And Martha was nothing but miserable.
Because she missed Graham.
Missed him, even as he sat across from her now on the opposite bench of the same carriage that now escorted her home.
To her new home.
He was home. Tell him that…
Graham, however, remained engrossed in the file on his lap, the same folder he’d read for the past forty-five minutes and handful of seconds, while she sat there watching him, with nothing to say when words had always come easy for her with him.
Of course, then he’d wished to talk. Since they’d left Fitzmorris’ office, Graham had… retreated in every way a person could retreat. She’d not seen him again until he’d helped her into his carriage loaded with her belongings and climbed in across from her. “I—”
“You needn’t thank me, Martha,” he interrupted, not even lifting his head. Studying. Reading.
And then scribbling something on that page with a small pencil. He turned another page.
“Will you…” Talk to me. Say something. Look at me. And she found the latter wasn’t enough. Graham didn’t look up. “Spend the holiday with your family?” she finished lamely.
This time, he did look up.
“F-Frederick mentioned your mother paid you a visit, that she asked you to come home for the holidays.” To the house party and the flawless lady his family had handpicked for him.
“Did he… mention anything else about my mother’s visit?”
“No.” Martha balled her hands, thinking of the words that must have been uttered about her. She’d become a source of contention between Graham and the mother he’d spoken of so affectionately.
“I still haven’t decided. There’s always tension when I’m with my family.” For the first time since they’d been at Hyde Park, before the world had turned upside down, Graham smiled. “They’re a stubborn group.” A stubborn group she wouldn’t meet, the mother he’d spoken of so affectionately and the brother he’d once been both rival and friends with. Graham went back to his work.
Martha stared down at her lap. She had no right to ask anything of him. She had no right to bare her heart to him and offer that gift to him now, not when she’d rejected his offer in the past. But she needed to anyway. She needed him to know that she believed in them and wanted a life with him—if he wanted one with her—and she’d not resent him for turning her away now. “Graham,” she blurted. “I…” The carriage hit a dip in the road, and she caught the bench to keep steady.
“We’ve arrived.”
They were here.
Her new home.
Frederick and she…
Peeling back the curtain, Martha peered out. The frosted window blurred the view of it, and she pressed her palm against it until the warmth had melted the sheen… and then stared out.
She wanted to cry.
The white manor house, with its green door and a small frozen lake, was… perfect. It was… so blasted perfect. Except, it wasn’t. Because he wouldn’t be there. Martha swiped her hands over her eyes.
“You’re crying,” he observed with such tenderness underlying his words that she cried all the harder.
“I-I am,” she croaked. “Because it is lovely. I-it really is. And I-I am going to s-sound most ungrateful when I-I have no right to ask you for anything more or a-anything at all,” Martha managed between tears. She brushed at them in frustration. “I want to be with you.” Through her misty vision, she met his gaze.
His throat moved. “Martha—”
“I-I know we’re of a different station and I’m likely to only bring scandal to… to whomever is in my life, but… I love you, and… th-that is all.”
A smile grazed the corners of his lips. He opened his mouth to speak.
“No, that is not at all!” she exploded, needing to say everything. She had concealed and carried everything these past years: her marriage, her children, her secrets. Graham had helped free her from the restraints she’d imposed upon herself. “I don’t want to live here. I don’t want to stay hidden from the world, Society’s dirty secret.” She pressed a hand to her breast. “I don’t want my children to be hidden.”
Graham leaned across, resting his head against hers. “I don’t want your children to be hidden anymore, either.”
“I kn-know that.” Her voice quavered. “You were the one who opened my eyes to all that was wrong with sending them away.” He had been outraged on behalf of Creda and Iris when she’d shared their existence with them. In that annoyance on her daughters’ behalf, he’d been far braver than Martha had ever been. Life would be hard, and no doubt ugly oftentimes, for her children. “I want to face all of it, Graham… with you… because with y-you at my side, I can do anything and be anything… and—”
Graham kissed the remainder of that vow from her lips. It was an achingly beautiful kiss that asked for nothing, but gave all, warmth and tenderness. “Oh, Martha,” he whispered against her mouth. “You always could do anything and be anything. It never had anything to do with me.” He cupped her cheeks, wiping away the tears with the pads of his thumbs. “But I want to be there at your side, so you don’t have to be ‘everything’… alone. Please, ma—”
She hurled herself into his arms. “Yes,” she sobbed.
“Marry me,” he finished anyway. “Let me be a husband to you and a father to your children.” Her body shook with the force of her tears. “And know that any struggle we face will ultimately be fine as long as we are at one another’s side. Together.”
A knock sounded on the carriage door.
Martha caught Graham’s hand as he reached for the handle. “I don’t want to live here… unless you’re here with me.”
His brow furrowed, and then understanding flashed in his eyes. “You think this is your home.”
“Not unless I’m here with you.” She looked out the window to where Frederick now played in the snow. “With us,” she amended.
“This isn’t the property purchased for you, Martha.”
Martha angled her head. “It is not?”
His lips twitched. “It is not.”
“What…?”
Wordlessly, he held out his folder.
