“Wait, wait,” Peter murmured against her mouth. “I have something for you.”
“I already have everything I could ever want.”
Peter reached in his waistcoat pocket and pulled out a tiny box. He opened it and held it out to her. A gorgeous emerald winked at her from within.
“Oh, Peter.” Tears welled in her eyes. “It’s beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you are, but it’ll do.” He wiggled it out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. “A perfect fit.”
She waggled her fingers, enjoying the sparkle of the jewel in the sunlight. Peter laughed. “You like it.”
“I do,” Judith said, grinning. But then uncertainty poked at her. “What am I going to tell my mother? She’s still opposed to the match.”
“We’ll go to Scotland. You don’t need her consent there.”
“I know that, but I don’t wish to.” She pulled the ring off her finger, but he grabbed her hand, slid the ring back on.
“No. Your mother must understand this will happen regardless of her wishes. She must make her peace with this, or we will run away. It’s as simple as that.”
Judith swallowed. He had said it before but she needed to be sure he meant it. “You would give up everything? Everything, to be with me?”
“In an instant.” Judith had never seen anyone so sincere. Love fairly radiated off him, enveloping her in it like a cocoon.
“Very well. We will tell her together.” She rose and held out her hand to him. The emerald sparkled in the sunlight until he covered it with his fingers, brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, letting it linger for a moment.
They left the maze, hand in hand.
****
“You what?” Lady Grangemore stared at the ring on Judith’s hand, open-mouthed. Peter, Judith, Lady Grangemore, and Lady Howley were gathered in Lady Howley’s morning room drinking tea. The other guests were blessedly absent, having taken a shopping excursion to Folkestone.
“I told you, Mama. I love him, and he loves me. We will be married, whether you approve or not.”
“But he’s engaged to another woman.”
“I don’t expect the lady to go through with it,” Peter said cryptically.
“Why? What have you done?” Lady Grangemore narrowed her eyes.
“I haven’t done anything. But I have it on good authority the lady may choose another husband.”
“That makes no sense. Who?” She pinched her lips together and peered at him. “What’s wrong with you?”
Peter shrugged.
“Mama, I don’t want to go home,” Judith said. “Can we not stay until Peter learns whether his engagement has been broken?”
“I don’t understand any of this. Is he expecting her to cry off in a letter? Who does such a thing? I specifically told you not to pursue a relationship with this man, Judith. Why did you not listen?”
“Since time immemorial, children have been doing precisely the opposite of what their parents told them to do. I don’t know why you’re surprised, Margaret,” Lady Howley said.
“Peter’s father listened! Even when his heart told him to do the opposite. Why should you get your happy ending when I did not?”
A shocked hush fell over the room. Judith stared at her mother, aghast at her outburst. It was only when she realized her mother was not looking at her but toward the door that Judith turned around. A man stood there, a man who greatly resembled Peter.
Lord Longley.
“Jonathan?” Lady Grangemore said, in a voice smaller and more timid than Judith had ever heard from her.
“Margaret.” The Earl of Longley’s voice was deep and husky, not unlike Peter’s own.
“Father, what are you doing here?” Peter looked from one parent to the other and then at Judith, confusion etched upon his face.
The earl stepped into the room, eyes for no one but Lady Grangemore. “I didn’t want to listen to my father, Margaret. I didn’t.” He crossed the room to her in a few large strides and clasped her hands in his own. “Could we talk elsewhere? There is much to say.”
“We’ll leave you,” Lady Howley said. “Come, children.” She stepped in between Judith and Peter and placing her hands on their backs propelled them out of the room and closed the door.
“What was that?” Peter asked.
“Apparently your father has come to a realization of some kind,” Lady Howley said. “Best we leave them to it. But I think you may soon find that there will be no more objections to your union.”
“This is your doing, isn’t it?” Judith said, understanding dawning.
A tiny cat-in-the-cream smile graced the older woman’s face. “I may have written to Lord Longley and told him his presence would be appreciated by a certain lady of his acquaintance.”
