Lucas laughed scornfully when he heard what she was saying, and interrupted her conversation with Ned. "You are an even bigger fool than I took you for, Sophia, if you believe that love still exists in marriage. It is simply an arrangement based on business deals, and the gentlemen making the right connections for the price of providing a home to a wife." While Edward's guardwas down as he listened to this, Lucas moved quickly and grabbed his sister’s arm, reiterating that he would have no more of this nonsense from her. He was well within his rights as her legal guardian to remove her from Carlfield house, after she had disobeyed him and ran away. He had made the long journey here to take her back to London." Much to the surprise of both Edward and Sophia, he went on to reveal that if it hadn’t been for Howard’s quick thinking he would have never tracked her down. Making Sophia realise why the Earl had made her feel so uneasy when he had been scrutinising her appearance.
Lucas added that the Earl of Duxbury had done business with him in the past. Just before he left London to travel back to Yorkshire Howard heard about Sophia's disappearance, and he had a description of her. When he first laid eyes on Lady Cynthia's new companion at the garden party he was almost certain that it was her, and he sent word to Lucas that he believed he had found his lost sister. What he didn't however tell Edward was that Howard had been happy to reveal her whereabouts for a fee. Or that Lucas had reluctantly been obliged to pay this, believing it made good economic sense to do so. Given that a much greater sum would be involved if the marriage to Lord Dilley went ahead, and the latter wouldn't expect him to return the bribe he had already received to arrange the marriage to his sister. To improve his chance of finding her, Lucas had broadcast her disappearance far and wide across London, and the fact that he was determined to find her. News of which had soon reached Howard's club.
Any initial doubts Edward might have had about whether Sophia ought to be sent back to her notorious brother were short lived, and easily dismissed from his mind. Mr Lucas Barlow was clearly a brute of a man! He imagined that his reprisals would be harsh to say the least, and he seriously feared for Sophia’s safety if she was returned to him. All that aside, as the woman he loved, she was under his protection now. Whilst the Duke of Carlfield certainly wasn't afraid of a man like Lucas, a dishonest, and dishonourable brute! He had by this time recalled what he had heard about him, and his dubious reputation which bore witness to the fact. The possibility of the Duke being accused of kidnappingMiss Barlow could be easily disproved, if Lucas should allege it. Not only was he paying her a good wage, but she was happy and well.
Moreover he could imagine his mother’s reaction to her companion being removed from the family estate by Mr Barlow. He could see her trying to take her old riding crop to him. Not to mention the adverse reaction he would then receive from her friends, those ladies in Yorkshire who had met her, and whom he knew from Cynthia had been equally delighted to be in Sophia's company. Lucas would be a brave man indeed to take on their vitriol and the influence they exerted on the gentlemen in their families, the influential husbands and sons, many of whom had business interests in London.
No! Irrespective of all this Sophia was his responsibility now, and it was his duty to keep her safe. At the very least until she was legally twenty-one, and entitled to make her own decision regarding who she should marry. His heart sank when he realised that had been his only mistake. He had for some reason assumed, without asking her, that she had already reached this age. Without intending any insult to her, by inferring that she looked older than she actually was. Meanwhile whatever the future might now hold for a romance between them he would also personally help her, via Cynthia of course, to cut the ties with her brother.
Edward also couldn't stop his thoughts from racing through everything that had happened since he had first met Miss Sophia Barlow, which had led to him making a proposal. Including his own part in the matter. She had tried to tell him something this morning before she accepted, and to his dismay, he recalled insisting that the past held no interest for him. It was only the present moment which mattered. Even though he could never have envisaged that she would be involved in something like this. At no time however did he ever feel as if Sophia had deceived him. Only that he might not know the whole truth about her.
The Duke of Carlfield couldn't believe that this had happened. When he had finally found the woman he truly loved and wished to marry, he might lose her, on the very same morning he had proposed.
Chapter 30
When Ned looked into Sophia's eyes, he could see nothing but fear in them. Why she was afraid of being in a loveless marriage and under the control of a man who, if he was anything like Lucas, would treat her very badly indeed. The mere thought of which made him feel sick to the core. So without any further hesitation Edward Carlisle stepped forward, and demanded that Mr Lucas Barlow release his fiancee's arm immediately.
Lucas however stood his ground. "I am perfectly within my rights to demand that my sister comes with me. Lord Dilley has kindly agreed to delay travelling abroad for a few days, to allow me sufficient time to collect her and for them to be married. It is all arranged, Sir, and outside of your control. Something else which may have escaped your notice, and I am willing to repeat, is that I am my sister's guardian until she is twenty-one years of age!"
