by Laura Beers
“So you are helping a damsel in distress,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “Is that it?”
“I suppose it is.”
Jane tossed her hands up in the air. “What happens to Emmeline when you grow tired of her and toss her aside?”
“I can assure you that won’t happen.”
Jane took a commanding step towards him. “If you hurt my friend, I will find a way to hurt you.”
“You are resorting to threats now?” he asked.
“It isn’t a threat,” she said in a low voice. “It is a promise, Brother.”
Oliver watched as Jane turned on her heel and exited the room without saying another word. He had to admit that his sister could be quite frightening when she wanted to be.
But, for now, he needed to make some preparations so he could elope with Emmeline.
Chapter Five
“I wish you luck,” Mary said.
Emmeline smiled at her lady’s maid. “Once I am settled in at Hawthorne House, I shall send for you.”
“I will be waiting.”
Walking over to the open window, Emmeline stuck her head out and glanced down at the courtyard. “I haven’t climbed out of this window in years,” she shared. “Let’s hope I don’t fall.”
Mary came to stand next to her. “I remember the first time I saw you climbing down that wall, I nearly fainted.”
“It is much easier than you would imagine,” Emmeline said. “The bricks jut out just enough to make excellent footholds.”
“That didn’t stop your parents from forbidding you from doing it,” Mary pointed out.
Emmeline smiled at that memory. “That is true,” she replied. “They were so worried I would break my neck.”
“As would any good parent.”
She took a moment to adjust the sleeves of her grey traveling gown before saying, “I should go now.”
“I hope your journey is safe and uneventful,” Mary remarked.
“As do I.”
“Do you have your muff pistol?”
Emmeline held up her hand to show the reticule around her right wrist. “I have it right here.”
Mary nodded in approval. “You’d better hurry,” she said. “You don’t want to keep Lord Oliver waiting.”
“No, I don’t.” Emmeline took a deep breath. “Am I making a mistake?”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that,” Mary replied. “Only you can.”
Emmeline grew silent before admitting, “I don’t think I am. I find that I only feel excitement at this adventure.”
Mary gave her an encouraging smile. “Then you must trust your instincts.”
“Thank you for being my friend for all these years,” Emmeline said. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“You probably would have looked horribly disheveled,” Mary teased.
Emmeline giggled. “That is a fair statement.”
The long clock chimed, alerting her to the time.
“This is not a goodbye,” Emmeline said as she placed her hand on the windowsill. “I shall see you soon.”
“I will be looking forward to it.”
It only took Emmeline a few moments to climb through the window and descend the wall. Each time her toes found a foothold, she grew more confident, and it didn’t take long for her to step down onto the cobblestone courtyard.
With light steps, she hurried over to a bush and picked up the valise she had previously hidden. She made her way towards the front of the townhouse and saw a black coach parked further up the street.
She cautiously approached it and was pleased when the door opened and Oliver stepped out. He was dressed in a dark jacket and trousers, which contrasted with his white linens.
A footman stepped off his perch and relieved her of the valise, then strapped it onto the back of the coach.
Oliver approached her. “Are you sure that you want to go through with this?” he asked.
“I am,” she replied.
His face, which had been solemn, suddenly broke into a smile. “I’m glad to hear it.” He offered his arm. “I hope it won’t be an issue that we will be traveling at night.”
As Oliver assisted her into the coach, she replied, “That is why I brought my muff pistol with me.”
“Do you know how to shoot a pistol?” Oliver asked as he sat across from her.
“I do,” she shared as she felt the coach jerk forward. “After my parents died, I decided that I would learn how to protect myself, just in case the situation ever arose.”
“You do not need to fear for your safety,” he assured her, “you are under my protection now.”
“I appreciate that, but I can take care of myself.”
Oliver shook his head, but a hint of a smile was on his lips. “You always were the headstrong one.”
“There is nothing wrong with knowing what you want.”
“It is when you are too stubborn and refuse help.”
“Perhaps.”
Oliver gave her a peculiar look. “Did you just agree with me?”
“I did.”
“If you do that more often, then this marriage could work out splendidly,” Oliver joked.
Emmeline laughed. “Thank you for doing this for me.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me.”
“But I feel as if I should,” she responded.
With a glance out the darkened window, Oliver said, “I believe this partnership will be mutually beneficial for the both of us.”
“You do?”
“Yes. The scheming matchmaking mothers will finally leave me alone, and you won’t have to marry the duke.”
Emmeline started fidgeting with the fringe on her reticule. “How does a marriage of convenience work, exactly?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Oliver teased. “I have never been in one before.”
“Do we attend social events together?”
Oliver nodded. “I suppose we give the appearance that we are a happily married couple, but we go our separate ways when we are at home.”
“Will we reside at Hawthorne House?”
“Yes, for now,” he replied. “I informed my brother of my decision to elope with you, and he is making the preparations for our return.”
