Constance wandered along the beach, the sea breeze catching her vermilion-red gown so that it streamed out like a fluttering banner behind her. The day was bright, the tide was at its lowest ebb and the beach was deserted except for her. It felt good, cleansing somehow, as if the elements were blowing away all the anguish and anxiety of the past few weeks, if not the actual memory of them. She had a feeling that the ordeal itself would never leave her, but she finally felt as though the dark clouds that had sat over her and Matthew for so long were finally lifting. It was about time, too.
She heard running footsteps behind her, turning her head just in time to catch a glimpse of her husband’s face before he curled an arm around her waist.
‘Here you are.’ He grinned down at her. ‘It seems like every time I look for you, you’re out here.’
‘I told you I love the sea...’ she laughed ‘...but what are you doing back so soon? We didn’t expect you to return from Lincoln for days.’
‘I didn’t expect to be back either, but things didn’t go quite as we expected.’ He pulled her closer so that they were walking hip-to-hip. ‘Should you be out here in the cold? You said you were still feeling unwell when I left.’
‘Oh, I’m feeling much better.’ She gave a small, secretive smile. Her sickness had passed, although she still hadn’t told Matthew about the baby. It hadn’t felt right so soon after his father’s death and he’d had enough to deal with. She wanted to put the past behind them before they moved on to the future. Although now he was back...
‘As long as you’re certain?’ His expression was searching. ‘You do look better than when I left.’
‘Because I am.’
‘Are you eating properly?’
‘Plenty! I only lost my appetite for a while. Now I’m eating enough for two.’
‘Good,’ he answered without understanding, reaching for one of her hands and peering at the nails. ‘No chewing?’
‘Not so much as a nibble, but enough about me. What about you? You must be tired after your journey.’
‘A little, but it’s good to stretch my legs again. After London and now Lincoln, I feel as though I’ve spent the last month in a saddle.’
‘But why are you back so soon? What did the sheriff say about what happened?’
‘He accepted our explanation.’
‘That it was an accident?’ Her jaw dropped in amazement. ‘Just like that?’
‘Not exactly. He had a lot of questions at first, only it turns out that he and Adelaide’s father are old friends. Once they spoke together in private, he was content to let the matter drop. I’ve no idea what was said, but whatever the reason, he let us go. It’s over.’
‘Thank goodness.’ She let out a heartfelt sigh of relief and then looked up at him anxiously. ‘What about you? Is it over for you?’
‘Not yet.’ His forehead constricted. ‘It’s not easy coming to terms with your own father trying to kill you.’
‘We don’t know that he would have. He might have come back to his senses at the last moment.’
‘Perhaps. Perhaps not. We’ll never know.’
‘I’m sorry. No matter what else, he was still your father.’
‘Only in name. I wish it had been more, but I think whatever was broken in him broke a long time ago. Maybe we never stood a chance, Alan and I. Or Blanche for that matter.’ Matthew sighed. ‘But I still have you. You’re all I care about now.’
She tipped her head sideways against his shoulder. ‘You know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you about that day. Why were you dressed so strangely?’
‘Oh, that.’ He looked faintly embarrassed. ‘That’s a long story. Let’s just say an old acquaintance of ours loaned it to me. On a not-unrelated note, you should know that I’ve agreed to hire a travelling troupe this summer. And every summer for the next ten years.’
‘Oh.’ She blinked in surprise. ‘Are they good?’
‘Not too bad, as I recall, but I owe them a lot more than money. Wait!’ He stopped walking abruptly and pointed towards a grey head bobbing up and down in the water. ‘Is that what I think it is?’
‘Yes.’ She followed the direction of his hand and smiled. ‘How funny. Most of the seals have already left.’
‘This one must have got attached to the place. I can’t say I blame him.’ He looked down at her fondly. ‘How’s Adelaide getting along here?’
‘It’s hard to tell, but I think the change of scenery has done her some good.’
‘Her father travelled back with us. He and Alan have gone straight to see her, of course.’
‘Do you think her father wants to take her home with him?’
‘That’s what Alan’s afraid of.’
‘Oh, dear, but it might be the best thing. I know how much your brother cares for her, but it’ll probably be a long time before she gets over what’s happened.’
‘I know, but it won’t be easy on him after everything else.’
‘But if he loves her...’
‘Then he’ll let her go.’ Matthew nodded. ‘Yes, he will.’
‘And we’ll take care of him.’ She wrapped her arms around Matthew’s waist, looking back towards Lacelby in the distance. ‘Whatever Adelaide decides, I doubt she’ll ever want to see Wintercott again. It can only hold bad memories for her now. For all of us.’
