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Brianna didn’t expect Mr. Forbes to approach her ever again, not after they’d announced her engagement to Lord John and rather humiliated him in the process. But here he is, walking undoubtedly and painfully straight up to her.
She refrains from letting her aversion show too blatantly but eyes him with suspicion nonetheless. When he comes to a halt at an adequate conversational distance from her, he gives a small tip of his head in greeting and she curtsies ever so slightly.
“Miss Fraser,” he addresses her.
“Mr. Forbes,” she replies, then adds with a sarcastic undertone, “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
He gives her a strange look then. “Oh, if only it was under more pleasurable circumstances.” The cryptic nature of his statement makes Brianna draw her head back slightly as she narrows her eyes at him. “Alas, it is with deepest regret…” He pauses and… smiles? “That I have to be the messenger of a grave turn of events, Miss Fraser, concerning your… fiancé.”
In an instant, he’s got Brianna’s undivided attention as her heart skips a beat. Forbes on the other hand seems more gleeful than worried and Brianna really isn’t a fan of what that might be insinuating.
“Lord John? What is it? Is he well? D-did something happen?” She’s surprised at the amount of sincere concern in her voice. Although, come to think of it, if something did happen to him, she would indeed be devastated, not only because she’d be forced to marry one of her disagreeable suitors in his stead, all of whom are at least twice her senior and, worst of all, seeking a true marriage with her, but also because she’s genuinely come to like and appreciate him as a friend.
Mr. Forbes appears equally surprised at how much she seems to care for him and gives her a disgruntled look. “I’m afraid so, Miss. Though to be perfectly honest, I’m uncertain if I should even speak such appalling words in the presence of a lady.”
“Oh, I can take a lot,” she assures him, all the while feeling the unease rising inside of her. “Tell me, please. I need to know.” Lord John was fine when she last saw him.
Mr. Forbes clears his throat. “I quite agree, as his fiancée you have a right to this knowledge, thought it pains me to be the one to drive a wedge between the two of you.” An ironic undertone is superfluous as they are both aware that it does, in fact, not pain him one bit.
Brianna doesn’t say anything in response. She’s on edge, impatient and agitated and starting to get annoyed as well. A cocktail that can’t be good for her baby. She gives Forbes an urging look.
“Very well. I learned from Lieutenant Wolff earlier that...” He pauses and shakes his head. “I don't think I can sugarcoat this in any way, that Lord John beds... other men.” His expression makes it evident that even just speaking those words deeply disgusts him.
Still, Brianna’s first reaction to this revelation is a quick exhale in relief as she closes her eyes. Thank God, Lord John is all right. Her second reaction is a renewed spike of anxiety at the realization that two of her least favorite people know something about a dear friend of hers that could get him killed. Which is why her eyes widen in shock soon after her initial relief. And to think she tried to blackmail him with that same knowledge to get what she wanted, to force him to fix her self-inflicted problems…
She looks Forbes in the eye and can tell that he revels in her reaction, if his self-satisfied smirk is anything to go by.
“I’m sorry, Miss Brianna, but it’s the truth.”
Brianna still isn’t quite sure how best to go about this. Should she pretend like she had no idea or try to convince him that he’s on the wrong track? Thankfully, her instincts soon take over and she reacts pragmatically.
“Who else knows about this?” she asks in a low but serious tone of voice.
“Only Lieutenant Wolff and I, as of yet and as far as I’m aware. I felt it my duty to deliver this information to you personally, as a confidant, before I start writing letters and going to the press with this truly dreadful matter.”
“You will do no such thing!” Brianna snaps with vigor.
Mr. Forbes looks taken aback, blinking at her. “I beg your pardon?”
Before she knows what she is doing, she grabs his collar, presses him against the nearest wall and gives him a furious look. “If you tell but a single soul about this, I will make sure that the rest of your life is going to be a living hell!” she threatens. She’s in no mood to go light about this, considering the severity of the consequences it would have for Lord John.
To her satisfaction, she notes that Mr. Forbes looks rather intimidated but above all, dumbfounded. “B-but, Miss- you already know about this?”
Brianna narrows her eyes. “I do indeed.”
“And are you not justly disgusted? Outraged perhaps?”
“Not by him. Only by your foul intentions.” She hesitantly lets go of him and takes a step back.
