Before they left, they spared a few precious minutes to view the ornate monument to the Berry Pomeroy family.
Four thoroughbred horses waited, harnessed to the duke’s carriage. A liveried footman assisted them inside.
Harry put his suitcase on the opposite seat and turned to her. “We must say goodbye here, Cecily. The carriage will take you to the shop, although I fear you are already very late.”
“I certainly will be because I’m coming to see you off,” she said, her tone brooking no argument.
He smiled, tamping down his unease. “Yes, do come. But there won’t be much time for goodbyes.”
They reached the station with a few minutes to spare, the train already at the station emitting bursts of steam.
Harry bought his ticket, and they hurried onto the platform. He gazed down at this girl he loved with all his heart. “Will you be all right?”
She shrugged. “I shall be. Don’t worry, please, Harry.”
Was she any match for that mother of hers? While Cecily tried to appear composed, she did not fool him. He noted the sadness and shadow of dread in her eyes. He hated to leave her. If only he could stay and fight her battles for her. What his father had told him about her mother gnawed at him. Would Cecily even get his letters?
He tossed his suitcase through the door of the train.
One foot on the step, Harry reached down and, with an arm around her waist, scooped Cecily up as the whistle blew. They fell back through the door into the train. The guard removed the steps and shut the door. Cecily clung to him wide-eyed and laughing as the train, with a series of loud rattles and another gush of steam, chuffed away from the station. “Harry! What have you done?”
“Burned our bridges, sweetheart.” Harry grinned and kissed her. “I love you, Cecily. I cannot offer you much, as yet, I’m afraid. Just a small flat until I get my promotion. But say you will marry me, sweetheart.”
She flung her arms around his neck as the carriage jerked, throwing them off balance. “Oh, yes, Harry. I just want to be with you. Heavens! What will my mother say?”
He braced himself against the sway of the carriage and hugged her close, his face resting against her sweetly perfumed hair. “Never mind about your mother. We’ll send telegrams to our parents when we arrive in London. Your mother will come around in time. After all, she will have gained a charming and helpful son-in-law.”
Cecily giggled. “Oh, Harry. I do love you.”
Epilogue
Four months later…
London, Islington
Harry came inside,dripping water over the mat. He swept Cecily into his arms and kissed her.
She pushed him away. “Ooh, Harry! You’re all wet!”
“Sorry, my love.” He shrugged out of his coat and hung it on a hook. “You wouldn’t have minded a few weeks ago, are you tiring of marriage already?”
She laughed. “Silly. Of course not.”
“Then come and sit on my lap.” He waved two envelopes. “We have received some post.”
“Who are the letters from?” She rested her head against his shoulder as he slit one open with his thumb.
“This one bears the crest of the Duke of Somerset.”
She sat up. “Oh, my goodness. What does the duke say?”
Harry smoothed her hair away and held up the letter so he could read it.
“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, I am delighted to inform you that after your excellent directions, the chamber was discovered with the remains of Lady Margaret Pomeroy. As the jewels, most particularly the ring, feature in a portrait of the lady, they prove conclusively that they belong to her. We owe you a great debt of gratitude, and although you have proved reluctant to be named, we are pleased to invite you to attend the formal reinterment of Margaret’s remains in the family vault in St Mary’s. It is my sincere hope that you will attend.
Cecily sighed. “Perhaps it’s better for us not to go.”
“Wait, there’s more.” Harry turned the page.“As Mr. Johnson’s parents and Mrs. Johnson’s mother have accepted, might that be an inducement?”
