Something Scandalous (27 page)

Will closed his eyes. “I don’t know. I planned on leaving and tried a few times. But I never seemed to make it out the door. And when I saw this,” he said, kissing her heart-shaped mole, “I knew it was you all along.”

“Were you mad?”

“Only for a moment. I realized you must love me quite a bit if you were willing to sacrifice your reputation to come here for me.”

“I do, Will.”

“I love you, too, Elizabeth.”

“What about my father?” she mumbled. “I really am no one. Just the daughter of a footman.”

He pulled her up and kissed her softly. “It doesn’t matter to me who you are. The
ton
considers you the daughter of the Duke of Kendal. No one but us needs to know the truth.”

Elizabeth stared at him, knowing in her heart that everything would be all right.

“Elizabeth!” Sarah raced into her arms and clung to her.

Elizabeth walked into the salon with Sarah wrapped around her. “I missed you, Sarah.”

“I missed you so much. Please don’t ever leave again.”

Elizabeth looked over at Will and said, “I do not plan to.”

“Sarah, run upstairs and have your sisters and the boys come down here,” Will said, removing Sarah from Elizabeth’s arms.

Sarah raced off with a look of glee.

Elizabeth sat on the sofa with her heart pounding. They had decided to tell the children of their plans before announcing it to the world. She heard the boys running down the stairs and smiled. She still had some work to do to turn them into young gentlemen.

“Elizabeth,” Michael said with a look of surprise on his face. “I thought you left.”

“I have decided to return,” she answered.

“Elizabeth!” Ellie and Lucy said in unison.

“Sit down, everyone,” Will said loudly as the volume in the room continued to grow.

“Oh, my!” Ellie whispered and stared at Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth and I have decided to marry.”

Elizabeth braced herself for a mix of emotions. She knew the girls would be happy but wondered about the boys, especially Michael. A loud shout erupted from the room and suddenly everyone, except Michael, enveloped Elizabeth in a hug.

Slowly, she broke away from the crowd and walked over to Will’s stepbrother. Sitting next to him, she asked, “Are you all right with this?”

Michael shrugged. “This means we are never going home, doesn’t it?”

“I do not know, Michael. Will and I have not discussed where we shall live.”

“Would you come to America?”

Elizabeth nodded with a smile. “If that is where Will wants to live, then yes.”

“And what if Will wants to live here?” Will asked in a gruff tone. There was a look of delight on his face like she had never seen before.

“I will live wherever my husband chooses to live.” Elizabeth patted Michael’s hand. “But how do you feel about it?”

“Honestly?” he asked.

Elizabeth nodded and then Will sat down next to her.

“I don’t mind too much. I’ve met a couple of friends while Mr. Smith takes us on walks in the park.”

“And you will make plenty more in the next year,” Elizabeth said.

Michael put his arms around Elizabeth and whispered in her ear, “Thank you for marrying Will. Abigail was an awful person. And we all love you.”

Elizabeth’s heart swelled with love. She had gone from feeling completely alone to having a large family around her.

“Excuse me, Lady Elizabeth,” Kenneth said from the doorway. “Lady Selby and Lady Blackburn are here to see you. Shall I tell them you are at home?”

“Yes, place them in the receiving salon. I will be there presently.” Elizabeth squeezed Michael once more and then detangled herself from his grip.

“Did you tell them already?” Will asked.

“No. I have no idea why they are here. They are both due in a matter of weeks. They should be home in bed.” Elizabeth took Will’s hand. “Why don’t you come with me? We can tell them together.”

“I would enjoy that,” Will said.

They entered the room hand in hand, and both Avis and Jennette gasped.

“What is the matter?” Elizabeth asked.

“It’s true.” Avis’s face grew pale.

“What is true?” Elizabeth demanded.

Jennette cleared her throat. Never one to mince words, she blurted out, “Last night at the Dorchester ball, a rumor made its way through the crowd. The rumor said that you and the duke are actually siblings, and have been having an incestuous affair.”

“Oh, my Lord,” Elizabeth whispered, feeling faint. She dropped to the chair and attempted to swallow. “It is not true, Jennette.”

