by Rose Pearson
“Hush, now,” he soothed, holding her tightly as he discarded the torch altogether. “We will get you out of here this very moment. Miss Smith and Lady Alice are desperate to see you.”
Elouise sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Is Miss Smith very angry with me?”
He smiled and tugged the rope with one hand holding her tightly against him so that his men could lift them both together. “No, my dear. She is not angry in the least. Come on. Let me take you home.”
Elouise clung to him as the rope pulled hard about him, tearing at his skin even more – but John barely felt it. The relief that he had Elouise safely in his arms meant more to him than anything, knowing that their horrendous ordeal was finally over. His muscles quivered as, slowly, the rope inched them both up together but his strength never so much as flickered. Soon, strong hands had wrapped themselves around his shoulders and had taken hold of Elouise, bringing them both up safely to the surface.
Letting out a long sigh of relief, John flopped back onto the grass and closed his eyes as he heard Miss Smith cry out as she held Elouise close. Both she and Elouise were crying, murmuring words to one another as the men tried their best to cut the rope that was still about him. He was completely exhausted but utterly relieved, glad to have Elouise safely back home.
“Thank you, Royston.”
Miss Smith was standing by his side now and, as he rose to his feet, he took her hands in his. Elouise was with Alice, being hugged tightly as the men swarmed about them, quickly setting up a barrier around the mine shaft so that such a thing would not happen again.
“I knew I could trust you,” Laura said, softly. “You brought her back to me – to us, Royston. I can never thank you enough.”
He pressed one hand to her cheek and felt her lean into it, his heart both full and aching in equal measure. “Then shall we all return home, my dear? I think we all could do with a good rest.”
She smiled then, her eyes damp with tears. “Yes, I think so.”
“And the doctor for Elouise, I think,” he said, as they turned back towards Elouise and Lady Alice. “That ankle is not broken at least, but I would like him to look over her carefully.”
Bending down on his knees, he smiled in Elouise’s face as she looked back at him, clearly a little uncertain.
“Elouise,” he said, honestly. “I am sorry for speaking to you with such firmness last night. I was a little unsettled but, be that as it may, I will not apologize for asking you to show a little more respect to Miss Smith. That is what your life here will be like, Elouise. I will guide you and cherish you, teach you and support you – but I will not hesitate to reprimand you when you require it. Do you understand?”
Elouise nodded quickly, her eyes rounding.
“I should like you to stay here with me, Elouise,” he continued, softly. “I should like to adopt you, if you will let me.” He watched as Elouise glanced up at Miss Smith, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “What say you, my dear girl? Will you stay here with me, to make this place your home? Will you be my daughter and let me be your father? I know you already have a papa and that he was sadly taken from you but I will do all I can to treat you with as much love and as much devotion as he would have done.”
One hand reached for his and he took it gently.
“I won’t have to go back to the orphanage?”
Shaking his head, he tried to say more but found his throat closing up such was the wonder in her eyes.
“And I can stay here with you forever?”
“Forever,” he promised, squeezing her hand. “What do you think?”
Two small arms wrapped around his neck as Elouise, somewhat unsteadily, stepped forward into his arms.
“Yes, please,” she whispered, holding onto him tightly. “I would like that very much.”
“Good,” he replied, hearing Alice sniffling beside him as he fought the joyful tears that had sprung into his eyes. “Then it is settled. From this day on, you will be Lady Elouise Royston, daughter to the Duke of Royston and your home will be here with me.”
She stepped back and looked into his face. “And with Miss Smith, too.”
A shuddering breath caught his chest as he shook his head. “Miss Smith must return to the other girls, although I am certain she will visit whenever she can,” he murmured, hating the pain that sliced through his joy. “Do you understand that, Elouise?”
Elouise looked up at Laura just as John did too, seeing the wobbly smile on her face.
“I suppose I do,” she murmured, her smile fading just a little. “Although I will miss you very much, Miss Smith.”
“And I will miss you too,” Laura replied hoarsely, although her eyes did not once move to his. “But you will be very happy here with the Duke, won’t you? It will be a truly wonderful life and you shall never be lonely again.”
Elouise sighed but nodded, her arms still wrapped around John’s neck. “But you will visit, Miss Smith?”
There was a momentary pause before Laura replied with an ‘of course’ – but John could hear the tremble in her voice. He knew that she would not often be able to visit the manor house, would not often be able to get away from the orphanage that needed her so desperately. He held Elouise tight as he rose to his feet, offering the crook of his arm to Laura, who took it at once. Even though he knew that she was to leave him, even though he knew their love could not find its own, joyful conclusion, he had to be near her for the little time he had left.
“Come, then,” he murmured as Alice, torch in hand, led the way back through the trees. “Let us all return home.”
“Home,” Elouise sighed, happily. “And I shall never run away again.”
