by Laura Beers
Mary gave a half-shrug. “That is what I thought as well, but I know what I heard.” She glanced over her shoulder when she heard the servant’s entrance open. “I’d better go. I will see you later.”
Emmeline watched as Mary hurried towards the servant’s entrance, her mind whirling with what she had just been told. Could it be possible that she did have a dowry after all? And if so, why was her uncle keeping it a secret?
One thing she knew for certain, a visit to her father’s solicitor was in her near future.
Oliver brought his hand up to cover his yawn as he walked down the pavement towards Hawthorne House. He hadn’t intended to stay out all night, but he had gotten caught up at the gambling hells with his friends.
“You look terrible,” Corbyn said as he appeared by his side, matching his stride. “What establishment did you frequent last night?”
“The Queen’s Gambling Hall,” he replied.
“Anything to report?”
“Nothing more than Whig propaganda.”
Corbyn frowned. “I hate Whigs.”
“As do I,” Oliver remarked. “Their heads are filled with fantastical nonsense of what a monarchy is supposed to be like.”
Corbyn looked at him curiously. “I am surprised you stayed out all night, with you having a new wife and all.”
“You do not need to fret. I have no intention of becoming lackadaisical now that I have a wife.”
“I never implied you would, but it is all right to take some time off.”
Oliver huffed. “Like you do?”
“That is entirely different,” Corbyn contended. “My job is to run the agency, which I cannot do if I take any time off.”
“An agency that doesn’t truly exist under the Alien Office.”
Corbyn smirked. “Precisely.”
Oliver glanced over at him. “What has you up so early?” he asked.
“Early?” Corbyn repeated. “It is nearly midday.”
“I hadn’t realized,” Oliver replied as he approached the entrance to Hawthorne House. “I’m afraid I lost track of time.”
A dark-haired guard with a large forehead greeted him. “Morning, milord,” he said, walking over to the gate. “I hope you have a pleasant day.”
“Thank you,” Oliver replied as he stepped through the gate.
Corbyn followed him through the cobblestone courtyard and remarked, “I wonder what Lady Oliver must think about her husband not coming home last night.”
“I will simply explain that I was visiting a gambling hell.”
“Ah, and you are foolish enough to think that might appease her?”
“Why wouldn’t it?” Oliver asked with a shrug. “It is the truth.”
Corbyn chuckled. “It has been my experience that women do not appreciate when their husbands stay out all night.”
“Emmeline is different.”
“In what way?”
Oliver arrived at the main door and reached for the handle. “It is a marriage of convenience,” he said as he opened the door.
“I still contend that she expects you to come home every night, and perhaps even spend time with her.”
Once Corbyn stepped into the entry hall, Oliver closed the door behind him. “I have every intention of returning home after the meeting tonight,” he said.
“That is a start, but…”
Corbyn’s words trailed off when Jane marched towards them with a thunderous look on her face, holding the morning newspaper in her right hand.
She stopped in front of him and held the newspaper up. “Do you know what this is?”
“A morning newspaper,” Oliver replied plainly.
Jane’s eyes narrowed slightly. “And do you know what it says about you and Emmeline?”
He shook his head. “I do not.”
“Every member of Society is laughing at Emmeline because they do not think it is possible for you to be satisfied with just one woman.”
Oliver grabbed the paper out of her hands and opened to the Society page. As he read the article, he found himself growing increasingly agitated at the writer’s blunt opinion of his philandering ways.
He met his sister’s gaze. “Has Emmeline read this yet?”
“She has not.”
“Good.” He folded the paper and placed it on a side table. “We need to keep this away from her.”
Jane stared back at him. “For what purpose?” she asked. “Emmeline is clever, and she will eventually figure out that the members of the ton are relishing in her misery.”
“Emmeline is not miserable,” he said firmly.
“No?” Jane questioned, tilting her chin. “You should have seen her face when she inquired about your whereabouts this morning.”
He winced. “I was hoping she hadn’t realized I stayed out all night.”
“I suppose she shouldn’t have been surprised, since you abandoned her for dinner, as well,” Jane remarked dryly.
Oliver glanced over at Corbyn before he replied, “I had to go out.”
“Did you?” Jane scoffed. “I am sure your friends wouldn’t possibly know what to do with themselves if you weren’t right next to them at the gambling hell.”
“If you will excuse me, I need to go speak to Emmeline,” Oliver said, brushing past his sister.
Jane’s next words caused his heart to drop. “Emmeline isn’t here.”
“Where is she?” he demanded.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Jane didn’t appear to be affected by the curtness of his words. “She went to go speak to her aunt and uncle.”
“By herself?”
“A maid did accompany her,” Jane informed him.
Oliver ran a hand through his hair and asked, “Do you know if she intends to return to Hawthorne House?”
“I would imagine so.”
“But you aren’t certain?”
Jane shook her head. “We did not discuss whether or not she would return, but I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t.”
“Why do you say that?”
“The first evening after you return home from eloping with her, and you spent it out with friends,” Jane said. “At least, I assume it was with friends and not another woman.”