She looked at it questioningly and then back to him. Martha opened the leather folder, and her heart did a little leap. “Mrs. Munroe’s,” she whispered. “It is their school.”
“I thought we would stop here first, so you might decide whether you want Creda and Iris to remain behind, or whether you are ready for them to come home… with us.”
He’d sought to rescue her daughters, two little girls he had never before met, and reunite their fractured family.
“I imposed,” he said uneasily. “It was again not my place. Just as I should not have gone against your wishes regarding Hyde Par—oomph.”
Martha had dropped the folder and launched herself at Graham, knocking him into the side of the carriage. “I love you,” she cried. She kissed him and willed all the emotion, all the love she carried for this man into that embrace.
Breathless, Graham was the first to end the kiss. “The other business,” he murmured, rescuing the folio from the floor and handing over the officious scrap. “Will you marry me, Miss Martha Donaldson?”
Her hands trembling, Martha accepted the marriage certificate, the offering of his name and respectability, and a testament to his willingness to stand beside her through the scandal and anything that came.
She struggled to bring his beloved visage into focus through the tears. “I will marry you, Lord Sheldon Graham Malin Whitworth.”
Another knock sounded at the carriage door. Graham held out his hand. “Shall we, Miss Donaldson?”
With a smile, Martha nodded.
Martha stared at that gloved palm and slipped her fingers into his.
Hand in hand, with Frederick skipping off ahead, Martha and Graham started for Mrs. Munroe’s … and Creda and Iris… and the rest of their future—together.
The End
O
ther Books by Christi Caldwell
“Rogues Rush In”
A Regency Duet by Tessa Dare & Christi Caldwell
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell come together in this smart, sexy, not-to-be-missed Regency Duet!
Two scandalous brides…
Two rogues who won’t be denied…
His Bride for the Taking by NYT Bestselling author Tessa Dare
It’s the first rule of friendship among gentlemen: Don’t even think about touching your best friend’s sister. But Sebastian, Lord Byrne, has never been one for rules. He’s thought about touching Mary Clayton—a lot—and struggled to resist temptation. But when Mary’s bridegroom leaves her waiting at the altar, only Sebastian can save her from ruin. By marrying her himself.
In eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold…and to love.
His Duchess for a Day by USA Today Bestseller Christi Caldwell
It was never meant to be…
That’s what Elizabeth Terry has told herself while trying to forget the man she married—her once best friend. Passing herself off as a widow, Elizabeth has since built a life for herself as an instructor at a finishing school, far away from that greatest of mistakes. But the past has a way of finding you, and now that her husband has found her, Elizabeth must face the man she’s tried to forget.
It was time to right a wrong…
Crispin Ferguson, the Duke of Huntington, has spent the past years living with regret. The young woman he married left without a by-your-leave, and his hasty elopement had devastating repercussions. Despite everything, Crispin never stopped thinking about Elizabeth. Now that he’s found her, he has one request—be his duchess, publicly, just for a day.
Can spending time together as husband and wife rekindle the bond they once shared? Or will a shocking discovery tear them apart…this time, forever?
“The Vixen”
Book 2 in the “Wicked Wallflowers” Series by Christi Caldwell
Set apart by her ethereal beauty and fearless demeanor, Ophelia Killoran has always been a mystery to those around her—and a woman they underestimated. No one would guess that she spends her nights protecting the street urchins of St. Giles. Ophelia knows what horrors these children face. As a young girl, she faced those horrors herself, and she would have died…if not for the orphan boy who saved her life.
A notorious investigator, Connor Steele never expected to encounter Ophelia Killoran on his latest case. It has been years since he sacrificed himself for her. Now, she hires orphans from the street to work in her brother’s gaming hell. But where does she find the children…and what are her intentions?
Ophelia and Connor are at odds. After all, Connor now serves the nobility, and that is a class of people Ophelia knows firsthand not to trust. But if they can set aside their misgivings and work together, they may discover that their purposes—and their hearts—are perfectly aligned.
“The Hellion”
Book 1 in the “Wicked Wallflowers” Series by Christi Caldwell
Adair Thorne has just watched his gaming-hell dream disappear into a blaze of fire and ash, and he’s certain that his competitors, the Killorans, are behind it. His fury and passion burn even hotter when he meets Cleopatra Killoran, a tart-mouthed vixen who mocks him at every turn. If she were anyone else but the enemy, she’d ignite a desire in him that would be impossible to control.
No one can make Cleopatra do anything. That said, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her siblings—even if that means being sponsored by their rivals for a season in order to land a noble husband. But she will not allow her head to be turned by the infuriating and darkly handsome Adair Thorne.
There’s only one thing that threatens the rules of the game: Cleopatra’s secret. It could unravel the families’ tenuous truce and shatter the unpredictably sinful romance mounting between the hellion…and a scoundrel who could pass for the devil himself.
“The Lady Who Loved Him”
Book 2 in the “Brethren” Series by Christi Caldwell
In this passionate, emotional Regency romance by Christi Caldwell, society’s most wicked rake meets his match in the clever Lady Chloe Edgerton! And nothing will ever be the same!
