The Puzzle of a Bastard

by Sande, Linda Rae

  “You’re much older than she is. More worldly.”

  “Oh, she’s more worldly than you think,” James replied, remembering the words he had used to describe her earlier that morning. “And I love her dearly for it.”

  “You’ll get her out of Woodscastle?”

  James frowned. “What’s wrong with Woodscastle?”

  “She’s the youngest daughter. If you continue to live there, she’ll have to see to her mother in her dower years,” Gabe reminded him.

  “I’m buying her a townhouse as a wedding gift. In Mayfair,” James replied. “But even if she does have to see to Mrs. Grandby...” He paused and allowed a guffaw. “You do know Mrs. Grandby, do you not?”

  Gabe gave a slight shrug. “I have met her, of course,” he hedged. “She’s a cousin of mine.”

  “No one will have to take care of that woman in her dower years. She’ll want the entire house all to herself,” he said with a grin, one that was quickly matched by Gabe. James glanced over at the clerk. “Now, have we put voice to all our concerns?”

  Allowing a sigh, Gabe said. “We have. At least until Tom decides to marry, and then we’ll have to repeat all of this with him.”

  James gave him a huge grin. “Then let’s do this. I’m not getting any younger, and you’re... you’re so damned young. Are you sure you wish to get married?”

  “I am positive,” Gabe replied.

  Pulling their purses from their waistcoat pockets, the two made their way to the clerk’s desk.

  A half-hour later, they emerged from the office and hailed hackneys headed in opposite directions, wedding dates in mind and marriage licenses in hand.

  When Gabe returned to the museum an hour later, he met with the constable who had been summoned. Although Thompson had been able to relay the charges as he remembered them, the Peeler insisted on speaking with Gabe.

  “I can only charge Mr. Cooper with trespassing,” the constable explained in a quiet voice. “I don’t have any jurisdiction over anything he might have done in Stoke,” he added. “But I rather imagine if you sent word to his employer about the embezzling, he would have him charged up there.”

  Disappointed, Gabe asked, “Can he be put in gaol? For a night or two, at least until we can send word ahead?”

  The constable seemed to think on the query for a moment. “I suppose if he makes a move to escape or tries to take a fist to my face, I could ask my commander to keep him locked up for an extra day,” he suggested.

  Gabe winced. “I’d rather you not get hurt, sir.”

  “Oh, I don’t intend to. Got his hands locked up tight and a wagon on the way to collect him,” he replied. Then he gave Gabe an exaggerated wink. “We’ll make sure he’s on the first coach out of town, but not for a couple of days,” he added.

  Gave shook hands with the man and hurried to the pottery workroom. He wanted to kiss Frances before returning to his office to pen a letter.

  Chapter 39

  A Wedding Gift of Monumental Proportions

  A few days later, outside of St. Paul’s Church

  Tom Grandby regarded the two newly-married couples who stood before him, the women both clutching rolled-up marriage certificates and small bouquets of hot-house flowers while the men exchanged glances that might have held as much sudden terror as they did happiness.

  “Well, I’d suggest meeting you two at White’s tonight, but something tells me you will not take me up on the offer,” he said with a grin.

  “I think I might be available Monday night,” James suggested, his eyes darting sideways to see how Emily would react.

  “I promise I will not mind as long as you come home,” she replied, her face beaming with happiness.

  Gabe dared a glance at Frances. She blushed and managed a shrug. “I shan’t mind. I have another man at home I can spend my time with,” she teased.

  “Monday night then,” Tom said. “Congratulations to all of you.”

  He moved to step away when James said, “You really must consider doing this, and soon, Grandby.”

  Tom paused and regarded his friend with a pained expression. “We’ll see,” he replied. Then he tipped his hat and hurried off toward his town coach.

  James and Gabe exchanged quick looks before they shook hands and murmured their congratulations to one another.

  “We’re off to Trenton House for a late breakfast,” Gabe said. “And we’ll probably do a wedding trip in the summer.”

  “We’ll be staying here in town,” James said, his comment eliciting a look of surprise from Emily.

  “But... I didn’t bring a valise,” she murmured.

  James merely grinned. “None needed, my sweet. Good day to you both,” he said as he led his new wife to their town coach.

  Gabe chuckled as he watched them go, knowing exactly where they were heading.

  Meanwhile

  “Are we going to a hotel?” Emily asked when James finally climbed into the town coach and took a seat next to her. He’d been conversing with the driver, but not loudly enough for her to overhear their conversation.

  “We are not,” he replied as he settled an arm around her shoulder. The coach lurched into motion.

  When he didn’t offer more information, Emily furrowed her brows. “Are we going to a coaching inn?”

  James chuckled and realized he needed to tell her something. “We are not.”

  “Are we going to a friend’s home? Or... or one of your relatives’ houses?” There were so many Burroughs who lived in London, they could end up in Cavendish Square or Westminster or Mayfair.

  “We are not. I do think you will like it, though.”

  Emily shoved out her lower lip. “Something tells me you’ll like it even more, since I won’t have any other clothes to wear, and I’ll be forced to be naked whilst there.”

