Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
The plan sounded simple. He would entice the scoundrel to Heatherfield to meet Lilli, but he would be meeting Oliver. And the money he could surely taste would not be realized. The letter was written, sent, and the response was now waited on.
“While we wait the short time it will take him to answer, I want to discuss our future, my dear.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. The first thing is I have a message from the Bow Street Runner I hired.”
“And?”
“And, your father met his demise several years ago. He had made a good life, evidently, not too far from where we met up and came home. He never remarried that anyone knows. The person who provided the information, a close friend, said that he was a good friend but was a melancholy man. Never got over the loss of his wife and child. Your father had left the man to believe he’d lost both in a tragedy. In some ways, he did.”
Tears fell silently down her cheek, their salty heat leaving paths of her pain. “How did he die?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
“It is unknown. He hadn’t been seen in a few days, and his friend went to check on him and found him in his bed. He hadn’t been ill. He seemed peaceful. One would hope he simply fell asleep and didn’t wake up.”
“Yes. I choose to believe that.”
Oliver stood and gathered her into his arms, leading her away from their half-eaten supper and into the library, where he drew her close to him as she cried her soulful tears.
Oliver grumbled about men trying to use other’s pain to further their own ends while still whispering sweet nonsensical words to Lilli as she grieved.
After she had been quiet for a while, Oliver continued on with his planning. “After we have dealt with this sordid affair with your unsolicited visitor, we shall marry. Have you any family you wish to attend?”
Her face fell at the sad thought that except for distant relatives, most of which she had never met, there was no one. She said as much.
Oliver reached out his hand and patted hers. "Never mind, my dear, we shall call on my mother and the staff to witness the union. I shall contact the vicar and mother this very evening. Tomorrow you shall meet her and make the final plan.”
“Will she not wish a say in this?”
“She is happy with whom I am happy.”
“And are you, Oliver? Are you happy with me after all of this sordid business and,” she shrugged, “everything?”
“I am. I have never been more satisfied with my life than I am at this moment. And I am determined we shall marry as soon as possible. I am not risking my little darling changing her mind about being my duchess. I will acquire the license tomorrow. Would Monday, next, suit?”
“Whenever the vicar is available, but your mother may not be free.”
“Not be available for her eldest son’s marriage? Ridiculous.” He smiled seeing her smile. “Now that that is handled, it is enough for this evening. Go to bed and sleep well. We have busy days ahead of us.”
The next morning, just after breakfast while Oliver and Lilli were meeting with Ewan, the groundskeeper and Orlan, the estate manager, about the new changes, a maid interrupted them.
“Yes, Marion? Is there a problem?” asked Lilli.
“Yes, milady. I mean I don’t know. That visitor you had several days ago has returned. What should I do with him?”
Oliver grinned. “A Mr. Northgate, perhaps, Marion?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Excellent. Put him in her ladyship’s office and have a footman stay with him. I don’t trust the scoundrel. You may offer him refreshment of tea and cake. We shall be done here shortly.”
Marion looked to Lilli who nodded in agreement. “Yes, do as the duke bids.”
“Yes, milady.”
The meeting concluded soon after and when they were alone, Oliver gave Lilli a stern admonishment. “I am going to explain to Mr. Northgate, in due time, the error of his ways but if you are to be part of this meeting, then you will not interfere with my handling of it.”
“Oliver, I am perfectly capable of telling the man off.”
“Yes, but will you before you have heard what he has to say? I mean to allow not one shilling fall into his hands from this estate, nor do I intend that he feel he can take another woman’s money because he feeds on the vulnerabilities of her kindness. Can you allow me to take charge?”
“Yes, alright.”
“Good. Let us go and meet Mr. Northgate.”
“I must say that I had not noticed Mr. Northgate to stutter so much on our first meeting,” laughed Lilli. “Nor, stumble over his words.”
“Well, I daresay, it was a shock to deal with me instead of you. It was obvious he had no idea how to deal with a man who did not intend to entertain his ludicrous offer.”
“He was rather upset about that. His face turned so darkly red that I feared he would burst. He certainly tried to leave quickly when he discovered you had real information and he didn’t have any truthful answers just vagueness in response to your inquiries.”
“And yet you were ready to pay for the emptiness of his words.”
“Yes. I’m happy you stepped in and took charge. This one time.”
“Oh, my dear it will be a much more familiar event, I assure you. And it was certainly in Northgate’s best interest to leave quickly.
It is another example of how you have taken your safety for granted.
He had been following you for quite a while on your quest. If I hadn’t seen him myself while looking for you, I would never have known he was trailing you.
I was rather proud of myself for not doing him a harm before he left for trying to extort money from my fiancée and trailing you was unacceptable. The unmitigated audacity of the man.”
“Once you exposed his following of me, it all fell apart quite handily. Yes, I agree that you showed great restraint, dear. Thank you.”
“Dear? I like that. Now, get ready so we may meet Mother for tea and discuss our nuptials. I was thinking Mother could do breakfast at Weston Ridge and we marry in your small chapel. I will have to find us a vicar for neither of us employ one at present, but I believe we shall have to change that in the future. Yes, we shall have need of one for christenings and the like.”
Tea with Georgiana, as she instructed Lilli to call her, was a delight. Lilli was quite worried about her reception, but she needn’t have been. Amidst tea, in walked another gentleman that looked much like Oliver.
“Walter! Back from France just in time to see me leg-shackled,” said Oliver as he hugged him vigorously.
“Not to this creature, surely,” Walter said as he smiled and kissed Lilli’s hand before hugging his mother.
“Walter, this is my bride to be Lady Lilliana Griffin. Lilli, my younger brother, Andrew. He stays in France at our chateau.”
“Previously stayed. I think it is time for me to find a fair lady to put up with me as you and have. I fear it shall be hard to compete.” He kissed Lilli’s hand.
“Here, darling,” said Georgiana, “I shall have a heartier tea brought. Sit with me and let us know all your news.”
After a time of catching up, the men discussed how they could divide the work between London affairs, the family estate and Heatherfield.
“I see it as quite easy, brother,” said Andrew. “I long for civilization after being in the French countryside for several years. I will take over the London businesses and will meet with the solicitor on areas you need for the two estates. Does Lilliana have a solicitor?”
“No. The last one died several years ago and she hasn’t retained another. We will work on that. Once I settle on the vicar, we will go on to the work at hand. You can leave after the marriage, if you like. I was recently at Weston House while I was in London, so it should be easy to settle into.”
“Excellent. Now I need a bath and clean clothes. We shall speak again later. Shall I go to Heatherfield?”
“Yes. We will have dinner at seven. Will that give you enough time?”
“Done. See you and my new sister-in-law then.”