A Scandalous Deception (25 page)

She spun around to face him once more. “He’s
my
husband
. I belong to him, Fin. You wouldn’t have had any
say in the matter.”

“The hell I wouldn’t,” Fin growled. “If he
had taken a step in your direction I’d have slayed him where he
stood.” At her frightened expression, Fin heaved a sigh and tried
to soften his voice. “I know powerful people, Felicity. Liverpool
is an ally. We can…Well, we can do something. We’ll get the
marriage dissolved, annulled, something.”

“I hardly think an annulment is
possible.”

Why was she being so damned difficult? He was
trying to help her. “Anything is possible with the right allies. No
one even consulted your guardian for permission for your marriage,
for God’s sake. We can certainly use that to our advantage.”

She began to shake as though a tremor raced
through her. “But then he’ll know I’m alive,” she said so softly he
barely heard her. Terror flashed in her eyes and Fin’s heart ached
for her all over again.

One way or the other, he’d free Lissy from
that union if it was the last thing he ever did, no matter the
cost, be it financial, personal or political. “He’ll never touch
you again, Lissy, I swear it.” If Aaron Pierce ever stepped foot on
English soil…

“You don’t know him, Fin.” She shook her
head. “If he knows I’m alive…”

“Trust me, Lissy.” He stepped towards her and
grasped her hands, bringing them to his lips. “I’ll never let him
hurt you again. That is a promise.”

Her blue eyes blinked back more tears, but
she looked to be wavering a bit, which was the first bit of hope
for a future together she’d given him since they’d made love.

“And when this is through, tell me you’ll
marry me.”

“I want to say yes,” she said quickly. “But I
don’t know if I’m ready for that, Fin.”

“Then I’ll wait until you are,” he vowed.
After he was done with Aaron Pierce and once Lissy was free, he’d
do whatever it took to win her hand.

“And what if I’m never ready?” she asked. “I
may
never
be ready, you know? You shouldn’t waste your life
waiting for me.”

“Waiting for you would never be a waste.” He
brushed his fingers across her soft cheek.

She smiled sadly. “But I may never be ready,
Fin. I don’t want to lie to you. Marriage…Well, it’s so permanent
and more than bit frightening.”

It would have to be after what she’d endured.
But their life together would be vastly different. “If you’re never
ready, then I suppose I’ll settle for loving you and—” he winked at
her “—living the rest of my days in sin.”

A laugh escaped her, which did warm his heart
a bit. “Be serious.”

“Have you ever known me to be otherwise?”

“You
are
mad.” She shook her head, but
she was smiling so Fin simply nodded in return.

“Apparently.” He leaned forward and pressed a
kiss to her brow. “But I’ll take you any way I can have you.” Then
he dipped his head lower and kissed her again, ever so gently. She
tasted like the sweetest, purest heaven, though a bit salty from
her tears. Damn it all, she didn’t deserve what she’d suffered. If
there was a way for Fin to ease her pain and calm her fears, he’d
do it without hesitation.

After a moment, Lissy pushed back from him.
“But, Fin, odds are I’ll never be able to give you an heir. You
deserve someone who can give you that.”

And if they never had children, his heart
would be heavy; but there was no point in worrying about something
that might or might not be. “Then I suppose a distant cousin will
inherit, because I’m never giving you up, Lissy. So stop worrying
about things we don’t have control of.”

A sob burst free from her, and Lissy threw
her arms around his neck once more. Fin held her trembling body
close, caressing her back, murmuring words of love and adoration
against her ear and vowing to care for her all of his days.

But first things first. Her marriage had to
be dealt with sooner, rather than later. “Just as soon as I can,
I’ll start for London.”

“London?” she echoed, gazing up into his
eyes.

“Today. Now.” He nodded. ”The sooner I get
there, the sooner I can sort out what can be done, sweetheart.”

