“Miss Keating,” Kit corrected him, fixing Langley with a hard look.
“I hope you’re not displaying signs of hypocrisy,” Langley replied sweetly, and internally, Kit cursed him. The earl had been present when the earl’s half-brother, boasted the “best” doctor in London, had arrived and asked Kit a series of questions concerning Elsie’s health, including whether she might be with child. The look of smug humour that had decorated Langley’s face, when Kit had said it was a possibility, still plagued him.
Before Kit could think of a suitable reply, there was a knock atthe door, and it swung silently open to admit Miss Margot Keating. She was a tall woman with thick dark hair worn loose around her shoulders and a wan expression on her face, but despite this, she had an appealing face with clever eyes that brightened when they landed on Langley.
“My love,” the earl said. It was half endearment, half command, and she moved like a moth to a flame by his side. His lordship’s leisurely ease vanished as he enfolded her in his arms. His lips brushed her hair before administering on her forehead a tender kiss, and she nestled there as if she never wished to depart.
Kit had stood and watched them awkwardly. Apart, the two of them could not seem more dissimilar, and yet together, they seemed to fit, to be happy, to love each other as if no one else would ever do. He liked to think of the ways Elsie made him feel just the same. The ache in his chest, he realised, was gone, and he could only thank Elsie for that.
“Shall I—” Kit indicted towards the door, intending to go back to Elsie’s bedside.
Margot smiled over at him. “There’s no need.” She nodded towards the door, and Kit turned to see it swing wide again, and Elsie slipped inside. She was dressed in her night clothes and moving slowly, using a cane, but for the first time, there was colour gracing her cheeks, and she looked up at him as she edged closer, the same warm smile touching on her lips.
An overpowering desire swelled in him, to rush to her side, throw his arms around her, hug her until she rested her face against his chest, and he knew she was safe. When he took a step forward, Elsie raised her free hand indicating that she was perfectly well.
“The doctor has gone for more tonic, but he said I may move around inside, and Margot said you would be close by… I followed the sound of your voices.” As she spoke, Kit hovered close by, directing her into the largest armchair, removing his jacket, and draping it carefully over her legs. The last thing she needed was to catch a chill. As soon as she was seated Lancelot hopped up into her lap.
“Quite the devoted nurse,” Langley muttered, earning an annoyed look from Kit, who knew the earl was not referring to the dog, but it was Margot who jumped to his defence.
“You were hardly better, my lord, when I was injured by Mr. Nettley,” Margot teased him, and Langley gave her an indulgent look.
“That was Mrs. Clarke’s son,” Kit said in an undertone to Elsie, who nodded sagely.
“I do believe I can piece together the arrangement,” Elsie said, slipping her small hand into his, at first Kit thought it was for her comfort but truthfully, he rather liked feeling the delicate knuckles and palm all within his grasp. “Margot explained some of it. Mrs. Clarke, an assumed name, was actually Nan Nettley, the one-time mistress of Barnabas Fitzsimmons. Her son killed the former duke. It was their plot to reclaim what they thought should have been theirs.”
“All to get his hands on the Ashmoreton Diamonds,” Margot said.
The diamonds had been sent to be valued, and Kit was baffled to discover the vast fortune he had inherited. Of course, he had informed Margot that, since she was the finder of such riches, he fully intended she should receive half of the family fortune. He hoped this would satisfy all. The irony was Kit thought he would rather have Elsie over such jewels any day, and if the Nettleys had offered him the choice, they could have departed a great deal richer, and he would have kept his fiancée. Still, there was little to be done for the Nettleys now.
“My uncle, the former duke as you say,” Kit said, looking at Margot, “commanded your presence here? Do you think he knew where the diamonds were located?”
“No,” Margot said. There was a small amount of pain in her voice, for the prior duke had been her father and his killing hadprevented her from ever knowing the man. “I am convinced he had no idea that the diamonds were hidden in this very house, on his very property. Nor that his murderer was in fact his illegitimate nephew.”
“My family’s ill-reputed reputation is yet again to blame…” Kit felt the anger burn up inside him. So many people had suffered for their lack of physical restraint. “It seems that my uncles’ lusts have caused no end of pain. Never were there more selfish, dissolute, rakehells than?—”
“Easy.” Langley had stepped away from his beloved Margot to fetch another drink, which he prepared with flair before moving away from the cabinet and coming to crouch down next to Elsie and offer her the glass. “Not all such gentlemen are beyond reformation. Or that the side effects cannot eventually work out.”
“Hmph.” The response came out as more of a growl and was lost in the laugh that made Elsie and Margot grin.
“Besides,” Langley said as he wrapped an arm around Margot’s waist, pulling her closer to him, so she rested against his side. “Would you not say, my love, it was worthwhile going through reformation?”
To Kit’s surprise, Margot let out an oddly girlish laugh which was rich and humorous as she patted Langley’s chest affectionately. “For you I found it a necessity.” Langley cocked an eyebrow at her, and she laughed again. “Very well, I enjoyed elements of it.”
Elsie caught Kit’s eye and gave him a small secretive half-smile, and he moved back to be closer to her, suddenly concerned she might need something.
For the last days in London, whilst not in her presence, he had roamed the townhouse, desperate for her in some intangible way. Just to be back in presence even if she was simply sleeping. He would do anything. He needed to know immediately if there was a thing he could do, all she needed to do was ask. Elsie took his hand when he stepped closer, and Kit raised her palm up andkissed the knuckles. How he missed her, their intimacy, and the way they locked together as a couple. It killed him to think he would need to wait for that until their wedding.
“The doctor suggested I should take dinner tonight.” Elsie’s voice was soft and unused, and she interlinked her fingers through Kit’s fingers.
“I have asked the cook to prepare your favourite stew and—” Margot said as she drew from her pocket a letter which she passed across to her sister. “This arrived this morning. I thought you would wish to read it.”
Elsie took the missive and unfurled it with something of her old glint to her eye. “Mother and father are arriving on Saturday.” She looked over to Flora. “I hope you will be pleased to meet them as well?”
Flora nodded, her reluctance to see and meet new people, a trait she had cast aside now she was in Town.
“There was some talk of when the banns were to be read,” Langley said. Kit was well aware that if the earl was to have his way, Margot and he would be off on the road to Gretna Green rather than waiting for the bride’s family to arrive.
“My sister and I discussed the idea of a joint wedding if you gentleman would be agreeable?” Margot asked sweetly.
