Abandon (16 page)

Aubrey and Richard came into Anne’s private parlor where the women and Annabelle were currently sitting. They had thanked the servants and others who had helped with the search already and Richard ordered a round of cider and beer for the thirsty helpers. He had also ensured that Rathburn was securely locked in the cellar. He had decided that leaving the man overnight to cool his heels might make him more amenable in the morning.

Aubrey went straight to Lucy and Annabelle who was curled up next to her mother on a sofa.

“Annabelle, sweetheart, are you alright?” He took her small hands in his gloved hands, peering into her face.

“Papa, I have a boo here.” She held up her arm to show him a bruise, probably from where Rathburn had grabbed her. He wanted to punch the man once more until he realized what she had said. He marked Lucy who was smiling and had tears in her eyes.

“Annabelle, I will never let anyone ever hurt you again.” He gathered her close and her arms went around his neck.

“And Annabelle will never wander off on her own again, will she?” Lucy remonstrated when Aubrey had pulled back.

“No, Mama. I just wanted to see my Grandmamma.” Annabelle wiggled around to look up at her mother. “I never had a Grandmamma. I wanted to see where she lives with Papa.”

Aubrey did not know what to say. He swallowed hard and quirked an eyebrow in question at Lucy.

“Annabelle determined that you were her Papa. She heard me say something about your mother residing at Lovell Moor for the time being. She has a habit of listening to adults talking when she should not.”

“Are you happy that I am your Papa, Annabelle?” Aubrey was nervous, but he found that little girls are far more practical than he knew.

“Yes, Papa, of course.” She looked at him in disbelief. “You know that good Papas give their daughters a pony of their very own.” She smiled as the adults laughed.

“We’ll have to see what your Mama has to say to that, sweetheart. And I have to see what the stables at Lovell Moor have in the way of ponies.”

“But how will I see him if he lives in your stables?”

Aubrey glanced at Lucy and she nodded in encouragement.

“Perhaps if you and your Mama came to live at Lovell Moor with me you could see him every day?”

Annabelle clapped her hands. “Oh, yes, and with my Grandmamma, too!”

“Grandmama may be going on an extended visit for the time being,” Aubrey responded dryly. “But I expect that you will meet many new people. Do not forget that you will be neighbors to your aunt and uncle and new cousin.”

“Well, Ned is not much fun yet. I am ready to go.” She slid off of her mother’s lap and started for the door.

“Wait a moment,” Richard caught up to his niece and swung her up in the air. “Are you bored with Aunt Anne and me too?”

Annabelle squealed with delight as her uncle tossed her a little higher, then lowered her to the floor. “Again, again.”

“You are getting too big for me to lift you that high. Perhaps you should go live at Lovell Moor and your papa can play with you.” Richard winked. “But you must come to visit the Park often, now that you know the way here.”

Aubrey sat next to Lucy and took her hand. He whispered, “She seems fine with the idea of a new Papa and house. Is it truly so?”

Lucy squeezed his hand. “Yes, she really is happy. As am I.” She blushed and bit her lip. “I believe that we could move ahead with our wedding plans. There seems to be no further impediment.”

“Thank God! Would the day after tomorrow be too soon?”

Lucy smiled in agreement and Aubrey lifted her hands and impressed a quick kiss on her knuckles. “Then after we deal with Rathburn tomorrow I will speak to the local clergyman.”

Their wedding morning dawned with misty rain filling the skies, but Lucy did not care. She dressed in a pretty blue gown. Anne’s maid came in to do her hair and Annabelle sat on her bed to watch, totally enthralled by the process. She was in her best rose gown, a pretty bow holding back her curls as she tried not to wrinkle the dress by moving around too much.

The time flew by and Lucy was ready to go downstairs where Aubrey waited. Annabelle took her hand and they descended the stairs. Richard was waiting at the bottom step, his face solemn.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes, Uncle Richard,” Annabelle answered before Lucy could draw breathe.

He smiled and held out his arm. “Then let us go in.”

Lucy took his arm and held Annabelle’s hand at her other side. Reverend Fuller was waiting in the front parlor, Anne standing to one side and Aubrey next to the cleric. Richard led them to Aubrey, kissed his sister’s cheek and stepped back next to Anne. Aubrey stepped forward to stand next to Lucy with Annabelle in the middle, one hand in each of her parents’.

In no time at all Reverend Fuller completed the service and Lucy was finally married to the one man she had always loved. Aubrey kissed her carefully, trying not to squeeze Annabelle still nestled between them.

“Finally,” he murmured.

The minister abruptly said his goodbyes and left. He had not been happy about performing the marriage ceremony. He felt it was all quite irregular, but Richard and Aubrey between them had pressed him and in the end he conceded.

“All the best to you both,” Richard said. “We are very happy for you.”

Anne put out a hand to Annabelle. “Perhaps we should go check on Ned and let your Mama and Papa be on their way.”

Annabelle gave each parent a kiss and a curtsy, then departed the room with Anne. She was to stay with her aunt and uncle for a few days to give her parents a short honeymoon. Rathburn had been sent off to Hull to board a ship to Brussels and Lady Lovell had left for her sister’s home in London, all the while declaring her innocence in Rathburn’s schemes. Lucy thought that Aubrey would probably forgive her at some point in the future just to appease Annabelle who still wanted to meet her grandmother.

Richard clasped Lucy’s hands and kissed her forehead. “I love you, Lucilla. Be as happy with Lovell as I am with my Anne.”

