Lady in Demand (25 page)

      She snuffled into his chest.

      “You think it funny that you had me as randy as a school boy?”

      “I think it’s extremely funny that you, Lord Composed, were anything but,” she said. “But what I like even more is that it was I that made you that way.”

      “Unfeeling wench.” He flipped her beneath him once more and kissed her slowly and thoroughly.

      They left Willow Hall the following day for London with the promise that Jenny and Freddy would organize their wedding to take place in the Twoaks Village church one month from today.

“You love it here, don’t you, Phoebe?”

Phoebe turned to look at Finn as he spoke. He sat beside her, their fingers touching on the seating between them.

“I will love anywhere that we call home, Finn, as long as you are there.”

“I’ve never known anyone like you,” he whispered as he leaned forward to brush a kiss over her lips. “You give me so much of yourself.”

“Only to those I love.”

“Thank God I’m one of them.”

“The most special,” Phoebe added.
 

After a night spent in a small posting house, they made good time the following day and were rolling through the streets of London early that afternoon.

 
“You’re nervous. Why?”

      Phoebe clutched Finn’s hand tighter.
 

      “I’m not sure why, actually, but I am.”

      “I love you.”

      She looked up at her tall, dark and handsome fiancé and felt the familiar melting feeling inside. He was so much to her now. She knew they had a lot to learn about each other and that both were strong-willed, yet she had no doubt they would find their way. Love would guide them.

      “And I love you.”

      The carriage pulled up before Will’s house minutes later and they stepped down. The door opened and there they all were. Her family. The twins reached her first, hugging her close, while Alex began to tell her what had been happening at Madame Alexander’s’ in the few days she had been gone. Livvy cried, Bella laughed when they saw her ring and Will nearly cracked her ribs as he hugged her.
 

       
These were her people, but more importantly she had Finn to face the future with. Looking to where he stood listening to what Ben was saying, he felt her eyes on him. His smile had her own lips responding. He was her love, her life. Laughing, she took Bella’s hand and they all went inside.
 

EPILOGUE

      The two carriages rolled into the big, curved courtyard, coming to a halt beside the steps in front of the large, gray stone house.

      “You have to be brave for Bella now, love.” Finn brushed the tears from Phoebe’s eyes and then tied the satin ribbons of her bonnet in a big floppy bow beneath her chin. “She needs you to be strong, Phoebe, because this is what she has chosen to do. Staying at this clinic for the next two months, Bella believes, will make her stronger.”

      She nodded and then tried to smile which turned out wobbly, but it was an attempt at least. Since they had followed Will’s carriage across the border into Scotland, Phoebe had grown quiet and agitated, her usual happiness dampened by the knowledge that the carriage in front held her little sister, who she had never been parted from for more than a few days, yet now would be so for two months.

      “But I will miss her so much, Finn, and can’t help but wonder what will happen if she needs me.”

      “Will and I have already paid one of the staff to keep an eye on her.”

      His joke made her smile and that made him feel as if he had scaled the largest mountain.
 

      He caught her as she threw herself at him, which she did regularly and for no other reason than she wanted him to hold her, which he was more than happy to do. In fact, he had become addicted to his wife and the feel of her pressed against his chest.

      Lifting her chin, he took out his handkerchief and wiped her eyes. “Remember, my love, Bella needs your strength now.”

      She nodded and Finn kissed her softly before opening the carriage and stepping down. Holding out one hand, he took Phoebe’s and retained it as they moved to where the others now stood.

      The building before them was large and rambling and around the edges were rows and rows of flowers. Flat areas of grass held seats and tall trees provided shade for those who decided to sit beneath them. To Finn’s eyes, it looked welcoming.

      Livvy wore the same look as Phoebe, her belly now a gentle swell beneath her dress as she approached the birth of their first child. Will, like Finn, had a calm look that told nothing of the worry inside them. They had talked about this, leaving Bella here, and neither was happy about it. They had looked thoroughly into the clinic and its staff and had heard only glowing recommendations. In fact, it was run by a wonderful couple who, along with their children, shared their large home with those in need of rehabilitation. Will had tracked down several guests who had stayed here, and all talked in glowing terms of their time spent within these walls.

      As they made their way to the bottom of the steps, an elderly lady walked outside, smiling. Finn studied her and could see nothing to dislike.

      “Hello, you must be Miss Isabella Langley. We are delighted to have you with us.”

      Introductions were made and Finn watched Phoebe force a smile onto her face as she chatted with the woman.
 

      “Of course you are all welcome here whenever you wish to visit, to follow your sister’s progress,” the woman said, which Finn already knew. He wouldn’t be leaving Bella here if he couldn’t check on her often. Will also had friends who lived not far from here that would visit, when they couldn’t, just to make sure Bella was alright.

      “Well then, darling, your trunks are inside and it is time for us to leave.” Livvy was putting on a brave face as she spoke.

      “Yes.” Bella nodded. “I want this, Livvy, very much.”

“I know that you do, love, and I want it for you, too. Although it is but a short time you will be here, it is still hard to let you go,”

Finn could see Bella was nervous now the moment had come to leave them. She hugged Will first, and then Livvy, whose shoulders shook briefly as she closed her eyes and clutched her sister close. Finn was next and he crushed her to him, murmuring in her ear that they would return soon to visit.
 