“Foul intentions?” he retorts in bewilderment. “I’m sure you’re aware that what he’s doing is a crime punishable by death.”
Brianna gives him a dark look. “I’m aware. That’s why you’re going to keep your mouth shut.”
Mr. Forbes stares at her for a few more moments before the expression on his face changes in a way that makes Brianna’s skin crawl.
“Right, I shall keep this a secret... under the condition that you accept my hand in marriage,” he says smugly, clearly certain of having the upper hand now and confident in the noble nature of his proposal.
Brianna lets out a mirthless bark of a laugh in indignation and shakes her head. “Never in a million years! And even if I did, who's to say that Lieutenant Wolff doesn't say anything since he can't have me?”
That gains her a shrug from Mr. Forbes. “Well…” It’s obvious that this wasn’t his original plan. He must have relied heavily on her being as shocked and disgusted as he is and considering anyone a better option, anyone to get her out of such a scandalous situation.
“No,” she says vehemently. “Either you keep quiet or you will deeply, deeply regret it.” A thought crosses her mind and she tilts her head to the side, raising her eyebrows. Her voice becomes lofty and smooth. “Rumors spread fast, Mr. Forbes. What would people say if they were to find out that you’re the one who beds men, do you think? Maybe even your good friend Lieutenant Wolff? I can imagine people would be quick to believe such rumors, rather than vindictive hoaxes about the honorable Lord John Grey, seeing as he’s been happily married to a woman before and you seem to be having suspicious difficulty finding a wife. Surely the reason for that can’t be your impeccable character, now can it? And on whose side, do you think, would my dear Aunt Jocasta be?”
Now it’s Mr. Forbes’ turn to look frightened, his voice rising a few pitches. “You wouldn’t dare! You wouldn’t dare spread false rumors and then sit back and watch an innocent man get hanged because of you while- while the real perpetrator walks free.”
Brianna stares at him silently for a few moments, then takes a step forward until she’s an inch away from his face and whispers slowly and with as much menace as she can muster, “Try me.”
Mr. Forbes raises his chin, clears his throat and wriggles out of the little space between her and the wall. Then his face contorts into a grimace. “... I suppose it's better this way. I wouldn’t want any ties with a woman who condones such appalling behavior and moreover, one who is perfidious and dishonorable. You must have close connections to the devil.”
Contrary to his intent, Brianna feels herself quite amused by his statement. She gives him a quick smirk, then goes back to being all impersonal and aloft. “Good day, Mr. Forbes. See to it that it won’t be your last.”
Mr. Forbes doesn’t bid his farewell, only shakes his head at her and hurries off. In the same moment, Lord John appears in the doorway and as Mr. Forbes passes him, he throws him a disgusted look that Lord John reacts to by raising an eyebrow and then half-turning his puzzled face to Brianna.
Once her unwelcome visitor is out of earshot, Lord John takes a few steps toward her, one hand raised slightly off the ground in a placating gesture.
“What on earth is going on? Are you all right, Brianna? Were you in an argument?” he asks softly, concern glinting in his wide, expressive eyes.
Brianna can’t hold back the smile that’s forming on her face, though her eyes do feel a little teary. She is so, so thankful that Lord John stepped into her life and made her feel safe again. She doesn’t know what she’d do without him. No, that’s not quite true, she does know and she is eternally grateful that it’s not her reality.
Her gaze lingers on him for a moment longer as she angles her head while the concern on his face only grows and gets rejoined by puzzlement. Then she slowly walks up to him and wraps her arms around him, resting her head in the crook of his neck as a small “Oh?” escapes his lips. She needs to make sure that he’s still here with her, to ground her, and that he’s not leaving her anytime soon. A little hesitantly, he reciprocates the hug.
“Brianna?” he asks, now sounding mostly curious.
“I’m okay, Lord John. We’re okay.” At least she hopes they are. The danger of losing him isn’t entirely eradicated and will probably keep looming over their heads for the rest of their lives. But maybe she did manage to protect him from those particular arseholes this time. She hopes to God she did. Though maybe she should pay Lieutenant Wolff a visit as well, just to be sure. It’s the least she can do for Lord John after he helped her so quickly and gallantly in this difficult time. He deserves to feel just as safe as he makes her feel.
“Of course we are, my dear,” he says and makes it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. “We must persevere in these trying times but we will be all right, in the end.”