Harry was shaking his head. “Lies, lies, lies,” he said.
“Harry,” Mary interrupted. “Why do you say this?”
“She told me,” Harry said. “And so did he.” He pointed to Allan.
“I did no such thing,” Allan said.
“Why were you speaking with Miss Bridget Crampton?” Mary asked. “How do you know her?”
Allan cringed. Though he had done nothing wrong, he had preferred to keep his previous plan to reconnect with Bridget out of the conversation.
“Well, I will tell you,” Harry said. “Your sister’s fiancé asked me to set up a meeting with Bridget Crampton. He wanted to explore his feelings for her. I met her in the process of setting this up.”
Esther now turned to Allan and said, “Allan, is this true?” He could see the disbelief in her eyes.
He nodded. “Yes,” he said to her. “This is true. However, this was before I ever developed strong feelings for you. I saw Bridget Crampton very briefly during a visit to her town. I saw her a second time, and did walk with her and a chaperone, a couple of weeks after that.”
“And?” Esther asked.
“And that was it,” Allan said. “I knew within moments of beginning the walk that I only had feelings for you, Esther.”
He could see a slight smile forming on her face and hoped that was a good sign. “The moment I got home I contacted Edward to hold the ball, because that was the fastest way that I knew to make my feelings for you evident.”
“This is true,” Edward said. He then turned to Harry who was no longer smiling. In fact, he looked like he was fuming as he sat there, though quiet. “Did you only see Miss Crampton one time, Harry?”
Harry was silent. Again, Allan thought that it looked like he was planning his next steps.
“I think we can address the second accusation at this time, too,” Edward said. “All of us in this room know that Allan does not have a child. Miss Crampton admitted that she made the entire story up at the urging of a mysterious man.”
Harry suddenly looked shocked, and Allan got a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Did Harry do this? Did he set this up?
Allan looked up at Edward who had a puzzled look on his face as he looked at his brother. “Harry? Did you convince Miss Crampton to tell Allan that he was the father of her child? Please tell me you didn’t.”
Harry laughed wildly. “Of course, I did! Not only did I convince her to do it, I paid her to do it. She’s a greedy little harlot. Money hungry…it’s amazing what women like her will do when you throw a few coins her way.”
“Why?” Allan said, still reeling from the shock of Harry admitting that he had set this up. “Why would you do that to me? We are family.”
Harry turned to him with daggers in his eyes. “Why would you steal Esther from me?”
“Steal Esther?” Allan heard coming from behind him. “Steal Esther?” Ester was on her feet and she looked angry. Allan hoped he never would have to see that look again. “Allan didn’t steal me. I was never yours, I never would be yours, and I never wanted to be yours to steal. I was polite to you, and that is as far as it ever went. I love Allan, I will marry Allan, and I will live the rest of my life happy to be Allan’s wife.”
Harry’s face was cold and showed no emotion. “I see,” he replied.
Edward stepped in at that point and turned towards his brother. “I am ashamed of you, Harry, and I cannot fathom why you would ever do this.”
“Why?” Harry said. “Allan had everything. He had the family praising him at every turn and is constantly being told how brave he is. When people hear that we are related, they always talk about how Allan brought valor to the Bishop name. He took all of that, and then he also took Esther. He doesn’t deserve any of it, including Esther.”
“That is for Esther to decide, of course,” Edward said. “But I daresay you would find no one else in his country who doesn’t believe that Allan shouldn’t be praised for his valor.”
“I admit it,” Harry said. “My plan to sabotage the relationship between Allan and Ester has failed. Or has it not?” Harry once again smirked.
“What do you mean, Harry?” Edward asked.
“Though it is true that Bridget Crampton’s daughter does not belong to Allan, I daresay he is still a father,” Harry announced defiantly.
Allan looked at him, confused. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Harry.”
Harry turned to him with a look of disgust. “If you don’t have a daughter, who is the little girl who is here with you? I saw you walk in with her and I have seen your interactions.” Harry smiled wildly.
Allan’s heart sank. He was hoping to save telling Esther about Julia until their wedding day, but now, that was over. He glanced over to her, and he could immediately see how confused she was.
Edward moved towards Harry. “You are to leave this property, immediately. You are not to come back until I give my permission. I will inform all of the staff. Tonight, you can sleep in the groom’s quarters.”
Harry looked at Allan, and then Allan watched as he turned to Esther. He said, “I loved you,” and then he turned and walked out of the doorway.
Edward then turned to the closest footman and said, “Please get Bolt. Have him bring the girl to me, and please do it now.”
Chapter 30
In the whole of Esther’s life, she had never quite seen anything like what had occurred in front of her eyes this evening. Harry was totally up in arms, and he had shown his true self.
