When You Wish

by Alexandra Ivy

  There was no apology on his handsome countenance as he regarded her in a stern manner.

  “I thought you might be passing by here this morning.”

  She heaved an inward sigh. She had managed to avoid his attempts to coerce her into confessing her plans last evening by the simple means of retiring to her chambers. She should have realized that he would not give up his pursuit so easily.

  She smiled as she realized that she would have to recall this unfortunately tenacious tendency of his in the future. He would not be an easy husband to fool.

  “Why are you skulking in these woods?”

  His arms crossed his chest in an ominous manner. “I wished to speak with you.”

  Rachel ignored the hint of warning in his voice. She was not about to discuss her plans with Anthony. At least not until she was certain she had succeeded. This was the last thing she intended to do completely on her own. She owed it to her mother. For her memory Rachel would make sure that another poor girl did not suffer her fate.

  “I fear it will have to wait,” she said in brisk tones. “I have an appointment this morning.”

  The dark eyes narrowed. “No, it can not wait.”

  She gave an impatient click of her tongue. “Really, Anthony, I will be less than an hour. Whatever you have to say can surely wait.”

  “No.”

  There was no mistaking his tone of voice and Rachel resigned herself to the notion she would have to hear him out.

  Not that she minded spending time with her beloved, she silently acknowledged. The mere sight of him was enough to make her stomach quiver in the most fascinating fashion. But she preferred to have her business over and done with so that she could concentrate on this gentleman with no further distractions.

  “Very well,” she conceded. “What is it?”

  “I think you should know that I have spoken with your father.”

  It was not at all what she had been expecting and she instinctively stiffened in alarm.

  “My father?”

  “Yes. I know that your uncle Foxworth is in truth the Devilish Dandy.”

  “I see.”

  As always he easily read the wariness in her eyes. He offered her a reassuring smile.

  “Do not worry. I have no intention of revealing his identity. After all, I have no desire to have my father-in-law lodged in Newgate.”

  In truth Rachel had not for a moment feared Anthony would reveal her father. She was far more concerned that he would be angered by their charade.

  “What did you discuss?”

  “Your strange obsession to have revenge on Lady Broswell.”

  “I have already explained my reasons.”

  He stepped closer, his all too knowing eyes searching her guarded expression.

  “You failed to mention that Lady Broswell is your aunt.”

  Rachel could not disguise her shock. “My father told you that?”

  “I believe he wished me to understand your anger.” His expression abruptly softened. “And I do understand, Rachel. It is not p—pleasant to be considered an embarrassment to your own family.”

  “No, it is not,” she agreed, although she was surprised to discover she felt none of the pain she normally experienced when she thought of her aunt and her cold dismissal of her own sister’s family.

  “I also understand the desire to strike back at those who have treated you with less respect than you deserve. But I assure you, my dear, that revenge is a hollow victory.”

  “This is not revenge,” she denied. “This is justice.”

  His lips thinned. “Do you intend to reveal Mary’s indiscretion to her mother?”

  “Yes,” Rachel admitted, refusing to lie.

  “And you claim that it is justice?”

  “It will be.”

  “No, it will not. Justice is righting a wrong, not striking out to wound another because they have wounded you.”

  She met his gaze steadily. “I intend to right a wrong.”

  “Rachel,” he muttered in impatience, reaching out to grasp her upper arms.

  Leaning forward, Rachel placed her hands upon the solid strength of his chest, breathing deeply of his warm scent.

  “Tell me, Anthony, did you mean what you said yesterday?”

  The dark eyes abruptly smoldered with a satisfying desire.

  “When I said that I wanted you to be my wife?”

  “Yes.”

  “Of course I m—meant it,” he growled. “I want you to be in my life for an eternity.”

  Rachel smiled. An eternity. At the moment it did not seem nearly long enough.

  “That is what I want as well.”

  He groaned deep in his throat as his arms wrapped about her and squeezed her tight enough to make her fear for her ribs.

  “Good God, you do not have any notion of how happy you have made me.”

  “No happier than myself,” she confessed, laying her head against his chest so she could hear the thunderous beat of his heart. “For so long I have believed I would always be alone. Now I can not conceive of a future without you.”

  He slowly pulled back so he could view her delicately flushed features.

  “That was never to be. From the moment I saw you in the opera house you have belonged to me.”

  “I will no doubt drive you mad upon occasion,” she could not resist warning him.

  His lips twitched. “No doubt.”

  “And you will not be allowed to disappear into your workroom without me.”

  “I would not countenance it.” His hand moved tantalizingly down to her lower back. “There is a very comfortable sofa in there that I believe will be perfect for the project I intend to devote my attention to for the next several years.”

  She shivered. “Anthony.”

  “Do I shock you?”

  “Nothing shocks the daughter of the Devilish Dandy,” she assured him, her smile filled with promise.

  A sudden heat flared along the lines of his cheekbones. “Gads, I do not think I can bear to wait for the banns to be read. Still, I suppose you will desire a proper wedding?”

  “Proper?” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “Good heavens, no. I do have a reputation to uphold. I would far prefer to elope.”

