Chapter 3

London, 1820

"Spinelli, I need you to stay at the house," Jason murmured, glancing towards the kitchen, half expecting Elizabeth to come after him, still displeased with his request.

It wasn't as if he wanted to marry the young woman, but if she was going to be so persistent about what was proper and what wasn't, it made sense to get their lives in order before they moved forward. He'd expected a difficult woman, any spawn of Jeffrey's would be, but her fiery attitude had caught him off guard. Most women weren't willing to give as much as they got, and he couldn't help but enjoy her wit, even if he was always a step or two ahead.

"Any particular reason?" the young man asked, almost always accompanying Jason wherever he went, unless it was to a pub.

"Keep an eye on her," he replied, letting out a heavy sigh as he looked towards the kitchen again. He'd known her for less than a day, but his gut told him she couldn't be trusted, that she would try and one up before the sun set. "She's fairly upset, and I don't want her to do something brash on my watch."

"Er, sir," Spinelli said, sliding his hand beneath his hat and scratching at his unkempt hair. "While I am pleased to honor the Viscount of Port Charles' wishes, I'm not so sure I could prevent Fair Elizabeth from doing something erratic and wild." He paused, his eyes widening with speculation. "What exactly do you suppose she is capable of? Aren't these society woman supposed to-"

He went silent as the front door opened and a blonde woman hurried inside, clutching an oversized bag at her side, her blonde curls neatly pinned beneath a bonnet. She noticed them immediately and froze, glancing around just as Elizabeth had the night before for a weapon.

"Who are you?" she asked loudly, her eyes sweeping around the foyer and looking for Elizabeth.

"I am one Damien Spinelli," his assistant answered, nodding politely. "And this is Jason Morgan, the Viscount-"

"Who are you?" Jason interrupted, shooting Spinelli a glare.

While he had expected for Elizabeth to object to the idea of leaving London, he hadn't been prepared for her to somewhat accept an offer to stay, even though it was what he'd hoped for. She'd pegged him from the start, and he didn't mind, because like her, he wanted Jeffrey Webber free, but he didn't want everyone in town knowing such. Actually until that very moment, he hadn't thought about how much of his face he would have to hide and having Spinelli toss around his name would surely cause unnecessary problems.

"Elizabeth!" she cried worriedly, her face filling with fear.

The brunette raced into the foyer seconds later, her face flushed and cheeks wet, and Jason felt guilty for upsetting her, but quickly reminded himself that she had set all of this in motion.

"Carly, please," she said quietly, sneaking a glance at Jason with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen.

Had she been any woman he'd met on the street or in a pub, he'd have chased her skirt around the city until she gave in. From the second he'd laid eyes on her the night before, he'd had to remind himself that this was Jeffrey Webber's daughter. Even if she was one of the most attractive women he'd seen in a while, she was not his for the taking.

"I was honestly hoping that the rumors I heard at the market this morning were not true," the blonde muttered, holding a hand to her lips.

"What – Oh, I don't want to hear any of it," Elizabeth said, shaking her head and smoothing her hands over the front of her dress. "Where are my manners? Carly, this is Mr. Jason Morgan and his assistant, Mr. Damien Spinelli."

Jason managed a weak smile, thankful that she'd refrained from referring to him by his status, though he had a feeling she didn't want anyone to know who he was either.

"Your names tell me nothing," the woman stated defensively, looking them over.

He understood where she was coming from; that this was the woman who had been looking after Elizabeth since her father was arrested and probably long before then, but her demeanor left a lot to be desired for.

"Father wr-wrote to Mr. Morgan," the brunette said, trying to subtly shove a loose curl into a pin.

It only added to her nervous appearance; something about which he found very charming, and could only mean that the trip from Italy had taken too long.

Elizabeth stiffened, rubbing a hand over her chest. "He's asked – he's asked for my hand, and I've accepted," she swallowed. Jason could practically see her knees shaking beneath her skirt. "So I can assure you whatever rumors you may have heard are entirely false."

