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“Me!” she exclaimed. “I thought we knew all there was about me!”
Rufus’s heart was hammering as he held the missive in hands. He wasn’t sure if he would feel over the moon or deeply disappointed in the next few minutes.“It’s your aunt’s final letter.” He cleared his throat and glanced at the three rapt faces now staring at him. “The letter, itself, is obviously addressed to you, Miss Montrose. This, however, is a response from your aunt’s solicitor, Mr Cuthbert, regarding some enquiries I made on your behalf—forgive me—regarding what I thought was…suspicious behaviour on the part of your cousin, Susana.” He looked down at the writing and a thrill coursed through him. “He has in fact confirmed everything—”
“Confirmed what?” interrupted Lady Quamby.
“Perhaps Miss Montrose should just read her aunt’s letter. Mr Cuthbert says everything is detailed within it.”
“You’re surely not going to read it in private, are you, Miss Montrose?” demanded Lady Quamby. “Not after all we’ve done to see you as well situated as possible, enjoying our vested interest.”
Ignoring them, Miss Montrose took her aunt’s letter. As she began to pace up and down the room by the window, she unfolded it, and began to read aloud:
“My dear Eliza,
Your father left me his fortune with the stipulation that when you had served your sentence, you should be free to enjoy the fruits of his labours as you see fit.
For seven years, I have carried out his orders. You were to have no friends, no followers, and no contact with the child you bore, stained as the creature was, with your sin. There have been times when I’ve questioned whether I’ve been too harsh, such as in denying you the chance to make up your own mind with regard to Mr Morley’s offer.
However, I am sustained by the rightness in such efforts to cleanse you of your wrongdoing. Only by enduring the severest privations can you hope to be redeemed.
You have served me dutifully, if, at times, wilfully.
And so, I make this final Will and Testament that upon my death—and with the exception of a few small bequests, and my cottage which shall go to Susana—the bulk of my fortune and worldly assets will transfer to you.”
There was a moment of silence before Lady Fenton said in wonder, “You are a wealthy woman, Miss Montrose.”
“And free to follow your heart!” cried Lady Quamby.
Miss Montrose stared around at all of them as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.
And then she picked up her skirts and fled into the corridor.
Chapter 21
Immediately Eliza left the breakfast room she ran all the way to Devil.
Together they’d ridden as far as the horizon and back.
A great joy filled her, but a great sadness too. Her aunt had stolen seven years from her through a misguided sense of redeeming her.
Lying on the grass in the middle of a paddock, she thought on all she’d felt and witnessed. The Brightwell sisters claimed Mr Patmore’s injured pride coupled with his belief that she’d put Jack ahead of him, accounted for his attitude.
Was pride, rather than condemnation of her moral laxness, the real reason he’d not fought for her?
When she returned as the sun was dipping over the horizon, she went straight to her bedchamber. She couldn’t face them at dinner. There was too much to think about. She knew the young ladies would be in a fever of impatience to seek her out and learn what she intended to do.
But they’d have to wait until morning.
Mr Patmore, on the other hand, would only have to wait until tonight.
It was well after ten when the house became quiet, and she heard the guests retiring for the night. With beating heart, Eliza crept out of her bedchamber, in her nightrail covered with a shawl, and softly trod the corridor towards Mr Patmore’s room. She was prepared for a rebuttal, but she also knew she couldn’t bear not to be given one more chance.
Just one more chance at happiness. She’d been denied that final chance with Orlando, and she’d been denied any chance with Mr Morley.
After a soft knock on Mr Patmore’s bedchamber door, and not hearing any response, she quietly pushed open the door, and candle held aloft, tiptoed into his bedchamber.
Her disappointment was acute when she saw his bed empty and no sign of him anywhere.
Putting her candle on the side table, she lowered herself onto the bed and put her face in her hands.
