Abducted By A Fiery Lady (Historical Regency Romance)

by Ella Edon

  “Milady! Milord. Are you decent? I need to help you dress. There’s plans afoot.”

  “June?” Emilia asked, opening the door to her worried-sounding maid, and trying not to giggle as Luke grabbed a blanket and wrapped it hastily around his waist. “What is happening?”

  “Oh! Milord! Milady.” She blushed, catching sight of a naked shoulder. “Beg pardon, but I was told to help you dress as swiftly as possible. There’s a ball downstairs.”

  “A ball?” Emilia’s brow shot upward. “Was that planned?”

  “Milady, your father planned it,” she said. “It’s…it’s necessary, for an announcement.”

  “Announcement?” Emilia frowned. She turned to Luke, blank incomprehension in every feature.

  “I rather think it’s us,” Luke said.

  Emilia stared at him. “You do?”

  He shrugged. “Just in case, we’d better dress well. I’ll wear my brown velvet, if you please?” He raised a brow at June. “And can you fetch Stanfield, please? I’ll dress in there.” He jerked his head at the dressing room.

  “Yes, my lord.”

  Emilia grinned as June flushed, then hurried to fetch the suit. Earlier, Luke had sent a servant to his house to fetch another valise of his clothes. He’d be staying at Mowbray House for the next few days, and he was prepared.

  Emilia nodded, briskly. “I’ll wear my blue dress,” she told June.

  When they were dressed, Emilia walked with Luke to the downstairs hall. She felt her tummy flutter, feeling surprisingly nervous. What had her father done? They reached the doors.

  “And, welcome to the newlyweds!” her father declared brightly, as they walked in. “Blessings!”

  Emilia felt a lump in her throat. In the heat of the afternoon, the servants had managed to redecorate the ballroom, replacing all the candles with fresh ones. The place was arrayed for a small celebration. In the hall, standing about on the tiles, were arrayed a host of friendly faces.

  “Oh…Father…” Emilia whispered, blinking away tears as she spotted Hestony and Hal – Luke’s cousin – the auburn-haired pair and another soft-faced woman. All the guests smiled and applauded loudly. Luke turned to her and bowed.

  Emilia dropped a curtsey and everyone clapped. She turned to her father, heart beating fast.

  “Father!” she said, blinking back tears. “How could you?”

  “Nothing too much for you, my sweetling,” he assured her.

  Emilia heard conversation start up again, as the guests turned back to the refreshments. A small chamber-group started to play incidental music. She frowned at her father.

  “Papa…what about the debt? We still cannot afford this.” The light of fifty candles – all four-hour ones – glittered overhead. On their own, they represented more than a year’s wages for a maid. The weight of the extravagance seared her even as her heart soared.

  “He’s left,” her father said. “The Duke of Elsmoor. Last anybody heard, he was riding hard towards the Scots Border, as if demons were following him.”

  “What?” Emilia gripped the edge of the table, feeling faint. Could it be true? She closed her eyes a moment as joy swept over her. It barely seemed possible. She frowned at her father, needing confirmation.

  “I heard it from Harris, and it’s been confirmed. He’s gone. The captain reported him to the prince and…well…it was only a matter of time before others he owed money to started to come forward. We won’t be hearing about the duke for a long time.”

  Emilia felt giddy. “Father!” she whispered. “It’s…it’s amazing!”

  “It’s amazing what happens,” her father whispered quietly, “when you stop looking at problems, and start remembering that love is all that matters.”

  His eyes were very pale in the candlelight, and soft with tears. He was weeping.

  Emilia felt her throat close up and reached for him mutely. “Oh, Father,” she whispered. She gripped his frail body tight, and he gripped her back, then grunted.

  “You’re choking me, daughter,” he gasped. “Come on. Let’s get this party going. I wonder if there’s room enough to dance.”

  Emilia released him, laughing, as he strode off to find the butler. She heard him on the edge of the room, giving instructions.

  She drifted through the milling guests and back to Luke.

  “A beautiful evening,” Luke murmured. He was watching the guests. His friend with the auburn hair – Emilia recalled his name as Canmure – was talking nervously to the soft-faced woman. His sister was standing with another group, glancing over at them with a smile. Hestony and Hal were somewhere in the corner of the ballroom, in their own world. Aunt Melior was over by the piano, heckling a small group of listeners about the injustices against the frame-breakers.

  “Yes,” she agreed, a soft smile on her face. “It is.” Everything was as it should be.

  Luke nodded. “There’s only one thing I’d like better,” he whispered.

  Emilia smiled at him. “What is that?”

  “I rather fancy the idea of sneaking off together. Mayhap into town.”

  “Town?” Emilia asked, as they drifted out onto the terrace.

  “Yes,” Luke agreed. “I’ve a fancy to do something simple. ”

  “Like what?”

  “Well, we never went for coffee together,” he replied.

  “To Knollford’s?”

