by Julie Beard
She surprised him with a picnic at the old churchyard. Aunt Patty and Harding came along as chaperons, though that seemed too little too late, considering her increasing state. Jack hadn't noticed. She was eager to tell him, certain he would be delighted.
They ate and drank and laughed and enjoyed the cool autumn breeze amidst the gravestones. Then Liza invited Jack to stroll with her to her little cottage. Arm in arm they walked through the orchard, savoring their closeness and the brilliant show of russet, orange, and yellow leaves, falling like feathers to the eternal ground.
"Did you receive my letter?" Jack asked.
"No," Liza fibbed. She fully intended to make him pay for his subterfuge with a few moments of extreme discomfort.
"What? You didn't receive my letter from London?"
"No, my dear, I didn't. Was it an important letter?" she asked with false naivete.
"Important? As far as I'm concerned, it had more significance than the Magna Carta."
She laughed, a rich and sultry sound. "Oh my, you do take yourself seriously. What did it say, my dear?"
"I confessed my undying love to you, and I made an offer of marriage."
"I accept both readily, sir."
He tossed back his head and laughed in delight. "Thank God for that. I was afraid I was going to have to kidnap you and drag you off to Gretna Green."
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"Now that you mention letters, I received one yesterday from Mrs. Halloway."
There was a long pause. "Oh?"
"Yes." Liza took a deep breath, trying to drag it out as long as possible. "She said she'd received my letters and that she was delighted I had received hers. She has fully recovered from the near fatal illness that forced her to rely on her abigail to pen her last missive."
Liza paused, stifling a smile, waiting for his reaction. All she heard was a sort of strangling sound as he cleared his throat.
"Did you hear me, Jack? Mrs. Halloway also says she has nothing but the highest praise for the reliability of the Royal Mail, and she knows her letters are safe as long as their journey ends at 2 Hanley Street. And she—"
"Liza!" he said, his voice sliding down the scale. He stopped walking and tugged her toward him. "You're teasing me, you wench."
"Am I?" she said, laughing.
"Yes!" Merriment lit his gorgeous eyes. "You did receive my letter, and you did read my confession."
"Yes, but I had figured out your forgery before I received your missive."
"And you still loved me?"
"I loved you even more." She reached up and kissed him. Those firm, sleek lips of his were pure magic. "You're so clever, Jack, so warmhearted and decent. And best of all you're practical. You would never let strict honor prevent you from doing whatever it takes to help those you love."
"We have much in common, then. You'd go to the ends of the earth to spare your loved ones pain as well."
"Jack," she murmured, reaching up and combing his
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hair, squinting in the shadowy autumn sunlight. "We have more in common now than you would ever imagine."
He slipped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. A tickling desire crept down her neck and she shivered. "Mutual passion, you mean?"
"Yes." She pressed her hands against his chest, pushing him away so she could look in his eyes. "And so much more than that. Jack, we have a child. A child that resulted from that passion."
Amazement shuttered over his face until he looked stricken with shock. "A child!"
Her heart fluttered a moment with panic. "Do tell me you're pleased."
"Oh, Liza! I'm deliriously happy!" He picked her up in a bear hug and twirled her around. She felt his joy, his complete acceptance of the child in that one embrace. Now everything truly would work out for the best.
He gently lowered her feet to the ground and steadied her. She gazed up at him adoringly as she had so often seen her mother regard her father.
"I love you, Jack. I have since the first moment I met you."
"I love you, too, Liza. I only wish I'd told you that eight years ago. Now let's make up for lost time, shall we?" he said, guiding her to the cottage.
"Be careful, Lord Tutley," she said teasingly as the door closed behind them, "or we might end up having twins."
"With the way I'm feeling today, it might very well be quadruplets."
She smiled as she began to disrobe. "One can only hope."
* * *
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My Dear Mrs. Halloway,
Thank you for your recent letter. It was so good to hear from you after such a very long time. I am sorry to hear that your sister is ill. Please give her my warm regards.
I've already written to you about the extraordinary events leading up to my wedding. Since you could not attend, let me tell you about the wedding itself now that I have a moment to myself.