“The rumor also said you are with child from the relationship,” Avis added quietly.

“Caroline,” Will spat. “I think we need to have a talk with my cousin and his wife.”

“Wait, Will.” Elizabeth caught her breath. “I am not Will’s sister. We have proof that Will’s father was in Russia during the month of my conception.” Elizabeth blew out a long breath. “And my father was a footman for the Langfords.”

Avis and Jennette both sat back in the chairs, looking relieved. “Oh, thank God,” Avis whispered.

“But are you with child?” Jennette asked with a smile.

Elizabeth shook her head. “No.”

“But perhaps rather quickly after the wedding,” Will added with a wink.

Will stormed up the steps of his cousin’s home and flung the door open without waiting for the butler. “Richard! Caroline!”

“Will, do try to have a little patience,” Elizabeth said, placing her hand on his arm.

Richard walked down the hall with a look of confusion on his weathered face. “Your Grace, what are you doing here?”

“Who is making that noise? There is a sick young woman up—” Caroline stopped when she noticed them in the hallway. Slowly, she walked down the steps. “To what do we owe this honor?”

“As if you did not know,” Will muttered.

“Your Grace, what is this about?” Richard asked.

“A rumor regarding my relationship with Elizabeth,” Will said. “A very untrue rumor, I might add.”

Caroline scoffed. “I highly doubt that. You two cannot seem to keep your eyes off each other.”

“I was speaking of the rumor regarding her father,” Will said.

“No one knows who her father is. It could just as easily have been your father,” Caroline replied, walking into the parlor.

“Except my father was in Russia for six months at the time, making the possibility nonexistent.” Will led Elizabeth into the room with Caroline as Richard followed silently behind.

“So you say,” Caroline rebuffed.

“No, so this official document says.” Will pulled out the document that Somerton had given him.

Caroline pressed her lips together. “This only proves that he was not here. She might have been with him.”

“She was at the Langford country party. And my father happened to be one of the Langfords’ footmen,” Elizabeth said proudly.

Will squeezed her hand. He’d told her she should not feel compelled to tell anyone about her father as long as they had the document from Somerton.

She looked at Will and said, “I am sick of the lies. If you do not care who my father is, then why should I?”

Will smiled as love filled his heart almost to bursting.

“Call for the surgeon!” A voice shouted from the top of the stairs. “Hurry! She’s bleeding again. She might not make it.”

Will knew that voice. Why would Mr. Mason be here? “What the hell is going on?”

“Nothing that concerns you.” Caroline tried to get up but her bulging belly hindered her progress.

Will took Elizabeth’s hand and they raced out of the parlor. He looked up to see Mr. Mason’s face paler than a piece of linen.

“What is wrong?” Will asked.

“Abigail is bleeding. It’s everywhere.”

Will turned to the footman. “Get the surgeon now.”

He released Elizabeth’s hand and took the steps two at a time. He followed Mr. Mason into Abigail’s room. The dark room held the stench of death. Will looked at Abigail’s gray face and was certain there was nothing the surgeon could do.

“What happened to her?” Will demanded.

“It is none of your concern.” Mr. Mason clutched his daughter’s hand.

Blood seeped from between her legs, soaking through the sheets. Elizabeth entered the room and gasped.

Abigail blinked her eyes open for a minute. She focused on Will. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I did this for you.”

After one last shuttering breath, she closed her eyes for good. Will stared at her still body wondering what she might have meant by her words.

Mr. Mason turned on him. “This is all your fault!” he screamed.

“What did you do to her?” Will demanded.

“She only wanted to be your wife. She made a deal with the devil just to be a duchess,” Mr. Mason ranted.

“What happened?”

Richard entered the room with a look of disgust. “She got what she deserved. They both did.”

Richard quickly explained the scheme Mr. Mason had planned in order for his daughter to become duchess. Caroline stood there, staring at the body.

“Richard, get out of London. Take your wife to your estate and do not let her out of your sight.” Will turned to Mr. Mason. “I am quite certain the constable will want some words with you.”

