'Quite well enough to travel,' Elinor said firmly, and soon they were driving towards St Germain.
The journey was more taxing than Elinor had expected, and she thankfully retired to bed when they reached home. In the morning her headache was gone and she rose early, dressed, and was down in the salon long before Louise descended. They breakfasted together, for Kit had left the house earlier.
'He had to see the Queen,' Louise explained. 'Tell me what happened.'
'I met Francis. Marie was called away while we were out on the terrace. I suspect the note was a ruse to leave me alone. He overpowered me and carried me off.'
Louise looked speculatively at her.
'Sir Talbot will be here later this morning.'
'How did he come to be here at the same time as Francis? I do not understand.'
'He must have followed Francis here from London. He was with the Queen when you were carried off, and one of the ladies ran in to report seeing you abducted. That is how he was able to give chase at once.'
'Where is Francis? Did he escape or was he caught?'
'Do you care for him still?' Louise asked curiously.
'I hate him!' Elinor replied vehemently. 'I was flattered at first that he wished to marry me, but I never loved him and now I never wish to see him again! But what happened?'
Before Louise could reply there was a knock on the door and Babette came in followed by Sir Talbot. He looked across at Elinor, frowning slightly, and then came towards her.
'I hope you are recovered,' he said formally.
'Indeed, yes, and thank you for rescuing me,' Elinor said in somewhat of a rush. 'I am not at all sure of what happened. The last thing I recall is falling and then – then I woke up in bed!' she finished hastily, blushing as she recalled that imagined endearment when she had regained her senses in the forest.
'We were able to follow the tracks in the snow at first,' Sir Talbot said, sitting down beside her.
'Pray excuse me, Talbot, I must speak to the cook,' Louise said softly and slipped from the room.
'What happened to Francis? Did he escape?' Elinor asked, and he looked at her in surprise.
'You care after all?' he murmured. 'Have they not told you?'
'Care? I am afraid, and no one will tell me whether he is still at liberty to plague me, whether I shall spend all my life looking over my shoulder, afraid he is there, always afraid to be alone!'
He turned towards her and firmly grasped her shoulders in his strong hands.
'You need never be afraid again, my dearest Elinor. I thought you still loved him, despite everything, and had gone with him willingly, until I saw he had bound you up. I followed because I could not allow him to deceive you into thinking you were married to him.'
*
She stared at him in astonishment.
'He came here with a forged document, he had counterfeited my hand, but even without that it was legal. The parson was from the Fleet.'
'That is partly what I have been investigating in London. The man was no parson, but a rogue Francis bribed to play the part. Even if he had been he could not have left the prison to perform such a ceremony.'
'Are you sure?' she asked, hope rising in her heart.
'I found the man and obtained his confession. But it is needless now.'
'Why? What do you mean?'
'When Francis fell his foot was caught in the stirrup. He was dragged some yards before the horse fell. He had no chance, Elinor.'
'He is dead?' She was silent for a moment, looking down at her hands clasped in her lap. 'I cannot feel anything,' she said suddenly. 'Neither sorrow nor relief at being free of him. Did he die at once?'
'Yes. He did not linger to suffer as he made others do. Now there is no bar to your marrying anyone else. Kit tells me you have refused numerous offers.'
She laughed shakily. 'Not so very many.'
'Was it because of Francis, or for some other reason ?'
'I did not wish to marry any of them, even if I had thought myself free,' she said, a constriction in her voice.
'Are you so very particular?' he said lightly.
She swallowed, unable to speak, and he put a finger under her chin and forced her to turn her face towards him.
'Are you too particular to consider me?' he asked softly.
She stared at him, her eyes widening in surprise.
'You!' she exclaimed, and he laughed ruefully.
'Is it so strange a notion?'
'But you always treated me as though I were an encumbrance!' she protested.
'A danger to everyone,' he replied. 'I was terrified of permitting you to fall into the hands of the authorities, and being treated as a rebel and a spy because of your connection with me, and after I had abducted you I dared not begin to show you what I felt for you when it would have made you even more frightened of me. Yet I knew, from the first moment I held you in my arms, there could never be another woman for me. I need to cherish and protect you, as well as adore you.'
'Belinda,' she murmured, permitting him to slide his arm about her waist and draw her closer to him.
'Belinda, yes. A passing temptation, but she knew it had ended when I did not seek her bed while in her house. In the past we have been more than friends, I confess, but that was always of less importance than our work together. She is a very astute agent.'
Elinor decided not to pursue the topic, for what could it matter when it was her he held in his arms, her lips he was kissing, and her to whom he spoke these words of love.
'When you left for Spain, why did you not tell me how you felt? I thought you were angry with me, thankful to be rid of me.'
