I can’t believe you just sent Theodore away,” Eliza said.
“He didn’t go far. He’s standing right outside the door,” Hamilton said.
“Are you going to kiss her now, Daddy?” Ben asked, pulling his thumb out of his mouth.
“No, I’m not going to kiss her right this moment, especially with you two looking on. It hardly lends itself to a proper atmosphere.”
“But if you kissed her, she would have to marry you,” Piper said.
“Where do you come up with these ideas?” Hamilton asked.
“Grandmother,” Piper said with a grin.
“That certainly explains a lot,” Hamilton grumbled before he set Ben down next to Piper and moved to join Eliza on the opposite seat. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I need to thank you for giving me back my children. You were remarkable tonight, and I will be forever grateful.”
“I don’t need or want your gratitude,” Eliza managed to get out, finding it difficult to even think with his hand still holding hers and the heat from his lips pulsing through her fingers.
“What do you want?” he asked softly.
Before Eliza had an opportunity to answer, the door flung open and Gloria jumped in, wiggled her way between the children, and reached out to pull Piper up on her lap as she released a long, relieved sigh.
“What a night,” she exclaimed, pressing her lips to Piper’s forehead. “Are you all right?”
“Grandmother, you’re squeezing me too hard,” Piper complained, although she was grinning from ear to ear. “Did you shoot anyone?”
“She did,” Mrs. Watson said before Gloria could respond, climbing into the carriage and peering around before scooping Ben up and taking his spot, settling him into her lap before turning back to Piper. “Although, I must admit, I don’t think she intended to shoot the man. It was not her fault Agatha knocked that Eugene fellow directly into the path of your grandmother’s bullet. From what I could tell, Gloria was simply trying to frighten the man into surrendering.”
“Is he . . . dead?” Eliza whispered.
“Of course not,” Agatha said as she allowed Zayne to help her into the carriage. She looked around and then gestured to Eliza with her hand. “Scoot over.”
“Where would you suggest I ‘scoot’?” Eliza asked.
“You can sit on Hamilton’s lap,” Agatha said.
Eliza didn’t have a chance to protest. Hamilton sent her a grin, and the next thing she knew, she was snuggled on his lap, his hand resting on her waist. She felt her cheeks flame and looked around for a distraction. “Why do you have that coat tied around you?”
Agatha plopped down on the seat and rolled her eyes. “My pants split all the way down the back when I tried to tackle Eugene.”
“They were quite delightful pants while they were still intact,” Zayne remarked cheerfully as he squeezed his lanky frame into the carriage and nodded to Agatha. “Scoot over.”
“There’s no room,” Agatha said, “and you shouldn’t have been noticing my pants.”
Zayne took Agatha’s hand, pulled her to her feet, took her spot on the seat, and pulled her into his lap. “This is cozy,” he remarked to no one in particular.
Eliza grinned. She couldn’t help but notice that Agatha was certainly not protesting about sitting on Zayne’s lap. Her gaze darted to Gloria and Mrs. Watson, and her grin widened as she watched them exchange delighted smiles.
“So what happened?” Hamilton asked, drawing her attention. “Have all the miscreants been apprehended?”
“I am pleased to say everyone has been rounded up, and I’ve been told they will soon be residing in jail,” Zayne said as he sent Eliza a smile. “I do believe any lingering danger to you, my dear, is now at an end, and you will be able to return to England without fear. That is . . . if you’re still intent on returning home.”
Eliza felt Hamilton’s body tense. She drew in a deep breath and slowly released it. “I believe I have reconsidered.”
“You’re not going back?” Gloria asked as her expression turned hopeful.
“I think I belong here,” Eliza said quietly.
“She’s going to be our new mama,” Ben said.
“Ben’s a little ahead of himself,” Hamilton said.
“Everyone, out,” Gloria suddenly barked, and Eliza could only watch in amazement as everyone tried to get out of their seats at the same time, and with a lot of jostling and sly grins, they hurtled one by one out of the carriage until the only people left were herself and Hamilton.
“That was fast,” she muttered.
Hamilton laughed. “My mother is nothing if not determined.”
Eliza realized there was absolutely no reason for her to remain on Hamilton’s lap, and besides, she really wanted to see his face at this particular moment. She was not exactly certain what he was going to say to her, but she knew, deep in her heart, whatever he was about to say would most likely change her life forever. She struggled off his lap and took a seat on the opposite side of the carriage, listing ever so slightly to the right when the carriage set to motion. She steadied herself and then looked at Hamilton, the breath leaving her in a split second when she caught his gaze.
