I know what is in your heart. You know what is in mine, and I don’t believe what is being said for a second nor do I care about silly gossip.
I am ready when you are, Edward. Surprisingly, I think Papa is having second thoughts about marrying me and Lord Ainsworth. Granny scolded him as if he were a small child! You should have seen it! So we have something to hold on to. I hope this will be done the right way.
Please, enjoy your time with your father and write me when you can.
Yours truly,
Selina
PS: I hope I was as creative as you, choosing a new name.
* * *
Dear Selina
We arrived in Wales last night, and I was thoroughly confused to have received a letter from Sean Ford. After a second, I recognized your handwriting and it brought me so much joy. Thank you for writing me back so fast.
I must say, I am flabbergasted the Duchess invited you for tea just to meet you! I couldn’t tell the Duke how I knew it, but when I told him about it, he was very angry. He said she was out of turn, and they would have a few words when he returned home. He doesn’t want to think about her at the moment. We are focused on going to my mother’s burial site and then to the Tennyson Estate.
Be careful, Selina. You know rumors like those could do a lot of damage. I don’t care if I come across as a heartless bastard who is blackmailing a Duke to get what he wants. I think most of my clients would actually like me more for my guts to do so.
I am worried about you.
If Lord Ainsworth can start rumors about me, he can start some about you, about us. He could have had someone reading these letters and we would be none the wiser.
I have spoken to the Duke and the moment we return to England and are back in London, we are going to see your father. If what you say is true about your father having second thoughts (thank Mrs. Clifford for me, if you can), it is time to talk with him again and this time I am not going alone. I’ll have the Duke of Bellford himself with me.
With the rumors Lord Ainsworth is spreading, I am not sure if it is the best idea to have him with me when I see your father again, but it is all we have in our advantage at this point.
You are teaching me something I forgot I had: faith.
I have faith we will be together, my dear, lovely, amazing Selina and when you do, I will marry you as fast as I can just to avoid anything else getting in our way.
I hope you fancy a summer wedding, Selina. If I were you, I would start looking for a fancy dress, although I would marry you in rags. I just want you as my wife.
Let this be the last letter for a while, just so we are certain no one is intercepting them to use against us.
I will be as careful as I can, and I ask you to do the same.
Forever yours,
Edward
Selina smiled at the latest letter and put it in the hidden compartment of her jewelry box. She knew she would read it over and over again, but she needed to keep them away from prying eyes.
She was confident.
Chapter 26
Mr. Edward McAlister
It felt good to be home, Edward thought as the familiar scent of the outskirts of Cardiff washed over him.
His blood was English, but he was Welsh and proud to be one whereas, many other lords would have enjoyed being called English instead. He loved the people, the food, and the view.
It was home.
Maybe, when he could marry Selina, they could spend time between Wales and England, instead of just staying in one place. He knew she had family there, but he wanted to show her the beauty and wonders of his place of birth, the place that shaped him.
“It is a very beautiful house.” His father, the Duke said, looking at Tennyson manor. He was looking in wonder at the house Edward spent most of his childhood years, in. “I would have liked to meet Lady Tennyson.”
Edward chuckled. “No, you wouldn’t.” With the older man’s eyes turning to him in confusion, he added as an explanation. “She knew what happened between you and mother. Everything. They were best friends. I would have not put it past her to hit you with her cane, Duke or not. She used to say she was old, and if she was going to die soon, she might as well do what she pleased.”
Even the Duke laughed at that. “Well, knowing what I know now, I would have let her.” He studied Edward for a few seconds. “You really loved her, didn’t you?”
“I did.” Edward nodded. “She was my godmother – my second mother – truth be told. She made sure I had the best education possible, made sure my mother and I had a roof over our heads, and plenty of food. I grew up well, despite everything.”
“I see.” The Duke stayed quiet while their carriage made its way in front of the house, where a butler was waiting once they got off.
“Your Grace. Mr. McAlister.” He bowed and Edward smiled.
“Mr. Miles! Long time no see.”
“Indeed, sir. The house was quiet for a while, but now Lord Tennyson’s children fill the place with mischief, like you used to.” The older man’s accent was thick and he tried to suppress a smile.
Edward laughed and looked at the Duke’s direction. “Mr. Miles used to run after Gabriel and I when we were kids, and were up to no good.”
Miles shook his head. “I am sorry, Your Grace.”
“No need, Mr. Miles. I would love to hear every mischief story there is and by the looks of it, there are many.”
“Quite a few.” Mr. Miles agreed.
“Don’t go telling on me now, Miles!” Edward felt much lighter with just being at one of his first homes; the place he grew into the man he was. “Is Lord Tennyson inside?”
“At the back garden, sir.” Mr. Miles supplied the information. “With the Mistress and the children.”
