Nate snorted. “The duke must have loved that.”
Colin handed Nate a sheaf of papers. “In addition to the cash payments he handed over to the go between, Father was smart enough to sign over some land to a trust. Do any of these look familiar?”
Nate nodded. “Bancroft has a house near this property in Wales. If I am not mistaken, I believe this parcel of land in Scotland is next to another of his estates. And I imagine a further perusal would point out similar coincidences.”
“So we have proven our case!” said Win.
“We are certainly closer,” said Nate. “But all Bancroft has to do is say that the old earl willingly ceded him the land.”
“These papers say he didn’t.” said Colin.
“Yes, and I have no doubt to their veracity. If it were up to me, I would return all of the land to you immediately. But these papers were not notarized. They could appear to be the imaginings of a man who coveted his neighbor’s wealth.”
“There is another thing,” said Colin. “In Father’s notes, he said there was a ring. He had reluctantly given it up with the strict proviso that he would one day be given the option of buying it back. Of course, he was never in a position to do so.”
“What makes you think Bancroft still has it?” asked Nate.
“According to the documents, it is so distinctive that if anyone had tried to sell it, the sale could be easily traced.” He pushed a drawing of the ring across the table.
“Wait a moment,” said Ava, as she reached for it. “I have seen this ring. Or, rather, a rendering of it.”
They followed her to the attic, where she was about to move aside an old chaise when Stemple stepped in. “My lady! Please let me do that.”
Ava sighed. “This is what you are in for, Win. Everyone will go out of his way to help, though Stemple has always been this way. Colin will not let me out of his sight.”
“That is because you are always trying to go to the castle,” said Colin. “I will not allow one more female to go there until this issue has been resolved.”
“I believe Win and Alex should move into their new house,” said Rose.
“Not while you are at risk, love,” said Win.
“That’s it!” said Ava, as Stemple pulled out a portrait of an old woman from at least a century earlier.
James held a candle up to it. They saw a ring on her left hand which looked to hold a fortune in diamonds and rubies.
“It does seem to match Father’s drawing,” said Colin, as he held the paper up to the painting. “I have never seen it, nor do I remember Father ever mentioning it. I have to wonder why he did not sell it while it was in his possession. At the very least, he could have sold the stones individually.”
“Perhaps, he had more pride in his title than you believe,” said Irene. “Your father might have wanted to hold on to the one piece which symbolized his position.”
“It is possible,” said Colin. “Now we just have to see whether the duke kept the ring.”
“I have never seen it,” said Nate. “But now that I know what to look for, it should help narrow the search.”
* * *
After dinner, the family and Mr. and Mrs. Stemple gathered in the sitting room, after convincing everyone to spend the night.
“I have an idea for a novel,” said Colin. “And I would like your honest opinion.”
“Is that optional?” asked James.
“Not in the least,” said his brother. “Now it is a bit unusual, but hear me out. The entire book takes place over only two days. It concerns a miserly industrialist on Christmas Eve. For our purposes here, we shall refer to him as Mr. Crabcock…”
“You mean Babcock?” asked Nick.
“Crabcock,” said Colin. “Crabcock is working his staff on Christmas Eve and is considering making them work the next day, as well.”
“I don’t like this Crabcock,” said Maude.
“Good instincts,” said Colin. “He is not a nice man. He is quite horrid to the men in his employ, then he returns home that night to a cold house, kind of like the way the dower house is in winter.”
“I did not find it so very cold,” said Ava.
“That is because my brother kept you so warm,” said Rose. “It was really quite awkward the way I used to run into the two of you embracing in the halls. Sweet, but awkward nonetheless.”
“It was nothing compared to how the Stemples are,” said James.
“It isn’t my fault,” said Stemple. “My wife is irresistible.” Then he kissed her.
“Does no one want to hear my story?” asked Colin.
“Do I have to answer that honestly, too?” asked James.
Colin continued. “Crabcock returns to his ice cold home, then goes to bed. He is awakened an hour later by the ghost of the headmaster at his old school, who tells him he will be visited by three witches that night who will show him his past, his present and his future.”
“Why do the witches want to do that?” asked Letty.
“I do not know,” admitted Colin. “Perhaps it is the coven’s night off and they have nothing else to do. Anyway, the witches show up one-by-one. The first takes Crabcock back to his past where he was disappointed in love. The second takes him to his clerk’s home, where they are enjoying a modest Christmas dinner with little Tom, the cat.”
“Like Jasper the cat?” asked Anna.
“But much nicer. Then the third witch takes Crabcock to a cemetery where he sees his grave. He lies unmourned, after being unloved on earth. We learn love is to be treasured above all else. Above material goods, above money, above status. Love is to be valued in family, friends and a soul’s mate.” Then he kissed Ava.
There was a moment of silence as everyone thought about what he had said.
“And this is supposed to be a Christmas story?” asked James. “It doesn’t seem very joyful.”
“Will Father Christmas go see Mr. Crabcock?” asked Letty hopefully.
