by Burnett, May
Milla scoffed. “What do these doctors know? I have met some rather unsavoury medicos on my travels. They always pretend to be more certain than they truly are.”
“So it would seem,” Abigail agreed. “Are you happy in your marriage to Barnaby? When he volunteered to go after you, I suspected that you might resolve whatever had kept you apart. It was not a surprise to anyone in the family when he wrote to inform us of your marriage. I, of course, was very glad of the news.”
“Thank you.” Milla had already received Abby’s sentiments by letter, but it was not the same as being reunited like this, able to look at her friend’s open face. “I met a great many men on my travels, some far more eligible, but none that made me forget Barnaby. When he joined me in Bavaria, it did not take long at all until we were engaged and married. Despite some obstacles, but I can tell you about those some other time.” She did not want to over-tire Abby, not that she looked particularly frail.
Abby smiled. “Our relatives had somehow got it into their head that you were in trouble, and might have lost your fortune. I did tell them how unlikely I thought it. That letter from Regensbad made me briefly doubt, however. You haven’t become impoverished, have you? Was it a ruse to draw Barnaby to you? That was my theory, but I have kept it to myself.”
Milla hoped she was not blushing. “If any such thought briefly passed through my mind, I shall never admit it, even to you. And of course I still have my money. I merely disposed of the bulk of it in such a way that it would remain in my control, despite the iniquitous English laws about married women’s property. I am richer than ever.”
“Was Barnaby upset when discovered what you had done?” Abigail asked curiously.
“Not particularly. I was impressed how well he himself had done in the meantime. If he goes on like this, he may end up wealthier than your Jeremy, before much longer.”
“I am sure you will distract him from his single-minded pursuit of wealth,” Abby said. “That was partly to impress you, to be your equal in fortune, I think. If he were passionately devoted to business, Barnaby would not have lingered on the Continent for all those months. Jeremy greatly missed him.”
“Oh?” Milla was not sure she liked this. Would his older brother insist on Barnaby spending all his time on business matters? Not if she had anything to say in the matter.
“It turned out within the first week,” Abby said, “that poor Theo has no head for business at all. Jeremy had to send him back to his scholarly pursuits before any great damage was done. Instead, he hired an old schoolmate, a former officer, who quickly became his right hand.”
“Splendid,” Milla said. “If he has found somebody else, that means Barnaby will not have to go back into harness, at least not full-time. We have agreed to travel for half the year, to indulge a hobby I took up on my travels, but I’ll tell you about it later.”
The nurse knocked on the door and brought in the new babe for her mother’s inspection. Abby lifted the tiny scrap of humanity against her shoulder, and made swaying movements, humming under her breath. Milla wondered at the assured way she handled a creature so utterly fragile and vulnerable. When she said so, however, Abby merely smiled. “She is quite large for a new-born. Michael was smaller than she. Here, take her; you will need the practice.”
Milla wanted to protest, but it was true enough… soon she would have to learn. And this tiny babe was to be her god-daughter. Gingerly, she lifted her, marvelling at the light weight. “You have to support the neck, as the head is still heavy for babes that young,” Abby explained. Milla nodded tersely. “Apart from that, they are not as fragile as they look, and grow amazingly fast. Have you seen Alexandra’s brother yet?”
“Not yet, we only just arrived.”
“Then do pass by the nursery after your visit.”
After a while, to Milla’s unspoken relief, the babe was handed back to the nurse, who curtsied before leaving. “My lady, Ma’am.”
Milla grinned. “How fortune changes. I used to be my lady and you Miss Trevelyan; while these days, you are a Viscountess, and I am simply Mrs. Winthrop.”
“The Honourable Mrs. Winthrop,” Abby said, “except that it’s only used for addressing letters. Do you mind very much, Milla, that you are no longer called my lady?”
“No. I’m glad to be shed of that constant reminder of a hateful man. And I am too young to be a dowager.”
