31. Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
A lice burst into the cool night air, her heart thundering against her ribs as she emerged from Fairfax Hall with urgency. The same grand entrance where she had first arrived now felt transformed by moonlight. Lady Fairfax stood with her back turned, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she watched Victor attend to his bay horse. Servants held the reins while he made final preparations, his movements mechanical as though every gesture pained him.
At the sound of Alice’s footsteps, Lady Fairfax spun around, her eyes widening before her jaw set in some sort of grim determination.
“You should leave, Miss Montrose.”
Victor tensed at the sound of her name, then turned slowly. The sight of him pulled at her very core—his face drawn and pale, shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked utterly powerless, as though he had accepted some terrible fate. The very thought made her chest constrict painfully.
That expression of resignation sparked something within her. She lifted her chin and stepped forward to address Lady Fairfax directly.
“My lady, you have been incredibly welcoming during my stay at Fairfax Hall. I know Captain Lacey and I could have caused great scandal for you.”
Victor’s attention snapped fully to her now, abandoning his horse to the servants’ care as questions filled his expression. Lady Fairfax’s own countenance remained carefully neutral.
“You need not concern yourself,” Lady Fairfax said. “Captain Lacey was just leaving.”
“As he should,” Alice agreed, watching Victor wince at her words. “I only ask that you allow him a few more hours here at Fairfax Hall—to make amends.” She paused momentarily, hoping her playacting was convincing enough. “His Grace has discovered the truth about our indiscretion at Violet Cottage, and the situation is … delicate. The Duke of Gainsbury is hoping to exchange some words with Victor before personally seeing him off the property.”
“Wait one moment, I do not see why—” Victor began, stepping forward.
Alice silenced him with a single look, surprised by the power she seemed to hold over him at that moment. She turned back to Lady Fairfax, who studied them both with obvious suspicion.
Just then, a figure stepped out from the grand manor, the light of the hall at her back silhouetting her figure. The maid stepped forward in obvious distress.
“My Lady,” Miss Eastridge said, her voice quivering with trepidation. When Alice had involved her in their scheme, she had not realized how talented the maid was at changing her emotions. Perhaps working in the Montrose house had its perks.
“What is it?” Lady Fairfax asked, her attention warring between Alice and Miss Eastridge.
“Pardon me for the interruption, but one of the footmen slipped on a flower petal and now a half dozen glasses of wine are shattered on the ballroom floor.”
Both Alice and Lady Fairfax blinked, shocked. When Alice had asked her to make a diversion, she never expected something like this. Lady Fairfax’s mouth became tight, eyes flashing from Alice to Victor, then back to Miss Eastridge. She let out a very loud grumble.
“I must attend to this,” the countess finally said to Alice. “His Grace may work out whatever disagreement between you, but I will not have a scandal of a duel at the dowager’s birthday party. Is that clear?”
When Lady Fairfax made no move to withdraw, Alice gave her a half-hearted nod, then gestured toward the lantern-lit path leading to the rose gardens.
“The duke awaits just this way, Captain Lacey.”
Victor executed a stiff bow to Lady Fairfax before falling into step beside Alice. The moment they were out of earshot, he seized her arm.
“What is this about Gainsbury?” he demanded in a fierce whisper.
Alice’s fingers shook as she walked, her mind racing. Everything hinged on this moment—her entire future balanced on whether Victor could accept what she offered. But what if Elias had been wrong? What if Victor’s feelings were nothing more than momentary passion? What if his heart remained too wounded? The questions threatened to overwhelm her, stealing her voice.
They reached the rose gardens where moonlight painted silver patterns through climbing vines. The night air hung heavy with perfume from countless blooms, their petals glowing like pearls in the darkness. Victor’s grip tightened on her wrist, bringing them to an abrupt halt.
“What is going on?” His voice held an edge of desperation. When she didn’t immediately respond, his other hand rose to her chin, tipping her face up to meet his gaze. “Has something happened? What is wrong?”
“The engagement is off.”
The words seemed to strike him like a ball bearing to the chest. All the color drained from his face as he shook his head slowly.
“Was this because he found out about our time at Violet Cottage? Did you explain to him that nothing happened? I-I can fix this, I can?—”
Alice shook her head.
“I only said that to deceive Lady Fairfax. We did not end the engagement for any reason other than we are not meant to be together.”
“No.” His voice emerged rough with emotion. “No, you must marry him.”
“I cannot,” Alice said firmly.
“You promised,” he said. “You gave me your word that you would?—”
“I promised to say yes when he proposed,” she cut in. “Nothing more. I never vowed to follow through with the marriage itself.” She stepped closer, taking his trembling hands in hers. “I thought I could love Elias, but it would be a lie. I can no longer pretend my heart belongs to anyone but you.”