“No. But Crabcock does see the error of his ways and becomes a better man. He goes to the clerk’s house and brings fish for Tom the cat.”
“And that’s how it ends?” asked Nick. “Fish for a cat?”
“More or less,” said Colin. “I haven’t quite worked that part out yet. But this Crabcock’s name becomes synonymous with someone who doesn’t like Christmas. For example, if someone was being out of sorts at Christmas, you would say, ‘he’s just being a Crabcock.’”
“I thought you said he did like Christmas,” said Rose.
“Only at the end.”
There was more silence, until James finally broke it. “I know you are an excellent writer, Colin. But I do not think this will sell.”
“Perhaps if you got rid of the witches and made them ghosts,” said Rose.
“Ghosts don’t exist, love,” said Nick.
Rose only looked at Nate in response.
“I like the witches,” said Nick. “It is the rest I cannot quite see. I’m with James. You are a terrific writer Colin, but perhaps turn your attentions elsewhere.”
“Do you like my story?” Colin asked his wife.
Ava kissed him. Then kissed him again. She was about to kiss him a third time when he stopped her. “You don’t like my story, do you?” he asked.
“I love everything about you, my dear. But, mayhap, you might want to write something else.”
He kissed his wife. “Mayhap I will write a romantical novel about the night a governess met an impoverished earl.”
“That is a fine idea,” she said.
“Oh, please,” said James. “I’d rather read about Tom the cat and his fish dinner.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Frederick Mortimer had known from the outset how dangerous his plan would be. But he had no choice but to continue onward. He entered his suite, then locked the door behind him. A feeling slithered up his spine, which had him reaching for his pistol. Unfortunately, someone else got to his first. Through the dim candlelight, Frederick saw Ban
croft sitting in the shadows, with his cocked pistol trained on him. Only a lifetime of surviving similar situations had Frederick shrugging out of his jacket, as if having his life threatened was of no concern whatsoever.
“I am surprised, your grace,” he said, as he threw his jacket on a chair, then loosened his cravat. “I have to wonder why you are not enjoying the pleasures of a young wife instead of visiting an old acquaintance.”
“You are a cool one,” said Bancroft with what might be a trace of admiration.
“Just logical enough to know that it would be damned hard to explain shooting me in my bedchamber. Now, if you were to invite me to go hunting, I would be more inclined to panic. No one is mourning Simon Chilcott, by the way. Most in the ton are glad he isn’t continuing to stir up a lot of ill sentiment with his talk of who is and isn’t a rightful heir. I think some of your lot were worried they might lose their titles. Now, tell me why you are here.”
Bancroft lowered his weapon. “I need you to kill my son.”
* * *
Though she and Nate had been properly married for some time, Rose still felt shy about leading him into her old bedchamber at the dower house when it was time to retire for the night.
“I am surprised you have the smallest bedchamber,” said Nate, as he looked around the room. “This is smaller than even the guest chambers.”
“But it was more than adequate for me.”
Nate looked out the window into the starlit sky. “Is there a particular reason you chose it?”
“I liked the view.”
“Which view was that?” he asked, pulling her into his arms.
“The garden is quite nice.”
“I see,” he said, as he kissed her neck. “Anything else?”
“There are some lovely trees,” she said, as she shivered from his kisses.
“By any chance did you like the view of the castle?”
“What castle?”
He stopped kissing her, which made her try to bring his lips back to her neck, though he would not budge. “Bancroft Castle,” he said. “My ancestral home and your current residence.”
“I suppose the building is nice enough, but I cannot imagine I would choose a view based on the architecture of an old pile of stones.”
“What about for one of its occupants? Namely me.”
Rose settled into his embrace. “I suppose you are an adequate view, as well.”
“Only adequate?”
“You will do, although you are wearing a good deal too much clothing.”
“Are you saying I should remove it?”
“With all due haste, my love.”
But despite her command, they took their time kissing and removing each other’s clothes. For a moment nothing else existed except the two of them in this place, safe in each other’s arms. When at long last they both were naked, they held each other and kissed at the window. It was as if the night had been made for them.
Finally, he led her to bed. She lay on it, with him following her down, their bodies but inches apart. Rose could feel his heat surround her, his hard muscles caressing her so gently.
“Nate,” she said, as his hands moved over every inch of her. “I want your babe. I want to feel him or her growing inside me. I want what Win and Ava are experiencing.”
He stilled and for a moment Rose thought she had made a mistake in telling him. She knew he needed an heir, but perhaps it was not the most romantical thing she could have said. But an instant later, he was kissing her in a frenzy, as he moved his hand between her legs to already find her wet.
“I know I should not be so selfish,” said Nate as he all but devoured her. “But I want to see you grow large with my child. I want to know that I am the man who gave you a son or daughter. I want everyone to know you are mine forever.”
With that, he slid into her with such passion she cried out in pleasure. He began moving and it was clear he was demanding everything from her. Not just her body. But her passion, her very soul. Rose felt like she was being swept along on a tidal wave of emotion. Nate might try to hide his emotions from the world. But she knew exactly how much he cared about her and their child. Their future.
