The Wife He Always Wanted (19 page)

For a time they dozed. When Sarah awoke, an idea had taken root in her mind. “Gabriel, wake up.” One green eye opened. “I know how we can find the secret panel.” She waited for him to rouse completely. “If anyone knows this house from cellar to attic, it’s my nanny.”

Both eyes opened. She had his full attention. “You have not seen her in ten years. She could be anywhere,” he said, and added gently, “or deceased.”

“No matter the outcome, we have to try and find her.” She scrambled onto her knees and ignored the last comment. She refused to believe Nanny was dead. “If nothing more, I would like to see if she is well and happy. She raised me from birth and was like a mother to me.”

Gabriel put a hand on her knee. “Then we shall scour all of London to find her if it pleases you.”

With a happy cry, she pounced on him and kissed his chin. “Thank you. Thank you.”

He cupped her bare bottom. “You are certainly effusive with your thank-yous, sweet.”

“Only when deserved,” she said and showed him her appreciation.

* * *

S
arah, this is Mister Crawford, the investigator I hired to find your nanny,” Gabriel said, a long and vexing four days later when Sarah was becoming convinced Nanny would never be found, and was likely deceased.

She looked up from placing new pillows on the settee to see Gabriel standing in the doorway with a man of middle years and graying hair.

“A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Harrington,” Mister Crawford said. He walked to her, limping slightly.

“Likewise,” Sarah replied and took his hand. He was a pleasant-looking man with a charming smile. The confidence in his carriage renewed her optimism. “I hope you have found my nanny?”

“I have.”

Hope lifted her heart, despite his tone giving no indication of whether the news was good or bad. Sarah indicated a chair and he sat. Gabriel joined her on the settee.

Mister Crawford spoke. “After several days of futile searching for a woman of a similar name, it was not difficult to find the correct Mrs. Fielding. She is living just outside the city with her widowed daughter and the daughter’s eight children.”

“Oh my.” Sarah’s brows went up. “Eight children?”

Crawford chuckled. “It is a harried household.”

It wasn’t impossible to imagine Nanny helping with her many grandchildren. She’d always been patient with Sarah and Albert. “I did not know she was a mother. I don’t remember her being away, caring for her own family.”

“Her daughter was already grown when you were a child. Mrs. Fielding took employment with your family after her much older husband died and left her with no support.”

Nanny, married and widowed, with a daughter?

“This is another thing I didn’t know about someone close to me,” Sarah said tartly. “Was our tutor a highwayman?”

“You were a child,” Gabriel interjected. “You weren’t expected to be privy to the secrets of the adults. How would you know her history unless she spoke of it to you?”

“Hmmm.” His insight did not make her any less put out.

Crawford cleared his throat, returning the attention back to him. He stood. “I must be off. I have another appointment.” He pulled a square of paper from his pocket and handed it to Sarah. “Here is the address. Good luck, Mrs. Harrington.”

“Thank you, Mister Crawford,” she said. Gabriel stood and showed him out.

Raw excitement welled in her for the first time in many months . . . years, truly. She looked forward to seeing her beloved Nanny again. In her grief, she’d forgotten there
was
someone to share with her all those childhood memories. Nanny had been there through everything in her first nine years of life.

Gabriel returned and she clasped her hand around the paper. She was just a step below giddy. He stared at her face and shook his head.

“You want to leave now, I suspect?” At her eager nod, he said, “I shall get my coat.”

Within a quarter hour, they were in the carriage and on their way out of London. Though the horse stepped lively, he was not quick enough for her. Anticipation would not keep her firmly planted on the seat.

“Do not fidget so or you’ll fall from the carriage and be crushed by the wheels,” Gabriel warned lightly.

“I cannot help my enthusiasm,” she replied. “Will the horse go faster?”

Truthfully, Sarah did not have to wait long. The address was only a half hour outside of the city proper and down a narrow and pitted road. She screwed up her face when she saw the ramshackle condition of the house.

Gabriel turned the horse up the short drive.

“Are you certain this is the correct address?” she said.

“I’m afraid it is. Crawford spoke to her himself. There is no mistake.”

Chickens roamed freely about the overgrown yard, and children’s voices could be heard in the distance. The roof sagged in the middle and a thin dog lay on the stoop, rousting only to peek at them through narrowed lids. Clearly uninterested in what he saw, the mutt laid his head back on his paws.

“It appears Nanny and I both suffered a fall in circumstance when Father died.” Her heart grew heavy.