  “Yes.” He beamed at her. “Let’s go there. Just the two of us. It’s still early.”

  Emilia felt herself smile. “Like this?”

  He shrugged, looking at his finery, her long dress. “Maybe? Why not.”

  “Oh, Luke!” She chuckled. “You silly man. I do love you, so much.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders, looked into her eyes. “I love you too, my loveliest Emilia. With all my heart. Forever.”

  She reached up as he bent down. They met in the middle and kissed.

  Life seemed very radiant, and very simple, when Luke was part of it. Emilia smiled up at him and together they slipped out into the warm afternoon.

  “Milady?” their new coachman stared at her in surprise– Harris had left, retired to the countryside, and this was a new man, recommended by him. “Where are you going?”

  Emilia grinned as Luke answered. “Can you take us to Knollford’s, please?”

  The coachman’s eyes went big. Evidently, the idea of escorting the main reason for the party, away from the party, was too much. But he nodded, swallowing nervously. “Of course, milord. Milady. The coach is ready for a trip.”

  “Thank you,” Emilia said, and took Luke’s hand as he helped her up.

  Feeling like a rebellious child, Emilia shut the door after Luke and together they sped away to Knollford’s, where they were escorted to a table by the proprietor.

  “What can I get for you?” the man asked them as they sat down.

  “Two cups of coffee, and?” Luke frowned at Emilia.

  “A slice of pound cake,” Emilia said automatically.

  Luke raised a brow, but grinned. “Two slices,” he ordered.

  Emilia giggled and the two of them settled down to their coffee.

  It was strange, but in some ways, it felt as it always had – they had been able to speak freely with each other from the first. Now, though, they had such a rich background of shared memories that it also felt like they’d known each other a lifetime.

  “Remember the dinner at the inn?” Luke asked.

  Emilia grinned. “We had dinner? Luke, I wasn’t looking at the dinner.”

  He laughed. “Nor was I, really. I only remember because I nearly choked.”

  “Really?” Emilia giggled. She had never considered that Luke might have been that besotted.

  He just smiled.

  “So,” Luke said, as he set aside his cake-fork. “Do you have any interest in Yorkshire in the summer?”

  Emilia set aside her coffee and stared at him. “You mean…”

  “Well, it did occur to me you might m
ove to Westmore House,” he said. “It’s not that far from my uncle’s estate. It’s only about three days’ ride away. Of course, I would be very happy to have your father stay with us. I understand he is often ill, and of course the country air might be beneficial. But only if you want that…”

  Emilia was still staring. Her heart was flying somewhere overhead, and her joy was hard to put into words. Luke’s frown grew.

  “Of course, if it would be easier, of course we would stay in London. I mean, I have the house here at my disposal…my cousin almost never uses it, and…”

  “Luke!” Emilia laughed. “Of course, I want to stay at your home. I just thought, well…” She shook her head. “Oh, Luke! And to say that Father might be able to live with us, if he wished…it was my only worry, that I didn’t want to abandon him in Town.”

  “Abandon him!” Luke touched her fingers. “Oh, Emilia. Of course, he must stay with us, as long as you wish.”

  Emilia was crying now, tears running down her cheeks. She was smiling, too, so much that her face hurt. She reached out and took his hands. Their gazes locked, so that it felt like it was only them, in the whole world.

  “Oh, Luke,” she whispered. “This will be such an adventure.”

  Luke raised a brow. “A day with you is always an adventure.”

  “And with you. I can’t imagine why people bother with voyaging around the world. I only need to be here with you to feel myself queen of a thousand lands.”

  “Well, that’s how I feel. Only, I’m a king, of course.”

  Emilia laughed and they stood. Arm in arm, they went out into the street together.

  Outside, the day was fading to evening, the sky above the roofs turning a delicate shade of purple, the streets quieter and cooler now, the only sounds the bright laugh of a child and the grate of coach wheels, sliding past on the cobbles. Emilia looked into Luke’s eyes. When he smiled, she felt her heart soar. Yes, life with him was an adventure.

  Epilogue

  Emilia sat on the terrace at Westmore House. Grander and older than the Mews, their home in London, the manor was set in a vast estate and the distant hills wavered under the intensity of the sunshine.

  “We had a fine crop of lemons this year,” Luke commented, raising the glass of lemon cordial to the sunlight.

  Emilia, whose recipe it was, grinned at him. “Yes, we did, my sweetling.” She clinked her glass against his and he smiled.

  “Luke!” Cousin Hal called out, appearing in the terrace doorway. Emilia turned around, shading her eyes with her hand.

  “Hello, Hal.”

  He blushed. “Hello cousin Emilia. I say, Luke. Are you taking a ride later?”

  Luke raised a brow at Emilia, and she shook her head fractionally. He shrugged. “It’s a bit hot, eh?”

  Hal shrugged. “Alright, then, cousin. I’ll see you later.”

