Page 72 of Murder at Madame Chambon's
He was about to shout for help, but then the ravens rose in a flurry of indignantly flapping wings as a carriage drew up.
He tensed, his first reaction to protect from another evil assault if it was Grimshaw.
Instead, Lord Ravenswood, Lady Bradden, and Madame Chambon appeared above them.
He felt weak with relief, then buoyed up by renewed joy as he shouted, “I’ve found Evelina.But I need help to bring her up.”
Lord Ravenswood shouted something over his shoulder and a short while later, the two grave diggers emerged, their eyes widening in their grimy faces as they beheld the scene.
But they were fast and efficient, one of them sliding down the side of the grave while the other sent down a rope which William wrapped around his waist; so that within a few minutes, they were all at safely at the top, Madame kneeling by her daughter who lay, shivering, covered in mud and barely recognizable as William covered her in his coat, and then a traveling rug fetched from the earl’s carriage.
“We need to get her warm quickly,” said William, looking at the earl, adding quickly, “There’s an inn barely a minute from here.”
For although Ravenswood Manor was where she belonged, now was not the time to take her there.
Nevertheless, when William crouched beside Evelina to ask if she could bear to take another carriage drive so she could be made warm and comfortable, she put out her hand to touch his cheek.
Smiling weakly, and barely able to keep her eyes open, she just whispered, “Take me anywhere you like, William.As long as you stay with me.”
Epilogue
One month later
“Miss, there’s someone ‘ere to see yer!”
Evelina raised her head from the pillow as Kitty hurried in and began rummaging through her wardrobe, turning to brandish Evelina’s nicest tea gown, a loose floral shimmering confection.
“You mean it’s William?He’s returned?”Evelina’s heart fluttered wildly as Kitty helped her into her gown.
“Now, Miss,” Kitty admonished her when she tried to stand.“You jest sit right back down for your ankle is not quite healed—”
“But the cuts on my face are, and that’s all that’s important to me right now.Oh, Kitty, I’ve missed him.Has he said anything about—?”
“That’s for him to say and, might I add, that I never saw a more handsome feller than your Lord Bellingham wot’s bearing the biggest bunch of roses you ever did see.”
“Roses and wondrous news!”William declared, entering the room at that moment and thrusting the bouquet into Kitty’s hands with a smile and nod of dismissal before sweeping Evelina into his arms.
“Then your abandonment of me has not been in vain?”Evelina asked, rising to hug him tightly before resting her head upon his shoulder as the door closed behind her maid.“Do you know how hard it was for me to subdue my jealous need to have you by my side every minute of every day rather than see you depart for London even though I knew how important this trial was?But now, don’t keep me in suspense.What is the verdict?”
William set her away from him, gently helping her to the window seat, then sitting beside her, before he declared with a broad grin, “Innocent!As you could only expect when you had such excellent testimonies from Lady Bradden, her husband and others, and—” William executed a small, flourishing bow—“of course, me!LuluBelle Croft was released and allowed to return … home.”Then he sobered, sending a worried sidelong glance at Evelina.“But, of course, justice was not fully served since Dunstable’s murderer will now never be made accountable for his crimes.”
Evelina leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes.“Unless he’s accounting for them in the fiery furnace of Hell,” she muttered.She shivered at the memory, then, opening her eyes, reached for William’s hand.
“But I think you feel the injustice more than I do, William.Mr.Grimshaw’s decision to take his own life has enabled me the anonymity needed to lead the lives that I believe will make us happy.”
“But, darling, your rightful inheritance continues to be denied you.”William looked troubled.“Your father sought me out after the trial.He’s a good man, Evelina.He wants to do what’s right.He always has, I believe.”
“I believe it, too.That’s part of his legacy: to do what’s right,” Evelina said.She gazed past his shoulder at the same comfortably appointed bedchamber she’d occupied since arriving in London to stay with Lady Perry.
“Soon I will leave this place to become your wife, William.And as your wife,allmy dreams will come true.What purpose does it serve to expose a truth that would ruin the lives of my half-sister Elizabeth and, more importantly, poor Rupert?”
She was sure that William felt the same and that he’d be secretly relieved.
But this was Evelina’s life and legacy.
It was Evelina’s decision.Alone.
“Besides, I cannot inherit the title or estate because I’m a girl,” she went on.“Why should I deny Rupert what he’s grown up believing is rightly his?It would break my father’s heart to see Ravenswood go to a distant cousin with little connection to the family, which would happen if I claimed my birthright and therefore disinherited Rupert.”She shook her head.“Surely, my father never thought I’d trade what I have with you, just so I could tell the world I’m hisonlylegitimate child…with all the heartache that would bring?”
