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Grace kept fidgeting in the seat, her agitation growing the closer they drew to Lockhart Manor. Even with Calum’s reassurance of his family’s acceptance of her as his wife, she was unsure about their reception. She held a companionable relationship with them while she was the governess, but would they welcome her into their fold as one of their own?
“Trust me. My family loves you. You fret for nothing,” Calum attempted to assure Grace.
She twisted her gloved hands over and over. “Before we arrive, I must tell you something. I should have before we got married. It could change your mind.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. “Nothing will ever sway my feelings for you.”
Grace pulled her hand away. If she were to confess to him about the letters, then she could not touch him. His touch alone had her abandoning every rational sense. If he so much as kissed her, she would lose her nerve.
“I not only worry about your family but the effect it will hold over you and your family once everyone learns about how we wed.”
Calum sighed. He had avoided this conversation since he found her. However, they must address the issue before they arrived home. Or else it would be a constant worry for Grace and she would never feel accepted. He wanted to handle the problem and had hoped it would disappear, but it appeared the threats still plagued Grace. Even with the protection he now provided as her husband.
He drew her closer. “I am already aware of the letters you received.”
She jerked in his embrace. “You are?”
Calum nodded. “Yes. Mother showed me once I questioned her on your whereabouts. She explained how she aided your departure and showed me the letter. Then Douglas explained how you had received another letter earlier in the day.”
Grace sniffled, fighting back her tears. “All the more reason our marriage is a mistake. Your mother wanted me to leave so as not to bring shame upon your family.”
Calum scoffed. “My mother sent you away so I would follow. She is only ashamed of how I attempted to seduce you into a scandalous interlude where someone could have caught us. She grew impatient with trying to make a match between us.”
Grace’s mouth dropped open. “No. You should have seen her expression when she read the letter. She could not rush me away quick enough. I do not blame her, but it hurt how she was ashamed of me.”
Calum kissed Grace’s forehead, squeezing her tighter. “My mother can be dramatic when it’s called for. I am afraid to disappoint you, my love, but my mother sacrificed you for her agenda.”
Grace placed her palm against Calum’s chest to keep him from kissing her. “Still, her actions do not erase the threats in those letters. Whoever sent them plans to ruin your family.”
“Nonsense. They are nothing but the ravings of a madman. He can no more ruin my family than he can you. You are now my bride and, in so, under my protection. Anyone who would dare cross me to harm you will find themselves under the blade of my sword.”
Calum’s passionate speech endeared him to her even more than she thought possible. He clutched her to his side to prove he meant every word about protecting her. Not only did he declare himself her protector but he silently begged for her to place her trust in him. Grace did Calum a great injustice by not trusting in his love. He deserved her trust and love, and she had yet to offer them to him. Instead, she had allowed her doubts to control her actions and to keep questioning the depth of his affections.
After they married in Gretna Green, they took the return journey at a slower pace. They stopped at the villages on the return home, staying at the local inns. They should have returned home a few days ago. Instead, they spent the time enjoying their marital bed and taking long walks along the countryside, learning about each other. She had never been more blissful since they wed and needed to continue rejoicing in those wondrous memories.
At every opportunity, Calum pledged his love and devotion, and yet she held back from responding in kind. Grace allowed a faceless coward to dictate whether she would express her emotions to a gentleman she loved with her whole heart. By not confessing her love, she wasn’t being fair to Calum. She planned to rectify it immediately.
However, before she could declare her love, the carriage slowed to a stop. The door opened, and Calum jumped out, reaching for her. He lifted her in his arms to carry her inside. He winked at her. “At least smile like you are a smitten bride.”
Grace playfully slapped him on the shoulder, sharing his exuberance at arriving. “Why would we want to confuse them?”
Calum threw back his head, laughing at her playful response. He feared her doubts would consume her and ruin the happiness they had shared the past few days. “Aye, lass, you have a point.”
He had no more than stepped over the threshold when his family descended upon them. Calum set Grace on her feet and brought her backside flush against his front with his arm wrapped around her waist. He watched in amusement as Effie and Gayre welcomed her with a hug and a hundred questions about their wedding. Finlay, Hugh, and Geordie each handed her flowers they had picked from the garden, welcoming her to the family. Cameron leaned against the wall with a smirk, while his mother cackled with glee at how she had succeeded with her matchmaking scheme. And throughout it all, Grace’s smile widened at each member of his family’s warm acceptance.
Lady Lockhart stepped forward and gathered Grace’s hands into hers. “Welcome to the family, my dear. It warms my heart how my son finally regained his senses and made you his bride. I feared we might have had to take more drastic measures to motivate him.”
Calum harrumphed. “As if sending Grace away was not drastic enough.”
Lady Lockhart lifted an eyebrow with elegance. “I did not send Grace away but led you on a merry chase.”
“She was on a journey back to London,” Calum argued.