  Emilia leaned back and watched as Hal went down the steps to the garden. She saw a flash of cream in the bushes, and turned to Luke with a smile.

  “I think Hal has some interest to keep him in the garden?”

  Luke grinned. “I see.”

  As they observed across the terrace rail, Hal and Hestony came into view. Emilia felt her face flush as she saw the look on her cousin’s face. It was a look of such beauty that it made her heart sparkle.

  She watched as Hal stared down into Hestony’s eyes. She could see the same look in his eyes and she felt happy for them. As they watched, she noticed a shadow move on the edge of the croquet lawn. She felt her heart stop. It was a man in a dark suit and he had a look of such jealousy on his face that she actually felt her heart twist.

  “Luke?”

  “Yes, I can see him,” Luke replied mildly. “I think it’s Osburne.”

  “Oh, yes.” She shivered. The fellow had been at the house-party they’d thrown a week ago – the brother of a pretty, if highly-strung, woman called Raymonde. When she looked again, he’d gone.

  I should speak to Hestony about this.

  She glanced back to the shade where Hal and Hestony were still standing, looking at each other as if they had never seen anything so remarkable. She turned to Luke.

  “Excuse me a moment, my sweet.”

  Luke smiled at her, blue eyes twinkling. “A short one.”

  She grinned and kissed him and headed down into the garden. She didn’t go to Hestony and Hal – knowing what it felt to be in love, she wanted them to have every second to themselves. Instead, she went around the corner to where the shadow had lurked. She saw a tall figure in the distance with a black suit, but he was too far away for her to catch up. As she watched, he disappeared through the gate.

  She stood, watching the rider go down the path, his shadow moving fast over the grasses. She shivered.

  She had a feeling that no good would come of that.

  “Cousin?”

  She turned to see Hestony coming around the corner. Her face was flushed, her soft blonde hair loose. She smiled at her cousin, hesitantly.

  “Hestony,” Emilia greeted. She felt somehow much older than her cousin, and very protective. “Is there something bothering you?”

  “No,” her cousin said, flushed. “I was just wondering if it was teatime yet? I’m feeling a bit peckish.”

  Emilia frowned, looking up at the sun. It was angled down towards the hills, though it was still warm. She judged it to be four o’ clock. “We can have it a little early,” she offered.

  “Thanks, cousin.”

  As they went back into the house, Emilia couldn’t quite shed the feeling that something bad was about to happen. She went to have a word with the housekeeper and asked for tea to be sent out. As she went up to the drawing-room, she heard voices in there. She frowned. Luke was always having guests in and out – and this summer, most of his friends had decided to stay in the countryside for the season.

  Standing at the edge of the room, she peered around the door. She tensed.

  “I don’t like it. That man insults me,” a hard voice said.

  “Oh, Osburne…don’t be so unfair – he’s a boy, merely.”

  “That makes it worse, Raymonde. That’s quite enough.”

  Emilia felt herself go tense. She didn’t like Osburne the moment she met him. Now, she liked him even less. She cleared her throat.

  “Lord Osburne, Lady Raymonde? May I invite you to stay for tea? We’re putting it forward by an hour.”

  “Oh, how charming.” Raymonde’s elegant features lit up. “I’d be pleased to stay.”

  “I have business to attend to.” Osburne pushed past her out of the room.

  Emilia watched him go.

  “I apologize for my brother’s manners,” Raymonde said lightly. “He’s out of sorts…a headache. It’s the sunshine.”

  “I see,” Emilia replied neutrally.

  As the guests started to gather in the informal, yet elegant, drawing-room, she looked around nervously. Luke entered, followed by Hestony and two other guests – Lord Morley and his wife. But of Hal, there was no sign.

  What was Osburne’s business? Emilia wondered.

  She didn’t know. She glanced across the table at Luke. He looked quite calm and tranquil, joking with Morley and Lady Morley. He was clearly having a pleasant afternoon. He lifted a cup of tea to her and she raised hers, drinking a mouthful. Hestony was sitting alone, a wistful smile playing over her lips.

  Emilia knotted her fingers together nervously; she didn’t know what to do or say.

  “Milady?” the housekeeper came over, surreptitiously beckoning her over.

  “Yes?” she asked, heart fluttering with anxiousness.

  “Can you come to the upper parlor for a moment, please?”

  “Of course.”

  Heart thudding with nerves, she followed the housekeeper along the hallway, up the stairs, and then down the upstairs hallway. When she reached the small parlor, she stopped and stared.

  “Father?”

  He turned to face her. He was dressed i
n pale velvet and his blue eyes shone. His white hair was brushed well and he radiated a sort of tranquil peace she’d forgotten he had once embodied. On his arm he had a small traveling bag.

  “Daughter.” He reached out to hug her. She stepped into his embrace. His grip was firmer and stronger than she recalled.

  “How are you here? What…? Where…?”