The Elusive Earl

by Anne Herries

  His promise had been kept and now he must turn his attention to his own concerns. He was of course several years older than Merry – some might say the gap was just right, though some might think it too wide. But there were many marriages made where the gap was much wider.

  He could only hope that Merry felt as he did. She seemed to like him well enough, but he could not persuade himself that she had ever looked at him the way Annabelle looked at Wrexham.

  Supposing he’d taken too much for granted and she did not wish for an offer from him? He frowned and wondered whether he should wait for a little longer…then he shook his head. He had been reluctant to take this step for years, but now he was ready to be married.

  He just hoped that Merry felt the same way.

  * * *

  ‘Merry, you are wanted downstairs, my dear.’ Lady Melbourne’s voice from outside her bedroom door, brought Merry to open it. ‘A gentleman has called to see you.’

  ‘Not Sir George…’

  ‘No, certainly not. That gentleman knows he would not be welcome. I heard he’d had the good sense to take himself off abroad and I hope that is correct. No, my dear – this is Sutherland…’

  Merry’s heart was pounding. She went back into her room and glanced at herself in the mirror. She’d chosen a plain gown that morning, as she had no plans to go anywhere until the evening, when a quiet dinner had been arranged.

  ‘Do I look all right? Should I change?’

  ‘You must not keep him waiting. The poor man looks nervous enough as it is. You look very well, dearest.’

  Merry nodded. Her gown might be plain but it was a pretty shade of blue and suited her. She smoothed a hand over her hair, which was caught back from her face and held at the nape in a little cluster of curls that tumbled down to her collar. She looked well enough. Besides, she did not know why he’d come to visit her.

  Lifting her head high, she walked down the stairs to the front parlour. Sutherland was standing by the window staring out, but he turned as she entered, as if sensing her there.

  ‘Merry – Miss Hamilton, you are better?’

  ‘Yes, thank you. I am perfectly well now. It was just the trauma and the anxiety of Annabelle’s abduction.’

  ‘You will be glad to know that Lord Hayes is reconciled to the marriage. I believe Harry will take her down in a few days and they will make plans for the wedding.’

  ‘I am so glad for her,’ Merry said. ‘It is just what I’d hoped for her and I know she will be happy.’

  ‘I am sure she will visit you before she leaves town. I dare say she wishes to ask you to be at her wedding.’

  ‘I would not miss it for the world,’ Merry said and cleared her throat. ‘Do you intend to be in town long, sir?’

  Sutherland was silent for a moment and her heart stopped beating, then started in a rush as he said, ‘That, my dearest Merry, depends on whether or not you will do me the honour of becoming my wife?’

  ‘Sutherland…do you truly mean it?’ she asked breathlessly, her eyes saying it all as she looked at him.

  ‘Yes, my sweet foolish little love, of course I do. You must know that I have loved you almost from that first moment in the library at my godmother’s house?’

  ‘I wasn’t sure. I thought, hoped, but then you went away without speaking and Mama…’ a little sob left her lips. ‘But that does not matter now. Yes, of course, Sutherland, I should be honoured and very happy to be your wife.’

  ‘Thank you,’ he murmured and moved forward to take her in his arms. ‘You have just made me the happiest man alive…’

  Merry smiled up at him, as he pulled her hard against his body and lowered his head to kiss her. She gave herself up to his kiss, holding nothing back as he explored her lips and mouth with the tip of his tongue, tasting her sweetness and making her aware of feelings she’d not known she had.

  ‘I love you so much,’ she breathed. ‘I never thought it was possible to feel like this…so alive and…’ She shook her head in wonder, unable to put her feelings and the delightful sensations coursing through her body into words.

  ‘This is only the beginning, my love,’ he promised as he gazed down at her and she saw the hot flame of desire. ‘I want us to be married as soon as possible so that I can carry you off to my lair and have you all to myself.’

  ‘Oh, Sutherland…’ she breathed.

  ‘Do you think you might manage to call me John,’ he teased. ‘We are to be married very soon, Merry.’

  ‘Yes, of course, John,’ she said shyly. ‘I wonder…’ She gazed up at him. ‘Do you think…I wonder if Annabelle would like to make it a double wedding?’

  ‘Is that what you want?’

  ‘It would be fun to do everything together,’ Merry said. ‘We could buy our bride clothes and have fittings together…or would you dislike that very much?’

