Promise of Redemption

by Ellie St. Clair

  He led her out to the stables himself, surprising the young lads when he told them to ready the carriage. As he led her up to the seat, not wanting to let go, he could only hope that what she would see would change her opinion of him.

  Christina tried to keep the frown from her face as she looked at her husband out of the corner of her eye. What could he possibly show her that would make any difference in determining what he felt for her, how he would treat her in the future? There was no way to determine that but time, she mused, and she couldn’t torture herself by continuing to grow deeper in love with him if he was only to turn her away at the end of it all.

  She was surprised when they traveled out of Mayfair, toward the poorer part of London, but they stopped just on the outskirts of St. Giles.

  Daniel reached up a hand to help her down, and she certainly couldn’t fault his attentiveness, as he tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, as if not wanting her too far away from him. They walked up to a nondescript house, though Christina realized it was fairly well taken care of in comparison to some of the other buildings around them.

  “In here,” he said, knocking on the door, and a slot was opened, only for two eyes to peer out at them.

  “It is only me, Mrs. Smith,” he said, and the door was opened, welcoming him in.

  “Hello,” Daniel said warmly. “May I present my wife, Lady Ravenhall? I thought she might enjoy a tour of the home.”

  Christina nodded at the woman, though she had a great number of questions as to where they were and what they were doing here.

  “Oh, Lady Ravenhall,” Mrs. Smith said. “How lovely to meet you. You are fortunate to have married a very, very generous man. Would you like to walk around, to meet some of the women?”

  Christina realized then where they were — this was one of the houses Lord Hudson had told her about, where Daniel was helping women in need. She looked back at him, but he simply smiled at her and gave a wave of his hand.

  “Go on,” he said. “I will have to remain here, as men don’t go beyond the entryway — even Lord Hudson and myself — for various reasons. But you are more than welcome to continue on.”

  Christina nodded and followed Mrs. Smith, very curious indeed.

  25

  Daniel wrung his hands together as he waited for Christina. He didn’t know if bringing her here would change anything, but he had to help her understand what he had seen, what haunted him so, why he had been so reluctant to allow her to see the feelings he held for her. He thought — he hoped — that bringing her here would help explain some of that, and that speaking to some of the women here would show her the possibilities of a second chance — for both of them.

  When she finally returned, he jumped to his feet, but she wore a fairly indiscriminate expression.

  “Thank you for your visit, Lord Ravenhall, Lady Ravenhall,” Mrs. Smith said profusely. “We look forward to your return.”

  “Absolutely, Mrs. Smith,” he said. “And thank you for your continued kindness.”

  Christina said nothing as they walked to the carriage, and when he sat beside her, he felt his heart pounding hard against his chest. Never before in his life — not even when he had approached Lord Northcliffe’s room in the inn — had he felt such anticipation, knowing his life could change by the next words she uttered.

  When she finally turned to him, however, her eyes were bright with a mixture of happiness and tears — and Daniel sighed with relief.

  “I’m sorry I doubted you,” she said, and he closed his eyes at her words. “Those women — those children — their lives have been saved because of you. You are a hero to them. I can only imagine what you have seen as you have helped people like them to find new lives for themselves.” She was quiet for a moment. “You are a good man, Daniel. I should have realized that, should have let your words be enough.”

  He shook his head. “I didn’t give you any reason to trust me, any reason to come to know me at all as I forced the distance between us. Will you forgive me?”

  “Of course I will,” she whispered, leaning forward to look a little more keenly into his eyes. “I spoke to many of the women while I was inside. While some remain lost, scared, and hopeless, there are others who seem to be genuinely happy. Despite all they’ve gone through, how they’ve been treated, and what they have seen, they have hope for a better future, for themselves and for their children. They have that hope because of you. As with anyone, there is both darkness and light within you, but I think Daniel, that the light is beginning to win.”

  She paused for a moment.

  “You came back to me, Daniel. You did not follow through with murder. You made a promise to me and kept it. You do wonderful, amazing things for those who need it. I want to share that life with you, as true husband and wife, to help you, to be there with you, by your side.”

  His throat worked, his hands tightening on hers as gratefulness overwhelmed him. Surely, he did not deserve her love, did not deserve to even have Christina as his wife.

  “Your father should never once have told you that your beauty was nothing to speak of,” he murmured, overcome as he framed her face with his hands. “You have more beauty than anyone I have ever met. You practically shine with your loveliness, your gentleness, and your kind heart. What I have done to deserve such an angel as you is quite beyond my understanding.”

  Her expression softened all the more as she lifted her arms around his neck and, resting her forehead against his, and lingered there in silence. Daniel closed his eyes, choosing to simply be in the moment when all was finally at peace. The past was gone and all there was now was Christina.

  “I love you, Daniel,” Christina whispered, lifting her head just a little to look into his eyes. “I love you more than I can ever say.”

