He offered her his arm. “Then let us go inside, and I will tell you everything.”
She put her hand on his arm. The others had already left, Neil and Mr. Thompson in tow. However, Caroline gave them little thought, for she could only set her attention on the man beside her. He had changed somehow. Not physically, for he still looked like the Philip she knew, but he stood straighter and held his head higher. Even his clothing was regal.
“Get us some tea,” he said to the butler when they arrived in the office where Caroline had stood not an hour earlier.
The butler gave Philip a diffident bow and was soon gone, and Philip led Caroline to a sofa in front of the empty fireplace.
“Fourteen years ago,” Neil began, “I was twenty years of age, naive, and married not a year to my love, Catherine. One day, I returned home to find her gone, a note left in her place demanding a large sum of money for her safe return. Like you, I attempted to pay the ransom; my only concern was to have my wife returned to me. However, when I arrived at the location where I was to collect her, I found her dead.”
Caroline brought her hand to her breast. “Oh, Philip,” she said, her heart breaking for him.
He patted her hand before continuing. “For years, I hunted down those responsible, finding them scattered throughout the land. However, none could have coordinated such an act, for they had not a single wit between them; therefore, I knew I had not found their leader. Then something Lord Mullens said one day turned my suspicions to one man.”
“Neil,” Caroline whispered.
“Yes. I overheard a servant speaking of your husband needing a gardener, and I knew it was my one chance to get close to his brother.”
“Then, your reasons for coming to Blackwood Estates…”
Philip nodded. “Were to avenge the death of my wife…” He took a deep breath. “And my child.”
Caroline gasped. “Your child?”
“Catherine was with child when she was killed. I found out later that I would have had a daughter.”
“So, the stories were true,” Caroline mused. “The Duke of Ravens had avenged the deaths of both his wife and child.”
“They are true in that sense, yes,” Philip replied, amused.
“And Lord Mullens?” Caroline asked. “Was he involved somehow?”
Philip shook his head. “No. He was used, much like many others. For many years, Neil has engaged in various illegal activities, and kidnapping and murder were only two; although, they were the worst. Apparently, he would find a way to earn money and then he would gamble it away only to repeat the cycle again and again. When he became indebted to a man who demanded payment in all sorts of sordid ways—I will spare you the details of such manners—Neil became desperate. That was when the kidnappings began. When he realized that holding people for ransom was such a lucrative business, it became his main source of income.”
“Was Reginald involved?” Caroline asked, sickened by the idea that she would have been married to such a man.
“When I went through Reginald’s ledgers, I noticed no issues, so I doubt he knew of his brother’s exploits. It was when I searched the ledgers belonging to Neil that I found a notation for a large sum of money. He had invested into a business of which I had never heard, and this was immediately after I had paid the ransom, and for the same amount I paid. It was too much of a coincidence to ignore.”
The door opened and Lord Mullens entered. “Ravencroft,” he said, extending his hand to Philip.” Then he bowed to Caroline. “Duchess.”
“Thank you for your help in this,” Philip said, offering the man a chair.
As Lord Mullens took his seat, the butler came in with a tray laden with a teapot, several cups and saucers, and a plate of small cakes. “A gift from Mrs. Houston, the cook,” he said with a bow.
“Thank you,” Philip said.
Caroline studied the man who had once been her gardener but now she knew as the Duke of Ravens. He made himself at home in the house of the man who had murdered his wife. Perhaps it was a way of seeing justice done.
“I cannot express how sorry I am for all that has happened to you,” Lord Mullens said as he accepted a cup of tea from Caroline. “My sister…”
“Oh, yes,” Caroline said. “What had been her involvement in all of this?”
Lord Mullens looked at Philip. “Shall I explain, or would you prefer to do so?”
“By all means,” Philip replied.
The Baron sighed. “It appears that my sister was a mistress to Lord Hayward for some time before moving on to his brother—that is to say, your former husband. It is embarrassing to say, but when she learned of his gambling debts, she was the one to suggest the first kidnapping.”
Caroline gasped. “How do you know this?”
The man grimaced. “When I learned she had been killed, I went to her home to retrieve her possessions, and I found her journal hidden beneath the mattress. It detailed every criminal act she and Lord Hayward had committed, including who else was involved and the amount of money they had gained.” He gave a hollow chuckle. “She kept better books than even I do.”
“I am sorry about your sister,” Caroline said quietly. “It cannot be easy for you.”
Lord Mullens studied her for a moment. “You are an incredible woman, Your Grace,” he said finally, setting his teacup on the table.
She gave a light laugh. “How so?”
“Not many women would have tea with the brother of the woman who had been mistress to her husband and had played a part in the kidnapping of her son.”
“What your sister did should not reflect upon you,” she said with a smile. “That would be unfair to all of the good people in the world, for every family has one who, shall we say, does not conform to society?”
“Indeed,” the man replied. “As it was, I also learned that Lord Hayward and my sister had planned to blackmail your husband, but he died before they could implement that plan. I believe that was what prompted them to take your son.”
