“You’ve grown up to be a fine-looking woman,” her uncle said.
Grace glanced at Matt. “Who is he?”
Smiling wickedly, he replied, “Grace, allow me to introduce your uncle, Mr. Edgar Molton. Molton, my wife, the Countess of Worthington.”
He paled and grabbed onto the chair he stood next to. “Wife?” he uttered faintly.
Matt hardened his gaze. “Wife.”
“But—but there was no announcement.”
Keeping his arm around Grace, he poured glasses of wine for himself and Grace. Molton could go thirsty. “It’s been sent, but not yet printed. The holiday, you understand.”
Grace took her glass and glanced up. “Worthington, I don’t understand what is going on.”
“Your uncle, my love, decided to blackmail us. He had a man watching the house yesterday. The person saw you enter and not leave until this morning.”
“Blackmail? Not the children?” She gave a sigh of relief. “That is not at all what I thought he would do.”
Grinning, he hugged her closer. He had been prepared for her to swoon. But blackmail was not her fear. It was having the children taken away. “No. It seems his needs are much simpler.” He turned to her uncle. “Not that you deserve an explanation, but I shall give you one. We are renovating the house for the children. At present, my family, including my stepmother, the lady you approached earlier, and our brothers and sisters are living at Stanwood House. Grace and I sleep here.”
Molton seemed to shrink into the chair. “All my plans, all my money, gone. I should have known it was too good to be true.”
Matt tugged the bell-pull. “Mr. Molton, if you have no further business, I suggest you depart.”
Molton seemed to have aged ten years. He stood. “Yes, yes.”
“I understand one may live much more inexpensively overseas. I propose you think about it. If I ever see or hear of you near either of our houses or the children again, I shall have no difficulty in making your life decidedly difficult.”
Thorton came and escorted Molton out.
Grace shook her head unbelievingly. “All he wanted was money?”
He took her glass and set it on his desk before drawing her closer. “Yes, he had no interest in the children at all, other as a means to get what he really desired.”
“Then your petition will be granted without challenge.”
Matt took Grace in his arms, twirling her around before kissing her deeply. “It’s already been granted. Herndon sent for me earlier.”
Melting into him, she returned each languid caress of his tongue with hers. He was moving her toward the daybed he’d had delivered, when Grace pulled back and her eyes widened. “Then—then we’ve nothing to worry about anymore?”
He gave a shout of laughter. “If you don’t think having two young ladies making their come out nothing to worry about, then I suppose you’re right. I, however, am not quite so sanguine.”
His wife opened her lips to speak, and he swooped to take possession of them. After kissing her thoroughly, he raised his head. “I shall rely on your good sense. In the meantime, we have more important issues to attend to.”
She gazed at him. “Indeed, my lord, and what would they be?”
He pushed her gown and stays down, before taking her in his arms again. “Scandalizing the servants.”
* * *
A discreet tap sounded on the door as Grace adjusted her bodice.
“My lord,” Thorton said, “Harold is bringing Miss Daisy over for her lessons shortly. I thought you might wish to be ready.”
Matt brushed his lips across Grace’s. “He means presentable.”
“I imagine he does. How is she doing?”
