Fenella J. Miller
Page 19
After a flurry of greetings she was escorted up to her room. She had no time to ponder on his words, but when she was comfortable and settled in her bed, her own possessions around her, she relaxed and thought about his statement.
Would she become accustomed to being unsighted? She had to admit that already her hearing had sharpened and she tended to feel things in order to discover what they were.
She still had her music, she had no need for eyes to play the pianoforte. Perhaps life would not be so empty after all. She knew that was untrue for without her love she was truly lost.
Sarah had promised to be her guide, to lead her around the garden and tell her everything there was to see. Indeed her sister was the only one who seemed happy with the new circumstances. Sarah finally had a role to play, an important duty to perform, and all thought of leaving to be a princess was forgotten. She seemed to have accepted her position in the household and was content with it.
Weeks passed and Eliza began to smile a little and regain her appetite but she missed Fletcher so much. He had promised to come and visit, to see how she did, but she didn’t expect him to.
The occupants of Grove House were inordinately cheerful, considering the circumstances. Why was everyone so happy? Sometimes it made her quite cross to see how little anyone thought of her misery. To have lost the man she loved a second time, as well as her sight, surely deserved more sympathy? But when she fingered her way towards a room, she could often hear the sound of suppressed laughter, and she’d heard unidentified voices several times. However, no one had seen fit to inform her who they were and she had no intention of asking.
The vicar had been up to see her, although she didn’t feel ready to attend church yet, and said everything that was proper, but he also didn’t seem to take the fact that she was going to remain a miserable spinster the rest of her life as seriously as she expected.
She realized finally that being blind, although a serious handicap, was not half as painful as living without the man she loved. She had to be strong, for both of them. Every night she dreamt about having his dear arms around her again, but she would not weaken. It was up to her to be strong, she repeated this to herself again and again, hoping to convince herself she had not made a disastrous error.
* * * *
Towards the end of the month the weather turned warm and everyone was talking about there being a good summer on its way. Her mother had taken to leaving her bed chamber window open to allow fresh air in and for her to be able to hear the nightingales singing in the park.
‘Mama, all my life you’ve been telling me it is injurious to one’s health to have windows wide open at night. What has happened to make you change your mind?’
‘I have been speaking to Dr Smith, my dear, and he said that as you’re not going outside as much as you were used to I was to ensure that you got fresh air in other ways.’
Eliza had to be satisfied with this prevarication. However, she enjoyed the breeze and liked to hear the curtains moving gently across the polished boards.
Not long after this conversation she retired and as usual failed to sleep. Her longing for Fletcher had not abated one jot and she was seriously considering sending a message to him asking him to visit. She heard her mantel clock chime midnight before she eventually fell into a restless slumber.
* * * *
Fletcher waited until it was quite dark, and all the lights were extinguished before approaching Grove House. He’d walked up from the town, leaving his baggage at the Sun along with his manservant, Sam. It was his intention to break into the house tonight like a burglar. He grinned knowing that he was indeed a thief, because he had come to steal something precious.
This clandestine visit had been arranged with her family before he left Hendon Manor so many lonely days ago. It had been agony staying away from her, but he knew it would be foolish to appear too soon - he had to be sure she was as miserable as he at their separation.
He crept round to the front of the house and stared up at the open window on the first floor, knowing it was Eliza’s room, hers was the only bed chamber with a balcony. He scaled the height of the wall without difficulty. Tonight he was lucky and the silvery light of the moon made his ascent easy.
He dropped lightly in his stockinged feet over the balustrade. He smiled at the thought of his boots being discovered untenanted on the front doorstep next morning. Both French doors were firmly jammed open, the arrangement had been that one door would be left slightly ajar to allow him to enter, but obviously Mrs Fox was making absolutely sure he could get in without rousing her daughter.
Stepping into the room he stood like a shadow in the corner staring across at the bed. Yes, she was there, fast asleep, he could hear her rhythmic breathing. His eyes filled and he wanted to leap across and snatch her into his arms, covering her face with kisses.
Instead he crept across into the dressing-room where he swiftly removed all his garments. Only then did he stealthily approach the bed and, pulling back the covers, slid in beside his beloved totally unclothed. He had no intention of pre-empting their wedding night, just making absolutely certain that she would have to marry him, whatever her reservations about her handicap. It had all been arranged to allow her no escape. Mrs
Fox would arrive first thing in the morning as if wishing to speak to Eliza and find him in bed with her. That would be more than enough.
Eliza’s mother had promised to make a drama that no one would ever forget. Everyone in the house would hear and the special licence would be produced from his pocket, the vicar fetched and the marriage take place immediately before the disgrace could travel all round the town.
He had to suppress his laughter, one day he would tell Eliza this had been planned by her loving family. They knew, as he did, why she had refused him and also knew that no one would ever convince her she was wrong. They sincerely believed that this unorthodox plan was the only way they could make her happy.
Something disturbed Eliza’s dream - she was imagining she was in Fletcher’s arms, inhaling his lemony smell when her eyes flicked open. She could still smell the distinctive aroma but knew her mind must be playing tricks.
She yawned and rolled over to find a cool place on the sheets. Her squeal of shock when she encountered naked male flesh reverberated around the room. She felt his chest vibrating with amusement.
‘Fletcher, what on earth are you doing in my bed with no clothes on?’
‘What do you think I am doing, my darling? Let me hold you the way I’ve always longed to. I know you won’t marry me - I’m not asking you to - but let me put my arms around you just this once. Give me something to remember. I promise I shall be gone long before anyone discovers me here.’
This was ridiculous. What a shocking suggestion. Eliza drew breath to refuse but she couldn’t. Somehow her prayers had been answered and who was she to argue with the Almighty? Without a word she closed the distance between them and slid her arms around his neck. She didn’t care that he had no clothes on, didn’t care that her feet became entangled between his naked legs. All she wanted was to feel him next to her, taste his mouth on hers just once more.
A few breathless moments later Fletcher enquired softly. ‘It doesn’t seem fair, my darling, that you can explore my skin and I cannot do the same. Shall I remove this voluminous garment?’
Without a murmur she raised her arms and he tugged her nightgown up over her head and tossed it casually to one side. He pulled her back into his arms and Eliza felt she was exactly where she belonged. All her reservations about their union dissolved under his tender tutelage.
When they finally fell asleep, even she could not deny that they were meant to be together and that in the circumstances it would be best if their wedding took place as soon as possible.
The following morning Eliza opened her eyes horrified to see that it was already light and that her lover was still beside her. She had no wish to shock her mother by her outrageous behaviour. It would be better by far if
everyone thought she had had a change of heart and Fletcher appeared later in the day as if having been summoned at her request.
She was about to wake him with a gentle kiss when she screamed instead. He jackknifed awake, his face shocked by her outburst.
‘Fletcher, the sun is up, the room is full of sunlight.’ She waited for his sleep befuddled brain to register the import of her words.
Slowly his mouth curved into a smile off comprehension. ‘Sweetheart, I didn’t think life could get any better. How much can you see?’
‘Your outline, light and shade, not everything, but after being in total darkness for three weeks it is a miracle that I can see anything at all.’ She fell back into his arms and covered his face with kisses.
It was hardly surprising that, in the circumstances, Fletcher completely forgot the arrangement he had made with his future mother-in-law.
Copyright © 2008 by Fenella-Jane Miller
Originally published by Robert Hale Ltd.
Electronically published in 2008 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228
http://www.RegencyReads.com
Electronic sales: ebooks@regencyreads.com
This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.
Table of Contents
A DEBT OF HONOUR
Fenella Miller
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two