Chapter 18
Sweet Thieves and New Beginnings.
Alice sat in the dining room, the table laid for breakfast and loaded a piece of toast with a generous portion of marmalade. In the hallway she heard Lill greeting Aubrey, the two of them bantering as had become their custom.
“Alice, take this fellow of yours in hand, will you? He’s nothing but trouble,” Lill said, pretending to huff as she flapped her apron at Aubrey.
He grinned at Alice, rounding the table to bend and kiss her cheek. “It’s all lies,” he told her solemnly.
Alice shook her head, secretly pleased by their antics. “Sit down, the pair of you, and listen to this.”
They obeyed her as Lill poured a cup of tea for herself and Aubrey, and Alice turned back to the front page of the newspaper she’d been perusing.
“Murder in a seaside village,” she read as Lill gasped, setting her cup and saucer down with a clatter.
“Silas Mourney, notorious gang leader and wanted murderer, was shot dead during a violent clash between smugglers and the coastguard in a quiet town in East Sussex. The killing followed the daring theft of Lady Jefferson’s diamonds from her Mayfair home on the night of a lavish ball.
The authorities found an engraved snuff box which placed Mr Mourney at the scene of the robbery, but the stolen jewels remain missing, presumed lost.”
There was silence as both Lill and Alice turned enquiring gazes upon Aubrey.
“Hawkney used his influence to keep your name out of it,” Aubrey said with a shrug, his large hand lifting the delicate china cup with care. “You are about as much scandal as he can stomach, love. No offence.”
Alice snorted. “None taken.”
He smiled, apparently sensing her lingering anxiety. “Don’t worry. No blame will be attached to the smugglers. The authorities are all too pleased to have seen the last of Silas Mourney to ask too many questions when the Duke of Hawkney is telling them to keep their noses out.”
Alice sighed with relief. Boreas had saved Aubrey’s life. Hers, too. Whatever kind of man he was, they would always owe him a debt for that.
“If you’ll excuse the rather callous turn of phrase, the best thing about Silas’ violent death and the story about the stolen diamonds is that it’s taken some of the attention off our scandalous scene at Lady Jefferson’s party.
So Hawk is doing his utmost to see that story gets a deal more attention than our upcoming nuptials. ”
“Sensible fellow, his grace,” Lill observed, sipping her tea. “And there’s nothing bad about Silas Mourney’s death. There’s not many people I’d wish such a fate on, but he deserved what he got.”
“How is everyone at the hall?” Alice asked as Aubrey plucked the other half of the toast she’d prepared off her plate and took a large bite. She scowled.
“What’s mine is yours, love. So it only follows what’s yours is mine.”
“Don’t bank on it. Feral, she is, if she don’t eat a proper breakfast,” Lill warned him.
Alice turned her scowl upon Lill, not entirely pleased at this description, accurate as it might be.
Aubrey popped the last bite of toast into his mouth and chewed, his eye sparkling unrepentantly. “To answer your question, they’re all mad, which is why I’m here. I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
Alice’s stomach did an odd little flip at his words.
They would be married and would spend the night at The Mermaid, then departing for their honeymoon the following morning.
Hawkney had kindly offered them the use of one of his many properties for as long as they wanted, a lovely little manor house on the coast of Norfolk.
According to Aubrey, it was within walking distance of the beach and was quiet and lovely, with beautiful scenery, and only a handful of discreet staff who knew better than to disturb a couple of newlyweds.
She couldn’t wait, though there were still so many things to discuss regarding their future.
Whilst she did not fear Aubrey would force her to conform or turn into the perfect wife—which was never going to happen—things had happened so fast and there had been so little time, she needed to take it all in.
At first it had seemed enough that they had a future together, that his family accepted her, even if Hawkney was hardly delighted.
Now, though, she was curious and wanted to talk over everything with him.
As if reading her mind, Lill drained her teacup and pushed the toast rack closer to Alice. “I’ll make some more,” she said with a smile, and left them alone.
Aubrey waited until the door closed before he leaned closer and pressed a kiss to Alice’s lips. She sighed, wrapping her arms about his neck and turning what had been little more than a peck into something hotter and deeper.
