Lady Melcombe picked up her cup and drained it before placing it back on the table and stood. She wandered over to the dress. “Monique, this is lovely as usual.”

  “I am glad you like it.”

  “The gown is perfect for the ball.” She turned to Katrina. “My husband and I must travel to London.”

  “Yes, the Season,” she offered.

  Lady Melcombe shook her head. “My husband has business and I agreed to attend one ball. It is likely we won’t be there above a sennight.” She then grinned. “Now, are you ready to go?”

  “Go?” Katrina hated that her voice practically squeaked. Her interview wasn’t for a few more hours.

  “Why not? I have a carriage. You are here, we have met. You only need to meet my husband and nieces.”

  “My interview isn’t until two.”

  “Melcombe won’t mind a disruption to his schedule. I do it all the time.”

  Lady Melcombe glided out of the shop with her light green gown. Katrina turned to Monique, hoping for guidance. Monique practically pushed her out of the door. “Go.”

  Timothy checked his watch when they pulled in front of the inn. Katrina’s interview wasn’t for an hour, so they had time to talk. He bounded out of the carriage and into the inn. Mrs. Hemsley was standing at the front counter. “Good afternoon, Lord Timothy. I wasn’t expecting to see you.” He suspected the word left unspoken was again.

  “Is my wife in?”

  “She went across the street to the dressmaker.”

  “Thank you.” Timothy turned on his heel and marched out of the inn, across the street, and into the dress shop. Only one woman was present, and it was not his wife.

  “Hello, how can I help you?”

  “I was told my wife, Lady Timothy Strotham was here.” Timothy stilled. Not once since they were handfasted had he referred to her as Lady Timothy. He found he liked addressing Katrina by the name and title. It suited her.

  The dressmaker arched one eyebrow. “Ah, you are the handfasted husband, then.”

  “Yes.” He was surprised Katrina had told anyone. But what other explanation could she offer for an absent husband and the need to find employment other than the truth?

  “She left a short time ago with Lady Melcombe, for her interview.”

  “But it isn’t time.”

  “They were introduced in this shop and Lady Melcombe saw no point in waiting.”

  He had to go after her. Or maybe he should just let it be. This was what Katrina wanted, wasn’t it? Timothy turned toward the door and stopped. What should he do?

  “Why are you here?”

  He turned around to face the woman. “To see my wife.”

  “But why? You did your duty. You were handfasted and left her here.”

  “Circumstances have changed. What I thought awaited me in Middleton does not.”

  “So that is why you came back?”

  Why was he having this conversation with a stranger? But for some reason he found himself telling the dressmaker things he wouldn’t tell his closest friends. That just proved how addled Katrina had made him. “I found I wasn’t quite ready to part from my wife if you must know.”

  A slow smile came to her lips. “I assumed so. Nor do I think she is ready to be parted from you.”

  His eyes bore into hers. “Why do you say that?”

  The woman shrugged. “Just the look on her face when she spoke of you. A smile on her lips as if she were thinking about a special secret. That is all.”

  Maybe Katrina would give up on being a governess. Did he dare risk it? What if she just wanted her memories and nothing permanent? That could be the meaning behind the secret smile, and this could be a fool’s errand that left him highly embarrassed.

  “I suggest you go after her before you find her employed.”

  “Thank you.” Timothy left the shop and sprinted across the street. “Take me to the Melcombe estate.”

  If she didn’t want him, or she reacted poorly to his sudden appearance, then what? He glanced down and smiled. If worst came to worst, he was simply there to return her books.

  Chapter 24

  “I hope that it isn’t an inconvenience that I am here before our scheduled appointment.” Katrina stood in the center of the library. Lord Melcombe was seated in a dark chair, fingers steepled and his elbows rested on his desk. Lady Melcombe had settled into a chair by the fire.

  “I find that my schedule rarely goes as intended since I married.”

  Katrina would have thought he was angry, but his eyes strayed to his wife, and they held the same warmth and love she had witnessed in Lady Melcombe when she spoke of her husband.

  “Please, have a seat.”

  Katrina settled herself in the chair in front of the large desk, back straight, chin up, hands on her lap. She needed to make the best impression possible.

  “Well, I shall get to the point. My wife has already decided that you will do.”

  She willed herself not to relax in her chair from relief.

  “I had come to the same conclusion after my investigation.”

  Katrina waited for the offer, clenching her skirt with both hands.

  “I simply needed to meet you to assure myself the girls would do well within your care.”

  She fought to keep her leg from jiggling, which she often did when nervous.

  “I’ll send the maid for them, so they can meet you as well since you will be spending most of your time with them.”

  She nodded hoping that the girls took a liking to her.

  “What I propose. . .”