14
One week later and Laura knew it was time to return to London. Elouise was back to her bright, happy self and with only a sprained ankle as a reminder of her troubles, she had apparently quite forgotten the very reason she had been angry with both John and Laura and was bouncing around the estate with her usual bright spirits. They had enjoyed a wonderful day together and Elouise was now fast asleep in bed whilst Laura’s maid was busy packing her things. Laura, unable to be in the room whilst such a thing was occurring, had chosen to come to the library for a time and was now looking out of the window at the growing dusk, feeling her heart tear painfully at the thought of leaving the only place she’d ever really come to think of as a home.
“I am to leave come the morrow, as you know,” Lady Alice murmured, coming to stand by the window alongside Laura. “Are you sure you are quite ready to join me? You need not if you would prefer to stay here for a little longer.”
Laura let out a shaky breath, knowing that despite her longing to stay. “I cannot,” she whispered, hoarsely. “The girls need me.”
Lady Alice nodded, her smile sad. “I knew you would say such a thing, Laura, and yet I wish there was something I could do in order to assist you in this difficult matter.” A quiet laugh escaped her. “Perhaps I ought to adopt the rest so that you are freed from your obligations there.”
That brought a smile to Laura’s face. “I think you will do better in this life without twelve young girls hanging onto your skirts, Lady Alice! They can be a handful!”
Lady Alice laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Tell me about them.”
Laura, who was glad to be able to speak of her charges, launched into a discussion about them all, telling Lady Alice about them each individually. She described not only the color of their hair and eyes but also about their different characters. One young lady, Martha, was a quiet sensitive soul and Laura found that she was more concerned about her than about any of the others, for Mary Sanders did not take to quiet, rather unobtrusive girls. She thought their silence was more foreboding than anything else and was often rather harsh with Martha.
“You know them all very well,” Lady Alice murmured, gently. “They are very blessed to have your company with them, Laura.”
Laura sniffed despite her determinatio
n not to cry. “I must just hope that one day soon, I will be able to return here.”
Lady Alice’s face lit up.
“To visit Elouise, of course,” Laura finished, seeing the disappointment shudder into every curve of Lady Alice’s face. “Although I do not think that it shall be very often, I’m afraid.”
Lady Alice sighed again, shaking her head. “I do not want you to go, of course, but I want to assure you that our friendship will continue long after our time here has come to an end. I will write to you very often – as often as I can – and I shall, of course, help you in any way I can, whenever I can. You must promise to ask me for help should you ever need it, Laura. I will not allow you to struggle.” She raised one eyebrow and looked pointedly at Laura, who had no other recourse but to nod.
“I will.”
Lady Alice smiled, turning her head to see the door open and the Duke to step inside. “I think I had best leave you now, my dear. I will see you in the morning, bright and early.”
“Bright and early,” Laura repeated, even though every fiber of her being felt as though it was being torn apart. She did not look round, not even when Lady Alice left the room, her breath coming quickly as the presence of the Duke filled the room. She stayed exactly where she was, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular, blood roaring in her ears.
“And so, we must say goodbye.”
His voice was low and gruff, and Laura felt her eyes prick with tears.
“Yes,” she whispered, sadly. “It seems we must. You will do as I ask, will you not?”
His footsteps caught her ears as he walked towards her, coming to stand directly by her side although he did not take her hand as she had expected him to.
“Yes,” he said, slowly. “I will ensure that Elouise says her farewell to you and then engage her in some wonderful activity so that she will not have to wave you off. Not if you think that will be too painful for her.”
Laura nodded, looking up at him gratefully. “I think it will be, yes. I appreciate your willingness in this, Royston and I confess that it would be all too painful for me also.”
His lips caught in a rueful smile. “And I, my dear Laura.” His expression clouded, and his fingers touched her own, sending thrills up her spine. “I feel my heart breaking even now.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as he leaned down towards her, his breath whispering across her cheek before he placed his lips there, brushing them along the curve of her jaw before catching her lips. She let herself linger there for a moment but broke it sooner than she wanted to, knowing that she could not let her heart become caught up with him again. Had she not spent the last few days trying to put some sort of distance between them both? Had she not made sure not to be in his company alone all too often? It was her way of forcing herself to separate from him before she had even left the manor house.
“And yet I am happier than I have been in as many years,” he murmured quietly his eyes searching hers. “Whilst I am truly sad to be losing you, I cannot be sorry for what you have brought into my life. Elouise has become the light in my dark world and, thanks to you and your encouragement, I will not go back into the shadows again. Although,” he finished, his fingers dropping from her cheek. “My life shall certainly be somewhat less without you in it.”
She smiled, glad that he was not trying to convince her to stay. “I will never forget you, Royston,” she promised, one hand resting lightly on his chest. “You have taken my heart and it will never belong to anyone but you. No matter how many days, how many years go by, I will always hold you here.” She pressed her hand to her heart, as a tear trickled down her cheek. The Duke wiped it away with a gentle hand before bringing her into his embrace.
Laura went willingly, resting her head on his chest as he held her close. There was nothing but acceptance in their time together, a realization and an understanding that this moment was all they had left.
