“I don’t care to see her,” he replied. “Sired by a stable boy, she has no part in our family name or inheritance.”
His words thrust through my heart like a knife. I needed to protect my baby, and as her mother, I would. My gaze turned back toward Reginald, hoping that he would speak up in my defense and be the man I wanted him to be. By then, his associate had entered the office to see what the ruckus was about.
“What’s going on?”
I answered before giving anyone else a chance. “I’m fixing the mess these three men have made of my life.” He looked at me in my attire and glanced at everyone with a befuddled expression on his face. “You’re welcome to stay and watch,” I added, “but stay out of it.”
Again, I turned and looked at Reginald. “I want my daughter returned to me. It’s my duty to raise her not yours.” The tone of my voice calmed somewhat as I entreated the man I loved to do the right thing. All I knew at that moment was that I wanted my baby back in my arms regardless of the sacrifices I would need to make to care for her.
“Don’t you dare give her that little girl,” my father growled at Reginald with a threatening glare.
“Reginald?” I looked at him, waiting for him to do or say something, but he looked indecisive, which irritated me to no end.
“You will get no support from me,” my father snapped, “if you intend on taking that child.”
“And you’ll get nothing from me either if you annul this marriage.” Edward threw his threat into the circle. Neither of them frightened me. Once again, I glanced at Reginald. Our eyes met, and I witnessed a change in his demeanor. He pulled his shoulders back and stood tall. After glancing at my father and Edward with as much disgust as I held, he spoke directly to me in a tender voice.
“Marry me, Isabella,” he calmly asked. “Be my wife and be the mother you always wanted to be to your little girl.”
“She can’t marry you. She’s married to me!” Edward howled. Reginald ignored his ranting.
Suddenly his boss decided to enter the ring of fire with his opinion. “If you marry that woman, you’re fired!”
Reginald glanced at everyone, shook his head, and chuckled. “Don’t bother,” he said. “I quit. I had planned on giving my notice today, regardless.”
“Quit? What do you mean you quit?”
“I received an offer of employment yesterday from a firm in New York, which I accepted.”
New York? Reginald had planned on leaving. They could have disappeared from my life for eternity had I not lost my senses and ran here to confront him. Inwardly I panicked.
“Why?” I gulped.
“Your father suggested for everyone’s sake that I leave the country with your daughter and never return. Now I wish to thank him for it.” Reginald approached and stood in front of me.
“I love you,” he said, reaching out and taking my hand. “I have loved you all along.” He kissed it softly, rekindling the affection we had buried. “I want to marry you, my darling Isabella.”
“Get me an annulment, and I’ll marry you,” I replied without hesitation. My heart swelled at the thought of being his wife. I could see Edward and my father out of the corner of my eye, gaping at the scene in protest.
“Come with me, and I’ll introduce you to your daughter.” Reginald took my hand and led me toward the office door.
“Where in the hell do you think you’re going?” Edward balked.
I halted in my steps, turned around, and looked at him. “I’m going to meet my baby and then make love to Reginald instead of to you.” I flashed a mocking grin. “Do think of me while you are lying in bed alone tonight. I will not be thinking of you.”
“Then give me the ring back,” he snarled.
“Oh, the ring? I’m sorry.” I giggled unashamedly. “I used it to pay the cabby for my fare here.” I held up my left hand, wiggling my bare finger in front of him.
“You bloody gave it away? Do you know how much that diamond was worth?” Edward’s chest heaved up and down.
“I thought it hideously ugly,” I added.
My eyes shifted toward my father, who looked as if he were on the verge of a heart attack. I had no parting words to give him. He had lost a daughter and granddaughter. As far as my parents were concerned, I held no affection for either.
“Let’s go, Reginald.” He smiled warmly at me, put his arm around my waist, and led me outdoors. As we passed the receptionist, she called to me.
“Do you want your veil back?”
“No, keep it,” I said, not wanting to remember that I had just gotten married. I was sure she would enjoy the diamond tiara to which it was attached.
By the time we reached the sidewalk, my body shivered from head to foot. We stopped by the curb to hail a cab, but Reginald took me in his arms to kiss me first. As soon as our lips met, I knew that finally I had gotten what I wanted.
Chapter Eighteen
Sugar and Spice
As we sat side by side in the backseat of the cab, my emotions of the past few hours overcame my dry eyes. I felt a tear trickle down my cheek at the expectation of what lay ahead. In a few minutes I would see my daughter. As I pondered the meeting, I suddenly felt concerned.
“I don’t think that you should introduce me to her as her mother,” I announced. “It will confuse her, I’m sure.”
“I think that’s wise,” Reginald announced. “I shall tell her that you are daddy’s special friend.”
“Look at me though.” I laughed. “I’m in a wedding dress. It’s not exactly the most appropriate attire to be meeting a toddler.”
“You do look stunning, by the way,” he added with a twinkle in his eye. “Mother left a few items of clothing from her last visit. You can change into one of her things.”