“That reminds me, the current Lord Fenton is engaged. Within a few months, there will be a new Lady Fenton in society.”
“She can have the title with my blessing; I no longer need it. Barnaby is more than enough recompense. And to answer your earlier question, yes, we are blissfully happy, although we do argue now and then.”
“That is normal, even Jeremy and I do that. I am so glad, for both of you. And now we are related, too!”
Milla nodded. “I like that. But I’m also related twice over to Susan now. She’ll be at the christening, won’t she, with North?”
“Of course. It is time you reconciled with her. She worried about you, when your former companion told her you might have fallen into the claws of an adventuress.”
“No, did she?”
“Susan proved her friendship at a time when I was in utter despair, and seriously considering suicide. She is not the ogre you imagine, Milla.”
Milla grimaced. “Oh, I know that full-well. It was her very perfection and virtues that made her so difficult to endure, when she arrived at our castle – my castle, as I thought of it – as the new mistress. I was resentful and lashed out at her and North, in a way that I knew, even then, was unjustified. It is not a question of my reconciling with her. Susan will hate me forever, and not without cause.”
“I was there for part of it, remember,” Abby said. “You do Susan an injustice. If you told her what you just said to me, she would love you as another sister. Especially if you admire her children, on whom she dotes beyond reason.”
“If the occasion arises, I may apologize to her,” Milla said. “Mainly for Barnaby’s sake. He hates dissension in the family, and is very attached to his only sister.”
“I think you’ll find you can be friends, now that you meet her on equal ground. You are just as rich and fashionable – indeed, that dress you are wearing quite puts all of us in the shade.”
Milla glanced at its folds with momentary complacency. “It was fashioned in Venice. I learned a great deal about elegance from Veronique, though I’ll never be her equal.”
“What became of her?”
“She emigrated, with the love of her life.” Even here, Milla preferred not to name names.
“Good,” Abby said. She sounded a little drowsy, so Milla promised to return soon and found her way downstairs to the library, where Barnaby was surrounded by the rest of the family.
“I have met your little daughter. Congratulations,” she told Jeremy.
“Isn’t she the most wonderful infant ever?” Her brother-in-law sounded besotted.
Milla exchanged a swift, amused glance with Barnaby. “Of course she is,” she replied, outwardly grave.
“A charming tot,” Theo Winthrop agreed. “I shall be very honoured to be her god-father together with you.”
Milla had not met her young in-law before this day, but she liked Theo on sight. His strong resemblance to Barnaby, and an air of cheerful good nature made him an instant favourite. Nor had he leered at her bosom even once since their introduction, as so many young men were inclined to do.
“Time for you, too, to find a bride, boy,” Lord Branscombe admonished his youngest son, and clapped him on the shoulder with a loud thud.
Theo’s smile faltered for an instant. “Eventually,” he said vaguely.
“These things cannot be hurried,” Milla declared. She sensed that Theo would welcome a distraction. “Did Barnaby tell you about the adventures we had on the Continent, Sir?”
Her father-in-law shook his head. “There has not been time. Far more importantly, are you going to gi
ve me more grandchildren?”
Milla met his challenging stare with composure. Rather surprising, that her beloved and sensible Barnaby had sprung from the loins of this tactless autocrat. But it must be so, the physical resemblance was undeniable.
“Possibly,” she said coolly, refusing to give him the satisfaction of her news. “It is the normal course of things.”
The earl grasped Barnaby by the arm. “You’re working on it assiduously, I assume?”
Barnaby winced. “That is between my wife and me, Father. Must you embarrass us like that?”
Lord Branscombe laughed, happily, as far as Milla could tell. She would make certain that they only spent the minimum necessary time in her father-in-law’s company. This obsession with grandchildren was unseemly. Did he embarrass Susan, too, at times? Perhaps he was only interested in Winthrop progeny, like her unborn child.
