“Yes.”
Alice didn’t know what to think. Her mind went blank. Then she began to back away.
Hampshire groaned and his hold tightened on her hands. “Don’t walk away, Alice. You’re scaring me again.”
“No…” Alice swallowed. This felt like a dream. “No one outside of my family has said they love me. I’m not…”
“Not what?”
“I hide in the shadows, Hampshire. I’m shy. Painfully so. What have I got that would make you fall for me?”
“Because you’re an educated, loving person. You’re kind and you’re sweet.” Hampshire brushed his fingers across her chin. “Those qualities came through when you didn’t notice. And that’s what I fell in love with.”
“Do you mean it?” Alice could feel the hope stirring. “This isn’t to get revenge on what I did?”
Hampshire shook his head. “No. I’m not like that. You should know that.”
Alice stared at him. Not a part of Hampshire said he was lying to her. This wasn’t a way to get his revenge. He really meant it.
Alice broke the rules. She had never done that before and she didn’t care. No one was there to see them. She flung her arms around Hampshire’s neck and kissed him. Hampshire didn’t even complain or push her away. His arms slipped around her and cradled her as he took control of the kiss. Alice trembled when she felt the fire coming from him.
Who could have said this man was boring?
Finally, Hampshire pulled away and gave a shaky laugh.
“I’ll take that as my answer.”
“Answer to what? You didn’t ask a question.”
“I was about to say do you love me, too.” Hampshire kissed her forehead. “But you’ve already answered it.”
“I…” Alice blushed and slid her arms from his neck. “I’m not very good with words at times.”
“From the way you were laying into your sister, I don’t think you have a problem.” Hampshire kissed her again, hugging her close. “Marry me?”
Alice knew this one was real. She wasn’t about to run away again. She was sure her smile was going to split her face as she nodded. Hampshire hugged her and then tucked her into his side, an arm around her shoulders. The tension that had been in his body was gone and his smile was a lot more relaxed. Alice liked this side of him.
“Come on.” Hampshire nudged her towards the door. “I think we need to talk to your sister.”
Alice stared at him. “You want to have anything to do with her after what she did?”
“She’s your sister. I think she’s going to be in my life for a long time.” Hampshire chuckled. “Providing you can put up with a boring man for a long time.”
Alice laughed and hugged him around the waist. “I’ve never seen you as boring.”
“Thank God for that.”
They were still laughing when Annabelle and Harriet found them. The mother and daughter looked at each other and then tiptoed back inside.
*** The End ***
The Duke’s Hidden Love
Regency Romance
Grace Fletcher
Chapter 1
Forced Out
“E mily?”
Emily turned away from the window. Her husband lay on the bed, half-bathed in candlelight. She could see him searching for her, reaching out with a trembling hand. She hurried to his side, taking his hand as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m here, darling.” She kissed his hand. “I’m here.”
“I thought you’d left me.”
Emily smiled, holding his hand to her cheek.
“I’m not going anywhere. Not until you get better.”
She was exhausted, her hair in a mess and Emily was sure she looked a sight. She had spent most of the last two weeks in the bedroom with her husband, tending to him as he lay seriously ill. Her parents had even arrived from their home in Nottinghamshire to help look after their daughter. Emily could not be more grateful for her family’s help while she helped tend to her ill husband.
The doctors weren’t holding out much hope. Thomas Jackson, Earl of Lincoln, had not always been a well man. Any time he fell ill, it went to his chest, and he ended up taking to his bed for most of it. Emily didn’t like seeing him in pain; it tore her heart out. And she didn’t like the fact the doctors had said this time was different from the previous times he had been ill. They were sure he was dying that there was nothing they could do except make him comfortable.
Emily refused to believe that. Her husband would overcome this, just like the other times. She wasn’t about to lose him.
Lincoln coughed, his coughing sounding raspy and full of phlegm. Emily hid the wince at the noise. It was horrible. She wished she could take the pain away.
Lincoln stopped his coughing and settled back against the many pillows behind his head.
“What about Joyce?” he wheezed, “Is she all right?”
“She’s with my mother and father downstairs right now. They’re distracting her.”
“Does she understand that I’m unwell?”
“She knows Papa’s not well but we’re not talking about it in front of her.” Emily paused. The next part was news she had received a few moments before, something she wasn’t looking forward to. “Your mother is on the way.”
Lincoln chuckled weakly.
“You still hate each other, don’t you?”
“Can you blame me, Linc? She’s been cruel to me ever since you said you were going to marry me.”
“She’s mellowing out now.”
Emily didn’t believe that for one moment. Tara Jackson, Dowager Countess of Lincoln, had made it perfectly clear from the moment they met that Emily was not welcome in her family. Between her and her younger son, Gerald, Emily had been made to feel like she was an interloper in the family she married into. Lincoln, on the other hand, didn’t notice. He had always been besotted with Emily and would defend her to the death against his family.
Emily wanted to cut her mother-in-law and brother-in-law off, but Lincoln wouldn’t let her; he still loved them and wouldn’t leave them out in the cold. If it was up to Emily, she would have made sure they never contacted them again; they were the only blights in her happy marriage. But she loved her husband and would put up with anything for him even if it meant being in the presence of her husband’s family.
