Secret Heiress (24 page)

‘Mama…' Eliza's eyes danced with laughter. ‘I believe it would be several years too late, for I should not be here had you not already become the marquis's lover. This is what you should have done years ago.'

‘Exactly what I told her,' Cheadle said and smiled fondly at his love. ‘If I can arrange it, Sarah will be my wife one day—but if not we shall live together abroad and be damned to the gossips.'

‘Then I must wish you happiness,' Daniel said and looked fondly at Eliza. ‘I know this will set Eliza's mind at rest and we may all be comfortable. ‘

‘You will allow me to repay the money I took from your father at the card tables, Seaton. It is much on my conscience and I would like to make recompense.'

‘It was a gambling debt, sir. My father lost the money and…' Eliza pressed Daniel's hand, giving him a look of appeal. He bent his head stiffly. ‘Very well, sir, have it your way.'

‘Now we may all be content and look forward to your wedding, Eliza,' Lady Sarah said. ‘I have brought some special lace with me. I understand you are making your gown with Mrs Wright's help and I hope you will find a use for it.'

‘I am sure I shall—that was the one thing I could not find today,' Eliza told her.

‘Shall we leave the ladies to talk wedding clothes?'
Cheadle asked. ‘Give me your company, Seaton. There are a few things I would say to you.'

The two men walked from the cottage together, taking a stroll in the lane. They discussed the outcome of Eliza's kidnap, and Cheadle declared himself well satisfied with the business.

‘I am glad it is all settled. I should not liked to have left England while either you or my daughter were in danger of your lives.'

‘Kettleton will be no threat to anyone in future,' Daniel assured him. ‘He is still living, but if he cheats death now he will not last long—and his underlings have all confessed their guilt and hope to be transported to America rather than hung. I shall say nothing against it for their testimony has brought the truth out.'

‘Then we may all rest easy.' Cheadle cleared his throat. ‘I must thank you for helping me to be certain there was little scandal concerning Marianne's elopement. I think once it is known that Lady Sarah and I have left the country together it will not take the gossips long to put the pieces together. You will not mind if there is some talk?'

‘Not in the least, and nor will Jack. He is head over heels with Marianne, and I fancy she is quite content to be the wife of a country gentleman.'

‘Yes, she is. When last I saw her, she was delighted to know that Eliza was her half-sister and I think she wants her to be her maid of honour, if you will bring her down next week. It is close to your own wedding, I know, but Marianne would so much like her sister to be there.'

‘Then we shall certainly come,' Daniel said. ‘And then we must also attend Kate Henderson's wedding
before we return here. I imagine Lady Sarah will not accompany you to Marianne's wedding?'

‘Not this time—it was part of my wife's terms.'

‘Then she may stay and keep my uncle company until we visit Kate's home, or perhaps go down ahead of us…'

 

‘You look beautiful in that gown,' Lady Sarah said when she went in to give Eliza a kiss and a small piece of diamond jewellery on her wedding morning. ‘This diamond pin was given me by my father when I was engaged, Eliza. I should like you to have it.'

‘I shall pin it to my lace. The earl gave me a set of diamonds and sapphires,' Eliza replied and hugged her mother. She touched the diamonds at her throat. ‘These were my father's wedding gift to me, and the bracelet and earrings were from Daniel. I think they conferred together because they match very well.'

‘Yes, Cheadle and Seaton do seem to get on together these days,' Lady Sarah replied with a smile. ‘Everything is so much more pleasant. I even had a note from Howard, telling me that I am at liberty to stay at the Dower House should I wish. I believe he has repented of his wickedness—or Cheadle must have frightened him half to death.'

‘My father
can
be quite terrifying when he is angry,' Eliza replied and kissed her mother. ‘Wasn't it splendid of Marianne and Jack to put off their trip to Italy until after our wedding?'

‘Jack is to be Seaton's best man. They are close friends, I think?'