“It is grim,” Gabriel agreed. He drew to a stop and helped her alight. They scattered the chickens as they walked toward the door. Before they could conclude whether the lazy dog was a friendly sort, the door opened and a familiar face peered out.

Gladness filled Sarah to her bones. “Nanny!”

The old and weathered face went from wariness to happiness as the door flung wide and the elderly woman stepped onto the stoop. She shooed the dog out of her path.

“Sarah!” She wobbled down the steps, arms flung wide. “My baby, my precious baby, Sarah!”

Sarah ran to her and wrapped Nanny in her embrace. The familiar comfort of being held in her nanny’s arms brought joy and chased away everything else. Tears ran down both their faces. “Nanny, I’ve missed you so.”

They hugged for a long stretch, Nanny rocking her gently. “You have grown.” She pulled back and cupped Sarah’s chin. Her eyes scanned tear-stained cheeks. “And you’re so beautiful.”

Sarah smiled and brushed her tears away with her sleeve. “I cannot believe it’s been ten years. You look as I remembered.”

“Posh.” Nanny linked an arm through Sarah’s. “I am a very old woman now, with many wrinkles.”

“I see no wrinkles,” Sarah teased. They hugged again. The warmth of Nanny’s hug, the familiar scent of cinnamon, from her love of baking, took Sarah back to her childhood. She never wanted those memories of that time of innocence to end.

A moment passed before she remembered Gabriel standing near the carriage. “I have someone I want you to meet.” She led Nanny to Gabriel. “Nanny, this is my husband, Gabriel Harrington. Gabriel, this is Mrs. Fielding, my nanny.”

Gabriel smiled, took her hand, and bowed over it. “My wife has spoken fondly of you.”

Nanny’s eyes narrowed. “My Sarah has married a charmer.” She took his measure. Gabriel stood quietly while she gave him a thorough perusal. After a minute she locked onto his eyes and warned, “You had better treat her well, Mister Harrington, or you will feel my wrath.”

Chapter Eighteen

G
abe resisted the urge to smile. Though slightly stooped, and old enough to be his grandmother, Nanny would be a daunting foe even at her advanced age. She clearly loved Sarah.

Thankfully for him and his continued good health, he intended to make his wife happy.

“Yes, Mrs. Fielding.”

The old woman nodded. “I shall take you at your word, sir. Now, come inside and I will make tea.”

The inside of the house was clean and neat. The furniture was shopworn, and everything else looked as if it had seen centuries of ill use. But it was the sadness in Sarah’s eyes, as she realized just how low in circumstance the woman who’d raised and loved her had fallen, that set his mind to work. He knew he had to correct this situation.

Immediately.

Nanny looked away from Sarah when they took their seats on the faded settee, her discomfort clear. “The landlord will not pay for repairs. He claims our rent is not substantial enough to cover more than to keep the roof from caving in. What redeems the property is that my daughter can walk the distance to the cemetery where her husband is buried.”

“The man should be arrested and forced to serve a sentence of hard labor,” Sarah said, her hands closing to fists. “To allow women and children to live this way is appalling.”

Gabe’s mind flashed to the condition of Sarah’s cottage and how similar the circumstances of both women had become. When he returned home he’d see about purchasing the place and make arrangements for workers to tend to the house and grounds.

“I shall worry for his safety if your paths ever intersect. You were always my tiny warrior,” Nanny said. “For now, tea.”

While Nanny fixed a small repast, a woman arrived burdened with a group of young children, one in her arms, and several others on her heels. She was worn, her obviously once pretty features faded with age and her grim circumstance. She briefly greeted them and went on her way, the children staring in the doorway at Gabe and Sarah until their mother returned and shooed them off.

“My daughter lost her husband two years ago,” Nanny said, passing the departing family as she returned to the parlor. “He left her very little money to care for herself and the children. Between us, we have just enough to pay for this house and little more.”

Sarah sent a silent plea to Gabe, who nodded. She smiled.

“You have a lovely daughter and grandchildren,” Gabe said and took a cake from the tray. The biscuit was simple but good.

“Thank you. I cherish them all.”

Once the tea was poured and Nanny took her seat, she and Sarah spent the better part of two hours sharing how they spent their time apart and stories about the first nine years of Sarah’s life. Gabe watched Sarah, more animated then he’d ever seen her, and laughed when Nanny told amusing anecdotes about his wife. The pair was truly as close as mother and daughter.