But she didn’t want to talk about her mother-in-law, who would probably steamroll the place and make herself in charge, pushing Emily out the way. It would happen tonight, Emily was sure of it. And she was too tired to be treated like one of the servants.
“Will you do me a favor, Emily?”
“Anything.”
Lincoln gulped, the motion looking like it took effort.
“Will you marry again once you’re out of your mourning period?”
Emily reeled back. She felt like she had been slapped in the face.
“What? What did you just say?”
“You’re not deaf, Emily. You heard me.”
“I was hoping that I didn’t hear it.” Emily gripped his hand tightly. “Don’t be ridiculous, Linc. You’re not going to die. I’m not going to marry again because you and I will die of old age together.”
Lincoln snorted. His pallor was looking worse than before and he was sweating profusely. It sounded like he was struggling to breathe.
“When I die,” he said again, “I don’t want you to mourn me forever. I want you to move on, be happy. Make sure Joyce has a father.”
Emily blinked back the tears. She couldn’t even think about looking at someone else, never mind marrying someone else. Not with her husband here with her. She shook her head and kissed his hand, nuzzling his fingers.
“That’s not going to happen. Because you’re going to get better.”
But Lincoln seemed to be very determined on this topic. He genuinely believed he was going to die. Emily didn’t know how she would cope if he did. He couldn’t die. That would mean leaving her and Joyce alone.
> “Promise me,” Lincoln rasped.
His hand was clutching almost too tightly to hers. Emily bit back the wince and nodded.
“All right. I promise.”
That promise was not going to be fulfilled. Because Lincoln was going to get better. She just knew it. She leaned over and kissed him.
“I love you, Thomas,” She whispered. “You’re not going anywhere without me.”
Lincoln sighed and cupped her jaw, kissing her back.
“I love you, too.”
Emily wanted to crawl into bed beside him and hold her husband. She wasn’t about to leave him even if it made her ill. All she wanted was to be with the man she loved.
She was about to lie down when the door flew open and a tall, dark-haired woman strode in as if she owned the place. Emily stiffened when she saw her and the man looming in the doorway. The young man scowled at her, clearly displeased about her presence.
“My darling boy!” the woman cried, hurrying towards the bed. “Mama’s here now.”
“Mother.”
That was all Lincoln got out before Tara Jackson, Dowager Countess of Lincoln, flung herself onto the bed and hugged him. During that she managed to knock Emily out of the way. Emily managed to stop herself from ending up in a heap on the floor and straightened up to watch as her mother-in-law fawned over her eldest son. A knot of jealousy and anger formed in her stomach. She wasn’t about to begrudge a close relationship between parent and child but the dowager countess’ behavior was too much. Even Lincoln knew it was unhealthy and kept her at arm’s length.
The dowager countess straightened up, smiling lovingly at her son as she stroked his sweaty cheek. Then she looked at Emily and the smile snapped off, her eyes flashing at her.
“You can go now. You’re not needed.”
That stung. From their first meeting, the dowager countess had never addressed Emily by name or even her maiden name. It was as if she was trying to ignore the fact someone her son had chosen was not her choice and she didn’t want to know about it. Lincoln knew about it, but he wasn’t in the best position to defend her.
“I want my wife to be with me,” Lincoln said weakly. He tried to get up but the dowager countess practically pushed him back down.
“She’s had your time ever since you got sick. Now it’s my turn. And you need rest, my darling.”
Emily knew what was going to happen. The dowager countess was going to make sure she was in charge and make sure Emily didn’t see her husband while she was there.
She tried to go around the other side of the bed, reaching for Lincoln’s hand. But then the dowager countess’ hand clamped down on her wrist, pushing her away.
“Lincoln needs rest, not you fretting over him,” she snapped. “Go now. I’ll fetch you if anything happens.”
Emily knew that wouldn’t happen. She wouldn’t know what was going on if the dowager countess was in charge. She shook her head.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yes, you are.” Her mother-in-law beckoned in the man in the doorway, “Gerald!”
Emily stared. She was actually going to throw her out of her own chambers? Lincoln tried to sit up, reaching for Emily as his brother charged in and grabbed Emily, hauling her towards the door.
“No! Emily!”
“Lincoln!” Emily kicked back and connected with Gerald’s shin, but he didn’t let go. “Let me go!”
The dowager countess smirked at her, pulling Lincoln back and pushing him onto the pillows.
“You are not coming anywhere near my son until I think you should.”
Emily screamed and tried to fight back. She had to get back to her husband. But then Gerald had her out of the room and the door was slammed shut.
Chapter 2
Disinherited and Lost
“M ama, look! I wrote my name.”
Emily looked up from her sewing as the red-haired little girl came hurrying over to her, shoving a sheet of paper on her lap. She smiled in pride when she saw the writing of her daughter’s name at the top. It was a lot neater than before.
“That’s beautiful, darling.” She kissed and hugged her daughter. “Your writing is really coming along.”
Joyce Jackson beamed.
