Page 116 of Exile's Return

‘Daniel, may I present my beloved wife, Thamsine.’

Daniel swept a low bow, a gesture that lost its impact as Thamsine stepped forward and gathered him into a close embrace.

‘You have no idea of how long I have waited to do that,’ she said, stepping back with tears in her eyes.

Kit turned to his wife.

‘Thamsine, my darling, are you going to explain what you are all doing here? ’ Kit began and his eyes widened. ‘Don’t tell me you brought the children as well?’

‘No. They are at home.’ His wife’s lips tightened. ‘I get a few lines scrawled in a message to say you have found Daniel and the two of you are going on a secret mission?’ She tapped his injured arm, causing him to wince. ‘And look, you managed to get yourself hurt again! Don’t expect me to pat your fevered brow.’

Kit threw his head back and laughed. ‘That is the last thing I expect of you, Tham.’

In the uproar of reunion, Daniel had lost someone, and he looked around searching for Agnes among the crowd of Lovells and Thorntons.

She stood in the shadow of the coach, holding the two children by the hand, a small, lonely island amid the joyful reunions. He ran across to her, sweeping Henry into his arms and taking Agnes by the hand, all but dragging her across to where his family waited.

‘Please allow me to present Mistress Agnes Fletcher,’ he said.

Agnes sank into a curtsey.

His mother’s eyes flicked from Agnes to the children. ‘And whose children are these?’

A spot of colour appeared on Agnes’s cheeks. ‘My sister’s children, Lady Elizabeth Ashby and Henry, the Earl of Elmhurst.’

‘Earl or not,’ Kate hurried across, ‘these look like two children who have had enough of being confined to a coach. Come inside, all of you. There are refreshments in the parlour.’

‘Wait!’ Daniel said and gathered Agnes to him. ‘Before we go any further, I want you all to know that Agnes and I will be wed as soon as it can be arranged.’

He had the satisfaction of seeing his mother’s mouth open in an O of surprise, but she had the grace to close it again.

‘A wedding? Here?’ Nell Longley clapped her hands together. ‘How wonderful!’

Kate turned to her husband and held out a folded paper. ‘There is a message for you, Jonathan. It arrived this morning. The man said it was urgent.’

Jonathan took the paper and broke the seal, scanned the contents, took a deep breath, and looked up.

‘I am sorry, but wedding plans will have to wait. We are ordered to London.’

Chapter 51

‘You can’t hide from me forever.’

Agnes looked up from the book she had been reading and jumped to her feet as Thamsine Granville swept into the room. Henry and Elizabeth were happy in the nursery with the young Thorntons and with the men gone on to London, she found herself adrift in the large and noisy household and had retreated to the library. ‘I wasn’t hiding. I…’

Thamsine smiled. ‘It must be completely overwhelming to find yourself in the company of so many people. I quite understand. Now, let us get down to the important matter at hand. We have a wedding to plan.’ She clapped her hands. ‘Ladies?’

The door opened to admit Frances Lovell. Frances was much Agnes’s age, not as tall as Thamsine, but slender, with her brother’s dark hair and grey eyes.

She took Agnes’s hands in her own. ‘We have endured so many long, bleak years. We yearn for some fun and somethingto celebrate so I, for one, am delighted. Now, what are you doing for a dress?’

‘I haven’t thought … ’ Agnes began.

‘I have that in hand.’ Nell now entered the room, carrying a gown of gold satin bundled in her arms. ‘I am afraid it is my wedding gown, so somewhat out of the current fashion, but as Agnes lacks my height there is plenty of material to allow for some remodelling.’

Agnes felt the heat rushing to her cheeks as Nell set the petticoats and bodice out on the table. It was a simple cut with soft lace at the elbows, and to Agnes’s eyes quite the most beautiful gown she had ever seen.

‘I wasn’t expecting any fuss or bother.’