“Will you actually move to New York? What about your parents?” I dreaded the thought of them remaining in France.
“I’m happy to say that they have decided to return to England. They will be living in my home while I’m away.” His smile faded, and he looked at me with concern. “You will come with me, won’t you?”
“Of course,” I assured him. “Will I be able to get an annulment?”
“Don’t worry about that now, Isabella. I’ll take care of it.”
The cab slowed and pulled up to a Georgian-style house in a quaint area of the city. After it had stopped, Reginald paid the fare and helped me out. The prospect of seeing my little girl sent a shiver of excitement through my body. Reginald reached out, took my hand, and squeezed it tight.
“She’s probably taking her afternoon nap, so you have an opportunity to slip upstairs and change.”
“All right,” I said, following him. We entered into his home, and a stout woman greeted our arrival.
“Mr. Spencer,” she said, glancing at my attire and at him. “You are home early.”
“Quite so,” Reginald replied. “Is Mary asleep?”
“Mary?” I repeated. “Did you name her Mary?”
Reginald smiled. “Mother told me she heard you whisper Mary Jane, so Catrina and I agreed to have her baptized as such.”
“Oh, Reginald,” I cried. My hand came to my mouth, stifling a grateful cry.
“Yes, sir, she’s asleep but should be waking soon.”
“Very well.” Reginald took my hand and led me upstairs. “Come with me, sweetheart.”
As we ascended the stairs, I struggled with all the unanswered questions that haunted me since I gave birth.
“Why?” I asked. “Why did you and Catrina adopt her?”
We arrived at the landing of the second floor, and Reginald halted his step. “Catrina could not have children. We had tried for some time.”
“How sad,” I replied.
“Your father had been aware that we were considering adoption. He approached the two of us and offered your baby, with conditions of course.”
“Conditions?”
“You were never to know,” he acknowledged.
Reginald dir
ected me to a guest room, opened a closet, and found a dress for me to wear. “Here, I’m sure Mother won’t mind. Go ahead and change, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I nodded in agreement, and Reginald departed, closing the door behind him. It did not take long to rid myself of the wedding dress. The ceremony had been beautiful, and Father had given me everything I asked for in return for marrying Edward. The thought that I had done so sickened me, but I had gained the truth because of it. Perhaps I hadn’t made a mistake after all. It had become a means to an end.
As I finished putting on the dress, a soft knock came at the door. “Come in.”
A moment later, Reginald entered, but he was not alone. In his arms, rubbing her sleepy eyes, sat a little girl. The shock of finally seeing my baby after having given birth sent my soul soaring toward the heavens. I stood speechless, looking at her form. She had golden tresses that twirled in ringlets to her shoulders. Beautiful blue eyes gazed at me curiously.
“Can you say hello, Mary Jane?” Reginald prompted her with a smile. “This lovely lady has come to visit you.”
My daughter suddenly became shy and buried her head in Reginald’s shoulder. “It’s all right, sweetheart,” he assured her. “She is a very nice lady.”
“Hello, Mary Jane.” My voice trembled. I took a step closer, trying not to frighten her with my approach. “Did you have a good nap?” She peeked at me and then shook her head yes.
“She can be a little timid, but give her time and she’ll come around.”
“Oh, Reginald, she is beautiful.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her, and I desperately wanted to touch her. “Do you think she’ll let me hold her?”
“She might,” he answered. “Mary Jane, would you like to say hello to my friend?”
I held out my arms toward her and smiled. She stared at me guardedly for a few moments, and Reginald stepped closer.
“Can I hold you?” She glanced at Reginald and then held out her arms to me. A smile burst across my face, and in the next moment, a little girl of sugar and spice clung to me.
“She’s back where she belongs,” Reginald said.
“We are all where we belong.” Mary Jane giggled at the two of us, and I remembered Catherine’s words.
“Don’t despair, my dearest. All will turn out as it should.”
~The End~
About the Author
With Russian blood on my father’s side and English on my mother’s, I blame my ancestors for the lethal combination of my DNA that influences my stories. Tragedy and drama might be found between the pages, but I eventually give readers a happy ending.
I live in the beautiful, but rainy, Pacific Northwest. My hobby (more of an obsession) is researching my English ancestry and expanding my family tree. To keep the memory of my ancestors alive, I often use their names in my novels.