“So you lied.” Peter winked.
She waved a hand in the air. “A slight untruth. At the time. I think it’s becoming truer by the second.” She winked. “Would you care for a turn about the gardens, my dears? It may or may not be possible to see into the morning room from one particular spot.”
Judith took Peter’s hand and they followed Lady Howley outside. For the first time since she’d seen Peter in his multicolored waistcoat, she was happy, truly happy. Certain, deep in her heart, that there would be no more obstacles.
It was, perhaps, naïve—she had felt this way before, and had been promptly kidnapped. But now the world seemed bright and full of possibility, and as she and her companions spied through the windows of the morning room from behind a tree, she knew her mother could feel it too. Lady Grangemore was wrapped in the earl’s arms, being thoroughly kissed.
Lady Howley and Judith beamed at each other, but Peter turned away.
“What’s wrong?” Judith asked, reaching for his arm. “Does it disturb you to see them happy?”
“No, of course not. I’m delighted. I haven’t seen my father smile like that since, well, ever. But I’ve also never seen him kiss anyone, which is a little…uncomfortable.” He stuck a finger between his cravat and his neck and rubbed.
Judith nudged him. “Oh, you baby. It’s a beautiful thing. And you know what it means, don’t you?”
Peter took her hands. “It means the last remaining obstacle to our marriage is overcome, and you, my darling, will soon be stuck with me forever.”
He pulled her close and took her mouth in a kiss that put their parents’ efforts to shame.
Chapter 20
The Earl of Longley made quite a splash at tea that afternoon, glued as he was to Lady Grangemore’s side. Lord Kingsley’s absence was noted and commented upon, at least until his mother quashed the gossip with a single withering glare.
Judith was sitting with Peter on the settee after another ear-bruising recital from Samantha and Rebecca, when Lady Kingsley appeared in front of them. She brought the tip of her cane down in a sharp thunk that nearly took out Judith’s right foot.
“Caxton. I should like to speak with you.” She glared at Judith. “In private.”
“I have no secrets from Miss Leslie, Your Grace,” Peter said. Judith could have kissed him.
“None?” The duchess cocked her head.
“None.”
“Very well. Are you sure you wish to discuss this here?”
“That depends on what it is you’d like to discuss, Your Grace.”
“Hmph. Upstart.” She considered for a moment. “Take me into the labyrinth. I’ve seen you out there, both of you, so I know you are aware of the proper path.”
Judith cheeks heated as the import of that statement hit her. “You’ve seen us out there?” she said, with a gulp.
The duchess waved her hand. “I’ve seen far worse in my time, Miss Leslie, don’t you worry. Come, then, both of you, while it’s still light.”
The duchess took possession of Peter’s arm, leaving Judith to trail behind as they went out into the late afternoon sunshine. The duchess had a very long stride for someone of her short stature; clearly
her cane was used strictly for effect. Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before Judith caught up to them and grabbed Peter’s other elbow. He winked at her, warming her from the inside out.
They walked together, an unlikely trio, into the center of the labyrinth and Lady Kingsley sat on the bench, her neck at an odd angle as she squinted up at them.
“Sit, both of you. It’s like staring into the crown of a tree. You’ll have freakishly tall children.”
Judith failed to hide a smirk behind her hand, but she did as asked and sat beside the duchess. Peter perched on the edge of a potted plant.
“I understand you’ve put Kingsley up to offering for the Bothwell chit,” the duchess said, without ceremony.
Judith wondered whether she was annoyed or pleased by the development; from her neutral expression it was rather difficult to tell. She imagined, idly, that the duchess was a decent card player. Her expression gave away nothing. “It was entirely his idea, Your Grace,” Peter said.
“Ha!” she barked. “I love my boy, but he’s never had an original idea in his life. I will eat my hat if he thought of it without you planting it in his head.”
Judith glanced at her hat, a rather sumptuous creation with fruit, feathers, and what appeared to be several twigs. Peter’s thoughts were obviously along the same lines, for he said, “It would be a shame to destroy such magnificent millinery, Your Grace. I, uh, may have said something in passing.”
