by Rose Pearson
“No,” she replied, pushing his hand away gently. “I won’t. I have a place with Doctor Thomas now. He’ll take care of me.” She did not mention that keeping the coins would only make her pine for Lord Dunstable, did not murmur that they would only bring her painful memories all over again. Instead, she repeatedly insisted that Sam take them for himself, until he had no other choice but to hesitantly accept.
His eyes filled and Josephine embraced him again, glad that she could do something to help her friend. Yes, he had a position with Lord Dunstable, but in time, he would need to find a place of his own to live out the last years, and she wanted him to be comfortable.
“An angel,” Sam said, pressing her hand tightly with his. “That is what you are, Miss Josephine. An angel.”
She smiled at him and kissed his cheek, surprised at the amount of pain she felt over their parting. Sam was like family to her, she realized. A good friend and a good man, who had shown her so much in his dedication and good character. Goodness, she was going to miss him.
“I’ll try and get someone to write to you,” Sam said, moving away from Josephine and back towards the basement steps. “I can’t write much but I’m sure there’ll be someone there who can help me.”
“I’d like that,” Josephine replied, in a voice that cracked with emotion. “Goodbye, Sam.”
He nodded, smiled and climbed the staircase, leaving her alone in the basement. Josephine tried not to cry, tried not to let the tears come into her eyes and yet the pain of parting, of being left all alone once again, bit hard at her. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she picked up her broom and resumed sweeping, telling herself that this was the last difficult hurdle she was to face. Tomorrow, when the Devil’s basement was finally closed for good, she would have a new life with Doctor Thomas. She had already seen the small but cozy room that would be her own. It had everything she would need and it had brought her a measure of happiness. It would never ease the ache and the pain that came with having to leave Lord Dunstable behind.
“This place looks remarkably different.”
She froze in place, closing her eyes tightly It could not be him, she told herself, her hands tightening on the broom. It could not be Lord Dunstable. He was making preparations to return to his estate, so why would he return here?
“When I first saw it,” he continued, making Josephine’s stomach clench. “It was not as it is now. It was so full of pain and grief that I could hardly bear it. But look at it now.”
Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she turned around to see Lord Dunstable standing before her with a small smile playing about his lips. The light of the lanterns lit up his features, sending fire into his eyes, and Josephine felt herself unable to look away.
“I could not leave London without you,” he said tenderly, moving a little closer to her. “I could not do it, Josephine.”
“Please.” She held up one hand to him, stopping him from coming any closer. “Please, do not, Lord Dunstable. I cannot bear it.”
Thankfully, he remained where he was. “I could not bear it either, Josephine,” he replied, his voice echoing around the room and surrounding her entirely. “I could not bear to be parted from you and yet, when it came to Georgina and her illness, I knew that I had to be true to my obligations.”
She nodded, her eyes burning with unshed tears. “I am aware of it all, Lord Dunstable. I have never blamed you for stepping away. It was foolish of me not to realize sooner that what you said to me came from your delirium.”
A dark frown pulled his brow low. “What do you mean?” he asked, taking a step closer to her. “My delirium? What is it that you are talking about?”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Josephine set the broom aside, feeling the old familiar pain slicing through her again. “When you told me that you cared for me at the lake,” she whispered, her voice refusing to give any weight to her words. “You had the fever then. To then confess that you – that you….” She trailed off, unable to say those deeply personal words.
“When I told you that I loved you,” Lord Dunstable finished, gently, looking tenderly at her. “Is that what you were to say?”
Nodding, Josephine dragged in a painful breath, wanting to ask him why he was forcing her to endure this all again. “I knew then that I was mistaken,” she continued, letting the truth drag out of her. “You were lost in your fever, speaking words you did not know. You must have thought that I was Miss Wells.”
A sudden laugh had her looking up, her eyes widening with astonishment at the mirth in his expression. She did not know what to make of it, standing there in the basement alone with Lord Dunstable.
“My dear lady,” Lord Dunstable chuckled, shaking his head. “I have never cared for Miss Wells and I have certainly never loved her. Whatever gave you that impression?”
Stammering, she tried to explain, her heart slamming wildly in her chest as she tried to think about what this might mean. “When you came to see her,” she breathed, one hand over her pounding heart as if to silence it. “I saw the expression on your face.”
He shook his head. “The love you saw there, Josephine, that was for you.”
Unable to believe what she had just heard, Josephine put one hand over her mouth, stumbling backwards as weakness ran through her. Lord Dunstable caught her at once, holding her tightly against him as she stared up into his eyes, hardly daring to believe that it was true.
“But what about Miss Wells?” she asked, unable to move forward into his embrace without knowing what had become of his fiancée. “What of your obligations to her?”
He lifted one shoulder, a broad smile on his face. “They are no longer required, Josephine. Georgina has decided that she cares for Doctor Thomas more than I.”
“Doctor Thomas?” she breathed, her astonishment growing with every moment. “Do you mean that they - ?”
“They are to wed,” he answered, his smile spreading all the more. “They are to elope this evening, if they have not left already. I am quite free, Josephine. I am no longer bound by my obligations.”