There was something incredibly warm in his eyes, something that almost seemed like . . . love.
Hamilton leaned forward, took her hand in his, and smiled. “There is much I need to say to you, Eliza, but allow me to begin by stating that I know I blundered badly with you before, when you thought I wished to marry you because I needed a mother for my children. At the time, I have to admit, I thought exactly that. I was not ready to commit myself to a woman; I didn’t have an ounce of trust in my body. Tonight you provided me with answers I’ve been seeking for years. You were able to extract information from Eugene, which put my mind to rest, and I can finally move forward. I know Agatha has been the one to say all along that God has a plan for the two of us, but I must say I do believe she’s right. I can only hope you’ll allow me another chance.”
Eliza felt tears begin to well in her eyes as hope swirled through her. “Are you asking me to marry you?” she managed to get out.
“I am asking you to marry me, but I wish to be very clear. I don’t want you as my wife because you’ll make an excellent mother for Piper and Ben, although I have no doubt you would be exceptional in that role. I only want you to accept my proposal if you can assure me that someday you’ll be able to trust me and, perhaps, love me as I have grown to love you.”
“You love me?” Eliza whispered.
“How can I not?”
He loved her.
Mr. Hamilton Beckett, the most wonderful, compelling gentleman she’d ever known, loved her. She took a deep breath, ignored her racing pulse, and felt a smile spread over her lips when she realized she’d been quiet longer than she’d thought, because Hamilton was watching her now with worry in his eyes. She squeezed his hand.
“I would marry you even if you only wanted a mother for your children,” she began. “I can’t imagine living without Piper and Ben, but as you said before, I need to be clear. I can assure you I trust you completely, and I can also assure you I have loved you from almost the moment I set eyes on you. It takes a very special man to see beyond a hideous puce gown to the woman beneath.”
“Is that what that color is called?” Hamilton asked softly before he rose and then took a seat right beside her, his fingers tightening on her hand. “You love me?”
She nodded and smiled. “I must admit that I do, with all my heart.”
“And you want to marry me?”
Eliza laughed, feeling happier than she ever had in her life. “I would love nothing more than to marry you and live with you here in New York.”
“You will not miss England?”
“There is nothing for me there,” she said. “You have stolen my heart completely, Mr. Beckett, and I believe it is now yours forever.”
His gaze intensified, and he leaned forward, causing Eliza to take in a sharp breath of air.
He was going to kiss her.
Finally.
She leaned into him, but before his lips could touch hers, the carriage began to slow and then came to a stop, causing Hamilton to release a snort.
“Horrible timing,” he muttered as he pulled away and gestured out the window. “It would appear we have arrived home and . . . we have an audience.”
Eliza raised her head and couldn’t help but grin. Gloria, Agatha, Mrs. Watson, Zayne, Piper, and Ben were standing on the sidewalk, each one of them beaming at the carriage.
“They’ll be so excited,” she said.
“Yes, they will,” Hamilton agreed. “We’d better not keep them waiting. From the way my mother is bouncing up and down, I’m afraid she’s about ready to storm the carriage.”
Eliza laughed and waited as Hamilton opened the door and jumped to the ground before he turned back and offered her his hand. She took it, stepped out beside him, and was suddenly pulled from his side and enveloped in a warm hug from Gloria.
“So?” Gloria prompted. “Am I finally going to get to plan a wedding?”
“I give you leave to plan whatever type of wedding you’d like,” Eliza said.
Gloria squeezed her hard, took a step back, wiped tears from her face, and nodded. “Lovely, I will get right to work.” She turned to Mrs. Watson. “I do hope you’ll assist me, Cora. I have come to rely on your expert advice.”
Mrs. Watson wiped a few tears of her own away and smiled. “But of course, Gloria. I would love nothing more than to assist you. Perhaps someday you’ll be able to return the favor.”
Gloria and Mrs. Watson sent pointed looks at Zayne and Agatha, who both cheerfully ignored them as they moved to hug Eliza and then Hamilton.
A thought suddenly occurred to Eliza after Agatha released her. “What happened to Theodore?” she asked.
“He made a hasty retreat once it started getting emotional,” Agatha said with a roll of her eyes. “I saw him almost running away from the carriage right after everyone decided Hamilton had something of importance to tell you. He’s obviously not a gentleman who is accustomed to dealing with situations of a romantic nature.”
“We’ll have to take him in hand,” Gloria proclaimed, causing Eliza to grin.
“He’ll enjoy that, but at least it will keep you out of my business,” Zayne muttered, earning a swat from his mother in the process.
“Did anyone hear anything else regarding Eugene and Sally?” Hamilton asked.
