Hopes and Brides: Regency and Mail Order Bride Historical Romance Collection

by Joyce Alec

  “Mr. Featherstone,” Sarah murmured, recalling how she had taken an instant dislike to the man. “Mrs. Avis, none of this is your fault. It is all squarely on Lord Andrew’s shoulders.”

  Closing her eyes for a moment to steady herself, Sarah rose to her feet and turned around slowly to look at the man who had killed her mother. He was somewhat diminutive, with a stick-like figure and a shock of grey hair and light blue eyes that were filled with fear.

  And, at that moment, all of Sarah’s trepidation left her at once. Lord Andrew was not the tall, strong, terrifying man she had expected. Instead, he was small, wiry, and seemingly afraid of her presence.

  “Lord Andrew,” she said, getting to her feet. “I believe you killed my mother.”

  Lord Andrew’s eyes opened wide, staring at her for a long moment.

  “And I believe you had been pursuing my brother and me whilst my father was still alive,” she continued calmly. “And yet it is I who now has the power over you. I have no fear, whereas you ought to be the one who is more than a little afraid.”

  “And why is that?” Lord Andrew asked, one eyebrow raised. “I hardly think I have anything to fear from a child such as you.”

  Lord Thorndyke made to speak, but Sarah shook her head, glancing back at him in the hope he would understand. She had to speak. She had to be the one to do this. Lord Thorndyke understood at once, his mouth closing as he nodded at her gently.

  Feeling courage bubbling up within her, Sarah turned back to Lord Andrew, who remained sitting, kept in place by the threat of Lord Higgs holding a pistol.

  “Lord Andrew, I know what you did to my mother,” she said firmly. “I also know that you took the locket from around my mother’s neck and took it as your own.”

  Lord Andrew’s mouth fell open in shock, confirming to Sarah everything she thought.

  “A beautiful locket, decorated with seed pearls and an amethyst,” she continued, seeing the shock spread through Lord Andrew’s features. “But you could do nothing with it, since it tied you to my mother and her death. How foolish of you to try and pawn it.”

  From behind her, Sarah heard the rustle of Mrs. Avis’s skirts, as she rose to her feet to come to stand behind Sarah.

  “He was drunk,” she said in a trembling voice. “Otherwise I do not think that he would ever have thought to go to the usual shop. That was why he had to steal it back, once he had realized what he had done.”

  Sarah glanced back at Mrs. Avis, seeing the determination on her pale face.

  “I understand,” she said quietly, reaching for Mrs. Avis’s hand. “That was why he went back to the shop to steal it, yes? In the hope that he could find the locket and the books and remove all trace of his presence.”

  “Except the books were not there,” Mrs. Avis finished, holding Sarah’s hand tightly. “He came back with the locket, but that was all.”

  Lord Andrew grimaced, his eyes dark. “Stupid woman,” he spat, looking at Mrs. Avis. “You took the locket. You gave it to her.” His eyes shot to Sarah, venom in his features. “And then you tried to run away.”

  Mrs. Avis drew in a shaking breath and glanced at Sarah before dropping her gaze to the floor. “I did not expect Andrew to notice I had taken the locket. He was so pleased to have discovered your whereabouts, that he got himself blind drunk. I knew then that I had to act quickly. Usually his bouts of drink last a week, so I knew I had time to get the locket to you and then return home without Lord Andrew ever knowing I was gone.”

  “Ah, but this time was different, was it not, my dear,” Lord Andrew asked, his voice filled with anger. “I knew you had gone. I knew you had taken the locket.”

  “I only had the one opportunity,” Mrs. Avis whispered, tears beginning to pour from her eyes again. “I had to leave him. I took what I could with me and left for a nearby inn.”

  “You should have come to tell me the truth then,” Sarah replied softly. “I would not have turned you away.”

