Page 87 of A Kiss to Stop a Wedding
‘But he has signed the deal for the Rysbrack, all right and tight?’ asked Matt.
‘Oh, yes. You can arrange for your men to collect it and take it back to Bellemonte whenever you wish.’The Earl grinned. ‘He was most affronted when I informed him that duplicates of all those depositions against him are lodged with my lawyers, in case he should go back on his word. He had not thought to make copies of Mrs Warenne’s correspondence.’
‘Yes, that would be why he wanted to delay handing them over,’ she said, nodding. ‘He wanted to do the same! Thank goodness Mrs Goole knew where to find them for you.’
Matt’s arm tightened around her. ‘Aye, she has proved herself very useful this evening.’
‘A woman scorned,’ murmured the Earl, ‘but possibly not for long. When I parted with the Viscount he went off in search of her. I am sorry to pain you, Miss Warenne, but I fear he is more enamoured of his housekeeper than he ever was of you.’
‘I cannot be sorry for that, my lord,’ she told him, ‘Although I am a little sorry for her, if she decides to stay with such a man.’
A sigh escaped her, and Matt kissed her cheek. ‘Enough of this. It is time I took you away from here.’
* * *
They collected their cloaks and coats and were soon seated in the Earl’s carriage and bowling along lanes illuminated by the moonlight. Flora sat in the corner, her hand held snug in Matt’s warm grasp.
She said, shyly, ‘You must be eager to return toBellemonte, but I hope you will call on me before you leave.’
‘I am not leaving you at Birchwood House,’ Matt told her. ‘You are not spending another night without my protection. I have no intention of losing you now. We will call there to collect your maid, if she is willing to come with you. Then, my dear heart, you are coming to the Whilton Arms with Conham and me. From there we will make our way back to Dallamire where we will be married just as soon as it can be arranged.’
‘You must forgive my friend, Miss Warenne,’ murmured the Earl, the faintest trace of laughter in his voice. ‘He is behaving like a tyrant.’
‘Nothing of the sort,’ exclaimed Matt. ‘You don’t want to remain with your aunt and uncle, do you, Flora? They were prepared to let you marry that monster to secure their own comfort.’
‘No, I do not wish to stay with them indefinitely, after all that has happened. But to desert them, leave them to face all the gossip that is bound to erupt tomorrow, when it becomes known the wedding is cancelled—’
‘No one will be surprised to find you have accepted Lady Dallamire’s invitation to go and stay for a while, until the dust has settled,’ said the Earl. ‘However, what you do after that is entirely up to you. You must not let Talacre bully you into marrying him. He hasvery little to recommend him, you know. No fortune to speak of and a lifetime of hard work ahead of him.’
‘That sounds very much like you when Rosina took pity on you,’ retorted Matt.
‘Ah, butIhad the advantage of a title.’
Flora laughed and threw up her hands.
‘Stop!’ she cried. ‘Stop funning, both of you! First of all, I would very much like to accept Lady Dallamire’s kind invitation, my lord, thank you. As for marrying Matt…’
‘Yes?’ he prompted, sitting tense and upright beside her.
Flora turned to look at him and said, softly, ‘There is nothing I would like more than to spend the rest of my life with him.’
‘Thank heaven for that!’ exclaimed Matt, taking her in his arms. ‘Oh, my dearest love, you have made me the happiest man in the world!’
The Earl watched as Flora melted against Matt and eagerly returned his kiss.
‘Well, there seems very little doubt about that,’ he muttered, settling himself into his corner and pulling his hat down over his eyes. ‘A wedding it is, then, and as soon as may be!’
EPILOGUE
Summer was in full bloom when Matt and Flora drove into Bellemonte. From the carriage windows they could see the colourful flowers and the first berries adorning the hedgerows.
Matt reached for Flora’s hand. She was not wearing gloves and he raised it to his lips.
‘My wife.’ He pressed a kiss on the gold band adorning her third finger. ‘Happy?’
‘Oh, yes.’ She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder.
It was a full month since Matt had carried her away from Whilton Hall to live as a guest of Lord and Lady Dallamire. A month of busy days arranging her new life and blissful nights with Matt, when he had taken her to heaven and beyond.
