Read My Earl the Spy Online

Authors: Audrey Harrison

Tags: #Trad-Reg

My Earl the Spy (18 page)

“Love?”

“If you don’t love me, I understand. I know this is sudden, but maybe one day you will come to love me as much as I love you. You’re the only person I have ever loved Milly and, even though this life has no guarantees, I know you will be the only one I ever love. I didn’t know that when I first asked you to marry me, but I know it now.”

Milly’s eyes sparkled at the words. She cursed herself; what was it that he made her want to cry? She smiled, it was because her feelings had never been so intense about someone before. She wanted to cry because she had never felt such happiness since she had meeting him. It was time to be truthful and to a chance on him.

“Love you? Of course I love you! I loved you when you first proposed! That’s why I refused you. I couldn’t bear to be hurt when you turned to someone else, and I was sure you would.”

“Oh, my sweet. I nearly missed the most wonderful thing to have ever happened to me! Please tell me that you trust me now not to hurt you like that?”

Milly smiled, a tear sneaking out of her crinkled eye and moving slowly down her cheek. “I do trust you, but you were so caring when you nursed me that I thought, if you’d have truly wanted me, you would have kissed me as we’ve kissed before.”

Henry laughed and gently wiped the tear away. “It is exactly because my feelings are so deep that I haven’t behaved inappropriately. For the first time in my life, I want to do the right thing. I realise that these past days would send shockwaves through society if it were known how we’ve been behaving, but I’ve needed to feel close to you. I can’t sleep well unless you are in my arms, but I promise you this: I will not ruin you or compromise you in any way before we are married; that is, if you will agree to be my Lady Grinstead?”

Milly smiled. “I will. I cannot be without you, but there’s just one thing.”

“Anything.”

“Can we please get a special licence? I don’t think I can restrain myself for months.”

Henry roared with laughter, wrapping his darling girl in his arms and kissing the top of her head. “Special licence it is then.”

Epilogue

Lord and Lady Grinstead were soon to be known as one of the most loving couples that anyone was likely to meet in society. They were never apart, never tired of being close to each other and openly touched each other’s hands, arms and on occasion even kissing when at one of the many entertainments that Lord Grinstead insisted on taking his wife to in order to show her off.

Milly had never been happier but worried that she would be too old to have children, so when they realised she was increasing, Henry decided that they were moving to their country house in order to provide the environment that was best suited to a successful birth and confinement.

The couple were eventually blessed with three young children, all girls, with which Henry was delighted. Milly despaired that her husband completely indulged their girls and was thankful that they had her nature, preventing them from being spoiled by their doting Papa.

They were joined very often by Mr and Mrs Hastings and all their brood, in the end a family with twelve children. The house was always full of noise on the extended visits that the close friends were persuaded to take.

Mrs Holland was offered a cottage on the Grinstead estate, but surprisingly turned it down. She had found a new lease of life when she could visit many in the town of Farnham, talking with pride about her daughter and her wonderful life. She particularly enjoyed visiting the Connors.

Clara and Edmund had six children, four boys and two girls who spent much of their childhood, toing-and-froing between their own home and that of their Grinstead cousins. Edmund and Henry developed a deep bond that was cemented by their love of their spouses, but would always ridicule the other, refusing to change the way they verbally spared.

Henry took Milly to visit Mabel’s grave, and the pair felt able to let Mabel rest in peace now that Joshua had been punished. Henry would never quite put all the guilt to one side about what had happened to his sister, but in later years his daughters were to find that he scrutinised every gentleman that danced with them, desperate that he would not make the same mistake twice. The girls would complain, but Milly would be the peacemaker explaining time and again why their father was a tad overprotective.

Mack did find out who was the traitor in the
ton
and one well-known family was exiled with properties confiscated. Not one to return to a normal world, Mack continued to work for the Home Office until Napoleon was defeated and there was no longer any threat of an invasion by the French.

The Home Office did leave Henry alone, but they worked on to increase the safety of the country, and eventually the role of spy became a more appealing role for the higher classes of society.

Milly had never been happier. She had never thought that falling in love with the complicated Henry would bring her such joy. If ever she woke in the night, after having a dream where she was in a dark room feeling lost, she would wake to the arms of her one true love wrapped completely around her and, sensing her upset, Henry would kiss her head, stroking her body until she fell into a more restful sleep. They never spent a night apart no matter where they were, both unable to sleep contentedly without being entwined with the love of their lives.

The End.

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