Oliver blinked. “Do you believe me to be so cold-hearted that I would betray my wife?”
“I don’t know what to think about you anymore,” Jane replied. “You certainly haven’t given me any reason to think highly of you these past few years.”
Corbyn cleared his throat. “I apologize for interrupting, but I should be going.”
Jane’s face softened as she turned her gaze towards Corbyn. “My apologies, Lord Evan. It is always a pleasure to see you.”
“Likewise, Lady Jane.”
“How is your family?”
“They are well,” Corbyn responded, smiling. “I would ask how your family is doing, but I believe I already know the answer.”
Jane returned his smile. “You must return for dinner one evening when we have this mess all sorted out.”
“I would be honored to,” he said, his eyes lingering on Jane’s face.
“Then I shall be looking forward to it,” Jane said with a barely discernable blush on her cheeks.
Corbyn averted his gaze and bowed stiffly. “If you will excuse me, I shall see my way out.”
As Corbyn went to exit the main door, it was opened, and Emmeline stepped into the entry hall, and relief washed over Oliver.
She met his gaze and offered him a forced smile. “Oliver,” she muttered. “I am glad to see that you have finally returned home.”
He closed the distance between them and asked, “May I speak to you privately for a moment?”
“I suppose that would be all right,” Emmeline replied softly.
“Would you care to take a turn around the gardens?”
Emmeline’s eyes lit up. “I have yet to see the gardens at Hawthorne House.”
“Then I shall give you a tour,” he said, offering his arm.
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She glanced down briefly at his arm before she reluctantly placed her hand on his sleeve. He led her towards the rear of the townhouse and out the back door.
Once they stepped onto the gravel footpath, Emmeline withdrew her arm and clasped her hands together.
“Did you have a good evening?” he asked.
Emmeline nodded. “Your family was truly kind to me.”
“I am glad to hear that.”
“How was your evening?” she asked, tripping over her own words.
Oliver placed a hand on her sleeve and turned her to face him. “I was out at the gambling hell last night with my friends, and I’m afraid that I lost track of time.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
“But I want to.”
Emmeline glanced up at him with an expectant look on her face. “Then please proceed.”
“I want you to know that I meant what I said before,” he asserted. “I intend to be faithful to you.”
“I am happy to hear that.”
Oliver could hear the relief in her tone, causing him to press forward. “There will be times that I won’t come home for the night, but it won’t have anything to do with another woman. I can promise you that.”
“Why do you need to stay out all night?”
“You do not need to concern yourself with that.” His words sounded much harsher than he had intended.
A line between her brows appeared as she said, “But I am your wife.”
“I informed you before we were wed that I have secrets, and I have no intention of revealing them to anyone. Not even to you.”
Lowering her gaze to the lapels of his jacket, Emmeline said, “I know our marriage isn’t conventional, but I was hoping that we would always be honest with one another.”
Oliver reached for her hand as he pledged, “I promise that I will return home tonight after my meeting.”
“What meeting do you have?” she asked, bringing her gaze up.
He brought her gloved hand up to his lips. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.”
“What can you tell me?”
“I am not doing anything illegal,” he said with a smile.
“I should hope not!”
Oliver lowered her hand but didn’t relinquish his hold on it. “You will just need to trust me.”
“Trust goes both ways,” Emmeline argued.
Nodding, he replied, “That it does.”
Emmeline shifted her gaze towards the rose bushes that lined the footpath, then said, “My lady’s maid told me the most peculiar thing today.”
“Which was?”
“She overheard my uncle speaking to my father’s solicitor about my dowry.”
Oliver gave her a puzzled look. “I thought you didn’t have a dowry.”
“I don’t,” she replied. “At least, that is what my uncle and aunt have told me.”
“Would you like me to go speak to your father’s solicitor for you?” Oliver asked.
Emmeline shook her head. “I was hoping that we could go together.”
“That sounds much more pleasant,” Oliver responded. “When would you care to go?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
Oliver smiled. “I shall have to move some things around, but I would be happy to accompany you.”
“Thank you, Oliver,” Emmeline replied. “That would mean a great deal to me.”
Oliver’s eyes roamed his wife’s lovely face and asked, “Would you care to go on a carriage ride through Hyde Park this afternoon with me?”
He watched as Emmeline’s lips curled into a smile, causing his eyes to linger on them. He had kissed those perfectly formed lips before, and he hoped it wouldn’t be the last time.
“That sounds delightful,” she replied.
“Wonderful.” He cleared his throat and took a step back. “Then I shall see to the preparations.”
Chapter Nine
“I am so pleased that you are here.”
“As am I,” Mary replied, smiling. “Although, I daresay it might take months before I can navigate my way through Hawthorne House.”
“I must agree with you there. It is rather enormous.” Emmeline smoothed down her pale blue gown with its square neckline. “Furthermore, I am relieved that you brought my gowns with you.”
“I imagined that would be the case.”