  He gave a pleased chuckle. “I believe a special license is as daring as I wish to be.”

  Rachel heaved a teasing sigh. “I knew that you would be wretchedly respectable.”

  “Does that disappoint you?”

  She gazed deep into his dark eyes. “Not as long as you love me.”

  “Forever.” He loosened his grip so he could lift a hand and gently cup her cheek. “Shall we return to the house? I have a great deal to accomplish if we are soon to be wed.”

  Rachel smiled wryly as she stepped backward. She did not wish to battle with her brand new fiance, but she was determined to finish her business with Lady Broswell.

  “I must visit Broswell Park first. There is something I must do.”

  “Dash it all, Rachel,” he growled. “I thought you had given up this ludicrous notion.”

  “Anthony, you said that you loved me. Do you trust me?” she demanded with soft insistence.

  Caught in a web of his own making, he offered her a rueful smile.

  “Of course I do.”

  “Then wait for me here. I will soon return.”

  “Wait.” He held up a slender hand. “If you are determined to go through with this then I will come with you.”

  “No. I must do this on my own.”

  “Rachel.”

  “Trust me.”

  He briefly closed his eyes as he gave a shake of his head. “Gads, I will no doubt regret this. You are a very bad influence on me.”

  “I do try.”

  With a teasing glance she moved to brush her lips over his own before spinning away and heading up the path.

  * * *

  Feeling very much like one of the caged lions he had once witnessed in the Tower of London, Anthony paced
through the small opening with increasing impatience.

  Damn. He should never have allowed Rachel to go without him.

  It was not that he feared for her safety. Lady Broswell might be a heartless, shallow witch, but she was not violent. And he certainly had no concern for the shock and embarrassment the Broswell family was about to receive. They more than deserved whatever revenge Rachel might choose to dish out.

  What bothered him was the fear that Rachel would soon deeply regret striking out in anger. He knew better than anyone that in time her tender heart would be struck with remorse. He feared that she did not realize the high cost of revenge.

  On the point of giving in to his impulse to leave the woods and physically remove her from Broswell Park, Anthony breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the rustle of approaching footsteps. With jerky movements he moved up the path, grasping his headstrong fiancée’s arms the moment she came into view.

  “Rachel, what the devil took you so long?”

  Appearing far more pleased than he had expected, she smiled into his anxious eyes.

  “Forgive me, but there were a few delicate negotiations that had to be taken care of.”

  He searched her beautiful countenance in confusion. “Negotiations?”

  “Yes.”

  She held up a folded sheet of paper. Stepping back, Anthony took the paper from her, opening it to reveal a hastily scribbled note signed at the bottom by Lady Broswell.

  “What is this?”

  “It is Lady Broswell’s written permission to give me custody of Julia.”

  A sharp stab of shock flared through him. “What?”

  “I told you that I was going to Broswell Park for justice,” she said, her tone triumphant. “I used my knowledge of Mary’s relationship with the servant to force my aunt to give me custody of Julia.”

  “Good God,” he breathed.

  Rachel’s smile faded as her eyes darkened with sudden concern. “Are you angry? I know I said nothing of my plans when you asked me to marry you. It will not be easy to interrupt your life with both a wife and a young girl.”

  “I would be very happy to have Julia with us,” he eased her fears, quite prepared to bring the girl into his home. Indeed, he had been considering his own means of removing Julia from Lady Broswell’s callous care. “But, my dear, this is not a legal document.”

  Her smile readily returned. “I shall have it made legal as soon as I return to London.”

  “Lady Broswell could easily change her mind,” he warned.

  “Not as long as she wishes Mary’s indiscretion to remain a secret from Lord Newell.”

  He arched his brows. “That, my dear, is blackmail.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Reprehensible, I know. But I could not leave here knowing Julia was trapped in that horrid place. She is my cousin, Anthony. She deserves better.”

  Anthony felt a surge of pride rush through him. She had promised him that she wanted justice, not revenge. And that was precisely what she had achieved. She had rescued Julia from Lady Broswell’s cold control and ensured that she would be given the care she ought to have.

  “How did Lady Broswell react to your demands?”

  A revealing shudder shook her body as she recalled the no-doubt fiery confrontation.

  “She was furious that I had learned the truth about Julia, of course. Clearly she assumed no one would ever discover that she had hidden her own daughter in the dowager house. Surprisingly, however, she was much less shocked when I revealed Mary’s affair. I believe she must have suspected the truth.”

  Anthony gave a slow nod of his head. “Which is no doubt the reason why she is so eager for the wedding to take place between her daughter and Lord Newell.”

  “Yes. It took little effort after my revelation to convince her that Julia would be better in our care.”

  Anthony’s heart leaped. “Our care.” Simple words, and yet they captured the very essence of his deep happiness. He would not longer be alone. From today onward his life and heart would be entwined with this beautiful, passionate, maddening woman.

  “You were right,” he said, moving forward to gently wrap her in his arms. “You do have a great deal of the Devilish Dandy in you.”

  “Are you very angry with me?” she asked softly.

