Legacy Redeemed (Redeemed, Restored, Reclaimed Book 1)

by Aubrey Grayson

  The midwife came and kicked Mr. Osborne out to the dining hall. Susannah stayed to assist, and occasionally took reports down to Mr. Osborne. Within two hours of the midwife’s arrival, Susannah saw the happy couple beaming at each other around a freshly bathed and swaddled newborn daughter.

  If only Susannah could look forward to such happiness. Her baby’s birth was likely to be without people who loved her, just as Mrs. Osborne’s had started. Well, no, that wasn’t true. Amelia loved her. Or had loved her. But they hadn’t spoken in years. And there was no telling what had changed. Part of her longed to run to her sisters. Amelia would be a blessing. Eleanor would be even better, if Susannah knew where Eleanor was. But perhaps her true family wasn’t one of her sisters. She looked at Mr. and Mrs. Osborne and little Grace Osborne, and suddenly remembered the Bible verse she always heard at weddings. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife.”

  And here were the Osbornes. Cleaving together. Kate had been afraid and fled, but she was wrong. Maybe Susannah had been wrong too. About Nick. About leaving her friends. Maybe even about God.

  She knew her child had been conceived in sin. But she also knew that she had met someone she wished to cleave unto. She knew he was angry with her. But he himself had spoken of forgiveness. Perhaps she could go back to the vicarage and beg Mr. Robinson to intervene on her behalf. Nick thought of him as a father. Perhaps he could help her cause. And then there was Poppledown Park. She knew Nick was handsome and wealthy enough to find a bride within a month, but perhaps… Well, she wouldn’t know unless she tried.

  She wasn’t sure she’d be successful. But she still had a couple of months before there would be snow on the roads of Scotland, preventing her from fleeing there. She had to give herself one last chance at happiness.

  She would take the risk.

  ***

  Under normal circumstances, Nick loved the peaceful routine of observing the Sabbath. With fewer people on the roads, because of restrictions on travel and businesses being closed, even London developed a somewhat peaceful air. But if Susannah had left for Scotland on Thursday, she would be halfway across England by now, which made his situation a bit of an emergency.

  And since deciding to marry Susannah meant gaining the consent of her guardian, so it was that he found himself knocking at the door of Dunmore House on a Sunday afternoon, ready to beg and bargain to obtain the man’s consent. He knew that after their last encounter, Hector had no reason to be inclined to help him.

  His innards churned. Before his conversation with Weatherly yesterday, he had known Hector was an evil sot, but he hadn’t known quite the depths of his darkness. Nick needed to get Susannah away from him as soon as possible and into the protection of the Weston family.

  A rather burly butler opened the door.

  “Please tell your master that Nick Daventry is here to see him.”

  “Indeed, sir. Unfortunately, my master is not at home.”

  Nick’s eyes narrowed. “I am here at some urgency. I entreat you to make very certain that he is not at home before you send me away.”

  The butler’s eyes narrowed as well and roamed over Nick’s person, giving the impression he was sizing Nick up for a fight. A muscle in his jaw flicked before he opened his mouth to give Nick an answer. “He’s not in London. He left two days ago.”

  “Where has he gone? I assure you it is a matter of urgency, and he will not thank you for keeping me from him.” It was a lie. Another sin to add to the growing pile he had recently begun.

  The man considered and evidently decided that telling Nick seemed less risky than not. “I believe he was heading to Devonshire, sir, to fetch his ward. Two days he’s been gone, sir.”

  Fear jolted Nick’s heart, but he kept a social smile on his face. “Thank you. Please give him my card if he returns sooner than expected.”

  He practically ran the five blocks to Weston House.

  He found Terence in the study. “Hector Dunmore left for Devonshire on Friday to fetch his ward. He’s going for her. I know she planned to leave, but what if Letitia fell ill again, or something else delayed her? If she had stayed even the night, she would have known I left for London and that she didn’t have to hurry to get away.”

  Terence closed the book he was reading. “She’s not there, Nick. She’s safe. But still, it’s best to follow him and get this business over with. Then you can meet her in Scotland, able to tell her she’s free of him.”