  He smiled at her then, amazed at how their difficult circumstances had somehow brought them together. “And I love you, Christina,” he replied, one hand beginning to pull the pins from her hair, as a desperate urge to have her tresses running through his fingers tugged at him. “I will never leave your side — or your bed — again.”

  She laughed, her lips fleetingly brushing his before, finally, Daniel kissed her. It was soft and tender, a mending of two broken hearts, before the fire that began to burn inside of him grew ever hotter. Christina pulled away, her breathing ragged and heat burning in her gaze.

  “I will never leave you again,” Daniel repeated, lifting her so that she sat on his lap. “Let me prove it to you now.”

  “Daniel!” Christina giggled. “We are in a carriage in the middle of London!”

  “I will have you fully attired by the time we reach home,” he promised and was grateful when she nodded and laughed in agreement.

  She had never thought it possible to be as truly happy as she was in this moment. Christina’s heart felt so full it was near bursting as she brought her palms around her husband’s face, feeling the scratch of the stubble upon his chin.

  While they had been married for near two months, but it was only now, in this moment, that she finally understood what it meant to be a wife, to have a husband who returned all of the love and affection she felt for him in equal measure. It was beyond words, the emotion pouring through her soul, beginning in her chest and emanating outward to every part of her.

  His laughter died as the crystal blue of his eyes roamed over her face.

  “You are so very beautiful -- outwardly and within,” he said, before gently kissing her lips. She fully expected him to ravage her mouth, but instead, he leaned back slightly and nibbled, creating a sensation that sent a shot of heat straight to her core.

  Their love was something she had yearned for her entire life, but this — this passion was something she had never known was possible, a gift that she would have never known to ask for.

  His strong hands came around her, one hand stroking the back of her neck, tilting her head to the side while his lips kissed a trail down her sensitive skin. His other hand came to her back, und
oing the top few pearl buttons of her gown, the light touch of his fingers upon her skin causing her to shiver. He pulled her closer as he inched the shoulders of her dress down one shoulder and then the other, his lips following where he removed the fabric.

  “My God, I cannot get enough of you,” he said, his voice ragged, and a surge of power blasted through her, that she was causing this feeling within him, this strength and weakness all in the same breath.

  She brought her fingers to his cravat, clumsily undoing it, desperate to feel more of him. He took pity on her, helping her to loosen it before tossing it on the seat beside him. Daniel seemed much more interested in divesting her of her clothing, however, and he lowered her dress so that it sat under her bosom. He wasted no time in taking her breasts in his hands before bringing his mouth to the raised bud of one nipple.

  She threw her head back at the majestic feel of his kisses, finally no longer ashamed of the size of her ample chest, as clearly, Daniel delighted in it. She could feel him hard against her, and she began to unlace the fall of his breeches, finding his thick manhood underneath. She stroked the smooth skin, and he jumped toward her, hastily lifting her skirts from around her legs so that she sat atop of him, flesh to flesh.

  Christina couldn’t keep herself from grinding against him, and he let out a pained groan before bringing his hand to her, stroking her for just a moment before he was apparently unable to wait any longer, and he lifted her up, making her gasp, before bringing her down on top of him. He filled her, making her feel utterly complete. Then his hands came to her hips, and he began to move her back and forth on top of him, until she found the motion herself and he let his hands fall away and return to her breasts, her hair, her back, seemingly everywhere at once as she rocked against him.

  This time was different, in so many ways. She had the power to move as she pleased, to find what felt right to her. And this time, she was complete in the knowledge that her husband loved her with equal measure as she did him. This joining was not one to simply validate their marriage, but to celebrate what it meant.

  The rush began to tingle throughout her body, and it wasn’t long before it burst into waves upon waves that flowed through her entire frame. She was still lost, languid in all the sensations when Daniel gave a shout and began to pulse within her, and she clutched him tightly to her while his release coursed through him.

  They stayed like that, hanging onto one another, for what could have been seconds or minutes, she wasn’t entirely certain. It seemed too soon that he murmured in her ear, “Time to dismount, love,” before lifting her off of him and settling her beside him, and together they worked to redress themselves. Christina had just finished tucking the tendrils of hair back into her chignon when the carriage pulled to a stop, and she looked out the window at their townhouse.

  “I told you I would have you back to a proper state by the time we arrived,” Daniel said with a wicked grin. “And I will always follow through on my promises to you.”

  She smiled at him in return, trusting in all he said and knowing that he would be true to his word. He cocked his head and looked at her.

  “How do you feel about the countryside?” he asked, and she tried not to show how much hope his words brought to her being.

  “Oh, Daniel, I do enjoy it,” she said in a rush. “Although, if you prefer to remain in London for a time, I understand. Wherever you need to be—”

  “I would like nothing more than to take you to my country home if you’re in agreement,” he said. “I’m not one for the city, and while it now holds much better memories for me, I would like to show you what has felt much more like home for me over the years.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” she said, clasping her hands together. “Although I shouldn’t mind returning to London from time to time.”

  “Absolutely,” he said, without any anguish or tenseness filling his features. “This townhouse my parents forced upon me has rather grown on me, I must say.”