  ‘Whatever makes you happy,’ he said but his eyes were filled with laughter. ‘Yes, why not? It should be a huge affair – and since my house is the largest, I think we should hold it there…’

  ‘Oh, Su…John,’ Merry said. ‘How kind you are…’

  ‘No, no kind, in a hurry to be wed. We should otherwise have to wait for your friend’s wedding before planning ours – and I am impatient to carry off my bride.’

  Merry laughed and reached up to touch his mouth. ‘You are very wicked,’ she said, ‘just as I was warned you were before we met. They told me you were a rake and not interested in marriage…’

  ‘And so I was until a beautiful young woman intruded on my privacy in what I thought was my private place,’ Sutherland said. ‘But I’m so very glad she did…’

  Epilogue

  ‘You look beautiful,’ Merry said as she looked at her friend. Annabelle had a gown of pale ivory silk with an overlay of spangled pale pink tissue. The sleeves were long and the points covered half of her hand doing away with the need for gloves. Her pale hair was caught up with pink net that was sewn with tiny diamonds and her shoes were of ivory satin. She carried a small posy of pink roses.

  ‘You do too,’ Annabelle said and reached forward to kiss her cheek. ‘That white silk is so simple and demure and yet it suits you, Merry. I love that you’ve used pearls in your hair and on your dress. We’ve both chosen differently, but both our gowns are the best that money could buy.’

  ‘We’ve both been spoiled,’ Merry said. Annabelle’s father had stumped up for the wedding and the girls had stayed there until two weeks before, when they had all come down to Sutherland Place. The earl had played host, taking both himself and Wrexham off to stay at the house of a friend the previous evening so that they should not see their brides before they met at church.

  ‘Girls, it’s time to go,’ Lady Melbourne said, putting her head round the door. ‘My, don’t you both look a picture. Your grooms are very lucky gentlemen -–and I hope they are aware of it.’ She came into the room and then kissed both girls on the cheek. ‘I’m going to miss you, my dears.’

  ‘We shall be home before you know it,’ Merry said. ‘Sutherland is taking me to France and Italy and then we’ll spend a couple of weeks here before we come up to town.’

  ‘We’re going to Scotland for two weeks and then to Paris,’ Annabelle said. ‘Wrexham wants to live in the country most of the time and I do too – but you and Merry will always be welcome to stay, of course.’

  ‘I should be delighted to stay now and then,’ Lady Melbourne said. ‘I am a townie, as you know – but I don’t mind a few weeks in the country in the summer or autumn.’

  ‘We shall divide our time between the various estates, but Sutherland likes London – and so do it,’ Merry said. ‘You must promise to come up sometimes, Belle.’

  ‘Of course I shall – if only to buy new clothes…’

  Annabelle laughed for sheer joy. She took Merry’s arm and they went downstairs together.

  * * *

  ‘Thank goodness we are alone at last…’ Sutherland reached out to take Merry in his arms. His
eyes were dancing with laughter as he quirked an eyebrow. ‘I thought you might want to bring Belle and Harry on honeymoon with you?’

  ‘John! Do not be wicked,’ Merry said and smiled. ‘You knew perfectly well it was only for the wedding – because we’ve always been best friends. You won’t mind if we continue to visit and see each other often?’

  ‘Of course not – providing that I get to be alone with you sometimes. He drew her into his arms to kiss her passionately. I want you so much, my darling. I’ve been longing for this moment…to make love to you like this…’

  Merry smiled at him, moving into his body so that she could feel the heat of his arousal. Even though their friends had been with them for much of the past few weeks, it had not stopped them being alone for a while. Merry had been aware that his kisses were more intent and she’d known how much he wanted to love her properly, but he’d waited because he wanted their wedding night to be perfect.

  Merry wasn’t sure that Belle and Harry had waited. Indeed, she was fairly sure they hadn’t, because of a look in her friend’s eyes, but she hadn’t asked and Belle hadn’t told her. There were some things that even best friends shouldn’t tell.

  ‘I’ve been impatient too,’ she whispered, gazing up at him. ‘Take me to bed, John. Make love to me…make me your own. I want you so much.’

  ‘I shall,’ he said and, sweeping her up in his arms he proceeded to show her just how much he adored her. Making her wedding night one she would remember with pleasure all her life.

  * * *

  Three months had passed and Merry was in her sitting room in the London house. She was writing out some invitations for a dinner party when the door was flung open and a very fashionable woman came bursting in.

  ‘Belle!’ Merry rose to her feet, holding out her hands to greet her. ‘You didn’t tell me you were coming to town?’

