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Susan made to leave but, with a glance at Benjamin that confirmed he was occupied with his toy, she lowered her voice. “Mother never told me the truth about...” She indicated the boy with a nod. “She’d told me he’d died. She lied.”
Lizzy had heard a sketchy telling of the story from Lady Fenton. She had not wanted to pry too much, but she was more than curious. The events surrounding Susan and Benjamin had, after all, motivated Mrs Hodge’s behaviour towards Lizzy.
“I know.”
Susan ruffled the lad’s hair. Lowering her voice even more, she said, “He was given to a farming family. Mama used to visit him. After all, she had no other grandchildren. Apparently, Harry Dalgleish learned the truth. Furthermore, he was able to provide proof of who Benjamin really was, and so he blackmailed Mama.”
“And my poor Lizzy was to pay the price,” Theo said grimly.
“It wasn’t only me who paid the price.” Lizzy looked at Susan.
“I’m not sure who is paying the price now,” Susan said, her smile stretching even further. “Harry was counting on a timely marriage…to you, Lizzy,” she said, “because he had gaming debts and a very nasty, impatient creditor threatening him. He didn’t have much time to come up with the money. I don’t know who proposed their marital agreement, but you can imagine my surprise to learn that he and Mama will be married next week. Harry will then enjoy the financial benefits of being married to a rich widow, and Mama need no longer fear the shame of having our…unfortunate little family secret revealed.”
“Good heavens,” Lizzy whispered, unable to say more.
Susan’s smile faded. “Of course, you can imagine Sir Richard’s reaction if the truth about Benjamin were revealed. Mama is dreadfully afraid of that. And of Sir Richard.” She hesitated. “Mama has also become used to the benefits of being so well received in high society. Invitations issued by Lord and Lady Quamby, and Lord Fenton and their friends, mean a great deal to her. I suppose she made an arrangement that would safeguard that position—even at such a high cost.”
She was nearly out of the doorway now. “I’ll bring Benjamin back in an hour. I have a couple of hours’ journey ahead of me, and Sir Richard will grow vexed if I’m away too long.” She stopped, took a deep breath, then said, “But thank you for making this possible.” She stroked Benjamin’s dark head. “It means the world to me.”
“I think thanks are mostly due to you, darling Theo,” Lizzy said when she’d gone, stepping into Theo’s arms and resting her cheek against his chest.
“And commiserations to poor Harry,” murmured Theo. “Or commiserations to poor Mrs Hodge?”
They both stepped back, able to laugh with pure abandon at the incongruity of such a match. Harry and Mrs Hodge. “Though I think they deserve each other,” Lizzy added.
“Not as much as we do,” Theo said, lowering his face to kiss Lizzy. “Deserve each other, I mean.”
At the soft brush of his lips, Lizzy felt the beginnings of excitement begin the s
low, all-encompassing journey from the tips of her fingers and toes.
This was how it started—that magical sense of expectation that, in Theo’s arms, rewarded her highest hopes, every time.
THE END
