Thankfully Cloverfield remained absent from their lives. As far as Mina knew, the duke lived in seclusion, away from London Society. And since no parent wanted a man of his low moral standing to wed their daughter, he was still unmarried, despite his impressive title.
Selecting one of the brightly striped towels she’d woven, Wilhelmina peered at herself in the mirror above her wash basin and wiped away the flour smudges. Time had deepened the creases next to her eyes, marking her as a woman well past her prime. She reached up and stroked her fingertips over each groove. They grew more pronounced as she smiled at herself in the mirror – an inevitable response whenever she thought of her good fortune.
“Mama,” her daughter, Annabel, squealed as she burst into the room with her brother, Oliver, on her heels. “There’s a man and a woman downstairs.”
“It’s true,” Oliver said. “They’ve got children with them. Papa said to tell you.”
Wilhelmina hung up her towel and glanced at the twins. Eager blue eyes stared back at her from beneath light blonde hair, so soft and fine it reminded her of sunbeams cresting the hill to the east in the morning. She’d been blessed with them eight months after her marriage, only shortly after Cynthia had delivered her daughter, Edith. Some thought it odd that Wilhelmina and James’s youngest children were the same age as their grandchild, but Wilhelmina thought it a gift and knew James felt the same way.
“Do you know anything else about these unexpected visitors?” Wilhelmina asked as she picked out her purple shawl and draped it over her shoulders. Finally, she collected her bonnet and a pair of beige kid gloves James had given her one year for Christmas.
Annabel frowned. “No.”
Oliver shook his head. “Sorry, Mama.”
Wilhelmina smiled at her lovely imps and drew them both into her arms. “That’s quite all right. They’re probably customers.” Though it did seem slightly odd for James to ask the children to fetch her if that were the case. He knew she was getting ready to leave and that they ought to be off as soon as possible. He also knew Betsy was perfectly able to make a sale without Wilhelmina’s help.
Curious, Wilhelmina exited her bedchamber with Annabel and Oliver right behind her, and started down the stairs. Before she reached the foyer though, she froze in response to the sound of a man’s voice coming from the direction of the parlor. Not James’s voice, but one that was almost equally familiar to her.
Wilhelmina’s throat tightened. It couldn’t be. She and George wrote each other often. Surely he would have mentioned coming to England if he’d had plans to do so.
“Mama?” Annabel queried as if sensing something wasn’t quite right. Her small hand caught Wilhelmina’s.
“Everything’s fine,” Wilhelmina gasped even as tears sprang to her eyes. By the time she entered the parlor on shaky legs and located George, her longtime friend was barely more than a blur. Gulping down her emotions, she crossed to where he stood and flung her arms around his neck in a fierce embrace.
“I told you she’d be thrilled to see you again,” James said with a laugh while George hugged her to him.
When Wilhelmina withdrew and had a chance to wipe away the tears, she saw that she wasn’t the only one overcome by George’s unexpected arrival. His eyes were moist as well though a huge grin filled his face. “It’s good to see you too, Mina.”
She glanced to his side and spotted Fiona who stood beside a boy who appeared to be some years older than the twins, and two younger girls. Although Fiona smiled, the children looked wary.
“Forgive me,” Wilhelmina said, aware of how inappropriate her greeting must seem. She moved toward Fiona and caught her hand. “Welcome back.”
“We’re sorry to come unannounced like this,” Fiona said, “but George insisted on surprising you. However, it does look like we’ve come at an awkward time. From what I gather, you’re on your way out.”
“To engage in a family gathering at my parents’ estate,” James said. “It’s not far from here, so I would suggest you join us. There’s plenty of space and there will be other children there besides our own for yours to play with.”
“Oh yes,” Wilhelmina said. She gave George a pleading look before regarding Fiona once more. Her hand squeezed hers. “Do say you’ll come.”
“We’d be delighted to,” Fiona said, upon which she and Wilhelmina introduced their respective children to each other.
“Will you be staying long?” Wilhelmina asked George when they prepared to set off for Clarington House a short while later. The children were already chasing each other around the front garden while James loaded the last of their things into the carriage.
“For a month or so. I had some business in London regarding the shop I’m planning to set up there.”
He’d mentioned it to her in his last letter. With the growth of the new furniture manufacturing company he had begun in the Michigan Territory, he was now looking to export his goods. “I’m so glad you brought your family with you,” Wilhelmina said. She peered into his chestnut colored eyes and grinned. “And I am beyond happy to have you here.”
“Likewise, Mina.” He smiled at her warmly. “You’ve no idea how much it eases my mind to see how well you’ve done for yourself with my own eyes. It’s different than reading about it.”
“You’ve done well too,” Wilhelmina murmured as she tracked his children’s movements. Laughter filled the air.
“Thanks to you,” he said. “I’ll never forget what you did for me.”
Her gaze caught his. “It’s no more than what you did for me.”
“Come on, you lot,” James called. “Time to go.”
Wilhelmina sent him a wave of acknowledgement and proceeded to round up her children while George and Fiona herded theirs toward the carriage they’d hired for their journey. Wilhelmina followed Annabel and Oliver through the garden gate. James lifted them up into the conveyance and turned to offer her his hand.
She clasped it gently and met his gaze with an overflowing abundance of love. Without the need for words, she leaned in and kissed him, pouring every joy they’d shared through the years into the sweet caress. Somehow, against all odds, she’d found her happily ever after. It was here, on the outskirts of Renwick, in a modest cottage with James.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Mr. Dale and The Divorcée, the first book in my Brazen Beauties series. If you enjoyed this story, you’ll also enjoy The Crawfords in which three independent minded women, shunned by Society, find love and happiness. The first book in this series, No Ordinary Duke, is FREE if you sign up for my newsletter! Click HERE to get your complimentary copy today.
Or, if you haven’t read my Diamonds In The Rough series, you might consider A Most Unlikely Duke where bare-knuckle boxer, Raphe Matthews, unexpectedly inherits a duke’s title. Figuring out how to navigate Society won’t be easy, but receiving advice from the lady next door may just be worth it.
You can find out more about my new releases, backlist deals and giveaways by signing up for my newsletter here: www.sophiebarnes.com