Chapter Thirty-One
“She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!”
FITZ
I GLANCED OVER AT MONROE, who was gazing out the window as we drove through the security gate leading to Blackhaven—home. I smiled, thinking of waltzing with her last night. Agatha threw a fit about it. But there was no way I was going to do some country dance where we barely touched each other. I needed Monroe up close and personal. She had been a vision last night. I don’t think she has any idea how she lights up a room. And did she ever light up the room last night. In typical Monroe fashion, she tried to warn Winnifred about Tony; to her credit, she’d tried to be discreet. However, she didn’t realize how much attention she was getting, and someone overheard her. That led to, well ...
“What are you thinking?” I asked, admittedly anxious. I kept waiting for Monroe to change her mind about all of this. My interview had the unintended consequence of placing us in the limelight. It was a lot for anyone to take in, especially someone like Monroe, who never did things for show and had not grown up in the public eye. And the public eye had definitely been on her. Then there was the matter of her coming face-to-face with my mother today. It was a lot to ask.
Monroe continued to look outside the window at the woods and stream on her side of the vehicle. It was my favorite part of the property. As a boy, I would walk barefoot up and down the stream each summer, searching for smooth pebbles and trying to catch a fish with my bare hands.
“It’s just hitting me now that being with you means this could be my home.”
And that is why I love her. She never calculated or schemed, never concerned herself with my wealth. I placed my hand on her thigh. “It would honor me if you considered this your home.”
She turned and smiled, but it twisted into a grimace. “I know that, and I love that, but Fitz,” she whined, “all those pictures online this morning ... Now everyone thinks I’m in some rivalry with Winnifred, and then Tony was arrested for stealing some of the antiques from the park. I don’t think Agatha will ever invite us back.”
That was fine by me. “I’m having a hard time seeing the downside here.” As far as I was concerned, Monroe drawing attention to what a berk Tony is was a good thing. It made Agatha search his room, just in case. The man deserved to be in jail.
“Oh, ha ha. I created another disaster, all the while trying to save Winnifred, who obviously didn’t want my help. Surely your mum has read the articles and seen the pictures that made it look like we were having a catfight. Seeing her again today is going to be like that time you gave me archery lessons and I accidentally shot an arrow through your mother’s window. Remember how I ran up there to clean up the mess but made it worse when I cut myself and bled on her rug that was a gift from the Queen? And to top it off, I knocked over the urn with her favorite dog’s ashes in it, and, not realizing what it was, I tried to sweep it up with the glass.”
I chuckled, remembering how livid Mother had been. She’d tried to get me to swear I would never bring Monroe home with me again. Of course, I made no such promise.
“Love.” I squeezed her thigh. “My mother’s opinion means little to me. She loves her dogs more than she loves me or Anna. Honestly, I’d move her to the cottage on the property if I hadn’t promised my father right before he died that I’d watch over her and let her remain in her suite. It stunned me so much to know he had any affection for anyone but himself that I readily agreed without thinking about it.”
Monroe took my hand in hers and cradled it. “I know how cold and difficult your childhood was. I wish I could make that better.”
“You have. Your warmth and love have made all the difference in my life. I hope you will bring that to this place I love, that our children will know what it is like to be loved and cherished.”
She brought our clasped hands up and kissed mine. “Do you really want to have children with me?” her voice cracked. “You’ve never talked about having children.”
I glanced over at her. “That’s because you are the only woman I’ve ever imagined having children with.”
“You know I want lots of babies,” she warned.
“I am aware and ready.”
She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Okay, fine, I’ll have babies with you and live on your gorgeous estate with your evil mother.” She laughed. “Of course, I’m going to try to win her over.”
If anyone could win Mother over, it would be Monroe, but that might require a greater miracle than Monroe’s medical miracle. “Darling, please promise me you won’t let her get you down. She’s a bitter woman, for reasons I don’t know. She’s lived as charmed a life as anyone I know, yet she’s still unhappy. I would hate for her to make you unhappy. You are my priority.”
Monroe settled back into her seat and thought for a moment. “You know what? We are going to make her so happy, she won’t know what to do with herself. Or I’ll accidentally burn the estate down trying to make her happy—it’s a toss-up. Well, with my track record, you’d probably better make sure your homeowner’s policy, or whatever it’s called here in the UK, is up to date.”
“I do love you, Monroe.” Those were the only words adequate enough to express how much it meant to me that she even wanted to try. Even more, that she was willing to move here and start our life together. As a side note, I probably should have Kingston check to make sure our policies were all up to date.
“I love you too. So much.” She gazed out the window as I drove around the circle drive in front of the house—a house, I hoped, that would soon be a home. The estate’s stone facade had been updated over the years to include larger windows, and I’d recently renovated the pitch roof to accommodate green technology. But it still maintained its nineteenth-century character and charm.
“This feels significant,” Monroe said.
I felt it too. It was different than bringing her here in years past, years when I could only hope for a moment like this. Or more accurately, when I was too proud to think differently. I would always regret that choice. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Anna and Kingston came walking out to greet us before we even exited the car.