Lady Lockhart waved a hand through the air. “Nonsense. Her travels led her no farther than Gretna Green. Her intended destination.”
Cameron laughed. “I do not believe Calum will agree with your antics, no matter how you spin them.”
“Either way, Grace is now family. ‘Tis all that matters.” She wrapped her arm around Grace’s waist, guiding her away from Calum. “Allow me to show you to your new chambers while Calum sees to his guests waiting for him in his study.”
Grace looked over her shoulder at Calum, unsure of Lady Lockhart’s intentions. He gave her a nod of assurance. It should’ve soothed her worries, but her nerves intensified once they reached Calum’s bedchamber. After Lady Lockhart led Grace inside, she closed the door behind them. Grace stood a nervous mess next to the bed, twisting her hands behind her back.
“Please sit.” Lady Lockhart gestured to the chairs near the fireplace.
“Yes, my lady,” Grace whispered, sitting in an armchair.
Lady Lockhart smiled at Grace with nothing but kindness. “As I declared before, we are now family. No more my lady. You would do me the greatest honor if you called me Rhona.”
Grace gasped. “I could not. It would not be proper. Especially since I ...”
“I care not about the rank of an individual. You are Calum’s wife. I consider you as my daughter and hope in time you will regard me as a mother.”
Grace’s brows scrunched together. “I thought you considered me an embarrassment to your family. Why else would you send me away?”
Rhona leaned forward in the chair. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for sending you away. I did so for two reasons. One was for your protection. If whoever sent you those letters assumed we turned you away, they would cease with their threats.”
“And the second reason?” Grace asked when Rhona didn’t elaborate.
A devious smile lit Rhona’s face. “Why, for Calum to chase after you.”
“What if he had not?”
Rhona scoffed. “There was never any doubt. My son has been smitten ever since you arrived.”
Grace plucked at the ribbon tied around her waist. “We are forever at constant odds and never agree on anything.”
“You challenge my son to view issues differently. I made sure to leave for London before your arrival. After I vetted your past employment, I only held sympathy for you because of the false accusations ruining your good name. I thought a fresh start would do you good. Also, from your letters, you seemed like the perfect choice to unhinge my son.” Rhona paused. “You must understand, when my husband died, Calum believed he had to fill his shoes in the same aspect, instead of carving his own path as the new marquess.”
Grace cringed. “I never wrote those letters. Lady Courtland wrote them in her search to secure us new positions.”
Rhona laughed. “Yes. Your friend confided the truth to me after she wed Lord Courtland. She pleaded with me to allow you to stay on, which was unneeded. By then, you had proven what a perfect fit you were for Calum.”
“I still do not understand how. You must be aware of the disagreements we had concerning the children.”
“Yes. They have become legendary in the household. But what you do not realize is how the tone of Calum’s weekly letters changed during the course of my stay in London. What started out as a brusque demand to return to Scotland to control the governess turned to lighthearted letters filled with everything Grace. My son might not have realized he was in danger of falling in love, but I noticed the signs and rejoiced. Once he started writing about how you impressed him with how you handled the children and the progress you made with their discipline, I knew it was safe to come home.”
Grace drifted her gaze around the bedchamber, noting the opulence that would now be her life. She had found contentment with the simplest of pleasures. It would take her a while to become accustomed to the luxuries befitting her title. However, none of it mattered. Only Calum’s love and his family’s acceptance.
“Calum promised me our marriage would not bring shame to your family. I hope I can prove myself worthy.”
“Oh, dear. You already have by loving Calum.”
Grace smiled at the mention of her husband. It all seemed like an unbelievable dream that would never come true. Only a week ago, she had been in distress with her life crumbling around her. Now she was married to a warm and thoughtful man who adored her. Of course, they would always have their disagreements. Only now, they would hopefully end with kisses.
Rhona rose. “Now, I will leave you to accommodate yourself with your new chambers. I took it upon myself to move your clothing and personal items. Please decorate to your pleasure.” She moved toward the door. “The children have planned a celebratory dinner in your honor this evening. Also, tomorrow my modiste will arrive to discuss a new wardrobe befitting your title.”
Her mother-in-law swept out of the bedchamber before Grace could respond. However, she couldn’t refuse the gesture. Because she must present herself as a lady now that she was Calum’s wife and not his governess. At least Rhona had spared her a trip into town. Grace wasn’t brave enough to face the masses and the snide remarks from the ton.
Her new family might accept their marriage, but the peers of their society would hold a different opinion. She feared the backlash they would suffer from but held faith in her husband’s love. The same love she would express to him when they retired for the evening.
Grace blushed at how they would end their evening. Even after she had shared the intimacies of marriage the past week, the thought of Calum making love to her still flustered her. They had only been apart an hour, and already she missed his gentle touch and the brush of his lips against hers. She pressed her hands against her cheeks to cool her wanton thoughts.