Unable to stand any more, Will escorted Elizabeth out of the house. Once in the carriage, the reality of what they had done sank in.

“Why?” he mumbled.

Elizabeth was there, holding him. “Do you remember I told you that some women would do anything to become duchess?”

Will nodded slowly, remembering her lessons.

“Abigail was one of them.”

Three weeks after Abigail’s death, Elizabeth became the Duchess of Kendal in a very private wedding. With only Will’s siblings and Elizabeth’s friends attending, they held the ceremony at the house.

“To the happy couple,” Lord Selby said, holding his glass of champagne.

Elizabeth sipped her champagne slowly. The nerves of the wedding had made her stomach a little off the past few days. Will reached over, grabbed her hand, and gave it a little kiss.

Finally, their lives were at peace. Richard did as Will suggested and left for the country house before Caroline could not travel. Mr. Mason, personally escorted to the docks by Somerton, left for New York.

“Your Grace, there is a Mr. Lewis here to see you. He said you would see him.”

“Thank you, Kenneth.”

Elizabeth looked over at her new husband with a smile. “Could your business not wait this morning, Will?”

Will pulled back her chair. “No. And you will meet him, too.”

“What is this about, Will?”

They walked together to the salon where Mr. Lewis awaited them. Elizabeth stopped at the doorway when she realized exactly why Will wanted her here. Mr. Lewis stood and bowed to them both.

“Your Graces.”

“Oh, my Lord,” Elizabeth whispered as she looked at the man. His red hair was streaked with gray but his green eyes sparkled.

“Mr. Lewis, I believe you have yet to meet your daughter, Elizabeth, Duchess of Kendal.”

Mr. Lewis stood there as if not knowing what to do.

Elizabeth turned to her husband. “How?”

Will smiled. “I truly appreciate Somerton’s talents.”

“I love you!”

Will hugged her and kissed her quickly on the lips. “I was hoping he could get here before the wedding but he was detained. Talk with your father. I will tell everyone why you left the breakfast.”

Elizabeth watched her husband leave them alone, and knew for certain, this time everything would be all right.

Anthony Somerton walked into Selby’s house quietly. While he had been invited to join the festivities, there was only one reason to be here. The cold November air had chilled him to the bone, but the house was warm and filled with people. He handed his greatcoat to the butler and walked into the room. After a journey that took him to France for five months, he was exhausted and done playing matchmaker.

Although, glancing around the room, he realized he’d done a good job. Avis held her daughter, Isabel, while Selby looked on. Jennette and Blackburn watched as Elizabeth held their son, Christian. Kendal gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek. Anthony wondered if they were keeping a little secret about a baby.

“Lord Somerton, welcome,” Avis said, coming to greet him. “It is a shame you could not make it to the church for the christening.”

“The roof might have fallen in if I should happen to set foot in a church,” he replied. “Your daughter is beautiful, just like her mother.”

With her father’s raven hair and blue eyes and her mother’s heart-shaped face, Isabel would grow up to be a beauty.

“Your charms don’t work on me,” Avis said with a grin. “Get some refreshments.”

Kendal and Elizabeth walked up to him before he could sneak away.

“Thank you again, Somerton,” Kendal said.

“And thank you for finding my father,” Elizabeth said quietly. “He is thoroughly enjoying his new life at the estate in Kendal.”

He kissed the new duchess’s hand. “You are very welcome.”

Pleasantries out of the way, he searched for the only reason for attending. Sophie arched a brow at him and then inclined her head toward the hall. He waited while she walked out of the room before joining her in Selby’s study.

“Welcome back, Anthony.”

“Enough, Sophie. I have waited an additional five months to get her name. I want it now.”

Sophie laughed softly. “Very well, I shall keep my promise. Her name is Anne Smith.”

Anthony waited for some sign of recognition, but her name was as common as she had been. Just an orange seller. “Do you know if she is still alive? It’s been ten years.”

“She is alive.”

Anthony frowned, seeing the way Sophie looked down when she answered. “What are you keeping from me?”

Sophie smiled and patted his cheek. “Why would I keep anything from you, my dearest brother? The woman you are searching for is in the room you just left.”