“You know, that’s another thing I’m going to have to work on.” Monroe nodded toward Anna and Kingston, who stood close to each other, each clasping their hands as if they feared they might touch if they released them. I’d come to the conclusion that Monroe was right about the two of them. How had I missed it? Probably because I hadn’t wished to see it. That relationship would be another complicated one. But I was coming to see that complications were sometimes more a matter of perception than reality. And most of them required letting go of pride and unreasonable expectations. The Fitzroys, unfortunately, were full of both.
“Be careful,” I cautioned. “I don’t think they are ready yet.”
Monroe gave me a thoughtful look. “All right. I’ll wait for the right time. In the meantime, I need to rock your mum’s world.”
Was her world ever about to be rocked.
Kingston helped Monroe out of the car.
Anna raised her eyebrows at me. No doubt Mother had seen the online trash this morning. Monroe would be baptized by fire, as they say. It was maddening too, seeing as no one was supposed to have brought their mobile phones into the ball. Really, it had been Winnifred who made a big production out of it. I think she was so embarrassed that someone had caught her kissing a plumber and felon that she overreacted. And I don’t think she liked that Monroe, of all people, knew about it and wanted to help her. Like I said, pride complicates everything.
“Colette has prepared tea for us,” Anna commented. Colette was a member of the estate’s staff.
Monroe sidled up to me and took my hand. “Did she make her shortbread biscuits?”
“Just for you.” Anna smiled.
I was just now realizing how much happier Anna was when Monroe was around—not that I saw a lot of Anna. She traveled often and owned a flat in London. She kept her suite here, but she rarely visited. I imagined once Monroe moved in, she would visit more often.
“Cookies make everything better.” Monroe swung our hands between us as we walked through the double cedar doors.
We paused in the entryway on the polished marble floor under the crystal chandelier that had been in my family for over a century. Both of Mother’s Cavalier King Charles spaniels ran down the staircase, yipping all the way and running straight for Monroe as if they’d known she’d arrived.
Monroe crouched down, waiting for them.
I stood, admittedly nervous, knowing Mother wouldn’t be far behind. I’d only talked to her once in the past week, and that was just to let her know that Monroe was my choice and there was nothing she could do or say to change my mind about it. To say she was unhappy was a vast understatement. When I asked for my grandmother’s ring, she categorically refused to give it to me, saying I’d have to pry it off her cold, dead finger.
Mother did indeed follow her dogs. She wore a tailored navy pantsuit, her neck dripping in a diamond necklace. Grandmother’s ring was displayed prominently on her right ring finger. She never wore the ring, with its oval ruby surrounded by a halo cluster of diamonds, and I knew she was doing it just for spite. As she descended the stairs, staring coldly at Monroe playing with her beloved dogs, the air crackled with tension. Though Mother was petite and even a little frail, her narrowed pale-blue eyes said she was not to be trifled with.
“Hello, Mother,” I said as casually as possible.
She ignored me and walked straight to Monroe.
Monroe scratched each pup’s head one more time for good measure before standing and facing her opponent. Although Monroe was much taller than Mother, Mother’s contemptuous attitude added two feet to her stature.
We all stood, waiting to see what would happen. Both women sized each other up. Mother scowled, and Monroe’s face broke into a bright smile. “Oh, Mum B.” She threw her arms around Mother, who stood there stiffly, and rested her gorgeous head on top of Mother’s snowy-white hair. “We are going to be the best of friends. Two duchesses in a pea pod. By the way, I brought a bonnet for you.”
I had never loved Monroe more than at this moment. If I could, I would have married her on the spot. I knew then it would all work out. Monroe would be the finest Duchess of Blackthorne yet. English society had no idea what was in store for it. I don’t think I did either, but I couldn’t wait.
Mother untangled herself from Monroe’s grasp, smoothing out her suit and looking indignant. She marched off without saying a word. When she was gone, snickers erupted from everyone, even from Kingston, who only ever showed the utmost respect for every member of our family.
I took Monroe’s hand and pulled her flush against my body. “You are bloody brilliant.”
“It’s probably going to get bloody. She’s going to be a tough nut to crack.”
“You have no idea, darling.” I gazed into her beautiful brown eyes. My future looked brighter than ever. Before I even thought about it, the question I’d wanted to ask her for years fell out of my mouth. “Will you marry me?” It was not the romantic setting that I’d imagined, but I had to know.
Silence fell among us.
Monroe blinked a few times as if I’d stunned her, but she quickly recovered and responded with a simple, “Yes.”
Relief and hope like none other filled me. “This is most excellent news.”
“The best news,” Monroe said.
Anna clapped and exclaimed, “It’s about time.”
It was about time, and I would waste no more of it.
Monroe’s lips teased my own, but before I could capture them, she smiled and quoted Elizabeth Bennet, “Now, be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?”
“That and more.” Monroe had taught me to love without pride and prejudice. For that, I would always love her.