Lord Tutley and I were married a month after he was released from the Fleet. It was a beautiful autumn day, and everyone was arguing over who made the prettier bride, me or Aunt Patty. She and her new husband, Mr. Harding, are living with us at Tutley Castle. Mr. Harding has been promoted to the post of castle steward, as my husband could not possibly even post a letter without Mr. Harding's help.
After the ceremony and the wedding breakfast at the castle, Jack played the role of the benevolent landlord in his estate room, giving out gifts without any thought to his own pocket. If you knew my husband, you would know that was very in keeping with his character. Fortunately, he can now ajford to be so recklessly caring.
To my mother, he gave the portrait of Desiree that Lord Barrington had stolen from Huntly House. Jack had asked an art collector in London to track it down for him. It seems Lord Barrington had abandoned the painting without profit just before he made his escape to India. Lord Osborn has consulted with the Marquess of Perringford to make sure Barrington's visit abroad is permanent.
To his cousin, Arthur Paley, and his wife, Theo, Jack gave the most impressive gifts. He handed them thirteen legal documents. The first twelve detailed Jack's endowments for his nieces and nephews. To the boys he generously gave property, and to the girls he donated dowries so hefty that Arthur wept before the interview was through. Jack also gave Arthur and Theo twenty thousand pounds for their own use, a sum that they assured him they would never be able to spend if they lived to be a hundred.
I tell you these personal details, Mrs. Halloway, not only because we are so intimately acquainted, but because I want you to fully appreciate what a generous and dear man I have married. I was especially pleased that he remembered the Davises. He gave Jacob Davis enough money to rebuild his chandler shop, and he also endowed Annabelle with a generous dowry. It is surely significant enough to help her overcome any scandal that might linger over her ill-fated carriage ride with Lord Barring-ton. Mr. Honeycut tells Celia that Annabelle is being courted by a good-hearted farmer from Waverly, and that his affections are warmly returned.
As for Celia, I believe she will be able to marry Giles after all. Perhaps in a few years when he is more established. Jack plans to give him the chambers at 2 Hanley Street as soon as Giles becomes a solicitor. Jack already has plans to move Giles to London so he can study at Gray's Inn and eventually go to the bar and become a barrister.
And finally, after all these gifts were given, Jack and I shared a glass of port with a very special wedding guest—the earl of Osborn. He came from Fielding to see the nuptials. I invited him after giving it serious thought. Papa, that is to say Bartholomew Cranshaw, said he would not mind. And I could tell by the earl's expression that the invitation meant a great deal to him.
He came a day early and visited Cranshaw Park, so he and my mother had a chance to sort through the past and put it all behind them. None of the guests had any idea that Lord Osborn and Mama had known each other before. We purposely had a small wedding so she wouldn't worry about meeting anyone from Society who might remember her days at Sheffield Keep.
I've made it cle
ar to Lord Osborn that I do not want to be named his heir, but I should very much like to be his friend so that my children can understand their true heritage.
In truth, the greatest legacy was given to me by Bartholomew Cranshaw, and my dear sweet mother. They gave me an example of love which I can now share with my beloved husband, Jack Fairchild, former rake, now Lord Tutley. And to think that none of this happiness would ever have come to pass if my first letter to you had been properly delivered. One can never know the importance of a single unopened letter, or predict the significance of the hands into which it falls.
Wish us well, my dear Mrs. Halloway, for you mean more to Jack and me than you will ever know.
Very Truly Yours,
Liza Tutley
Julie Beard is the award-winning, bestselling author of nine historical novels and novellas. She’s also the author of a popular “how to” book entitled The Complete ldiot’s Guide to Getting Your Romance Published. Julie has a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism and worked for a decade as a television journalist at NBC and Fox affiliates before she had the pleasure of writing fiction full-time. She lives in the Midwest with her family and two incorrigible basenjis. Her Web site address is www.juliebeard.com.
Titles by Julie Beard
MY FAIR LORD
THE MAIDEN'S HEART
ROMANCE OF THE ROSE
FALCON AND THE SWORD
A DANCE IN HEATHER
LADY AND THE WOLF
THE CHRISTMAS CAT (anthology with Jo Beverley, Barbara Bretton, and Lynn Kurland)