Page 110 of The Secret Daughter
Zoë felt the same and had been prepared to wear one of her elegant French dresses for the wedding, but as it turned out, her sisters had already commissioned a wedding dress for her from the House of Chance. Miss Chance already had her measurements, and all there was left to do was the hem.
It was gorgeous, Zoë thought when she saw it, creamy white, in heavy silk that fell beautifully, quite plain with a hint of lace at the sleeves and hem.
There was also a beautiful, delicate, quite improper, almost-sheer silk-and-lace nightgown with a matching dressing gown. Zoë couldn’t wait to wear it for Julian. Though she had no doubt it would go the way of every other nightgown she had worn for him.
They went together to break the news to his grandmother, Lady Bagshott.
He told her, in all solemnity, “I’ve given up all hope of finding my little French maidservant, Grandmama. And knowing how much you want me to marry, I decided it was time, so I have asked Miss Benoît to be my countess, and she has accepted.” Before his grandmother could say a word, he added, “And knowing how much you liked and admired Miss Benoît when she was painting your portrait, I knew you’d be delighted with my choice.”
There was a short silence. Julian waited with an expression of such innocent expectance it sorely tried Zoë’s self-control.
“Very good,” his grandmother finally grated sourly. “Congratulations.”
“There’s only one small problem,” he added. Zoë looked at him in surprise. “Miss Benoît has, as you know, been living with Lady Scattergood, but she, sadly, does not support our wedding.”
The old lady stiffened. “What? Olive Barrington does not approve? How dare she? She always was a hoity-toity madam!”
He sighed. “I know.”
Lady Bagshott glanced at Zoë and said reluctantly, “You are welcome to make your home here, in Foxton House.”
“Foxton House?” Julian exclaimed. “You mean you’ll move out and let us live here at Foxton House, Grandmama? How very generous of you. Naturally I will purchase another house in Mayfair for you to live in.”
His grandmother’s jaw dropped open. “But I didn’t mean—”
Julian said smoothly, “Olive Barrington will be mortified, positively mortified when she learns how generous and selfless you have been to a new young bride—her protégée. What a comedown for her, to see you give up your home to make way for the new generation, just as you’vealways wanted. So magnanimous of you. Thank you, Grandmama.”
Stupefied, Lady Bagshott goggled at him. But Zoë couldn’t let it happen. She leaned forward and put her hand on Julian’s arm. “No,” she said. “No, we can’t do that, deprive your grandmother of this house she loves so much.”
Julian and his grandmother looked at her in surprise.
“Lady Bagshott must continue to live here. We will buy another house.”
Bemused, Julian agreed. He kissed his grandmother’s hand, took his leave and they left.
“Why did you do that? I had it all worked out,” he said as they strolled arm in arm along the street. “The house isn’t hers, you know. It belongs to me. She just took possession of it five or six years ago without so much as a by-your-leave.”
“I know—and you really are atrocious, ambushing her like that.” She chuckled. “Her face was a picture. But we really can’t turn her out of her home.” She shot him a sideways glance. “And since you were going to be buying a house anyway, I thought why not buy it for us.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “Very well. Any thoughts about where?”
“What about Bellaire Gardens or somewhere nearby? The gardens there are so beautiful.” She added, “I was never even in a garden until Clarissa found me and took me there. I never dreamed such a place could exist. It’s so beautiful, Julian. It’s magic, even now in winter.”
His face cleared. “Of course, I should have thought of that sooner. And you’ll want to be near your sisters as well. I’ll speak to my man of business this afternoon and put him onto it.”
Five days before the wedding, when Julian called to take Zoë for their daily walk or drive in the park, he told her, “I have good news about a house. My man of business haslearned of a house in Bellaire Gardens that the owner is willing to sell. For the last few years it has been rented by a widow and her daughter. However, both the daughter and the widow are about to be married, the widow to a marquess—apparently she’s second cousin to a duke.”
Zoë laughed and laughed. “I can’t wait to tell my sisters this,” she gasped when her laughter subsided.
He gazed at her, perplexed but smiling at her apparent delight. “What’s so funny?”
“I know that house, though I’ve never been inside it. It’s where Milly and her mother lived—the girl who went off with her betrothed the day you kidnapped me. And her mother is to marry the old spider. It couldn’t be more perfect.”
He shook his head. “If you say so. Well, if you approve, I’ll tell my man to buy it, and we’ll get someone in to refurbish the whole place. Best to have a fresh start with it.”
She hugged his arm, almost dancing along beside him. “It’s the most perfect solution. I shall have the gardens and my sisters and Lady Scattergood and Lucy for a while, and the Tarrants—oh, thank you, Julian. It couldn’t be better.”
“If you keep dancing and smiling like that, I’m going to have to kiss you in the middle of a public footpath,” he warned her.