"I was last here this time yesterday," Carly replied, looking at her in disbelief. "How is it possible that suddenly you're engaged?"

"He arrived late last night," she answered, stepping towards the stairs in hopes that the woman would follow her.

"Did he ask immediately?" she asked, shifting her eyes to Jason. "Did you ask her immediately? The poor woman is still in her dress from yesterday and-"

"Carly, please," Elizabeth pleaded desperately, dropping her gaze when he tried to meet her eye. "What I was wearing when he proposed hardly matters."

"Of course it does!" she exclaimed, glaring at Jason as she stepped past him and Spinelli. "Elizabeth Webber, what am I going to do with you? Allowing strange men into your home and getting engaged to one of them. Your father-"

"Knows," the brunette hissed, clutching her skirt in her hands as she hurried up the stairs, muttering under her breath. "…no right, Carly…acting as if I'm a child…"

She glanced over her shoulder when she reached the top of the stairs, her hands still fisted in her skirt, and he had a feeling that the look of annoyance in her eyes would be one he'd come to know very well.

"Ask her if she needs anything, and if she does, you get it," Jason said, striding towards the door.

"Shall I post at her door or-"

"No," he interrupted disgustedly, not sure if he wanted to hear what Elizabeth had to say behind closed doors. "Whatever she has to say to that dreadful woman is her business." He opened the door and glanced at Spinelli one last time. "I'm just meeting up with an old friend. I should be back in a couple of hours." He hesitated to leave the man alone with her, but this was the same person he'd entrusted with all his wealth and land in Italy. "Just do your best. That's all I ask of you."

With that, Jason hurried out the door before he talked himself into staying.

It felt like a lifetime ago that Jason had last been in London, and in a way it was. He wasn't used to the hustle and bustle of the city, but he wasn't going to complain because it allowed him to mix into the crowd unnoticed. His past was his biggest worry when it came to staying in London, but his identity being uncovered was less important than freeing Jeffrey Webber.

The man had helped him when he needed it the most, and Jason would be damned before he'd let the good doctor rot in prison, or worse, be hanged, especially for a crime he didn't commit. From the moment he'd first received the letter he couldn't believe it, and after looking into Elizabeth's eyes he knew it wasn't true.

While her exact knowledge of her father's case was yet to be determined, he knew if he pressured her in any way, she'd shut him out completely, so he'd have to be patient. Even if it killed him, and judging from their encounter that morning in the house, it just might. He didn't mind a little attitude in a woman or even wit, but it was when they thought they were clever enough to pull the wool over his eyes that Jason got upset, which was why he'd turn the entire situation around on her.

Hence, the engagement.

He had many expectations for London, but leaving the city a married man was the farthest down on his list. Jeffrey had made it clear in the letter that Elizabeth wouldn't want to marry someone if she didn't love them, and apparently he hadn't thought about his daughter using an unwanted marriage as a way to run Jason off. It was blasphemous to make a mockery of such an important union, but he couldn't remember not ever living his life in sin anyway.

Besides, once he looked past her poor attitude and obvious disdain for life, Elizabeth was rather attractive and smart. She was the kind of woman who could keep him on his toes and look good while doing it, and if he allowed himself he might even enjoy being married to such a woman, but he wasn't allowing himself to think it was going to be some grand, fun adventure that ended with love and all those trite emotions.

No, Elizabeth would do her damnedest to make their marriage a living hell, and he'd give it as much in return. Hopefully by the time her father was released they would have some kind of agreement in tact, and he could head back to Italy immediately and leave her with the life she wanted. Her name would be tarnished and no man would ever look at her as a marital prospect, but Jason doubted they would regardless if her father was proved innocent or not. Gossip did enough to ruin a person these days.