My usual genre is historical fiction with romantic elements and historical romance set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. My books include:
The Price of Innocence (Permanently Free) – Book One of the Legacy Series (Also Available on Audio)
The Price of Deception – Book Two of the Legacy Series (Also Available on Audio)
The Price of Love – Book Three of the Legacy Series
The Price of Passion – Book Four of the Legacy Series
The Legacy Series Box Set (Books 1-4)
The Phantom of Valletta (Featured in The Sunday Times, Malta in 2010) (Also Available on Audio)
Dark Persuasion (2012 Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards for Romance) (Also Available on Audio)
A Portrait of Perfection (A Dark Gothic Tale of Love and Betrayal)
A Christmas Oath (2015 Christmas Novelette)
A Christmas Mission (2016 Christmas Novelette)
Lady Isabella (2017) (Also Available on Audio)
Lady Grace (2017)(Also Available on Audio)
Lady Charlotte (2018)
Romance With a Kiss of Suspense, under the pen name of Nora Covington. Works to date include:
Thorncroft Manor
Whitefield Hall
Blythe Court – Five-Star Readers’ Favorite Review
Romance With a Kiss of Suspense Box Set
Conflicting Hearts, by J.D. Burrows, Five-Star Reader’s Favorite Review. Contemporary romance/women’s fiction. (Also Available on Audio)
You can find me on:
Official Website
Vicki Hopkins, Author Blog
Ladies of Disgrace Blog
Subscribe to my mailing list for release updates: SUBSCRIBE HERE
LADY GRACE
by
Vicki Hopkins
ISBN# 978-0-9972995-7-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017910221
Copyright © 2017 Vicki Hopkins
Published by Holland Legacy Publishing
eBook Edition
All Rights Reserved.
This publication or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the author, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.
License Notes
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be redistributed or scanned for distribution to others for commercial or noncommercial purposes. Please purchase authorized electronic editions from your retailer. Your support of the author’s copyright is appreciated.
Work of Fiction
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One – A World Turned Upside Down
Chapter Two – Shared Heartache
Chapter Three – Digging Trenches
Chapter Four – The World at War
Chapter Five – Welcome to Our Homeland
Chapter Six – Cozy Cottage
Chapter Seven – Physical and Emotional Pain
Chapter Eight – Fields of Poppies
Chapter Nine – Dolls and Kites
Chapter Ten – Laugher is the Best Medicine
Chapter Eleven – A Friend in Need
Chapter Twelve – The Meaning of Grief
Chapter Thirteen – The Homecoming
Chapter Fourteen – The Hostile Encounter
Chapter Fifteen – Women of Britain Say – “GO”
Chapter Sixteen – The Dark and Light
Chapter Seventeen – Back to the Trenches
Chapter Eighteen – Unexpected Tidings
Chapter Nineteen – Passage of Time
Chapter Twenty – No Peace
Chapter Twenty-One – Casualty of War
Chapter Twenty-Two – Peace at Last
Chapter Twenty-Three – A Piece of the Puzzle
About the Author
Dedication
In memory of my second cousins (twice removed) who lost their lives in World War I:
Private Thomas Douglas Holland: Killed in Action June 5, 1915 – Gallipoli, Turkey (18 years of age from Salford, United Kingdom. Buried in Helles Memorial Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey)
Private Harry Walton: Killed in Action February 6, 1917 – France (42 years of age from Salford, United Kingdom. Buried in France)
Private Gilbert Hough: Killed in Action October 9, 1917 – Belgium (18 years of age from Salford, United Kingdom. Buried in West Flanders, Belgium)
Private Frederick John Holland: Killed in Action May 8, 1918 – France (27 years of age from Tuakau, New Zealand)
Major George Henry Holland: Killed in Action May 15, 1918 – France (32 years of age from Tuakau, New Zealand. Buried in Colincamps, Somme, France)
Corporal John Holland Sapsford: Killed in Action November 4, 1918 – India (24 years of age from Prestwich
, United Kingdom. Buried in Rawalpindi, Pakistan – formerly India)
In memory of the husbands of my first cousins (twice removed) who lost their lives in World War I:
Sergeant Mark Kennedy: Killed in Action July 1, 1916 – France (32 years of age from Lancashire, United Kingdom. Buried in Thiepval Memorial, Picardie, France)
Private Charles Edward Hurst: Killed in Action September 9, 1916 – France (26 years of age from Prestwich, United Kingdom. Buried in Thiepval Memorial, Picardie, France)
Private George Wheeldon: Killed in Action October 5, 1918 – France (22 years of age from Manchester, United Kingdom. Buried in Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery, France)
In memory of my great-aunt’s husband:
Sergeant Henry Lofthouse: Died of wounds May 1, 1917 – Kent, England (30 years of age. Buried in Shorncliffe Camp, Kent, England)
~Rest in Peace~
Chapter One
A World Turned Upside Down
As a young woman of twenty-one, I did not think it outlandish to marry a man of forty. My reserved personality had never been an admirable quality that drew many suitors nor did I ever consider myself a romantic at heart.
Olivia, my dearest friend and confidante, held loftier notions of meeting a man who would sweep her off her feet. She daydreamed of passionate interludes with a charming husband. As entertaining as her aspirations had been, I made it to the matrimonial altar before she did, much to her chagrin.
Over the years, I watched my three older brothers leave the household one by one to university and then marriage. Father had been anxious to see his last baby bird leave the nest. With one slight push from my parents’ hands, I went hurtling into society unprepared. Though I was barely able to flap my wings, they hoped an eligible bachelor of means and title would snatch me up.
Ladies of Disgrace Box Set Page 13