“Is that why you want to marry me?” she asked.
“Partly, yes. There are other factors, of course. You’re beautiful and smart and kind. I like how easily you fit in with my family, and I’m proud of your writing and how talented you are. In an incredibly short amount of time you have come to mean a great deal to me. If I’m not mistaken, I believe I’m more than a tiny bit in love with you, Merry. And I am completely bewitched by your sweet, little mouth.”
Phillip punctuated the end of his sentence by placing a kiss upon her lips. Meredith kissed him back happily. He was in love with her!
“Why do you want to marry me?” he asked, looking at her intently. “Someone like you . . . you could have anyone, Merry.”
“I don’t want just anyone. I want you. It’s you that I love being with, Phillip. I love your family. And I love that you want me to keep writing. But most of all, I love how you make me laugh.”
“You don’t find me at all charming?” he asked, showering her with the warmth of his most enchanting smile.
She giggled helplessly. “You are the most charming man I’ve ever met. You’re too charming for your own good!”
“And am I not the most handsome of men?”
“Yes, you are the most handsome of any man I have ever seen. Oh, and you are quite humble and modest too,” she added, kissing him playfully on his nose. “And yes, I’ve fallen in love with you, too, Phillip.”
“Thank God,” he said, kissing her mouth once more. “Now, when should I come talk to your aunt about us getting married? I’m thinking that after tonight, the sooner the better, don’t you agree?”
Meredith nodded happily. “Yes, tomorrow will be perfect.”
It was amazing. All her problems had disappeared in an instant.
She didn’t even care that her aunt Delilah would be disappointed that she wasn’t holding out for the Duke of Havenfield. Meredith had never wanted to marry him in the first place.
She wanted Phillip Sinclair, her pompous earl.
Phillip loved her and wanted to marry her. He would keep her financially secure and he supported her writing. And with fortune almost too good to be true, she loved him! She wanted to marry this man and spend her life with him.
She knew he wouldn’t act as other husbands might do with their wives. Phillip wouldn’t want to control her or tell her what to do. Things would be different with them. Their marriage would not be like everyone else’s.
Her life, her future, suddenly seemed happy and full of promise.
19
Get It in Writing
The next afternoon, Phillip Sinclair, the Earl of Waverly, sat in the drawing room of Lady Eastwood’s London townhouse, making his case to Meredith’s aunt.
“I would like your permission to marry your niece, Mrs. Remington.”
He was completely surprised that the words had come from his mouth without any hesitation whatsoever. Really, one would think he’d been bewitched. In an extraordinarily short span of time, just over a month, in fact, he had reversed his thoughts on marriage completely.
Being with Meredith was his only goal.
Meeting her changed everything for him, and his feelings for her had caught him entirely off guard. It was more than just her beauty. It was her. He recalled the conversation he’d had with his uncle Jeffrey. Jeffrey had said that Phillip would know in his heart when he met the right woman. And Jeffrey was correct.
Phillip knew without a doubt that he wanted his life to include Meredith Remington. Yet he couldn’t pinpoint for sure when it finally occurred to him that Meredith was the one.
Was it the wild rush of joy he’d felt when he’d unexpectedly seen her in his family’s drawing room for tea? Was it the way they conversed so easily? Was it when she had been brave enough to let him read her writing? Was it when he was standing before his parents with Lady Katherine at his side and longing for it to be Meredith on his arm? Was it the way she looked at him and made him want to be a better person? Was it when she gazed up at him with teary eyes and whispered the words, “Then make me your wife”?
It was all of those things and more. It was her infectious laugh when he said something to amuse her. It was her delightful smile and delicious lips. The rich color of her chestnut hair and the deep blue of her eyes. Her sweet kisses. The way her hand fit just perfectly within his. The way their bodies fit so flawlessly together.
He simply knew that he could not live without her.
After making love to her last evening, he made sure she arrived home safely, and then he spent the remainder of the night making plans for their future together. For the first time that Phillip could recall, he looked forward to his future. He was excited about his life . . . as long as Meredith was in it.
He rose early that morning and met with his father, as he had for the last week. If his father was surprised that his son had suddenly taken an interest in the ancestral estate that would belong to him one day, Lucien did not say it. His father was simply pleased to have him there and gave him a look of approval.
That approval meant more to Phillip than he could say. It’d been a long time since he’d seen anything but looks of censure and disappointment from Lucien. For the first time in a quite a while, Phillip felt full of life and filled with a boundless energy to do things.
Things that didn’t involve a gaming table and a liquor bottle.
It felt good to rise in the morning without his head throbbing from overindulgence. It felt good to not be worrying and wondering about what trouble he’d gotten into the night before. Now he wanted to accomplish something worthwhile. He liked being able to think clearly and to have a purpose to his day.
And now his purpose was Meredith.
He loved her.
But now, Delilah Remington sat before him with an expression of shock on her face. She was a petite woman, rather resembling a children’s doll, with blond hair and big blue eyes that now stared at him in utter disbelief.
