Page 84 of Sweet Siren
Epilogue
May 29,1880
Brighton
Liv grinnedto herself as she rounded the drive up the hill to the house. Open now three months, the residence was not yet completely furnished, not fully decorated with all of Killian's prized original paintings, but the rays of the sun glinting off the pale Mansard roof and the Bath stonefilled her with more than pride in her own work. It brought tears to her eyes and inspired her with gratitude that her life had been so changed by the love of a man she once thought shehated.
They'd married last September in London in the American embassy and later in a private church ceremony. To marry them, the American ambassador required Killian's birth certificate. But Killian, an immigrant to America at age six, could show no such paper. He'd certified who he claimed to be with a few other documents such as London bank statements. With those impressive references, the clergy had no problems officiating. A day later, the private church ceremony with only family in attendance was to declare they were man and wife for the certitude of everyone inBritain.
Their engagement appeared in the London newspapers and in others. Yet no one had written to her nor had anyone commented that Olivia Louise Emley Bereston was to marry the man who had ruined her father's and her family's lives. Killian had let it be known in his own business circles that the Liverpool broker was a hunted man. Gossipers did the rest to connect the reasons why the American tycoon, Hanniford, would seek out the shipping broker. Once that was public knowledge, others searched for him as well. It seemed the man had committed similar cases of fraud. The Rothschild bank had traced him to Naples and on to Tangier. But once more he had disappeared. The searchcontinued.
However Liv did not need that man's presence to wash away the bitterness of yesterday. She had the love of the first man in her life whom she adored. Marriage to David had been one of mutual convenience, hers for financial succor, his to hide his desires for other men. Marriage to Killian Hanniford was one of fascination and the most thrilling passion she'd ever known. At her age, to find herself abed with her lover at nine or ten in the mornings should be outrageous. She couldn't care at any of that. This was her house, her lover, her husband and she found him more irresistible each time he took her in his arms and told her he adoredher.
She giggled at the very thought. But the coach drew nigh to the entrance and she cleared her throat, straightened in the plush black leather squabs and told herself to behave. She had marvelous news to tell, but she must not look like she'd just swallowed a canary. Killian would detect her secret and she wanted to shock him. Shock him to the same kind of giddiness shefelt.
Taking the hand of their footman, she allowed him to assist her down the steps of their brougham onto the graveled drive under theporte cochère. The May day was a brilliant clear blue with warm breezes off the coast and Hanniford Manor glimmered in the spring sunshine. The wind took tendrils of her hair and coiled them about her face and she smiled that the day was bringing her more than she'd originallyanticipated.
"Thank you, Alfred," she said to the young man whom they'd recently hired to live here and assist the new butler. Killian wished to live here in the spring and summer months, keeping his rented Piccadilly house open for his frequent trips to London on business. "Where is MisterHanniford?"
"His office, Madam. He says he has news and he wishes to see youimmediately."
"Wonderful," she said as she strode through the broad frontdoor.
"Jenkins,"she greeted the new butler, a young man from Hove who seemed always chipper. "Thank you. You may have my hat and gloves. Has everyone hadluncheon?"
"They have, ma'am. As you instructed, we didn't wait for you toreturn."
"Good." The new Hanniford Manor was chock full to the rafters with Hannifords, young and older and extended family. Remy and Marianne were here with their one-year-old Rand while Marianne finished painting a mural upon one wall in the dining room. Pierce had come down from London two days ago, licking his wounds over the loss of an investment. Ada had arrived last week, "thoroughly distressed over the Season and lack of new amusing men." Lily and Julian had come down from Willowreach yesterday with Garrett along, "in need of cheering up" because Elanna and Carbury were driving them mad with their frequentarguments.
She walked into the spacious foyer and turned left. Before her along the straight line to the terrace, stood the Dominican arches, the sea and the serenity of this life she was building with a man shecherished.
Near the end of the hall, she stopped and knocked on the woodendoor.
Killian's rich bass voice reached out to her and sheentered.
"Hello!" He removed his spectacles, pushed up and grinned at her. His hair bore more silver strands at his temples. He might even be developing a waving silver streak over his brow. "How areyou?"
"Very well," she said, the news bubbling inside her like a hotspring.
"The plasterers at the Lockern site are getting along, are they?" He came around his desk to take her in his arms, hold her close to his strong body and kiss her on thelips.
"They are. They see the value of working with another crew.Finally."
"Ah, well. When you pay them all well, who can complain,eh?"
"True."
He pulled back to peer at her. "What?"
"What do you mean? I fixed the labor dispute. We are all back towork."
"You look..." His brow furrowed. "Different."
"Really?" How to hide things from a man who saw everything about you? Your desire for him, your never-ending need to crawl into his arms at night and to kiss him until he caressed each inch of your ownbody?
"Your hair. It's mussed from thewind."
She patted it. Ready to tellhim.