She had barely cried out in her own climax than he was shuddering with his own. Then he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily and completely spent.
* * *
Nate thought he had known the depth of his love for Rose, but he’d had no idea. She already possessed his heart, invaded his thoughts and generated a yearning he had heretofore thought was impossible. But when she had asked for his child, it had propelled him to a level of love and passion he had never before experienced.
He finally had the presence of mind to move off her, then he pulled her to him. “Forgive me, love, for losing control. I hope I was not too rough.”
“I loved it,” said Rose in a voice deepened by passion.
And now all he wanted to do was repeat what they had just done. But he needed this moment with her in his arms. “Did you mean it? You want my child right now? Despite everything?”
“Of course,” she said, as she snuggled into his arms. “I want us to be a family. I can only hope to be a good mother, though I am not certain what exactly that entails. I was never close to my own mother.”
“You will be an amazing mother. Though I fear I will make any number of mistakes as a father.” If he survived this battle with his own father. “Neither of us had good role models for parents. But I do not doubt for a moment what a wonderful mother you will be.”
“And you will be a wonderful father.” She absent-mindedly stroked his chest, and Nate wanted to move her hand downward. He hoped she would find her way there on her own. He was just about to help her when she spoke again. “I dreamed of you, you know. Especially since coming to the dower house and taking this room. I would lie here in bed, thinking of you. Hoping that one day you would look at me as you do now. I wanted you, Nate. I did not even understand my feelings, but I wanted you.”
Rose’s words touched his heart. And he felt like a cad because he still wanted nothing more than to make love again, though he had a sense that this was one of those times he was supposed to talk about emotions, rather than pleasure. He stroked her arm and hoped this would not last long.
“I wish I could have healed your loneliness, love,” he said. “Though if it is any consolation, I was so enmeshed in my own family drama, I fear I would have been of little use to you.”
She kissed him, then lay back down. “I used to lie here the past few months, Nate. In my bed, looking out at the castle. I used to lie here and….touch myself.”
Nate stilled. “Excuse me?”
“I touched myself. Thinking about you. I did not know what I was doing, but it felt good.”
“How did you touch yourself?” He could not talk about feelings when she was talking about touching herself. Hang feelings.
She hesitated. “It is embarrassing to speak about.”
“You never have cause to be embarrassed with me, love. Please tell me in detail what you did.”
“May I show you, instead?”
Nate’s mouth went dry. “Yes, please, but first….” Nate sat up then pulled the candelabra closer to the bed. Why couldn’t they have had this conversation during the day when he really could have seen her? “All right, love. Show me.”
Rose rolled to her back and Nate sat up to have the best view of her. Even in the dim candlelight, he could see her body was still flushed from their earlier lovemaking. She looked at him, then looked away shyly. He hoped she was not losing her courage.
“Rose, please show me.”
She turned back and smiled. “As you wish.”
Her left hand moved up her stomach to cup one breast while her other hand made its way down between her legs. She paused and for a moment, Nate thought she would lose her nerve. But then she slowly began moving her hand through the folds until her fingers glistened with moisture. Her other hand pinched her nipple and she groaned.
That was all it took.
Nate was on her, then in her in an instant. He couldn’t believe his passion could be any greater than the last time, but nothing could have excited him more than the sight of Rose touching herself. But she was with him all the way, matching his intensity and passion. She moved with him. She seemed to be in his every breath.
They moved faster and faster until Nate reached his limit. He groaned in disbelief as he reached his climax before Rose. But fortunately, his movements brought hers on. So it was with a decreased sense of guilt that he collapsed upon her once again.
He rolled onto his back, bringing her with him as he had earlier. They lay there for a moment, tangled in the sheets, breathing heavily.
“Nate?”
“Yes, dear heart?”
“I love you so very much.”
He knew that. Her heart and her body had told him so many times. Yet, he would never tire of hearing it from her lips. He kissed her. “It is a good thing you do. Because I will love you always, forever. So it is just as well that you will be there to love me back.”
They drifted off into sleep. And though the future was uncertain, their love most assuredly was not.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Rose and the others returned to the castle the next day to find that the servants had moved Win and Alex’s possessions into their new cottage at Mirabelle’s orders.
“I admit that it was very high-handed,” Rose said to her sister later that day as the four of them toured Win’s new home, “but, given your lovely condition, it is best for you to be out of harm’s way.”
“I want to be there to protect you,” protested Win.
Rose hugged her sister. “You have already protected me enough for a lifetime. Or have you forgotten your sacrifice of staying with Pierce to keep me safe? Besides, you are not so far away. If we need you, we can send for you. Furthermore, it really is a lovely house.”
The former steward’s cottage was two stories, along with a suite of rooms for a small staff. While the duke had offered to send over a few servants until they could hire their own, Win had politely declined. Bancroft servants would almost certainly be the duke’s spies.
Always Forever (Emerson Book 5) Page 17