  ‘I didn’t know,’ Belle said. ‘We just got back from Paris yesterday and there was a letter waiting for me. It is from Samantha…’

  ‘You had one too,’ Merry said. ‘Mine says she wants to see me as soon as possible.’

  ‘Yes, that’s what mine says too.’ Annabelle looked at her. ‘I think she is in some trouble. We ought to go down straightaway, Merry. She was so good to us – and we promised to help her if we could.’

  ‘John is taking me tomorrow. We can all go together if you wish?’

  ‘Yes, of course. That would be much the best,’ Annabelle said. ‘If we can’t help her our husbands might. I wonder what can possibly be wrong?’

  ‘I hope it is nothing too serious,’ Merry frowned. ‘I have been worrying about what it might be…’

  ‘Me too – and I’m not supposed to worry. I’m having a child, Merry.’

  ‘So soon?’ Annabelle blushed and Merry smiled. She’d guessed that she and Harry had not waited. ‘Are you pleased – is Harry?’

  ‘He only cares about me and I know Father will be delighted,’ Annabelle said. ‘An heir for the estate. Are you…?’

  ‘Not yet,’ Merry said and smiled, ‘but I think it will not be too long.’

  ‘It would have been fun to do it together…’

  ‘Yes.’ Merry laughed, then her smile faded. ‘I wonder why we’ve been asked to go down…I do hope Samantha isn’t in terrible trouble.’

  ‘We shall soon know,’ Annabelle said. ‘Now, I’m just going to sit here and gossip until Harry comes to fetch me home in the carriage.’

  * * *

  ‘Thank you so much for coming down,’ Samantha Merlin said. ‘You both look wonderful. I’m glad you are so happy. I wouldn’t have asked you to come but it is terribly important.’

  ‘You know we would do anything to help you, Samantha darling,’ Annabelle said. ‘Are you in some trouble’

  ‘It isn’t me so much. Do you remember Eleanor Brough – the sister of Lord Adrian Brough?’

  ‘Yes, I recall her. She was shy and rather unhappy…’ Merry looked thoughtful. Has something happened to her?’

  ‘She has gone – disappeared without trace,’ Samantha said. ‘I know you took her under your wing for a few weeks. Have you any idea where she might have gone? Was there a young man or a friend…anyone she might have run to?’

  ‘I do not recall her having mentioned anyone,’ Merry said and Annabelle agreed.

  ‘No, she didn’t talk to me as much as she did to you, Merry. Perhaps she has gone home to her brother?’

  ‘No, I fear not. I wrote to him and he denies all knowledge of her – and he is coming here to talk to me soon. I fear he is angry and blames me for her disappearance.’

  ‘That isn’t fair. If she went off without telling you…’

  ‘As far as I can discover she did not tell anyone anything – and that’s why I thought of you two.’

  ‘I wish I could help,’ Merry said. ‘I shall ask Sutherland to make inquiries discreetly. If we can discover anything we shall tell you at once.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ Annabelle said. ‘We were both so happy here. It is unfair of Lord Brough to blame you…’

  ‘I am her teacher…’ Samantha sighed. ‘Perhaps I filled her head with too many stories of princes and heroes and far off lands…’

  ‘Oh, we loved your stories. They never made us want to run away.’

  ‘But you had each other and Eleanor was so alone…’ Samantha sighed. ‘I blame myself. I should have kept a watch on her.’

  ‘Eleanor was always a quiet girl. She liked to be by herself,’ Annabelle said. ‘She will probably turn up safe and sound.’

  ‘I do hope so,’ Samantha said. ‘Otherwise her brother will never forgive me.’

  * * *

  Samantha stood by the wishing well. The moon was full as she threw her coin into the fountain.

  ‘Lady of the well, I never ask you for anything for myself – but please help us find Eleanor. I do not know where to look and I fear her brother will never forgive me for failing her.’

  A cloud passed across the moon and darkness fell. Samantha shivered, pulling her shawl tight about her shoulders. She seldom came to the well because she never asked for anything for herself. It was a rule for her. If you asked for a favour from the lady bad things might ensue – but this time she’d been desperate, because she feared for the young girl who was missing from her school.

  If anything had happened to Eleanor she would not forgive herself – and Lord Brough would hate her.

  * * *

  If you have enjoyed this book, look out for further stories in the Wishing Well series.

  Anne Herries also writes as Linda Sole, Lynn Granville and Anne Ireland. Under her various pen names she has written more than 120 books.

  You may contact her through her website

  www.lindasole.co.uk

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