The Marchioness’ Buried Secret (Historical Regency Romance)

by Ella Edon

  Henry kissed her forehead and held her close.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  She awoke in Henry's arms, the sun peeking in from the open drapes. Henry stirred and she felt his lips against her forehead. She closed her eyes and smiled.

  "Good Morning, My darling."

  Emma looked up at him. "A wonderful morning indeed."

  She sat up, so that she was away from the sun. Henry sat up as well, , he could not take his eyes off of her. It made her feel shy. It made her feel beautiful.

  He stretched, and walked over to the window looking outside. He closed his eyes and sighed,content. "It seems that it would soon be time for breakfast."

  "You seem eager to have breakfast..." she laughed.

  He nodded. "I am famished."

  Her stomach rumbled, and they shared a laugh. She nodded. "I am famished as well."

  He walked over to her and helped her arise from the bed. "I never asked how it went with Lady Allen yesterday."

  "You were preoccupied with other things." She kissed his jaw and stepped back. He nodded, laughing. "True, I certainly was. So how did it go?"

  Emma shrugged. "Fine. But still, there is nothing valid to tell your father, and he most definitely will ask this of me."

  Henry sighed. His smile faded. "We shall not let such discussions begin our morning."

  He picked up a robe and helped her into it. "Get dressed, have breakfast. I want to spend the day with you."

  Emma smiled. "You have nowhere to be?"

  He shook his head. "No where but here."

  Giddy, Emma decided to get ready for the day.

  * * *

  "My lady, this dress does not quite fit." Sally said, finally giving up.

  Emma sighed. She sat on the bed and stared at Sally in wonder. "This dress has always fit me before. What has made that change now?"

  Emma felt tired. Her breasts felt heavier, and she felt uncomfortable. She felt strange. She felt the need to sit always. She did not even feel like walking down the stairs for dinner most days.

  She stood up and pulled down the dress. She signaled to Sally as she did this. Sally rushed to help her take it off. She was left in only her petticoat.

  "Bring me the green dress, with gold embroidery, I hope it fits."

  Thankfully it did. When she was ready, she headed down for breakfast, with Sally in her wake. Henry was seated already, and so was the Earl.

  The Earl nodded to them in greeting, but it seemed that he was far off, thinking of something else. As though he had only just realized that they were seated there, he looked up and saw Emma. He narrowed his eyed at her. Emma flinched and looked away.

  They ate silently. After breakfast, as Henry held out his hand for Emma, the Earl threw his napkin down furiously and said. " Emma. Has any progress been made?"

  He rose. Emma was still seated, because she did not know if it was right that she stood. The Earl made her so afraid. With his behaviour of late, Emma thought it was best to stay out of his way.

  "Emma! Did you not hear me?"

  She saw Henry clench his teeth and saw that he wanted to speak. Emma panicked. She did not want any issues between them. She wanted no arguments.

  She rose and said quickly. "Yes. I found out something." Emma decided that she would tell the Earl about the French visitors. It was of no use and made no sense, but she had no choice. All she needed to do was have something to say. "My Lord...the Duke..he has some visitors over for a visit."

  The Earl seemed taken aback. "Go on."

  Emma nodded. "The Earl... The visitors...they are French..."

  "And what are their names?"

  "Father..." Henry imputed. "perhaps she does not know. She has given you some key information. It could be of great use."

  The Earl looked from Emma to Henry, but he said nothing. He walked around them and left the dining room. Emma breathed out, her hands shook. She did not understand why she was feeling more jittery of late, feeling more afraid of the Earl.

  Henry stared at her and said. "I do not know what we must do to be rid of such toxicity from our life."

  Emma kissed his cheeks and said. "We shall have to figure it out."

  Henry smiled. "Perhaps we shall begin our day with a little draught game?"

  Emma laughed. "I certainly would love to but excuse me. I need to rest my head for a bit. We shall play the game by noon?"

  Henry creased his brows. "Are you alright? Do you feel unwell? Perhaps it is best I consult the physician?"

  Emma shook her head immediately. "I am fine. I just need to rest."

  Henry sighed. "If you do not feel well, then you have to tell me."

  "I shall." She turned and headed away from him. Emma climbed up the stairs and was heading for her bed chamber when the Earl came out of nowhere and blocked her path. She flinched, and nearly screamed, but she was able to stop herself. He narrowed his eyes at her.

  "Henry often thinks that he can protect you from me, but we both know that he cannot. We both know that I could take you to the convent and he could not do anything about it. So, if you know what is best for you, you shall find me something tangible. Find out the name of those French visitors. Who knows, they may be good news to me."

  Emma closed her eyes. Lady Allen had said that they were old friends of the Duke. In that case, it did not matter. If the Earl wanted to know the names of the visitors, she was more than glad to give it to him.

