‘Rowena, no.’ He stepped towards her and the heartbreak in his voice gave her leave to hope. A small hope, still lingering. But she was going to have her say, now she had started.
She waved him back with her handkerchief. ‘It’s kind of you to pretend that you care. I shall always remember your kindness.’ She hiccuped. ‘Among other things. Please, don’t let me keep you from your plans.’
‘Dammit, woman. I don’t have any plans.’
‘Then you must make some, I suppose. But, Drew, I will not have the contents of that journal bandied about. I just won’t, and I believe your brothers will agree with me on that score. It would be an unpardonable crime against a man who has suffered as you have. No amount of money in the world would ever change my mind.’
‘So you will go back to the drudgery of the schoolroom, no matter what I say,’ he said.
‘Yes. Now go, before you have me in tears again.’ She turned her back. If he was going to leave, she did not want to watch. It would be like stepping on a heart that was already broken.
Warm hands grasped her shoulders. ‘Rowena,’ he said. ‘Beloved. Lord, how I love you. Please, I can’t bear to see you cry over me.’
She sniffed. ‘I’m not.’
He spun her about to face him, his strength far too much for her to attempt to resist. She gazed up at his face and cupped the ruined flesh of his cheek. ‘Oh, Drew, how can I live without you?’
‘My dear little love.’
He drew her close and kissed her with ruthlessness and passion. It was just as magical as it had been that very first time. Perhaps more so because they knew each other so much better that they fit together like two halves of a whole.
When they finally came up for breath, he gave her an unsteady smile. ‘I see how it is, ma’am. While you may be a gentle modest maid who will obey my every wish in the bedroom, in daylight you are nothing but a demanding witch of a woman.’
‘Yes,’ she said, smiling.
‘Oh, saints in heaven preserve me,’ he said and kissed her again.
Epilogue
At Dunross Keep
The family had gathered to welcome Drew and Rowena home from their delayed honeymoon on the Isle of Skye. It had taken weeks to sort things out in the courts without the journal for evidence. It was almost midnight and Drew sat beside Rowena on one side of the hearth, listening to Lady Selina playing the piano.
One of the nurses brought the children for their goodnight courtesies. Ian’s daughter and Niall’s little boy. Such lovely children. And with them the dark-haired, serious-eyed, six-year-old Duke of Mere, who had been thrilled to leave his grandmama to visit with his new guardians and meet the children of their family.
Mrs Gilvry, Drew’s mother, followed them across the flagstones, leaning heavily on her stick.
Drew leaped to his feet. ‘Ma.’ He kissed her hands.
His mother patted his arm as if she still couldn’t believe he had returned to her. ‘I’m awa’ to my bed. It’s been lovely welcoming you and your bride home, dearest boy.’
Rowena got up and kissed her cheek. ‘Can I help you upstairs?’
‘No, lass. Enjoy the music. Ian will see me up.’
Rowena had heard how her mother-in-law had blamed Ian for her second son’s death. But now that Drew had returned all was forgiven. Frail, but indomitable, she had even forgiven the laird his Sassenach wife, as she had much more quickly forgiven Logan for the same transgression. The old lady started down the length of the room. Ian met her before she had taken more than a few steps and with her hand on his strong right arm, he escorted her to the stairs at the end of the vast chamber.
Happy to watch the other couples who were now dancing a waltz, she and Drew returned to their seats.
Drew gazed down at her and she could only marvel at the love in his eyes. Hidden in the folds of her skirts, he threaded his fingers through hers. His brothers were still teasing him about how besotted he was and it was taking him time to become used to their careless jesting.
‘Happy, mo cridhe?’ he asked in a low murmur.
‘I have never been so happy in my life.’
‘No’ too tired? You dinna have to wait up, you ken.’
His concern stemmed from the news the doctor had given her a week ago. She was expecting a happy event at the end of the summer. ‘I’m not the least bit tired.’ She gave him a haughty look. ‘I’m not an invalid.’
He looked at her belly, though there was little to see. ‘The doctor said lots of rest.’
‘I’ll rest when I’m tired.’
He gave her a look that said she’d pay in delicious punishment for that remark and she laughed.
A stir at the door brought his head up.
‘Who is it?’ she asked. ‘Surely we are not expecting more company?’
‘A messenger in the Duke of Gordon’s livery.’
‘Your brother never ceases to surprise me with his friends in high places,’ she whispered in his ear.
‘It is probably about Carrick,’ he said grimly. ‘Gordon has insisted he step down as clan chief and retire to the Hebrides where he can cause no more trouble. His oldest son will make a grand chieftain.’
When faced with his crimes, Lord Carrick had confessed the whole to the duke. He had seen the Gilvrys as an impediment to protecting his family and gaining all the land he wanted for his sheep. His first act in his plan had been to rid the family of Drew, who he knew to be Ian’s right-hand man. And once he had started down his path of destruction, he’d had no choice but to continue.
But the stir around the door seemed to contain more excitement than such old news would engender. The babble around at that end of the room grew louder.
‘Quiet,’ Ian said, pushing through into the middle of the room, waving a letter.
Drew helped Rowena to her feet. Not that she wasn’t perfectly capable of rising unassisted, but she adored his tender solicitation. Each little thing he did for her made her heart tumble over with a love that grew stronger day by day.
‘What is it, man?’ Drew said, his voice louder than anyone’s. ‘Have they put yon Carrick in the Tower?’
Ian’s face when he turned to look at his brother held triumph.
‘Better than that,’ Niall said, striding to stand beside Ian.
‘He’s done it,’ Ian said. ‘Gordon has convinced Parliament to pass a new Excise Act. We will soon be a legal business.’
Selina left the pianoforte and came and planted a kiss on his cheek. ‘Well done. You have been working very hard to convince the poor man to speak out.’
‘Ah,’ Ian said. ‘It is not entirely for our sakes. I believe he has more than a couple of illegal stills operating on his land.’
‘No more smuggling,’ Logan said, looking comically dismayed.
Charity wagged a finger. ‘You are sure to find some new adventure.’
Ian looked at his brother. ‘Dinna worry, I’ve plenty for you to be doing.’ He looked down at the note in his hand. ‘There’s a postscript from Sanford. He said Gordon’s speech was a work of art and it carried the lords along with him.’
‘I expect Sanford wrote the speech,’ Logan quipped, to much laughter.
‘Well, I for one am glad my family is about to become legal,’ Niall said with a saintly expression and a twinkle in his eye. ‘I have judicial ambitions, you know.’
His brothers drowned him with jeers and cheers.
Rowena looked up at Drew. He was watching his brothers with an extraordinarily fond expression. He had missed them and was only slowly coming to realise he was with them again.
‘So it’s over,’ she said softly.
He looked down at her with his devilish smile. ‘No, my little beauty, it’s just the beginning.’
* * * * *
ISBN: 978-1-474-07080-5
THE REGENCY SEASON: PASSIONATE PROMISES
The Duke’s Daring Debutante © 2015 Michèle Ann Young
Return of the Prodigal Gilvry © 2014 Michèl
e Ann Young
Published in Great Britain 2017
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
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The Regency Season Page 46