When the visit came to a close, the women hugged and Sarah promised to return often. “I shall come again and again until you’ve tired of tripping over me.”

“Never, dearest,” Nanny said. “This door will never be closed to you.”

He watched them and finally remembered the original reason for the visit. He interrupted their farewell. “Before we go, I have a question to ask. There is renewed interest in solving Henry Palmer’s murder. We were wondering if you know where he kept his important papers.”

“Yes, it is very critical that we find them,” Sarah said. “They may include clues of his last days.”

The woman frowned. “Will it help catch his killer?”

“We aren’t sure,” Gabe admitted. “But we think we might find information to lead us in that direction.”

Nanny clasped her hands in front of her mouth and stood quietly in thought. “Henry had many secrets.” She met Sarah’s eyes. “There are things about your father of which you are not aware.”

Sarah nodded. “We know he spied for the Crown.”

The older woman’s eyes widened, then she nodded. “Then you are privy to everything I know. He only confided in me once when you were very young, because he knew I would protect you should something happen to him. Instead it was Albert who took that role after his death. Your brother knew that if I remained with you, your chance of discovery was higher than if we lived apart. Our connection was no secret.” She cupped Sarah’s chin. “It broke my heart to lose you.”

“Mine, too,” Sarah said softly.

Gabe’s hope rose. “Then you know where he hid his papers?”

After a moment, Nanny shook her head. “I cannot say. He never divulged information about his work. I thought he kept his files in his desk. If they are not there, then I can give no answers. I’m sorry.”

Disappointed, Gabe took her hand. “Don’t fret. The chance was small that he’d confide all his secrets. We will find another way to get what we need.”

Sarah kissed Nanny on the cheek. “I will see you soon.”

The ride back to London was reflective as Gabe made a list in his head of what he needed to assist Nanny. Although she did not complain about her plight, he could not leave the woman, who loved and raised Sarah, to such a dismal existence. Hell,
no
woman deserved that fate.

“We have to help them,” Sarah said finally.

“We will, love. We will.”

Sarah laid a hand on his leg. “You are a good man.”

He snorted. “Please do not tell anyone. I much prefer cad, bounder, and ne’er-do-well.”

When she looked up at him, her eyes were soft. “It matters not what all of London thinks, as long as I know the truth.”

Gabe could almost see a fissure in her protective wall. It was another step to earning back her trust. She’d given him her body. He selfishly wanted her heart, too.

It took a day to discover who owned Mrs. Fielding’s house—a weasel of a fellow named Beasley—and offer him more than the value of the property. With a scribbled signature on vellum, Gabe became the new owner of twenty acres of swale and a house needing expensive repairs.

But it was the joy in Sarah when he handed her the deed that made everything worth the bad investment.

“What is this?” she’d said, looking over the contract. It was weighted with wordy gibberish, making sense only to the barrister who wrote it out.

“You now own the property Nanny and her family live on. Workers have been dispatched to begin repairs, and servants and food have been sent out. Make a list of anything else you think she’ll need and I’ll see that it’s made available to her.”

Her eyes went wide, and a squeal—the volume of which he’d never previously believed could exist in such a small woman—broke from his wife. She jumped into his arms and hugged his neck in a strangle-inducing grip. Then she led him to the bed and did all sorts of things that made him the happiest of men.

That small patch of swamp and rot was the best investment he’d ever made.

* * *

I
was thinking sometime next week I would like to visit Nanny and see how the repairs are coming.” Sarah walked into the library and over to the desk where he was working. Since the day they’d made love upstairs, they hadn’t spent another night at the Harrington town house. They’d packed up their personal belongings, and Flora and Benning, and moved in. The rest of their possessions had followed over the next few days.

Gabriel hired a butler named Harris, and Sarah settled into her role as mistress of the house.

“I think that is an excellent idea.” He scanned the investment sheet from Gavin Blackwell. He’d sunk a large chunk of coin into Blackwell’s shipyard, and thus far, all was well. Blackwell could turn a rock into gold. “I shall go with you. With The Widow loose, we cannot have you wandering about alone.”

“I can take care of myself,” she protested.

“Give me this, love.” He flipped a page aside. “We Harrington men come from a long line of knights and highwaymen. I am just arrogant enough to believe you need my sword and shield to protect you. My manliness requires your agreement.”

