"Brenn? I didn't even think he knew you."

"He knew me enough to humiliate me in front of my friends. He has damaged my reputation. I wish to

return the favor."

"How did he do that?"

"He forced me to issue an apology."

Tess wanted to laugh. "That's all?"

"All?" G.o.dwin came to his feet and paced in front of the fire. "Do you not realize that is everything? I don

't apologize to anyone. Even Prinny had the good sense to listen to me when I speak. However, since my confrontation with your husband, I have been spoken to with nothing but disrespect. Me! The editor of The Ear. Not even my colleagues respect me."

"But Mr. G.o.dwin, I'm certain that was not my husband's intention."

"His intention doesn't matter, and as fond as I am of you, your wishes don't matter, either. Because of our contretemps, word of my humiliation has spread. I have enemies, you know."

"Oh, yes," Tess agreed quietly.

"Someone did a cartoon of your husband with his fist around my neck. It was very embarra.s.sing."

"My husband is not someone who overreacts...unless he is provoked. What did you say to him?"

G.o.dwin straightened his neckcloth. "It is a matter between men. But let me tell you that even as we

speak, my paper is printing the story of your brother's perfidy.""You'll ruin him!""And your husband," G.o.dwin agreed. "He will be the laughingstock of all England.""No one would dare laugh at Brenn," Tess said proudly."Perhaps not, but there will be those who will enjoy learning of your fall from grace."There it was. Her greatest fear.But the realization came over her. It no longer mattered. This was her life and her home. Let the match-making mamas snicker and the Society debutantes laugh. They meant nothing. Brenn, and what they had created together, was everything.

"Tell them," Tess said calmly, "I have nothing to hide."

"Nor do I," came Brenn's deep voice from the doorway.Both Tess and G.o.dwin turned in surprise. They'd been so involved in their argument they had notperceived his presence. Nor was he alone. Banon hovered not far from the doorway, flanked by hermuscular father and a goodly number of the villagers. As Brenn walked into the room, they crowded inaround him.

"What is this?" G.o.dwin said with irritation. "Have your created your own army? Do you still miss the call

to arms, Merton?"

"They are worried about my wife, G.o.dwin," Brenn said almost pleasantly. "Is there any reason they should be?"

G.o.dwin smiled, his expression almost benign. "I was merely having a visit and waiting for your arrival."

"Then here I am," Brenn said. He opened his arms like a magician showing he hid no tricks.

"What I have to say, I think should be said privately," G.o.dwin answered smugly.

Tess would have none of it. She was done with secrets. "He knows about Neil stealing my inheritance,

Brenn. He says he has already printed it. I imagine the only reason he is here is to gloat."Brenn's expression didn't change. "He won't expose anyone.""That's where you are wrong," G.o.dwin said. "It's done.""Tess," Brenn said. "Fetch my dueling pistols. They are under the bed."Tess didn't even question the order but did as he asked."What are you going to do with pistols?" G.o.dwin asked, the overconfidence in his voice starting to waver.

"Put a hole in you," Brenn answered calmly. Tess found the velvet case where he said it was. She hurried back into the main room.

"You must be kidding," G.o.dwin was saying as she walked back into the room. Pughe and the others all

waited in silence.

"No, I'm not." Brenn took the case from Tess and, setting it on the table, opened it. He lifted the finely

crafted weapon and held it to the light.

"I'm not a duelist," G.o.dwin said briskly. "I will not fight with you."

"I didn't ask you to duel," Brenn said. He began loading the weapon.

"If you don't want to duel, what were you planning to do?" G.o.dwin asked.

Brenn replied almost cheerfully, "I thought I'd fire the ball through one ear and let it come out the other."