“We have to leave now.” Barnaby extended his arm to Milla. He was becoming very adept at guessing her wishes without exchanging a word or even a glance. “We’ll see you at dinner on Monday.”
They left Branscombe House and gratefully breathed in the cool autumn air, smog and all, as the door closed behind their backs. Presently, their carriage set off, to carry them back to their own house.
“Sorry about that,” Barnaby said in a low voice. “Did you have a good visit with Abby?”
“Yes, excellent. But I’m glad it is Abby and not I who lives in the same household as your Father, Barnaby. I’m glad you are a younger son.”
“Abby holds her own, and Jeremy is unconditionally on her side,” Barnaby said. “It is a more harmonic household than you’d think from this performance. Father is actually quite reasonable on most subjects, and so devoted to his politics that he does not interfere with us much.”
“Grandchildren being the one subject on which he is unreasonable?”
“Yes. When we tell him about our child, he’ll be overjoyed and quite insupportable for at least a week.”
“Then let’s not tell him yet,” Milla suggested. “I am glad you have your own house. Was it not rather large for you, when you were still a bachelor?”
“I bought it a year ago, hoping that one day you would share it with me.”
“And lo and behold, here we are, sharing it.”
“Yes. Sometimes wishes do come true.”
Milla smiled slightly, sending him a look from underneath her lashes. The next moment, she found herself enclosed in his strong arms, and passionately kissed.
“You know what that particular look does to me,” he breathed when they paused for a short moment.
Milla knew it full well. “Yes. That’s why I do it. I cannot get enough of your ardour, love.”
“How splendid,” he kissed her, “that we are so perfectly agreed, then.” And again. And a third time, for good measure.
Milla submitted to his caresses with the grace of a perfect wife, smiling inwardly. A good thing they were about to arrive. There were a few surprises she had idly imagined during the afternoon, that she felt impatient to try out upon his body… and she eagerly anticipated how he would retaliate.
Life was good.
The End
Thanks for Reading!
The author hopes that you have enjoyed these three stories.
Astute readers will have wondered what is to become of the youngest Winthrop brother, Theo, and if the trilogy would yet be expanded to give him, too, a loving relationship. A happy marriage is not on the cards for him, alas, since Theo (unbeknownst to his family) has never felt attracted to the female form. He would do anything to keep his brothers in ignorance of his nature, but fate interferes and greatly complicates his life.
If you should be inclined to leave a review on your local Amazon site (for which the author would be most grateful) please advise if, in your opinion, Theo should get his own book.
Besides this trilogy, May Burnett is the author of the ongoing Amberley Chronicles (nine volumes and counting). So far they comprise The Impostor Debutante, followed by His Last Marchioness, The Sister Quest, Catching a Rook, Lady Anthea’s Choice, The Perils of Lord Pell, Margaret’s Turn as well as A Scandalous Journey and The Late Heiress. Each novel has its complete arc, though there are recurring characters. The series spans the decades from the Regency to the early part of Victoria’s reign.
A (so far) standalone regency novel, A Priceless Gift, is among the most popular of May’s titles despite a very dark back story – see overleaf for a short preview.
Happy reading!
Preview of A Priceless Gift
Chapter 1
Northumberland, 1811
“It looks like you’ll live.” Lucian contemplated the wan, clammy face of his old friend, so different from the fresh-faced boy with whom he had romped and played three decades ago. “Though, at the moment, that may not feel desirable.”
Mark Prendergast groaned and shut bloodshot eyes against the morning light. Almost noon light, in fact, for he had not woken from his drunken slumber for many hours.
“This is not like you.” Lucian kept his voice soft. “My servants tell me that it is the very first time you were found dead drunk in a ditch. They were scandalised to see the respectable Mr. Prendergast in such a state, but no doubt there is some good reason. I suppose you found out your Ellen played you false after all these years?”
Lucian had always regarded Mark’s early marriage for ‘love’ as the one example of marital fidelity and happiness among his wide acquaintance, but appearances were so often deceiving.
