‘Thank God.’
‘But before I tell you that tale, let me first apologise. I was wrong to mistrust you, my darling. I should have had more faith. Can you ever forgive me?’
‘Can you forgive me for getting into this mess in the first place?’
Bryce laughed. ‘Then let us agree to set all this unpleasantness behind us and look to a new future together.’
Rose glanced up at him through her lashes with a return of her old shyness. ‘Are you sure you still want me as your wife?’
‘More than ever, for I have discovered how very much I love you, even more than before.’ He kissed her then and Rose melted in his arms, unable to believe her good fortune.
The last few weeks in prison awaiting her appeal had not been easy, but now she could put all of that behind her. The steward, a most pleasant man, exactly as she’d remembered him, had clearly stated the facts of the case, relating how they’d each signed the document, and how poor dear Rosalind had been determined to see her son safe as her own life ebbed away.
The papers for her release had been properly processed, her clothes and belongings returned to her, and now she was sitting in the Electric Phaeton, her husband’s lips on hers, and her heart was pounding with happiness. Just to feel the warm strength of him as he held her, as if he might never let her go, was like falling into paradise.
‘Now tell me how you found Robbie?’
Bryce told his tale, a delighted grin on his face. ‘John’s guess was right. He was in an orphanage near Newton Abbot, under a different name, but the moment he saw me he came running into my arms.’
There were tears in her eyes now. ‘Then all is well. I can’t wait to see him. But there’s just one thing that is still troubling me.’
He kissed her nose. ‘And what is that, my darling? Because whatever you want you shall have, if it is in my power to provide it.’
‘I’m not certain that either Lydia or Jago will wish me to return to Penver Court. They made it very clear from the start that I was unwanted, and their resentment against me now must be a thousand times worse.’
There was a familiar tightening of muscles in Bryce’s jaw, but then he gave her his warm, lazy smile. ‘You can be quite certain, my darling, that there will be no problems from them.’
They were all waiting for her. This time, as the motor drove Rose down the long drive to Penver Court, she was astonished to see a veritable crowd of people, all apparently waiting for her. She couldn’t help but remember that first occasion when she’d been quaking with nerves, worrying what the Tregowan family would be like, what she could say to explain the impossible position Joe had put her in. She recalled their freezing glances at the funeral, the way they’d cold-shouldered her, then interrogated and publicly humiliated her. They were clearly determined from the start not to accept this stranger into their home, let alone the unwanted young rival for the title. Lydia and her son would have sought any excuse to reject her.
But today, by the time the car drew up and John opened the door for her to step out, Rose saw that the entire staff were now standing in line, broad smiles on all their friendly faces.
‘Welcome home, milady,’ said Mrs Quintrell, bobbing a little curtsey.
‘Oh, but I’m not—’
‘You are as far as we are concerned,’ Mr Rowell said, the butler bearing a huge grin on his kindly face. ‘And always will be.’
One by one she shook their hands: Mrs Pascoe, who promised her a veritable feast later; Gladys and all the other maids; Thomas the footman and the rest of the menservants; John, and best of all, Joe, who had likewise been released, all charges of fraud dropped by the family.
Rose hugged him. ‘Don’t ever do such a thing to me again.’
‘Don’t worry, Rosie, I’ve learnt my lesson. Tilly and me are going to be wed, and I shall become a pillar of the community.’
She laughed. ‘That’ll be the day. ‘But where is Tilly, and …?’ She was itching to see Robbie, but her old friend stepped forward and Rose hugged her too.
‘Bless you, Tilly, and thank you for being such a good friend, for always believing in me, and always caring for Robbie.’
It was then that a small voice cried out. ‘Mummy, Mummy, you’re home!’ And a small boy came running. Sweeping him up into her arms, Rose could not stop the tears now as they rolled unchecked down her cheeks. But they were tears of happiness, and Bryce came to put his arms about them both. To hear this precious child accept her as his mother overwhelmed Rose with joy, but there was more to come.
‘I have another treat in store for you, my darling.’ I have a passage booked for the three of us with the White Star Line to visit your family in New York. We sail at the end of the month, only this time you will travel first class.’
By Freda Lightfoot
House of Angels
Angels at War
The Promise
My Lady Deceiver
Copyright
Allison & Busby Limited
13 Charlotte Mews
London W1T 4EJ
www.allisonandbusby.com
First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2012.
This ebook edition published by Allison & Busby in 2012.
Copyright © 2012 by FREDA LIGHTFOOT
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978–0–7490–1235–9
My Lady Deceiver Page 29
