A Perilous Marriage (24 page)

“I don’t know the details yet, but Tasker was apparently badly injured and died almost as soon as we reached him. No doubt we shall learn more from the police, but I am just thankful he will trouble us no more. Now, I must see my beloved wife.” With that, he turned and sped up the stairs.

She was lying on her stomach when he reached the bed and moved weakly to raise her head as she saw him. He crouched down alongside the bed.

“Lay still, my love. I am here, and all is resolved and over with. Rowten told me all that happened with you, and I am so sorry you had to suffer the last attempt Tasker flung at us to give us grief. The evil swine is no more. He will never trouble us again. You can sleep in peace now and recover. The perilous marriage we entered into is perilous no more. Our future is what we make of it, and I for one will make it a good future with a glorious partner beside me.” He stroked her hair and managed to kiss her cheek.  “I have a couple of letters to write to the officials to close the issue, but I will soon join you. Rest easy, my dearest, for I have decided we shall remain in this house and make it a joyful home where our children and we are happy.”

“Oh, Richard, you mean it, really and truly?”

He nodded.

“You can’t give me better news. I prayed that you’d make this your home, as I love it dearly. I also know it will give you the joy you have longed for all your life.”

He smiled at her. “Little witch. How do you know what I have always longed for?”

“Why me, of course—and a brood of children...”

“Sleep, my darling, we’ll discuss the future when you are better. One child at a time will do us nicely, but until the first one comes, I shall have you to myself.”

“Hmm,” she said sleepily as she closed her eyes. “That pleasure is all mine as well.”

He gave a snort of laughter and stood to look down at his wife for a long moment as he thought of Eleanor and the devious means she had used to get her own way in running the estate and bringing him and Lucie together. Not all of it had been happy, but he felt her presence soothe the rawness of the recent happenings and knew they were blessed.

Epilogue

Richard stood on the terrace one summer’s day, holding a precious bundle in his arms, and looked across the parkland of Ashbury Mead.

“My son,” he said softly to the newborn baby boy. “This is your heritage, the place I have always dreamed of to call home. You will grow big and strong here and be loved by your mother and me. You will be joined by your brothers and sisters, and we, your mother and I, will count ourselves blessed to have you all.”

He felt a brief breeze waft about him and felt that Eleanor had joined him in thanksgiving for the wonderful gift that Lucie had given him.

He heard a door open behind him and smiled, unsurprised at Nanny’s voice.

“Whatever are you up to with the baby here in the open? He’ll catch his death of cold!”

“I’m showing him what he will own one day.”

“Time enough to show him all that when he is old enough to appreciate it. Your wife is begging for her babe to come back, milord. A new mother has to be cosseted as well.”

“Aye, Nanny, she will get all the cosseting she wants from me from now on. She is my heart’s delight, and the lovely mother of this amazing infant.”

“Then go tell her, milord, and for heaven’s sake, give me that poor wee bairn.”

He laughed at her scolding, handing Julian Richard Martell, the first viscount of Ashbury Mead, into her caring arms, and went with all haste to see the woman he adored.   

The End