She didn’t know what to think of everything that had happened, and she was quite curious about this girl whom Edward was talking about. How had Allan been spending time with a child and none of them knew? Ruth looked quite confused, as well, though Mary was quiet and looked to the ground.
Esther then looked over at Allan. He had sat down again, his head in his hands, and she knew that he was feeling a bit defeated. From what she had heard, he had done nothing wrong, yet he had just found out that he had been betrayed by one of his only family members. She felt for him and knew that she would have to be strong for him.
Allan looked up at that moment, and his eyes met hers. For a brief moment she thought that he looked very sad, but then she saw the smile forming on his mouth and she just knew that everything would be all right.
The room was silent as they all waited for Bolt. Mary continued to stare at the ground and Ruth looked just as confused as Esther was. Edward just paced and looked as if he were fuming.
The door opened and a footman walked through. He looked at Edward and said, “Your Grace, Bolt is collecting the child.”
“Thank you,” Edward replied. He then looked at Allan. “I will go to meet them.” Edward then left the room.
Allan turned to Esther and said, “I was hoping to not tell you this until our wedding day, assuming you still wish to be married.”
She nodded, and said, “Of course I still want to marry you, but I would be lying if I said that I understand what is going on.”
He smiled, and then said, “As soon as Edward gets back, all will be revealed.”
Again, the door opened, and a footman walked in. “His Grace, the Duke of Daftwood,” he said, before stepping aside. In walked Edward and a little girl. She looked to be about five years old, and she had her hair curled and styled. There was something familiar about her to Esther, though she didn’t know where she would have seen this child before.
Edward looked at Allan. “Do you want to explain, or should I?”
Allan stood and said, “I shall do it. She is my ward.”
Ward?
Allan looked at the girl, and she smiled back at him. Esther gasped. It was Julia.
“Julia?” she said, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. The girl nodded, Esther bent down, and Julia ran directly into Esther’s arms. Esther held the girl tightly and felt the tears running down her cheeks.
“I missed you,” Julia whispered.
“I missed you, too, Julia,” Est
her said back. She stood up and held Julia’s hand in her own. She then looked at Allan, who was beaming. So, too, were Mary and Edward. Ruth, who was just starting to put two and two together looked happy, but still a bit confused.
“Allan, I don’t understand,” said Esther. “How did you get her? She is your ward?”
Allan just smiled and nodded. “The story is long and complicated,” he admitted, “and I will tell you the full story with every last detail very soon. For now, yes, Julia is my ward, and it will be legal as soon as my lawyers file the paperwork with the courts.”
Esther just shook her head. She couldn’t speak. Not only would she be married to Allan, she would always have Julia in her life, and they could create a little family as soon as the wedding was over. She was overflowing with happiness and she could never imagine being happier than she was at this moment.
“Now that all is revealed,” Edward said, “I suggest we relax and enjoy dinner…as a family.”
* * *
“Are you all right, Edward?”
Allan and Edward were back in the drawing room following a big dinner. The ladies had taken Julia and were getting to know her a little better.
Edward nodded and took a long sip of whiskey, and then said, “You know what’s so puzzling? I gave him everything…every opportunity. I let him live with me, here, even though I didn’t have to. Yet, by betraying you, I feel like he betrayed me. I guess you have always been more like my brother, though.”
“I’m sorry, Edward.” Allan said. “This news is tough on all of us.” Allan took a drink of Scotch. “It has been very bittersweet.”
Edward nodded again, and then smiled. “I am preferring to focus on the sweet parts of this evening. I will never forget the look on Esther’s face when she realized that Julia was standing there. I told Julia, as we walked to the drawing room, that Esther might not recognize her.”
Allan chuckled. “That is exactly what happened,” he said. “To be honest, if I had not seen her transformation from orphan girl to the Julia we see today, I might not have recognized her, either.”
“Speaking of Julia,” Edward said, “Mary and I had a discussion earlier today, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to you about it. We would be honored to allow her to stay here whilst you and Esther take your wedding tour. You will only be gone a fortnight, and she is comfortable here. Then, when you are ready to go home, you can all go home as a family.”
Allan smiled. “I can’t thank you enough for that, Edward,” he said. “I have been wondering what the best situation would be for her. She will need time to heal from her experiences, and I don’t want to put her in a situation where she will feel unsafe. Instead, I want to make sure that she is happy, and if she cannot be with Esther and I, I want her to be with you and Mary.”
* * *
“I cannot believe that you will be married tomorrow,” Ruth said, as she and Esther sipped tea.
“I know,” Esther replied. “It’s very strange to think about. But I’m trying to focus on one moment at a time, and for now, I’m focused on the arrival of Edward, Mary, Allan, and Julia. They should be here, soon.”
