Chapter Twenty-Seven

“S he’s coming to.”

Mirella heard the voice from a distance and stirred. She was enveloped in warmth and reluctant to open her eyes. Then she felt a cold, wet cloth placed upon her brow.

And inhaled the scent of Byron.

Her eyes flew open, and she saw her family gathered around her, concern on their faces. She turned. Her gaze met Byron’s. She realized she was in his arms and began wriggling, trying to escape.

“No, love,” he said softly. “Be still. You fainted.”

Indignantly, she told him, “I have never fainted.”

His lips twitched in amusement. “Never say never.”

Everything came rushing back to her. Seeing him with the woman and child. Penning the scathing note to him. Byron bursting through the doors of the drawing room.

“Is what you said true?” she asked quietly.

He nodded solemnly. “I would like to tell you about them if you are ready to hear it.” He glanced up. “Might we have some privacy?’ he asked of the others.

“Of course,” Mama said, the captain slipping his arm about her.

“No,” Mirella protested. “They need to know the truth as much as I do.” She smiled at him. “Besides, you know I will only go and tell them everything anyway. This way, I will not leave anything out.”

“Very well,” he agreed, looking about the room. “Have a seat if you will,” he encouraged the others.

As they sat, she said, “You can put me down now.”

He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “That is not something I am willing to do, love.”

A rush of warmth ran through Mirella. He loved her. He truly loved her—and not another woman. He had not been unfaithful to her.

“I am sorry I leaped to the wrong conclusion and did not give you a chance to explain yourself to me,” she said.

“And I am sorry I had not thought to tell you of Verity and Amity,” he responded. “I was going to. When I visited them this morning, I told them all about you and promised to bring you to visit later today or even tomorrow.”

“Oh, dear,” she fretted.

“Do not worry. Let me tell you about them first.”

He told his story to them all, but Byron only looked at her as he spoke.

“I have already told you how much I thought of my older brother growing up. He was my inspiration in all I did and taught me everything I learned as a boy. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up, but Dawson wasn’t the man I thought he was.”

Byron paused, swallowing, and Mirella knew how difficult this was for him. She placed her hand to where his heart beat steadily and encouraged, “Go on.”

She knew he was repeating some of his story for the benefit of her family when he said, “When I received word of Dawson’s death, it almost destroyed me. I returned to England and found out the circumstances of his death and that of Lord Hampton’s. I also learned that he had spent a majority of his time in town, drinking and gambling, neglecting Bridgefield and our tenants. Already disillusioned by his behavior and the manner of his death, I was further shocked to learn that Dawson had fathered a child.”

She knew Dawson’s death had been a severe blow to Byron, as well as learning he was not the saint Byron had once thought. But to learn that his brother had fathered a child out of wedlock must have cut Byron to the quick.

“When he found out the young lady in question was increasing, he blithely told her he could never wed her because he was already betrothed. This betrothal had occurred when Dawson had just completed university. Jacinda was only ten and one at the time and was not told of it.”

Mirella heard the bitterness creeping into his tone.

“He used that young lady shamelessly, and then he discarded her. Oh, Dawson was gentleman enough to provide her with a place to live, but my brother provided very few funds for her. Her family disowned her. Her father even placed a death notice in the paper, saying his daughter had died of a fever.”

The women present gasped. Mirella turned to look at her relatives and saw the hard look in the eyes of both James and the captain.

Byron continued, saying, “I thought the yearly amount settled upon her was small, so I had my solicitor double it. Still, I was not ready to meet this woman or her child, so raw was my grief. When I returned to town this spring, I decided I must meet my niece and the lady my brother had ruined.”

He smiled tenderly at her. “You will like Verity very much,” he promised. “And Amity, who is five, is simply a joy to be around. With the increased funds I gave them, Verity no longer had to clean the house or wash their clothes. She was able to hire help for those tasks.”

Aunt Matty clucked her tongue in disapproval, and Mirella couldn’t help but agree. To think that a young lady had fallen in love with a handsome marquess and been used so badly and then abandoned by him hurt her heart.

“I have become friends with Verity. In truth, I look upon her as my sister-in-law because Amity is my niece. They will always be in my life, Mirella. I must care for them. They are an obligation I refuse to neglect.”

Her hand went to cup his cheek. “I would never want you to keep you from that duty, Byron. I do want to meet them. In fact, I do not think they should be living separately from us. They should come to Bridgefield with us.”

He smiled at her, the look in his eyes so tender that she almost came undone.

“You would allow that?”

“They are family,” she insisted, smiling. “And you know how I value family.”

“Mama had requested that she be moved to the dower house once she returns from this Season so that you might take up the rooms designated for the marchioness. I could give Mama new rooms in the house and allow Verity and Amity to live in the dower house.”

