Page 49 of The Widow’s Christmas Surprise

She turned to face Hugh, resolved not to think about the uncertainties of her life, only the things she knew to be true. That Hugh loved her, and she loved him. That despite anything that happened with his brother, she and Hugh would be together. And therefore, she would not be leaving for Scotland in the morning.

Hugh’s eyes opened, only halfway at first, then a frown touched his brow. “What are you thinking, my love? You’re frowning.” He kissed her forehead right where it joined her nose. “I hope it does not mean you are having second thoughts?”

“Absolutely not.” She slid her arms around his neck and snuggled down beside him. No one had ever made her feel so warm and safe. “Although I was thinking that things have now changed.”

“Indeed they have.” Raising up, he kissed the tip of her nose. “I hope that is not a surprise to you.”

She smiled into his neck. “No, it is not. I’m actually quite glad that things have changed between us. And because they have, I do not see any reason for me to go to Scotland.”

“Why did I think that would be your first thought after we shared intimacies?” He continued a trail of kisses down her neck.

“Because it is true. The major reason I was going with Jane and Lord Kinellan was to keep this from happening.” Peeping underneath the cover, she clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Tsk, tsk. Now it would be like shutting the stable door after the steed is stolen.”

“It may have been one reason, but not the only one, if you remember. There is also the notion that we should keep you away from Lord Wetherby. That has not disappeared.” With a sigh, Hugh lay back on the mattress, staring at the canopy overhead. “If we could marry now, then our problems might be solved. But like it or not, the matter of money must be taken into account.”

“It is my own fault, I suppose.” Maria ran her hand over Hugh’s bare chest. “If I had only waited and let my father make settlement arrangements before my marriage to Alan, I would at least have something we could perhaps have lived on. But I was afraid he would not marry me if we waited, and the result of that folly is that I have nothing. Alan didn’t even have the decency to provide for me and his child in a will. Jane said he could have made a bequest if he’d wanted to. He was so sure the child would be a boy, I suppose, that he didn’t think he needed to make a will.”

“He did make a will, Maria.”

“What?” She raised up in the bed to stare at Hugh. “Why would you say that?”

“Because I witnessed it.” Hugh sat up as well, his head cocked, a frown furrowing his brow.

“That’s impossible. Mr. Clarke, the solicitor, would have told me.” Hugh’s words made no sense whatsoever. If Alan had made a will . . . “When did you sign the document? Soon after he inherited the title?” That was the most likely time a will would have been made.

Hugh shook his head. “He asked me and Mr. Chambers to sign a paper on the morning of the duel.” He swallowed and looked away. “About an hour before he died.”

“But why was I not told this?” Why had the solicitor lied to her? “Mr. Clarke assured me that there was no will that benefitted me or little Jane. It was one of the first things we asked once we understood there was no male heir.”

Flopping back onto the bed, Hugh punched the mattress. “Blast it to hell. I beg your pardon, my love. It was the junior clerk.”

“What are you talking about?”

“That morning in April, Lord Kersey had us sign the paper, then gave it to me. I was leaving that morning for London on business and he asked me to take it to the solicitor’s office.” He flung his hand over his head. “The foolish clerk mislaid the will. It did not come to Mr. Clarke’s attention until the current Lord Kersey had been found. He asked me about it when he came to Kersey Hall two weeks ago.”

“April?” Astonishment gave way to incredulity. And anger. “You have known about this will since April and did not think to tell me about it?”

“Maria, please.” Hugh shook his head and tried to take her hand, but she crossed her arms across her chest. “I did not know for certain it was a will until two weeks ago. That morning I signed it I hoped it was something to benefit you and your child. But the late Lord Kersey did not take me into his confidence about it. It was not until Mr. Clarke told me it was a will that I knew for certain.”

“And you could have told me about it two weeks ago. Why would you wish to keep something like that from me?” Fighting to hold back tears, Maria sniffed and wiped her eyes with the tail end of their covering.

“I swear to you I did not. Here, get back underneath the cover. You’ll freeze again.” Pulling the curtain around her shoulders, Hugh scrambled from the bed and stoked the fire. “This is the last of the wood. We shall have to leave shortly.” He disappeared into the bathing chamber. When he returned he had his shirt on and her still wet clothing in his hands. “We should have hung these up to dry at least a little.”

“Why did you not tell me, Hugh?” An outlandish fear gripped her that Hugh hadn’t wanted her to have an inheritance. That way he could plead financial difficulties as a way to keep from marrying her.

“My love, I didn’t know that Mr. Clarke hadn’t told you.” He dropped the clothes to the floor and took her into his arms. “In fact, I assumed he had, especially when immediately afterwards you moved from this house back to Kersey Hall. I thought the will had contained some kind of stipulation that would allow you and Jane to always live on the estate.”

“So you don’t know what is in the will?”

Hugh shook his head. “Mr. Clarke showed me the page with the signatures on it, nothing more. Nor did he divulge its contents to me.” He kissed her and held her tight, soothing her fears. “But I think that if he did not tell you, you need to go to London and find out.”

“Absolutely. Just think, if I have even a small inheritance, we may be able to marry regardless of your brother’s circumstances. Will you take me?” The prospect of spending the several days’ journey to and from London with Hugh made her take heart afresh.

“I do not think that would be wise, my love. First, I am still employed by Lord Kersey. My duty to him will keep me here. Second, we do not need him to know about this business, as any will favoring you would consequently not favor him.”

“True.” She burrowed closer to him. “I will tell this all to Jane. She will devise a plan, I’m sure.”

“Now come.” He kissed her and drew her to the edge of the bed. “We must make you look as disheveled as possible, without making you so uncomfortable that you freeze. Take the top curtain and wrap it around you.” Picking up her sodden riding habit, he tossed it onto the remaining curtain and proceeded to roll it up in the material. “This will wring some of the water out of your clothing, but it must be damp enough that people at the Hall will believe you fell through the ice.” He looked at her apologetically. “It’s going to be a rather cold ride back to the Hall.”