She wandered around Calum’s bedchamber, her fingers coasting across the bedcover. Later, they would entwine their bodies between the bedsheets, fulfilling their desires. She longed for the day to move at a swifter pace.
She stopped before the wardrobe and opened it to find her dresses. Grace pulled a drawer open to find a nightdress she had left behind. It was the same one from the night he had kissed her in the library. The garment held special memories for her, and she decided to alter the gown. With a few alterations, she would tempt her husband into more than kisses this time around.
After all, she quite enjoyed tempting Calum Lockhart.
~~~~~
LOCKHART STRODE INTO his study, with Cameron following behind him. He had sent a rider earlier this morning to deliver a message for Courtland and Somerville to meet him on his return. Cameron had already warned them about the threatening letters Grace had received. He hoped they had news for him about the identity of the culprit.
“Thank you for meeting me, gentlemen.” Lockhart settled behind his desk.
“We understand the urgency. However, we cannot offer you an update. Nothing has occurred since your departure to retrieve Miss Penrose,” Courtland stated.
“Miss Penrose is now Lady Lockhart,” Lockhart announced with pride.
Courtland and Somerville glanced at each other in shock but recovered with solemn expressions. Their shared look didn’t go unnoticed by Lockhart. It would be a common reaction from his peers. However, he would not tolerate them if they reacted in spite. Grace held more worth than anyone he knew, and he would protect her from any slander.
Somerville smiled. “We offer our congratulations.”
Courtland nodded. “Aye. This news will more than thrill my wife.”
“Thank you. My affection for Grace caught me by surprise, but I have never found such joy,” Lockhart confided in them.
“While I understand your circumstances, you must be more diligent than ever to protect Grace. There is an enemy lurking amongst our society,” Courtland warned.
“Do we know if the culprit is the same person or someone new? Perhaps it was Lady Fyfe who wrote those threatening letters to Grace,” Somerville suggested.
Cameron leaned against the desk. “I thought the same. But Lord Fyfe learned of her slander against my brother and Grace and sent his wife away. I interviewed the servants, and none of them seemed suspicious of leaving the letters for Grace. Douglas stated the first letter arrived in the morning with the mail, and the other appeared on Grace’s nightstand. During Lockhart’s absence, I have placed more footmen on duty to help protect the household.”
“Did the other ladies receive a letter?” Lockhart asked.
Somerville shook his head. “No. Only Grace.”
Lockhart swiped his hand along his face. “We are at a stalemate again, where we must wait for the bastard’s next move.”
Courtland rose and paced across the rug. “Unfortunately. What makes little sense is how he never acts upon the threats. It is as if he taunts us with these false threats to distract us from his ultimate scheme.”
Somerville gripped the arms of the chair. “If that is the case, then who is their intended victim?”
Lockhart tapped his fingers against the desk. “We will not know until he strikes again. If Grace does not receive another letter, then we must assume it is Miss Abbott or Miss Grant.”
“With Miss Abbott under my protection, no one should dare to cross my path,” Somerville swore.
“Which leaves Miss Grant as a sitting target,” Lockhart growled.
“Perhaps Grace can persuade Miss Grant to stay with us for the holidays,” Cameron suggested.
Courtland shook his head. “Vivian has tried to convince Miss Grant to reside with us until her employer arrives, but the stubborn chit refuses.”
“I will place some men on guard at the residence,” Somerville offered.
Lockhart nodded. “’Tis the best we can do. Meanwhile, we must accompany the ladies at every opportunity. I know the ladies enjoy meeting at the park so the children can play. Until we catch the culprit, we need to open our homes for their visits. There is enough land between us for the children to run wild.” Lockhart scoffed. “My siblings never find trouble doing so.”
Everyone laughed at Lockhart’s snide comment. His sibling’s antics were a source of entertainment amongst his peers. He had hoped they would curb their penchant for trouble, but he feared they would only become worse as time wore on.
Somerville rose. “If you learn anything more, please send a message. I plan to remain in Edinburgh for another month, then I shall travel to London for the holidays with my daughter and Miss Abbott.”
Lockhart followed the gentleman to the foyer. “I will send word at once if I learn anything new.”
Courtland patted Lockhart on the shoulder. “Congratulations again. Vivian and I wish you many years of happiness. I should warn you, once my wife learns of your nuptials, she will be hard-pressed to keep away.”
Lockhart laughed. “She is more than welcome to pay Grace a visit. In fact, I believe her visit would help settle Grace’s nerves. Grace is unsure of her acceptance in society and could use a friend to help ease her mind.”
“Consider it done. I will send Vivian for a visit within the next few days.”
Lockhart stepped outdoors with the gentlemen. The stable hands led their horses toward them. With a wave, they rode off. He watched them until they became specks on the horizon. His gaze swept over his land, searching for a threat. However, nothing appeared different.
Only a sense of the unknown.