, happy sound that filled the entire room.

"Seems like you are very hungry, Del," Rowan teased her gently, a bright, playful twinkle returning to his eyes.

Delaney smiled, hiding her blushing face against his warm shirt. "I am starving."

Rowan carefully moved his arm and climbed out of the large bed. He looked down at her with an expression of love.

"I will head to the kitchen immediately to have the cook prepare something warm and delicious for you," Rowan promised, his voice light and happy. "I will also tell my aunt, Ines , and the rest of the household that you are finally awake. They will be entirely overjoyed. And I will send a footman to call the doctor back for you, just to be safe."

Delaney nodded her head, a soft, beautiful smile resting on her lips. She pulled the warm blankets up a little higher, feeling entirely safe, completely loved, and perfectly at home.