“Ha! I knew it. Did you put him up to it, Miss Leslie?”
Judith shook her head rather more vigorously than she intended. “Don’t look at me, Your Grace. I knew nothing about this until Lord Kingsley was on his way back to London.”
“Hmpf,” the duchess huffed again before returning her attention to Peter. “Explain, Caxton.”
“It was actually Lady Cassandra’s idea.” He explained what she had asked him to do. “I simply told His Grace what she told me.”
The duchess seemed mildly impressed, although whether it was with Cassandra, Peter, or Kingsley, Judith couldn’t say. Then she began to laugh, a hearty bark not unlike the seals sunning themselves on the rocks at the base of the cliffs. Judith exchanged a curious glance with Peter.
“Good work, Caxton. I was beginning to despair Reginald would ever find a suitable match. She’s a shrew, but she’s undeniably pedigreed and will keep Reginald out of trouble.” She smiled as her gaze snapped from Peter to Judith and back. “And Miss Leslie will make you far happier than Cassandra ever could. My blessings to you both.”
She rose slowly, her bones creaking, and Peter rushed to assist her. “Thank you, but I’m fine,” she said, waving him off. “I shall go back to the house and leave you two to enjoy the sunset. Sunsets should be experienced with someone you love, I’ve always thought.”
Judith flashed Peter a quiet smile.
“You are certain of the way out, Your Grace?” Peter asked.
“I’m not doddering yet, Caxton.” She accepted Peter’s bow and Judith’s curtsy as her due and left them alone.
Peter joined Judith on the bench. “What was that?”
“She seems pleased. It’s not a bad thing to have a duchess on one’s side.”
“No, I suppose not.” He took her hand, brought it to his lips. Judith started to lean toward him, then unexpectedly pulled away when something under the hedge caught her eye.
A magpie, its bright black and white feathers glinting in the last rays of the sun, poked at something in the dirt. Its long dark tail bobbed as it hopped around, tugging at something. “Peter, do you see that?” she said. “What is that bird doing?”
“It’s probably after a worm, or something. What do magpies eat?”
“It doesn’t look like a worm.” Judith rose and walked over to the bird. It stared at her for a moment, challenging her, then emitted an angry squawk and flew away, alighting on a nearby branch.
Judith wiggled the object that had so interested the bird and pulled it out of the dirt. A glint of gold flashed in the sunlight.
“Peter, look! It’s gold.” She wiped off some of the dirt and held it out for inspection. “It’s a ring, I think. It’s terribly old.”
“Perhaps Aunt Gin lost it. Is there anything else there?” Peter kneeled and brushed away the loosened soil. A bracelet revealed itself. He held it out to Judith.
Gold winked through a century of encrusted dirt.
The pirate queen.
“Peter! Do you think this is part of the treasure Lady Howley told us about?”
“I doubt it,” he said with a disappointing lack of interest. He rose and wiped his hands with his handkerchief. “But we should tell Aunt Gin. Perhaps she’ll recognize these.”
Then he looked at her and laughed. Unlike the duchess, Judith was terrible at cards. She could never hide what she was thinking. “You think it’s the treasure, don’t you?”
She attempted a nonchalant shrug, but Peter clearly wasn’t fooled.
“Come along, my little treasure hunter. Let’s talk to Aunt Gin before dinner.” He kissed her quickly, and they returned to the house, Judith clutching the two pieces in one hand and Peter’s warm fingers in the other.
****
They found Lady Howley alone in her greenhouse, snipping orchids.
“I didn’t know you had a greenhouse, my lady. It’s lovely,” Judith said. The sun had not quite made its descent into the sea, and the greenhouse, tucked into the end of the house closest to the cliff side, nearly glowed with the reds, yellows, and oranges in the sky.
“I enjoy it most this time of day. It almost seems as if one is outside, and when the sunset is as magnificent as this, it’s my favorite room in the house.”
