My Lady Innkeeper
Page 15
“Damn generous of you, Dilly. You won’t regret it.”
“I already do. Leave today and I’ll double the cheque.”
* * * *
The victory celebration seemed to be in full swing in the tap room, with bottles and huge platters set on the long tables. Sam’l, declared to be the real hero for his timely warning to Cheyne, was ensconced atop the bar, grinning, while Diccon was recounting his tale, an abbreviated version, as edited by Cheyne. The audience consisted of locals like the doctor and old Jake, the usual lunchtime customers, plus Lord Crowley and some recently arrived, well-dressed strangers, including the bewigged man seated between Felicia and Willy. Sarah and Bennett and the new kitchen girls were busy serving, trying not to trip over Ajax, who was adding his noise to the clamour of toasts and cheers and rattled dishes. The only one missing, besides Jasper, was the only one she wanted to see, so Lyndell turned to leave. It was Willy who shouted that his cousin was waiting for her in the front parlour, if he hadn’t paced a hole through the floor yet.
* * * *
“You are so beautiful, Lynn.”
“Lyndell,” she said, smiling, still standing by the door, noticing how handsome he looked in his dove-grey breeches, the diamond stickpin in his cravat.
“Ah, the ladylike Miss Lynn, and the hellion Dell, the most perfect combination a man could hope for.”
And suddenly she was in his arms, pressing as close as she could so their hearts could touch.
“Gad, I am never going to let you go again!” he murmured between kisses, telling her of his horror at the peril she had been in. Then Lyndell expressed her own remorse, at lying to him about her name. “At first it was because of Jasper. Not that I was ashamed he worked for a living, but that he was so spineless. And then ... then I wanted to trust you, but ...”
“But what, precious?”
“But you’d never said you loved me!”
“Loved you? I have loved you from the day I met you! Every independent, persnickety ounce, every little curl on your beautiful head. I even loved you when I thought you were a spy. I was ready to run off to Australia with you!”
“But, Wesley, you’ve only known me a short time! We don’t really know each other. What if it’s only midwinter’s madness?”
“Do you doubt your love for me, darling?” he asked seriously, her face cradled in his two hands. The answer was in her eyes, so full of love and wonder that he grinned and said, “If you’re so worried, we can have a long engagement: two weeks. That’s all I’ll wait, I swear.”
“But how can I marry a man I’ve never even danced with?”
“Another big problem, my love.” And he started humming “te-dum-dum-de-dum,” and swirling her around the room. They ended up on the sofa, laughing, then embracing again, so enrapt that they didn’t hear the banging on the door. They did manage to look up when the bewigged man stomped into the room and glared at the marquis.
“Disgraceful, I tell you, sir, absolutely disgraceful. A respectable chaperone indeed! Your uncle would be horrified at this whole episode. I can only hope, for his sake, that you’re finally going to do the right thing.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, the marquis kissed Lyndell again, that seeming like the right thing to both of them. In a few moments Lyndell remembered to ask, “Who was that man anyway?”
“Felicia’s father. Lord Fullerton. Uncle George’s good friend and Willy’s prospective in-law. Tell me quickly, do you have any such dragons in your family?”
“Why, are you trying to back out already?”
“I’ll show you how far I’m backing.” And he pulled her down on top of him, their whole bodies in fiery contact. “Dragons, griffins, sphinxes. If you’ve got them, I’ll love them. Except maybe not Jasper ...” he teased.
“What about King’s Mark? Will you love that also?”
“Of course. Our second son will need a home too, won’t he? But, sweetheart, if you are worried about my usurping your place here, don’t be. I’ve been off to the wars, remember, so you’ll have to teach me about managing. You’ll have to help take over my estates, for our firstborn, and third and fourth ...”
“Hmm. Wesley?”
“I am beginning to mistrust that tone of voice. What bee have you in your bonnet now, pet?”
There was, indeed, the tiniest seed of a doubt, not in her heart, but in her mind, planted by rumour and nurtured by Hammerly’s vile tongue and Lord Fullerton’s good intentions. She thought that if she didn’t get rid of it now, it would grow and spread, like a weed choking out her new-found joy. “Wesley, I ... that is, you aren’t just marrying me because I have been compromised, are you? I don’t care about the scandal at all, and it was mostly my fault in any case, so you don’t really have to marry me.”
“Yes, I do, darling,” he told her, smiling tenderly, “if I ever want to see the sun shine again, or know how velvet feels, or be this happy the rest of my life.”
* * * *
“Sorry, Lord Wilton, the inn’s shut down, temporary like. You might say it’s closed for renovations.”
Dedication
When I was little, my grandfather would call my sister by her name, Carole. He also called me Carole. When we were together, he’d say. Hi Carole, who’s your friend?
This one’s for Carole, anyway. With love.
Copyright © 1990 by Barbara Metzger
Originally published by Fawcett (ISBN 0449218821)
Electronically published in 2008 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads
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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.