Sophia found her voice then, and said as firmly as she could, "a fine brother you have been to me, Lucas! You have even forgotten the date. I am twenty-one today. It's my birthday, and I most certainly do not consent to the marriage you have arranged with Lord Dilley. It was done for your own convenience, and what you will no doubt get from it."
Lucas' anger caused him to tighten the grip on her arm, and Sophia to call out in pain as he began trying to drag her out of the breakfast room. Despite Edward's surprise that it was her birthday and she hadn't revealed this to either his mother or himself, his own anger knew no bounds as soon as he realised that he should have reacted sooner. Due to his failure to do so he was seeing the woman he loved with all of his heart being hurt in front of his eyes. He quickly moved behind Lucas forcibly prising his fingers from Sophia's arm, as she continued to struggle. When Lucas was obliged to release her, he tried to punch Edward who was this time too fast for him and averted the blow. Further incensed, however, by seeing the bruise on Sophia's arm starting to form and her obvious distress the Duke couldn't help himself from hitting Mr Lucas Barlow as hard as he could. Before he said, "you have less than two minutes to get out of my house and off my property, or I shall have you thrown off."
Not taking his eyes from Lucas he quickly put his arm around Sophia's shoulders to support her, as she looked near to fainting by this time. When he had helped her to sit on the nearest chair, Edward added that Lucas shouldn't even think of bothering his future wife ever again or he would face the consequences of such a rash action. He should instead go straight back to London, and inform Lord Dilley that he was calling off the betrothal, if indeed either of them still believed it existed. The expression on Edward's face dared Lucas to challenge what he had said.
However without further ado, Lady Cynthia appeared in the doorway of the breakfast room, accompanied by Jenkins and several of the footmen. Closely followed by the gardeners' boy and two of the grooms who had been in the kitchen trying to persuade Cook to give each of them a slice of cake when the commotion began. It appeared that the Duke needed assistance as Miss Barlow had been attacked by an intruder and Jimmy, whose heart was in the right place, had led the way to the breakfast room.
With his arm around her shoulders, Ned turned Sophia's face gently towards him, so that she wouldn't need to watch Lucas being escorted from the breakfast room by the large group of servants which had by this time gathered to complete the task. During which her brother struggled and attempted to escape Jimmy's vice-like grip on his arm. Causing him to receive a few extra kicks and blows as he was taken away from the house to the boundary of the estate, and told once again quite firmly by Jenkins that he must never return to Carlfield, in accordance with the Duke's instructions. Miss Barlow had also become too well liked by this time by all of them, and none of them approved of what they had heard or seen her brother trying to do. So Lucas could also expect to face their wrath if he was seen again.
Once he was out of sight, and Ned was carefully examining the bruise on her arm, Sophia asked him in a quiet voice why he had stood up for her when she had behaved so badly. Deceiving Lady Cynthia and him. He removed his arm from her shoulders, glad to see the colour had returned to her cheeks, and reached for hand. "I did it because I am in love with you, and although I should have listened to you trying to explain all of this to me which I deeply regret, I stand by what I said this morning before you agreed to be my wife. The past doesn’t matter, only the present."
He hesitated for a moment before continuing since he was unused to talking about his own feelings. "I also have my secrets, Sophia." Seeing the look of alarm on her face he quickly told her about Joey, and why he hadn't been able to marry his best friend's sister after his death. I should have been there with him. We did everything together," he said, sadly. "So you see, all of us have something in our past which we may not always get around to telling other people."
He was staring tenderly into her eyes when Cynthia came back into the room, and coughed loudly to announce her return before saying that she would have run away too, if she had been in Sophia's position. It must have been truly awful. She smiled at both of them, and said that she would arrange for the maid to bring them tea. Maybe ask Cook to send up their breakfast now. Leaving Sophia and Ned alone again.
Having barely heard the Duchess' voice or known she was there, Sophia felt her heart thudding inside her chest when Ned drew her closer to him, and she heard him say that he couldn’t wait to be able to call her his wife. The matter was sealed by them with the sweetest of kisses. Leaving Sophia in no doubt whatsoever that she would be able to stay with her husband, and the woman she now thought of as the mother she had longed for. Carlfield house would truly be her new home, where she would finally be safe, as both Ned and her knew that it really would be a marriage of love.
Whilst Lady Cynthia tried to have the final word when they were eating breakfast. "After everything you have been through, Sophia, I defy any of those dreadful ladies of the ton to try to turn what has happened into a scandal. You are part of the Carlisle family now. Neither Ned nor I will allow anyone to interfere with that. You shall also soon have a title of your own by marriage, and I do hope with several volumes of your delightful poetry published. Proving to them, and anyone else who might doubt the veracity of it, that love really does matter the most."
