My Merry Marquess (Wallflowers Christmas Wish Book 3) Read online

  “I think it would be much more truthful to say that I betrayed myself. Or that we betrayed one another. Anyway, I can hardly even remember what great offense it was that he committed. I sent him away and expected him to come back for me. He assumed I meant it when I said I never wanted to see him again. Forever is a very long time to live with regret. So, no. I most definitely do not think your sister is making a mistake.”

  “So, you have seen him again? You have spoken to him?”

  Aunt Winifred turned back toward Eve and raised her brows. “Why do you think I returned to Maybridge Falls?”

  “But I thought it was because Lord Tannenbaum loved it here?”

  Her aunt shook her head and Eve suddenly realized…

  “Mr. Kringle?”

  Her aunt pinched her lips together and then shrugged again. “A woman does what a woman must do. I was… tired of living with regret.”

  Eve simply stared at the woman who was far more complex than she ever would have imagined.

  “But now I have a question for you, dearest Eve.”

  Eve licked her lips, a little uncomfortable with what she suspected was coming. “Yes?”

  “Are you going to allow your Merry Marquess to get away a second time? Or are you willing to risk your heart again?”

  “How do you know about…?”

  The older lady smiled sadly. “Your mother and I shared a great deal with each other.”

  This information had Eve wondering, “Did you know it was him? That morning in the square.”

  “The moment he said his name. But that is of no matter. Noelle is willing to risk a little pain for a lifetime of love. Are you as well?”

  “That’s different though,” Eve responded automatically. “How can I be sure—?”

  Her aunt narrowed her eyes. “You can never be sure.”

  “But Mama, and then Papa…” As Eve went to explain her fears, she realized how irrational they were. Even so, knowing they were irrational and facing them weren’t quite the same thing.

  Aunt Winifred rose and crossed the room to where Eve was standing. She then grasped both of Eve’s hands and squeezed them. “Do you love him?”

  Eve hadn’t wanted to admit it, even to herself. Because if she loved him, he had the power to hurt her all over again.

  “I do.”

  “Then have faith in yourself. Have faith in love.” Her aunt’s gaze shifted to the window. “Because if I am not mistaken, there is a particularly handsome young gentleman who wants nothing more than to make you happy. Why don’t you allow him to try?”

  Aunt Winifred dropped her hands and crossed the room to the door.

  “Where are you going, Aunt?” Eve reached out as though to stop her.

  “Why, across the commons to spend the day with my love. I’ve learned my lesson and who knows how much time any of us has left? Why would I waste a second of it?”

  Which left Eve standing alone in her chamber, feeling as though she had real choices for the first time in months. She’d invited him to dine here tonight, and he’d not sent word indicating that he would cancel.

  Noelle and Holly were gone, as was Aunt Winifred. It seemed everyone except for her had forgotten all about their invited guest.

  Eve smoothed her gown and made for the kitchen. She’d not allow Cook to ruin this evening’s meal. Eve wanted everything to be perfect.

  Because whereas the duke and their other friend had left Maybridge Falls earlier that day, Nicholas had stayed.

  And he’d stayed for her.

  Chapter 10

  Eve had not sent Nick any sort of missive rescinding the invitation she’d made the night before and so he had every intention of presenting himself at exactly seven in the evening. He grimaced to himself. Even if she had decided to cancel, he would have tracked her down.

  Not a man who relied upon his valet except for during the Season, Nick cursed the fact that he’d ditched the man in London on this particular occasion. He had no difficulty brushing out his best breeches, waistcoat, and jacket. He even managed to smooth out the wrinkles in his linen shirt. It was the damn cravat that got him every time. After retying the blasted thing no less than ten times, he eventually fashioned some sort of a knot and admitted defeat.

  Staring into the mirror, Nick combed his hair back and then dabbed at the few places he’d cut himself shaving. He took a deep breath and glanced down at his timepiece. In less than ten minutes, he would know exactly how upset she was with him for keeping Dash’s secret from her. Having a sense that the fate of his future would be decided that night, Nick slid his hands into pristine white gloves and then donned both his greatcoat and top hat in a ritual that felt oddly ceremonial.