‘Yes, the best, which is perfect for Marianne and I.' Eliza smiled. ‘I do not know what I have done to be so very fortunate in my friends and family, Mama.'

‘I think you deserve all the happiness that has come your way,' Lady Sarah said. ‘I have never had a word of reproach from you, even though you had a right to complain.'

‘Nor shall you,' Eliza told her. ‘I have no reason in the world to complain for everything is quite perfect.'

‘That is not what I meant and you know it, but we shall not mention the subject again.' Lady Sarah straightened a piece of exquisite Brussels lace at her daughter's breast. ‘Come, dearest, we should be leaving for the church.'

 

Eliza turned her head to look at Daniel as the vicar pronounced them man and wife. He lifted her veil and kissed her, to some applause from the congregation. Eliza's heart filled with happiness. Then they were leaving church, her hand on his arm as the bells pealed out joyfully.

‘My beloved wife,' Daniel murmured as they sat side by side in the coach taking them back to his uncle's house. ‘How good that sounds. I smile when I think that I once found the idea of marriage something to be avoided.'

‘Kate told me you were nearly a rake once,' Eliza said and smiled. ‘I was sorry she could not be here, but as you know she is on her honeymoon. I had a long letter and a gift from her, and she promises to come and stay as soon as we are all settled in England once more.'

‘A rake?' Daniel's eyebrows arched. ‘Did she, indeed? I believe your friend has a little too much imagination, Eliza. I was never quite that, I think.'

‘Oh? You disappoint me,' Eliza teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ‘She promised me that reformed rakes made quite the best husbands.'

‘You little wretch,' Daniel said, taking her into his arms to kiss her soundly. ‘You deserve that I should spank you—but there, you always did find me amusing. I shall have to teach you not to laugh at your husband. Respect is the proper thing, madam.'

Eliza gurgled with laughter for his eyes quizzed her boldly, daring her to defy him. ‘Ah, is that so? Then I fear you will have to chastise me a great deal, husband, for I have never been properly respectful. I cannot help but see the amusing side to anything—and you must admit that you made a wretched fist of being a highwayman.'

‘How true. I do not imagine I shall have the need to take it up again. Your father insisted on repaying the money he won from my father for his peace of mind, and the mortgages are all paid.' He gave her a mock scowl. ‘I confess my pride was piqued when you said I amused you.'

‘But I like to be amused,' Eliza replied, reaching up to touch his cheek. ‘There is sufficient sadness in the world, Daniel. When you came into my life I was struggling to recover from my grief. My adoptive mother was a kind and generous lady. She gave me all the love a natural mother would bestow on her child—and I sincerely mourned her; indeed, she will always hold her place in my heart. My good fortune was that by chance I was reunited with my true mother.'

‘I doubt there was much chance in it,' Daniel replied. ‘Oh, yes, the advertisement and your employment were by chance, but Lady Sarah was determined to find you. I am certain she would not have given up however long it took.'

‘You are very right—but it has all turned out
extremely well. She was an invalid when I went to her. Now she has a new brightness about her and seems perfectly well.'

‘She has rediscovered love,' Daniel told her and drew her close to his body. ‘Love means more, dearest. Those are very true words. When I read that inscription in Cheadle's ring, I began to realise that I had misjudged him.'

‘I gave my ring back to my mama. She wanted me to keep it, but I told her she could leave it to my daughter if she wished—or my son…'

Daniel's eyes danced with amusement as he looked down at her. ‘Have you not yet decided? I should have thought you would have all that mapped out?'

‘Even I may not do that,' she replied. ‘Yet I think perhaps God may favour us with one or the other—or both.'

‘Now that,' Daniel said, ‘would be quite perfect…'

 

Eliza stirred, a sigh of content on her lips as she woke and felt the warmth of her husband's body beside her. They were staying in a small discreet hotel in Paris, which was exactly right for a honeymoon. Daniel had taken her exploring, showing her the sights and taking her on the Seine in one of the boats that plied their trade up and down its waters, beneath the Saint-Michel bridge and past the great Cathedral of Notre-Dame. He had bought her more dresses than she could possibly wear, spoiling her until she protested and begged him to stop.