'I was uncertain whether your marriage was legal, or whether you did love Francis after all. And you did not tell me the manner of it when they tricked you into that mock marriage. I found Jamie and forced him to disclose it.'
'I said they had forced me,' Elinor said indignantly.
'But not how,' he repeated. 'I thought it had been by threats only, and was disappointed because I imagined you were made of more resolute material. I jumped to the wrong conclusions at other times too, such as when you ran away to work at the inn, and until Belinda told me what she had said I thought it was because you truly preferred such a life. She asks to be forgiven, by the way. She saw how it was between us, and accepts it, for she knows I never loved her.'
'But you saw her in London?' Elinor asked quickly.
'Are you jealous?' he demanded, laughing. 'Is there hope for me, my precious love?'
At her shy nod he caught her to him and she surrendered to the bliss of his embrace. For some time they forgot everything else until Elinor suddenly tore her lips away from his.
'When you went to Spain without a word I was so lost, I felt deserted,' she said.
'It was partly because you were so insistent I did not reveal your marriage to Kit. You said you were afraid for Francis if Kit knew. I thought you still cared for him.'
'Not for him! I was afraid Kit would do something foolish like going to England to fight Francis.'
'I was too concerned about whether you cared for me, after all I had forced you to endure, throwing you into rivers and seas and onto horses and boats! Am I forgiven ?'
She chuckled. 'And you pretended we were married, and eloping!'
'I was wishing it were true, wondering if you would ever stop hating me for long enough to learn to love me,' he murmured. 'I've never cared before, never wanted a woman to love me, so I have never been thrown into the uncertainty and turmoil of not knowing whether she did or not. I had not appreciated how utterly distracting it can be, how disastrous to the normal process of logical reasoning. When the Queen told me you loved me I could not believe her. I must have appeared remarkably obtuse.'
'The Queen? How did she come to speak of it?'
'I had messages for her from England, so I sought her out after I had followed Francis here. I asked if he had been received at Court and she wished to know why I was so anxious. Then
she told me what you had confided in her. It was just then the message came that you had been carried off.'
Elinor shivered, and his arm tightened about her.
'I was so fortunate we were seen,' she said quietly.
'You will never again leave me? Francis cannot harm you, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I was planning to go and live on my Italian estates for a while until the King has need of me again. Will you come with me?'
'Do you mean you are offering me a choice?' she asked mischievously. 'No abductions this time?'
She gasped as he bent to kiss her and then, as his lips grew hard and insistent, her body leapt in response and she clung unreservedly against him, her senses swimming with the delight of his caresses. At last he released her.
'I'll abduct you if you would feel more comfortable travelling across Europe with me in that manner,' he said teasingly. 'However, I shall insist on marriage. Shall we marry first, with all due ceremony? Louise would adore to arrange a wedding.'
'Louise!' Elinor exclaimed. 'She has been away so long.'
'She is very tactful,' he replied, 'but even she must be running out of things to discuss with the cook! Shall we put them out of their misery? Kit came here with me, by the way, and he gave me his blessing as we walked from the castle.'
*
She laughed, and blushed as he went to fetch Kit and Louise. They came in and Louise hugged her joyfully.
'If I were not so content with Kit I would envy you, Elinor dear,' she declared. 'Now I am going to take you away to choose a wedding gown. There is so little time for preparations.'
And there was not, but two weeks later Elinor stood beside her husband to receive the congratulations of the wedding guests. In pale blue silk, decorated with silver lace and embroidered with a deeper blue that matched her eyes, she looked radiantly happy. Sir Talbot wore a coat of deeper blue, lined with silver, a silver embroidered waistcoat, knee breeches of the same damask satin, and white silk stockings.
'I have never seen a more handsome couple,' Kit murmured to Louise, and she smiled up at him.
'I hope they will be as happy as we are,' she said softly.
'Talbot will take good care of her,' he mused. 'I knew that when I asked him to bring her to me. I did wonder whether they might make a match of it, although knowing Talbot's love of freedom I had only faint hopes.'
'Are you going to turn into a match-making Papa?' she asked quietly.
He turned to look at her quickly. 'Louise?'
She nodded happily. 'Yes, but I'd much rather keep it to ourselves for a while. Time enough to tell them when we invite them to pay us a visit next Christmas, for a christening. Or perhaps we might visit them in Italy. Elinor might not be able to travel,' she added and giggled at his expression. 'Marriage does have consequences,' she added primly.
They had no more time for private conversation until after the guests had departed. Elinor and Sir Talbot were remaining with them for a few days, and then Sir Talbot planned to take his bride to visit Paris and Versailles before they began a leisurely journey south, planning to arrive at his home in Italy in time for the early spring.