“Worse than that.” Mark turned his head to the wall. To Lucian’s dismay, a tear rolled down his unshaven cheek.
What could be worse than your wife of two decades playing you false? Finding out that your children were not yours? That you had a fatal disease and only weeks to live? Apart from the symptoms of inebriation, Mark seemed hale enough.
“Tell me,” Lucian commanded. “Perhaps it is not as bad as all that. Whatever it may be, it will not go any further.”
Mark did not immediately reply. At last he sighed deeply. “I suppose there is little point in trying to hide things at this point. It’s Amanda, my eldest.”
“What about her?” A swift mental calculation told Lucian that the chit had to be eighteen. A dangerous age. He had not seen Mark’s children for years, since an awkward al fresco luncheon when Mrs. Prendergast had made it clear that she only received him under protest. He vaguely remembered that Mark had several girls with reddish-brown curls as well as two sons who must still be in school.
“Ellen spent a few weeks with her brother’s family in Sussex recently. Sir Roderick and Lady Budleigh, you likely won’t know them. Amanda went with her, it seemed only natural now that she’s out. They’ve been back for five weeks. On Monday, Eve’s governess reported her suspicions of what turned out to be the dreadful truth. Amanda is with child. The poor girl is ruined. We are all ruined.”
“Not if you get the culprit to marry her.” Unfortunate, but such things happened with depressing frequency. With enough money, one could usually find a face-saving solution. Of course Mark did not possess a fraction of the resources Lucian commanded.
Mark’s hands clenched into fists. “If only it were that easy! Amanda thought she had a stomach flu. The news that she was with child came as a nasty shock to her. Ellen had never bothered to explain the signs.”
Lucian blinked. “But then how -?”
“According to Amanda, my cursed brother-in-law cornered her in a deserted part of the house and forced himself on her despite her protests and struggles. His own niece! Afterwards, he threatened her with ruin if she breathed a word to anyone, and she believed him. Well, it is ruin, right enough. As a married man, and related to boot, he is not in any position to make an honest woman out of her.”
“It was just the one time?”
“According to Amanda, but Ellen absolutely refuses to believe her. She cannot think her brother capable of such an action, says Amanda would have t
old her at the time if it had been true, and accused the child of lying. She was on the verge of throwing her out of the house if I had not intervened. Instead, I packed Ellen and the younger girls off to her sister Mary. It was not easy.”
Ellen was used to getting her own way, from what Lucian had observed. A bad business all around. “What will you do about Roderick?” Duels were illegal and falling out of favour, but surely such a crime could not be avenged otherwise, even if Mark was the sole support of his wife and five children. No wonder he looked desperate.
“What can I do? The bastard will deny everything, and if I bruit the matter about, the disgrace will only fall back on us. I love my daughter, Lucian. The only solution is to marry Amanda off to anyone who will have her now. That is what I tried to arrange last night.” He winced in memory.
From the way the night had ended in drunken stupor, his mission had not prospered. “Who did you have in mind?”
“That half-pay officer who rents Bell Cottage from you, Captain Lennox. When he heard the details he began to bluster that he was above selling his name, and refused to link his honourable family to a fallen woman. He offered to do it, in the end, if I tripled Amanda’s dowry from five to fifteen thousand pounds. I said I needed to think it over, to keep him quiet for the moment, but I simply don’t have that much. The school fees for the boys are considerable, and even if I could scrape together or borrow fifteen thousand for Amanda, there would be nothing at all left for her younger sisters.”
Mark’s voice was as bleak as his situation. That half-pay officer would not hesitate to spread the scandal all over the county if his demands were not met. “I am not acquainted with this tenant, but Lennox hardly sounds the kind of husband you would have wished for your daughter.”
“No, but at this point, what else can I do? He may make her life hell, but being an unwed mother with an illegitimate child would be much worse. I suppose he’ll make her give the child away. Anyone would.”