  It was time.

  The door clicked softly behind him as he straightened his jacket and then made his way down the stairwell. If she sent him away—if she refused him—he’d be forced to return later that night and drink alone.

  His friends had left him behind.

  Everything was different now. He felt an odd melancholy deep inside, realizing that their friendships would never be the same. He would marry Eve, he was determined to make that happen, but even if he failed, he could not go on carousing as they had for the past decade.

  “Are you by any chance heading to Lady Tannenbaum’s?” Mr. Rudolph met him in the foyer. Judging by the aromatic scents that accompanied the innkeeper, Nick surmised the cloth-covered offering was some sort of dish from the kitchen.

  Although reluctant to engage in conversation in that moment, Nick nodded. “I am. Is there something I can help you with, sir?”

  “Indeed. I noticed smoke coming from the Tannenbaum kitchen again and have taken it upon myself to set this aside for the dear ladies.” Mr. Rudolph frowned and stared down at the floor sheepishly. “I feel I might have ruined things for His Grace and for that poor girl and, although I know it isn’t much, I felt it was the least that I could do.”

  Nick clenched his jaws. “It wasn’t your fault, Rudolph. But I’m certain the ladies will appreciate the gesture. Would you like me to take it to them?” The scent of expertly broiled meat had Nick hoping that he, too, would be allowed to appreciate the gesture. It certainly wouldn’t hurt his campaign to arrive carrying a roast.

  “Would you be so kind?”

  “My pleasure.” Nick accepted the dish, and Mr. Rudolph rushed ahead to open the door.

  “Good luck,” Mr. Rudolph called out, causing Nick to glance back inside in surprise.

  “With?”

  “Why, Lady Eve, of course.” And with a sly wink, the little innkeeper closed the door, leaving Nick shaking his head in wonder.

  The sun had set a few hours before, but the moon was full and so Nick easily strode along the path that had been worn leading directly from the inn to Lady Tannenbaum’s front door.

  He shifted the dish to one hand and sounded the knocker decisively.

  Would she send him away? What if he was wrong, and she didn’t love him? His heart skipped a beat at the possibility. Perhaps he’d continue living a debaucherous life after all.

  A woman he hadn’t met before opened the door. Charcoal streaks marked her cheeks and several gray tufts of hair had escaped her mob cap.

  But she was squinting and smiling at him. “Good evening.” She made a small curtsey.

  “The Marquess of Merriweather.” Nick nearly choked on his own name. He cleared his throat. “Here to see Lady Eve.”

  Again, the woman smiled at him, nodding this time. “She is expecting you.” With another awkward curtsey, she held the door wide for him to enter. Nick stepped inside but when he went to remove his hat, he froze. Eve was peering around the corner at the opposite end of the corridor. Her cheeks were flushed and the curling tendrils she’d left free of her coiffure appeared damp.

  No one had ever looked so beautiful.

  Nick lifted the dish and his brows at the same time. “Mr. Rudolph noticed the smoke earlier. Do you require my assistance?”

 
; The cook was nodding and went to take the dish from him, but Eve rushed forward to stop her. “I’ll put this on the sideboard. Cook, would you be so kind as to take Lord Merriweather’s coat?”

  “Have you given Mr. Clark the night off?” Nick handed his outerwear over and then couldn’t keep himself from stepping closer to Eve.

  “Oh!” Her emerald eyes widened. “Of course, you don’t know. He is escorting Noelle and Eve to London. It seems that my sister has some unfinished business with your devious duke.”

  She leveled an admonishing gaze in his direction, but it in no way indicated that he was out of her favor indefinitely. It rather warned that she would deal with him later.

  “He isn’t normally devious, if that makes any difference.”

  Eve twisted her hands together. “I hope not. For my sister’s sake. She loves him, you know. I shall have to go after him with a blunderbuss myself if he isn’t smart enough to love her back. He did mention love to her, did he not?”