“Free?” The word left her mouth in a whisper, feeling his arms encase her tightly. This was the moment she had never believed would come to pass and yet, as she looked at him, she saw in his eyes that it was true.
“My dear Josephine,” he whispered, tenderly. “I have stayed with Georgina simply because I had to. I could not turn from her when she was in such desperate need of my aid. Her father was ill – although he is recovering now – and she had no-one else to turn to. I am a gentleman of honor and I swore I would do my duty and honor the agreement I had made with her, despite the broken heart that I would carry with me for the rest of my days.”
She blinked furiously, pushing away the tears that had sprang into her eyes. “Broken heart?” she repeated, wondering if he had been enduring the same anguished torment as she.
His fingers brushed lightly down her cheek. “Yes, Josephine. My heart has been breaking over and over in the knowledge that I would never be able to call you my own. I had intended to come to London to break off my engagement with Georgina, so that I might propose to you, but the fever changed everything. Now, however, I can finally do what I have longed for.”
Her breathing was so rapid that she thought she might faint, made all the more profound by the fact that Lord Dunstable lowered his head and caught her lips with his.
It was as if she were in a dream. She could do nothing more than cling to him, her arms tight about his neck as he held her tightly around the waist. His kiss was warm and sweet, bringing her to such exaltations that she thought she might laugh and cry and scream all at once.
“There,” he breathed, his lips only a little away from her own. “There, you see, Josephine? I do care for you, most ardently. I love you.”
Resting her head against his chest for a moment, Josephine closed her eyes and drew in her breath again and again, trying to calm her frantically beating heart. This was real. This was not a dream that
she was to wake up from. Lord Dunstable was here, holding her in his arms and offering her his heart.
“I have loved you for many days,” she whispered, unable to raise her head. “But I never imagined that such a thing as this would ever truly occur. I am nothing more than an orphaned girl, alone in the world and you –”
“You are the most perfect, the most wonderful, the most delightful lady I have ever known,” he interrupted, gently. “I want you to be my wife, Josephine. I want you to be my baroness and come to live with me in my estate, forever. I want you to make my home your home, to live with me in love and tenderness. Say that you will, my love. Say that you will be my bride.”
“I know nothing of being a baroness,” Josephine exclaimed, suddenly afraid. “What if I do not please your mother or your sister?”
Lord Dunstable shook his head. “They will love you just as much as I. Francine herself encouraged me in this, my love.” His eyes grew gentle as he cupped her face in his hands. “And you will be the most wonderful baroness, Josephine. For your kind heart, your generous nature and your sweetness of temper will endear everyone to you. They will all love you, just as I have come to love you.”
Josephine looked up at Lord Dunstable and felt her heart overflow. She could not refuse him now, not when he was so earnest. “Oh, Dunstable,” she whispered, feeling as though finally, she was to have all that she had ever dreamed of. “I love you desperately. Yes, I will marry you.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, caught up in his joy. She leaned into him, holding him tightly, finally at peace. She would not be alone any longer, she would no longer be without a home. Her love for Lord Dunstable was returned, bringing her more happiness and joy than she had ever imagined.
“Come then, my love,” Lord Dunstable whispered in her ear, his lips trailing across her cheek. “Let me take you home.”
“Home,” she whispered, looking up at him with sparkling eyes. “Home with you, my love.”
“Where you will always stay,” he replied, lowering his head a little more. “Living together in love, for today and always.”
The End
My Dear Reader
Thank you for reading and supporting my books! I hope this story brought you some escape from the real world into the always captivating Regency world. A good story, especially one with a happy ending, just brightens your day.
Below is a complete list of all my books! Why not click and see if one of them can keep you entertained for a few hours?
The Duke’s Daughters Series
The Duke’s Daughters: A Sweet Regency Romance Boxset
A Rogue for a Lady
My Restless Earl
Rescued by an Earl
In the Arms of an Earl
The Reluctant Marquess (Prequel)
A Smithfield Market Regency Romance
A Rogue’s Flower
Saved by the Scoundrel
Mending the Duke
The Baron’s Malady
Love and Christmas Wishes: Three Regency Romance Novellas
I have included a sneak peak of Love and Christmas Wishes on the next page!
Happy Reading!
All my love,
Rose
A Sneak Peek of Love and Christmas Wishes
Sarah’s Magical Christmas
1
“What if I see him again? What shall I do?” Sarah Powell groaned as she hid her face in her hands.
“Sarah, you must steel yourself for the unpleasant truth that you must face Mr. Grainger again. It cannot be helped. If you are to accompany us to his father’s house of Hatherley Hall, then you will see him. What other choice do you have? Are you to remain here at the vicarage, alone, as the staff goes about their duties?” replied a young woman with a slightly dismissive air. “This matter was settled in the summer. Why are you worrying about it now?”
“Jane, can you not see that our dear cousin is mortified?” said a second woman as she rushed to Sarah’s side. With her characteristic grace, Katie Brookes sat on the bed beside Sarah, wrapping her arm around her shoulders.