  "They are Lord and Lady D'Airelle."

  The Earl seemed caught off guard. Slowly, a smile graced his lips and he said to her. "D'airelle?" he laughed. "Frances D'airelle is in England?" He took a step back. Emma did not understand what was going on. "This is the best news ever, Lady Blackmoor. The Duke houses a spy... French spies to be exact. The Duke has betrayed the English. He has betrayed the King and for that, he should be punished."

  Emma shook her head. "No, they are not spies. They are…a family."

  "That is what they want everyone to believe, and of course they are a family. A family of spies. Long ago, Claude was sent, along with her father to infiltrate the English and bring back information to their king. But they failed, and her father's reputation was at stake. Lord D'airelle was sent to replace her father, in order to save his reputation as a failure. Claude decided to work hand in hand with D'airelle as to have glory for her father. They eventually fell in love and succeeded with getting news for their king and glory was given to all including her father, saving his reputation. They were wed upon their return. My dear, they are spies and they have only come here in disguise."

  Emma creased her brows. "But how do you know all of this? How are you familiar with them? How certain are you? How do you know so much about them?"

  "Do not be foolish, child, so much as to question to me in such an outrageous manner. I know all." The Earl laughed and laughed. He waved at Emma and rushed down the stairs.

  As Emma stood there, watching him disappear, her heart sank. She had betrayed Lady Allen.. Her heartbeat increased. The Earl was on to something and he was going to do something terrible.

  She turned around and walked down the stairs. As she did, she could hear the Earl calling out to Mr. Anders to summon the stable boy and footman. He was going somewhere. Something was about to happen.

  As she stepped on the last stair, she saw Henry rush out of the drawing room, his eyes wide, wondering. When he locked eyes with Emma, she shook her head. Henry made his way over to her and Emma began to cry.

  "I had not known that the French staying over at the Loringham were spies. Henry, I have betrayed her trust. I have betrayed Rachael. She may never forgive me for this. "

  Henry pulled her close, but he seemed worried. "How did father know that those were French spies? How was he so certain?"

  Emma shook her head. "I have no idea, but he was so certain that he even relayed their history to me. He was so certain, Henry. We have to stop him"

  Henry shook his head. "If the Duke is betraying us and working with the Frenc
h, then he deserves to face punishment. The penalty for treason is death."

  Emma clapped her hands over her mouth. She shook her head lightly. "No..."

  Henry hugged her. "I am so sorry."

  She moved away from him. "I betrayed her. She will never forgive me for this."

  "You did nothing wrong and I highly doubt that Lady Allen knew they were spies. If she had openly told you about them, then she was unaware."

  Emma froze. Of course, that was a possibility. She was feeling dizzy, and her head ached. She held her forehead and shook her head at Henry. "I must lay down for a bit."

  Henry nodded and guided her up the stairs. "I shall ring for Sally, when I am certain you are well rested, to bring you some soup."

  Emma would like that. She would certainly like to put all that had happened behind her. Even for a second. But even as Henry tried to comfort her, she still feared for Lady Allen. She turned to Henry. "Henry, help me, please. Help me make sure that Rachael is not taken away for this. Help me do something."

  She saw his shoulders sag, but he nodded, his assurance eased the tension from her a bit.

  "I know who to go to."

  Henry left almost immediately, and Emma was left alone with Sally once again. She was finished drinking the soup that Sally had brought her and was now resting her head against the pillows that Sally had set up high.

  Sally looked down at her, smiling.

  Emma glared at her. "What makes you so glad now?"

  Sally cleaned the table and picked up the tray. "You are yet to see your monthlies, My Lady."

  Emma creased her brows. "And..."

  "And well, with your recent behaviour. It can only mean one thing."

  "What could it mean?"

  Sally laughed. "Perhaps you are with child. You behave as my mama did when she was bearing my little brother."

  Emma felt as though she could not breath for a second. She could hear the pumping of her own blood. She creased her brows and gave it a thought as she stared at Sally wide eyed. Perhaps she was indeed with child. But with the current occurrences, her mood dampened, and she feared what kind of home her child would be born into.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Henry walked into the Hamilton House, his hands clasped together. The Duke of Roxburgh was close to the King and a member of court. Hamilton was the closest person he knew to the Duke, so he decided that he would ask Hamilton to put in a word for him, for Lady Allen was not guilty.

  However, as he walked in, Hamilton made his way towards him, a grim expression on his face. "I am so pleased that you are here. I was about to come to you."

  Henry nodded. "Yes? Have you found anything?"

  Hamilton nodded. "Yes, and I am afraid you shall not be pleased by this. It is bad news, old friend."

  Henry knew that what his father had been up to was something bad, but he could not help the fear that gripped him. "Tell me."

  "Lord Drysdale is working with French spies, to infiltrate the English."