She leaned a hip on the desk and kissed his temple. “Then I shall pick a day to visit. You can bring your sword to bed, later, if you’d like.”

“I will put it on my calendar,” he replied, distracted. “Or once I hire a secretary, he can update my calendar.” It took a blink for her words to cut past the columns of investment figures in his mind. He sent her a sidelong look. “My sword?”

“Sword? Staff? Manroot? Whichever you prefer.”

He grinned. “What a temptress you’ve become, Wife.” He leaned to kiss her. “This pleases me.”

“I do enjoy pleasing you,” she said.

“Later,” he promised and turned back to business.

Sarah got up and began pacing in front of the desk. “I wonder what Nanny thought when the workers descended upon the house. I hope they did not frighten the children.”

“You will have to ask her, next week.” More pacing.

“I think I will have new drapes made in Nanny’s favorite colors. What do you think? I think new drapes are an excellent start. Don’t you?”

“Anything you wish, love. It is your house.”

The pacing continued. “And she needs a new rug in the parlor; something that can withstand little feet.”

He finally lifted his head, giving her his full attention. “This endless pacing cannot all be over concern for your nanny. Is there something else you need, love?”

Sarah sighed deeply. “I’m bored.”

This explained her restlessness of late. “Can you go shopping with Noelle?”

“She has not felt well since returning from Bath.”

“What about Laura?”

“She had an appointment today.” She ran her hand over the edge of the desk. “And lest you ask, I did check the parlor and pantry for hidden doors.”

“There has to be something for you to do,” he pressed. “Perhaps you can help at a charity for orphans or attend a meeting of the Ladies of Something or Other? I know you’ve been invited to many functions. I’ve seen the mail.”

“We do have a ball and a musicale to attend this week,” she said and cast a glance askance at him. “There is one place where I think I can be of assistance. It’s a charity that helps women who are . . . mistreated. Noelle said the Duchess Eva is a proprietress of the school.”

“Are you speaking of the courtesan school?” Sarah visibly tensed. He hid a smile. The minx actually believed he was unaware she’d been taking tea with former courtesans. “Did you think I did not know about the trip you took there with Noelle?”

She frowned. “Do you spy on me?”

“My mother told me, with a bit of torture on the rack in the attic. She did not want to break your confidence. However, the courtesan school is not well hidden in our family. I would have discovered its existence eventually.”

“And I suppose you forbid me to go again?”

He stood and leaned over the desk, placing his hands flat on the surface. “Indeed I do not. If it will keep you busy and away from this desk, so that I can make certain my investments will not fail and leave us destitute, I will gladly call a footman to find a hackney to take you.” Her face brightened. “Now give me a kiss and be off. I’ve work to do.”

As requested, Sarah kissed him, swirling him into her web of orchid perfume. “I shall be home before dinner.”

For a moment he thought of taking her on the desk, but he
did
have to make certain they could pay for decorating two houses, her gowns, and future children. Plus, his family had recently grown by ten with the addition of Nanny and her family. The investments with Blackwell were part of that. He had to focus on financial matters and not on his seductive wife. So he watched her swaying backside as she left him and returned to his chair.

Damn, if moving out from under his father’s long shadow, and taking a wife, hadn’t given him new challenges and responsibilities.

He desperately needed a secretary, if for nothing more than giving him the freedom to seduce his wife whenever and wherever the mood arose.

Thus, he left her to go off to assist former courtesans, and he, regretfully, turned his attention back to the paper stack.

* * *

I
did not think you’d return, Mrs. Harrington,” Sophie said as she joined Sarah in the foyer. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“I thought I might help with . . . something.” She wasn’t certain her presence was needed. But after her last visit, she felt drawn to return. “I know Noelle is ill and the duchess is busy with Catherine.” She shifted her feet. “Perhaps I should go.”

“Nonsense.” Sophie smiled. “You came all this way. We are nearing our matching party and the ladies could use assistance with planning what to wear and with topics of conversation. They are obviously anxious to make positive impressions.”

Sarah nodded. “It would please me to stay.” She followed Sophie into the parlor. To her surprise, she found not only the room covered with gowns of many colors, but Laura in the center of the group of women, laughing as they fussed around her.

“Sarah!” Laura gingerly made her way across the room, careful not to trip over scattered boxes on the floor.

They embraced and Laura whispered, “I am surprised to see you here. Does Gabriel know?”

“He does.” Sarah pulled back. “I came once with Noelle. I cannot explain it, but I had to come back.”