  Nick chose to ignore his brother’s obvious change in position from the previous day, when Terence had been sure Susannah would be waiting in Seaton when they arrived. He had more pressing concerns. “How did he even discover she was in Devonshire?”

  His brother inclined his head. “I suspect Weatherly sent a note ahead when he noticed the connection between Mrs. Stanhope and Miss Blackmon.”

  “Blast Weatherly. I pray she really is on her way to Scotland.”

  Her safety, and their future together, depended on it.

  Chapter 28

  There still being enough daylight in that broken Sabbath to make some ground, Nick and Terence packed their bags and left within the hour, making it all the way to Basingstoke before being forced to turn in for darkness. But the sun rose early the next morning, and they with it.

  And for a good two hours, they made good time. Nick had hopes of reaching Poppledown Park by nightfall, with the pace they were making. But then he noticed clouds to the north, and within another half an hour, they were beset by rain.

  From that point on, muddy roads and overcrowded inns were the hallmark of their travel. Frequent stops were made to trade out the horses, who tired easily from slogging through the mud. It was enough to drive a man mad.

  And after nine grueling hours of it, even a man as desperate as Nick agreed to turn in for the night and start fresh in the morning.

  Tuesday dawned bright and stayed that way, and Nick and his brother arrived in Seaton midafternoon to find the summer festival well underway.

  Terence left him to find Alice, and Nick went in search of Letitia and Mr. Robinson. He found them both ensconced in comfortable seats under a large shade tree, where they could see the activity while still resting as needed.

  Mr. Robinson smiled to see him, a rueful little smile. “Nicholas! We are glad to have you returned to us. Where have you been these last days?

  “Good morning, Letitia. Mr. Robinson. I’ve been to London.”

  Mr. Robinson nodded. “A successful trip, I hope.”

  But Letitia fixed him with a gimlet glare and said quietly, “Do you know that Susannah left us for Scotland?”

  Straight to it then. “Yes, I knew that she intended to. What have you heard of her guardian?”

  Letitia’s eyes widened. “How did you know? Yes, the vile man is here. He’s been here since yesterday. He is staying in the cottage. He’s been pestering Father and me and everyone in the whole village with questions about where she might be. I think he believes someone is hiding her in their very home. And truth be told, we might have encouraged him to believe it so that she has time to get well and good away from him.”

  Nick nodded grimly. “I fear even that will not be enough if he truly seeks her. As I understand it, her Scottish brother-in-law is an associate of her guardian. He will likely turn her over as soon as she arrives.”

  This news was apparently too much for Letitia. Her lips quivered, and she shut her eyes. “Oh, Nick. How could you let her go? What can we do for her?”

  “I’m here now, Letitia. I don’t know if she will let me help her, but if I can, I will.”

  “That was very badly done of you to leave without a word.”

  What could he say in the face of a truth like that? “Yes. It was.”

  Voices rose across the pathway, and Nick noticed a dandy of a man in the center of the ruckus. It appeared the villagers were taking issue with something he’d said.

  “There he is. That vile man who is up to no go
od,” Letitia said.

  Nick took Hector in and once again felt the pain caused Alex’s disappearance. Alex was supposed to have been the viscount. The man who was supposed to have been Susannah’s guardian. A man of morals and faith, as different from this man as two men could be.

  Hector’s clothes were foppish and over the top, but not of the highest quality. Nick supposed some would call him handsome, and he was young. Far too young to be a qualified guardian of a young lady. Someone should have prevented it from occurring, but far too often, no one questioned the system of guardianship. If a name or a title was listed in the will, it would be done.

  Nick watched Hector throw his hands up in insolent surrender and turn and walk away from the small group gathered near him, throwing a resentful look over his shoulder. A few steps down the road, he kicked a cup that someone had dropped, reminding Nick of nothing so much as a spoiled child after a good scolding.