‘And what was that sigh for?' Daniel enquired, reaching out to touch her cheek. He turned on his side to look at her, as they lay in their bed. ‘Are you bored in Paris—do you wish to go home?'

‘How could I possibly be bored when I am with you?'
she said and leaned forwards to kiss him. ‘It was a sigh of content, you dear man. I love you so much, Daniel. I never dreamed I could be this fortunate.'

‘I am the fortunate one,' he said huskily, pulling her close so that their bodies touched, silken flesh against silken flesh. She immediately felt the burn of his need and giggled with pleasure as she pressed closer. His hand smoothed down her back as his kiss had her arching into him. Their desire took fire and they were swept away on a tide of passion. ‘I am not sure I deserve such happiness, Eliza, my darling.'

Eliza nestled into his body, tasting the salt of his sweat on her lips. Each time he made love to her it seemed only to get better and better. He had taught her the pleasures of loving with gentleness and consideration, but sometimes there was such hunger between them that they did not leave their room for most of the day. She thought that perhaps today might be one of those halcyon times when the hours passed in a haze of love and pleasure.

She ran her hands over his back, feeling the strength of honed muscles and the tiny sprinkling of hair just at the bottom of his spine. She found his sensitive spot and tickled him, laughing as he growled and rolled her beneath him in the linen sheets.

‘Now that certainly deserves some punishment, madam,' he threatened. ‘Tell me, what shall I do to chastise you today?'

‘I think you might keep me in bed until sunset, when you will rise and take me dancing,' she said and laughed as he groaned and gathered her to him.

‘Eliza, Eliza,' he murmured. ‘What am I to do with you?'

Eliza did not answer—she was too busy kissing him,
beginning with his neck and then his shoulder and then working her way down his body, finding the sensitive spots that made him moan with pleasure. It was, she had decided, time that she showed her husband she could do a little punishing, too

I
t was just a year and one day later that Daniel walked into the breakfast room to find Eliza drinking coffee. He dropped a kiss on her head and sat opposite, showing her the letter he held.

‘This has been delivered by hand, Eliza. It is for you and comes from a solicitor in London. I know the firm, though I have never used them personally.'

‘Please open it for me, dearest.' Eliza's thoughts were far from lawyers and business letters. ‘I cannot think what it may be.'

Daniel broke the seal and perused the contents for a moment, then, ‘Good lord! A man by the name of Mr Henry Jarvis has left you his entire fortune—I have never heard you speak of an Uncle Henry, Eliza?'

‘No, for I do not have one.' Eliza was puzzled, then nodded. ‘I believe he may be Mrs Bancroft's brother. He lived in India for most of his life. I found a letter in her sewing box and wrote to inform him of her death,
making it plain that I was her adopted daughter and no blood relation.'

‘Well, it seems your letter touched him. He had no other family and—good grief! He must have been a nabob. He has left you more than a hundred thousand pounds. That is a huge amount of money, Eliza—whatever shall you do with it?

‘I have no idea.' Eliza placed a hand on her ever so slightly rounded stomach and smiled. ‘Perhaps you could invest it in land and property for our children, Daniel?'

‘Certainly, if that is your wish, my love.' His eyes dwelled fondly on her for a moment, because she was carrying their first child so well. Then his eyes lit with mischief. ‘You realise what this means, Eliza?'

‘I have no idea, but I dare say you will tell me,' she said, seeing the sparkle of humour in his eyes.

‘The gossips in Bath were right all along. It seems you were a secret heiress after all, Eliza.'

‘So I was,' she murmured in her calm contented manner. ‘Would you pass me that delicious peach conserve please, Daniel? I believe I shall have another slice of toast.'