“Me too,” he smiled warmly, then dipped his head to kiss her briefly before holding her close again. From the way she spoke, he wanted to ask if she had rethought the idea of marriage but was unwilling to hear a rejection if he was wrong. He also realised that she had been through two shocks, first being kidnapped, then realising that she might now be an heiress and if that wasn’t enough, she was clearly in a lot of pain. Even whilst holding him, she kept her left arm protectively at her side.
It wasn’t fair to ask about such life-altering things as marriage when she was vulnerable. If she did agree to be his wife, then it had to be for the right reasons.
“I should probably also mention that the staff haven’t been paid for weeks but as part of them agreeing to help me, I offered to cover all back wages. In my defence though, I didn’t know Frederick was dead then, nor did I know that this house might be yours.”
“I’ve made you afraid to even make a kind gesture,” he said, holding him tighter for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
“I was teasing,” he assured her.
“Half-teasing, perhaps, but there is no denying that I have probably made you paranoid, and I'm sorry for that.”
“Oh, you foolish woman,” he joked, his voice unnaturally deep. “Did you forget that I am a hero. I am afraid of no man! Or woman!”
Annabelle laughed, until the pain in her ribs kicked in and she took a moment to recover before looking up at him.
“All right, that’s it, you are forbidden to say anything that I might find even mildly amusing for the remainder of my injury.”
“Can I make you smile, at least?”
She pretended to consider the question. “Very well, but all attempts at humour must be submitted in writing so that I can judge the content of said humorous remarks.”
“But what if I pull funny faces to make you laugh?”
“Then a sketch of each facial expression must be submitted in advance.”
“You drive a very hard bargain, Anna, but I accept your terms.”
Annabelle smiled.
“On the condition that you agree to take a full dose of laudanum before we return to Hampshire. I would hate to think of the pain a carriage ride would cause your ribs.”
Although she knew that he was jesting with her, his tone was serious as he finished.
“Very well, but it will cost you.”
“Oh?” He raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “What or how much?”
“One kiss.”
He thought about it for a moment. “I believe that I can afford that.”
He wasted no further time in paying his debt.
Chapter Twenty One
Although Richard’s estate was quite remote, especially when compared to London, convalescing in Hampshire was actually very interesting, as each day brought a new visitor.
King William IV visited the day after they got back, expressing his thanks for them recovering the ransom but most of all, for rescuing Lavinia. He offered the men a reward and although Richard declined, he asked that his share be divided by between Sampson and Isaac. He could only stay one night as he was still the King and had a country to run.
The London police came three times, once to get as many details as they could about the incident and Old John (who remained a fugitive). Next to confirm that Frederick’s body had been recovered from the well and finally, to confirm that H, better known as Harold Smith, had plead guilty to kidnapping and been sentenced to transportation to Australia. Old John remained a wanted man.
Minnie and Frank arrived on the first Sunday to check that Annabelle was alright and although Richard offered them the choice of staying overnight, they refused, saying they needed to be at the coffee house. They assured Annabelle that everything was running smoothly and she was to take as long as she needed to recover.
By the time they left, Annabelle was more certain than ever that her decision to gift the coffee house to them was the right one.
Following the confirmation of Frederick’s death, his solicitor, John Collier, visited to discuss the terms of Frederick’s will. He was a younger man than Annabelle had been expecting, probably only a year or two out of law school. Richard and Annabelle showed him into the parlour and after tea had been arranged and served, he got down to business, his jovial mood quickly evaporating.
“I’m sorry to have to tell you, Lady Wyatt, but your brother didn’t leave you anything in his will.”
“Oh, thank the Lord,” she said, so heartfelt that he actually looked surprised. He had been practising law for ten years, despite his youthful looks, and was rarely surprised.
“You will inherit the title of Marchioness, of course,” he continued, despite the fact that she didn’t seem at all upset.
“I care nothing for the title either, Mr Collier. My only worry is for Frederick’s staff and farmers on his estate.”
“Well, obviously, I am taking care of wages and rents for the moment…”
“Excuse me, Mr Collier,” Richard interrupted, “but if Annabelle hasn’t inherited anything, why did you travel all this way?”
“Well that’s the thing, she doesn’t inherit, but she is named as the executrix of the will.”
“Why on earth would he name me executor of his will? He hated me.”
“Can I speak frankly?” Mr Collier asked.
“Of course,” Annabelle assured him but Mr Collier looked to Richard for his assurance. “Mr Collier, I am Frederick’s sister and I am the one named in his will. Please take my word for it that you may speak freely.”
“Of course, I apologise.” He shuffled papers for a moment as he composed himself. He wasn’t used to ladies telling him off. “Well, the thing is, I believe your brother’s will to be the biggest load of hogwash that I have ever come across. He has named dozens of beneficiaries but refused to give me addresses for any of them and they come from all over the globe, apparently, and every effort will have to be made to track each of them down. Although I have no proof, personally I believe them all to be fictitious.”
