Chapter Twenty-One

Michael and Clarissa walked through the front door of Suthenshire House at the same time. Time seemed to slow. Elaine held her breath, the rest of her sentence fading the moment her eyes fell on Michael. And James seemed to do the same, his attention going straight to the blond-haired beauty by Michael’s side.

But then he seemed to remember his anger a moment later and stepped forward, “What are you doing here?” he began but Clarissa slid between him and Michael.

“James, may we speak alone?” she asked. Elaine scarcely heard her and she certainly didn’t hear James response. All she knew was that, within seconds, she and Michael were alone.

He didn’t come any closer. But his eyes…oh, the look in them made it so hard to maintain her anger.

“May we speak?” he asked gently.

She put on a mask of neutral wariness, knowing her response before she allowed herself to speak it aloud. “Very well.”

“I wish to speak with Lord Suthenshire first,” he continued. “And I need you to be there.”

Elaine frowned. “Why do you want to speak to my father?”

“Because it is time you learned the truth.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that. So she simply nodded, turned, and began making her way up the staircase. A shiver washed over her skin as he followed. He was close enough for her to smell his cologne, close enough that she knew he would collide with her if she stopped suddenly. Her heart thundered against her chest but she didn’t allow herself to consider what he could possibly want to say to her father.

As it happened, Edward was awake when they entered his room, being fed his afternoon meal by one of the maids.

“Leave us please,” Elaine ordered softly and the maid quickly complied. She kept her eyes on her father, watching as bemusement turned to panic.

“Pa.” She approached slowly, her tone soft. “The Duke of Ryewood would like to speak with you.”

Behind her, Michael approached as well. “Good day, Lord Suthenshire.”

Edward’s eyes remained wide, as if he was looking at a ghost. And then tears were suddenly streaming down his face.

“Pa!” Elaine flew to his side. “Michael, you should leave. I do not know what you’ve done, but you’re only upsetting him.”

“No, it’s fine,” Edward pushed out. He laid a hand on Elaine’s arm as if trying to push her away. “I want to speak with him as well.”

Michael was as still as a statue, his face unreadable. “You knew this day would come.”

Jerkily, Edward nodded. “My sins were bound to catch up to me eventually.”

“Pa, what are you talking about?”

Edward grasped Elaine’s hand tightly in his own. “There is something I have been keeping from you and your brother, Elaine. Something that has been eating me alive for years now.”

“I’m sure it couldn’t be that bad,” she tried to assure but the sadness in her father’s eyes only deepened.

“Four years ago, I stood before the House of Lords during the trial of the late Duke of Ryewood and committed a heinous act. I told numerous lies against the late duke so that he may be convicted for treason and sentenced to punishment in the colonies.”

Her world rocked around her. Elaine couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t see anything past the tears already blurring her vision. “Pa…why?”

Edward was slowly coming undone before her. “Because I was a foolish man who craved power. Because I envied what the late duke possessed. Because I allowed myself to be led rather than committing myself to my morals.” He turned his watery eyes to Michael. “That is the reason you are here, isn’t it? Because you know the truth and you intend to ensure I pay for my crimes.”

Elaine gasped, whirling to face Michael. She waited for him to say that wasn’t true but he simply stared at her father without a word.

“Michael?” she whispered. “Is that why you’re here?”

Slowly, Michael turned his eyes to her. “That was the reason I returned to London, yes. My father died a sad and disgraced man because of the lies your father and other members of the House of Lords told. I wanted justice. I wanted revenge. And that is why I approached you that day.”

Her knees gave way. Elaine sank onto the edge of her father’s bed, tears streaming down her face.

“My intention was to befriend you so that I could learn the secrets of your family and use it against you. You were never the object of my vengeance, yet I was willing to use you and discard you as I deemed fit. I had the plan worked out in my head and everything was going as intended.” He swallowed thickly. “That was, until I spoke to you. The moment you spoke your first word to me, I forgot my plan. I forgot that I was supposed to make you like me so that you could trust me with your secrets. I forgot about my plan of revenge. When I was with you, I felt more like myself than I have in years. I relaxed, I laughed, I felt…happy. And then when we were apart, I continued the vicious cycle of convincing myself I was doing the right thing for my family. I never intended to fall in love with you.”

She didn’t know what to do with herself. Part of her wanted to flee the room, unwilling to hear any more; the larger part clung to hope.

Michael stepped forward, his brow creasing slightly. “I was wrong. For my plan, for wanting to use you, for not being honest. I was wrong and I came to that realization far too late. Because of that, I did the one thing I hadn’t realised I wouldn’t be able to handle. I hurt you. I lost your trust. And I lost the chance to tell you how much I love you.”

“Michael…” She wiped her tears, searching for her words. “But what about what my father did? How can you love me when you still harbour such resentment towards him?”

“I do not anymore. Not now that I know the full truth.”

“The full truth?”

Michael looked at Edward. “You were the face behind the lies but not the mastermind. The Marquess of Grovington was the person who orchestrated everything, wasn’t he?”

“It does not matter,” Edward murmured. “My crimes remained the same.”

“That is true. However, I see that you have recognised the error of your ways, and with time, I shall find it in my heart to forgive you. Besides, there is no honour in kicking one who is already down.” Michael moved to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. “And that is not the only reason I wished to see you. I would like to ask you something important.”

“What is that?”

“If she would have me, may I have your blessing to marry your daughter?”

Elaine thought she might collapse at any moment. She met her father’s eyes and then watched as he nodded at Michael.

“You do,” Edward told him.

Michael straightened. He paused a moment as if preparing himself before he began to turn. “Elaine—”

Elaine launched herself at him. Michael caught her in time, steadying them both.

“I should hate you,” she said hastily. “I tried to. Truly, I did. But given everything you just said, how can I?”

Michael searched her eyes, hope washing his expression. “Does this mean you forgive me?”

“Do you truly want to marry me? Do you truly love me?”

“More than anything in the world. I intend on spending the rest of my life ensuring that you know it.”

Elaine smiled, kissing him soundly, not caring that her father was watching. “Then yes!”

“Yes to what?” Michael asked with a laugh.

“Yes, you are forgiven. And yes, I shall marry you.”

Michael let out a shout of joy, picking her up and twirling her around. Elaine laughed through her tears.

“I love you too, Michael,” she told him as he set her down. “But I do hope you know you will have to explain yourself to James as well.”

“I have already prepared for it.”

As it happened, by the time they made it back downstairs, James and Clarissa were making their way back from the gardens, grinning from ear to ear. They all went to the drawing room. Elaine and Clarissa sat together while James and Michael stood—James with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face while Michael aced him with the full explanation of everything that happened.

James was not happy. And he certainly had no issue with stating that. But it took one word from Clarissa—something about forgiveness—for him to give Michael a chance. And when Elaine inquired about why they were so happy, Clarissa announced that James had asked for her hand in marriage.

Celebrations were in order, that much was certain. Elaine’s mind swam with everything she would have to do. Informing Lorna, who would certainly want to throw an engagement ball. Planning the wedding. Informing her brother at Eton.

But for now, she was content to enjoy the moment, to bask in the love from her future husband and tease James about his obvious affection for Clarissa.

For now, she was happy to forget everything that had happened and finally, for the first time in a long while, believe that she truly could have a happy ending.