      “I shall look forward to it, but until then just look after Phoebe and I shall be happy.” He nodded as a lump caught in his throat.

      Phoebe wrapped her sister in her arms and then rested her head on her shoulder, and Finn watched the silent tears and felt her pain deep inside him. It was such a brief time they would be parted, yet he knew the bond these sisters shared was strong.

      Bella gave them all a last smile and then started slowly for the steps with the woman who would care for her over the next few months. Leaning heavily on her cane, Finn watched her stop before she started up them. She then said something to the woman at her side and turned and made her way back to the carriages.

      “Wh—”

      Finn grabbed Phoebe’s arm as she moved to intercept her sister, shaking his head as she looked up at him. He pulled her back against his chest and held her as they watched Bella limp up to where Luke stood beside the carriage. His eyes were shadowed, feelings hidden as he watched her approach.

      Bella climbed to her toes and kissed Luke Fletcher on the cheek. She then said something, but he could not hear what. Luke’s head snapped upright, his hands reaching for her as she backed away from him, only to drop to his sides as Bella turned and started back to the clinic. The man looked like he had been punched in the stomach, his face pale, eyes wide.
 

      Bella made her way up the stairs slowly until she reached the top, and then with a brief wave, she walked in through the doors. They then closed and the crying began.

      Finn simply picked Phoebe up and carried her into the carriage, as Will did the same with Livvy, and soon they were on their way home.
 

      “Sssh, Phoebe. She is safe, love. Surely that knowledge alone helps you? They were very nice people, and it is only for a few months.” He hated her tears, and in truth she did not cry much, yet lately—
 

“Dear God, you’re pregnant!”

      She cried harder and Finn thought that he could perhaps have phrased that better.

      “Phoebe, my love, are we going to have a baby?

      “Y-yes. I had thought to tell on the return journey as in truth I was not sure myself until I realized I had become very emotional and I have not bled in a while.”

      “A baby,” Finn said stunned. “Christ, I love you.”

      That stopped the tears. Lifting her head she looked up at him. “You’re happy?”

      “So very much,” he whispered, kissing her.

      “I miss her already.” Phoebe nestled into his chest as she usually did when she was about to close her eyes. “But had I not you then our parting would have been far worse.”

      “We will never part, love.”

      “Never,” she whispered after a long yawn.

      Finn held her as the carriage carried them back to England and wondered what he had done to end up so happy. Sending good thoughts Bella’s way, he too closed

his eyes and was soon asleep.

THE END

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• If you want to read Will and Livvy’s story too, then here's a sneak peek at
Lady In Disguise
 

– (The Langley Sisters – Book 1)

Lady In Disguise
: Excerpt

Available now

Lord William Ryder woke suddenly as he flew across the carriage to land face first on the opposite seat. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear the sleep-induced fog, he wondered what the hell Luke was thinking, pulling his horses to a halt so quickly. Slapping both hands on the seat, he levered himself upright.

“Stand and deliver!”

Hands still braced on the seat, Will shook his head again; surely he hadn’t heard those words correctly.
 

“Those within the carriage step down at once or I will blow a hole in the side!”
 

In the past few years, Will had been shot, stabbed, held hostage and forced to leap from a burning ship, and now he had arrived, to what he believed the safety of his homeland, and within hours he was being robbed. If rage weren’t nipping at his heels, he’d laugh.

“I will give you a five-count!”

“I’m coming!” he bellowed, reaching for the door. Pushing it open with enough force that it banged loudly against the carriage, Will stepped down. Cooler now that dusk had settled, he could smell the trees and earth of his homeland.
 

“No risks, Luke,” he cautioned his driver quietly as he looked at the riders before him. “Well?” he then questioned the two masked men, waiting for one of them to speak; curiously, both seemed almost unnaturally still. “Are you robbing me, or did you want to take tea?” His drawled words had the required effect, as one of them spoke.

“Throw your money over here, or I will shoot you!”

“You had better make that shot count, because you can be assured if you miss, you won’t get a second one,” Will stated calmly, looking at the two riders. Both wore black hats pulled low to cover their eyes and scarves hid the lower half of their faces. Pistols were pointed at him and his driver. They looked menacing, yet not overly big, he thought, eyeing the slender thigh of the one closest to him.
 

“The penalty for robbing a peer is death I believe,” he added, reaching into his pocket and removing a money pouch.
 

“The penalty for starvation is the same, my lord!”

With the coin pouch now in his hand, Will looked at the man. His words were muffled, yet he could hear the desperation.                  

“You’ll end up with your neck stretched by the hangman’s noose if you don’t rethink your choice of career, young man.”
 

“Spoken like a cosseted nobleman, Lord Ryder. Now throw me that purse and we shall be on our way.”

Will paused, holding the highwayman’s gaze, and then slowly threw the purse in the air, the coins making a chinking sound as they resettled in his palm.
 

“It appears you have me at a disadvantage, sir. You know who I am, yet I am at a loss to remember you. Of course, that could be because you have your face covered and a pistol pointed at my head.”