AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Elizabeth laughed. Still holding Ash’s hand, she reached for Robert’s. “You’re both breathtaking. And… and…” Tears threatened, but his brave, beautiful wife closed her eyes for a moment until she could control her emotions and continue, “For the first time in a year, I feel as if my broken heart has finally mended.”
“Oh, Lizzie,” Ash crooned with a smile. “I, too, feel as if my heart can finally beat again,” Ash said softly. “And it’s all because of you.” He turned to Robert. “And you.”
Without missing a beat, Robert turned and headed to the Birdseye maple side table that matched his desk, where he poured three brandies. By then, Ash and Elizabeth were beside him.
“To the best of homecomings,” Robert said and handed Ash and Elizabeth their drinks. After they toasted, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Ash’s lips. “It’s been forever.”
Ash wrapped his hand around Robert’s neck and closed his eyes as he kissed him in return. The taste of his lips reminded Robert of home and fresh air and scents that were as familiar as his own. Good God, he loved this man and this woman more than life itself.
When Ash slowly pulled away, Robert’s heart tripped in his chest when he caught a glimpse of awe in his lover’s gaze.
“I’m home for good. How are our trees?” Ash smirked, but Robert knew this man as well as he knew himself. Ash loved the three saplings Elizabeth had given them so long ago.
So did Robert. He’d had brought them when they moved to London and had planted them in the center of the formal garden. It was another reminder that they belonged in Wickford.
“See for yourself.” Robert waved a hand toward the French doors that lead to the courtyard.
Ash’s eyes widened. “My word, they’ve grown at least three feet since last year.” He turned his gaze to Robert. “You have a green thumb, Robbie. I’ll make a farmer out of you yet.” Ash winked, then turned to Elizabeth. “Any new rumors or outlandish gossip I should be aware of?”
“Not a peep. The Midnight Cryer is out of business.” Her smile slipped somewhat.
God, how Robert had hated that gossip rag. When he and Elizabeth had announced that they were marrying, The Midnight Cryer’s owner, Martin Richmond, had written a column that suggested he and Ash were lovers. Thankfully, no one believed it, and Richmond had turned elsewhere for stories. But it was another lesson that they’d learned. They made it a point to be careful of how they portrayed themselves in public.
“Be still, my heart.” Ash theatrically leaned back and placed his hand over his heart. “The Midnight Cryer is no more.” Then, he stole a peek at Robert. “Really?”
Robert nodded once, then hmphed to himself softly. If the ton only knew they considered themselves married to one another, every single member would call for their smelling salts.
“Things will be better now that you’re here,” Elizabeth said a little too brightly, but her eyes were guarded.
“Then why do you look upset?” Ash narrowed his eyes, then turned to Robert. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Elizabeth murmured. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Ash’s blond eyebrows arched. “Let me guess.”
“There’s no need.” Robert sighed. They all knew who the instigator of making mountains out of molehills was within the family. “It’s Eleanor.”
“What’s your aunt done this time? Demanded that the family silver be polished every day?” A look of horror suddenly crossed Archer’s handsome face. He quickly pulled Elizabeth to his side. “Please say she’s not moving in.”
Elizabeth burrowed her head into his chest. “Nothing as horrid as that. But she’s making Robert’s life absolutely miserable. She’s here every single morning, setting out his agenda for the day. She’s even in constant communication with his secretary, Mr. Benson. Always wanting to know what Robert is doing, whom he’s seeing, where he’s been.”
“What is her purpose?” Ash looked at Robert as he pressed a kiss to Elizabeth’s forehead.
“She has high political ambitions for me. Just like my grandfather. She thinks I should be prime minister.” He lifted his brandy to his mouth and drained it in one gulp. The liquid was soothing, but it did little to cool the ire that threatened to bubble into a full boil. “The damnable thing of it is, she hounds Elizabeth too. Eleanor is trying to make her into her own image if that’s possible. A darling of the ton who wields her own type of political power.”
“Eleanor wants me to volunteer at a foundling home that’s popular with the ton.” Elizabeth pursed her lips to hide her groan, but the unmistakable sound escaped anyway. She tapped a foot in aggravation. “Eleanor’s choice of foundling home doesn’t need my attention. All her friends like to be seen there. I much prefer volunteering at the one that my friend, Amelia Richmond, works at. The children who live there have no visitors.”
“You should ignore Eleanor and do what you want, darling.” Ash pulled Elizabeth to his side. “What else has your aunt done, Robbie?”
“She’s making Elizabeth become a member of the board for the local ladies' auxiliary on Thursdays.” Robert bit the inside of his cheek to keep from roaring. “And if that’s not enough, she schools Elizabeth endlessly about the most popular couples in the ton and badgers her to invite them to dinner parties. She even critiques her gowns.”
Robert fisted one hand. All of Elizabeth’s discontent was his fault. Every last piece of it.
He’d been so unsophisticated eight years ago. When his wily aunt had found him and Elizabeth in bed, she’d used it as leverage against him. She had inferred that Robert’s indiscretion would ruin the family and others. Undoubtedly, others meant Ash and Elizabeth. Eleanor had said that she would only keep quiet about the whole affair if Robert married Elizabeth as quickly as possible, with the additional promise that he’d pursue a political career. That meant they had to live in London.
So, to protect the people he loved, Robert had agreed to the old harridan’s demands. He’d married Elizabeth in a quiet ceremony with Ash and their butler, Winter, as witnesses. Afterward, he’d immersed himself in all the political machinations that made up the House of Lords.
Little did he know that his aunt’s demand would be a never-ending diatribe of his failures. But when Aunt Eleanor had started to include Elizabeth in her weekly criticisms, it had gone too far. Robert had grown tired of the constant expectations of using his friends and acquaintances as stepping-stones for the prime minister post.