Kneeling next to the trunk, Mary reached inside as she asked, “How have you been enjoying being married?”
“Frankly, I don’t feel any different.”
“No?”
Emmeline sat down on the settee. “It isn’t as if this is a true marriage,” she replied. “Oliver has been kind, at least when he is around.”
Mary gave her a curious look. “Why do you say that?”
“When we arrived back in Town yesterday, he left to spend time with his friends and didn’t come home until this morning.”
“Oh, dear,” Mary murmured.
“He told me that he was with his friends, and I want to believe him,” Emmeline said hesitantly. “But I would be foolish to dismiss his reputation as a rakehell.”
“Do you think he was with a woman?”
Emmeline winced slightly. “I don’t, but I am not naïve enough to think that might not change one day.”
Mary removed a gown and placed it on the floor next to her. “What can you do about it?”
“Nothing,” she replied honestly. “I am his wife, and I am completely at his whim.”
“There must be something you can do.”
“Hawthorne House is my home now,” Emmeline said with a sigh. “I have nowhere else I can go, since my aunt and uncle have disowned me.”
“Do you want to leave Hawthorne House?”
“Not really,” Emmeline admitted. “I enjoy spending time with Oliver’s family. They have been nothing but kind to me.”
Rising, Mary reached down and picked up the stack of gowns. “That is good to hear,” she said. “You deserve to be happy.”
“How are my aunt and uncle faring?”
Mary huffed. “They are furious at you for eloping,” she informed her. “I don’t think I have ever seen Lady Taylor in such a fit of rage before.”
“I imagine my elopement came as a surprise to them.”
“You could say that,” Mary shared. “When I informed them that you weren’t in your room and handed them the letter that you wrote, Lord Taylor threw a vase across the room, shattering it against the wall.”
“Truly?” Emmeline asked. “That doesn’t sound like my uncle at all.”
Mary put the gowns on the bed. “He ordered the coach to be brought around, but he soon realized that he had little chance of stopping you and Lord Oliver from marrying.”
“I hope one day they will understand my reasons for marrying Oliver.”
“Sadly, I don’t think they will.”
Emmeline let out a sigh. “That is a shame, since they are the only family that I have left.”
“That is not entirely true,” Mary pointed out. “You have a whole new family here at Hawthorne House.”
“That is true, and I am grateful for that,” Emmeline acknowledged.
Mary gave her a knowing look. “You don’t sound grateful.”
Glancing over at the door that led to the sitting room, Emmeline said, “I just wish I could trust Oliver.”
“These things take time,” Mary encouraged.
“Do you believe that?”
“I do.”
Emmeline brought a smile to her face. “Then I suppose I just need to be patient.”
Eyeing her curiously, Mary asked, “Do you intend to make this a real marriage between you and Lord Oliver?”
“No,” she declared with a shake of her head. “I can’t change the terms of our agreement now. That wouldn’t be fair to Oliver.”
“But if you could, would you want this to become a true marriage?” Mary prodded.
Emmeline pressed her lips together, then admitted, �
��I suppose it would be nice.”
“You have developed feelings for Lord Oliver, haven’t you?”
She nodded before she lowered her gaze to her lap. “How could I have done something so foolhardy?”
Mary walked over and sat down next to her on the settee. “I believe it is natural for someone to develop affection for someone that they spend so much time with.”
“But we only just started spending time with one another again.”
“Not only did you know Oliver in your youth, but you were alone in a coach for days as you traveled to Gretna Green and back,” Mary pointed out. “I would imagine you spent most of the time conversing with one another.
Emmeline bit her lower lip. “That is true.”
“You must be patient with yourself,” Mary said. “Allow yourself time to explore these feelings that you have for your husband and learn to trust your heart.”
“And what if Oliver never develops any true affection towards me?” she asked, voicing her greatest fear.
“Then you will be in the unfortunate situation of pining after your husband,” Mary said. “But I am of the mindset that Lord Oliver is sensible and will see the added benefit of making this a true marriage.”
“I hope so.”
A knock came at the door that led to the sitting room and Mary rose from the settee. She walked over, opened the door, and dropped into a curtsy as Oliver stepped into the room, holding a bouquet of flowers. He was dressed in a blue jacket, maroon waistcoat, white linens, and buff trousers.
Oliver offered Emmeline a charming smile as he approached her. “I brought you some flowers from our garden,” he said, extending them towards her.
She accepted the flowers and replied, “That was most thoughtful of you.” She took a moment to admire them. “They are beautiful.”
“They pale in comparison to your beauty, my dear wife.”
Emmeline arched an eyebrow. “Are you truly resorting to flattery now?”
“I am only speaking the truth.” His words were spoken in a low voice, sounding oddly intimate.
A blush crept up her cheeks as she tried to appear unaffected by Oliver’s charms. “You are most kind.”
Oliver extended his arm towards her. “Our carriage awaits out front.”
As Emmeline placed her hand on his arm, Mary walked over and retrieved the flowers from her. “I’ll put these in a vase,” she said.