“He hoped to keep me mired in paperwork for years, all for an estate that, although rightfully mine, I wouldn’t inherit. I can’t help but admire his sheer guile.”
“Does she have to act as executor?” Richard asked. “Is there not some way to excuse her of that duty?”
“Actually, she is not obligated at all. A person can name whoever they like as executor, or executrix if it is a woman but as most don’t know that they have been named, they have no legal obligation to accept.”
“So who will oversee the will?” she asked.
“My firm. Despite my suspicions, we must look into each beneficiary and make an effort to trace them. Once we have proved that every effort has been made, I suspect the will could be overturned and you will inherit, however-“
“Let me guess, the estate will pay your costs and after Frederick’s debts are paid off, there will not be much left. I will likely end up owing you money.”
“Yes, that is likely,” he admitted.
“Then thank you, Mr Collier, but I politely decline to be involved in this farce.”
“I don’t blame you. As Lord Wyatt’s sister and only relative, I still wanted to discuss my plans for the estate, to see if I can make it work for us.”
“What did you have in mind?” Annabelle asked.
“Rather than selling the property, I was thinking that it could be leased or rented, then I can try to come to an arrangement with his creditors, whereby we pay off a small amount each month. That would provide Lord Wyatt’s estate with a continued income and give me the funds to look into the beneficiaries. It’s possible by the time we are finished, the estate might even be in credit.”
“Even if it was, Mr Collier, I would still not want it.” She smiled at him. “Would the staff be employed by the new tenants?”
“If that is your wish, I'm sure that most of them can be kept on. It is a rather small staff for a house of that size.”
“Thank you, and c
ould you provide a good reference for those who wish to leave?”
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you, Mr Collier.”
“You are most welcome, Lady Wyatt. I believe that concludes my business here so I will be on my way. I’ll keep you informed of our progress but in all honesty, it will take years, perhaps even decades before this matter can be settled.”
They saw him back to his carriage soon after that and Mr Collier headed back to Dorset, wondering what to make of the reluctant heiress.
Richard’s friends regularly came to visit and although Annabelle felt inclined to avoid most of them, she forced herself to meet them. After all, if she was going to marry him, she couldn’t avoid his friends.
Jonathan Rhyman and his wife, Sophie visited and quite unexpectedly, Sophie had made Lavinia and Annabelle each a small watercolour as ‘a get well soon’ or ‘sorry you were kidnapped’ present. Lavinia’s painting showed her and Richard, dressed as they were on the day of the hunting party, standing side by side in front of the house.
Annabelle’s showed her and Richard also standing side by side but this time, looking into each other’s eyes. There was something about her technique though, a way in which she infused her paintings with emotion, which was quite rare. She and Richard almost appeared to be looking into the other’s soul, conveying so much emotion with just a single look.
Annabelle was very touched by the gesture and was forced to admit that perhaps she had misjudged Sophie on that day, and had been projecting her own fears onto the other woman.
“You have quite a talent,” Annabelle told her.
“That’s what I’m always telling her,” Jonathan chimed in, “but she never believed me. She says that I have to like her work.”
“It’s just a hobby,” Sophie insisted, blushing.
Three of Richards’s sisters, Charlotte, Louisa and Caroline, came to stay, although only Louisa was able to bring her husband, the Earl of Boston, on such short notice.
Next came Lavinia’s sisters, Sophia and Augusta, although it took them a week. Travelling seemed something of a challenge for them and Lavinia had confessed to Annabelle, that Augusta was a home body who disliked crowds and new experiences, whilst Sophia’s eyesight was beginning to fail her, which had knocked her confidence.
There seemed to be approximately 10 years in age between Augusta and Sophia and five between Sophia and Lavinia, the youngest.
Both women seemed timid when around strangers, although a time or two during their stay, Annabelle would pass Lavinia’s sitting room and hear laughter, so she assumed that they felt more comfortable when she, a stranger to them, wasn’t around.
The house was now rapidly filling up and Annabelle began to feel like an interloper among the family. Nevertheless, she kept her resolve and remained sociable, instead of keeping to her room as she might have preferred, although because of the laudanum that they pressed on her, she did often have to take a nap before dinner.
Annabelle and Richard had been given adjoining rooms again, with a connecting dressing room and whilst Annabelle’s first thought was to wonder who else he had given her to room to in the past, she held her tongue and thought things through. She soon realised that neither Lavinia, nor likely her husband, would allow a mistress to sleep under the same roof. She relaxed a little, until she realised that she qualified as a mistress, even if they weren’t having sex right now.
She still managed to hold her tongue until she next saw Lavinia and asked her why both of Richard’s rooms, here and in London, had connecting dressing rooms. They were in Lavinia’s sitting room and whilst two of her daughters were there too, they were occupied with their own activities of reading and embroidering.
“Lavinia, I hope you don’t think me impertinent,” she began, keeping her voice low, “but am I the only woman you’ve ever allowed to share a bed with Richard?”
“Well, I don’t have much say as to how he behaves when he’s not at home but under my roof, never. But you, my dear, are different, surely you realise that by now?”