  Just as Nick stepped away from his friends to confront the man, a boy came running down the lane, waving an envelope. “Mrs. Powell! This just came at the vicarage,” he shouted. As he neared, he looked nervously about. Spotting Hector several yards away, the boy whispered, “It’s from Mrs. Stanhope.”

  Letitia fairly snatched it from him and opened it up. Her face paled. “She’s on her way here. In fact, she says she’ll be here tomorrow. She sent this from Bristol yesterday afternoon.”

  Nick closed his eyes for a quick prayer, then reopened them. “We can’t let her walk unsuspecting into the festival. If he gets his hands on her, he’ll be within the rights of the law to take her with him.”

  Terence and Alice joined them then, hand in hand, so obviously in love that it made Nick mad with envy. He wanted to be the one strolling hand in hand with his love, his wife, without a care in the world. But so long as Susannah refused to marry him and Hector was in control of Susannah’s future, that desire would never be fulfilled.

  Terence spoke, cutting Nick’s self-pity short. “I heard that Hector Dunmore is already here. What is the plan of attack?”

  Nick sighed. “I have no idea. Susannah is returning tomorrow.”

  “Excellent news! Her guardian is here to give his consent, and you’ve a special license! The deed can be done tomorrow evening, if you wish it.”

  Letitia fairly squealed at that. “Is it true? You’ve a special license?”

  Nick sighed. “It’s true. But there is no guarantee that she will have me. She’s turned me down before.”

  Letitia grinned, leaning back in her chair. “Oh yes, I see. You’re afraid she has too much sense.”

  His retort was cut short by a pair of boys barreling toward them. “Papa!” his son shouted. “You’re back!” This last was said into his legs, Gabriel’s arms being wrapped tight around them.

  He peeled the boy’s arms away and leaned down for a proper embrace. “Hello, Gabriel! How I’ve missed you! Hullo, Charlie,” he said, ruffling his nephew’s hair.

  “Papa, Miss Susannah left, but that man keeps asking after her,” Gabriel said. “He keeps telling everyone that she is his, but now you’re here, you can tell him she belongs to us.”

  Nick knelt and took his son’s shoulders. “Gabriel, she is a person, and she doesn’t belong to anyone. But that man is her guardian. He is charged with keeping her safe until she marries.”

  His son looked dubious. “He doesn’t look like he would do a good job at that.”

  “Agreed. But nevertheless, we must treat him with respect, because he holds the office of her guardian.”

  Gabriel nodded solemnly.

  “Now, I must go and speak with him. Please stay here and wait for me.”

  Hope rose in Gabriel’s eyes. “You’re going to tell him she’s ours?”

  Nick smiled at his son’s enthusiasm. “Something like that.” He ruffled the boy’s hair and caught Terence’s eye. His brother nodded and broke away from his conversation with the others to follow Nick.

  Hector was making his way around the festival, cornering people and attempting to bully them into providing information on Susannah’s whereabouts. A group of women was just walking away when Nick and Terence reached him.

  Hector’s lip curled into a sneer as they approached. “Ah, the Daventry brothers. How delightful. Come, I can only surmise, to return my ward into my safekeeping. Where is she?”

  Nick and Terence exchanged a glance. “I don’t know where she is,” Nick said. “But I’d like to offer to relieve you of your duties as guardian.”

  Hector’s sneer transformed into a gleeful grin. “The great and sanctimonious Nick Daventry come to ask after a whore. I never thought I’d see the day.” He wagged a finger at Nick. “Now, she won’t come cheap, mind you.”

  It took everything Nick had not to punch his smarmy face. “She is your ward, or rather Alex’s ward. You’d do best to remember it is your sworn duty to uphold her honor.”

  At that, Hector laughed. “Yes, too bad Alex disappeared and left all the dirty work to me. And as I recall, it was all rather hastily done. No swearing at all, just suddenly saddled with three boring chits. I was able to pawn the first two off quickly, but I thought that Susannah might prove profitable later. There’s just something about that girl that makes men want to spend money.” His eyes turned shrewd. “And I was right. I’ve already turned quite a profit on her. I feel my future quite opening up. Certainly, if the great Nicholas Daventry is here sniffing around for her.”