“You wish to marry my niece? You wish to marry Meredith?” she squeaked in confusion.
“Yes, I do.”
“You wish to marry her? But I didn’t realize that the two of you had . . . I don’t understand this, and I’m not sure what to say, Lord Waverly. This is only the first time you have ever come to call on her . . .” The woman was at a loss.
Flashing his most charming smile Phillip explained, “We have become acquainted through my family and at recent social events. She won my heart rather quickly.”
Delilah still appeared incredulous, placing her hand upon her chest. “Has my niece . . . has Meredith even expressed any interest in you?”
“Yes, I have. Most definitely,” Meredith declared, as she stood in the doorway, a radiant smile on her pretty face.
His heart soaring with pride at the sight of her, Phillip immediately rose to his feet and went to her. She wore a fetching day gown of soft pink and white stripes, with her hair pulled back from her face and hanging loose in soft curls.
He took her small hands in his. “You look lovely today.”
“Thank you.” Then she whispered low so only he could hear, “How are things progressing?”
He responded softly as he walked her to a chair across from her aunt. “She’s more than a little confused by it all.”
“Meredith!” Delilah exclaimed in a somewhat irritated tone. “I’d like to speak with you about this matter . . . privately.”
“There’s nothing to discuss, Aunt Delilah. Lord Waverly and I love each other and wish to be married.” Meredith looked at her aunt, her expression determined.
“I’ve nothing against Lord Waverly. He’s a perfectly fine gentleman”—she turned to smile at Phillip before returning her attention to Meredith—“but, dear, aren’t you forgetting about the Duke of Havenfield?”
“No, I’ve not forgotten him, but I’ve no intention of marrying him even if he were to ask—”
“But he is going to ask you, Meredith!” Delilah sounded utterly panicked. “I s
poke with the duke last night and gave him my permission to propose to you. He is coming by tomorrow afternoon to ask you!”
“Well then, tomorrow afternoon I shall apologize for wasting his time, for I am already spoken for. By the Earl of Waverly.” She favored Phillip with an adoring gaze.
Delilah rose to her feet, wringing her hands together. She seemed to be vacillating between anger and bursting into tears.
“Well, this is just dreadful!” she wailed. “I shall be mortified! I had no inkling that you were interested in Lord Waverly, not in the least! You never even mentioned his name! How was I to know that you wanted to marry him? You could have given me some warning, Meredith! Honestly! What shall I say to the duke when I see him tomorrow? This is terribly embarrassing. To humiliate the man in such a fashion! He’s a duke for heaven’s sake!”
Phillip watched the scene between the two women unfold with fascination.
He was proud of Meredith for standing her ground. It wasn’t easy to turn down the proposal of a duke. Her aunt was right in being a bit panicked at facing him tomorrow.
He hadn’t realized how quickly things had progressed between Meredith and Havenfield. He said a silent prayer of thanks that he had come to his senses regarding his feelings about Meredith so quickly. Had Phillip dallied any longer, he could have lost her forever. There was every likelihood that she would have married the duke had he not pressed his suit with her.
Shuddering at the thought, he cleared his throat.
“Mrs. Remington, I apologize for placing you in this awkward situation with the Duke of Havenfield. But I can also assure you, that your niece isn’t marrying anyone but me.”
Mrs. Remington stared at him in despair. “I have nothing left to say to either of you!”
With a great huff of annoyance, she turned and flounced from the room, leaving Meredith alone with him.
“So, I think that went rather well.” He grinned at her.
Meredith laughed at his little joke and walked toward him.
“I feel terribly about it, but I never gave the duke any urging that I wanted to marry him, nor the slightest bit of encouragement. I refuse to marry him simply to prevent a bruised ego and a damaged sense of pride because my aunt led him to believe that I would say yes.”
Phillip held up his hands in mock surrender at her fierce denial.
“You don’t need to explain it to me, Merry. I’m on your side. I don’t want you to marry him either. Especially since you’re going to marry me.”
He placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
“I most certainly am.” She smiled at him, her eyes filled with love.
“Do you wish for me to come by tomorrow when the duke is here, to lend my assistance in any way?” he asked, his protective nature aroused.
“No . . . I think that his pride will suffer enough,” she murmured. “Seeing you might only make a tense and awkward situation even worse.”
“Yes, that may be true.”
If the circumstances were reversed, he knew he would be devastated to lose Meredith. He doubted the duke loved her the way that Phillip did, but it still had to sting to lose the woman you wanted to be your wife to another man. Especially for the Duke of Havenfield. He was a very powerful man, accustomed to getting his own way and obtaining whatever he wished with no one to gainsay him.
Phillip did not think the duke would handle this disappointment well at all, and he did not envy Meredith the task set before her.
“Merry! Merry!”
Two young children raced into the drawing room, yelping excitedly and clamoring around Meredith. Then they came to an abrupt halt when they saw Phillip standing there.
“Well, whom do we have here?” he asked playfully. He crouched down to their level and smiled.
The children suddenly grew quiet and shy, and wide eyes stared at him.
