The Unexpected Heiress

by Kaitlin O’Riley

  Phillip remained quiet as his uncle’s words sunk in.

  He’d never given much consideration to his parents’ lives before he was born and none at all to his uncle’s. Uncle Jeffrey was very beloved among the Hamilton cousins, but Phillip realized he didn’t know much about him as a man, other than the fact that Jeffrey had been a bit of a rogue before he married Colette’s youngest sister. Thinking of Uncle Jeffrey as a lonely young man was a novelty.

  And he’d been illegitimate?

  “I’d no idea,” Phillip whispered, a bit in awe.

  “Of course, you didn’t know. It’s all ancient history now. But the point I’m trying to make is that your mother is an excellent judge of character. I wouldn’t ignore her warnings just to indulge your sense of rebellion, Phillip. Your mother loves and cares for you. She wants only the best for you. Don’t underestimate the power of that love.”

  “So you think I should stay away from Katherine too?”

  “Not at all,” Jeffrey continued. “I just think you shouldn’t rush into anything with her. You’re still young yet. There’s no need to marry her just to spite your parents. Have your fun if you wish. You are both adults. But don’t tie yourself down unless you are one hundred percent positive she is the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with. Can you say that about her?”

  Phillip paused and stared at the glowing flames that flickered in the fireplace, warming the room against the cool evening air.

  Was he completely certain he wanted to marry Katherine?

  Phillip hadn’t had any interest in marrying Katherine until she said she wanted to marry him. He’d been so flattered by her desire to be his wife that he hadn’t given much thought to what things he actually wanted in a wife.

  What did he want in a wife?

  Suddenly the image of Meredith Remington drifted into his mind. She was beautiful. Smart. Witty. Kind. She would make some man an excellent wife one day. Instinctively, he knew that she was the marrying kind. There was not a doubt about that. But would she be a good wife for him?

  He’d been overjoyed to see her in the Devon House library that afternoon. It had been such an unexpected surprise to stumble upon her that way, that he felt like a giddy schoolboy in her presence.

  She looked so pretty, in a day gown of pale blue and white stripes that brought out the blue of her eyes. With her soft, chestnut hair arranged in cascading curls down her back, her clear complexion, and delectable lips, she’d been irresistible to him. So much so, that he couldn’t help but hold her hands in his.

  And if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d been thrilled to see him too. Her eyes had lit up when she recognized him. She’d smiled in welcome when he walked toward her. She’d allowed him to hold her hands. They had been so small, so delicate, and so fragile. He felt insanely protective of her.

  He was completely fascinated by the fact that she was a writer. Writing a book seemed an incomprehensible task to him. So many words, so many pages. He didn’t have a skill or talent like that within him, and he marveled at the people who possessed such talents. Like Katherine’s dancing, for example.

  But Meredith Remington . . . she was something quite special, indeed.

  There had been a spark of something between them that afternoon. He’d definitely felt it. He’d been completely transfixed by her lips. They were so luscious and inviting. He’d desperately wanted to kiss her, and he sensed that she had wanted him to kiss her too.

  In fact, they were both leaning in for that kiss, when his father interrupted the little reverie they’d been caught up in and brought them back to their senses. It was like he’d been doused with a bucket of icy cold water. Phillip had completely forgotten that his brother and parents were in the library with them.

  Something like that had never happened to him before.

  Poor Meredith had been so embarrassed. He had done his best to put her at ease afterward, which was rather difficult when he himself was reeling from their strange encounter. But again, he’d felt the need to protect her.

  Which is why he’d offered his advice on the matter of husbands in the first place. He couldn’t stand for her to marry some of the idiotic clods out there. She needed to be with a man who would cherish her.

  Dear God, listen to me! I sound like a besotted fool.

  His uncle Jeffrey continued speaking. “If Lady Katherine Vickers is truly the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with, and raise children with, then by all means marry her and don’t let anyone tell you any different,” Jeffrey said. “But be very, very sure before you make that kind of commitment.”

  Phillip listened and remained silent at his uncle’s words. “How did you know that Aunt Yvette was the one for you?”

  Jeffrey looked surprised by the question and then grew a bit thoughtful.

  “Your aunt Yvette was just a young girl when I first met the five Hamilton sisters. I’d never given her more than a passing thought. And if the truth were told, I was first interested in your aunt Juliette, but she and I were much better suited as friends. Thank heavens! Juliette was a handful back in her day.”

  Phillip listened to his uncle with rapt attention. Aunt Juliette and Jeffrey? It was an unimaginable combination.

  Jeffrey chuckled to himself. “But years later, I realized that Yvette was an incredible woman who would only add joy to my life, and I couldn’t live without her. She needed a little convincing at first, but I managed to bring her around. I’m still not half good enough for her, but I try.”

  “But how did you know?” Phillip insisted.

  “You’ll just know. You’ll know it in your heart, mind, and soul. If you’re not sure, and you’re questioning if marrying her is the right choice, then she’s the wrong woman for you,” Jeffrey said. “When she’s the right woman, there will be no questions. And if there is one, having her in your life will be the answer.”

  Phillip released a heavy sigh.