Emmeline pressed her lips together. “Lord Hawthorne must think me quite silly to elope with you and forego an advantageous marriage with the Duke of Billingham.”
“I explained your reasons to him, and he was surprisingly supportive of our decision to elope,” Oliver said.
“That is a relief.”
“You need not worry,” he encouraged. “My mother will rejoice when she finds that we are to be wed. She has always thought fondly of you.”
Emmeline gave him a timid smile. “I suppose I am just nervous.”
“There is no reason to be nervous. After all, you are marrying the most handsome and clever bachelor amongst the ton.” Oliver gave her a smug smile.
Her smile turned genuine. “I see your ego has only grown over time.”
“Frankly, it has stayed pretty consistent.”
Emmeline turned her attention towards the window and watched as the moon lit up the night sky. “How long does it take to travel to Gretna Green?”
“If we only stop to swap out the horses, we should arrive in two days’ time,” he explained.
“Splendid, but is it safe to travel at night?”
“It is a risk that I am willing to take,” he said. “If not, it could take up to four days to arrive.”
A silence descended over them as Emmeline watched the buildings begin to fade away and be replaced by the rolling hills of the countryside.
“It is lovely out here,” Oliver commented.
“That it is,” Emmeline agreed. “I find that I enjoy the countryside much more than being in Town.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Oliver said. “You would always spend every hour you could outside when you were residing at your country home.”
Bringing her gaze back to meet his, Emmeline replied, “It is true. I loved nothing more than exploring the woodlands behind our estate.”
“And our woodlands,” Oliver teased.
Emmeline smiled. “Jane and I did have quite the adventures,” she admitted. “I must admit that my parents were rather indulgent with me.”
“Yes, they were.”
Her smile dimmed. “I miss them dreadfully.”
Oliver gave her a look filled with compassion. “I can imagine.”
“Do you suppose they would be disappointed in my decision to elope with you?” she asked as she nibbled on her bottom lip.
“Your parents adored you, and I would imagine they would just want you to be happy.”
“Thank you for that.”
Oliver shrugged. “Besides, I have no doubt that they would have been elated that you picked me.”
A laugh escaped her lips. “You have not changed since we were little.”
At her words, a pained look came into his eyes. “That is not entirely true.”
“No?”
“I am not the carefree boy that I once was,” he replied.
She eyed him curiously as she asked, “Do you not spend your days gambling, drinking, and flirting with women?”
“I do, but there is so much more to me than that.”
“I know,” Emmeline replied.
“You do?”
Emmeline bobbed her head. “You may have your vices, but I believe you to be a good, honorable man.”
For a moment, he stared at her in disbelief. “And why is that?”
“Because you are saving me from a terrible marriage.”
Oliver pursed his lips and grew silent. Finally, he spoke up. “I am not the man that you think I am,” he expressed.
“No?”
“I have done some terrible things.”
“That is in the past now,” she remarked encouragingly.
Oliver threaded his fingers and placed them in his lap. “It is not that simple,” he said. “At times, my actions will not make sense to you, but I need you to know that I will be faithful to you.”
“I understand.”
“You should also know that I am a man with many secrets,” Oliver shared, his expression solemn, “and I am not at liberty to share them with you.”
Emmeline felt the coach tip to the side as one of the wheels hit a rut in the road. “We all have secrets,” she admitted.
“Not like mine.”
“Then I shall be mindful not to press you.”
Oliver acknowledged her words with a tip of his head, but he remained quiet. She couldn’t help but notice that his eyes had grown guarded.
A yawn escaped her lips and she brought her gloved hand up to cover it. “Pardon me,” she said. “I must be more tired than I realized.”
“Why don’t you get some sleep?”
As she lowered her hand to her lap, she remarked, “I believe I shall, assuming you do not mind.”
“Not at all,” he replied. “We have a long journey ahead of us, and I would prefer it if you were well rested.”
Emmeline leaned her head against the side of the jostling coach as she closed her eyes. It wasn’t long before sleep overtook her.
With the sun high in the sky, Oliver rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as he watched Emmeline turn the page of her book. She had retrieved it out of her valise when they stopped to swap out the horses.
“What are you reading?” he asked, lowering his hand to his side.
Emmeline glanced over the top of the book at him. “Mansfield Park.”
“Ah,” he replied. “Jane sings praises about all the books written by ‘A Lady’.”
“They are extraordinarily well written.”
He smirked. “How good can they be if they are written by a woman?”
Emmeline visibly tensed as she lowered the book to her lap. “That was rather harsh of you to say.”
“I am only teasing you,” Oliver said. “You see, I am rather bored at the moment.”
Emmeline’s lips twitched. “Would you care for me to read to you?”
“I would much rather converse with you,” he replied honestly. “It has been hours since we last spoke.”
Placing the book on the bench next to her, Emmeline asked, “What would you care to discuss?”
“How do you suppose Lord and Lady Taylor will react to your elopement?”