“No need to show us the way, I can guide the Duke. Thank you, Miles.” Edward said and after properly bowing to them, Miles watched as they walked around the large manor.
They heard laughter first. Children’s laughter and both men couldn’t help it but to smile. It was a rare sunny day in Wales and it was being put in good use, it appeared.
Lord Tennyson had his coat off, a hand on his hip and holding his wife’s hand, laughing as a little boy was being chased by an even smaller girl who was giggling while a small dog jumped around in excitement.
Lady Tennyson sat under the parasol, looking at them. One of her hands was being held by her husband and the other, was over her growing stomach.
“Lord Tennyson!” Edward called when they were close enough and the man, who appeared the same age as Edward, looked around and smiled. He had his late aunt’s smile, that was for sure.
“Edward!” He let go of his wife’s hand and walked to meet Edward halfway, pulling him to a hug. “I was expecting you for dinner.”
“We will dine here, since you were so kind to invite us, but we would like to see the property if you don’t mind, Gabriel.”
The blonde man nodded. “You know this is your home, Edward.” He looked at the older man behind Edward and frowned, noticing the similarities between both men.
Seeing his confusion, Edward cleared his throat. “I am sorry, I forgot my manners for a bit. Lord Gabriel Tennyson, may I present to you His Grace, Edward Egremont, the Duke of Bellford?”
“Very nice to meet you, sir.” Lord Tennyson bowed his head. “It is a pleasure to have you here.”
“Thank you for having us with such haste.”
Edward grinned as he saw the woman trying to get up from the settee. “And looking as radiant as ever, this is Lady Teresa Tennyson, Your Grace. Lady Tennyson, the Duke of Bellford.”
She looked embarrassed as she tried to get up, her light brown hair wasn’t perfectly done and she was wearing the clothes she usually did when there were no visitors.
“Oh, my dear, please, do not get up on my account,” the Duke told her. “I can see it is a bit of a problem at the moment.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she said in relief, stopping her struggle t
o get up. “I am pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” the Duke smiled, the same as Edward, he noticed. “You have a lovely home and your children seem to be very energetic.”
The adults laughed and looked to where the boy, the girl, and the dog were analyzing a bug, if Edward had to guess.
“They are and, in a few weeks, they will have another partner in crime,” Lady Tennyson said as she rubbed her stomach lovingly and Edward looked at Gabriel, seeing love in his eyes.
She was a bit plain, but her big hazel eyes and personality made up for anything else. They had been matched since they were born, but as it turned out, they fell in love with one another even before they got married. “Do you want some refreshments?”
“No, thank you, my lady. I am afraid we have much to see before returning to have dinner with you,” the Duke said with a smile.
“See you later tonight, Gabriel. Teresa,” Edward nodded. “We are going to the cottage.”
“Very well.” Gabriel nodded. “See you in a few hours.”
* * *
The way to the cottage was mostly quiet. Sometimes Edward would point out to his father a place he had done something of significance while growing up. The Duke listened to every word curiously, as if he were trying to piece the puzzle Edward was together.
They finally arrived and Edward felt his heart tightened. He had been born in that house, raised and saw his mother die in that house. Yet, it was home.
He had three large manors, money to use to buy even more, but one single little cottage in Wales had a strong feeling of belonging.
“Mother came here. She thought her cousin was alive, but it turned out, he wasn’t.” Edward said, standing next to the Duke while both looked at the old house. “She was walking on the road, hopeless to where to go when Lady Tennyson’s carriage stopped and she asked where my mother was going. She started to cry.”
The Duke nodded and Edward proceeded. “I think my mother was exhausted, and told her everything and I know Lady Tennyson had recently lost her husband and was quite fragile herself. She offered the cottage to my mother. She still had a good amount of the hundred pound your wife had given her.”
“She kept working for Lady Tennyson, doing the laundry for the house, sometimes just stopping by to talk to her. By the time I was born, they truly found each other, two kindred spirits, my mother said. Lady Tennyson even taught my mother to read and write, even though, she still asked someone else to write for her most of the time since she hated her handwriting.
“We were happy, I like to think. She was a young widow to everyone else, but she refused to remarry, saying she only had one love. I used to listen to stories about you while I grew up. When I wanted more, that was when she asked a friend to write the letter and the answer…” Edward took a breath. “She was a strong woman. Never turned out a day’s job, but she hadn’t been feeling well for a while and I think the letters just expedited the unavoidable.”
“It was horrible, seeing her the way she was. See her light slowly dim and I felt guilty and angry at myself and at you. It was our fault she was dying. Mine for asking, yours for writing what you did. I know, now, it wasn’t us, she was already sick.”