  Jeffrey added, “When she’s the right woman, you’ll want to be with her all the time. You will be humbled by the fact that she loves you, and you will strive to be worthy of that love. You will wish to make her part of your life.”

  Phillip remained silent, still staring at the flames dancing on the hearth. Jeffrey’s words made a great deal of sense.

  “Do you love Katherine?”

  “I’m not sure yet,” Phillip admitted, feeling a bit foolish that he didn’t know the answer.

  “Well, you had better be damned sure before you tie yourself to her. Think about how she would fit into your life and your family.”

  Phillip tried to imagine Lady Katherine Vickers sitting out there now with his parents, his aunts and uncles, and all his cousins, young and old.

  He’d been blessed with a large and extraordinarily close family because of his mother and her four sisters. Yvette with her winning ways and light laughter. Paulette with her quick wit and eyes that missed nothing. Lisette with her soft voice and caring nature. And Juliette with her naughty sense of humor and playful streak. He adored his mother’s four sisters.

  And there were his four uncles. Declan, with his Irish accent and good humor. Quinton, steady and kind. Harrison, full of adventurous stories of his travels around the world. And of course, Jeffrey, the favorite of the cousins because he’d always played with them when they were little.

  And all the cousins. Sara and Mara had been inseparable since they were little girls and had been his two constant playmates back in the day, but now they were proper wedded ladies, and Mara was expecting a child of her own. He suspected Sara wouldn’t be far behind in that regard. Thomas was the next closest to him in age and used to follow Simon and him everywhere. Then there was sweet Elizabeth and the twins, Christopher and Charles. Jeffrey’s three daughters—Victoria, Violet, and Vivienne—were the youngest of all the cousins. Those three little ones adored him.

  Phillip loved his big boisterous family get-togethers and had always looked forward to them. But when he tried to imagine Lady Katheri
ne Vickers at those events . . . all he could see was her pouting face. She would be miserable.

  But Meredith Remington wouldn’t be miserable at all.

  Phillip could easily imagine Meredith laughing with his cousin Sara and conversing with Mara about books. She would more than likely become good friends with Simon, for he’d seen how well she and his brother got along. Meredith had been quite comfortable with his parents and brother at tea that afternoon, acting almost as if she were already a member of his family.

  It was really quite strange.

  “Does Katherine love you?” Jeffrey asked.

  The question startled Phillip. “I’m not entirely sure of that either.”

  Katherine was a bit of an enigma to him. He assumed she loved him, but she’d never actually said the words to him. Then again, he had never told her that he loved her either. Probably because he didn’t know for certain if he did or not.

  “Phillip, these are the questions you need to ask yourself, and have the answers to, before you decide to marry anyone.” Jeffrey gave him a matter-of-fact look.

  “Yes, I see your point,” Phillip agreed. “It seems that I have some thinking to do on the matter.”

  It was rather disconcerting to him that every time he attempted to imagine his future, the beautiful face of Meredith Remington appeared in his mind.

  11

  A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

  “You must let me take you to the theater next week, Miss Remington,” the Duke of Havenfield said, as they rode in his elegant carriage through the park.

  “That would be nice,” Meredith murmured rather distractedly. She gazed off at the trees, which were just blooming with white dogwood blossoms.

  Suddenly, she felt a sharp pinch on the side of her ribs from Delilah, who was sitting beside her in the carriage.

  Meredith turned to see a very disapproving frown on her aunt’s face. Inwardly she groaned, knowing what her aunt expected of her.

  “Why yes, thank you. I would love to go with you! I simply adore the theater,” Meredith announced with forced cheerfulness and a bright smile pasted on her face.

  “Then we shall go to the St. James Theater to see The Importance of Being Earnest,” the Duke of Havenfield announced confidently. “I have a feeling they will shut down the production before too long, what with that scandalous business with Oscar Wilde. But I saw the play on opening night back in February, and I enjoyed it very much. Quite witty. I think you shall enjoy it too.”

  “I’m sure I will if you say so.” Meredith casually observed the duke sitting across from them in the black barouche.

  Charles Ridgley, the Duke of Havenfield, was rather broad shouldered and good looking, wearing a dark tailored suit with a tall top hat. He had a neatly trimmed beard of a light brown color and straight nose and nice teeth. His eyes were a light brown as well. There was the slightest dusting of gray around his temples. Otherwise, one would never guess him to be in his forties.

  Meredith had discovered that his wife had died of an illness almost two years ago. From what she gathered, it had been an arranged marriage to merge joint properties and great lineages, but not a particularly happy union. Yet his wife, Alicia, had dutifully produced three sons and a daughter who ranged in ages from four to twelve years old.

  After the proper mourning period, Charles Ridgley was now looking to marry someone of his own choosing who would make him happy.

  He seemed to think that Meredith Remington would make him happy.

  She could find no fault with him. He was kind, pleasant, and solicitous of her comfort. He was intelligent and well-educated, for they had enjoyed some pleasant discussions about books they had read. He liked entertainments and attending the theater. He was wealthy and had many estates. Meredith would be very well cared for if they were to wed. Which is what her aunt Delilah wanted.

