Page 118 of A Single Obsession

“Where?”

The woman did not reply.

“Come on. Out with it.”

“Her ladyship is coming here in the morning.”

“Oh!” Eliza exclaimed, as realisation dawned. “My aunt planned to witness my humiliation. How…despicable.”

“Quite so, my love—”

He broke off as a gentleman approached whom she guessed must be the estate manager. She jumped up from her somewhat undignified position on the steps and stood beside Beau.

“Thank you for coming so promptly, Mr Harris,” he said.

“Fortunately, I was at home, but I confess I was not expecting to see you today. I was told”—he cast a sour glance at Reed—“you were riding to London, and sent your men to meet you there. I hope I did not get the wrong message.”

“Not at all. I had a last-minute change of plans. This,” he said, drawing Eliza forward, “is Miss Merry, who has done me the very great honour of agreeing to be my wife.”

If the man was surprised, he did not show it, but bowed toward her, and hastened to offer his congratulations. “I am mortified I had no warning you were coming.”

“Please do not blame yourself,” she said, giving him a dazzling smile. “I was so impatient to see Lord Beaumont, I failed to inform anyone of my plans—not even him—and we almost missed each other. Now I find I’ve come a day too early, as her ladyship doesn’t arrive until tomorrow, so I’ll have to return to London tonight. How tedious! Beaumont has spoken so highly of you I’m sure we can rely on you to hire a full complement of staff and have everything in order by the time we return.”

Mr Harris looked somewhat dazed, but accepted his dismissal without question, and disappeared into the house.

Beau sent Reed to the stables to wait for them in the carriage and turned to Eliza, drawing her so close she could feel his breath on her neck. “You were splendid.”

“It would seem we bring out the best in each other.”

“I would much prefer it if you could stay here with me, but if we’re going to salvage your reputation, you must return to your sister’s house tonight.”

“I wish I hadn’t got a reputation to save,” said Eliza, pouting. “Are you sure I am respectable enough to be a viscountess?”

“You’ll be a perfect viscountess—my viscountess.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him, dropping a feather-light kiss on her mouth. “Have you got the message yet, my darling? I adore you. I can’t live without you. And I’m never, ever, going to let you go.”

Eliza’s eyes glowed with warmth as she curled her arm around his neck and brought his lips down on hers again, in a deeper, more satisfying embrace.

If only she didn’t have to return to London, she would be perfectly happy.

Chapter 51

Laughter erupted nearby. Eliza broke away from Beau’s embrace as heat flooded her face.

She recognised that laugh. Anthony.

Eliza had been so preoccupied she hadn’t heard his carriage coming down the drive—except it wasn’t his carriage, but Beau’s, pulled by all four of his bays.

“What are you doing here?” her intended asked. “And why are you driving my horses?”

His friend handed the reins to the sheepish-looking man sat next to him, whom Eliza recognised as one of Beau’s grooms, and jumped down from the box seat. Without waiting for orders, the man drove the vehicle toward the stables.

“I came to rescue you—but it doesn’t look as though you need my help,” Anthony said with a smirk. “Your valet pestered me to come down here, convinced you’d suffered an accident. Then I called at my brother’s and found the household in complete disarray. Charlotte was in hysterics, and Georgie was beside herself, fearing Eliza had been lured away under false pretences by claims that you were dying. Everybody seemed to think you were in dire need of help—but it seems they were mistaken. I take it that congratulations are in order. If not, I shall have to knock you down.”

Eliza glared at him. “Don’t you dare. Of course we’re going to be married, and it would be most unfair as he’s already been injured once today.”

“Then you did have an accident?”