Part of him almost felt guilty for tricking the poor girl into marrying him, knowing that when it was said and done, she'd be left alone with no one except her father, but it wasn't like it was feasible for them to find some kind of wedded bliss. He wasn't the type of man to get caught up in a woman, and he was only doing this as a favor, and he imagined any prolonged exposure to Elizabeth's personality would drive him mad. That alone was reason enough for Jason to free her father and hurry back to where he belonged.

"My eyes must be failing me," a familiar voice called out, leaning against the doorframe of a large stone mansion.

Jason had been so caught up in his thoughts that he'd paid little attention to the fact that he'd arrived at his destination. His feet had led him to the familiar home without so much as a second thought, weaving through several alleys and taking one of the dirt roads that led to the outskirts of town. It was a relief to be away from the busy city and find himself nearing the countryside, and he wished he was living out here instead of at the Webber estate.

"I don't believe they are," Johnny Zacharra murmured, shaking his head as Jason grew closer to the house. "I take it you got the doctor's letter."

"Of course," he said, holding out his hand. "I'd have been here sooner, but Italy is…"

"A lifetime away," he filled in, shaking his head excitedly. "I always wondered if Jason Morgan would return to London."

Jason laughed, following him into the house. "If only the circumstances could be different."

His old friend nodded quietly, motioning him towards the back of the house to the study. "If only."

It had been ten years since the two friends had last seen one another, and they'd done their best to keep in contact through telegrams and letters, but saved such forms of communications for important and dire times. Jason knew very much about Johnny's life; the family business was strong and intact, his wife and children were doing wonderfully. Jason couldn't help, but feel a bit sad when he thought about all he'd missed. It was moments like these when he started to resent his situation, but Jason didn't have a choice; he had to leave London.

"You are well?" Jason asked, sitting down in an oversized armchair and forcing a smile at his friend. He wasn't surprised that it felt awkward being in front of Johnny after all these years, and he wanted the distance between them to just disappear.

"As well as I always am," he nodded, glancing towards the doorway when a servant appeared. "Would you like a drink, some food, anything?" He shook his head, and Johnny quickly dismissed the help, closing the door behind him, and turned his attention to Jason. "How long have you been in London?"

"Since last night," he replied, settling back against the cushions. "I arrived at the Webber estate after midnight. It was a rough night's rest, followed by a rough morning."

Johnny smirked, an amused glint in his eye. "You showed up on Elizabeth Webber's doorstep after midnight?"

"Yes."

He chuckled loudly as he sat down across from him. "After all these years, you still have no sense about you."

"I'm offended," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

From the second that Johnny married, he seemed to think he had surpassed Jason on levels of decency, but he hadn't forgotten about all the trouble they had caused in the city during their younger days. He may be the married man with the wife and children now, but in his youth, Johnny might have taken more women than Jason.

Granted, he was married to Nadine, one of the most gorgeous women either of them had ever seen. So beautiful that Johnny says he fell for her the second he laid eyes on her, and it must have been worth it because he was practically turned away from his family for marrying a woman whose own title didn't match his own. Thankfully, his sister used to be – and probably still was – a town whore and his father didn't have the choice of another heir. Only true love would allow a man to put his entire fortune and namesake on the line – unless he was an idiot, and Johnny Zacharra was no idiot.

"You showed up on that poor girl's doorstep," he said, resting his elbows on the chair arms. "She's been alone for months, except for that woman – her name fails me-"

"Carly," Jason interjected, grimacing at the thought of her. She'd come into the Webber home as if it were her own and started ordering Elizabeth around immediately.

That would surely have to change.

"Yes, Carly," he murmured, nodding his head. "A strange man that she doesn't know-"

"She knew me."

"She doesn't remember."

"She will."

Johnny arched an eyebrow and leaned forward. "What exactly did you tell her?"

"You know of Jeffrey's wishes?"

"To take her away?" Jason nodded and his friend stood from the chair and started to pace about the room. "He mentioned the idea when he was first imprisoned, and had I not been married, I would have taken Elizabeth and left London. It's been hell on her."