“Mother is flitting around like a mad finch,” Ruth said. “She is taking this wedding breakfast very seriously.”
Esther laughed. She could only imagine the stress her mother was going through. Though they were only having family at the wedding, her parents had invited other family and friends to the wedding breakfast and her mother was always one to strive for the best impression possible.
“I am sure it will be perfect,” Esther replied. “I think she is more addled about this wedding that I am.”
Ruth laughed. “That is very true,” she replied. “I know she is also nervous about meeting Julia.”
“Why on earth would she be nervous about that?” Esther asked. “Julia is the sweetest child, and she is quite looking forward to officially meet Mother and Father.”
“You know how Mother is,” Ruth replied. “Always a bundle of nerves.”
“Yes,” Esther said. “That is true.” She took a sip of tea and then looked up at Ruth. “Do you think it’s odd that I am not nervous?”
Ruth shook her head. “Not at all, Esther. When you are truly in love like you and Allan are, what reason is there to be nervous?”
Esther just smiled. Of course, Ruth was right. She wasn’t nervous because she and Allan were so perfect for each other, and after tomorrow, she would be his wife. What was there to worry about?
The only thing that really concerned her was their first time together as husband and wife, but she also wasn’t extremely worried about it. She knew that Allan would be as tender with her as he could, and the truth was, she wanted to feel his manhood inside her as soon as she could. Even having these thoughts right now was making her tingle and she could feel herself becoming damp.
She had to stop thinking this way, at least until the wedding night, or it would be unbearable to sit much longer without some type of release.
“I think it’s time to head back in to the house,” she said. “I’m sure there is plenty to do before tomorrow.”
* * *
Allan looked in the mirror. He was dressed in his best coat, his cravat was tied perfectly, and his hair had never looked better. He had a restless sleep, but it wasn’t because of terrible dreams or flashbacks. Instead, it was because he knew that it would be the last night that he would spend without Esther by his side.
Instead of tossing and turning due to thoughts of war, he tossed and turned with thoughts of Esther. He dreamt of all of the things he planned to do with her when they could fully explore each other’s bodies, and in his dreams his hands explored every part of her until he got her into such a frenzy of pleasure that they both exploded in a lustful crescendo.
“This may be my best work, My Lord,” Harley said from across the room. Allan laughed heartedly.
“I must say that I agree with you, Harley,” Allan replied. “Though, I guess one should look their best on their wedding day.”
“Of course, My Lord,” Harley said, “I cannot possibly think of one thing that I could do to make you look any better.”
“Nor do I,” Allan replied. He then turned to Harley and said, “I know I always say thank you, but I truly mean it, today. You have always been an asset to my staff, but also an asset in my life.”
Harley nodded, and said, “Thank you, My Lord. That means a great deal.”
“Of course, Harley,” Allan replied, and then turned back to the mirror. “I daresay that I look ready to be married.”
“Yes, My Lord,” Harley replied. “You are ready.”
* * *
Esther was oddly calm as she stared at the vicar. Allan was at her side, and she could see Ruth and Mary standing off to the side out of the corner of her eye. If she turned her head slightly to the right, she could see Edward and Oliver, Allan’s best friend. She knew that her parents and Julia were behind her.
All that was left to do was to sign the parish registry, and she and Allan would be married. The vicar handed her the quill pen, and Esther signed her name. She handed it to Allan, he looked at her, smiled, and then signed his name next to hers. He placed the quill on the table, and they were married.
Their family and friends surrounded them with messages of congratulations, and then the newly married couple made their way to the door of the parish church and outside. There, Esther saw that several well-wishers were present, and she and Allan did their best to greet everyone.
It was all a bit overwhelming, but Esther knew that soon, she and Allan would be sitting snugly in the carriage on the way back to her father’s estate and to the wedding breakfast, where the real celebration could begin.
“Esther!”
She turned from the conversation she was in to see Ruth walking towards her.
“Mother, Father, Mary, Edward, and I are going back to the house with Julia. Oliver and some of Allan’s other friends are coming, too. When you and Allan are fin
ished here, please join us.”
“Of course,” said Esther, unable to stop smiling. “I will see you in a short while.”
Ruth hugged Esther, and then continued to make her way through the small crowd, making sure to thank every well-wisher she came in contact with.
* * *
Allan placed his hand on Esther’s arm as soon as the door to the carriage closed. He leaned into her and kissed her passionately. He felt her move her body closer to his, and the knowledge that they could soon consummate their marriage was enough for him to begin to obtain an erection.
Lusting For The Broken Earl (Steamy Historical Regency) Page 27