3 days later

Since returning to the cottage after the assembly, Eliza never anticipated her world would become complete chaos. In Evan’s attempt to keep her safe, he had tripled the staff at the cottage and enlisted one of his maids to help Madeline in her duties.

Eliza pushed open the parlor window and noticed a carriage in the drive. A knock rattled the front door. She listened, but didn’t recognize the speaker.

Bertha appeared with a smile, Eliza’s cloak in hand. “My lady, your driver is here to accompany you to the Earl of Chisholm’s estate. We have orders to pack your belongings and to join you later this afternoon.”

Eliza could not breathe for a moment. “What do you mean pack? Why am I leaving my home?”

“I am not certain, mistress. Apparently, myself and the maid are to travel with you and stay on in your personal apartments until you are wed.”

How could Evan make such an arrangement without having discussed matters with her?

Eliza took her cloak and went on to the carriage. All this confusion and then she remembered the vicarage and turned sharply.

“What about the orphans? I promised them lessons.”

Her manservant appeared with her trunk then spoke up. “My lady, the Earl of Chisholm has made arrangements for a governess to join the Robbins’ to aid in their education. It is my understanding, once things are settled, Lord Radcliffe will make arrangements for you to attend as often as possible.”

The one character that worried her most about becoming Evan’s bride was slowly coming to fruition. She did not want to be controlled in such a manner. A new emotion rose to the surface and one she had no experience with. Eliza was angry; seething. She would set Evan straight.

Eliza entered the carriage first, then the two servants followed. One could hardly imagine what they would encounter once they reached Evan’s home. She imagined it would be palatial in comparison to the estate she and her husband once shared.

She closed her eyes in hopes of settling her nerves. Eliza did not appreciate the earl’s high handedness but supposed, before she formed any further opinions, she should discuss their future with him before she tossed something at him. Although, tossing anything at him at this point might make her feel a wee bit satisfied.

Eliza knew not how long she slept for but Madeline’s frustrated voice brought her to the land of the living.

“My lady, are you well?”

“Of course I am, why would I not be?”

“I have been trying to wake you for several minutes now. Shall I have the staff call for the doctor?”

Eliza shook her head. “I am tired, nothing more. Let us go on in before they think the worst of me.”

She stepped out of the carriage and into the grand courtyard of the Radcliffe estate. Words would not form. The sheer size of the home was indescribably colossal.

A servant met them at the door. “My lady, welcome to the Radcliffe ancestral home. My staff will see you to your apartments where you can rest until the evening meal.”

“Thank you. Pray tell, what is your name?”

“You may address me as Vincent.”

“Very well, Vincent, thank you.”

Eliza followed a string of servants with Madeline at her side who tugged on her sleeve.

“I cannot believe you are to be mistress here, my lady. I cannot fathom running a household this large.”

“Nor can I, dear Madeline. Nor can I.”

* * *

Eliza was shown into the wing of the estate where she could stay until they were married. At least that is what the maid who was sent to aid Madeline said. Just how many people had he instructed and what was to become of them?

She laid down for a rest and didn’t wake until eight in the evening, much to her surprise. Why hadn’t one of the servants wake her?

Eliza composed herself, fixed her hair and found her way downstairs. Lord, it would take her days just to explore the home. It puzzled her that she had not seen Annabelle either. Where on earth was she?

Quietly, she followed along a corridor to the left and found the library. She decided to sit and contemplate her course of action. If she and Evan were to be married, they would have to come to an understanding.

“My lady! You must be famished,” a maid called from the door.

“I may be a wee bit. If you can, I would appreciate some tea and light fare. Is Lord Radcliffe present?”

“He is not, my lady.”

How odd that he would have her moved into the estate and was not present whatsoever. “Is Lady Annabelle in this evening?” she asked.

“No, my lady. She and the family travelled to Lord Emberly’s parish this morning and will be wed in the morning, quickly and quietly.”

Her chest tightened. She wished she had been told, yet she suspected this business with Lady Amelia pushed Evan further than she expected.

“Oh. That is disappointing I could not attend. I wish I had known.”

Eliza rose and went to the desk and sat down. She eyed some parchment and his quill. “If you can have my refreshments brought here, I will not be long. When do you suppose the master will return?”

“Not until Wednesday evening, my lady.”

The lady with silver hair, short and stout, curtsied then left her to the silence of the library, fire, candlelight, and even more silence. She pulled a sheet of the parchment and penned a letter to her cousin.

She would visit with Mary as they were most certainly married by now. Perhaps stay with her a few days. A holiday from this nonsense was required immediately.