Eliza was a little taken aback to realize she’d almost forgotten all about them.
“Theodore was going to have them taken to jail, after a physician takes out that bullet from Eugene’s arm,” Zayne said with a glance at Gloria. “I have a feeling those two will spend the rest of their lives behind bars.”
“I feel somewhat sorry for Sally,” Eliza said. “I hate to think of the woman wasting the rest of her life.”
“She aided in the murder of her husband,” Zayne pointed out.
“I don’t think she did,” Eliza said. “I think Eugene was solely responsible for Bartholomew’s death.”
“Well, we have no say in what happens to her,” Gloria said. “She broke the law, and the courts will decide her fate.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Eliza agreed, unwilling to spend another minute of her life contemplating Sally’s situation. She looked down and found Piper grinning up at her, looking as if she were about to burst with questions. She lifted her head. “Would it be possible for me to have a few moments alone with the children?”
“Good heavens, dear, I should have thought of that,” Gloria said before she took Mrs. Watson by the arm and sent Eliza a nod. “Here we’ve been rambling on and on, and poor Piper and Ben have been made to wait. We’ll see you in the parlor whenever you’re ready.”
Eliza watched as Gloria, Mrs. Watson, Agatha, and Zayne traveled up the walk and disappeared into the house before she turned to Piper. “I do apologize, Piper. You should have been the first to hear the news.”
“Are you going to marry Daddy?”
Eliza grinned and nodded, but before she could get another word out of her mouth, Lawrence suddenly appeared in the doorway. He set his sights on her and stalked forward, a distinct expression of surliness on his face. He came to a stop directly in front of her. “Where in the world have you been? I had your brother bring me back here over an hour ago because I needed to speak with you concerning our return trip to England, and you were nowhere to be found.”
Eliza’s patience with the man was beginning to wear thin. “I do apologize for the fact that you were inconvenienced, Lawrence, but I find it truly telling you would believe I would want to talk about a return trip to England when Piper and Ben were missing. Honestly, I have come to think I never truly knew you, and if you must know, while you were cooling your heels in Hamilton’s house, I was out attending to the little matter of rescuing the children. They’re fine, by the way, in case you neglected to realize that.”
“I have no idea why you concerned yourself with this matter in the first place,” Lawrence snapped, ignoring everything else Eliza had said. “There were plenty of qualified people searching for them. You should have conferred with me before going after them.”
“She’s my mama,” Ben proclaimed as he sidled up next to her and snagged her hand. She smiled down at him, but her smile faded when Lawrence opened his mouth.
“She most certainly is not,” Lawrence hissed.
“She’s going to be,” Piper said. “She’s marrying Daddy as soon as Grandmother makes the arrangements.”
Eliza let go of Ben’s hand and took a step toward Lawrence. “Perhaps we should discuss this in private,” she said, brushing past him to stride up the sidewalk and into the house.
Lawrence fell into step behind her. “I cannot get out of this country fast enough.”
“You’ll be on a boat in a day and a half,” Eliza said as she increased her pace and stalked into the first available room, which happened to be the drawing room. “You’ll be happy to learn I’m giving you my steamer ticket so you can return to London without having to spend any money purchasing your own ticket.”
He frowned. “How will you get back?”
“I’m not going back.”
“That’s ridiculous; you belong in England. You possess an esteemed title.”
“I have no need of that title anymore,” she said softly.
“But . . . you have to marry me,” he sputtered.
“I can’t marry you, Lawrence. I don’t love you.”
“I don’t love you either, but that doesn’t mean we can’t marry. We used to rub along quite nicely together.”
“While that certainly sounds enticing, the whole ‘rubbing along together’ idea, I’m afraid it doesn’t appeal to me anymore. I deserve better.”
“And you believe that Beckett man is better?”
“I do.”
“He only wants you for your money.”
“You’re confusing him with you,” Eliza said. “You only wanted me for my money. You never knew the real me or even wanted to learn about me.”
“But I’ve come all this way to fetch you home.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t go back. My place is here.”
Grayson stuck his head in the door. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” Lawrence barked.
“Sorry,” Grayson said, striding into the room. “I wanted to check on my sister.”
“She’s being impossible,” Lawrence grouched.
“She does have the tendency to behave that way at times,” Grayson said cheerfully before he sent her a grin. “Mrs. Beckett just informed me of your exciting news. I must say I am happy for you, Eliza.” He turned back to Lawrence. “Did you hear Eliza’s getting married?”
“I might have heard something to that effect,” he mumbled.