“It doesn’t make the pain go away, does it?” the Duke asked.
“No. Diminishes a little, but no, the pain doesn’t go away.”
He felt the Duke put a hand on his shoulder in silent support and they stayed in silence for a few moments. “Take me to her.”
* * *
Edward Egremont, Duke of Bellford
The cemetery was simple, but beautiful, the Duke decided. It suited his Daisy in a sad way, but it was what he imagined.
He saw the tombstone with her name as Daisy McAlister. He had searched for her for a few weeks after she left, feeling he needed some closure. He and his wife were in Germany, but he tasked a friend with the mission of finding any trail of a Daisy Taunton in Scotland.
He should have looked up in Wales instead. But with her name changed, it would have been even more difficult to find her.
“Ah, Daisy.” The Duke kneeled in front of the tombstone. “This is not how I imagine we would be reunited, love,” he whispered. Their son was a few meters away, giving the older man some privacy so, he kept talking. “What a mess, eh, Daisy? We were fools in love, but fools nonetheless. So young and with so much to give to each other, but circumstances were never on our side, were they? If the world had been any fair, you and I would have been able to be together. It didn’t work that way, though. Still doesn’t.
“To this day, you are the only one who really saw me. Not the Duke, not Egremont, but Edward. Even my wife only scratched the surface while you blundered your way in.” His chuckle was sad. “Fearless Daisy Taunton. You should have come to me, after Anne spoke to you. Everything would have been different. I still couldn’t have married you, but I would have kept you and Edward safe and wanting for nothing. Even better, we could have been together. We could have had our son together.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t make any good to dwell on it now, does it? You did a fine job with our son, Daisy. He is everything I could possibly want in a son. He has your big heart, though, and your courage. Did you know the little scoundrel actually tried to blackmail me into legitimizing him?” he laughed. “You would have been both horrified and proud of him. I was. I am. I am trying my best to do things right, now. I am doing my best and I think he is trying as well, to let me in, which I assume isn’t easy.”
“I had a daughter, Kathleen, and I know your soul to be one of the kindest I ever had the luck to meet, so can I be selfish one more time? Could you please, look after her? I know you would never bear her guilty for my wife’s actions, so please. I could be asking this of the wind for all I know, but imagining you doing so already warms my heart.” He got up with a grunt, kissed the tips of two fingers and touched the cold stone.
“I loved you, Daisy, never doubt that. I still do, in some level and I will do right by our son. I might not be able to legitimize him, but I will help him find happiness, have no doubt. Rest in peace, my love, knowing you were loved until the end and that our son will be as well, I promise.”
He needed to take a few deep breaths and look away when he felt a familiar tingly feeling on his eyes, but he didn’t cry. He moved away from the grave and put his hat back on; even more resolute of matchmaking his son and Miss Clifford.
Edward Egremont would not break any more promises.
Chapter 27
Miss Selina Clifford
Selina couldn’t help but to gape in surprise when she heard the Duke of Bellford’s and Edward’s name being announced before both men entered the small library; just a few days after she had received his last letter.
They had looked at each other for a few seconds and it took everything in her to not run into his arms and ask to be in them forever.
Her father looked as surprised as she felt. Selina helped Granny get up and curtsy the best she could while she did the same and her father bowed.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, my lord.” Mr. Clifford said, at a loss of words. “I am sorry, we were not expecting you.”
Edward had been right. They were remarkably alike. The Duke reassure her father and said, “I know and I am so very sorry to appear unannounced but I feel as if we need to have a conversation, Mr. Clifford.” He looked at her father pointedly and her Papa nodded. His attention then went to Selina and her grandmother.
Her father was quick to introduce them and the Duke smiled.
“Mrs. Clifford, Miss Clifford. I have heard nothing but good things about the two of you from Mr. McAlister.” Selina tried not to smile widely in Edward’s direction, and she could see the mirth in his green eyes. “I can see where Miss Clifford’s beauty comes from, Mrs. Clifford.”
Granny giggled. “Mr. McAlister said something similar when we met. I think charming old ladies run in the family, my lord.”
Everyone just froze with the sta
tement for a second.
Since she clearly said it with no ill will, the Duke’s smile just grew and he nodded. “I think it does, Mrs. Clifford.” He turned his attention to Selina, then. “And you, Miss Clifford. I think Mr. McAlister was not exaggerating when praising your beauty.”
Her cheeks warmed up and she knew Edward looked smug without even looking at him.
“Mr. McAlister is most kind, Your Grace.” She finally said.
“And truthful,” the Duke nodded. “You will be a great addition to the family, my dear.” He winked discreetly and her heart was once again filled with hope. The Duke was there to be on their side.
A Hidden Duke For The Passionate Lady (Regency Historical Romance) Page 18