Historical Romance – The Best Of The Year. Кэрол Мортимер

      ‘I imagine it might fetch ten or possibly twelve thousand pounds—the contents perhaps upwards of ten thousand, my lady. Some of the pictures and heirlooms may be worth more, but would need to be valued before they were sold.’

      ‘Yes, I imagine so.’ Madeline frowned for the marquis had claimed that he was owed twenty-five-thousand pounds. ‘Are there any other debts?’

      ‘None that have come to my hand as yet.’ He frowned, hesitating for a moment, then, ‘Are you sure you wish to settle the gambling debt? Such debts are sometimes written off when the debtor dies.’

      ‘Once the house and contents are sold, I shall pay all those debts I can,’ Madeline said. ‘There are some jewels that might be sold if need be—may I rely on you to handle that for me?’

      ‘Certainly, but do not include anything that was given to you personally, my lady. Your jewels are your own, though heirlooms are of course part of the estate...but I can see no reason why you should need to sell unless you wish. I have advertised in the newssheets and no one else has come forward to make a claim.’

      ‘Perhaps they will not,’ Madeline said and smiled. ‘It seems you have done just as you ought while I was away. I thank you for your care of my affairs, sir.’

      ‘I am honoured to serve you, ma’am.’ He hesitated, then, ‘I wished to make your settlement available to you on your marriage, but was told it was not necessary. I suppose the income accrued will be of some use now. I am sorry I cannot give you better news of your husband’s affairs.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I’ve heard unfortunate rumours of the count’s gambling, but have squashed them wherever possible.’

      ‘You have done just as you ought,’ Madeline said and smiled at him. ‘Please make certain that there are sufficient funds to pay your own account. I shall give you certain heirlooms that I have no use for so that we have funds available for any unforeseen debt.’

      ‘Why not wait and see what is needed?’

      ‘No, if the jewels are mine I shall sell them for I do not intend to live the kind of life that will require the more elaborate pieces. I have some with me—and if you will wait I shall bring them down to you. The remainder are elsewhere.’

      ‘I am at your service, my lady.’

      ‘I shall not be a moment.’

      Madeline left him and went up to her room. She unlocked her travelling box and removed a set of sapphires that she had thought she might sell if she’d followed her intention of setting up as a seamstress. Taking them back downstairs, she discovered that Mr Symonds was no longer alone. Her heart caught when she saw Hal, but he was frowning and she kept the rush of gladness that surged through her to herself, merely inclining her head to him.

      ‘Hal...Major Ravenscar, I trust you are feeling better now,’ she said in a cool manner that gave no hint of her feeling. ‘This is the set I would have you sell for me, Mr Symonds. Please place whatever it may fetch in the bank and...’ She had opened the box for him to see and was surprised at his reaction. ‘Is something wrong?’

      ‘I fear I have more bad news for you,’ her lawyer said, looking grave. ‘The count asked me to sell that particular parure and some others a year or so back. He had copies made...and I fear these are merely paste. They are excellent copies but worth very little, perhaps a few pounds.’

      ‘I see...’ Madeline was shocked. ‘Did my husband sell many of the family heirlooms?’

      ‘He sold an emerald-and-diamond tiara, this set and, I believe a valuable ruby necklace. Those are the only things I was asked to have copied and then sell—though he might have sold others elsewhere.’

      ‘I see.’ Madeline laughed. ‘I was never allowed to keep the jewels in my rooms. I thought my husband feared they would be stolen, but perhaps he feared I would discover they were worthless.’

      ‘I shall take my leave now.’ Mr Symonds bowed his head to her and then to Hal. ‘I am glad to have met you, sir. If you will excuse me...’

      He left the room and silence fell for some seconds, then Madeline said, ‘I am sorry you should have spent an uncomfortable night.’

      ‘I’ve spent worse when with the army,’ he said, his tone matching hers in coolness. ‘Thank you for seeing the magistrate’s clerk at such an early hour, Madeline. I am sorry to have disturbed you, but we needed your help.’

      ‘I believe Sir Anthony may have found it difficult to believe that Lord Rochdale had held up my carriage in the guise of a highwayman. I suppose it might be thought unusual for a man of his standing to do such a reckless thing.’

      ‘He might be a marquis, but that does not make him a gentleman,’ Hal said harshly. ‘I wanted to let you know for I thought you might be concerned. When Sir Anthony heard our story himself, and his man agreed you had confirmed it, he apologised for the way we had been inconvenienced.’

      ‘As he should,’ Madeline said. ‘I thought it outrageous that you and Captain Mardle should have been treated so ill when all you did was save me from an evil rogue.’

      ‘Well, you are finally free of the marquis and your husband.’ Hal’s mouth was set in a hard line as he studied her. ‘May I ask what you intend to do now?’

      ‘I shall need to sell this house and most of the contents for there are debts to pay. Rochdale claimed he was owed twenty-five thousand, which I fear I could not pay.’

      ‘Nor should you,’ Hal said. ‘It is likely that he cheated Rochdale at the tables—and even if he did not, he is dead. Let the debt die with him.’

      ‘I want nothing that belonged to Lethbridge,’ Madeline said. ‘My grandfather’s settlement is intact and will suffice for my needs. I shall leave the sale of what remains to Mr Symonds and retire to a small house in the country. He may deal with any claims that come on the estate. My servants must be recompensed when the house is closed and after that.’ She shrugged. ‘I do not care what becomes of the rest of it.’

      ‘And what of me...of us?’ Hal asked, a nerve twitching in his throat. ‘I thought you loved me, Maddie. But now I am not sure. You ran away from me without a word...why did you do that if you cared for me?’

      ‘I did not wish to drag you down with me. Rochdale would have ruined us both if he could.’

      Hal seized her by the arms, gazing down into her face. She saw anger and hurt in his eyes and her throat tightened with emotion.

      ‘I’m sorry, Hal. I never meant to hurt you.’

      ‘I thought I should die of the wound you inflicted when you wed him,’ he said. ‘For a time I hoped I should be killed in battle. It was my cousins who brought me through.’

      ‘Forgive me...’ Tears were burning behind her eyes. ‘I believed I had no choice. I have regretted it so many times.’

      ‘If you heard Adam question me that night, it was because he knew that I had suffered the first time and he feared it might destroy me if you hurt me again. Is that why you left me, Maddie? Tell me, I beg you, for I have been in agony since I learned you’d gone. If you do not care for me, tell me now and let us be done.’

      ‘Oh, Hal,’ Madeline said and the tears began to trickle down her cheeks. ‘I have always loved you b—’

      She got no further for he crushed her against him, bending his head to kiss her fiercely on the lips. His kiss was filled with a desperate need and hunger that she could not help but know for desire. Yet she found herself pressing her body closer, felt the heat rising from within her and knew that she wanted him to go on kissing her. She wanted to be held for ever in just this way. She had feared that she would freeze and shrink away when he demanded intimacy of her, but suddenly she knew that she could never feel revulsion for anything Hal did to her. It was Lethbridge’s coarse, brutal treatment of her that had made her shrink away, but even in the midst of his passion, Hal was tender and his love caressed