* * *

Evan grinned as he crossed his courtyard and entered his house. Eliza was here, finally! He had dreamed of this moment of seeing her in his family home. The only thing that remained was for them to be married and living out the rest of their days in complete and utter bliss.

He passed his coat to his footman and rubbed his hands.

“Where is Lady Winston? Can you have her join me in the library?”

“I cannot, my lord.”

“What do you mean, you cannot?”

“She is not here.”

He gritted his teeth. Evan knew arranging her to be moved here without consulting her was a risk.

“Then bring me one of the maids in her service. I want an explanation.”

Evan also suspected she might have been put out that she was not present for Annabelle’s wedding. However, the decision to have her married quickly was in everyone’s best interest, seeing as Amelia had been released from the constable’s custody.

A maid appeared looking rather frazzled. “Yes, my lord.”

“Where has Eliza ran off to?”

“She travelled to town this morning to visit with the Habersham’s. They were recently married and she wanted to see the couple off before they left for the continent.”

A slick icy feeling pricked the back of his neck. Amelia had been freed, Eliza travelled to town unprotected, and he was a few hours away. The woman, honest to goodness, drove him mad when he had to chase her around. Why could she not stay put? If there had been anything he learned about Eliza, it was that she was a woman who did not want to be kept. They would clearly have to have some compromise with her comings and goings, for she would not appreciate being confined to the grounds.

“Please have the footman change the horses. I will travel with my valet and you may come or you can assign another to join me on this trip. If she insists on visiting town she will need to have a proper escort.”

He grew weary of chasing after her. He thought bringing her here would have changed that habit. Evidently, he was wrong.

*

Evan arrived at the Haversham’s home was and ushered in immediately.

“Lord Radcliffe, it is a pleasure to welcome you here to our home. Lady Winston will be glad to see you for certain,” he slurred with a haphazard smile.

Evan bowed. “Tell me, how is my intended doing?”

“She and my new wife are still in the parlor, gossiping no doubt. She is quite convinced you will not want to marry her after this trip.”

“Oh, and why is that?”

“Come and join me in the games room and we shall join the ladies in a bit.”

He followed Haversham through an open door where a billiards table sat in the middle of the room.

“She was quite vexed at how she was moved into your estate. I honestly know not where these women get their notions of independence. Mary leapt at the opportunity to stay here a few days before we were officially wed. I blame this independence on Eliza’s first husband and that unruly family of hers.”

“Why is that?”

“A woman should not be so well read!”

Evan wanted to burst into laughter but thought best not to insult them.

They leaned against the table in silence.

“I must admit, Haversham, a clever woman is indeed a tricky thing to be in possession of. However, it does make for a pleasant challenge. Eliza has her moments where I cannot fathom how such independence is good in the manner it places her at risk. Yet, our world is changing. She has a brilliant mind.”

“That may be so, but to educate those children herself at the orphanage… What sort of genteel lady takes on such employment?”

Evan chuckled. “One who cares deeply about all children having the same opportunities for a reasonable education. And one society has deemed is barren, though I suspect it was her husband who could no longer produce.”

Lord Haversham strode to the sideboard. “How about some brandy?”

Evan accepted the brandy, yet hardly touched a drop. The only thing on his mind was seeing her again and holding her in his arms.

“I can see why you are drawn to her, Radcliffe. She is everything your parents were not. Your father tried for years to make your mother comfortable in her role as countess, yet nothing appeased her. She truly drove him to his death, which is a sad state of affairs.”

Evan knew it well, though he was too young to notice in those days. Over the years he had heard the whispers between the servants of how his mama might have still carried a flame for a man she truly loved but no one knew of his name.

All this aside, the bitterness she harbored for him and his sister was inexcusable. She failed in her duty to his father, failed to keep Annabelle from ruin, and had the audacity to throw Amelia in his path. Were it not for her actions, she would not be living in the dower house.

Experience taught him one thing; his mama never did anything without a fight. Since taking her residence to the dower house the woman had been quiet, which worried him. Annabelle would visit her for a little while but nothing more. The last few times she had been invited for dinner she declined.

Was it possible she plotted something more from her new home?

“Radcliffe, you are distracted. What is on your mind?” Haversham asked.

“All this chatter about women, education, and life has me exhausted. I think I shall retire for the evening and will wait to see Eliza in the morning.”

“Very well. I should warn you though, I may have had you conveniently placed in the room next to hers. You will be pleased to know there’s a connecting door from within the room.” Haversham grinned. “I may be an old dog, but those rooms have been useful over the years.” His host rang for a servant to show him to his room.

