She had been given the choice to leave earlier and have the Duke join her later, but she had chosen to stay beside her husband. Having instructed Pip to load the last of their belongings into the wagon, Abigail went looking for Edmund. She crossed Tobias in the foyer of the estate as he walked towards the exit.
“Excellent day for travel, My Lady,” he said, bowing to her in greeting.
“Indeed it is, Tobias,” she said cheerily.
“If it is favourable, I believe we should depart within the hour,” said Tobias.
“Aye,” she said, “Are all the preparations made?”
“Yes, My Lady,” said Tobias. “The only thing left to do is get your Lord husband away from his pipe and onto a horse.”
“Leave that to me,” she said with a chuckle. “Where is he?”
“In his parlour, I believe,” said Tobias. “I shall be waiting outside.”
He bowed again and exited the estate. Abigail then climbed the stairs and walked up to the doors leading to the parlour. Knocking lightly on the door, she entered to see her husband cleaning out his pipe with a handkerchief. Ever since the crisis had been averted, Edmund had been looking healthier and healthier. He had been eating and sleeping better and had regained the natural glow to his skin. How handsome he looked, she thought as she approached him.
“Ready to depart, My Lord?” she asked, putting a hand on his arm.
The Duke immediately grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a tight embrace. He then kissed her passionately once, twice, three times. With his breath smelling strongly of tobacco, he leaned over her and whispered, “Long overdue, wasn’t it?”
“You tell me,” she said playfully, pushing him away.
“Thank you, my love,” he said to her, holding her hands in his, “for being my strength.”
“My love for you shall never diminish, My Lord,” she whispered.
“Nor mine for you,” he said.
Epilogue
Abigail sat under the shade of a huge apple tree in the orchards of Northumberland. It was a beautiful day with the sun shining through the leaves, tinting everything around her a light shade of green. She looked into the distance and smiled as she caught eye of Pip walking back towards her, carrying Elizabeth in his arms.
“Alright there, Pip?” she called at them.
“Aye, my Lady!” he called back excitedly, “She laughed, my Lady! I made a face and she laughed! You should have heard it!”
Abigail laughed. “I’ve heard her laugh before, Pip,” she said, “She is my daughter.”
“Of course my Lady,” he said, blushing.
He held Elizabeth so tenderly and looked down at her with such awe in his eyes that Abigail could not help but smile to herself. She was naught but four months old and was already the biggest joy as well as the biggest nuisance to the castle. For the first month of her life, she had kept the whole castle up, courtesy of severe colic. However, not once had anyone shied away from caring for her or complained.
“Here, give her to me,” she said to Pip, holding out her arms.
Carefully, Pip handed her the baby. Abigail looked down at her and thought that she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Elizabeth had her raven black hair but her eyes were exactly like Edmund’s; emerald green. “She’s a true Arundel,” he had said, pointing out the eyes.
“I have some work to get to, my Lady,” said Pip, “May I be off?”
“Of course, Pip,” she said.
Pip immediately gave a salute and ran off towards the corridor leading to the castle’s courtyard. Abigail looked at his receding figure and laughed. The boy had finally regained his childhood. Clutching Elizabeth to her, Abigail walked towards the castle doors, heading off to her chambers as Elizabeth squirmed with hunger. She hardly ever cried; she squirmed, instead, to relay her hunger or discomfort. As she entered the castle’s foyer, her chambermaid ran up to her.
“May I, my Lady,” she asked excitedly.
“No you may not,” she replied in mock anger, “You had her all morning. Between you, Pip and Nurse Daisy, I hardly get a minute alone with my daughter.”
“Of course, my Lady,” said the girl, blushing.
“Besides, she is hungry,” said Abigail, climbing the stairs, “It’s time for her feed.”
Shaking her head, she approached her chamber doors and prodded them open with her shoulder. Entering the room, she laid the baby down on her cot and proceeded to light some candles. As she turned away from Elizabeth, the chamber doors creaked open and Edmund entered the room. With a playful expression on his face, he immediately went for the cot and lifted up the baby.
“Gah!” Elizabeth cried, breaking into a smile as her father bounced her in his arms.
“There was once a time when the first thing you would do was to embrace me, Edmund,” she said in an amused tone, “I see now that someone else has taken my place.”
“Envy is a deadly sin, my love,” he said, turning towards her with a sly grin on his face.
“Well then,” she said, shrugging, “I seem to be heading for hell.”
“Perhaps when it freezes over,” he said as he walked over to her, still holding Elizabeth. He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. “There,” he said, “Good enough?”
“Not really,” she said with a huff just as there was a knock on their door.
“Enter!” called Edmund. The door fell open to reveal Tobias in the doorway. He was dressed in a travel cloak and boots. Bowing, he stepped into the chambers.