  Yet, as Meredith glanced at him, looking quite fine as he did, she could not picture herself ever loving the man.

  She could not picture herself kissing him, nor bringing herself to perform the intimacies that would be required of her in his bed. A cold dread filled her chest.

  Suddenly, the image of Lord Waverly came to her mind.

  Now there was someone she could easily imagine doing those things with. Lord Waverly had a way of making her feel attracted to him just by the way he looked at her. She’d wanted to kiss him so desperately that afternoon at Devon House. Which was simply unexpected of her. She’d never kissed anyone before, so why would she want to kiss someone like Phillip Sinclair? It made no sense.

  She simply must stop thinking about him.

  He wasn’t interested in getting married anyway.

  But the Duke of Havenfield was.

  Seated beside her, Delilah beamed with happiness at the prospect of such a successful match. All she wanted was for Meredith to be safely married, cared for, and off her hands. Meredith wished that Delilah could just marry the duke herself. Then all their troubles would be over.

  But it seemed the duke only had eyes for Meredith.

  As the carriage rounded a turn in the park, Meredith noticed Lord Waverly walking across the sun-dappled lawn.

  Her heart fluttered at the sight. The tall man looked like him and moved like him, but there was something that was different. She watched closely. It wasn’t Lord Waverly after all.... It was his younger brother, Lord Simon Sinclair. She was positive of it.

  When she realized it was not Lord Waverly, an unexpected sense of disappointment cascaded over her but was instantly replaced by intrigue. She detected a sense of furtiveness about Simon’s actions as he glanced around, almost as if he were checking to see if anyone was watching him.

  Where was Simon Sinclair going?

  The duke’s carriage came to an unexpected stop because the barouche in front of them had caught their wheel in the mud. The momentary pause and the commotion it caused allowed Meredith to have a longer view of Lord Waverly’s brother. She gave a quick glance to her aunt and the Duke of Havenfield, who were engaged in a conversation about the type of flowering trees on the other side of the path.

  With their attention diverted, Meredith gave over to her curiosity as to what Simon was doing just out of sight near some tall shrubbery.

  Why was he not walking on the path with everyone else? He seemed to be looking for something or waiting for someone, but it seemed an odd place to meet. Meredith wondered what Simon Sinclair could be doing. Her writer’s brain began weaving different scenarios that would bring about a secret tryst or rendezvous such as this.

  Was it an illicit love affair or a married woman?

  Another young man came walking toward him, in a bit of a hurry. He was blond haired, attractive, and well dressed, but not as tall as Simon. He was clearly a gentleman, judging from his top hat, expensive clothing, and the way he carried himself. Simon smiled as the man approached.

  That was it?

  The big mystery was that Simon was waiting for a friend?

  Meredith exhaled a sigh of disappointment. That was hardly exciting, even if it did seem a rather inconvenient place for two friends to meet. They were off the main path, moving rather surreptitiously. Perhaps they were up to no good, planning some terrible deed?

  Just as the duke’s carriage lurched forward in motion again and she began to lose sight of them, Meredith could swear she saw the two men quickly embrace each other, before they walked away together.

  “Are you feeling well, Miss Remington?”

  “Excuse me?” Meredith asked, in somewhat of a daze, blinking at her aunt and the duke.

  She felt as if she had just witnessed something quite intimate and private. Something she was definitely not meant to see. She felt terrible for spying, even though she hadn’t deliberately been prying into his affairs. She just happened to be passing by while he was. . .

  While he was what? Meeting a friend? But some instinct within told her that it seemed as if the two men were more than just friends.

  �
��We asked if you are feeling all right, Meredith? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost, for heaven’s sake.” Delilah laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

  “I’m fine, thank you. The carriage just jostled me a little, that’s all.” Meredith forced a bright smile.

  She had no idea what the rest of the conversation entailed during the carriage ride back home to her aunt Lavinia’s house. She doubted if she said more than two words, for she was far too lost in her thoughts about Simon and the other gentleman and what she had just witnessed between them in the park.

  And what it could mean.

  And all the ramifications that such a union would bring about.

  12

  A Play on Words

  The rain poured down outside Hamilton’s Book Shoppe, and Meredith was happily ensconced in the living quarters above the shop working on her novel.

  She loved when it rained while she was writing. There was something comforting about the sound of the rain pattering on the roof. With a fire burning in the hearth, a few candles lit, and a hot cup of tea, she was in heaven.

  Having the use of Colette’s flat had been the most wonderful gift she’d ever received. The space was cozy and inviting, and she felt completely at home there. Meredith had never been entirely on her own before, and she discovered that she liked it. She liked it very much indeed. There was no one to bother her. Her concentration was not interrupted by Harry or Lilly asking her to play with them, nor was it interrupted by her aunt’s disapproval.

  And the most amazing part of all was that Delilah had no idea about any of it!

  Delilah believed that Meredith had simply gone to Hamilton’s Book Shoppe to read for a while. Meredith should have told her aunt that she was writing in the owner’s residence above the shop, but sometimes it was easier to let her aunt believe what she wanted. If Delilah knew the truth, she would make the most terrible fuss about Meredith wasting her time writing and Meredith simply couldn’t bear that.