“Now?” She frowned. “But your carriage isn’t
even here yet, a-and the baby…”

The baby. Now he knew, or suspected he did,
why she’d fainted in Juliet’s room. Who knew what awful memories
would plague her the rest of the day while she waited for her new
niece or nephew to finally emerge in the world? “Or tomorrow.” He
caressed her cheek. “Do you want me to stay today, sweetheart?”

Her blue eyes lightened a bit as though a fog
had been lifted from them. “Please.”

Fin smiled. He could deny her nothing. He
didn’t suspect he’d ever be able to. “Tomorrow it is, then.”

“Do you want me to come with you
tomorrow?”

Fin’s smile widened and his heart lifted at
her eagerness to stay with him. “More than anything, but it might
be better for you to stay here with Juliet and Luke.”

“But you’ll hurry back?”

He nodded quickly. “As quickly as I possibly
can, Lissy.”

Ben squealed with joy as Fin tossed him into
the air, and Lissy couldn’t help but laugh. They were a pair. Ben
had always made Fin seem so carefree, so boyish. It would truly be
a shame if he never had children of his own. Her heart twisted a
bit at the maudlin thought. Doctor Watts hadn’t said it was
impossible for her to bear children, just that the odds were
unlikely she could do so. But she’d beaten the odds before, hadn’t
she? Escaping Aaron’s clutches had certainly been unlikely. She
pushed all of those awful memories away, however, as she didn’t
want to dwell on them at the moment.

Fin was right. There was no use worrying
about something neither of them had control of. Besides, with Ben
giggling and Fin looking so happy, living in the moment seemed a
much better choice.

From the nursery threshold, Annie cleared her
throat.

Lissy rose from her seat and grinned at her
maid, so very happy to see her. “Oh, Annie! You made it. Are you
feeling better today?”

Her maid nodded and stepped into the nursery.
“Chivers is resting in his quarters, but I am good as new, my
lady.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

“How is Chivers?” Fin asked, catching Ben
about the middle and stepping closer to the maid.

“His leg is bandaged, but he’s in a fair
amount of pain. The innkeeper’s son drove the carriage today. I
hope that was all right.”

“Of course.” Fin nodded. “I’m so sorry to
have abandoned you both.”

Lissy’s cheeks warmed a bit. It was, after
all, her fault Chivers and Annie had been abandoned. “As am I.”

The look Annie cast Lissy said better than
words could that she knew something had transpired, but she’d never
say so aloud. “Keeton saw the man was well compensated and has
returned him to the inn.”

“Good of him to do so,” Fin replied.

Annie glanced back at Lissy and said, “Lady
Juliet is asking for you.”

“For me?” Lissy’s voice was so soft she
barely heard it herself.

“Apparently, she’d like for you to meet your
niece.”

Lissy released a breath she hadn’t known
she’d been holding. It was almost as though a heavy weight had been
lifted off her shoulders with those words. Thank heavens Jules was
all right! Lissy was a terrible sister to have abandoned Juliet in
her time of need. If her sister never forgave her, she’d be well
within her rights.

“A girl?” Fin said, and though Lissy wasn’t
looking at him, she could hear the smile in his voice.

“Georgina,” Annie confirmed.

Georgina. A sob lodged in Lissy’s throat. Oh,
dear God. It was Georgie’s birthday. And now… She glanced over at
Fin to see him brush a tear from his cheek. Her heart stung a bit.
Not from any jealousy over her departed sister, but just from the
void Georgie’s absence still was.

But now there was a little girl, born on her
birthday, bearing her name. It was almost as though Georgie was
there with them in spirit.

“Thank you, Annie,” Lissy managed to find her
voice. “I’ll be right there.”

“A girl?” Ben sounded most dejected.

Lissy turned slightly to see her nephew in
Fin’s arms. A laugh escaped her. “Sisters are the most wonderful
things in the world, I’ll have you know. “ At least hers were.
Kind-hearted, dutiful Georgie, who had only ever wanted the best
for Lissy. Brave Juliet who would take on the world if it was
required of her. And they’d been saddled with…Lissy in return. All
of a sudden, she felt very small and unimportant, filled with
remorse for things she hadn’t done, filled with regret for things
she had done.