  “I’m not sniffing around. I’m proposing to marry her.”

  Once again, Hector found hilarity in Nick’s words. Nick was certain that the whole of the festival paused to look in the direction of Hector’s great belly laugh. He wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. “Oh, that is rich. Nick Daventry, he who is too good for everyone, is here on bended knee, proposing marriage to a common trollop. And do you condone this, Weston?” The last was said with a gesture to Terence, whose only reply was a stone-faced glare.

  Nick tried again. “I understand that the lady in question has no dowry available. I am prepared to marry her even so.”

  “I do believe you’re serious, Daventry.”

  “I am.”

  “You were a good friend to my brother.”

  Nick nodded. “His disappearance had grieved me greatly.”

  Hector sneered again. “That makes one of us then. My brother was a great self-righteous prig of a man—just as you are.”

  Nick felt a muscle tic in his jaw. He slid his fist into his pocket in hopes that the fabric would help restrain it from bouncing of Hector’s nose.

  Shrewdness lit again in Hector’s eyes, as though he was weighing his options. “Surely you can’t expect me to agree to this marriage when I haven’t even spoken to my ward. Perhaps she finds you revolting. Perhaps the thought of being yoked to the likes of you for a lifetime makes her cast up her accounts. Surely you don’t think me the kind of guardian who would sell her off to a life of misery.”

  Of course Nick thought that. It was exactly the kind of guardian Hector was.

  “No, no, no,” Hector continued. “Of course I shall not do so. You must bring her to me at once. I will confer with the girl herself and consider your suit in light of her own testimony.”

  It was a trap of course. Hector was no more likely to approve the marriage with Susannah there than he was without her present. And once he had Susannah with him, he could take her away and carry on with his disgraceful plans for her.

  Nick had to find a way to save her from Hector. And with Susannah arriving in Seaton in less than twenty-four hours, time was running out.

  Chapter 29

  It was almost midnight when Nick and Terence arrived at the Mermaid in Yeovil. They had checked every inn on the path from Seaton, asking the proprietors about women traveling alone. The Mermaid would be the final stop of the night. If she wasn’t here, they would put in here for the night and rise with the sun to continue their search.

  Asking after Susannah involved lying. “I am lookin
g for my wife, who has been traveling to her sister’s,” Nick told the Mermaid’s proprietor, a burly man whom one would not want to meet in a dark alley. “An emergency has arisen at home, and she is needed. Her name is Mrs. Stanhope. Is she here?”

  “Your wife, eh?” the man said suspiciously, apparently having had a long history of being woken up by men searching for women.

  “Yes, sir. I must speak with her regarding a matter of some urgency.”

  The proprietor poked his head through a door and called something. In a moment, a sleepy-looking maid came through the same door. The proprietor mumbled something into her ear. Her brows rose in surprise as she took in Nick and Terence, but she nodded hastily and headed up the stairs to the rooms above.

  In a few moments, she returned. “She’ll be down in just a moment,” she said, not to Nick but to the proprietor.

  And as she had predicted, they heard footsteps on the stairs a moment later. But it was not Susannah who came to face them, but Amy.

  “Oh! It is you!” she said.

  Nick stepped forward. “I must speak with Susannah immediately.”

  Amy nodded. “Yes, she will wish to speak with you. Please let me inform her of your arrival.”

  Terence obtained a room for himself and Nick while they waited. Amy returned, gesturing to Nick to follow her.

  The room was dark, lit only by a few candles and the remains of the fire in the hearth. Susannah was sitting, still in her dressing gown, in one of the chairs by the fire.

  He felt like a schoolboy called up to the headmaster’s office, sweaty palms and all. He had no excuse for the way he’d treated her, and he could only hope she would be willing to forgive him.

  Her eyes were big and wary in the dim light. Almost as though she were afraid of him, of how he would treat her. The shame of it, of the fact that he had given her reason to fear him, welled up in him. For a moment, he couldn’t find words. He stood dumbly, staring at her, his mouth agape. And she simply stared back.