Caroline shook her head. “To have so much hatred, so much evil, inside had to be a heavy load to bear.” As far as she was concerned, Neil and Miss Mullens had created their own burdens, and now both would pay dearly for their misdeeds. Miss Mullens already had, in all reality.
“Well, I must be off,” Lord Mullens said as he stood. “Again, I apologize for everything you have been through.”
“Thank you,” Caroline replied.
He bowed once more, shook Philip’s hand, and then left the room.
“Come,” Philip said. “Let us go outside.”
Arm in arm, they made their way to the garden once again, now alone. The sun shone on them, warm and comforting, yet Caroline could not help but feel sad.
“I was such a fool,” she whispered.
Philip stopped and pulled her close. “You are no fool,” he said in a low voice. “It has taken me years to unravel all this, but now, my heart is at peace and Catherine’s death has been avenged.
“Will you be in trouble for the murders you committed?”
He laughed. “Not at all. Let us just say that they were done in defense of my life, for when I confronted each man, he struck at me.” When he saw the concern on her face, he added, “Truly, I killed those men, but I did so in retaliation for the lives of my wife and child.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” she said, wrapping her arms around him, gingerly so as not to add pressure to his wound.
He smiled down at her. “Thank you. She was a great woman, a woman of courage and strength…like you. I told you before that I was not ready for love, but for the first time in a very long time, I am. From the moment I first saw you, I loved you, and with each passing breath, that love grew. I am sorry I lied to you, but I hope you understand now why I had to do it.”
Caroline nodded. “I do. I understand better than you realize. All of my life, I dreamed of falling in love and being happy. Oliver is my joy, and I have great happiness with him in my life, but you are my l
ove. I never wish to be apart from you again.”
“Then we will not allow that to happen.” He leaned over and pulled her close, and when their lips met, Caroline felt a passion that matched her own. The feeling of a kiss that was given in love could never be matched, and the ravens perched in the branches around them seemed to caw their agreement.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The cool wind ruffled Oliver’s hair as Caroline walked with him and Philip through the gardens of Blackwood Estates. Three months had passed since the day Philip had saved her from a forced marriage with Neil Hayward, and now, in one week’s time, she would marry the man she loved instead. It had been a whirlwind of events that had led to this moment, including a trial that had sentenced her former brother-in-law to be hanged a fortnight ago. Some women would have relished in being present for such an event, but she had chosen not to attend; she had endured enough as far as she was concerned. No sadness of his death resided inside her; although, regret that the man had such evil within him still lingered.
“So, next year I will be able to begin my horse-riding lessons?” Oliver asked as he looked up at Philip.
“That is correct,” Philip replied. “Of course, I expect you to remain diligent in your studies. Although, I expect you will do just that, will you not?”
Oliver gave a firm nod. “I will, I promise.”
They came to a stop beside a willow tree, its limbs swaying in the slight breeze. Caroline could not help but look upon her son and see the man he would become. Despite all he had been through—more than any one person would be expected to experience in their entire life—already he was thoughtful and caring and had a ready smile.
“When you marry Mother, will you still spend time with me?” The innocence of his question brought a warmth the sun could not have provided. The boy needed a strong man in his life; he craved such attention.
Philip squatted down, eye level with the boy. “Yes, I most certainly will. In fact, once your mother and I are married, we will spend even more time together. That is, if you would like that?”
Oliver did not reply with words but instead threw his arms around Philip’s neck, clinging to him for several moments before pulling away. “May I go inside?” he asked, a twinkle in his eye. “I have planning to do.”
Caroline had to keep herself from laughing.
Philip ruffled the boy’s hair. “Of course you may,” he replied, and Oliver ran off down the path that led back to the house. Philip turned to Caroline. “I believe the boy is far more excited than either of us for our wedding.”
Caroline slipped her arms around him and smiled. “He adores you,” she said. “And I can understand why, for I adore you, as well.”
Philip smiled down at her, and she saw that emotion behind his eyes once again. Now, however, she recognized it for what it was. He cared for her as much as she did him.
They continued their stroll, and Caroline stopped in front of the large bed filled with flowers struggling to remain alive to spite the cold weather that had set in.
“What are you thinking, my love?” Philip asked.
“I was remembering digging through this soil with my bare hands, wondering how I would escape this life. Then you came into it, taking away that desire to leave.”
“It took everything in me that day to restrain myself,” he said as he placed an arm around her. “I could not bear to see you hurt. I believe that was the moment I fell in love with you.”
“I adore how you gave me strength,” she whispered. “You still do.”
“I gave you nothing,” he replied. “I only showed you that which you held inside already.” Caroline went to speak, but he held up his hand. “That day I fell from my horse, my body was weak. I truly believed I could not go on. And yet, a woman, strong in heart and mind, gave me her strength to stand and to go for help. Never doubt that you are strong, for you are the strongest woman I have ever met.”