  Mrs. Avis shook her head, a sad smile on her face. “You could have easily turned me away, especially when you were only then learning about who you truly were. I could not risk that, nor could I risk Andrew finding me. I was running out of money, and when the opportunity came to be your companion, I took it. I thought I would be gone from your life before you ever found out the truth.” She smiled softly and glanced back at Lord Thorndyke. “I thought you would marry Lord Thorndyke first and then follow the path of the pendant afterward.”

  “Except I was too stubborn to just do as was expected,” Sarah replied with a wry smile. “I had to find out the whole truth before I would accept his proposal.”

  “I am so terribly sorry,” Mrs. Avis whispered, her eyes sparkling with tears. “I never meant to hurt you.”

  “And you did not,” Sarah promised gently. “You are to live with me and Lord Thorndyke, Mrs. Avis. You will not have to go near him again.”

  There was a short silence, broken only by the sudden sound of a rasping, hoarse laugh coming from Lord Andrew.

  “You are just as stupid as your father was,” he breathed, as Sarah turned to look at him again. “Do you really think you can just take my wife away from me and that I am going to go without a fuss? You have the locket, yes, but that proves nothing.”

  Lord Thorndyke stepped forward at once, his anger almost radiating from him, but Sarah held out her free hand to stop him.

  This was hers to finish.

  “Lord Andrew, my father was a great man. He was kind and generous and gave you more than enough opportunities to turn your back on your gambling ways. From what I hear, you spat that back into his face. I never knew my father because of you, even though it was not his life that you took.” Anger began to burn through her veins, making her step forward towards Lord Andrew and let go of Mrs. Avis’s hand. “As for the locket, yes, you are right, it might not be all that much in itself.” She paused for a moment, seeing the smug look on his face before allowing herself one of her own. “However, I would say that proves a great deal since I have a letter from my brother, the Duke of Brighton, that states this locket was lost on the day of my mother’s death. In addition, Lord Thorndyke has sent his steward to fetch the books from the pawn merchant that prove you were the one to hand this locket in all those years ago. I think these things will prove a great deal, Lord Andrew.”

  The smile on the man’s face faded as he looked up into Sarah’s eyes. There was nothing there now but fear. Fear that she would use all she had to send him to jail, and, eventually, to his death.

  Sarah felt no regret. This was justice. This was right. She had nothing more to do than to take Mrs. Avis with her and start living her life the way she should have all those years ago.

  “You are done for, Lord Andrew,” she murmured, stepping back from him and looking down at him with a mixture of both relief and disgust. “You are to face the punishment you deserve for what you have done to my family.” She saw him shudder but felt no sympathy. “As for me, I am going to do what I have been hoping for these last few weeks. I shall marry the man I love and meet my brother, the Duke of Brighton. And then I shall be happy, free from fear, and free from confusion, knowing that the person responsible for all of this will paying for his crimes just as he ought.”

  Without waiting to see what Lord Andrew had to say, Sarah held out her hand to Mrs. Avis, who came over to her at once.

  “Come, Mrs. Avis,” she said softly. “Let us leave this place and allow Lord Higgs and Lord Thorndyke to deal with Lord Andrew. I have had more than enough of this place and that man. I am sure you feel the same.”

  “I do,” Mrs. Avis replied, holding Sarah’s hand tightly as they walked arm in arm towards the door. “Thank you, Sarah. I will never forget this.”

  Sarah managed a small smile, turning her head back to look at Lord Thorndyke, who nodded at her in understanding, pride shining in his eyes.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Avis,” she replied, turning back towards the open door. “Without you, none of this w
ould have been possible. I am more thankful than you will ever know.”

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later

  “I still do not understand why you had to move back here,” Lord Thorndyke complained, as he and Sarah walked in the gardens. “We are to be wed very soon.”

  Sarah laughed, feeling happier than she had ever done before. “Because it is more proper for me to do so. I cannot exactly live in your home when the ton now knows exactly who I am.”

