Alice smiled hazily at him, a vague worry over where they might live nagging at the back of her mind, but not enough to keep her from falling into sleep.
Chapter 18
Sweet Thieves and New Beginnings.
Ocean View Villa, Little Valentine, 28thJanuary 1816
Alice sat in the dining room, the table laid for breakfast and loaded a piece of toast with a generous portion of marmalade. In the hallway she heard Lill greeting Aubrey, the two of them bantering as had become their custom.
“Alice, take this fellow of yours in hand, will you? He’s nothing but trouble,” Lill said, pretending to huff as she flapped her apron at Aubrey.
He grinned at Alice, rounding the table to bend and kiss her cheek. “It’s all lies,” he told her solemnly.
Alice shook her head, secretly pleased by their antics. “Sit down, the pair of you, and listen to this.”
They obeyed her as Lill poured a cup of tea for herself and Aubrey, and Alice turned back to the front page of the newspaper she’d been perusing.
“Murder in a seaside village,” she read as Lill gasped, setting her cup and saucer down with a clatter. “Silas Mourney, notorious gang leader and wanted murderer, was shot dead during a violent clash between smugglers and the coastguard in a quiet town in East Sussex. The killing followed the daring theft of Lady Jefferson’s diamonds from her Mayfair home on the night of a lavish ball. The authorities found an engraved snuffbox which placed Mr Mourney at the scene of the robbery, but the stolen jewels remain missing, presumed lost.”
There was silence as both Lill and Alice turned enquiring gazes upon Aubrey.
“Hawkney used his influence to keep your name out of it,” Aubrey said with a shrug, his large hand lifting the delicate china cup with care. “You are about as much scandal as he can stomach, love. No offence.”
Alice snorted. “None taken.”
He smiled, apparently sensing her lingering anxiety. “Don’t worry. No blame will be attached to the smugglers. The authorities are all too pleased to have seen the last of Silas Mourney to ask too many questions when the Duke of Hawkney is telling them to keep their noses out.”
Alice sighed with relief. Boreas had saved Aubrey’s life. Hers, too. Whatever kind of man he was, they would always owe him a debt for that.
“If you’ll excuse the rather callous turn of phrase, thebest thingabout Silas’ violent death and the story about the stolen diamonds is that it’s taken some of the attention off our scandalous scene at Lady Jefferson’s party. So Hawk is doing his utmost to see that story gets a deal more attention than our upcoming nuptials.”
“Sensible fellow, his grace,” Lill observed, sipping her tea. “And there’s nothing bad about Silas Mourney’s death. There’s not many people I’d wish such a fate on, but he deserved what he got.”
“How is everyone at the hall?” Alice asked as Aubrey plucked the other half of the toast she’d prepared off her plate and took a large bite. She scowled.
“What’s mine is yours, love. So it only follows what’s yours is mine.”
“Don’t bank on it. Feral, she is, if she don’t eat a proper breakfast,” Lill warned him.
Alice turned her scowl upon Lill, not entirely pleased at this description, accurate as it might be.
Aubrey popped the last bite of toast into his mouth and chewed, his eye sparkling unrepentantly. “To answer your question, they’re all mad, which is why I’m here. I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
Alice’s stomach did an odd little flip at his words. They would be married and would spend the night at The Mermaid, then departing for their honeymoon the following morning. Hawkney had kindly offered them the use of one of his many properties for as long as they wanted, a lovely little manor house on the coast of Norfolk. According to Aubrey, it was within walking distance of the beach and was quiet and lovely, with beautiful scenery, and only a handful of discreet staff who knew better than to disturb a couple of newlyweds. She couldn’t wait, though there were still so many things to discuss regarding their future. Whilst she did not fear Aubrey would force her to conform or turn into the perfect wife—which was never going to happen—things had happened so fast and there had been so little time, she needed to take it all in. At first it had seemed enough that theyhada future together, that his family accepted her, even if Hawkney was hardly delighted. Now, though, she was curious and wanted to talk over everything with him.
As if reading her mind, Lill drained her teacup and pushed the toast rack closer to Alice. “I’ll make some more,” she said with a smile, and left them alone.
Aubrey waited until the door closed before he leaned closer and pressed a kiss to Alice’s lips. She sighed, wrapping her arms about his neck and turning what had been little more than a peck into something hotter and deeper.
“You taste of stolen marmalade,” she said lazily when he finally broke free.
He laughed. “You taste like a woman intent on getting me into trouble. We agreed to behave until we were married, you wicked creature.”
“No,youagreed. I said it was a stupid idea,” she replied, taking another slice of toast and slathering it with a generous application of butter before piling the marmalade on top. Aubrey watched, appearing fascinated by his betrothed’s appetite for the sticky preserve.
“You like marmalade, then?”
“I adore it,” she admitted. “I could eat an entire loaf of bread in one sitting if it came with marmalade.”