  James made the growling groaning sound. “Oh, my sweet. Now you’ve gone and put an image in my head that I do not wish to erase,” he whispered.

  She crossed her arms as a giggle erupted. “Where are you taking me?”

  He inhaled and let the breath out slowly. “This was supposed to be a surprise. We are going to your wedding gift,” he finally answered.

  Emily’s eyes darted to one side. “It must be a rather large gift,” she reasoned.

  James seemed to consider the comment for a moment, as if he were counting in his head. “Four floors, nine... no make that twelve rooms, not counting the servants’ quarters, of course—”

  “You bought me a house?”

  “In Curzon Street, yes,” he replied. He was about to say more, but she was suddenly kissing him, her body repositioned so she was practically sitting atop him in the cramped coach. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her as she continued to kiss him.

  When she finally pulled away, mostly because she had to take a breath, James murmured. “I was planning to give you a tour, but something tells me—”

  “Library first. Then the bedchamber,” she said before she resumed kissing him.

  James was the first to pull away when that kissed ended. “The library?”

  Emily blinked several times. “There is a library, is there not?”

  Struggling to remember the rooms in the house—he had only been there the one time prior to arranging for its purchase—James said, “First floor. I apologize, but there are no windows in there,” he warned.

  A brilliant smile lit her face. “Well then, it will be perfect.” She resumed kissing him, and James realized the library would soon become his favorite room in the house.

  Chapter 40

  A Wedding Gift of Modest Means

  Back at Trenton House

  “You seem awfully anxious to be home,” Gabe teased as he paused before the front door of Trenton House.

  “I am. I want you to open your wedding gift,” Frances replied. Despite the gray skies, she displayed a smile and the rosy blush of a newly married bride. She also carried the marriage certificate, carefully rolled up and secu
red with a ribbon.

  Barclay opened the door, and Frances was about to step in, but Gabe put out an arm to stop her.

  “What is it?”

  “I wish to carry you over the threshold,” he replied, lifting her into his arms.

  “Oh!” she cried out, giggling as Gabe carried her into the house.

  He set her on her feet and gave his hat to the butler. “Barclay, I am a married man.”

  “Congratulations, sir. My lady,” the butler replied as he took Gabe’s greatcoat.

  “Thank you,” Frances said as she removed her redingote, her excitement palpable. “Come. Your gift is in the study.”

  Gabe gave Barclay a glance of curiosity, annoyed when the butler pretended he hadn’t heard her comment. “You didn’t have to buy me anything,” he said when Frances took his hand and pulled him toward the study.

  “I didn’t buy it,” Frances replied. “I made it.”

  Pausing just inside the door, Gabe stared at the huge pasteboard box that sat atop the mahogany desk. A red satin ribbon adorned the top. “Frances,” he breathed.

  “It’s a bit heavy, so—”

  “Then how did you manage it?”

  “Barclay helped, of course,” she replied, practically bouncing on her toes. “Open it.”

  Gabe leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I will, but then it will be my turn to show you your gift,” he said.

  “But, you already gave me two rings,” she protested, holding out both hands, palms down.

  He wasn’t about to tell her that in addition to a wedding band, James had bought a townhouse for Emily. Just down a few doors and across the street from Trenton House.

  Grinning mischievously, Gabe regarded the box another moment before he untied the ribbon. Then he noticed the box had no bottom—only sides and the top. “Hmm,” he murmured.

  “You just have to lift it off,” she said, nearly ready to do it herself. “Straight up.”

  Gabe placed his hands on either side of the box and did as he was told, his manner sobering as the gift was revealed. “Frances,” he breathed. “You made this?” He set aside the pasteboard and leaned in close to the examine the pelike, an exact replica of the one in Tom Grandby’s office. “How?” he asked in awe.

  “I remembered what you said about Mr. Grandby’s pelike. That you would be happy to have one, even if it was a copy,” she said as she studied his reaction. “So I sent a letter to him asking if I might see it. He not only allowed me to pay a call to his office to take measurements, he had it delivered to my workroom so that I could copy it exactly,” she explained.

  “He never said a word,” Gabe whispered.

  “Well, I did ask him to keep it a secret,” she said. “Do you... like it?”

  He turned to her and allowed a brilliant smile. “I love it,” he said. “Not as much as you, of course.”

  She smiled as he took her into his arms. “Now I’ll have to decide where I wish to display it,” he murmured. “I can hardly wait until we have our own house. This can be the featured piece in the front hall,” he claimed with some excitement.”

  “I made sure it can hold water if you wish to use it as a vase,” Frances said.

  “No water,” he said with a shake of his head. “I shouldn’t want to risk it. If a servant were to break it while they filled or emptied it, I would be sick,” he replied. “No, this will eventually have a special place in my study.”

  “Well, I’m glad you like it.”

  Gabe finished perusing the pelike and then stepped back. “Now it’s your turn, but I hardly think you’ll like my gift as much as I do mine,” he murmured.

  Hesitant, Frances took his proffered arm, and Gabe led her down the corridor toward the back of the townhouse. “I feared it wouldn’t arrive on time, but it was installed just yesterday,” he said as he paused before the last room, one that was opposite the kitchen.

