‘With all my heart and soul,’ she replied without hesitation. ‘Which is why I can’t bear to see you throw yourself away on a disgraced woman.’
‘You have just made the one admission that counts. You admit to loving me. I adore the ground you walk on. That is all that signifies.’
‘But how would we live?’
‘I could purchase a small country estate in Surrey and return to my career in the law.’ He clasped her hand a little more tightly, willing her to accept him. ‘What do you say, my love?’
This time there was no hesitation and her radiant smile stole his breath away. ‘If you are absolutely sure. I never thought—’
Isaac silenced her with a kiss and never discovered what it was that she hadn’t thought.
***
Isaac retired to rest immediately after luncheon. Eva’s wicked intentions of waking him were thwarted when she received an unexpected visitor in the form of her brother.
‘My dear,’ he said, taking her hand as soon as he was shown in the small salon. ‘I came as soon as I heard. How distressing.’
‘There was no need, Gerald.’
‘There was every need. You’re my sister and my responsibility.’
‘You didn’t appear to think so when I applied to you for assistance last year.’
‘Ah yes, well…doesn’t do to come between a man and his wife.’
‘Especially when that man holds your notes.’
‘It’s over with now. I can’t believe the rumours that are circulating about Woodstock. I always thought he was a rum-un, but treason—’
Eva quirked a brow, almost enjoying herself. ‘You thought that about him but encouraged me to marry him?’
‘You can’t stay here, my dear, not under a single gentleman’s roof. There’s already enough gossip circulating. You’d best return to the country and live at home with us. There will be a lot of things to sort out with your husband’s affairs but you can leave all of that to me.’
‘No thank you, Gerald, I shall handle everything myself.’
‘But…but, you wouldn’t know where to start.’
‘I believe these are what you came for.’ Eva handed him his promissory notes. ‘Don’t come to me for anything more, Gerald. You weren’t there when I needed you, and now I no longer do…need you, that is.’
‘You are overset.’ Gerald rubbed his face, clearly not knowing how to handle the new, liberated Eva. ‘You don’t know what you are saying.’
‘I know perfectly well. My advice to you is to stay away from the tables. I cannot force you to do so but let us be clear on one point, if you get in too deep again I won’t help you. If you lose the estate it will be entirely your fault and calling upon my loyalty to the family will have no effect.’ She stood up and rang the bell. Parker answered so quickly he must have been waiting outside. ‘My brother is leaving, Parker,’ she said, turning her back on her weak sibling. ‘Please see him out.’
Epilogue
Eva clung to Isaac’s arm, defiantly wearing grey half-mourning, much to the apparent consternation of several matrons who glanced her way, tutted and averted their gazes. Eva simply didn’t care. She wasn’t such a hypocrite that she would publicly mourn a man whom she had hated and who was a traitor to her country.
Gracie skipped beside her, her hand firmly clasped in Eva’s, as they looked around the exhibition with open astonishment.
‘I had no idea it would be so vast,’ Eva said, looking upwards.
‘It is certainly the architectural adventure we were promised,’ Isaac agreed. ‘Prince Albert has achieved his wish. It’s a testament to Great Britain’s role as industrial world leader.’
‘It is a massive glass house,’ Olivia said, walking beside Lord Torbay, her son skipping ahead of them, giving them the appearance of an established couple. ‘Let’s hope no one is bad-mannered enough to throw stones.’
‘We ought to take advantage of this pre-view and see the star exhibit,’ Lord Torbay said. ‘I have a great desire to discover what all the fuss was about.’
‘Oh yes, do let’s,’ Eva agreed.
Together the two couples—one acknowledged to be in love, the other in denial—made their way to the controversial stone, displayed on a velvet cushion beneath thick layers of glass. Several guards stood beside it, stern and alert. The four of them gazed at it for some moments in silence. Grace demanded to see what they were looking at and Isaac lifted her up. Eva adored the way she already reacted so naturally with him in a way that she never had with her real father.
‘It sparkles, Mama,’ she said, making them all laugh.
‘Indeed it does, darling.’
They were quiet again, each presumably thinking about the journey, the sacrifices, that had been made to bring them to this point. It was, predictably, Olivia who broke the silence.
‘Do you think it’s real?’ she asked.
The four of them laughed so hard that people stopped and openly stared at them.
The End
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About the Author
Thank you for reading Saving Grace. If you enjoyed it look for other novels in the Victorian Vigilantes series featuring Jake and Olivia, listed below, and check out all my other historical works.
I was brought up on the Isle of Wight, off the Hampshire coast of southern England, surrounded by castles, stately homes and history at every turn. I must have unwittingly absorbed the historic atmosphere because I write mostly about bygone days, living vicariously alongside my strong heroes and independently-minded heroines.
When not letting my imagination flow over a hot keyboard I spend my time walking my beloved dog – a rescued mutt of indeterminate pedigree – and make half-hearted efforts to hold back the years through regular visits to the gym.
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Regency and Victorian Series
Mrs Darcy Entertains Series
Miss Bingley’s Revenge
Colonel Fitzwilliam’s Dilemma
Miss Darcy’s Passion
Kitty Bennet’s Despair
Lydia Wickham’s Journal
Pemberley: The Next Generation Series
Emma Bingley’s Romantic Nature
Naomi Sanford’s Compassionate Nature
Bella Darcy’s Impulsive Nature
Eleanor Bingley’s Rebellious Nature
Rosie Turner’s Contrary Nature
Susie Darcy’s Tenacious Nature
Ducal Encounters Series One
At the Duke’s Discretion
With the Duke’s Approval
Portrait of a Duke
For the Duke’s Pleasure
In the Duke’s Estimation
Captivating the Duke
Ducal Encounters Series Two
Reunited with the Duke
Christmas with the Duke
Representing the Duke
Safeguarding the Duke
Acting for the Duke
Emulating the duke
Ducal Encounters Series Three
Conspiring with the Duke
Dedicated to the Duke
Impugning the Duke’s Honour
By Order of the Duke
The Forsters
Compromising the Marquess
Beguiling the Barrister
Finessing the Contessa
Romancing the Runaway
Victorian Vigilantes Series
Saving Grace
Heirs and Graces
&
nbsp; With Good Grace
Fall From Grace
Social Graces
Elegance and Grace
Riley Rochester Investigates Series
Death of a Debutante
Death of a Courtesan
Death of a Prosecutor
Death of a Scoundrel
Stand-Alone Regencies
To Defy a Duke
The Duke’s Legacy
Lady Hartley’s Inheritance
Duty’s Destiny
A Duke by Default
A Scandalous Proposition
Of Dukes and Deceptions
The Perfect Impostor
Forgotten Heiress
For Want of a Reputation
Christmas at Castleray
Ava’s Passion
Lady Mysterious
Divided Loyalties
Disinherited
Game of Dukes
Contemporary Titles
The Hunter Files
Unfinished Business
Risky Business
Lethal Business
Stand-Alone Contemporaries
Topspin
Downsizing
A Class Apart
Shalimar
Silver Lining
The Name of the Game
Saving Grace (Victorian Vigilantes Book 1) Page 23