  “Like your bride?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him, causing him to laugh, a full, hearty chuckle unlike any she had ever heard from him. She hoped there would be much more in their future.

  “My bride is another story altogether,” he said, pulling her close once more. “I would say she has done more than grow on me. Rather, she has become part of me, a part that I could never bear to lose.”

  “Whatever may come, Daniel, our love is forever,” she said, bringing her forehead to his.

  “Forever,” he repeated. “I promise.”

  Epilogue

  One year later

  The happy music of laughter, voices, and babies cooing echoed around the drawing room of the country home, bouncing off the walls that at one point had seemed so empty and bleak. Not any longer.

  Marie Harrington, Duchess of Ware, sat back in the corner of the chaise lounge as she looked around the room, her heart full. She didn’t think she could ever have asked for more in her life or for the lives of her children. Oh, she knew the scene in front of her wouldn’t be welcomed in the homes of many women of her station, and many in society would be scandalized by the way her family displayed their emotions. But that was not what Marie cared about. No, Marie’s life goals were somewhat different than that of many like her. She simply wanted her children to be happy. Did that mean that she had given some of them a little push to find the one they were destined to be with? Perhaps. But, most of all, she and her husband simply hadn’t stood in the way when they found the one they loved, whether or not their partners would have been the most acceptable for the son or daughter of a duke.

  “You are making me nervous, Mother,” Daniel, said as he walked toward her, a glass of port in hand. “I know that look.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said, holding her nose in the air to let her son know that she didn’t appreciate his remark, though inwardly she laughed at how transparent she had apparently become. Her children had grown too old, too wise. It made her sad for a moment as she longed for the carefree days of their youth, but in the same breath, she saw how much love they now had in their lives, and it brought a smile to her face.

  “I am simply happy for you, Daniel,” she said, holding out a hand to him and motioning to the seat beside her. He sat down with a smile and a warm look in his blue eyes, so like her own and that of the rest of her children. “I worried about you, you know. More than the rest.”

  He gave a low chuckle. “There were times in my life I wasn’t sure I would ever feel joy again,” he said with a shake of his head. “When you and Father threatened me into marriage, my God, did I resent you for it. But it seems you knew best after all.”

  She gave a very un-Duchesslike snort. “Of course I know best,” she said. “If there is anything you should know, Daniel, it is that.”

  “And what will you do with yourself now that you no longer have marriages to arrange?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

  “Why, enjoy my grandchildren,” she said, and then smiled when she saw Daniel’s reaction to the words. He looked across the room at Christina, who was speaking with Benjamin’s wife Sophie. As if sensing her husband’s stare, Christina looked at him, and they shared a small, secret smile that excited Marie in equal measure. Another grandchild, she thought, her heart swelling within her chest as she looked around the room.

  There was a nursery in their lavish country home, of course, but she enjoyed having the children about, as did her husband. Thomas and Eleanor’s girls, with their tanned skin and sun-kissed hair, were rather unruly, but they displayed their love with such openness it was hard to stay angry at them, even when they found continuous trouble. Even Eleanor had grown on Marie. She had been worried when Thomas married a woman who had lived most of her life away from England, but Eleanor loved their family and always ensured they spent ample time with them, and for that, Marie loved her.

  Thomas came over to stand next to them, clinking a glass with his brother. They were all together to celebrate th
eir parents’ anniversary, though Marie thought it was rather foolish, as her husband barely remembered his own birthday let alone the day they were married or how many years it had been. Though, privately, she and Lionel had enjoyed reminiscing — not that they would share their own love story with their children. How they would be scandalized by their parents! Nevertheless, she was pleased to have any occasion for them all to gather.

  Violet joined them, sitting next to her elder brother, her legs crossed at the ankles, her dark hair in a low, simple chignon as always. She smiled at her mother and Marie reached out a hand to clasp hers. How alike she and her daughter were — not just in looks, but in countenance. It was why they had never gotten along particularly well. Violet had her own mind and a determination to achieve all she had set out for.

  “You look very well, Mother,” Violet said, her hands around the small bump that was just beginning to form, their second child.

  “And you, darling,” she said. “Greville and Taylor seem to be having quite the time of it over there.”

  “They always do,” Violet said with a laugh. “How fortunate they ended up family, for Taylor would have been part of my life regardless.”

  “That’s very true,” her sister said, coming to stand next to Thomas. Now that Polly was older, they looked nearer to twins, Marie thought, and she was proud of the life Polly had made for herself. Marie still thought of Polly, her youngest, as a child in some ways, but the girl was now a mother herself, to a daughter who not only looked exactly like her but already at two seemed to have her temperament. Good, thought Marie. She will know exactly what it is like to raise a precocious child.

  She swept her gaze to Benjamin. Ah, but how he had matured. To think that at one point he had been one of London’s most well-known rogues, and now here he was, the doting husband of one of the gentlest, kindest women Marie had ever met.