  There was a scratch at the door and Lord Melcombe broke away from what he was saying and called out. “Enter.”

  “There is a gentleman here most insistent on speaking with you, Lord Melcombe.”

  “Please put him in the blue salon and I will be there when I am finished.” Katrina remained facing forward and waited for the door behind her to close.

  “I tried, Lord Melcombe, but he will not wait. He insists on seeing you and Lady Timothy Strotham now.”

  Katrina turned in her seat. Who would want to speak with her? The only person who knew she was here was Monique.

  Lord Melcombe shot her a look, a question in his eyes. Katrina was just as perplexed as he and all she could do was shrug.

  “Very well, show him in.”

  Katrina returned her focus to the door, anxious to see who was here for her.

  When the man marched into the library, hat in his hands, Katrina rose. “Mr. Wallace?”

  “Lord Melcombe,” he greeted with a slight bow of his head. “I apologize for this inconvenience, but I must speak with Lady Timothy. It is a matter of urgency.”

  Lady Melcombe came out of her seat and approached Katrina. “Is something wrong?”

  Mr. Wallace looked between the husband and the wife. “I think perhaps Lady Timothy would wish me to tell her this in private.”

  She may have had the position a few moments ago, but Katrina doubted Lord Melcombe would keep her on. Not after this strange interruption.

  “Is there a place we could speak?” Katrina asked Lady Melcombe.

  “Yes, the blue salon. Directly across the hall.”

  She turned to walk in that direction, passing Mr. Wallace, and stopped when the servant entered again. “A Lord Timothy Strotham to see you Lord Melcombe.”

  What was Timothy doing here? She turned to look at the man she had hoped would be her employer. There was a hint of humor in his eyes. “By all means, send him in.”

  “He should hear this too,” Mr. Wallace insisted.

  “Katrina.” Those were the first words out of Timothy’s mouth when he entered the room. His eyes went from one person to another and whipped back to Mr. Wallace after passing over his face once. “What are you doing here, Mr. Wallace?”

  “I have something I need to tell both of you.”

  “What are you doing here, Lord Timothy?” Katrina asked, ignoring Mr. Wallace. Any news from Blackrig could wait until she found out why Timothy was here. Had he come to see Lord Melcombe, or her? She was in the house earlier than expected. Perhaps he hoped to miss her, but she couldn’t imagine why Timothy would need to meet with Melcombe. She had been under the impression he didn’t even know the gentleman.

  “I... well you see...I started thinking...Then I became concerned,” Timothy began. Katrina had never seen him stumble over words since she’d met him. He was always an articulate scholar. Today he seemed to be without words. How very odd.

  Lord Melcombe laughed and settled on the settee, gently pulling Lady Melcombe down to his side. “Did I appear that ridiculous in Monique’s shop?”

  “More so, I am afraid.”

  He barked out laughter. “This should be interesting.”

  “I don’t think you should take a position as governess,” Timothy blurted out.

  “You know I need to find a position. We have discussed this, several times actually.”

  “Yes, but that was before.” Timothy pushed his fingers through his hair.

  “Before?” Did she dare hope he had developed the same feelings for her as she had for him?

  “Well, before we were handfasted, and before I, well...”

  “Just say it,” Lord Melcombe ordered from his settee, a grin on his face.

  “Before I fell in love with you.”

  Katrina couldn’t believe she was hearing the words she so badly wanted to hear. But what was he proposing?

  Timothy studied her face. “Well?”

  “Well?”

  “Dare I hope you return my feelings?” The words were almost a whisper.

  “Yes.”

  His shoulders dropped as if relieved at her answer. “I don’t have a home or a place for my library, but we will make do.”

  “No home? What about the estate in Middleton?”

  “Burned to the ground.”

  Why was he grinning? Had Timothy somehow become addled in his brain since they parted?

  “Two years ago. My uncle’s solicitor never bothered to tell me.”

  That would change his plans but surely there was somewhere else to live in the town.

  “Nor is there space to rent or buy for the library.”

  He was about as homeless as she was. “Do you plan to return to London?”

  The smile decreased. “Only if you wish to. I could go a very long time without visiting Town.”

  “Then what do you propose?” Did he think they should return to Blackrig? The store and her home had been sold.

  “We go somewhere that is in need of a circulating library. Perhaps we could find a building, like your home in Blackrig. We can live above, and the library could be below.”

  She would like nothing better.

  “I actually know of...” Lord Melcombe began before his wife pulled him back and shushed him.

  “It sounds as though you have thought of everything,” Katrina said.

  “Not really.” He shrugged. “I haven’t really thought anything through, but I know a life with you is what I want, if you will have me.”

  “Have you?” She was afraid to breathe.