Victor released a strangled breath, his expression twisting with something between agony and desperate hope. His hand rose to cup her cheek with exquisite gentleness.
“No, I beg of you,” he whispered. “Elias can heal you. A man as damaged as me ... I do not think I can.”
“But it must be you.” She met his gaze steadily, despite the tears threatening to fall. “When I think about facing this life—plodding along day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment—in my mind’s eye, you are always there, by my side.”
His lips trembled as moisture gathered at the corners of his eyes. For a moment, she thought he might break down completely. Instead, he drew her close with sudden urgency, claiming her mouth with his. They crashed together like waves breaking against stone, her fingers tangling in his hair as his hands cradled her face. Though passion burned between them, his touch remained reverent, as though she might shatter if handled too roughly.
Her mind emptied of everything but the sensation of his lips on hers, her heart lighter than she’d ever known it could be. When they finally parted, his forehead rested against hers as an uneven laugh escaped him. Tears glimmered on his cheeks in the moonlight.
“I thought,” he said, his voice lowered, “that I had been blessed beyond measure to know love once in this life. I had accepted my fate—to walk alone until my dying day.” His thumb brushed a tear from her cheek as bittersweet joy transformed his features. “I never imagined I could be fortunate enough to find such love again. I was wrong, so terribly wrong.” His fingers traced the line of her jaw with infinite care. “My heart is yours entirely, Alice.”
“And mine, yours,” she whispered back.
He kissed her again, deeper this time, as though trying to pour years of loneliness and longing into a single moment. They clung to each other desperately, afraid to let go lest they be swept apart. When Alice finally drew back, her hands gripped his coat to steady herself.
“In an hour,” she said carefully, “a carriage will arrive at Violet Cottage.”
He blinked at her, still dazed from their kiss. Understanding dawned slowly across his features as she continued.
“It will take us to the inn at Weybridge, where there is a coach to Scotland.” She tightened her grip on his lapels, willing him to read the depth of her devotion in her eyes. “Come with me.”
“Elope?” The word emerged barely above a whisper.
“Yes.”
His gaze drifted toward Violet Cottage, its darkened windows barely visible across the lake. She could see memories in his expression—all he had lost, all the pain that still lingered. Love was one thing, but binding himself forever when his heart remained so tender was another entirely.
“You are a madwoman,” he finally said. “We have known each other but a fortnight.”
“If you do not wish to?—”
“The answer is yes. I will follow you anywhere,” his voice was completely certain. A bark of laughter escaped him as he pressed one hand to his forehead in disbelief. “Good Lord, but can you imagine the scandal? Your mother and the Dowager Countess will be apoplectic, and Gainsbury—what will he think?”
A deep voice emerged from the shadows.
“He would give his full blessing.”
They turned to find Elias standing at the entrance to the rose garden, his dark hair stirred by the night breeze. He approached with measured steps, hands clasped behind his back.
“And he would wish you all the happiness in the world,” he said.
Before either could respond, Elias seized Victor in a fierce embrace that made the smaller man grunt in protest.
“Ow! You could be gentler,” Victor complained as Elias released him.
“Are you certain about this?” Victor continued, his expression growing serious. “It will sully both your reputations.”
Elias clapped a hand on his shoulder.
“Perhaps I deserve to be knocked from my perch,” he said, then nodded toward the glowing windows of Fairfax Hall. “But your lady love and I put on quite the romantic display back there. That should keep the ton distracted, at least for a few days.”
“Who knows about this plan?”
“Mrs. Montrose. The dowager. Soon enough, Lady Fairfax.” Elias’s smile held a hint of mischief. “I shall employ every charm at my disposal to keep this contained until the celebration ends. Enjoy your peace while you can.”
“Thank you, Gainsbury,” Victor said softly.
Elias merely smiled and gestured toward Violet Cottage. “Go. I’ll have Miss Montrose’s things sent with the carriage. If you’re caught here, I cannot promise you won’t make the morning papers.”
With a final nod, Elias turned and strode back toward the hall, then paused at the entrance of the rose garden.
“Oh, and Lacey?”
“Yes?”
“Give her the Poet’s Treatment.”
And he left them alone beneath the stars. Alice looked up at Victor, and he took her hand, weaving their fingers together. Something electric passed between them at the contact.
“Come, Lady Rose.”
Alice shook her head, touching the empty spot on her breast where the pin had been.
“I gave up my flower.”
“Then come, future Mrs. Lacey.”
They ran through the moonlit gardens, past the carefully tended roses and through gaps in the hedges, their laughter echoing across the grounds. As they passed the lakeside gazebo where they had laid their broken hearts bare, Alice felt lighter than the wind. The darkness that had plagued her for so long seemed to lift, replaced by something warmer—not the blinding sunlight Elias had offered, but the gentle glow of starlight reflecting off still water.
A light she could live with, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, for all the days to come.