"You've seen her?" he asked curiously, wondering why Johnny would scold him for showing up randomly if he had too.

"No," he answered, folding his arms over his chest. "Carly talks enough to everyone in town, and I know that she's well, but between my duties and family…"

"You haven't the time," Jason filled in.

"It's one of the most talked about murders ever in London," he replied seriously, walking over to the window and peering out onto his property.

He was several years younger than Jason, but standing in the window, looked older, like more of a man. Being an Earl, a husband, and a father suited him well. He'd spent so much of his youth trying to get out of this home and away from his father, and now here he was settled into it and making it his own. Jason's chest practically swelled with pride. He always knew he would live a rather lonesome life, but knew that wasn't what Johnny wanted, and he sometimes worried what would happen to his friend if Johnny had ended up alone.

"Nadine is worried if I get too involved Lansing will start trouble, and my father was watched enough by the law and the king…"

"I understand," Jason muttered, "but I will require your help."

"Help?" he asked, turning around to face him.

"I don't believe he's guilty."

"Neither do I," he shrugged half-heartedly. "Not all the money and power in London will stop Lansing."

"I'm determined," he said firmly, getting up from the chair. "We owe him."

"I know," he murmured guiltily, turning back to the window. His shoulders tensed, years of baggage weighing down on him, and Jason suddenly felt wrong for reminding him. It wasn't as if either of them would forget how Jeffrey helped them.

Jason stepped up beside him, his eyes sweeping over the acres and acres of land on his estate. He briefly missed his own home and the peace it brought him. "No one has to know you are helping me. I want to keep my face and name as far from any of this as possible, but I'll need your face and name to do so."

Johnny nodded thoughtfully, his eyes fluttering closed briefly and Jason knew he was thinking about the past and every choice that had brought them to this moment. "Whatever you need."

"If you could start with what happened."

"I've done my best to gather information, mostly by word of mouth, which is just about as trustworthy as the press," he replied, continuing to stare out the window. "Lansing has made it known that he intends on seeing that Jeffrey is hanged."

"Why so forceful?" Jason asked, gritting his teeth at his friend's words, unable to appreciate such unkind words about someone he knew was a good man.

"I can't say for sure, but from what I've gathered – this is from Jeffrey himself," he replied, crossing the room back to his chair. "Lansing wished to be a suitor for Elizabeth, wished to marry her, wanted Jeffrey's word, but the young woman didn't care much for him. And he had no desire to force-"

"Her to marry if not for love," Jason cut in with a heavy sigh, wondering if her father would disprove of what he'd done that morning.

"Lansing was jealous, and he's made it known that if Elizabeth would have married him, even when Jeffrey was first arrested, he would have covered it up," he said, causing Jason to stiffen. "I don't imagine Elizabeth knows about that offer though."

"I won't tell her," he replied, feeling the urge to protect her from such knowledge. Something told him that if Elizabeth found out about Lansing trying to buy her father's freedom, she may not turn it down. She seemed so willing to do whatever it would take, even marrying a practical stranger in Jason, who only hoped to free him. Lansing could, and he was disgusted with the idea of her marrying some obsessed fool.

"The man that Jeffrey supposedly murdered, Lucas Spencer was-"

"Lucas Spencer?"

"You may not remember him," Johnny said, looking over at him. "Rumors say he was a suitor for Elizabeth too. Jeffrey hasn't confirmed such to me, but…"

"You just know he was," he replied, clenching his fists. Elizabeth obviously knew a lot more than she was letting on. "But if he was to possibly marry his daughter, why would he-"

"Exactly," he interrupted with a curt nod, rising suddenly from his chair and hurrying over to the study door. "Nadine is home with the children. They went into town this morning…" His voice trailed off as he opened the door, and Jason knew their conversation was over for now.

As soon as she opened the door, three small boys came barreling into the room and threw themselves at Johnny's legs.