“Back from London, Tobias?” asked Edmund.
“Aye, my Lord,” he said approaching him, “And I bring great news.”
“That’s a first,” muttered Abigail, “Was it not your lifelong duty to bring news of disaster and despair, Tobias?” she asked with a chuckle.
“As it was your husband’s to be at the center of every disaster to plague the kingdom, my Lady,” he said with a smile.
“Quit your lollygagging, man,” said Edmund, laughing, “Deliver your message, will you?”
“Not before I give my love to the little lady,” he said, holding his hands out for Elizabeth.
“I didn’t know you were capable of love, old friend,” said Edmund, handing over the baby.
“What is he to do if not love his own god daughter, Edmund?” asked Abigail, as she sat herself on the edge of the bed.
“I brought you a present, Elizabeth,” said Tobias, digging in his pockets. Bringing out a tiny bracelet of wooden charms, he gently put it on the girl’s tiny wrist. Elizabeth laughed as the charms clanked against each other. “Do you like it, little lady?” asked Tobias with a small smile as he bent his neck to plant a light kiss on Elizabeth’s brow.
“That’s well and all, Tobias,” said Edmund, “But the news you carry?”
“Aye,” said Tobias, looking up at Edmund, “Lord Warren Stokeworth has decided to marry. He has invited us all to his wedding at Westminster in a fortnight’s time.”
“Splendid!” exclaimed Edmund, “What dame caught his eye?”
“The Lady Jane Grant, my Lord,” he said.
“Ah, yes,” said Edmund, “I remember her. She was quiet the beauty.”
“Surely not as beautiful as the Duchess, my Lord,” said Tobias with a small smile on his lips.
“Surely,” said Abigail, raising an eyebrow at Edmund, “Thank you, kind sir,” she said, turning her attention back to Tobias who gave her a small bow.
“I must ask you, Tobias,” said the Duke, an uncomfortable expression on his face, “Where does your loyalty lie? To me or to Abigail?”
Abigail burst into laughter and the two men soon followed suit. All was well.
THE END
(Scroll down for a Sneak Peek of my upcoming novel Regency Fire)
Regency Fire - Book 1
Introduction
Upon the death of his father, Gabriel Farrington found himself suddenly the new Duke of Calgarth. And filling his father’s shoes will be no sim
ple task. The family has been at war with Cornelius Cunningham, the Duke of Horndean, for three decades and it was the old Duke’s dying wish that Gabriel continue the feud with ever more enthusiasm.
Still, Gabriel has four brothers to help keep the flag of the Duchy of Calgarth flying high, and he expects each and every one of them to take his part.
Keen to lead the way, Gabriel determines to steal away the fiancé of Lord Richard Cunningham, the son of the Earl of Horndean. Lady Evelyn Godfrey, daughter of the Earl of Gorton, is beautiful and intelligent and only marrying Lord Cunningham to save her family’s floundering estate.
Initially cynical in his approach to Evelyn, Gabriel soon finds himself falling for her. As Evelyn finds her attraction to Duke of Calgarth growing she begins to wonder at his motives. With the flames of the feud burning ever brighter, Evelyn must decide whether she should trust Gabriel or follow the wishes of her father. And Gabriel must decide which is more important to him; the feud or his own happiness.
Chapter 1
“I really wish you would be serious about these things, brother.” Gabriel Farrington, the Duke of Calgarth, strode over to the drinks trolley and poured himself a large brandy.
“Oh, I’m serious enough about it, Gabriel, but I really do not think a wedding is the time and place to stoke the fires of a feud. We have had many years before now, and we have many years into the future if that is what we wish to do. It is my opinion that it might be rather fun to simply attend the wedding for the sake of it, and to hell with the Cunninghams.” Hugh Farrington, Gabriel’s younger brother, sighed with exasperation.
“That is with thing with feuds, Hugh. They do not take rests, brother. And I am certain that the Cunninghams shall not be talking in such a defeated manner.” Gabriel drained his brandy in two large gulps, put the empty glass down onto the drinks trolley with a thump, and continued to pace the room.
“I just do not understand quite what evil maneuver the Cunninghams might make at the wedding of Lord and Lady Borden’s eldest daughter.” Hugh spread his hands wide and shook his head slowly from side to side. “I am not suggesting you should take your eye off them, Gabriel, I am simply saying that I do not see that there is any real plan for us to make in this instance. Would it not be wiser to simply attend the wedding, wish the happy couple all the best in the world, eat copious amounts of food, and finally return home? After all, might that not be just exactly what the Cunninghams intend to do?”
“They never sit idle, Hugh,” Gabriel said, his pale blue-grey eyes narrowing to slits as he regarded his brother. “And you make it sound like open warfare. It is very much more subtle than that, my dear chap.”
