Lady of Providence
Page 25
“Are you able to work well together as partners in the bank?” Sarah asked, and Elizabeth nodded.
“Gabriel does not see much to the daily operations, but he has a tremendous amount of contacts of course. Together, we have been fortunate to bring a fair number of new clients to the bank.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Sarah said, looking up at her, though she squinted in the sun.
“Thank you, Sarah,” said Elizabeth. “Have you any wish to find a man for yourself?”
Sarah sighed and shook her head. “I have other worries at the moment. Before I concern myself with the rest of my life, I wish to find my father, just to know who he is and whether we might have any type of relationship.”
“We will help you with that,” Elizabeth declared, and when Sarah began to protest, she held up a hand. “No arguments, now. Besides, it will give Gabriel something to focus his energies on—something productive, that is.”
“Very well,” Sarah finally agreed. “I do appreciate it.”
“Of course,” said Elizabeth. “Now, as for where to begin…”
They moved on from the subject of her marriage as they began to concentrate on Sarah’s dilemma. It wouldn’t be easy, but between the four of them—along with a little help—there didn’t seem to be much they couldn’t accomplish.
*
That night, Elizabeth and Gabriel lay together upon his bed, the huge, massive mahogany monstrosity, at least to Elizabeth’s way of thinking. They would compromise, he promised, find a style that matched the two of them. Masculine, yet… aesthetically pleasing was how he had put it, if she remembered correctly.
“Do you miss your own home?” Gabriel asked after they had made love, and Elizabeth shrugged. “I do appreciate the opportunity to change some of the decor here to my liking,” she said. “The other home will always truly be my grandmother’s, though I know she enjoyed the company when I was there. Terrence, however, has decided to make his home there now. I think he was becoming rather lonely at the boardinghouse.”
“I’m pleased to hear it,” said Gabriel. “He’s a good man, your brother.”
Elizabeth nodded.
In the glow of the candlelight, Elizabeth marveled at the sinewy delight of Gabriel’s body. While she had not exactly seen many men in their naked form, she couldn’t see how any other could possibly ever compare to Gabriel. Though he certainly worked at the way he looked, she thought with a smile.
“Whatever could be so funny?” he asked now at her expression as he leaned his head on his fist, his elbow on the bed beside her.
“You,” she said, and he raised an eyebrow.
“I cannot say that I have often been one found to be humorous,” he said. “Witty, sure. However, when one is a duke, people tend to laugh with him and not at him.”
“I would not consider myself just anyone.”
“That, you certainly are not,” he said, tapping her on the nose with his finger. “Now, out with it. What has caused such mirth?”
Elizabeth tried to think of the best way to word what was currently running through her mind.
“Well,” she began, beginning with a compliment. “You are a very attractive man.”
He grinned, bringing one hand around her shoulder.
“Go on.”
“However, I suppose I never before realized just how much… effort goes into making you look so perfect.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened for a moment, and Elizabeth was worried that she had somehow insulted him. But then he began to laugh—more than his usual slight chuckle, but a long, loud laugh that made her heart sing. This was a side to Gabriel that she had not, in the past, seen very much of, and a side she very much enjoyed.
“Are you calling your husband a vain man?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say vain,” she said, turning to position herself on her back and face the painted gods and goddesses who danced across the ceiling. “Particular, perhaps.”
His chuckle continued somewhat as he stretched out beside her.
“I am lucky to have Baxter, a valet who will put up with my particularities,” he said. “I hope my wife will also forgive such ways.”
Elizabeth reached up and trailed a finger along his cheek, where the day’s stubble was just about to emerge—stubble that would be shaved down to the skin once more in the morning.
“There is nothing to forgive,” she said. “It is part of who you are. And who am I to argue with the methods that provide me with the most attractive man in all of England?”
Gabriel reached an arm around her, pulling her close to him once more, and Elizabeth’s skin tingled as it touched his.
“I am the lucky one, love,” he said, placing a kiss on her lips, one that was gentle, stirring, and felt like a caress more than anything else. How she had denied him for so long, she had no idea, though she knew that, in the end, their timing could not have been more right.
“I do know one thing for certain,” he said as he pulled back from her, a smile crossing his lips one more.
“Which is?”
“I will never be bored with a woman like you in my life.”
“I am glad to hear it,” she smiled. “There will be much to manage, between the bank, your estates, Parliament, children…”
His eyes gleamed at her last word as he nodded.
“I believe that if there were ever two people who were capable of accomplishing all, it would be the two of us, would it not?”
“I hope so.”
“I know so.”
They smiled at one another, but when she saw mischief begin to dance within his blue eyes, Elizabeth became suspicious.
“You don’t have another scheme brewing, do you?”
“Who, me?” He asked in mock outrage.
“Gabriel…”
“I have nothing planned. Although…”
“Out with it.”
“You know my friend, Mr. Redmond?”
“David Redmond?” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “An affable gentleman, but quite the rake, I do believe.”
“He’s misunderstood.”
“Has he, or has he not, found his way into the beds of many of the available women of the ton—and some who are not so available?” she asked with an arched eyebrow.
“Perhaps you do understand some of his actions, though not his character in particular.”
“Go on, tell me what you are thinking.”
“Only that, perhaps, Redmond is filling a void—an emptiness in his life. He doesn’t know what he is missing—a good woman, like you.”
“I don’t believe this is a matter in which you should become involved.”
“Well, there is your friend, Miss Jones—”
“No!” she exclaimed sitting up now. “Sarah is the most gentle, kind soul that I have ever met. A man like Mr. Redmond would break her heart.”