"Relax boys," came Nadine's voice, and Jason found himself smiling at the familiarity. She paused in the doorway, letting out a gasp before she rushed into the room, shifting a baby in her arms. "Jason Morgan, what are you doing here?"

As soon as he stood, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd been embraced so warmly. "You look as wonderful as ever," he murmured, releasing her from his arms and smiling at the baby.

"A girl," she exclaimed, arching her eyebrows at Jason as he looked down at the chubby, dark-haired infant. "Can you believe it? After all these years, I was starting to think that something was wrong with-"

"Oh, that's enough," Johnny groaned, trying to pry the boys from his legs as he did his best to quiet his wife.

"She's beautiful," Jason said, shaking his head at the chaos that had filled the room.

"Thank you," she replied, grinning down at the baby. "Now, please share why you've decided to grace us with your presence." He cleared his throat awkwardly, not sure what he should and shouldn't tell Nadine about wanting to free Jeffrey. "Ah, of course. All of London is talking about it, you know."

"That's what Johnny tells me," he said, snickering as the boys ran out of the room, their father having muttered something about the cook having baked a cake.

"They'll spoil their supper," she scolded playfully.

He gave his wife a loopy grin as he walked over. "I didn't know what else to do with them. They're so rambunctious. I can't imagine where they get it from."

"Well, I know quite a few stories that just might remind you." Johnny glared playfully, reaching out to smooth his hand over the back of his daughter's head. "Jason, are you staying with us? I know Johnny and would love-"

"He's staying at the Webber estate," her husband interrupted, laughing as shock came over his wife's face.

"Are you leaving with her?" Nadine asked, holding a hand to her mouth as soon as the words left her lips. She glanced at her husband. "Sorry, I know that your visits with Jeffrey are supposed to be private, and I probably shouldn't be privy to-"

"It's fine," Johnny interrupted, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You asked a good question." He looked curiously at Jason. "You seem to have a lot of plans for a short trip…"

He caught his friend's drift, but wasn't sure how to answer. "I believe we're staying," he said hesitantly, feeling nervous about telling them about the engagement.

"Did you tame the Elizabeth Webber attitude that quickly?" he asked, slipping the baby from his wife's arms as she started to fuss.

"No, but I plan on it," he replied, turning around nervously, unable to look his friend in the face.

"How do you plan on doing such?" he asked, cradling the baby to his chest and patting her gently on the back.

"Uh, the oldest possible way," Jason answered, spinning on his heels to look at his two oldest friends.

He was relieved that Johnny didn't understand where he was going with it, but his wife figured it out almost instantly.

"Jason Morgan is not an honest man," Nadine laughed, folding her arms over her chest. "Or is he? You remember my Aunt Rayleen – and she always said the quickest way to tame a wild heart is by love."

"Love?" Johnny gasped, catching on. "Are you planning on-"

"We're engaged as of this morning," Jason interrupted, breaking into a sweat as he said the words aloud.

"Does her father know?" Nadine cried, holding her hand over her mouth. "I'm not laughing at you, Jason. I'm really not, but Jeffrey knows what kind of man you are…"

He almost wished the words had come from Johnny's mouth so he could have not so playfully replied, but his friend's wife was right. "It was rather accidental. I came with the intention of watching out for her just as I was asked," he admitted, trying to talk his way around what had happened. "She doesn't wish to leave, and while I don't wish to stay…One moment she was implying it was improper of her to live with me, and it wasn't as if I couldn't go anywhere, so…"

Scratching his brow, he dropped his gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling like he was going to be interrogated, or worse, Nadine would just figure it all out even before he did. He didn't want to marry the damn woman, but he had to look out for her, and at least this way he knew she wouldn't try to run away or give him too much hell.

Nadine smirked, shaking her head as she held out her arms for the now quiet infant girl. "Or maybe you are so lonely in that Italian villa of yours that you chose a girl, someone just as lonely as you, and tricked her into marrying you."