“It is very nice, Aunt Gin,” Peter said, a trifle dismissively. Despite what he told Judith, Peter did think their find might be part of the lost treasure, and he didn’t want to talk about the greenhouse.
“Judith has made a discovery.” He gestured to Judith, who held out the jewelry to his godmother. She cocked her head and studied them, then plucked a little brush off her worktable to remove a bit more dirt. The ring revealed more gold, as well as a ruby, glowing deep red even in the fading light.
Aunt Gin let out a long, slow breath, a faint whistle. “Where did you find these?”
“In the center of the labyrinth, at the base of a hedge. A magpie was trying to steal the ring. Are they yours?”
“They are not,” Aunt Gin said, excitement creeping into her voice. “Do you know, children, I believe you’ve found part of Jocasta’s hidden treasure.”
Judith flashed him a gloat which was entirely adorable. He grabbed her hand and squeezed.
Lady Howley set the jewelry down and wiped her hands on her apron. “Come,” she said, pocketing the jewels, and they followed her like obedient puppies through the darkening house to the library. It was a mark of her haste that his godmother didn’t remove her gardening apron before leaving the greenhouse.
A thousand butterflies beat their wings in his stomach.
Lady Howley pulled a worn leather book off a shelf, then sat in the center of a long sofa. “Sit, sit,” she said, rifling through the pages until she reached the page she sought. Judith grinned at Peter and they sat on either side of her.
“Jocasta was a meticulous recordkeeper,” Lady Howley said. “She kept an inventory of all of the goods she plundered over the years; this book, supposedly, was found in a hidden drawer in her desk.” Peter noticed Judith’s gaze wander to the desk behind them. Lady Howley nodded. “Yes, that desk. Presumably she needed to keep this from her faithless lover as well.”
She pointed to text written in a faded, spidery hand. Her fingertip moved down a list of items. “It’s not clear how much of her inventory would have made it into her hidden stash, but if the ring and bracelet you found are listed here, we can be certain they belonged to her.”
Peter scanned the list, his eye stopping at every mention of the word “ring.” Finally, he spotted it. Ring, gold with inset ruby. Maria Co
nsuelo, Antiqua, 1725.
“Here. Look,” he said, pointing. They continued to scour the list until they found an entry for a gold bracelet, from the wreck of the Thomasina off the coast of Barbados in 1715.
“So this is it. The treasure,” Judith said. She wiggled a bit on the sofa, as if her excitement was a tangible thing, too violent to contain. Her expression had the same mixture of eager anticipation she’d worn when they’d explored the tunnels underneath the house.
“Possibly,” his godmother said, reasonably. “We’ll need to dig. Did you tell anyone else about this?”
Judith and Peter shook their heads. “We came straight to you,” Peter said.
“Wonderful. Judith, I suppose your mother is no longer resistant to staying for another day or two?”
Judith nodded. “The last time I saw her, she and Lord Longley were giggling behind a potted palm in the drawing room. They’re worse than we are, Peter.”
Peter winced. It was one thing to fondle his own beloved, but thinking about his father doing the same thing was disconcerting, to say the least.
Aunt Gin smacked him on the arm. “Oh, you should see your face. One would think you’d swallowed a vat of castor oil. Allow your father his joy. We all deserve some.” She rose and returned to the bookshelf.
“I’m happy for him, truly,” Peter said, as it was true, then grimaced. “It will just take some getting used to.”
Judith slipped her hand in his. “I think it’s wonderful. You will too.”
“Very well,” Lady Howley said, and replaced the book on the shelf. “Now that’s out of the way, I shall meet you here at dawn to start digging.”
“Dawn?” Peter asked. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten up so early, by design.
“Yes. I’d like sufficient time to start before the rest of the house wakes up. I want to find and secure the treasure, if it’s there, before anyone’s the wiser.” Aunt Gin rose. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to dress for dinner.”
She left the room, still wearing her apron.
Peter looked at Judith, then down at his dirt-streaked trousers. “I suppose we ought to do the same.” He kissed her lightly, prolonging the contact until she broke away, breathless once again.
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