‘Let’s get him under cover as quickly as possible,’ the Scotsman ordered. He was interrupted by another crash as the roof collapsed entirely. As one, they turned to watch Farfield Place in its final death throes.
‘Despite everything, I’ve been reasonably happy here,’ murmured Lady Bamford. ‘And would have been content to remain in this house until my death had he not seen fit to incarcerate others against their will.’ She looked back down at her comatose husband as Patience hurried over with her father. ‘Your cousin Felicity has been looking for you,’ she commented, touching the Countess’s arm in sympathy. Edith looked up, showing emotion for the first time. ‘I am not forgotten then?’ she whispered. Patience shook her head, fighting back tears.
‘Would you like me to read him his last rights my lady?’ the Reverend asked, nodding towards the Earl on the ground.
‘What would be the point,’ the Countess answered. ‘I think we all know exactly where my husband’s headed.’
∞∞∞
Against all the odds, Bamford survived his fall, though for the rest of his life he would be totally dependent on his wife. There was nothing left of his private asylum, and its inmates were given a home with Lady Bamford in her Bath residence for as long as they wished. And if the Countess drew a perverse satisfaction from the fact that those looking after her husband had been his former victims, well, none could blame her – or them.
The Countess’s reunion with her cousin Felicity had been emotional to say the least. Out of the whole family, only the two of them were left. ‘Thank you for never giving up on me,’ Edith had exclaimed through her tears. Felicity had simply shaken her head, gathering the frail Countess into her arms as they both wept.
Two days after their return from Farfield Place, Patience was still in Bath. Not only was she in Bath, but she was actually confined to her bedchamber. Again.
This time though, she waited eagerly for the summons she knew was coming. She had not changed from her old gown, reasoning that if Guildford truly wanted her, he would not care what she was wearing. After what seemed an interminable time, she was called to the drawing room.
As she approached the closed door, there was complete silence on the other side. Indeed, she could have heard a pin drop had someone been so inclined. She paused at the threshold, briefly wondering if she was entirely addled, then squaring her shoulders, she pushed open the door and marched into the room.
As always, the Marquess took her breath away. In contrast to her, he was dressed impeccably, his coat and breeches fitted as though he’d been poured into them. His face rivalled that of Michael Angelo’s David, and Patience wondered if she’d ever tire of looking at it.
But most incredible of all, he regarded her as though she held all the secrets of the Universe. Unaccountably, Patience found herself grinning at him. Even more mystifyingly, Maximilian Wolverton, the tenth Marquess of Guildford, grinned back.
‘You know what this is all about Patience,’ Reverend Shackleford was saying in a world-weary voice. After all was said and done, this was the fifth time he’d done this.
His daughter looked briefly away from the Marquess and nodded, her eyes shining.
‘So, are you going to marry the deuced fellow or what?’ her father questioned, clearly more than eager to be done with the matter.
Patience did not respond. She merely walked towards Max without taking her eyes from his. When they were close enough to touch, the Marquess put out his hand and stroked her face gently.
‘Will you forsake your freedom for me?’ he murmured, his words barely audible.
‘The freedom you refer to is very much a state of mind, I have discovered,’ she whispered back. ‘I will never abandon my independence, and undoubtedly, we will fight as cats and dogs over my liberties.’ She put up her own hand to touch his face in turn. ‘But even I could not be so foolish as to throw away what we have together.’
‘What about comfortable obscurity?’ Max couldn’t help but ask, quirking a mocking brow.
‘Well given that I’m currently considered beyond the pale by pretty much everyone,’ Patience responded, ‘I’m entirely certain we’ll have that.’ Her lips curved in another smile. ‘As long as you don’t seek to lock me in, of course.’
Her smile became broader until she laughed out loud. ‘Though Lord knows how you’re going to explain this to Queen Charlotte.’
THE END.