  Henry was enraged. His father was a hypocrite, and he had gone on judging the Duke, for the same thing that he was doing. Henry relayed the events that had just taken place.

  "This is treason of the highest order, Lord Blackmoor."

  Henry nodded. He was not sure what to do, but he needed to head home. He needed to discuss it all with Emma.

  Hamilton offered to escort him. "Perhaps I should come with you?"

  Henry shook his head. He understood that Hamilton wanted to show his utmost support, but Henry wanted to handle it all alone.

  "What do you intend to do now, Henry?" Hamilton asked as they rushed down the porch.

  Henry shrugged. "I have no idea, but I shall go home first, and speak to Emma about all of this. Do not forget, Hamilton. If this case gets to the Regent, which I am certain that it will, Lady Allen is innocent in all of this. I know that you are quite close to His Grace. Please, help relay the message...the lady is innocent in all of this."

  Lord Hamilton nodded once. His expression was grim. Henry knew that although what he had found was heavy and burdensome, Lord Hamilton would keep it a secret because first, it was Henry's secret and he wanted Henry to make the decision on what to do.

  When Henry arrived back home, he was surprised to see a horse he did not recognize the horse.He knew however that he had a visitor. He wondered who it might be. He walked into the house where he could hear noises coming from the salon. He headed there immediately.

  He stopped by the door, when he heard cries. The voice seemed familiar.

  "I am so sorry, Rachael. I did not mean for this to happen."

  "They took Loftus..." she cried "I was so terrified. They came barging in and I had been in the salon with Lady D'airelle. " She stopped, as though realizing something. "They were spies. How could I not have known for all these years, Emma!"

  There was a stretched silence before Lady Allen went on. "I knew that I was innocent in all of this, so I fled. They cannot take me away for a crime that I have not committed. I wonder how I can prove my innocence before the Regent. I know Loftus. He would boldly declare that we had worked hand in hand, and I shall have no witness to my innocence."

  Lady Allen cried even harder now. She went on, sniffling and crying. "I know that the French would be set free. They would want no French blood on their hands. It would start a war. The King of France would send in troops to get them back."

  She was right. The spies would not be harmed. Shedding any French blood could lead to a bloody war. But the traitors, they would not be set free. Henry closed his eyes and shook his head. He was torn. He did not know what to do. His own father was a traitor as well. He had been so obsessed with becoming a duke and bringing ruin to the Duke of Loringham that he had stooped so low himself.

  Henry headed to the study. His father had left in a hurry that morning. Surely, there was something that he could find. Something that would be of good use to him, any evidence of his father's betrayal, and hopefully, the letters that he claimed he had.

  As he was walking to the study, he saw Mr. Anders walking out of it, he had a case in his hands. Henry recognized it as his father's.

  "Mr. Anders," he called.

  Mr. Anders turned to him. "My Lord, welcome. You have returned early. "

  Henry nodded. "What is that you have there?"

  Mr. Anders looked down at the case. "Oh, the Earl was in a hurry as he left, so he had asked me to take this to his bedchamber."

  Henry did not want to look suspicious to Mr. Anders. He knew how loyal Mr. Anders was to his father. He had been for so many years. Henry walked towards the study and pushed the door open.

  "Father is long gone. Why did you not return it to his bed chamber before?"

  "Well, I had planned to keep it in his bed chamber as he had asked, but the bed chamber is locked, and I no longer hold the keys. I suspect that he has taken the keys with him."

  Henry creased his brows and walked into the study. "Why would father take the keys to his room?"

  Mr. Anders walked inside with him. To seem normal, Henry took out a bottle of scotch as Mr. Anders replied. "Well, he requested them a few weeks ago, and since then, he has always had them."

  Because he was keeping secrets, Henry thought.

  "You could keep the case here, Mr. Anders. When father returns, I shall return it to him."

  Mr. Anders shook his head. "He stated that I was to ensure it was well kept, My Lord."

  Henry shrugged. "This is certainly a safe place to keep it. You had thought of it, for you were here when I came. Is that not so?"

  Mr. Anders nodded. "Indeed, My Lord."

  Henry took a seat and nodded. "I would watch over it, Mr. Anders. There is no need to bother yourself." He sat up and took out some papers from beneath the desk and began to read through them.

  He hoped that he seemed nonchalant enough, because he wanted Mr. Anders to leave the briefcase. Mr. Anders sighed after a while and placed the briefcase on the table. "I shall be on my way now
, My Lord."

  Henry nodded but did not look up. When he was certain Mr. Anders was gone, he opened the briefcase and began to look through the papers inside. The case opened widely and as he hurried to look through the papers, some of them fell out from the briefcase and littered the table.

  Henry looked through the papers,he read briefly, quickly, and sharply. His eyes captured the contents and he froze when he saw his father's signature at the bottom of one of the papers.