Annabelle really wasn’t sure. She’d been here a week now and whilst Richard was affectionate towards her, he had never brought up marriage again, not even just for discussion.
“Why do Richard’s bedrooms have doors that connect to the next bedroom’s dressing room?”
“Oh, I had all the family bedrooms set up that way soon after my eldest daughter married. I hoped that my children would be more willing to stay with me after they married, if they could appear proper and still have access to their husbands, or wives.”
“Did it work?”
“Ha, of course not. It seems I have to get kidnapped to warrant a visit from my prodigy,” she answered, loud enough to be heard by her daughters.
“Mama, I live in Scotland, it’s not exactly easy to journey this far south, especially with three children and staff in tow,” Caroline argued, although Annabelle could tell that this was a good-natured argument that had been repeated many times.
“And we visited each other all the time whilst you were in London,” Louisa added. “Where you clearly should have stayed and this whole kidnapping might not have happened.”
“And Charlotte came all the way from Spain,” Caroline added.
Lavinia waved their arguments off.
“Besides, it looks as if you will have a new daughter soon enough,” Louisa said, winking at Annabelle.
Annabelle blushed and looked away. If Richard had changed his mind, her reputation was going to be ruined!
Each morning Richard and Annabelle took a walk in the orchard. Richard’s breathing was almost back to normal now for most activities, only exertion seemed to labour his breathing. By the time they reached the far end of the orchard, he was always breathing heavily, sometimes coughing but overall, Annabelle felt that his lungs were healing nicely.
Her ribs were not nearly so accommodating but they were healing and the bruises on her jaw, stomach and abdomen were healing nicely, the one on her jaw just shades of yellow now. She took a few drops of laudanum throughout the day and some to help her sleep but she disliked how drowsy it made her, so she avoided it as much as she could during the day.
They never talked much on the way up, Richard was usually breathless and Annabelle didn’t want to make the walk more difficult for him. They paused at the top to recover and admire the view.
“It’s so beautiful here,” Annabelle said as she looked around.
“Not as beautiful as you,” Richard said.
When she turned to him, he was looking at her, not the view. She blushed.
“Did you ever get your necklace repaired?” he asked, causing her to give him a confused look. “I was looking at your eyes and they reminded me of your sapphire.”
She smiled sadly and looked away as she admitted. “I…I sold it. I’m sorry I lied to you.”
“I would have helped.”
“I know, that’s why I didn’t tell you. I was… too proud to ask for help.”
“You never sent us a bill for your services that weekend, you know.”
“I know.” She glanced at him. “You had both been so good to me that it didn’t feel right.”
“You know, it’s not hard to be good to you, it isn’t an imposition.”
She turned to him and smiled sadly. “I think it is. I think I’m a difficult person to like, that’s why I earned the epithet of Ice Queen from my patrons.”
“Then they’re fools,” he told her firmly. “Your heart is far larger than most people I know and considering your past, I think it’s admirable that you have held onto your compassion for so long.”
He came up behind her and wrapped his arms about her waist.
“To be fair, you are somewhat biased though,” she said as she leaned back into him, placing her hands over his.
“Maybe. Now I have a confession to make, if I may?”
Annabelle’s heart skipped a beat as fear paralysed her. Was he going to tell her that he no longer love
d her? That he was still seeing Ava?
“I suspected you had lied about the pendant.”
That wasn’t much of a confession, so she waited for the rest of the story.
“When I left that day, I visited the pawn shops in the vicinity of the coffee house and in the second one, I found your pendant.”
He raised one of his hands from around her waist and opened his fist, to reveal the pendant and chain sitting in his palm.
“Oh Richard!” she gasped, her right hand going up to cover her mouth. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I know; I wanted to.”
“But you’ve done so much for me already.”
“And you’ve done so much for those you care for.” He took his arms from around her and undid the chain. “It’s about time someone cared for you.”
He fastened the chain about her neck, then placed a kiss on her shoulder. When Annabelle turned to him, she had tears in her eyes.
“I’m not sure what I did to deserve you.”
“I could say the same,” he smiled, taking her in his arms, although he was careful not to hurt her ribs. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, pleased when she responded.
Chapter Twenty Two
Four weeks after they had been kidnapped, the Armstrong household was back to normal, with all their guests having returned home.
Annabelle was the first to awaken that morning and despite the chill in the room, she felt perfectly warm, cuddled against Richard as she was.
As she did every morning, she took a few deep breaths to see how bad her ribs felt. They had improved a lot recently and although she would not say that she was pain-free, she now refused any laudanum as the pain was bearable. Today she seemed to be able to take a far deeper breath than she had since being injured.
Despite her improvement, Richard refused to make love to her. He claimed that he couldn’t live with himself if he hurt her, and she believed him, but lying next to him each night, kissing him and waking up beside him were beginning to send her desires into overdrive. Still, no matter what she said, Richard was adamant.
The Reluctant Duchess Page 23
