Page 72 of Indecent Desires of a Proper Lady
Juliet’s voice was quiet. “It appears she is now quite mad. She looked so different. I could feel sorry for her, the way that life has now turned out.”
“She did not need to take revenge nor use evil methods to get her satisfaction. She could have married someone else and been happy.”
Margaret sighed. “And yet, we were friends once. I am sad for her. She was hurting, she lashed out, and then she was sent away to exile while her father is in prison for how he’d planned to poison you and Juliet. Despite all that has happened, I agree with Juliet. I do feel pity for her. Now that we have ferreted out the truth and can feel safe once more.”
“She nearly killed us all and attempted to ruin our very lives!” Leonard’s eyes opened wide. He took a breath and calmed as Juliet placed a hand on his arm. “But you are right. It is not a fate I wish upon anyone. To grow mad away from home and be taken in to face perhaps imprisonment of the worst kind. And I barely recognized my old friend today. Did either of you? Philip? I would say that you knew him best.”
Reluctantly, Philip shook his head. “You are right. But it appears that we were not as close as I had assumed. I saw nothing of the man I thought I had grown up with. Today, he tried to kill me. I believe he would have if I had not stepped out of the way. And all for the love of a vindictive woman, full of bitterness and hatred.”
Philip shook his head, the grief for his friend welling up inside of him. Margaret’s light hand found his own hand. “All will be well. You will see.” And it was the third time since Margaret’s arrival that he had to keep from kissing her. He couldn’t wait until their engagement was official and then over.
“Well,” Juliet said, “I suppose we must look to the future, then. What about Charles’ debts?”
Leonard sighed. “I spoke to the constable about this, and I have mentioned it to the solicitor. The court will now handle them, and I do believe all threatening messages will cease, now that the law is involved.”
They were silent for a time as each of them digested at all that had happened. The sounds of the inn around them were soft and soothing, and Philip could feel the bond between him and his remaining friends strengthen. They had all been fooled, and so they had all shared in this disaster. This pain of loss.
The dinner was served, and they ate together. Juliet attempted to make small conversation, and Sarah was cheerful as always. Philip had Margaret by his side, and he would often look up to find her smiling at him, and he found in her a world of comfort. At the end of the night, the ladies stood and the men followed after.
“I think it is time we take ourselves to bed. It has been a trying day,” Juliet said. “We had sent word to book all the rooms necessary for the stay.”
Margaret nodded and glanced at Philip who grinned at her. Soon, they would be able to stay in a room together and would not have to consider propriety any longer. She flushed pink in a becoming way, and the women left, but as Margaret was climbing the stairs, Philip pulled her hand and they disappeared into a curtained-off area.
Margaret turned her face up to his, smiling. “Why, Mr. Winston. This is a very public place. I would hate for us to be seen to be so indiscreet.”
“After today, My Love, I desire you even more. You have rescued me from danger, and I hope to rescue you day after day.”
Margaret tried to respond, but instead she sank into his kiss, and Philip felt his desire rage within him. Since his one hand was injured, he used his other to smooth over his cheeks and run down her arms, moving to her soft, silken waist. When he pulled away, he laid his head on her forehead. “I love you, Margaret Whitfield, soon-to-be Mrs. Winston.”
“I love you, Philip Winston, soon-to-be husband.”
He groaned, and Margaret laughed. “I cannot wait for the day”, he said. “As soon as we are back in London, the announcement is going out.”
“Good. But I must go to bed, Mr. Winston. We will have to wait until our wedding night for any further clandestine rendezvous. She pulled away, a wicked gleam in her eye. Philip smiled widely, but then frowned when he saw her sad expression.
“I am very sad about Charles, you know. I know how much you loved him as a friend. It is a great loss to you that he did not turn out the way you thought. I grieve for you, My Love.” She touched his cheek lightly, and Philip felt his heart clench with emotion as he looked down into the face of the woman he loved.
“It is a time of grief, to be sure, but I have you: the kindest, loveliest, dearest woman in the world to help me through it.” She smiled, stood up taller, kissed his cheek, and left the space, leaving Philip behind to touch his own cheek, sinking into the glorious future that was ahead of him. Charles was gone, but Margaret was there and would be there always.
Chapter Thirty-One
One Month Later
Margaret was all aflutter. Everything had been prepared from the church to the flowers to the after-wedding breakfast, and yet she couldn’t help the feeling that something might yet go wrong. She had waited so long to be happy, and so it still felt so precarious, as if a puff of wind could blow it away, and everything would topple over.
Juliet knocked softly on her bedroom door. “Dear Margaret,” she said as she entered, and then when she looked up to see her, she put a hand over her mouth. “You are the loveliest bride in the whole of Christendom.”
She pulled Margaret into a hug and kissed her on the cheek. “Are you prepared? The carriage is ready to take us to the church. It is time.”
Margaret took a breath and exhaled, glancing at herself in the mirror, fingering the edges of her short hair. She chuckled. “I suppose that I will make quite the unique bride with my hair.”
Juliet slid her arm into Margaret’s and they walked down the steps together. “A unique bride you are, and a unique person you shall always be, whether you have short hair or not. I know that Philip thinks so. You have brought about his own happiness after all these years.”
They arrived in the hall, and Leonard turned around in his dark blue and white finery, grasping a top hat in his arm. “Margaret! You are absolutely lovely, dear Sister.” George was on his side, dressed in a similar fashion, and he ran into Margaret’s arms.
Margaret laughed, kissing her nephew before standing again to have her cheek kissed by her brother. Leonard whispered in her ear, “I am sorry that Mother and Father cannot be here. But I know in my heart that they would be so proud of you, Margaret.”
Margaret could feel tears in her eyes. She knew that it would be the first of many times she would cry that day. She too wished that her parents could see her on the happiest day of her life. Leonard continued. “You have chosen well, Margaret. And despite all my angry blustering, I am proud of you too.” He pulled back and Margaret kissed him on the cheek.