He grinned. "Sort of an homage to your scandal sheet The Ear." He chuckled at his own small joke."You can't be serious!" G.o.dwin complained."I am.""But there are witnesses. You can't shoot me in front of them."Brenn turned to Mr. Pughe. "What do you say, Pughe? May I shoot him?""Of course, my lord," Pughe said heartily. "You're our earl and we'd go to our deaths for you." He repeated what he'd said in Welsh and there was a chorus of "Aye's" to support his claim.Brenn aimed the pistol. "Oh well, G.o.dwin. It doesn't seem as if anyone will miss you."G.o.dwin turned the rocker around so that it shielded him. "You can't do this! There are laws!""But I'm the law here," Brenn said. "And once it is discovered that you threatened blackmail-""Not blackmail. I never asked for money. Lady Merton can attest can attest to that!""That's true, my lord," Tess said, fairly certain that Brenn was teasing the man. "However, he does want to ruin all of us. He claims he has already."

"Well, there you have it." Brenn looked down the sight of his pistol. "That's enough reason for me to killyou.""But it would be murder!" G.o.dwin shouted."Some call it murder; others call it justice." Brenn sighed. "Don't worry, G.o.dwin. You won't be around to partic.i.p.ate in the debate."

Pughe laughed, repeated Brenn's words in Welsh, and the villagers all made a big show of wavinggood-bye to G.o.dwin.G.o.dwin fell to his knees. "You...can't!"The pistol fired.Tess reeled back in shock. She hadn't seriously thought Brenn would do it. The smell of sulfur burned the air.

She was almost afraid to look and when she did, her knees wanted to buckle she was so relieved. Brennhadn't shot G.o.dwin.Although he'd come close.The man raised his hand to the top of his hair and gingerly felt the ends."I parted it for you," Brenn said. "Now, shall I reload or will you return to London without a word of this to anyone?"

G.o.dwin slowly rose to his feet. "A word about what?" he asked in a shaky voice.

Brenn lowered the pistol. "Tess, should we worry that he has printed a story exposing your brother?"

"I can print a retraction," G.o.dwin offered.

"That would be so kind," Tess said. "Neil is guilty of doing as you charged, but he is still my brother."

"I'm certain I made a mistake in writing the story," G.o.dwin agreed, one watchful eye on the pistol Brenn

still held.

"Nor will you ever mention my wife in one of your papers."

"Of course not," G.o.dwin said.

"I'm glad we understand each other," Brenn said reasonably. "I'll clean this and put it away." He started

to move back to the pistol case when he noticed Tess's copybook.

He paused. "You are a publisher of books, are you not, G.o.dwin?"

"Yes," G.o.dwin replied, still shaken.

"Perhaps you can do another favor for us."

"Oh, anything." G.o.dwin sat in the rocker.

Brenn picked up the copybook. "Lady Merton has written a book, a fine book about Welsh customs

and tales. You should publish it."

Tess spoke up. "No, Brenn. I will not allow a man like Deland G.o.dwin to publish my work." Especially since he had disparaged it earlier.

"Very well." Brenn set the book back on the table. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to the stables. It was a pleasure to see you again, G.o.dwin."

"Likewise," the man answered faintly.

Brenn left the room, tucking the pistols in their case under his arm. The villagers followed.

Banon lingered by the door. "Should I not have gone running for him, my lady?"

Tess looked at the pale-faced publisher holding his head in his hand and the hole in the cottage wall where the bullet had embedded itself. "You did exactly the right thing."

G.o.dwin looked up. "I thought you said your husband would not overreact."

"He didn't," Tess answered. She then asked in her best London hostess voice, "May I offer you a cup of tea?"

G.o.dwin refused. He left shortly after that, mumbling to himself about bloodthirsty Welshmen and arrogant

aristocrats. Tess watched him mount and until he rode around the bend and out of sight.

Brenn came out of the barn to stand beside her.

"I was a bit heavy-handed," he admitted.

"A touch." She shrugged. "You know that he may not honor his promises."

"Then I'll have to shoot him for real," Brenn said lightly, and they both laughed because they realized that

nothing G.o.dwin could say would hurt them.