“Do tell.” Hugh said, giving every appearance of growing bored with the subject.
“There will be a great swathes of society in attendance at this wedding, Hugh, and the Cunninghams will no doubt see it as an opportunity to strengthen their connections with other aristocratic families and spread lies and rumors as they have done in the past. It all makes a difference, Hugh, and one can never look away from them, not even for a moment. Let us not forget poor dear Aunt Verity.”
Gabriel knew it was a stretch. Poor dear Aunt Verity had died before any of them were born. Over the years, she had become less of a person and more of a mascot. She had become the justification for the continuation of hostilities between two of the most powerful families in the rugged landscape of the North of England.
“Gabriel, what happened to Aunt Verity was, without a doubt, a terrible tragedy.”
“It was not a tragedy, Hugh. It was tantamount to murder. Have you already forgotten everything that father taught us?” In truth, Gabriel felt no more for the loss of Aunt Verity than his brother. She was simply a part of the tale that had been told to them over and over again. She was a part of their story rather than a part of their hearts.
“No, I have not.” Hugh said, his voice low and his head bowed. He sat back in his chair, seemingly determined to say not one more word.
“Let us not argue about it, brother.” Gabriel forced a more convivial tone. He had insulted his younger brother unnecessarily and he knew it. They had all been raised with the same values by the same father and Gabriel knew that his pale suggestion that Hugh had disrespected the last Duke of Calgarth had been unjustified.
When Hugh remained silent, Gabriel stopped his determined pacing and finally took a seat. The drawing room at Calgarth Hall was likely the most well-appointed in the Duchy. The entire room had a wonderful light all day long, due largely to the immense arched windows which fully lined two of the walls. The windows were almost floor to ceiling height and afforded an uninterrupted view of the grounds of their vast estate.
The drapes were made from a sumptuous golden colored velvet and the great scalloped pelmets ran the full length of the windowed walls. The wooden window frames were painted so very white that they stood out in bright contrast to the gold of the drapes and the pale lemon of the walls.
The room was so vast that it was possible for a number of conversations to take place without any party feeling interrupted by another. There were couches and beautifully upholstered chairs set about in groups, creating areas of separation which the family had found very useful over the years.
On that day, Gabriel and his brother had been occupying the far end of the sitting room, entirely out of earshot of their mother who was arranging an enormous vase of flowers on a table at the other end. For all she could have heard of the conversation of her sons, she might as well have been in another room altogether.
Hugh was sitting in the chair closest to the fire and finally Gabriel took to the couch facing him. It was clear to anyone who cared to look that the two men were brothers, so alike were they. In fact, all five of the old Duke of Calgarth’s sons were very similarly handsome. They all had pale hair and eyes, but tanned skins which spoke greatly of outdoor pursuits.
But perhaps Gabriel Farrington was the most intense looking of the five brothers. Of course, he had always been set to succeed his father as the Duke of Calgarth one day, and the importance of such a title had been impressed upon him almost from the moment he had begun to understand speech.
Gabriel had been quietly devastated by the death of his father just six months before, and had taken on his new role with staid pride and deep solemnity. So keen was Gabriel to honor his father in all ways, it often seemed as if the great man were still alive and watching.
Wentworth Farrington had died suddenly at just five and fifty years, making Gabriel the Duke of Calgarth at only thirty. Something about his father’s sudden demise had made Gabriel keener than ever to throw fire into the long-standing feud between the Farringtons and the Cunninghams, and keener still to find victories for his father in all his dealings with them.
Whilst the feud itself had been bloodless, it had always been most bitter.
“Hugh, I should not have said what I said. I know you honor our dear father every day and it was wrong of me to suggest otherwise.” Finally, Gabriel had to give in. If he did not, he would find himself the enemy of his younger brother for many weeks to come. Being so close in age, the two had always been close allies. But it was the sort of closeness that could end in deep disagreements and bitterness that carried on far beyond its natural life.
“Yes, Gabriel, it was wrong of you,” Hugh said, and for a moment Gabriel thought they would get nowhere. “But I accept your apology, brother.”
“Thank you.” Gabriel said, and rose from his seat and stretched to his full height before sweeping the great tails of his black coat out to the side and sitting down again.
“So, you believe that the Cunninghams are going to use the Borden wedding as a means of securing support?” Hugh said, playing his part in things.
“I do. It is a constant battle, is it not?”
“Indeed,” Hugh said, flatly. “And what is it that you propose we ourselves do at this wedding?”
“We need to simply keep a watch on them. Particularly since there wi
ll be several bankers in attendance.”
“What have bankers to do with the thing?” Hugh said, screwing his face up a little as he thought.
“We need to see which of them the Cunninghams spend the most time with. If, indeed, they spend any at all.”
Regency Romance Collection Page 26