by Sarah Thorn
''It a beautiful view from here,'' Mary said. ''So many wonderful ships.''
''Yes. They sail from here to destinations all over the world.''
''And when they get back, you unload them.''
''Not all of them. Just Mr. Longhurst's ships.''
''Which are his?'' she asked.
''Well, most of them are at sea, but, there's that one. That's called Rambling Rose and that one. That's called, Jesus Christ.''
''Really?'' Mary said shocked at the name. Fred didn't reply; he was already running around the quay as fast as his short legs would carry him. ''Oh my God,'' Mary exclaimed when she saw what was happening. She followed Fred.
''No stop, stop,'' Fred shouted as loudly as he could. But it was too late, the woman jumped into the cold water and disappeared. Fred took off his cap, waistcoat, and boots and jumped from the quay. When he hit the water he gasped, it was colder than he'd expected. He felt around under the water for her, but nothing. When Mary arrived, he told her to go and get a life buoy.
''Where the hell are you?'' he said still thrashing around in the water. He took a deep breath and went under. Mary came back with a ring on the end of a long rope. She screamed when she couldn't see either of them.
*****
''William, William, where are you?'' Maria shouted frantically.
''Here, what is it?''
''Francis, he's passed out and fallen down the stairs,'' she sobbed. William raced to the hallway and saw his brother lying in a horrible position. He felt for a pulse, but there was nothing.
''I'm afraid he's broken his neck,'' the doctors said when he arrived. ''Death would have been instant. I will have to make a report of it, and hand it to the constabulary.''
William looked at the doctor and then at Maria, who was staring out ahead of her at nothing in particular. ''Francis has been under a lot of strain recently, could that have had something to do with it?'' he asked.
''It's quite possible. People react differently to the stresses of life. He is very thin; it's quite possible he was anemic and passed out. It's very unfortunate; you have my utmost sympathy,'' the doctor said. At that moment, the local clergyman arrived and took over.
That evening the doctor came again and administered something to make Maria sleep. William sat in the library, and for the first time in his life poured himself a drink from the decanters on the mahogany sideboard. He was now in charge of the estate and all it's problems. He thought about his wife to be, Kathrine, and then his thoughts turned to Megan. Why hadn't he just left and gone to her? Why had he been so weak and listened to his brother? Katherine was a loving woman, a woman of virtue with a fine sense of humor, a woman he ought to love, but didn't. What was he doing, he, though? Now Francis was dead; he could do as he wished. But Katherine would be heartbroken. He took a sip of whiskey and felt it burn its way down to his stomach. After a few more sips, things became a little clearer.
William drank two glasses of whiskey and fell asleep on the sofa in the library. He didn't wake up until he heard someone seemingly trying to break the front door down.
''My Lord, there is a gentleman at the front door who say's he wants to talk to you.''
''What kind of a gentleman?'' William asked the butler.
''Rather uncouth, a working man.''
''Wait, I'm coming.'' William stood up and straightened his clothing. His neck was aching and his head pounding.
When he reached the front door, he looked at the man who wanted to see him. ''How can I help you sir?'' he asked.
''Are you Lord William?''
He was, but William supposed he was now the Duke as well. ''Yes, who are you?''
''My name is Fred, I work for Megan Longhurst's father.''
''Megan,'' he exclaimed. ''Is she alright, you haven't brought bad news, have you?''
''No luckily, but I ought to box your ears for the way you've treated her.''
''I.......I don't know what you....''
''Oh, yes you do. Making her fall in love with you, and without telling her, getting engaged to somebody else. It's a disgrace. I'm not here to teach you a lesson, although I ought to. I'm here to take you to her.''
''Where is she?''
''In hospital. She almost died.''
''How? Why?''
''Come on, I'll tell you on the way.''
They sat in Jeffrey's carriage and set off towards Bristol. ''Young man, I don't care whether you're a Lord, a Duke or the bloody King of England, what you have done to her is disgraceful,'' Fred said holding firmly onto William's arm. ''She loves you, and you will darn well marry her or something unpleasant will happen to you. Do you get my drift?''
William looked at the man threatening him. ''I understand,'' he said. It wasn't Fred's well-meaning threats that made him decide. He'd decided the previous evening that he would let Katherine down, gently and beg Megan to take him back.
They arrived at Bristol Infirmary two hours later. They both jumped out and walked through the large front door into a hallway with four corridors leading from it. An official looking woman asked them who they were looking for and told them the way.
Jeffrey was able to afford a private ward for his daughter. Most other people were in wards of twelve or more. When the two men arrived at the door, Fred opened it very gently and peered inside. Jeffrey came out and looked at William.
''Lord Thurlington?'' Jeffrey asked.
''Yes. How is she?''
