Before Max could protest, or do more than wring his hand warmly, he had run lightly down the steps, climbed into his carriage and driven away at speed.
‘What’s that?’ Constance asked, joining him. ‘I thought your cousin was staying.’
‘So did I,’ Max replied. ‘Apparently we are to stay here instead. I wonder what this is?’ He opened the package carefully, and scanned the papers that it contained. He looked at his new wife, his eyes aglow. ‘Connie, it’s the deeds of this house. Alistair has given us Beacon Tower as his wedding gift.’
Constance looked down at the papers that he was holding. ‘Oh Max, such generosity; and I didn’t have chance to thank him.’
‘He didn’t want that,’ Max replied, putting a protective arm around her shoulders. ‘We can thank him later; for now, let’s go back inside. After all, it is our home.’
By the same author
His Lordship’s Gardener
The Grand Tour
The Squire’s Daughter
Derbyshire Deception
Fallen Woman
The Wild Marauder
The Squire and the Schoolmistress
The Adventuress
The Other Miss Frobisher
A Gift for a Rake
Lady of Lincoln
Clerkenwell Conspiracy
Jilted
Ruined
Spoiled
Theodora in Love
A Country Gentleman
© Ann Barker
First published in Great Britain 2015
ISBN 978 0 7198 1843 1 (epub)
ISBN 978 0 7198 1844 8 mobi)
ISBN 978 0 7198 1845 5 (pdf)
ISBN 978 0 7198 1560 7 (print)
Robert Hale Limited
Clerkenwell House
Clerkenwell Green
London EC1R 0HT
www.halebooks.com
The right of Ann Barker to be identified as
author of this work has been asserted by her
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988
Imperfect Pretence Page 25