Ned raised his teacup to toast his mother's wise words. The gesture was followed by Sophia, and all three of them realised that they now had the life they wanted. Cynthia had her daughter, whilst Ned would no longer be lonely, and Sophia had found the true love she wished for. There would also be many more adventures, with a kind and loving husband at her side.
However, it was for love to ultimately have the last word, for it had found its way into all of their hearts. Destiny had brought together those who were meant to be, once Cupid's arrows had been fired, and it had been given a helping hand by the Duchess of Carlfield.
Epilogue
It soon became clear to Edward why Howard had been so keen to promote his marriage to Lucy, and what a lucky escape he had. After the Earl of Duxbury had been obliged to file for bankruptcy, which he didn't obviously wish to do since this could also mean facing a stay in the local debtor's prison. Along with the likelihood of his honour, and reputation, being tarnished irrevocably. It occurred to Edward that once again he had a lot to thank his mother for. The outcome of all this, and three weeks ago on the morning he had proposed to Sophia, was down to the Duchess' insistence all along that he should marry for love. All the little hints she had dropped about Lucy not being the one for him, but Sophia would be once they had met her. Whilst Howard had presumably been hoping that Edward would settle his debts after he was betrothed to Lucy, to avoid being associated with a scandal which his future father-in-law had unbeknownst to him been about to bring to his door.
Lady Amelia and Lucy were obviously distraught by their change in circumstances, since it meant that they would find it difficult to take part in polite society again, due to the reaction of the ton to the Earl's disgrace. Needless to say they were also desperately worried about their future prospects. Neither of them had any money of their own or had worked in the past. Nor could they as yet countenance taking on a paid position as a governess or ladies' companion, as Sophia had done. In Lucy's mind there also remained a sense of disbelief that Edward had preferred a servant to her.
Ned kept his promise to Sophia that she would never have anything to be afraid of again, especially not from her older brother. Although Owen never once complained or divulged exactly what had happened after she left London, he did discuss it with the Duke on the understanding that it wasn't to reach his sister's ears. Admitting only that he had suffered considerably at Lucas' hands, especially after Lucas' return from Yorkshire. Fortunately Sophia had shared her fear with Edward that this might well be the case, and he informed his future brother-in-law asquickly as he could that he was able to offer him an excellent position in his own business. Edward and he soon became the best of friends. This also ensured that Owen had the prospect of becoming a wealthy man in his own right, so could marry for love. Instead of having to pursue the more humble career Lucas had in mind for him at a country parsonage, where his prospects remained uncertain.
Hannah and Owen became regular visitors to the old dower house which was on the Carlfield estate. Sophia had moved into it temporarily until Ned and her were married, and she had been accompanied by Effie. Then Amy, after Edward arranged for her fare to be paid, and she had travelled to them from London. She would be employed initially as a house maid with two of the others from the big house, as it was known by the servants, then train alongside Effie to be a lady's maid. If she wished to return to London after that to be close to her family again the Duke said that he would pay her return fare, and do his best to secure employment for her which would be much better than her earlier position in Lucas' house. This was after Sophia told him how Amy had helped her to escape, and before that whenever she could, so Ned felt indebted to her.
However, as soon as he saw how much Sophia valued her friendship with the maid and learned that Amy had given her own mother's address as a place where she might hide when both of them had been afraid of repercussions from Lucas and his vile temper, Edward extended his initial offer to her brothers. They would also have employment in his business, if they wished to. Enabling the whole family to relocate to Carlfield. One of the tenants' cottages had recently become vacant. It would be theirs if they wanted it, and they did. Unable to believe the unexpected kindness which the Duke of Carlfield had extended to their sister, and themselves.
Neither Edward nor Owen knew exactly what transpired with Lord Dilley after Sophia announced that she was twenty-one so free of Lucas' guardianship, and Edward had told him quite categorically that he intended to marry her. Except that Lord Dilley had left for the continent not long after Lucas returned to London. Two men had apparently set upon Lucas a few nights later on thebanks of the Thames. It was foggy, and he was trying to stop them from stealing his money. It seemed that he had fallen backwards, and hit his head on a rock in the tussle which ensued. He died from the injuries he sustained.
As Lucas' surviving male heir Owen inherited his brother's considerable estate, and with Ned's assistance, he used part of his fortune to help the poor of the parish in London where they had lived. He wished to give some of the money to his sister, but Ned didn't want Sophia to take it due to him having more than enough money to look after his mother and them. Although they were grateful to Owen for the offer, and his belief that she should have part of the inheritance. Since Lucas had stolen the money which Papa had left in trust for her and making her life much poorer than it should have been.