  “Yes, marry me, Katrina.”

  “That is what I came here to tell you,” Mr. Wallace interrupted.

  Both Katrina and Timothy turned to look at him.

  “You already are.”

  “Yes, I know. We are handfasted,” Katrina reminded the old man.

  “No, yes.” He threw his hands up in the air. “Let me start again. The vicar used the wrong ceremony. He thought he was doing the handfasting, but he performed the marriage ceremony.”

  “It wasn’t a church ceremony with prayer,” Timothy reminded him.

  “No, it was similar to the words the blacksmithy says in Gretna Green, over the anvil.”

  “And not a handfasting?” Katrina asked slowly.

  “No. You are as good as married already. Even if you wanted to part in a year and a day, you would still be married.”

  Joy burst inside Katrina, and she turned to Timothy. He grinned and pulled her into his arms.

  “I suppose this means we are going to advertise for a governess again,” Lord Melcombe mumbled from the settee.

  Timothy pulled away and turned to Melcombe. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am afraid you will need to find another governess.”

  Epilogue

  Katrina did a slow turn inside the Carrick Circulating Library and Coffee Shop, just like the one in Liverpool.

  Timothy had insisted on keeping the name of the book shop in Blackrig to honor her father, and for where they’d met.

  In just under a month, they’d purchased the vacant building in Willanton to establish the library, as well as a manor outside of the village. Both had been vacant for at least eight years after the owner had died. His daughters, each married with children of their own, no longer lived near Willanton and were happy to sell both for the amount Timothy had offered, which was well under the value, but all he had to offer. The funds came from the amount she’d received after selling the books to Timothy and the sale of the land in Middleton. The amount was also less than what the manor and the book shop were valued, but as both had sat empty for so long without any interest from anyone, the daughters, and their husbands, were happy to take whatever was offered.

  As soon as it was theirs, they set about cleaning and painting, then lining the shelves with books. They’d also been pleasantly surprised to find crates of books that had been stored. As the heirs hadn’t wanted the responsibility of managing the shop, they had stored the books so that they’d not be ruined, then locked the building until a new owner could be found.

  Timothy’s father had paid them an unannounced visit after he’d learned of their marriage and after seeing the state of their home, had hired servants to clean and paint, as well as purchased furniture. Timothy tried to reject the offer, but the Marquess Shomberg insisted on it being a wedding gift since one of his sons had finally married and there was now hope that their family line would continue.

  Katrina had liked her father-in-law immediately and she knew her father would have liked him as well.

  Everything was perfect and Katrina never imagined that she’d ever be so happy.

  Timothy also established a secret room, and stocked it with whisky and brandy, as well as additional books that they’d found crated, but could not be on public shelves where anyone might find them.

  There was a sign on the door that said Gentlemen Only, but that didn’t keep Katrina out. Of course, she’d never go in when the circulating library was open as that would shock the gentlemen who might learn what was kept within. Instead, during the day, she’d manage the coffee shop and had hired two local women to serve the customers. Timothy would see to the library, though the two were in the same building.

  But for now, it was silent. Tomorrow they opened their doors to the public for the first time and she already knew who their first customer would be—Matilda, who had come by often to check on their progress.

  “What are you doing standing in the middle of the dark library?”

  She turned to find Timothy lounging in the doorway of the gentlemen’s room.

  “Taking it all in, I suppose.” She smiled.

  “If you wish to take something in…” He grinned at her, and Katrina’s pulse sped.

  “I’ve been glancing through a few of the books and came across some interesting drawings.”

  Her body began to warm.

  “And, my father would like a grandchild, and as we are not open yet, I thought perhaps the two of us might enjoy this room before you are banned.”

  She started strolling toward him. “I was thinking that we should also have a ladies’ private room.”

  He frowned. “Why?”

  “I don’t think it’s fair that only men have the knowledge those books possess. Think how happy husbands would be.”

  “That would be quite scandalous, my dear.” He grabbed her and pulled her close.

  “Yes, but had I not seen a drawing, I might not have ever begged you to bring me to Willanton with an ulterior motive in mind.”

  He groaned and pulled her into the private room and shut the door. “Perhaps this is something we should negotiate.”

  “For the happiness of married couples everywhere,” she insisted.

  “Right now, I’m only concerned with your happiness.” He bent to kiss her.

  “But I am quite happy,” she insisted, pulling back.

  “Yes, but are you well pleasured.” He placed his lips on her neck, in the very spot where she was most sensitive.

  “Not since last night, she whispered.

  “Then let’s see how we might rectify that matter.”

  “Yes, we should,” she breathed out as he loosened the back of her dress and she pulled his shirt from his trousers.

  Being married to Timothy was quite blissful indeed.

  Thank You

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