  “Installed?” Frances repeated. Both of her dark eyebrows arched. “Whatever could you...?”

  She stopped speaking when Gabe threw open the door. What had been a storeroom was now a pottery workshop, complete with a potter’s wheel and a kiln. There was a workbench along with wooden shelves already stocked with clay, pigments, glazes—Frances couldn’t begin to take in everything all at once.

  “Do you like it?” Gabe queried. “I had help, of course, because Barclay had to find a carpenter to do the shelves and build the table,” he explained before his face screwed up in a grimace. “I feared this might be a bad idea, given it’s your daily job, but you seem to take such joy...” He had to stop speaking when her lips collided with his, her kiss as enthusiastic and as thorough as any they had shared before.

  When Frances finally released Gabe, she said, “I love it. I do. But not as much as I love you.”

  Gabe took her into his arms and hugged her hard. “I have something for David, too,” he murmured. “Some things, rather.”

  Frances leaned back in his hold. “Things? As is more than one?”

  His eyes darted to the side before he said, “Yes.”

  “You’re going to spoil him rotten, aren’t you?”

  His eyes darted to the other side. “Yes,” he admitted before his dimple appeared and he nearly laughed.

  Frances grinned as tears spilled down her cheeks.

  “Oh, don’t cry, my sweet,” he said as he took her back into his arms. “They’re just things. A few toys. A rocking horse. A high chair. Things he can share with his younger brothers and sisters when they come along.”

  Frances buried her face against his shoulder, her own heaving with a sob. “Just adopting him has been enough,” she murmured.

  “Ah, about that. I spoke with my father’s solicitor, and I only need claim the child as my own. I have done so with the marriage settlement—”

  “Marriage settlement? But I have no dowry,” she argued.

  Gabe shrugged. “I didn’t require one. But everything has been put into writing,” he replied. “David’s education and a settlement for you when I die. Should something unusual happen that leaves me destitute, the solicitor has assured me the earldom will see to your welfare. It’s part of what my father settled on me when he acknowledged me as his son.”

  She gasped. “Nothing unusual had better happen to you,” she said in alarm.

  He grinned. “We’ll remind my mother of that when she returns from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and discovers I’ve married without her as a witness,” he said jovially.

  “She’ll hate me, won’t she?” Frances asked on a sigh.

  “Oh, no. She’ll love you for having taken me off the Marriage Mart before some destitute baroness can force her daughter on me,” he teased. When he noted her wince, he added, “And because you’re Frank Longworth.”

  “You’re sure?”

  He nodded. “Now, let’s go see to that son of ours and then get to work on the next one.”

  Frances allowed a brilliant smile. “Lead the way.”

  Epilogue

  Six weeks later, at Woodscastle

  The crunch of coach wheels in the crescent drive had Emily lowering her book onto her chest. Given her husband’s head was in her lap—he’d been napping on her and the large sofa in the Woodscastle library since their return from church that morning—she had to wiggle her thighs to rouse him.

  “What is it?” he asked as he blinked awake, attempting to peer at her from beneath her bosom.

  “Someone’s just come into the drive.” The sound of another coach made its way through the front window, and Emily inhaled. “They’re home.”

  Humphrey had given her a letter from her mother that morning with word that the family was departing Cherrywood and would be on their way home the next day. That was four days ago. She had been expecting her family’s arrival at any time.

  James groaned. “I suppose that means I must give up this particularly interesting view of you and prepare for lots of people,” he murmured. He sat up and regarded his wife with a look of wor
ry.

  “There aren’t that many of them that still live here,” Emily assured him. Her parents, her oldest brother’s family, and her youngest brother numbered just eight. “It won’t be as chaotic as was at Merriweather Manor, and we’ll leave for our home tonight if it’s too much for you.”

  They’d had dinner at Merriweather Manor the night before, and given the late hour, they had elected to stay at Woodscastle rather than returning to their townhouse in Mayfair. By the time they made the short trek to Woodscastle at nearly midnight, Emily and James were both exhausted.

  “I’ll be fine,” he said as he offered her a hand and then pulled her up from the sofa and into his arms. “We’ll be fine,” he amended. “But I do love that we can spend the night in our own home tonight.”

  Emily took a deep breath and let it out before she kissed him. “I look forward to it. Did you know we’re across the street and only a few doors down from Gabe and Frances?”

  “And close to the park,” he said, as they made their way to the front door. They hadn’t yet taken advantage of their proximity to the park, but would do so when the weather improved.

  And when they weren’t spending so much time in the library. Or one of the bedchambers. They still hadn’t decided which one they liked the best.

  Humphrey already had the door open, and several children spilled into the house, their faces happy at seeing their youngest aunt, each one taking turns to meet their new uncle.

  Next came Roger, whose boisterous laugh and good-natured ribbing reminded Emily that James and Roger had attended university together. His raven-haired wife, Helen, the daughter of their uncle’s business partner, Todd Vandermeer, pulled Emily into a hug and bussed a startled James on the cheek.

  He barely recognized the willowy woman who was nearly as tall as her husband, despite having been introduced to her a number of times during his university days.