“Well, I’ll be certain not to mention that
bit to Edmund.” Fin quirked a grin at her, and Lissy’s spirit
lifted just a bit.

Who knew he had the ability to make her feel
better when darkness threatened to encroach upon her? She tipped
her head back regally like any good duke’s daughter had been
trained from birth to do and said, “I’m certain Edmund is quite
aware of the fact already.”

Fin laughed. “I’m certain he is.” The look he
cast her, so filled with adoration, warmed Lissy from the inside
out.

She wasn’t certain how her fortunes had
changed, but she knew they most definitely had. Phineas Granard was
the most wonderful man she’d ever known and by some grace of God he
loved her, was determined to right the wrongs in her life, even the
ones she’d caused herself. She was, without a doubt, the luckiest
girl in all the world. She hoped that if Georgie could see the two
of them, that she’d wish them well. Knowing Georgie as she always
had, Lissy was certain that her sister would be happy for them.

She brushed away a tear that had come for
nowhere, took a deep breath and said, “I’ll make certain to tell
your little sister what a wonderful big brother she has.” Then she
left the nursery and started for her sister’s bedchambers.

Once she reached Juliet’s domain, there was
no need to knock. The door was open and Luke’s laughter drifted out
into the hallway. Lissy poked her head inside to find Juliet
propped up against pillows in bed. Luke was sitting in the chair
nearby, bouncing a little bundle in his arms, staring at the child
as though all of the answers to life’s mysteries could be found
right there in her depths.

“You called for me?” Lissy asked from the
threshold.

Juliet and Luke both glanced to the doorway
and both smiled in welcome. Jules, though she looked exhausted and
paler than she had earlier in the day, reached her arms out towards
the doorway and said, “Come here, Lis.”

Lissy stepped into the bedchambers and Luke
pushed out of his chair. “Do come meet Georgina. I daresay she is
the prettiest little girl in all the world.”

Lissy couldn’t help but laugh. Luke truly was
a proud papa. She crossed the floor and peered into the bundle in
Luke’s arms. The bluest eyes she’d ever seen blinked up at her. The
baby didn’t look a thing like Georgie. She had her father’s nose
and the shape of his eyes. It was probably a blessing to not
resemble one’s namesake, however. “She’s beautiful,” she said
softly.

“Do you want to hold her?” Luke asked.

Lissy nodded quickly. She’d never held a
newborn. Ben had been a couple months old before she’d ever laid
eyes on him. And Juliet had played nursemaid to Edmund all those
years ago.

“Sit where I was,” Luke directed.

Dutifully, she moved to her brother-in-law’s
vacated chair and took the seat. Then Luke turned and gently placed
baby Georgina in her arms.

“Just be careful with her head,” he advised
as he rose back to his full height. “They’re wobbly at this
age.”

Lissy stared down at her niece. She was a
pretty little girl. Georgina’s eyes fluttered shut and she was
instantly asleep. How wonderful it would be to fall asleep so
easily.

“Do you need anything, princess?” Luke asked,
stepping closer to Juliet’s bedside.

“I’m fine now that Lissy’s here.”

“On that note—” he smiled at his wife “—I am
suddenly feeling outnumbered. I think I shall go find our son and
see how he is.”

“He’s in the nursery,” Lissy said, “With Fin.
Or at least they were a few moments ago.”

“Perfect.” The expression Luke cast her made
it quite clear he was very aware of everything that was going on
between her and Fin, which should have sent her fleeing for safety
but it was, instead, oddly reassuring. “He’ll help even out our
numbers if you don’t run him off.”

Lissy’s cheeks warmed, but she refused to be
baited by Luke. He might suspect or even know what was going on,
but Lissy wasn’t prepared to discuss the situation with him, at
least not right now.

“Go on with you,” Juliet urged. “I want to
talk to my sister.”

Luke nodded in farewell, then took his
leave.