“Nurse Mary says I’m very clever. I can understand a lot of words when I look in a book. She says I will love books when I’m older.”
Joyce talked fast and said a lot. But Emily didn’t say anything except smile. It was incredibly sweet, and she loved hearing Joyce talk. She was thriving and growing up into a lovely girl.
The only regret she had was that her husband wasn’t there to see his daughter grow up.
Emily watched as Joyce skipped away, happy as anything. She was so much like her father in that she was enthusiastic about everything. She was studious and sweet, a perfect child. Emily was proud of her.
Across the room on another couch, Simone Newsome watched her granddaughter go with a soft, affectionate smile.
“She’s coming along beautifully.”
“Certainly.” Emily had to blink back the tears. “I’m really proud of her.”
“I’m glad she’s doing well.” Her mother then glanced at her daughter, “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“How are you getting on? It’s been two weeks since you came out of your mourning but you’re still walking around like you’re in a dream.”
Emily sighed. Simone didn’t really understand why she was still mourning for a man who had left her out in the cold. When Lincoln died, everyone had been under the impression that Emily would maintain the title of Countess of Lincoln and live with her daughter in the family estate for life. Instead, it was declared that Emily had not been left anything in the will, which meant she was stripped of her title and had to leave the place she knew as home for the previous three years.
Everyone in her family was in an uproar. No one could understand why this had happened. From what everyone had seen, and what Emily had experienced, Lincoln was devoted to his wife and to his daughter. So disinheriting both of them was startling. It was as if they didn’t know the man at all.
Emily was sure the dowager countess was still delighted at the result. She had been trying to get rid of her for years. And now she got what she wanted: her daughter-in-law and the granddaughter she showed no interest in, out of her life.
Now Emily and Joyce lived with her parents and younger sister in Nottinghamshire, over a hundred miles away from her former home, where her brother-in-law was having fun being the current Earl of Lincoln and his mother controlled him. She didn’t mind living with family, but she did mind being forced out and being made destitute.
Lincoln would never have done that. Emily was sure something was wrong. But she couldn’t prove it. And her parents’ opinion of their son-in-law had completely turned sour. Now Emily avoided talking about Lincoln in case her parents attempted to start an argument.
That was the only concern living there.
“I was married to him and I loved him, Mother.” Emily picked up her sewing and started again. “It’s going to take a while before I can be normal again. And I do still miss him.”
Simone snorted.
“I don’t understand why you should miss him. He disinherited both you and Joyce. Nothing. And you were meant to be his wife, the woman he would share a life with.”
“He had to have his reasons, Mother.”
“Maybe, but he showed to everyone that he adored you.” Simone was now on fire, her arms flailing as they normally did when she was emotional. “And we all loved him because he was a great father and made you smile. To leave you with nothing and no home… that’s just downright cruel. He had to be the best actor I’ve ever met.”
Emily had endured her parents, especially her mother, discrediting Lincoln. Even if he did really disinherit her, she wasn’t about to hear her husband degraded like this. She loved her mother and father but she also loved her husband. She didn’t want to go through thi
s again.
“Don’t be unkind about my husband, please.” How her voice didn’t waver, Emily had no idea. “He loved me and Joyce when he was alive. He looked after us. I don’t want any more memories that I have of him to be tarnished.”
Her mother had never understood why she would still not say a bad word about a man who had died and left her with nothing. That was the bone of contention between them right now.
Simone sighed heavily and shook her head.
“I love you, Emily. But mourning a man who left you destitute I find a little hard to take.”
Emily didn’t want to talk about it anymore. She gathered her sewing, tears prickling at her eyes. She kept her composure as she stood and faced Simone.
“It’s not easy to turn off love, Mother,” she said calmly, “I’m sure you understand that.”
Then she walked out as quickly as she dared without tripping over her feet. She was not about to burst into tears in front of her mother. That would not do.
***
Gavin Davenport, Duke of Nottinghamshire, was exhausted. His insomnia had been working overtime and, as a result, not much sleep had been had. All he wanted was fall into bed and sleep for a week. If his mind would stop churning over and over.
But George Newsome had asked for his help and Notts was hardly one to turn a good man down. Newsome didn’t often ask for help but when he did, it was important. Plus, it was at his estate. That wasn’t something Notts was going to pass on.
Not when Emily Jackson now lived there.
Notts knew he was being a fool. Emily was his friend’s widow and had only come out of mourning. But Notts couldn’t help himself. He admired the young woman, who managed to keep her head high despite everything. She was a kind, sweet woman and a loving mother to the most adorable little girl Notts had ever met. She had been kicked out of her home, disinherited and left out in the cold by her husband’s family and Emily was still there.
Notts had spent a lot of time wondering why his friend, who had declared almost every conversation that he loved his wife, would suddenly leave her with nothing. Lincoln–Thomas Jackson, Notts had to remember there was a new Earl of Lincoln around–showed his affection for Emily and for Joyce. Notts had been almost jealous at how happy they were. So to leave her with nothing but the clothes on her back was startling and confusing.
Regency Romances for the Ages Page 87