  “He did indeed.” Just as Nick had once told her.

  She searched his gaze for a moment before dropping her lashes and then flashing her eyes at him again. “Shall we have a drink first?”

  “I would love to have a drink with you.” Nick followed her into the foyer, noting the swing of her hips through the thin material of her dress. “Is your aunt joining us?”

  Eve set the innkeeper’s dish on a sideboard then tipped a decanter of amber liquid into two glasses. Only a few sconces had been lit along the walls but they provided just enough light that he could make out her expressions.

  “I don’t believe that she is. She is… caring for a sick friend.”

  The two of them were alone. Perfect.

  “A shame.” He held her gaze as she handed him the fuller of the two glasses. “I was quite looking forward to getting acquainted with her.”

  Eve led him across the room and then lowered herself to the settee. He dropped into the place beside her.

  “Another time, perhaps.”

  “For certain,” Nick agreed.

  They both took sips of their respective drinks before Eve turned to face him. “Did you know he was lying?”

  Nick exhaled. He’d prepared himself for this question. “Not until yesterday when they returned from the sleigh ride. I spoke to him afterward. He had every intention of telling your sister today. Mr. Rudolph merely precipitated the conversation.”

  “Unfortunate.”

  “It was not my secret to share. He had reasons—none of them nefarious, I assure you.”

  Nick allowed one of his hands to graze Eve’s, which rested between them, and her breathing hitched.

  She laughed a little self-consciously. “Seeing you dressed for the evening reminds me of the night we met.”

  “At the Peabodys’ Ball,” he supplied, holding her gaze.

  “I wish I was wearing something finer tonight. I intended to change but Mrs. Farkas needed my assistance in the kitchen.”

  “You don’t need finery, Eve.”

  Her fingers wrapped around his. This time, it was his breath that hitched.

  “I made mashed potatoes and fresh bread. I’ve even made another pie. But the lamb burned.” At the mention of another pie, Nick had to tamp down memories that would make it difficult for him to sit—comfortably, that was—through an entire meal.

  “Mr. Randolph sent the roast as an apology.”

  “He did a bang-up job of sending Noelle into a dudgeon.”

  “I’m happy to hear she is going after him. Dashlington was a fool to take his leave so abruptly.” Their eyes locked, communicating feelings, explanations, that went far beyond their conversation.

  “She should have listened to him.”

  She dropped her gaze to stare down at their hands. “Shall we eat before everything grows cold? I dared not allow Cook to attempt to keep anything warm in the oven.”

  “That sounds absolutely perfect.” As he spoke the words, he realized that any time spent with this woman would be perfection for him. “I’m looking forward to your pie.”

  The corner of Eve’s mouth twitched, but she wasn’t about to be baited. But he knew she was remembering too.

  Nick carried Mr. Rudolph’s dish, and Eve elaborated on the events of the afternoon as he followed her into the adjacent dining room. In the center of the table, a candelabra had been lit, making for a most romantic setting. Nick was happy to see that they wouldn’t be sitting at opposite ends of the table. One of the settings was at the head of the table, and the other, beside it, at a right angle.

  As soon as they were seated, the woman who’d met him at the door entered and placed two plates filled with everything but a main course before them. Eve uncovered the dish he’d brought along and forked some of the roast onto both of their plates. The meal could have consisted of gruel and dirt and it would have met with his approval.

  “You mentioned that apple pie hasn’t always been your favorite,” she commented. Nick wanted to reach out and touch her cheek as he watched a warm blush rise up her neck. “What other pies do you like?”

  “Anything you make,” he answered, realizing how very true they were.

  “I want to know.” She laughed.

  He swallowed his bite before answering. “Mulberries. Cherries. Blackberries.”

  “So… any sort of berry pie? Strawberries?”

  He nodded. “Raspberries.”

  “Did you—” Eve began haltingly.

  Nick stilled when she cleared her throat.

  “Did you have any of your favorite pies while traveling the continent?”