“But if he were only to find the right woman, as I did—”
Elizabeth continued to shake her head, and finally, Gabriel sighed.
“Very well, I will leave it be.”
“It is, however, a lovely thought, Gabriel, to look out for your friend. In addition to the fact that you are attributing your happiness to us.”
“Of course,” he smiled. “Not long ago, it would have been hard to convince me that the purpose I was searching for was the right woman to love.”
“I do love you, Gabriel.”
“And I love you, Elizabeth. Only you. Forever.”
Epilogue
A Year Later
Gabriel smiled contentedly as Elizabeth walked through the door of the drawing room. He could tell she had rushed in, likely hearing the sounds of the baby, little Justine, chattering away in her own language, one that Gabriel couldn’t help but laugh at himself. Before saying anything to him, Elizabeth descended upon the two of them, kissing the little girl on Gabriel’s lap before picking up the baby boy who began clamoring for her attention in the bassinet beside them once he had sensed her presence.
“Hello, Husband,” she said with a smile and a kiss for Gabriel.
“Wife,” he acknowledged. “How was your day?”
“Perfect,” she said, sitting beside him on the sofa. “I spent most of it with the children and then visited the bank for but an hour or so.”
Her time at the bank had considerably lessened since she had given birth a few months ago, but Gabriel admired the fact that she was still keen on attending to her responsibilities there. As she had settled into her role, however, the work had somewhat lessened, especially as both employees and clients became aware of just how capable she was, and that nothing would change upon the passing of the bank from Thomas Clarke to his granddaughter.
Gabriel stared fondly at his wife now, appreciating the fact that motherhood had, in a way, softened her. Her desire for perfection had somewhat relaxed, though she maintained her calm control. In those moments when she needed someone to lean on, someone to help her, then he was pleased to be there for her to provide a word of advice—or not, as he had come to realize sometimes she simply needed to talk through the situation before her own brilliant mind would find the solution.
He had been more fearful than any other time in his life when she gave birth, but if there was ever a woman who could do so in such a capable manner, it was his Elizabeth. That there were two babies had been something of a shock, but they were a blessing. The physician had been concerned at first, once the first baby arrived, why Elizabeth continued to be in such pain. Gabriel had been outside of the door, pacing, as one of the maids within had continued to provide him with updates as he had requested of her—every ten minutes, he had told her, and not a minute more between.
When she questioned how she would know the time, he told her to count the seconds if she had to, and that was the last she had protested.
When he had heard the baby cry, he had knocked on the door, but all was silent except for the baby and his wife’s own cries of pain. When they continued, he had pounded on the door so hard, he had nearly knocked it down.
Then the maid opened the door a crack to tell him another baby was beginning to come out, and he had nearly fainted in shock.
“I have some news,” he said now, coming back to the present, and Elizabeth looked up from baby Thomas to Gabriel.
“Good news or bad news?”
“Good for us, I believe. Somewhat bad for those in America.”
She waited for him to continue.
“It seems a Mr. Henry Clarke recently boarded a ship for New York. He is intent on opening a bank there and finding his way in a place where he is unknown.”
“Oh dear,” she said, raising a hand to her cheek. “Those poor people.”
“Who knows?” Gabriel said with a shrug. “Perhaps away from everything here, he might find a place for himself. We can only hope. At the very least, he is no longer a part of our lives, and that is something for which to be grateful, is it not?”
“I suppose,” said Elizabeth, though with some hesitation. “I can hardly believe how intent he was on removing me from the bank, destroying my life.”
“More than that,” said Gabriel. “But it only brought about his downfall, with his debt beginning to increase, and no friends to be found in all of London. Interestingly, Mr. Lang has accompanied him.”
“Really?” Elizabeth said, surprised. “He is of a rather advanced age to do so, but then, he never married, and was no longer welcome at the horse track with no money in his pockets for a bet. It’s interesting to think of—our two former partners, beginning a bank of their own. I do hope they do not pretend any connection to Clarke & Co.”
“Their actions at Clarke & Co. would have been an embarrassment more than anything,” said Gabriel. “I am sure they will leave it all behind them.”
“And we can move on,” she said.
“We can.”
They smiled at one another, at the babies on their laps, and Gabriel could hardly believe the contentment that filled him. He hadn’t needed another scheme, another estate, another project. He had only needed a woman—this woman—to make his life complete.
THE END
The Unconventional Ladies Series
Book 1 – Lady of Mystery
Book 2 – Lady of Fortune
Book 3 – Lady of Providence
Book 4 – Lady of Charade
Author’s Note
While Elizabeth’s story is, of course, one of fiction, it is based on the true stories of incredible women who were far ahead of their time. It may have been rare to find women in banking during the nineteenth century, but, in fact, between 1750 and 1905, at least seventy-five women were partners in banks across England. History, unfortunately, has not well documented female bankers, and I must thank Margaret Dawes and Nesta Selwyn for their work in telling their stories in Women who made money. Many of the experiences these women faced and confronted are woven into Elizabeth’s story, and I wish to dedicate this work to them.
About the Author
Ellie has always loved reading, writing, and history. For many years she has written short stories, non-fiction, and has worked on her true love and passion—romance novels.
In every era there is the chance for romance, and Ellie enjoys exploring many different time periods, cultures, and geographic locations. No matter when or where, love can always prevail. She has a particular soft spot for the bad boys of history, and loves a strong heroine in her stories.
The lake is Ellie’s happy place, and when she’s not writing, she is spending time with her son, her Husky/Border Collie cross, and her own dashing duke. She loves reading—of course—as well as running, biking, and summers at the lake.
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