‘Not all bad memories for us, I hope.’ He looked down at her, his dark eyes glowing with intensity. ‘It’s also the place where I fell in love with my wife.’
‘And I with my husband.’ She stood up on tiptoe, kissing him tenderly on the mouth.
‘About Wintercott...’ He pulled his head back after a few moments. ‘There’s something I need to ask you.’ His brow creased in its old, familiar frown. ‘It’s still my family home and my responsibility now, too. People’s livelihoods depend on me. I can’t just abandon them.’
‘Of course not.’
‘Which is why I have to go back. Sometimes, at least. But it’s up to you where we live. Lacelby is close enough that we can make this our main home, if you want. I can ride between here and Wintercott.’
‘You’d do that for me?’
‘Yes. Like you said, I’ve been making all the decisions for the past five years. It’s only fair that you get a turn.’
‘No!’ She shook her head, smiling. ‘That’s not how this works. It’s a decision for both of us, but since you asked I think it would be hard to manage an estate that size from here.’
‘But not impossible. This is the home you dreamt of for five years. I don’t want to take it away from you.’
‘I know, but you fulfilled your side of the bargain when you brought me back. So...’ she kissed him again ‘...I choose Wintercott.’
‘Are you sure you can bear to leave?’
‘Yes.’ She nodded decisively. ‘You know, all the time I lived in Lincoln, I never felt like I belonged. I loved my cousins, but I felt different, as if I didn’t truly fit in. I thought that if I just came home then that feeling would go away and I’d feel whole again, the way I did when my parents were alive.’
‘Constance...’ He started to speak, but she pressed a hand to his lips.
‘Now I do feel that way, but it wasn’t Lacelby that did it. Yes, it helped me to come to terms with the past, but you’re the one who made me feel as if I really belonged, not somewhere, but in my own skin. You made me feel happy about being me. So as much as I love it here, it’s just a place. Now that I’ve come back, I’m able to leave again.’ She traced her fingers along the line of his mouth. ‘I suppose what I’m trying to say is that if I belong anywhere then it’s with you. Besides, Lacelby will still be ours. We can come back and visit.’
‘We will. Often.’
‘Then I call that a compromise, don’t you? We’ll go to Wintercott and Adelaide can either go home with her father or stay here until she knows what she wants.’
‘Thank you, Constance.’ His arms tightened around her. ‘I’ll thank you properly later.’
‘Promise?’
‘I promise. If you’re really feeling better, that is? These past few weeks have felt like an eternity. I never want us to be apart for so long ever again.’
‘Neither do I.’ She gave a coy smile and then looked at him seriously. ‘Did you hear any more news about the King in Lincoln?’
‘Only rumours that he’s trying to hire mercenaries. Nothing we didn’t expect.’
‘So he’s planning for war?’
‘Probably. He’s trying to hold on to power for as long as he can, but he can’t fight the whole country on his own. He’ll have to come to terms with the barons sooner or later.’
‘Sooner, I hope. Do you think there might still be fighting?’
‘I’m afraid so. I don’t want to fight, but at least it’s for a cause I believe in.’
‘Ahem.’ She poked him in the ribs. ‘That we believe in.’
‘That we believe in,’ he corrected himself. ‘But he’ll have to sign the charter eventually and then we can get on with the rest of our lives, just the two of us and no more secrets. What?’ He lifted his eyebrows as she laughed.
‘Just one more secret. And not just the two of us.’
‘What do you mean?’ A worried look passed over his face. ‘I told you, I’m not going anywhere, not unless lives are at stake.’
‘Good. Because I want you beside me, especially in another seven to eight months.’
‘Seven to eight...?’ He stared at her blankly for a few seconds before dropping his eyes to her stomach. ‘You mean...?’
‘I mean there are three of us to consider now.’
‘We’re having a child?’ He looked stunned. ‘How long have you known?’
‘Since just after you left for London. I’ve been waiting for a good time to tell you, only it took me a while to find one.’
‘A good time...’ he repeated, swinging her up off her feet and around in a circle barely before she’d finished speaking, his whole face breaking into a smile. ‘You know, after five years of marriage, I think it’s about time we had some of those.’
‘You do realise what this means, though?’ She gave him a teasing look as he placed her back on her feet. ‘Soon I’ll be growing even more.’
He chuckled and gathered her into his arms. ‘You, my love, can grow as much as you like. I believe I’ve mentioned it before, but for the avoidance of doubt, I’ll say it again. I love you and everything about you, Constance Wintour.’
‘And I love you, too, Matthew Wintour. It seems we made a good marriage, after all.’
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