Page 67 of Eliza and the Duke
“No…I…How?”
“Mr. Hathaway decided that he liked the idea of a duke for a son-in-law—not that there’s a legal relation—more than having Lord Mainwaring for a son-in-law. You have to admit, it does work out in his favor once Lord David inherits, but even before then he has his brother’s ear. Strathmore is a formidable ally to have on his side.”
Simon rose, and tossed his hat on the bed so that he could rake his fingers through his hair as he paced. This was very much not what he’d expected. It was overwhelming and unbelievable. The entire course of their future had changed in only a few short sentences.
“Simon, what’s wrong?”
He couldn’t even articulate it. He walked to the window, taking in the busy street below. “I don’t know…That amount of money…”
She touched his back and he jerked in surprise because he hadn’t been aware of her approaching. He turned to see her staring up at him in concern.
“I don’t know how to…” What? He didn’t even know how to say it.
“Nothing has to change. We pay Brody enough to placate him, and the rest we put in the bank. You can continue to work at Montague Club if you like and I can attend college. We can get Daisy a nurse and decorate her room and send her to school or hire tutors. Buy her pretty dresses and toys. It simply means that we can do what we planned to do and it will be a little easier.”
“Do you still want me to be employed? To not be a gentleman and—”
“Is that what you’re worried about?” The smile he loved so much was back on her face. “I want the life we talked about. I don’t want the life I would’ve had with Mainwaring. I don’t want to spend my days on social visits and my evenings attending balls, though one or two a year might be nice when August, Violet, or Cora have them. That’s all I want. I want to be with you and one day buy our own little house in Bloomsbury and raise Daisy and our children. Perhaps I’ll become a reporter, or a professor, or I’ll work with the London Suffrage Society to pass legislation.”
He slipped his arms around her waist as he felt the weight lifting from his chest. “You can be whatever you want to be. You know that I’ll support you in that?”
“I know.” She laid her head on his chest. He placed a kissto her temple, breathed in her sweet scent, and thanked God that she had come into his life.
“I still believe we should board the liner tomorrow,” he said, serious again.
She looked up at him, her pretty brow furrowed.
“I don’t trust Brody. I don’t trust him not to take the money and try to come after me anyway.” He was so angry that Simon had double-crossed him, at least in his view.
“How long would we need to stay gone?” she asked.
He shrugged. “An extended holiday, a few months. Until we’ve given him time to calm down.”
“That sounds like a marvelous idea. Daisy will enjoy seeing the world.”
He hadn’t even had to ask her if Daisy could come with him. He loved her so much it hurt.
“Let’s go see her,” he said.
Eliza rose up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss, then took his hand and led him toward the door. “You should know that everyone is here.”
“Everyone?”
“Lord Leigh and Violet, Rothschild and August, Cora and Devonworth—who just got back from Rome but came straightaway—and then Lord David, since he’s all but family now, and Mr. Hathaway, too. Mr. Dunn, of course, and Jenny, my mother, and Heni.”
“As long as one of them brought the marriage license, then I’m happy.”
She squeezed his hand. “They did, indeed, and we’ll be married very soon, Mr. Cavell.”
He opened the door. “After you, Mrs. Cavell.”
She giggled and he watched her walk away from him, certain that he would be happy forever.
Thirty-Five
“Which do you think Daisywill like? The white or the pink? Which would be the most useful?” Eliza held up two different pairs of tights. She was in the hosiery shop later that afternoon on the ground floor of the hotel picking out last-minute items that they would need on their trip. Jenny had come along with her because out of the three of them, she enjoyed shopping the most.
Cora and their mother had gone off to find orange blossoms because Fanny had insisted every bride needed to wear them on her wedding day. Eliza could hardly believe that they would be married tomorrow.