  “No longer ‘Miss Weston’ but ‘Lady Sarah Fairley’,” Lord Thorndyke sighed, shaking his head. “I knew the moment we escorted Lord Andrew to the authorities that news would spread around London, but I did not think it would be so soon.”

  “It was for the best,” Sarah replied, glad that she could now take on her true title and standing in society. “Besides which, if I did not own a large property such as this, then where would my brother stay when he comes to visit? Where would Mr. and Mrs. Stanton reside?” Her voice took on a teasing tone, as he threw her a frustrated glance, more than aware that Lord Thorndyke’s home was more than adequate for three additional guests.

  “I know, I am just being foolish,” he admitted, letting out another mournful sigh. “It is just that being parted from you is a torture I am struggling to bear. I had every intention of seeking a special license, as you well know.”

  Sarah laughed again and shook her head. “Which you know would only have added to the scandal,” she chuckled, looking up into his face. “Besides, there was no reason for that any longer, not now when it has been revealed to the world who I truly am. The banns have only one more week to go before we can marry.”

  “It is still too long,” he grated, suddenly tugging her towards a bench that sat just underneath a beautiful cherry tree. “It is painful for me not to have you by my side.”

  Sarah let out a long breath and leaned into him, her head resting against his shoulder as she looked up at the tree, seeing the hints of blue trying to make their way down from the sky through the tree branches. “I know, Thorndyke, but it is worth the wait, I think. It has given us more time to get to know one another, and I am grateful for that.”

  Lord Thorndyke glanced down at her before nodding slowly. “Yes, I suppose it has.”

  Thinking about the last couple of weeks, Sarah felt happiness in her heart that she had never truly experienced before. Everything was behind her now, the confusion and pain and struggle gone entirely. Lord Andrew was now under arrest, with his trial due to start very soon. Although, Lord Thorndyke had insisted that they be out of the country on honeymoon during that time. Sarah was grateful for that, glad that she would not have to see his pinched, threatening face again.

  Mrs. Avis had taken some convincing to remain with Sarah, seemingly flooded with guilt over what she had done—or had not done—but Sarah had not been about to part with her. The poor woman had already lived a lifetime of agony, being forced into matrimony with Lord Andrew, and had done all she could to help Sarah, even though things had not quite worked out as she had intended. From Mrs. Avis, Sarah had learned that Lord Andrew had never given up on his quest to rid the world of both her and her brother, such was his grievance against her dearly departed father. Sarah had shown Mrs. Avis that, in finding the courage to do what she had done in slipping into Mr. Stanton’s home and placing the locket under Sarah’s pillow, she had saved Sarah’s life.

  Eventually, Mrs. Avis had agreed to remain with Sarah and Lord Thorndyke for the rest of her days, promising to do all she could to aid Sarah in any way she could. Sarah already had visions of Mrs. Avis playing with Sarah’s children, her heart glad that she would have the dear lady as a part of her life for years to come.

  “You are not thinking of abandoning our engagement, I hope?” Lord Thorndyke teased, turning in his seat to face her a little more. “You are often lost in thought these days, although I find myself having to guess what you are thinking.”

  Sarah looked up into his eyes, seeing the tenderness there and finding it filling her heart.

  “I am just thinking about how happy I am,” she said softly. “How content I have been these last weeks. You have become such a big part of my life. In some ways, I owe you my life. To keep your promises, to take me on as though we have always known one another, that speaks to my heart.”

  There was a moment of silence, as they looked at one another, their eyes filled with nothing more than each other.

  “I love you, Sarah,” Lord Thorndyke said hoarsely, one hand lifted to her face. “I did not think that I would ever feel such a thing for you, but my affection has burst to life, and now I can think of nothing more. I swear I shall love you for the rest of my days.”

  She could not speak for a moment, closing her eyes as he rested her forehead gently against her own.