“Or in the main house with us if your mother would prefer her privacy,” she told him. “It is something we can work out.”

Byron grew thoughtful. “Verity was very close to her mother.”

“Then why didn’t her mother stand up for her?” asked Mama, clearly distressed by the entire situation.

He looked out at the group. “She told me that her father is very controlling. That if it had only been her mother, the two of them might have moved to the country and led a quiet life. Instead, Lord Hall dictates what his wife is to think.” He frowned. “Verity has seen bruises on her mother before. She fears her father abuses her mother.”

“Then we must bring Lady Hall with us,” Mirella determined.

James spoke up. “I know this Viscount Hall. He is a heavy gambler and a braggart. A most unpleasant fellow to be around.”

“I have wanted to confront him about this issue,” Byron revealed. “I have been reluctant to do so because I did not want him to retaliate against Lady Hall more than he already does.”

Her brother smiled grimly, and a chill ran through Mirella as he did so.

“I am a duke,” James stated. “You are a marquess. Together, we can bring down Lord Hall for his sins.”

“Would you reveal that he lied about his daughter’s death?” asked Sophie.

“It would not be to Verity’s benefit to do so,” Byron said. “She goes by Mrs. Smithson now and has no visitors other than myself. For Polite Society to learn what happened to her would shame her terribly. And it would affect little Amity, as well. I cannot embroil her in any scandal here in town simply to punish her father. In the long run, it would be Verity who paid the highest price.”

“When Verity comes to Bridgefield, we can put out the word that Mrs. Smithson is your widowed cousin, and Amity is like a niece to you,” Mirella suggested. “That way, there is the possibility that some country gentleman in the neighborhood might wish to offer for her someday.”

“Then you will need to get word to Lady Hall,” Mama said. “That she is to leave her husband and come to Bridgefield with her daughter and granddaughter. I know who she is and can speak to her at tonight’s ball about this if you would like.”

“That would mean a great deal to Verity,” Byron said. “Even if Lady Hall only leaves with the clothes on her back, I will make certain to provide for her.”

“You and I can see to Lord Hall’s markers being bought up,” James said to Byron. “We will then call in those markers. The viscount will be ruined financially. After that, no one will receive him socially. His wife, daughter, and granddaughter will be safely away from the fray.”

Byron nodded. “Then see to it, Your Grace. I will reimburse you for my share of these markers.”

James smiled. “You are about to be a member of this family, my lord. Surely, you should start referring to me as James.”

Her fiancé grinned at her brother. “I would be more than happy to do so, James.”

Mirella said, “We need to go now and see Verity and Amity. Let them know of the plans in motion.”

“Do you feel up to it?” he questioned.

“I feel fine, Byron. Besides, I am eager to meet them. They must also come to Shadowcrest for our wedding.”

He beamed at her. “So, the wedding is back on? And you will rescind the order given to Powell which banned me from this house? I had to fight my way into the house and drawing room, you know.”

She brushed her lips against his. “I can think of no one else to wed. It is you—or no one, Byron. I love you too much to give you up.”

He kissed her in front of her family, and she heard everyone chuckling.

The captain said, “Welcome to the family, Byron. You will find we are a kissing lot.” He snagged his wife about the waist and gave her a quick kiss. “It seems we never can get enough of those sweet kisses from our women.”

Byron stood, setting Mirella on her feet, and she asked, “Do I look a fright?”

“A few pins have come askew,” Aunt Matty told her. “Nothing you and I cannot remedy. Let us go make you presentable.”

A quarter-hour later, she and Byron were on their way to St. John’s Wood.

“I have yet to ask how you even wound up in this part of town,” he remarked.

She smiled wryly. “I was dropping off blueberry scones at your house when I saw you leave in your carriage.” She shrugged. “I thought to surprise you with them when you reached your destination, so I followed you.”

He took her hand. “Again, I apologize, my love. I came straight from Verity’s to see you and ask you to accompany me to meet her and Amity.”

“I know that now. Shall we make a pact never to be angry with one another again?”

He laughed. “Even as much as we love one another, we are not perfect, Mirella. There will be times when we are put out with one another. How about our pact consisting of always communicating with the other when we are upset or angry? That way, we will never get the wrong impression and leap to false conclusions.”

“Agreed,” she said. “Since we have no way to write up this agreement, it will be an orally binding contract.” Smiling mischievously at him, she added, “And instead of signatures, we should seal the deal with a kiss.”

One kiss turned into many, and they did not cease until the carriage came to a halt.

“I hope they will like me,” she said.

“Mirella, they are going to adore you,” he assured her.

Byron handed her down, and they knocked on the door, being admitted by a butler.

“It is good to see you again, my lord. Mrs. Smithson said you might be returning with a guest. She is in the parlor with Miss Amity. Follow me.”