“I’ve heard about you both from Miss Remington. You must be her cousins. Wait, don’t tell me!”
He pointed to the young boy with the bowtie. “You must be Lilly.”
Then he pointed at the young girl dressed in a frock of lavender with a white pinafore and a large white bow in her brunette ringlets. “And you must be Harry, of course. I can tell by the pretty hair ribbons.”
Harry and Lilly burst into peals of laughter at his mixing up their names.
“No, I’m Harry!” the boy protested.
“And I’m Lilly,” she insisted with her little hands on her hips.
“Are you sure?” Phillip asked, furrowing his brow in mock confusion. He scratched his head as he rose to his full height. “I was positive Miss Remington described you differently.”
The children’s squeals of laughter continued for a moment before Meredith could introduce him.
“Harry and Lilly, I would like you to meet a very good friend of mine. This is Lord Waverly, and he’s ever so nice.”
“Will you play with us?” Lilly asked.
“What shall we play?” Phillip asked.
“You be the monster,” Harry suggested excitedly, “and try to catch us!”
Phillip chased the children around for a bit, thinking how easily these two would get along with his three youngest Hamilton cousins, Violet, Victoria, and Vivienne Eddington. When he and the children were worn out and it was time to take his leave, he gave Meredith a furtive kiss and departed Lady Eastwood’s house.
He had just returned to Devon House and was about to climb the steps up to his bedroom, when his mother called to him. He paused and looked over his shoulder.
“Phillip! There you are!”
“Hello, Mother.”
It felt good to face her during the day with a clear conscience and a clearer head, when he was not trying to mask a hangover or regretting gambling debts from the night before. His mother walked toward him as he turned and made his way back down the staircase.
“I was looking for you, but you were up and out of the house so early today,” she said with a pleased expression.
“I had some matters I needed to attend to,” he explained.
Phillip had already decided he would talk to his parents later about marrying Meredith Remington. He wanted to propose to her properly first.
In spite of Meredith saying that she didn’t mind the proposal that took place while she was naked in his arms last night, he still thought she deserved a more romantic and traditional proposal. He hadn’t worked out all the details yet, but he had managed to procure a gorgeous sapphire and diamond engagement ring that morning, before he visited her aunt.
“I wanted to know if you planned to be home for supper this evening,” his mother said. “I’m inviting some guests, along with Mara and Foster and your aunt Paulette and uncle Declan. Can I count on you to join us?”
“Would it mean a great deal to you if I attended?” he asked, thinking he had nothing planned for this evening.
That in and of itself was an unusual occurrence. Generally he’d have already made arrangements to meet his friends for cards at a ball or party. Or he would be seeking out Lady Katherine Vickers. But none of that held any appeal to him now.
I really am in love with Meredith!
“It would mean more to me than you could know,” his mother said, giving him an odd look.
He nodded. “Then of course, I shall join you and the family for dinner this evening. I hadn’t any specific plans tonight, and it would be nice to see Mara and Foster again.”
His mother clapped her hands together like an excited child. “Oh, that’s wonderful, Phillip. You’ve made me so happy!”
He grinned, gratified that he could please her so easily after he’d made her worry so much about him. He hadn’t been proud of his behavior during the past year, especially the last six months. His parents weren’t wrong in censuring him.
He gave his mother a hug and she squeezed him tightly.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” she said.
“Of course.”
Phillip turned and was making his way back up th
e staircase, feeling happier and calmer than he had any right to be. Meredith did that to him.
“Oh, Phillip, dear!” his mother called after him. “One more thing!”
He paused and looked down over the staircase railing at her. “Yes, Mother?”
“I just wanted you to know that I also invited Miss Remington and her aunt to supper this evening.”
Phillip was incredulous. Why would his mother invite Meredith for dinner the very day he’d asked for her hand in marriage? His mother had no idea where he’d been that morning. It was more than a startling coincidence.
“You invited Miss Remington to dine with us?” he asked, feeling a bit confused.
“Yes. I thought it would be nice for Mara to meet Miss Remington. I think they would make good friends,” she explained calmly, although it seemed her eyes were dancing.
His mother looked at him as if she knew something was going on between him and Meredith. But that was impossible. No one knew. No one had seen them together. He was certain of that.
He remained composed. “Yes, I think you’re right. Mara and Miss Remington would be a good match and get along quite well together.”
He smiled brightly and began humming a little tune as he continued walking up the staircase. His cousin Mara and Meredith would become fast friends, he was sure of it. Meredith would fit into his life seamlessly, bringing with her so much to make it even better.
And just like that, Phillip knew what he was going to do during dinner that evening. He would surprise Meredith and his family. He smiled to himself in anticipation.
20
Word of Honor
“It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Remington!” Phillip’s cousin Mara said. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
“Thank you. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming to me that I hardly miss New York at all,” Meredith responded.
Later that evening, Meredith was seated at the long mahogany table in the grand dining room at Devon House with Phillip’s family and her aunt Delilah.
The Unexpected Heiress Page 19