Evan would wait here quietly and patiently for his love to retire for the evening. At least he now had a moment to consider all that was required to plan their wedding, provided nothing else went awry. These days, anything was entirely possible and quick to go wrong.

Evan began to undress when there was a knock on his door. “Come in.”

He strode to the wash stand and shrugged off his shirt, then began to wash. The door opened. Soft feet padded toward him. When a woman’s hand landed on his shoulder. Evan closed his eyes for a moment realizing it was Eliza from the manner of her touch.

“Why did you not come and see me in the parlor?” she asked.

“I decided to leave you until you caught up with your cousin. I thought you would appreciate the gesture.”

“I did, but you should have stopped in to announce your arrival.”

He faced her. “I gather you are disappointed with the arrangements I made. If there had been more time I would have consulted you, but there was not.”

She looked away. “I would have loved to have seen your sister dressed in all her finery. Will I be able to see her soon?”

“Emberly will be taking her for a jaunt in Scotland and from there I believe he was planning on taking her to Venice.”

Eliza furrowed her brows. “That is a long way from here. Tell me, is there a reason for the rush in wedding? Is she with child after all?”

She pulled away, but he pulled her back into him.

“No, she is not with child. However, Amelia has been released so the sooner Annabelle was married the better.”

“Released?”

“Yes. There was not much the constable could do for the moment, which is why I had you moved into the estate.

Eliza looked up at him, void of any emotion. “If she found us at the inn, who is to say that she will not find another opportunity to come within reach of you?”

She raised a valid concern and one he did not have an answer for readily.

Eliza had begun to run her fingers through the hair on his chest when he found himself growing hard. “Love, you should not do that unless you are planning on spending the night in my room.”

She gave him a saucy grin.

“Is that the way of it then…” Evan picked her up over his shoulder and strode toward the bed, dumping her on pillows. “My lady, I do believe we have some unfinished business to attend to.”

He curled his finger signaling her to come closer. When she did as he instructed she licked her lips.

Oh, how he adored this beauty to no end.

“We shall remove you of your clothing and then you will help with the rest of mine.”

She stood on the bed and turned her back to him for assistance with her laces. He could not remember the last time he undressed a lady so quickly.

Completely undressed and now sitting at the edge of the bed, she’d pulled him closer and began to unbutton his breeches. The thought of her handling his manhood and her lips around it took his breath away.

Evan watched her with a lustful haze as she pulled his member out and stroked it. Her eyes were wide with shock and yet so very curious.

“You are quite large, my lord. Whatever am I to do with you?”

A woman simply could not pay her husband a better compliment. She stroked him with uncertainty. He covered her hand with his instructing with the length of the strokes. With his free hand, he lifted her chin so she gazed up at him.

“I cannot tell you, love, how incredible this moment is. Your hand on my shaft and you watching me.”

“Tell me what you want, my lord. I desire nothing more than to please you.”

He groaned and she blushed.

“We will do this for a bit and once you are more comfortable with things I will delight you even further with shocking and sinful things.”

She looked down to his member and then looked up again.

“I was once told a man found it pleasurable when a woman took him into her mouth. Would you like me to do that for you, Evan?”

Dear God. If she even attempted to take him in such a manner, he would not last more than a moment. Before he could reply her delectable lips were on him. His arousal flooded him with a mix of emotions he did not comprehend. The pleasure the love of his life gave him overwhelmed him with joy, yet his need to take her hard and fast became his only goal.

For a woman with minimal experience she took care in being gentle yet firm. She continued with her ministrations until the familiar rush of his satisfaction came in bursts. He pulled away so that she would not take any into her; it should have been something they discussed beforehand.

She leaned back and frowned. “Have I done something wrong, Evan?”

After he wiped himself clean, he knelt at her feet and rested his head on her lap.

“Nothing is the matter, love. You were wonderful.”

“Then why did you pull away?”

“I did not think you ready for taking my seed in such a manner.”

She smiled.

Evan, far from expected his evening would end on a wonderful note, though by tomorrow morning Eliza would be most certainly cross with him with their future.

He rose from the floor and tapped her leg. “Up into bed, madam. We both deserve a rest.”

“I cannot stay the night.”

“Yes, you can. There is a door connecting our rooms, so you can slip on your chemise in the morning and head on through before your maid comes to check in.”

Eliza nodded and slinked back toward the pillows and pulled the covers away. How he loved her derriere. One of these days, she would learn how much.