  “No.” He smiled as her body fitted perfectly against his own. Surrounded by the peace of the woods, with the scent of sweet roses and spring sunlight peaking through the trees, he was certain he could stay in this precise spot forever. “Although I intended a less spectacular means of rescuing Julia, you appear to have settled matters quite handily.”

  “It did seem the perfect solution.”

  “And your honor is satisfied?” he demanded. “No more plots for revenge?”

  “Actually, I forgot my plot for revenge sometime ago.”

  “Indeed?”

  The hazel eyes sparkled in an enticing manner. “Yes, I kept being interrupted by a tall, handsome gentleman who kisses me in the most amazing fashion.”

  Anthony sucked in a sharp breath, discovering his ability to concentrate was directly connected to her tiny wiggles to press even closer. With each wiggle his thoughts became more difficult to maintain. He would have to make sure that the minx did not use such tactics to always have her way with him. He could not be forever under her delicate heel.

  She gave another wiggle and all fear of being properly henpecked disappeared.

  For the moment he was quite content to be deliciously distracted.

  “He sounds fascinating,” he murmured.

  She coyly batted her long lashes. “Utterly fascinating.”

  “Precisely the sort of gentleman you should marry with all possible h—haste.”

  “Oh, I intend to.”

  He gave a low chuckle, forcing himself to drop his arms and take a step backward. Although he had always been a gentleman of cool control and meticulous reason, he did not trust himself to remain alone with Rachel. He intended their wedding to be perfect, even if it was by special license. And that included their wedding night.

  “Come, my minx. Let us go collect Julia before I forget we are not yet wed.”

  She wrapped her arm through his, leaning her head upon his shoulder as he steered them toward the dowager house. They walked in peaceful silence for some time, then without warning Rachel heaved a small sigh.

  “What is it, my dear?” he asked with a faint frown.

  “I wish my father was still here.”

  “Why?”

  “I should wish him to know that we are to be wed.”

  Anthony’s frown cleared as he smiled into her darkened eyes. “I would wager that he suspected our marriage long before we did. He is a very perceptive gentleman.”

  She considered his words for a long moment then gave a delighted laugh.

  “Perceptive and far too sly for his own good. I am glad he is about to endure a bit of his own medicine.”

  “What?”

  “Never mind.” Her head returned to his shoulder. “We have our own family to think of now.”

  Fifteen

  The large town house set in an elegant square was renowned as much for its amusing peculiarities as for its notable view of the park. One could never be certain what sort of invention would be displayed in the library or even blocking the front hall. There were coatracks carved in the shape of a butler, a mirror framed by candles that was blindingly bright, and a mechanical bird that perched on the mantel and sang Rachel’s favorite tune.

  And of course there were the delicious rumors that the pretty Julia was a by-blow of the Devilish Dandy and that he could routinely be seen slipping through the neighborhood in the dead of night to visit his daughters.

  After a year of the gossip and speculation, Rachel paid little heed to the absurd stories. Certainly they had not harmed either her or Anthony’s standing in society. Indeed, it was considered a triumph of the highest order to receive a rare invitation to the Clarke town house. But more importantly, s
he discovered herself deliciously, wickedly, irrevocably happy.

  Even standing at the bay window searching for signs of Julia’s return she felt an acute flare of pleasure race through her.

  Anthony had proved to be all she could ever have hoped for in a husband. He was considerate, humorous, and a tender lover. And while their occasional battles were spectacular to behold, like two fencer’s swords meeting in a shower of sparks, their inevitable reconciliation was equally spectacular. And just as importantly he had proved to be a wonderful father to Julia.

  Away from the grim Mrs. Greene and encouraged to discover all the delights of London, she had blossomed into a beautiful and utterly charming young lady. Not even the disappointment at discovering that the London doctors could do nothing to help her walk had dimmed her enthusiasm to experience all that life had to offer.

  An enthusiasm that had occasionally tested Rachel’s nerves to the very limit.

  The thought of Julia brought Rachel’s wandering mind back to the matters at hand and she gazed down the busy street for the hundredth time. She had known from the beginning it was a poor notion to allow Julia out of the house without her. Anything might have happened. Who would take care of the poor girl if she were not near?

  Pressing her nose to the pane, Rachel was so intent on her anxious survey that she failed to hear the door of the drawing room open and softly close. It was not until warm, wonderfully familiar arms circled her waist that she realized she was no longer alone.

  “Good Lord, Rachel, you have been standing at this window for the better part of an hour.”

  She instinctively leaned back against the strength of her husband’s broad chest.

  “And I will continue to remain here until Julia returns.”

  He gave a low chuckle as he dropped a kiss on her golden curls.

  “She is perfectly safe in the hands of Mr. Eastgate. What could possibly happen in the middle of Hyde Park?”

  Rachel brooded darkly on the young gentleman who had arrived at her doorstep earlier in the day. Granted, he had appeared suitable enough. His attire had been well cut without the foolishness of a dandy and his manner of concern for Julia had seemed sincere. But Rachel was far from convinced that he was a proper companion for her young cousin.

  There had been something just a trifle shifty in his narrow eyes and a weakness to his chin that she could not wholly admire.