  She was not asking about pie.

  With deliberate purpose, Nick set his fork along the side of his plate, leaned forward, and captured her wrist. “I visited a few… bakeries. I wanted to. But.” He stared into her eyes as shadows flickered across her lovely features. “I couldn’t. I haven’t.”

  She swallowed hard and then tilted her head. “No… pie at all?”

  He shook his head. “None.”

  And now he knew why. Somewhere, deep inside, he had always known he’d find her again. He’d tried to convince himself otherwise. He’d done his best to fool himself into believing that he could move on to other women.

  He would not have. He’d needed her.

  Eve.

  And in that moment, he experienced unexpected joy that he could give her this. “You are the only woman I wanted. The only woman I’ll ever want.”

  A lone tear that hovered on one of her lashes glistened in the candlelight.

  “Some wine?” Lady Tannenbaum’s notorious cook appeared in the door.

  Nick withdrew his hand and nodded. “Thank you.”

  Eve stared down at her plate, nodding almost imperceptibly.

  “Such a fine roast Mr. Rudolph sent over,” the cook commented. “Works out real well that he always makes too much.”

  Eve jerked her head up. “There’s far too much for just the two of us.” She lifted the dish off the table. “Did you care for anymore, Nicholas?”

  “I’ve everything I need right here. Thank you.” Because she was his everything. She always had been.

  “Why don’t you take this back to the kitchen and have some for yourself?”

  The cook hesitated. “What of your aunt?”

  “I’m certain she has everything she needs as well.”

  The older woman thanked Eve profusely, apologizing several times for the slightly overcooked condition of the lamb and, after being reassured emphatically by Eve, eventually backed out of the room. When the door closed behind her, Nick subdued his frustration by filling his lungs with a deep breath.

  He’d moments ago declared to Eve that she was the only woman in the world for him. Where did he go from there?

  “I love you.” Eve blurted the words so quickly that Nick wasn’t quite certain he’d heard right. She leaned forward in her chair. “And I trust you. I do. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”

  “You…”

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nbsp; “I love you, Nicholas St. Hope.” She drew her shoulders back and lifted her chin. “You’re the only man in the world for me.”

  “Eve.” Nick practically dragged her out of her chair and into his arms. “I’ve waited so long to hear those words from you.” His throat felt thick, and he had to blink away the stinging in his eyes. “You mean it?”

  She smiled up at him and nodded, and he couldn’t wait another second later to claim her mouth. He delved past her lips, his tongue exploring the tender flesh behind her teeth. He tasted her. Surrendered to her. Loved her.

  And it wasn’t enough. Even as he deepened their kiss, he wanted to gaze into her eyes and hear her say those words over and over again. He drew back, satisfaction flowing through him as he took note of her lips, parted still, and shining.

  “I love you, Eve.” And damn his eyes but he nearly felt like weeping. Saying the words again set him free. “I love you.”

  Nick didn’t so much as move when she trailed her fingertips along the sides of his face.

  “Are you afraid?” A tremble caught her voice. And he knew. She’d been very, very brave tonight.

  “All my life, I lived fearlessly. I felt unstoppable, immortal. And then I met you. I now know what it feels like to lose you, so, yes. I’m bloody scared as hell. But as long as I have a chance at life with you at my side, I’ll face anything.” He covered her hands with his. “Are you afraid, love?”

  “Yes.”

  “But you trust me?”

  She nodded. “I trust you, but…”

  Nick leaned in so he could hear her.

  “I find it difficult to trust life—to trust the world and God not to take all of this away.”

  She’d lost so much over the past year. Nick kissed her forehead and held her against his chest.

  “When I was little,” she began. “I remember hiding under my bed when a dreadful thunderstorm passed. Rain pounded the roof and slammed into the windows for what felt like hours. But my father found me, and he held me, and he promised that everything was going to be okay. In the morning, we woke up and the sun was shining, and the grass was green and sparkling… and he was right. I just want to feel that way again. I want to know more hope than fear.”