  “I love you, Thorndyke,” she whispered, speaking the words that had begun to wind themselves around her mind these last few days. “I have never felt such a thing before, but it grows with every moment we spend together.”

  He kissed her then, gently, and Sarah responded with everything she felt. Her hands twined around his neck, her fingers brushing the hair at the nape of his neck whilst he wrapped his arms around her waist.

  Her heart was so filled with love that, even when he broke the kiss, she could not breathe, could not speak, could not so much as think. Her life had turned from one of confusion and struggle to one of love and delight. There was a brother she was yet to meet, a family she could call her own. How much things had changed.

  “I will love you always, Thorndyke,” she said, looking up into his face and marveling at the love she saw there. “For everything you have been, for everything you will be, and for everything you are.”

  THE END

  Unexpected Earl

  Unexpected Earl

  Text Copyright © 2018 by Joyce Alec

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  First printing, 2018

  Publisher

  Love Light Faith, LLC

  400 NW 7th Avenue, Unit 825

  Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

  1

  “Ah, there you are!”

  Miss Catherine Hewson turned at once to see her mother bearing down on her with a particularly handsome gentleman by her side. Not in the least surprised at being interrupted in such a way, she sighed inwardly and pasted a bright smile on her face.

  “My dear Catherine!” Lady Hewson exclaimed. “I have only just now been introduced to this particular gentleman, who, I believe, is new to town.”

  “I am,” the gentleman replied, his fair hair falling over his brow as he inclined his head. “Your mother is being particularly kind to me.”

  “I can see that,” Catherine murmured, catching the twinkle in the gentleman’s eye.

  As her mother continued to rattle on, Catherine allowed herself to carefully study the gentleman in question. He was tall, with broad shoulders and impeccably dressed. The cut of his clothing told her that he must be wealthy, if not titled, and she found, much to her surprise, that she thought him quite handsome. His light blue eyes were warm, and a small smile creased the corner of his mouth as he continued to pay rapt attention to Catherine’s mother, Lady Hewson. She considered that kindness to say a great deal about him, for her mother could talk for all of England!

  “Mama,” Catherine broke in, gently. “You have not yet introduced us.”

  Her mother’s eyes flared as a hint of red brushed her cheeks. “Oh, I quite forgot!” she cried, looking quite apologetic. “My dear, this is Lord Kerr. Lord Kerr, this is my daughter,
Miss Catherine Hewson. Her father, my husband, is Viscount Hewson.”

  “I have not had the pleasure of being introduced to him,” Lord Kerr replied, sweeping into a deep bow as Catherine curtsied. “As I said, however, I am quite new to town.”

  “And are you enjoying London so far?” Catherine asked, aware of her mother slowly stepping away from them both.

  “Yes, indeed I am,” he answered with a small laugh. “Although it is very different from the country.”

  “Oh?” Catherine smiled, lifting one eyebrow. “Where do you hail from?”

  Their conversation flowed easily for some minutes. Catherine discovered that the gentleman was, in fact, a baron, and therefore held some property near the coast. Why he had come to London, she had not quite managed to make out, although he mentioned something about good company, which made her smile. The music struck up behind them, making conversation a little more difficult, but Catherine continued their discussion regardless. She had to admit that she considerably liked this man.

  “Excuse me, excuse me!”

  A short, slightly rotund gentleman appeared by Catherine’s side, catching her hand. Catherine jerked in surprise, only to realize that Lord Dunstable held her hand, ready to lead her onto the dance floor.

  “It is our turn on the floor, I believe,” he said, ignoring Lord Kerr altogether. “Come now, do not dawdle!”

  Catherine wrenched her hand from his, her cheeks burning at his inappropriate behavior. “Yes, of course, Lord Dunstable,” she managed to bite out, a spiral of disappointment running through her at the thought of having to leave Lord Kerr. Turning back to him, she dipped a quick curtsy. “I must apologize, Lord Kerr, but I have a partner for this dance.”