Sarah peered at her oldest cousin, Jane Brookes, the eldest of two sisters. Jane was standing in front of her in the middle of a modest bedroom that was opulently furnished in shades of ivory and green, whilst her younger sister, Katie, was sitting beside Sarah on the bed. The bedclothes, the chairs, and the curtains were embroidered in the same ivy and flower patterns that matched the shade of green damask covering the walls. The effect was somewhat like a garden, which only added to Sarah’s discomfort as she recalled the summertime.
With crossed arms, Jane Brookes appeared stern. Her plain and unremarkable face was set in a frown as she looked at her sister Katie and her cousin, Sarah.
“Sarah, I understand that you are embarrassed. I am not trying to be unfeeling, but this is hardly the time to make your complaints known. We are leaving for our Christmas visit to Hatherley in an hour. Our trunks have been packed and loaded, and the carriages will be brought around to the front of the house at any moment.”
“Maybe I should remain here at the vicarage where I will be no trouble to anyone,” Sarah sighed.
Katie, the beauty of the sisters, looked at her cousin Sarah with big blue eyes filled with kindness as she said, “Please, do not worry, Sarah. How dreadful to think of you all alone here when we are away at the ball. It would be terrible, and I would not enjoy myself in the least. You must come with us, you must! I know that Hatherley Hall is only a few miles away, but we are residing with the family for a few days, and I simply cannot be without you. Say that you will attend?”
“I want to go, I do. Believe me, I do not want to be here all by myself. After what happened between Mr. Grainger and I, I cannot bear to see him again. How foolish I was to think he wanted to marry me,” Sarah said quietly, “How can I face him when I have been so ridiculous?”
With her hands on her hips, Jane let out a heavy sigh, “That incident was not your fault. I have spoken with Mr. Grainger about it. He agrees that he never intended for your acquaintance to become romantic. He has apologized for his lapse of judgment.”
“Jane, I cannot disagree with you regarding his conduct. He has apologized. I have forgiven him, but it does not change how badly I misjudged his feelings. How will I ever find the courage to look him in the eye?”
“You will face him, and you will see that you and he can, at the very least, become friends. It was all a terrible blunder. I know those words do not lessen the hardship you may feel, but you must confess that he has behaved as a gentleman,” Jane explained.
“So he has, I cannot fault him for his behavior in the slightest. I wish he had told me that he had no interest in marrying me at the start. I know I seem to be very silly indeed, but I truly thought he held me in the same high regard as I held him.”
Jane sat on the other side of Sarah, “Do not think of my statements as being evidence that I am uncaring towards your feelings, I am not. Mr. Grainger is one of my dearest friends. I have known him and his sister for many years. I do not believe he ever meant to embarrass you. When you see him again, when he treats you as amicably as he does me or Katie, you will soon discover that he does not think less of you.”
“Did I misunderstand him?” Sarah asked Jane.
“No,” Jane answered, “You did not misunderstand him. It is not your fault that his father is the Baron Carmody.”
“Sarah, be cheerful. You may not have any money of your own, but you are accomplished,” Katie suggested in her melodic bright voice. “Your countenance is pleasing as any woman in Cheltham. Mr. Grainger may have slipped out of your grasp, but you will find a gentleman who may not mind that you only possess a modest dowry.”
“Is that supposed to cheer her?” Jane asked as she patted Sarah on the hand.
“Yes, it is. Besides, I will let you borrow my second favorite gown for the ball. With your light hair and your eyes such a striking shade of green, you will look so delightful that Mr. Grainger will regre
t not asking you to marry him!”
Katie’s attempts at kindness stung Sarah even though she knew her cousin did not mean to inflict any insult or offense. It was true that she did not have the money for any new gowns or even a pair of new kid gloves. Looking down at her plain cream-colored afternoon dress reminded her of her status as a companion to her two wealthy cousins, although Katie was the one who was always given more than her sister. In their beautiful, colorful gowns, they appeared as exotic as tropical birds compared to Sarah. Jane was wearing a long sleeve carriage dress in a crimson hue, while her sister Katie, the acknowledged pale beauty, was wearing an exquisite frock of light blue. Of course, Katie’s gown was a good deal finer than her sister’s, given that their mother favored one daughter over the other.
“Thank you, Katie,” Sarah replied as she took a deep breath, “I do appreciate your kindness, both of you. I am sorry to be so much trouble. I cannot think what came over me. I have not thought of Mr. Grainger very much these past few months but when the prospect of seeing him again came near, I was overwhelmed by embarrassment.”
“Think nothing of it. I am certain that what you feel is due entirely to lack of rest. You have been occupied by the preparations for the holiday, have you not?” Jane said with a smile, obviously trying to put the thought of Mr. Grainger from Sarah’s mind
Sarah nodded, “I have been preoccupied as of late. Katie’s new gowns had to be fitted and ready to be packed. Then there was the matter of the new pelisses, spencers and matching afternoon dresses.”
Katie nodded, although Sarah noticed that she looked rather awkward over the fact that her sister had not been given as many new gowns as she. “You are not as anxious about Mr. Grainger as you thought,” Katie said, turning her attention back to Sarah. “Smile and forget that you were ever concerned about seeing him again. I shall not remember it, and neither shall Jane,” she suggested.