She doesn’t believe in marriage….
The cruelty of men is something Lady Chloe Edgerton understands. Even in her quest to better her life and forget the past, men always seem determined to control her. Overhearing the latest plan to wed her to a proper gentleman, Chloe finally has enough…but one misstep lands her in the arms of the most notorious rake in London.
The Marquess of Tennyson doesn’t believe in love….
Leopold Dunlop is a ruthless, coldhearted rake… a reputation he has cultivated. As a member of The Brethren, a secret spy network, he’s committed his life to serving the Crown, but his rakish reputation threatens to overshadow that service. When he’s caught in a compromising position with Chloe, it could be the last nail in the coffin of his career unless he’s willing to enter into a marriage of convenience.
A necessary arrangement…
A loveless match from the start, it soon becomes something more. As Chloe and Leo endeavor to continue with the plans for their lives prior to their marriage, Leo finds himself not so immune to his wife – or to the prospect of losing her.
“The Spy Who Seduced Her”
Book 1 in the “Brethren” Series by Christi Caldwell
A widow with a past… The last thing Victoria Barrett, the Viscountess Waters, has any interest in is romance. When the only man she’s ever loved was killed she endured an arranged marriage to a cruel man in order to survive. Now widowed, her only focus is on clearing her son’s name from the charge of murder. That is until the love of her life returns from the grave.
A leader of a once great agency… Nathaniel Archer, the Earl of Exeter head of the Crown’s elite organization, The Brethren, is back on British soil. Captured and tortured 20 years ago, he clung to memories of his first love until he could escape. Discovering she has married whilst he was captive, Nathaniel sets aside the distractions of love…until an unexpected case is thrust upon him—to solve the murder of the Viscount Waters. There is just one complication: the prime suspect’s mother is none other than Victoria, the woman he once loved with his very soul.
Secrets will be uncovered and passions rekindled. Victoria and Nathaniel must trust one another if they hope to start anew—in love and life. But will duty destroy their last chance?
“To Tempt a Scoundrel”
Book 15 in the “Heart of a Duke” Series by Christi Caldwell
Never trust a gentleman…
Once before, Lady Alice Winterbourne trusted her heart to an honorable, respectable man… only to be jilted in the scandal of the Season. Longing for an escape from all the whispers and humiliation, Alice eagerly accepts an invitation to her friend’s house party. In the country, she hopes to find some peace from the embarrassment left in London… Unfortunately, she finds her former betrothed and his new bride in attendance.
Never love a lady…
Lord Rhys Brookfield has no interest in marriage. Ever. He’s worked quite hard at building both his fortune and his reputation as a rogue—and intends to enjoy all that they can offer him. That is if his match-making mother will stop pairing him with prospective brides. When Rhys and Alice meet, sparks flare. But with every new encounter, their first impressions of one another are challenged and an unlikely friendship is forged.
Desperate, Rhys proposes a pretend courtship, one meant to spite Alice’s former betrothed and prevent any matchmaking attempts toward Rhys. What neither expects is that a pretense can become so much more. Or that a burning passion can heal… and hurt.
“Beguiled by a Baron”
Book 14 in the “Heart of a Duke” Series by Christi Caldwell
A Lady with a Secret… Partially deaf, with a birthmark marrin
g her face, Bridget Hamilton is content with her life, even if she’s been cast out of her family. But her peaceful existence—expanding her mind with her study of rare books—is threatened with an ultimatum from her evil brother—steal a valuable book or give up her son. Bridget has no choice; her son is her world.
A Lord with a Purpose… Vail Basingstoke, Baron Chilton is known throughout London as the Bastard Baron. After battling at Waterloo, he establishes himself as the foremost dealer in rare books and builds a fortune, determined to never be like the self-serving duke who sired him. He devotes his life to growing his fortune to care for his illegitimate siblings, also fathered by the duke. The chance to sell a highly coveted book for a financial windfall is his only thought.
Two Paths Collide… When Bridget masquerades as the baron’s newest housekeeper, he’s hopelessly intrigued by her quick wit and her skill with antique tomes. Wary from having his heart broken in the past, it should be easy enough to keep Bridget at arm’s length, yet desire for her dogs his steps. As they spend time in each other’s company, understanding for life grows as does love, but when Bridget’s integrity is called into question, Vail’s world is shattered—as is his heart again. Now Bridget and Vail will have to overcome the horrendous secrets and lies between them to grasp a love—and life—together.
“To Enchant a Wicked Duke”
Book 13 in the “Heart of a Duke” Series by Christi Caldwell
A Devil in Disguise
Years ago, when Nick Tallings, the recent Duke of Huntly, watched his family destroyed at the hands of a merciless nobleman, he vowed revenge. But his efforts had been futile, as his enemy, Lord Rutland is without weakness.
Until now…
With his rival finally happily married, Nick is able to set his ruthless scheme into motion. His plot hinges upon Lord Rutland’s innocent, empty-headed sister-in-law, Justina Barrett. Nick will ruin her, marry her, and then leave her brokenhearted.
The Rogue Who Rescued Her Page 27