Mirella saw that the house was small and sparsely furnished. The same was true of the parlor they entered. Immediately, her eyes went to the woman sitting with a small child in her lap as she read to her. It was obvious the two were related. Both possessed the same golden blond ringlets and pale blue eyes.

Byron escorted Mirella across the room as Mrs. Smithson rose, setting her daughter down and eyeing Mirella eagerly.

“Mrs. Smithson, I would like you to meet Lady Mirella Strong, my betrothed.”

Both women curtseyed to one another, and Mirella chuckled when the child also curtseyed.

“Since we are to be family, I would like to suggest that you call me Mirella.”

Mrs. Smithson’s eyes widened. “Truly? Has Byron told you my story, my lady?”

“Not only does Mirella know the truth, her idea is for you to leave town permanently.”

“Yes,” she said quickly, seeing the panic flash in the other woman’s eyes. “I wish for you to come and live with us at Bridgefield.”

“Please call me Verity.” Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she wrapped an arm about her daughter’s shoulders. “This is Amity. My pride and joy.”

Mirella knelt. “Hello, Amity. How are you?”

“I am good, Aunt Mirella.”

She warmed at the familiar address and suspected that Byron had already told the girl to call her aunt.

“Would you like to come and live in the country with us and your mama?”

“Uncle Byron told me I could come visit. And ride a horse,” the girl said brightly.

“It will not be a visit, Amity. You will live with us there. I hope you will like that.”

The child nodded, smiling sweetly.

A maid appeared, saying, “It is time for Miss Amity’s milk and bread.”

“Do I have to go, Mama?”

Verity nodded. “Yes, you do. You will be seeing Uncle Byron and Aunt Mirella again very soon.”

“Promise?” Amity asked.

“You will be coming to our wedding next Tuesday,” Mirella told the girl. “You can even help decorate the chapel with flowers if you’d like.”

Amity clapped her hands gleefully. “I want to do that. I like flowers.” She skipped to the maid. “I am going to a wedding.”

Once her daughter had left, Verity asked them to sit, saying, “I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing for me and my girl. To take us into your own home. It is more than generous.”

“You are family,” Byron said. “Family looks out for one another. Mirella has taught me that. She would also like your mother to come, as well.”

“Mama? What . . . how . . .”

“Leave that to us,” Mirella said firmly. “Byron has explained that your mother is in a very difficult situation and we would like to extricate her from it.”

New tears brimmed in Verity’s eyes. “Oh, if you could save Mama, that would be so wonderful. She has never seen Amity. She always longed for grandchildren.” Verity paused. “And her freedom from Papa.”

“We will close up this house for good,” Byron said. “It is rented, and my solicitor will take care of doing so. If you ever wish to come to town again, you will stay with us in the family townhouse.”

“What of my staff?” Verity asked. “They have been so loyal to me. I cannot abandon them.”

“We will find them positions,” Mirella promised. “Whether that is in town at Byron’s residence here, at Bridgefield, or even at Shadowcrest where I grew up, no one will be left behind.”

“I cannot believe this is happening,” Verity said. “We have been alone for so long. Family is the most important thing to me,” she said. “We will be family—and I hope you and I will also be friends.”

They briefly explained to Verity that she would be Mrs. Smithson when she arrived in Kent, a widow with a young child, and a distant cousin to Byron. She was also told to pack her things immediately because it had been arranged for James to send a carriage for her and Amity in the morning.

“Your mother will hopefully be in the carriage,” Byron explained. “We will speak with her at tonight’s ball. It will be up to her, though, whether she chooses to leave Lord Hall or not.” He paused. “Things are about to become very difficult for your father.”

“Good,” Verity said. “He is a terrible person.”

“We must take our leave now,” Mirella said. “Byron is sending word to Bridgefield to notify them of your arrival. He will also see that you and Amity are brought to Shadowcrest to witness our wedding.”

Verity threw her arms about Mirella. “You are both so good to me. I will never be able to repay you.”

“There is no need to think in those terms,” she replied. “You are with those who love you and will always stand by you.”

Verity walked out to the carriage with them, and they waved goodbye to her.

“A lot still has to happen,” Byron said once they were inside the vehicle. “Hopefully, your brother will see to the markers being bought up from the gambling dens Lord Hall has frequented. When we meet to sign the marriage settlements tomorrow, I will give Pilsbury instructions regarding Verity’s house. I think it best if I also provide a dowry for Verity and Amity. He can draw up those papers, as well.”

Mirella snuggled against his shoulder. “That is thoughtful of you. I only hope Lady Hall will be willing to break away from her husband and come to Kent.”

“We will see tonight,” he said. “Hopefully, by this time tomorrow, the three of them will be safe at Bridgefield.”