Emmeline sighed. “They very well may disown me.”
“You think that they would be so cruel and unfeeling as to disown you?”
“I do.” A pensive look came to Emeline’s face. “They haven’t been the same towards me since Charlotte died.”
“In what way?”
Emmeline shifted her gaze towards the open window. “At times, I believe that they wished it was me that died that fateful day and not Charlotte.”
Oliver lifted his brow. “Have they said as much?”
“No,” she replied with a shake of her head, “but they have grown increasingly distant from me.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
She brought her gaze back to meet his. “I am not sure if you were aware, but the duke saw me at the opera and decided I would be his next bride.”
“I was not.”
“Shortly thereafter, his solicitor approached my uncle, and they entered into a contract on my behalf,” Emmeline shared. “I wasn’t even consulted on the matter.”
“That was poorly done on their part.”
Emmeline gave him a timid smile. “After the contract was signed, my aunt and uncle started showing favor to me again, and I naïvely went along with their plans.”
“What changed your mind?”
“It was when I met the duke,” she said firmly. “He had me sit on his lap and he told me how beautiful I was. He said I would be the crowning jewel of his collection.”
“And what did Lord and Lady Taylor say of his inappropriate behavior?”
Emmeline frowned. “They allowed it. They didn’t dare do anything to offend the duke.”
“That is terrible.”
“The duke is not a good man, but my aunt and uncle refused to listen to my concerns,” Emmeline said. “They would just inform me that I was lucky to be marrying a duke, despite not having a dowry.”
Oliver shifted in his seat as he attempted to find a comfortable position. “You don’t have a dowry?”
Emmeline shook her head. “I do not,” she revealed. “It went to cover my father’s debts when he died.” There was a slight panic in her voice as she rushed to add, “But I do have a three-thousand-pound inheritance from my grandmother. It will belong to you after we are wed.”
“I am not marrying you for your money, Emme,” Oliver said, leaning forward in his seat. “I do not care if you have a farthing to your name.”
“It pleases me to hear that,” she murmured, and he could hear the relief in her tone.
He leaned back and asked, “Coaches are blasted uncomfortable, are they not?”
Emmeline let out a light, airy laugh. “Yes, they most assuredly are.”
Hearing her laugh caused a smile to touch the corners of his mouth. “You have always had the most wonderful laugh.”
“Do I?”
He nodded. “I daresay that it is infectious.”
Her eyes lit up at his remarks. “I suppose I haven’t had a reason to laugh for so long,” she replied. “It feels good to laugh again.”
“And why is that?”
“I am still struggling with the death of my parents,” she admitted as she lowered her gaze to her lap.
Oliver waited until Emmeline brought her gaze back up before saying, “That is to be expected.”
“Is it?” she asked. “Because my aunt and uncle believe I have grieved long enough, and it is time to accept their deaths and move on.”
“They are wrong,” Oliver asserted. “The pain of losing a loved one is not something that you can get over. I have learned
that from experience.”
“I was sorry to hear about the death of your father,” Emmeline said, compassion in her voice. “He was a good man.”
“Yes, he was,” Oliver agreed, “but it took me nearly a year before I could speak about him to anyone.”
“Has the pain diminished at all?”
“I suppose the pain has faded some, but I still miss him desperately. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him.”
Tears came into Emmeline’s eyes and she wiped them away with her gloved hand. “I think of my parents constantly,” she said. “At times, I wish I had perished with them that day. It would have been much easier than attempting to live without them.”
“You may say that now, but life has a way of moving forward, whether we like it or not.” He smirked. “Besides, you may discover you truly enjoy being married to me.”
The light returned to Emmeline’s eyes. “I don’t believe I have met a man who is cockier than you,” she teased.
“Then you haven’t met my friends yet.”
“I have not,” she replied, “but they can’t possibly be worse than you.”
He chuckled. “Trust me when I say they are.”
Emmeline ran her finger along the edges of her book as she asked, “How do you think your friends will react to our elopement?”
“They will be surprised, as will most of Society,” Oliver answered. “But I have never been one to care what others think.”
“I hope this won’t affect your reputation too harshly.”
Oliver felt a trickle of sweat roll down his back. “Generally, it is the woman’s reputation who suffers from an elopement, not the man’s. But you need not fear about that.”
“Why do you say that?”
“My family and I will keep you safe from the slander and gossip,” he encouraged. “No one will dare give you the cut direct, I can assure you of that.”
“That is a relief.”
Finding himself curious about one thing, he asked, “How did you manage to escape your townhouse?”
A mischievous smile came to Emmeline’s lips. “I climbed down the exterior wall from my bedchamber.”
“You climbed down the wall?”
“I did.”
“How did you learn to do that?”
Emmeline shrugged one shoulder. “It is quite simple, actually,” she shared. “I started climbing walls when I was younger, much to the chagrin of my parents, and I find it comes naturally to me.”