Grayson nodded. “Good, but that’s not why I came in here. I think I have a solution to your financial problems.”
Eliza resisted the urge to laugh as Lawrence went from sulky to pleasant in a split second.
“I’m listening,” Lawrence said. “What is your solution?”
Grayson reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a ticket. He handed it to Lawrence, who turned sulky once again.
“Eliza told me she was going to give me hers.”
“That is for Mrs. Morgan,” Grayson said. “I have a feeling the two of you would suit admirably, and from what I understand, she’s wealthy in the extreme. You may take my carriage to travel to her residence. Mrs. Beckett was kind enough to give my driver directions to her house. I have to believe Mrs. Morgan will be delighted to see you again and will be only too willing to take on London high society.”
“Mrs. Morgan?” Lawrence mused as he tapped the ticket in his hand for a brief moment and then strode for the door, not even bothering to speak to Eliza again before he disappeared.
“Incredible,” Grayson said with a laugh. “I don’t think he was very distraught over your upcoming nuptials.”
“I don’t think Lawrence is capable of that particular emotion,” Eliza said.
“Mind if I come in?” Hamilton asked, drawing her attention.
“Please do,” Eliza said.
Hamilton stepped into the room, carrying a little girl in his arms, Ben and Piper tagging along at his side. “I thought you might enjoy meeting your niece.”
Eliza shot a look to Grayson. “This is your daughter?” she asked, remembering his confusing statement about calling the girl his daughter “for want of a better word.”
“This is Ming,” Grayson said. “And we’ll talk more about her later, but yes, I consider her my daughter.”
Eliza looked at the dark-haired girl in Hamilton’s arms and couldn’t resist her. She stepped to Hamilton’s side, held out her hands, and found her heart melting when Ming leaned toward her and allowed Eliza to scoop her up. “Aren’t you a little darling?”
Ming Sumner patted Eliza’s face before she stuck her thumb in her mouth and buried her head against Eliza’s shoulder.
“She’s a little shy,” Grayson explained.
Ming lifted her head. “Down.”
Eliza grinned and set Ming down, her grin widening when Ming and Ben, watched over by Piper, scampered around the room. “Yes, I can see she’s incredibly shy.”
“I’ve decided to stay in America,” Grayson said.
“I figured that out when you gave Lawrence your ticket,” Eliza said.
“Why would you give Lawrence your ticket?” Hamilton asked Grayson. “I thought Eliza was going to give him hers. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?” he asked, turning to Eliza.
“Of course not,” Eliza said, stepping to his side and allowing herself a small sigh of satisfaction when his arm went around her. “Grayson gave his ticket up so Mrs. Morgan could join Lawrence.”
“That was a wonderful idea,” Zayne said as he strolled into the room, Agatha by his side.
“Why do you say that?” Agatha asked.
“Mrs. Morgan has been known to pursue every available bachelor in the city. I’ve always felt a bit sorry for her, and she’ll be thrilled with an estate to manage and a title to flaunt.”
“My dears, I really must insist you go and change out of those pants,” Gloria exclaimed as she bustled into the room. “Mr. Watson just arrived, and we don’t want the poor man to have an attack. He’s already reeling from discovering his wife helped bring down Eugene and Sally.”
“Did you tell him you shot Eugene?” Agatha asked.
“Did you tell him you’re planning on writing an article regarding tonight’s event for the newspaper?” Gloria countered.
“I’ve yet to actually speak with my father,” Agatha said with a smile.
“You’re writing an article for the paper?” Eliza asked in delight.
“I am. My editor from the New York Tribune was standing on the street outside Daniels’s house, watching the chaos and taking notes. When he actually recognized me and remembered who I was, well, he decided I would be better equipped to write the story since I had inside information. He wants me to present him with a full article that he promised to run on the front page. I really must get busy, as he wants the article turned in later tonight. Would you mind if I took my leave?”
“Of course not,” Eliza replied, “but you might need to secure another ride. I have a feeling your parents are going to want to stay for a while.”
“I’ll see you home,” Zayne volunteered, “but you’re going to have to get out of those pants.”
“Why?” Agatha asked.
Zayne began to whistle under his breath.
A feeling of peace descended over Eliza as Hamilton pulled her close to him. She watched the children as they giggled and played, none the worse for their ordeal, and then her gaze switched to Grayson, the brother who had been returned to her. She felt Hamilton’s lips graze the top of her head and could do nothing to stem the tears that suddenly blinded her.
He loved her and wanted to marry her.
She blinked to clear her eyes and looked up to find Hamilton smiling back at her.
“Happy?” he asked softly.
“Indeed.”