The following day, John found himself more in agony than he had ever thought possible. He had taken Elouise to say her goodbyes to Laura – or Miss Smith, as she was to her – and had found himself unable to stop looking at the lady. She was white faced, with red-rimmed eyes and dark shadows crossing her expression whenever she caught his glance, but to him, she had never looked more beautiful.
Elouise had, of course, cried at saying goodbye to Miss Smith, but a promise of a horse ride down to the old mine shaft, so they could see the progress the men were making in filling it up brought a small smile back to her face. In fact, even as they walked towards the stables, Elouise was already wiping the last of her tears away and beginning to chatter amicably about what they might find at the old mine shaft, mentioning that she would like to go and visit the old ruin again on the way back. John nodded and smiled and listened and all the while felt his heart remain with Miss Smith on board the carriage, more upset than he could say at the thought of never seeing her again.
“It will be quite quiet here without Miss Smith,” Elouise mused, as they rode carefully towards the border of John’s estate. “Although Lady Alice has already told me that I am to have a governess.” She scrunched up her nose and looked up at John, who couldn’t help but laugh. “What is a governess, Royston?”
He grinned at her. “A governess is a lady who will teach you everything you need to know in order to become a successful young lady of the realm,” he explained, seeing the slight flicker of confusion in her eyes. “You have a good deal of learning ahead of you, my dear girl, but I am sure you will take to it very well.”
Elouise did not look entirely convinced. “But you will still play with me, won’t you?” she asked, a little doubtfully. “With Lady Alice and Miss Smith gone, I wonder if I won’t be lonely.”
Her sadness crept back into her expression and he attempted to buoy her at once. “Of course, I shall still play with you, and we will dine together each evening. You must remember, however, that you have lessons to take and I have business to attend to. There comes a lot of responsibilities with being a Duke.” Responsibilities I have neglected for some time, he thought to himself a little wryly.
“And will this governess play with me?” Elouise asked, her eyes looking up at him hesitantly. “When I was at the orphanage, I always had the other girls to play with, although I didn’t always want to play.”
“I am sure she will,” John replied, with as much certainty as he could inject into his voice. “In fact, I have yet to choose your governess, Elouise so I shall make sure that your requirements are noted and fulfilled by whomever it is I choose.”
This brought a small smile to her face and she looked away, a little brighter than before.
“Now,” he said, grandly. “Shall we go and see the progress the men have been making in filling up the mine shaft? And after that, we might go to the old ruin and see what we can find there!”
She beamed at him, her eyes filled with delight. “Yes, please, Royston!”
Chuckling, he led her towards the woods and, within a few minutes, they were walking towards the mine. However, something Elouise had said lingered on in his mind, something about how she had often played with the other girls. For the first time, John let his thoughts linger on each of them.
Would he have taken to each of them in the same way as he had taken to Elouise, had they appeared instead of her? Were they not equally as alone as she was? Did they not all deserve a good home?
His brow furrowed as the men welcomed Elouise and began to show her the work they had been doing. Would not all of those girls have brought light back to his life, had they come to his home with Miss Smith? Elouise was fortunate indeed to have been chosen but it would be just himself, Elouise and the rest of his staff living in this large manor house for some years to come. After all, Alice was to find herself an appropriate husband this Season, once, of course, he had been given the opportunity to look into the particular gentleman, whoever he was to be, but that meant that she would not be returning to Royston manor in the near future, if at all. A betrothal usual
ly lasted less than a month, which meant that Alice could easily be married by the end of the Season and life would change for him all over again. He would have a brother in law. Perhaps nephews and nieces one day, but there would only ever be himself and Elouise living in this house alone.
“Unless…..”
The idea came to him in a flash and he almost dismissed it out of hand, given the sheer ridiculousness of it. But, taking in a breath, he let it settle for a moment or two, beginning to think through it all. It was a little ridiculous, yes, but it would make both Elouise and him happy, as well as bringing joy to Miss Smith, should it all work out. He would need to make an inordinate number of arrangements, for there would be a good deal to put in place and, of course, he would be the talk of all of England – but that did not dissuade him in any way. He was a Duke, after all, which meant that he could do the most provocative things he wished and would not bat an eyelid about what others thought. There would be no fall from grace for him, for he was the highest titled gentleman in all of England, save for the King himself.
His eyes caught Elouise’s as she laughed at something one of the men said, feeling his heart lift with happiness as she smiled at him. This was a foolish idea admittedly but, regardless, he was going to consider it further and then begin to put everything into place. It would take a few weeks to have everything organized but then, once it was all done, he could finally make a trip to London and explain it all to his dear Laura. They would not be separated for long and, should it all work out to his satisfaction, they would not be separated again.
15
The carriage rolled through the cobbled London streets and Laura felt her heart sink all the lower. Yes, she was looking forward to seeing the girls again, but she was farther than ever from the Duke and Elouise.
“Here we are,” Lady Alice said, softly. “I confess, my dear girl, that I do not want to be parted from you, but that time has now come.” Reaching forward, she pressed Laura’s hands for a moment. “You have become a very dear friend to me and this is not to be goodbye. We shall see each other again, very soon.”