'I think I am dreaming,' Elinor said when they were finally alone. 'So much has happened in six months! I did not know of your existence until I caught you flirting with Rosa!'
'Rosa?' he demanded. 'Now which part of my past has caught up with me?'
'Dallying with servant wenches in stables,' she reminded him. 'Giving them false notions when all you want is to worm information out of them. I really think she had hopes of making a conquest,' she added thoughtfully.
'If you mean that pert wench who helped me when I first met you,' he said, advancing across the room towards her, 'you should be grateful she was willing to give me details of where to find you when I called at the house. She told me you were in the wood. It might not have been so easy to abduct you if you had been elsewhere.'
'I wonder what would have happened if you had not? It does not bear thinking about!'
'Then I suggest you do not. Much better to think of me, and listen to me telling you how much I love you, and how incredible I find it that life was bearable before I knew you.' He took her in his arms and kissed her long and deep. 'I even thought myself moderately content at times,' he added in a surprised tone.
'And I accepted the idea love could come after marriage. I must have been demented!'
'Elinor, my darling sweetheart, I love you so much I am almost afraid to touch you,' he murmured as he began to undo the fastenings of her gown.
'Foolish one. I believe I have been waiting for you to love me from the first, although I was so angry I did not realise it,' she answered, stretching up her hands and framing his face with them. 'Come to me, beloved, teach me how to love you properly. All I want is to please you, and I might never have had the opportunity. That would have been unbearable.'
She stepped out of her gown and he carried her over to the bed, quickly discarded his own clothes, and slipped in beside her. Leaning on one elbow he bent over her, looking deep into her eyes as she stared trustingly back at him, a smile hovering on her lips.
'Beloved wife,' he whispered, and blowing out the candle took her gently into his arms.
THE END
###
Marina Oliver has written over 75 novels, all are available as ebooks.
For the latest information please see Marina's web site:
https://www.marina-oliver.net.
You might also enjoy more of Marina's novels about the Civil War in England:
A Civil Conflict
In the turbulent 1640s, English families and friends were divided by war, their loyalties fragmented. Lysbeth was one who came to hate both factions.
Her first encounter with the realities of war came when she clashed with Sir James Howard, a Royalist officer, requisitioning sheep to feed the army.
Opposing her Royalist family, she turns for reassurance to her childhood friend, Tom Bridges, who is a soldier for Parliament.
As the conflict grows, she experiences Parliamentary atrocities, witnesses the bloody carnage of the battle of Naseby, and is threatened by the unbridled, battle-weary soldiers in its aftermath.
She has to resolve the turmoil of her own emotions, influenced by the two men who, in their different ways, have helped to shape her life.
*
Highland Destiny
After the Battle of Naseby Sir John Emrey brings a dying Highland chieftain's heir to his home and promises to restore his sword to his clan.
When his mother and sister Blanche are driven from their home in the north of England, they plan to go to relatives in Ireland after delivering the sword, but are persuaded to stay in Scotland where Blanche becomes a friend and companion to Fiona Macdonald, the new heir.
Sir John goes to fight with Montrose, while Fiona is beseiged with suitors eager to take control of her inheritance. There are her cousins, and her neighbour the Black Campbell. And there is danger from her aunt and uncle, the next in line to rule the clan.
*
Her Captive Cavalier
Determined not to allow a band of roaming Cavaliers to enter her home, Caro threatens their leader with a pistol. When he ignores her challenge she shuts her eyes and fires.
Compelled to nurse him when her shot grazes his head, she gradually realises she must protect him from his enemies. But that is not enough. His enemies become hers, and to escape them she has to trust herself to his protection.
*
Strife Beyond Tamar
Cornwall is remote, but not therefore isolated from the war in the rest of England.
Kate, living in Saltash, is looking forward to marriage with Jonathan, and disappointed it has to be delayed when he joins the King's army.
Then the arrogant Petroc Tremaine, owner of a ship which harasses Parliamentary vessels, sweeps into her life and insists Jon is not the right man for her.
Kate longs to be safely married and away from his perturb
ing influence, especially when she discovers his suspicions about Jon and Jon's dislike of Petroc.
As the war comes closer Kate and her mother go to stay with relatives in Fowey and she sees more of Petroc whose family live nearby.
*
Charms of a Witch
Lucy has been brought up with her cousins and never knew her parents, or even who her father was.
When she hears that her grandmother, living in a small village, is ill, she insists on going to care for her.
At first all is well but after the grandmother dies the villagers begin to treat Lucy with suspicion, claiming she is a witch.
When Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General arrives, Lucy is in great danger until there is unexpected relief from the reclusive Squire and his heir.
***
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