His words made her heart soar, and happiness spread through her body. “I will never doubt it again,” she said. “Do not think me foolish, but although I know you are a duke, I cannot help but think of you as a gardener at times. It is how I remember you—a simple man.”
Philip laughed. “Would you rather I return to my days of working here?” he asked with a wave of his hand about him.
“No,” she said with a giggle. “I want you beside me forever.”
He leaned in and kissed her, and that now-familiar flame inside her grew, threatening to consume her as the kiss became stronger and deeper.
She struggled to catch her breath when the kiss ended, and she placed her head on his chest, as if searching for support.
“We will be together forever,” he said, his voice husky. “Whether Duchess or gardener, it does not matter the title, for that which we share is most important of all.”
As a raven came to rest on the branch of a nearby tree, Caroline knew in her heart his words were true. For she understood the meaning of strength, of courage, and of wisdom. They were used in the most dangerous and heartbreaking of situations, but all of them were guided by one thing.
Love.
Epilogue
A small cry woke Caroline, and she sat up in bed and strained to hear it again. Thunder rumbled outside and the cry repeated. She pulled on her dressing gown and made her way to the bedroom down the hall.
“There now,” she whispered as she brushed back the hair from her daughter’s forehead.
Thunder boomed again, and the girl pulled the blankets over her head.
“There is nothing to fear,” Caroline consoled. “The storm brings rain, providing water for the animals to drink and the plants to grow strong.”
Anne gave her a small smile. “So, the thunder helps, too?”
“Of course,” Caroline replied. “Have you never heard the rushing of water from a waterfall?”
The girl nodded.
“Well, imagine how much noise a cloud must make to release the amount of water it does during a storm in the form of rain.”
Anne thought about this for a moment and smiled again, this time much wider. “Mother, will you tell me a story?”
Caroline pulled the blanket to her daughter’s chin with a nod. It had been five years since she and Philip had married, and they had begun a new life at Ravencroft Manor, leaving behind the dreadful memories of Blackwood Estates. Philip still saw to the day-to-day workings of the house, for one day, when he was old enough, it would become Oliver’s. It had been strange at first living in a new home, but Oliver had adapted quickly.
When Anne had arrived, he had been taken by his younger sister.
“I will protect you,” he had whispered as he gazed into her bassinet, placing his finger in her tiny hand. “No one will ever hurt you.”
Just thinking of that day made Caroline smile, and she leaned over and hugged her daughter. “Of course I will tell you a story,” she said. “I will tell you a story my mother told me when I was young.”
Her daughter yawned and wriggled down under the blankets, a habit she had whenever Caroline told her a story.
As Caroline began, she glanced at the door and saw Philip leaning against the doorframe, a wide grin on his face. He said nothing while Caroline told the tale, only moving to the bedside as she came to the end.
“And the ravens knew how much the Duke cared for her, so they guided him to his love, leading the way and giving him strength. Since that day, neither of them suffered again.” She reached over and kissed the forehead of her sleeping child, her heart near bursting.
Then, hand in hand, she and Philip stopped and peered into the bedroom belonging to Oliver. He had grown much over the years, but his sleeping form reminded her of when he was younger, so innocent and so angelic.
“You have done well,” Philip whispered to her as she closed the door to the boy’s room.
Caroline looked up at her husband and knew that her life had finally given her all that she desired. A man who cared for her, who gazed upon her wi
th such love that she wondered how she had won the affection of such a wonderful man.
They returned to their own bedroom, and just as in the story she had told her daughter, she knew they would never suffer again.
Duke of Storms
Chapter One
At the age of one and twenty, Emma Barrington had learned many lessons in life. However, one lesson that had caught her attention on more than one occasion was that men had a peculiar habit of scratching their heads. Although, she had not had many encounters with men outside of the bookkeeping services of her father, nor had she paid any particular attention to those she met on the street.
However, Stephen Foreman, the assistant her father had hired on when Emma was quite young, was at this moment scratching at his head in an absent manner, as if it aided in his thinking. He was not a dirty man, for he did take relatively good care of himself by washing every morning, but his habit of scratching seemed to happen without thought more than to ease an actual itch. She had never seen any crawlers on him, and if she had, she would have sent him off to wash himself from head to toe — twice!
“And what’re you finding so funny?” Stephen asked as he stopped scratching his silver-covered head and scrunched his brows in confusion.
“Oh, it is nothing,” she said, waving a hand as if to rid herself of her laughter. She doubted he would understand the humor in the situation as she did. Yet, she found she could not stop when he returned hand to his head.
“You women are a peculiar lot,” he replied, stopping his scratching to stare at her once more, which only made her laugh all the harder until tears ran down her cheeks.
She took a deep breath in an attempt to regain her composure. It would not be fitting to be found weeping with laughter if a client happened by, which was what they were wont to do whenever she found herself out of sorts, such as now. Her father was a bookkeeper, a man once highly sought after when times were better; however, now, as she sat in her father’s chair at his desk, she wondered if times would continue to decline. She certainly hoped not, for if they worsened any further, they would be without any clients within a month’s time.
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