tell him what I must.”
“Here are the tea and scones, Miss Bella. I’m sorry it took so long, but the cook was just about to take fresh biscuits from the oven.” Lily looked over at Camden then back to her employer. “I knew you’d want to wait for the warm ones.”
“Thank you, Lily. Put them on the table.” The maid did as she was told, then turned and walked out, but not before looking Camden over from head to toe.
“Would you care for refreshment before you go?”
There was a soft feminine strength about Mirabella that drew him to her even when he knew there could never be anything between them. “No, thank you. I know where my hat and coat are. No need to see me out. Good-bye, Miss Whittingham.”
***
Mirabellatook a deep breath before knocking on the door of her father’s room. She was not looking forward to this meeting. She had been in her room rehearsing what to say to him since Lord Stonehurst left, trying in vain to come up with a way to make this turn of events more palatable to her father.
At best, she would only have to tell him that she didn’t want to marry the viscount. At worst, she would have to tell her father the entire dreadful story of how Lord Stonehurst caught her in the arms of another man. She couldn’t tell her father about Sarah. She had to keep that from him so she could continue her search.
Lord Stonehurst’s surprising offer to remain engaged had been so very tempting. But he wasn’t offering a solution to her predicament, only a postponement.
A pang of guilt struck her every time she thought about Lord Stonehurst. How she had ever found the courage to deny herself his company for a few months she didn’t know. He was the most interesting gentleman she had ever met, and she would have loved the opportunity to get to know him better. After all the years she waited for him to come home, she would have enjoyed having him by her side—if only for a short time.
But she was committed to finding the rake who seduced Sarah and caused her death. She had gone too far to turn back now, and a fiancé would be a hindrance. Refusing the viscount was the only sensible thing she could do.
Mirabella strode into her father’s room with all the courage she could muster. “Papa, how are you this evening?”
Her father closed the book he was reading and laid it on the covers in front of him. “I’ve had a good day, Daughter. How about you?”
She brushed aside his heavy blanket and a copy of The History of England and took a seat on the bed beside him. “I’ve had a most unusual day.”
“Something out of the ordinary?” He placed a finger on his chin. “Sounds like a wonderful change to a sick old man who spends too much time in bed reading. Tell me how so?”
It was best for her to just be done with it and not play around with the news. “The Earl of Lockshaven’s son has returned to London.”
Bertram’s expression questioned briefly, then brightened. “What’s this? The viscount? Your fiancé has returned?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened and he leaned forward. “How do you know this? The earl has sent word? Are you certain?”
“Quite certain.”
Bertram clasped his hands together and whispered, “Thank God. What took him so long?” Relief washed down his face, and his eyes pooled with moisture. “This is wonderful news.” He quickly brushed his eyes before the glistening could become tears. “I’m overjoyed. Mirabella, I don’t mind telling you that I had all but given up hope of him ever returning. I planned to speak to Archer about other eligible men who would be suitable to you and now I don’t have to. This is the news we’ve been waiting for.”
She hadn’t expected her father to show so much enthusiasm over Lord Stonehurst’s return.
“Where’s Newton? I must send a note to the earl at once.”
“Papa, wait.”
“What for? Your fiancé has come to claim you for his bride. It’s past time he decided to uphold his duty.”
“I’d
“Here are the tea and scones, Miss Bella. I’m sorry it took so long, but the cook was just about to take fresh biscuits from the oven.” Lily looked over at Camden then back to her employer. “I knew you’d want to wait for the warm ones.”
“Thank you, Lily. Put them on the table.” The maid did as she was told, then turned and walked out, but not before looking Camden over from head to toe.
“Would you care for refreshment before you go?”
There was a soft feminine strength about Mirabella that drew him to her even when he knew there could never be anything between them. “No, thank you. I know where my hat and coat are. No need to see me out. Good-bye, Miss Whittingham.”
***
Mirabellatook a deep breath before knocking on the door of her father’s room. She was not looking forward to this meeting. She had been in her room rehearsing what to say to him since Lord Stonehurst left, trying in vain to come up with a way to make this turn of events more palatable to her father.
At best, she would only have to tell him that she didn’t want to marry the viscount. At worst, she would have to tell her father the entire dreadful story of how Lord Stonehurst caught her in the arms of another man. She couldn’t tell her father about Sarah. She had to keep that from him so she could continue her search.
Lord Stonehurst’s surprising offer to remain engaged had been so very tempting. But he wasn’t offering a solution to her predicament, only a postponement.
A pang of guilt struck her every time she thought about Lord Stonehurst. How she had ever found the courage to deny herself his company for a few months she didn’t know. He was the most interesting gentleman she had ever met, and she would have loved the opportunity to get to know him better. After all the years she waited for him to come home, she would have enjoyed having him by her side—if only for a short time.
But she was committed to finding the rake who seduced Sarah and caused her death. She had gone too far to turn back now, and a fiancé would be a hindrance. Refusing the viscount was the only sensible thing she could do.
Mirabella strode into her father’s room with all the courage she could muster. “Papa, how are you this evening?”
Her father closed the book he was reading and laid it on the covers in front of him. “I’ve had a good day, Daughter. How about you?”
She brushed aside his heavy blanket and a copy of The History of England and took a seat on the bed beside him. “I’ve had a most unusual day.”
“Something out of the ordinary?” He placed a finger on his chin. “Sounds like a wonderful change to a sick old man who spends too much time in bed reading. Tell me how so?”
It was best for her to just be done with it and not play around with the news. “The Earl of Lockshaven’s son has returned to London.”
Bertram’s expression questioned briefly, then brightened. “What’s this? The viscount? Your fiancé has returned?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened and he leaned forward. “How do you know this? The earl has sent word? Are you certain?”
“Quite certain.”
Bertram clasped his hands together and whispered, “Thank God. What took him so long?” Relief washed down his face, and his eyes pooled with moisture. “This is wonderful news.” He quickly brushed his eyes before the glistening could become tears. “I’m overjoyed. Mirabella, I don’t mind telling you that I had all but given up hope of him ever returning. I planned to speak to Archer about other eligible men who would be suitable to you and now I don’t have to. This is the news we’ve been waiting for.”
She hadn’t expected her father to show so much enthusiasm over Lord Stonehurst’s return.
“Where’s Newton? I must send a note to the earl at once.”
“Papa, wait.”
“What for? Your fiancé has come to claim you for his bride. It’s past time he decided to uphold his duty.”
“I’d
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