''Not very well. She tried to kill herself by drowning. She jumped from one of my ships in the harbor. Fred here saved her, he jumped in and pulled her out.''
''Oh my God,'' William said, putting his hand over his mouth. He felt nauseous. ''Oh my God, what have I done?''
''We are both at fault,'' Jeffrey said. ''And we will have to make amends.'' ''Luckily the child she's carrying is still living inside her.''
''What?''
''She's expecting a baby.''
''No. Oh, what a fool I've been and so cruel. Do you think she will be able to forgive me?''
''Do you still want her?''
''Yes, oh Lord, yes. I want her more than anything in the world.''
''Then you'd better go inside and tell her.''
William entered the room and stood next to the bed. Megan was asleep, her hair trailing on the pillow. There were flowers on the bedside table and a small toy bear tucked under the sheets next to her. William didn't want to wake her. He pulled up a chair and sat down, his hand on hers.
Megan opened her eyes eight hours later. When she did, the first thing she saw was William's head on the bed next to her. At some point, he'd fallen asleep and fallen forward, his head on the bed, the rest of him still in the chair. When she saw him, she put out a hand and felt his hair. She wondered why he was there. Surely he wasn't cruel enough to mount a bedside vigil and then go back to his fiancee. Or perhaps he was. He'd been cruel enough to let her read about his forthcoming marriage in the newspaper.
He felt a rustle on top of his head and woke up. He jerked his head up suddenly and saw Megan, awake.
''How are you feeling?'' he said gently.
''Sorry,'' she said. ''I shouldn't have done what I did.''
''It doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you get well again.''
''Yes, I suppose so. Why are you here?'' she asked.
''I'm here to say sorry to you and to tell you that I love you and want you to marry me.''
''Why do you suddenly want to marry me when only a few days ago I read you were to marry another woman?''
He sighed and didn't know where to start his explanation. ''After you told me who you really were, I went to speak to Francis, my brother, the Duke. Sorry, the late Duke.''
''What? Is he dead.''
William pulled a face to force the tears back. ''Yes, he died yesterday. It was a tragic accident. He fell.''
''Oh you poor boy,'' Megan said. ''Go to his wife and comfort her. What are you doing here?''
''I cannot leave you. I wasn't strong en
ough to stand up to my brother. He didn't want me to marry you because you're from the middle class, and I simply let you go, just to please him.''
''No, a lot of it is my fault, William, we live in a time when classes are not allowed to mix. I understand.''
''But you tried to kill yourself and our baby. Why?''
''Because I couldn't bear to live without you. I couldn't bear to look at a child that every day reminded me of you. I couldn't, I sorry.'' She began to weep.
He took her hand and pressed it to his cheek. ''I'm here for you. I will never leave you again if you'll have me. Please?''
''And the other woman?''
''I will take care of that.''
''We have both been unkind to each other. Very unkind, but I would like to spend the rest of my life with you and our child.''
*****
When Megan was well enough, she went to live with her father until William made arrangements for his brother’s funeral. She moved in with William and had a boy, an heir to the Dukedom.
Jeffrey got his place among the aristocracy; his money saved Hamilton Hall and the estate.
Fred and Mary married and had six children. Jeffrey rewarded Fred for his loyalty and made him quay foreman, which meant in later years he had a much easier job.
*****
THE END
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Table of Contents
REGENCY Romance - A Duchess in Distress
PARANORMAL Highlander Romance - Protected by the Highlander
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - The Mountain Bride
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - A Sheriff’s Heart
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - A Bride’s Destiny
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - A Bride’s Hope
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - A Heart in the West
MAIL ORDER BRIDE - The Gambler’s Bride
MOTORCYCLE Romance – Outlaw Bad Boy Biker
ALPHA BILLIONAIRE Romance - Bad Boy Billionaire
BWWM Romance - The Russian’s Secret Love Child: Octavia’s Story
BWWM Boss Romance - The Russian’s Love Child – Ella’s Story
BWWM MAFIA Romance - The Russian’s Love Child: Nicki’s Story
BWWM Bad Boy Romance - The Billionaire’s Love Child: Brianne’s Story
SPORTS Romance - More Than a Game
SPORTS Romance - My Stepbrother’s Game – A College Hockey Romance
SPORTS Romance - Hotter Than Ice
SPORTS Romance - Not With the Coach
COLLEGE OLDER MAN Romance - Studied by my Dad’s Best Friend
WESTERN BILLIONAIRE Romance - A Heart in Trouble
WESTERN BILLIONAIRE Romance - Gold in Texas
COLLEGE Romance Collection – College Desires
CLEAN REGENCY Romance - Saved From a Scoundrel
REGENCY Romance – Dancing with a Duke
REGENCY Romance - Rescued From a Rake
REGENCY Romance - A Rake’s Temptation
REGENCY Romance - A Duchess in Disguise