Tears threatened again and Aubrey tucked her against his side. “I think that it is time for us to depart. Thank you again for all your aid.”

“It is my pleasure. Take good care of my sister.”

The carriage was waiting outside ready to take them to Lovell Moor. Aubrey sat next to Lucy rather than take the backward-facing seat.

“I do not think I have ever been so happy in all my life.” Aubrey put his arm around her.

Lucy glanced at him and felt shy. The whole day had felt dreamlike, a fantasy that might not last. But he was warm and solid next to her as she rested her head against his shoulder.

“I love you. I love you so much,” she said as her fingers plucked at the sleeve of his jacket.

“Ah, Lucy, I love you too.”

The ride was not long and they pulled up to find the entire staff waiting to meet their new mistress. Lucy knew many of them already, but was happy to see how pleased they were at the master’s marriage. Aubrey had not been forgotten during his years abroad by the servants and they were happy that he was back.

After they had gone down the line of servants Aubrey turned to his housekeeper. “Please send trays up to my room with dinner later.” Mrs. Beckham curtsied and he led Lucy up the stairs to their suite.

She followed him into a pretty sitting room done in blue and gilt. He pointed to a door on the far side of the room. “Your bedroom and dressing room is in there. I apologize that it is not quite ready for you to use yet. My mother just moved out yesterday. I thought that you might want to redecorate it as your tastes might not align with hers.”

With a devilish gleam in his eye he continued, “Or you can just stay with me in my room. I would prefer that, but I know it is not fashionable and you may want your privacy.”

Lucy laughed. “I would be perfectly satisfied to move into your room. Do you know where my clothes were stored though?”

Aubrey cleared his throat. “I took the liberty of having them unpacked in my room. I had a wardrobe moved in and there has been space made in the dressing room.” He crossed to a door on the other side of the room that was ajar and pushed it open.

Lucy followed him into what was obviously his bedroom. It was furnished in a masculine manner with light green hangings to offset the heavier wood furniture. The room was spacious and had airy, large windows open to let in the sunshine from outside. A maid stood at one wardrobe with Lucy’s chests and boxes strewn around her.

“This will do nicely,” she said with a smile. The maid looked nervously at Lucy, but Aubrey addressed her first.

“Lady Lucilla, this is Margaret who will be your temporary maid until or if you make other arrangements. I have told her that you are a kind and patient mistress.” He smirked at Lucy and she rolled her eyes back at him. “Margaret, the Viscountess will not need your aid this evening. You can finish unpacking tomorrow and please make it late in the day.”

Poor Margaret turned a deep red and bobbed a curtsy, nearly running from the room.

Lucy crossed to Aubrey and put her arms around his neck. “You embarrassed that poor girl.”

Aubrey pulled her closer. “I am told that she is competent and pleasant, but if you want to choose differently please do so. You are the mistress now and I want you to feel free to make any changes you wish at Lovell Moor.”

She tugged at the hair that hung slightly over his collar. “The only change I want right now is for you to be unclothed.”

“As soon as I have you undressed.” He pulled her towards the large bed that sat on one side of the bedroom. “Turn around, wife. Let me undo your ties and buttons.”

Lucy obediently turned to allow Aubrey access to the top of her dress. Meanwhile she started to pull pins from her hair so that the shining tresses fell down and covered his hands. He gathered her hair in one hand and pulled it to one side over her shoulder so he could continue to undress her. As the top of the dress sagged he lifted it up and Lucy raised her arms so he could pull it over her head. Aubrey looked at the curve of her neck and leaned forward to give it a kiss. He was trembling with need so he started to pull at the laces of her stays, fumbling at the ties while Lucy leaned back into him and raised an arm to run through his hair. He stopped and ran a hand up her smooth arm, following it with kisses. His cock was harder than he could ever remember and he needed to get his breeches off before he exploded.

Lucy turned in his arms and he tugged at her chemise to bare her breasts. Her stays were hanging and he pulled until they fell to the floor.

Meanwhile Lucy was pushing at his coat and untying his cravat. “You need to take these clothes off,” she murmured.

“I am not going to last long this first time, love," Aubrey replied. "I have waited too long, but later we will go slowly.” Aubrey pulled his shirt off over his head, further disrupting his curls, then attacked his breeches while Lucy pulled off her shoes and stockings.

He stood in front of her proudly erect while she still wore her chemise. He hooked his hands into the top of the fine linen and ripped it down the front. Lucy’s eyes were huge as he picked her up and placed her on the bed.

“I have wanted you as my wife and in my own bed for so long. You must forgive me if I am overly possessive, but you are mine.”

Lucy caressed his cheek then wrapped a hand around his neck and pulled him down to her. Their tongues intertwined and Lucy moaned. “Please, I need you.”

Aubrey touched her entrance and found her soaking so he thrust home, but stopped, overwhelmed with feelings. Lucy arched her back and Aubrey began to move, more and more jerkily as their passion soared. Higher and higher they went until together they crested and their bodies lurched out of control as they became one.

Panting they lay together until Aubrey rolled over. He pulled her close and Lucy put one hand over his heart, feeling the rapid beating gradually slow. He kissed her forehead and pushed some curls back, then put his head down with a small smile on his lips.

“What is it?” Lucy asked tenderly.

“I am the luckiest man on earth. I am married to the woman that I have dreamed about for years and my daughter that I did not even know about last week is coming home to live with us tomorrow.”