“You taste of stolen marmalade,” she said lazily when he finally broke free.
He laughed. “You taste like a woman intent on getting me into trouble. We agreed to behave until we were married, you wicked creature.”
“No, you agreed. I said it was a stupid idea,” she replied, taking another slice of toast and slathering it with a generous application of butter before piling the marmalade on top. Aubrey watched, appearing fascinated by his betrothed’s appetite for the sticky preserve.
“You like marmalade, then?”
“I adore it,” she admitted. “I could eat an entire loaf of bread in one sitting if it came with marmalade.”
“How do you stay so slim if you eat like that?”
“In the first place, I said I could, not that I did, and in the second, I lead a very active lifestyle.” She winked at him and watched his mouth curve into an irrepressible smile.
“Is that right?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she replied, her mouth full of toast and marmalade.
Aubrey laughed and reached for the teapot to see if there was any left. Pouring out the remaining half a cup, he cast her a knowing look that made heat bloom low in her belly.
“Well, I shall look forward to discovering just how active in the weeks to come. Speaking of which, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
Alice reached for the last slice of toast and snatched it from the rack a second before he could take it. “Too slow.”
He sighed. “Well, I ought not tell you as you treat me so dreadfully, but after Nat and Meg got married at Christmas, Grandmama offered them a large plot of land. It’s up on top of the hill, looking down upon the village, and has the most magnificent views.
There’s a fair amount of overgrown woodland that needs clearing, but it’s a beautiful spot.
Hawkney and I rode up there yesterday, and it’s really magnificent. ”
“Oh?”
Aubrey nodded and reached for her hand. “I’ve not agreed to anything, love, and if you want to move somewhere else, we shall do just that, but Gee-Gee likes the idea of having the family nearby, and Nat and Meg would make excellent neighbours.”
Alice frowned at him. “But you said she gave them the land?”
Aubrey laughed. “Gee-Gee owns most of the land between here and Rye. Much of it is fit for nothing but grazing sheep, far too marshy to build on, but this hilly stretch that runs down to the sea is different. It will take time, what with clearing and building, but we could have a lovely house up there, close to the village, but far enough away for privacy.”
Far enough away that people would not remark the comings and goings of Alfie at odd hours.
Alice’s heart skipped. “She would really give us the land?”
“She says it’s a wedding present. I don’t know what it is you’ve said to impress her, but I think she rather likes you.”
“I’ve not said anything that I can remember,” Alice protested.
“Well, she says she knows a clever chit when she sees one. That seems to be good enough for her.” Aubrey shrugged and swiped half of her toast before she could stop him, taking a bite that devoured most of the slice. He swallowed, watching her cautiously. “What do you think?”
Alice considered him, wondering how it was possible to be so happy, to have everything work out so beautifully after so many years of struggle and uncertainty.
“I think you are wonderful, despite being a marmalade thief—a most serious crime, I might add—and that I would live on the moon with you, if that’s what you wanted.
But I should like to stay here above all things, Aubrey. It would make me very happy.”
“Then Little Valentine it is,” he said with a grin, snatching the last piece of toast and running from the room with it as Alice shrieked and ran after him.
Ocean View Villa, Little Valentine, 29th January 1816
Alice sat at her dressing table, massaging her temples with delicate fingers as she willed the remnants of a hangover away.
“Serves you right,” Lill remarked tartly as she moved about the room, tidying. “The whole town is talking about how Alfie celebrated his new brother-in-law’s last night as a bachelor. Buying people free drinks and singing bawdy songs. It’s enough to make a sailor blush.”
Alice grinned despite the lingering pain.
It had been worth it. To see Aubrey relaxed and laughing in such a way had been a gift.
Even Hawkney had made a brief appearance, though his presence had immediately killed the atmosphere, so he’d not stayed long.
Alice had felt for him, wondering if that was what it was like everywhere he went.
Of course, The Swan was hardly his natural environment, but still.
“Well, as he couldn’t stay for the wedding, what with getting that job offer in town,” she said dryly. “He wanted to share in the celebrations.”
Lill snorted.