Matthew St Clair had no idea that his real name was Henry Montague IV. Kidnapped by Highway Men when he was only five weeks old, Matthew St Clair couldn’t possibly have known that he became the Earl of Eversham, following the events that led up to Henry Montague III’s untimely death. He didn’t know any of this – but his adoptive father did and he’d been trying to think of a way to tell him for years...
His adoptive mother didn’t want to lose her son, but she did want him to be returned to claim his rightful place in English history, as was his birth right. The only thing worrying her (apart from the fact that they might be hanged for their sins) was this, who would believe him anyway?
Christian St Clair didn’t necessarily agree with his wife. He had brought up Matthew to see things in the same way he did – that the rich were to be robbed!
*
Matthew was as wild and carefree as Christian and positively the last thing he would want would be to be returned to the pomp and ceremony of London Society...or so he had always thought – until the day arrived when he came face to face with Maisie Bywater that was....
“It’s coming Matt! Come on, jump out... Now!” John always got terribly excited at holding up coaches. They had a strict code of ethics – only to rob where they could get away with it and never to hurt anybody. It had been drilled into them by their father all of their young lives and now, at almost twenty-one and just shy of nineteen, they were young men of strong moral fibre. (Well, strong moral fibre for robbers, anyway.)
Matthew and his younger brother John pulled their horses into the middle of the road, blocking the way for the carriage that was bowling along at a fair old speed. The driver was clearly an excellent horseman as he pulled his horses up quickly without jerking the carriage too much at all.
“We don’t want no trouble.” He called, his face giving away the fear he was feeling.
John pulled his horse up to a stop alongside the driver. “You’ll get no trouble from us, just as long as you let my friend here go and have a word with your passengers.” He grinned showing even, white teeth. The driver nodded, trying to remember every detail. There wasn’t much to go on. A little sandy hair showing at the back of his neck. Maybe hazel eyes? It was hard to see under his black hat and mask. And his clothing was particularly unremarkable. These two young chancers could be anyone.
“You won’t hurt them, will you?” The driver asked. He was very fond of the Bywater family and he couldn’t live with himself for being the one to drive them into danger.
“Of course, we won’t.” John said indignantly. “What do you take us for?”
The driver looked as if he would like to say quite a lot about what he took them for, but he wasn’t about to get his head blown off for his trouble. The footman sat by his side, trembling violently with fright and seemed to have lost his tongue altogether.
Matthew jumped down from his horse and walked around to the side of the carriage. He had noticed a rather pretty woman peeping out just moments ago and was happy to go and investigate.
Looking as menacing as he was handsome; he sauntered along looking as nonchalant as could be. He was wearing a bandana to hide his long black curls and a mask hid most of his face.
He pulled the door of the carriage open and found himself face to face with the most exquisitely beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.
She was small with golden coloured hair that reminded him of the fields of corn that grew next to his home. Her eyes were the deep blue colour of cornflowers and her skin was creamy white, like porcelain. She was utterly beautiful. She was gazing at him as if he was the most terrifying beast in all the world; he frowned slightly. That really wasn’t the impression he wanted to convey.
Well, actually that wasn’t quite true, it was exactly the impression he liked to convey to some people, just not this particular woman.
He decided it was time he actually spoke to her.
“Good day, my lady.” He bowed low, which wasn’t particularly easy given the fact that he was halfway in and out of the carriage. “I am not here to hurt you, I simply want to relieve you of any jewellery you might have about your person.” He grinned at her.
She seemed to look at him for the longest time before she actually replied and when she did, all she said was, “Oh.”
This wasn’t exactly the easiest robbery he had ever carried out. “Your necklace, perhaps Ma’am?”
She glanced across the carriage. Matthew’s eyes followed hers quickly and he jumped as he spotted a middle-aged gentleman snoring softly leaning back against the upholstery, apparently fast asleep.
He turned his attention back to the young woman. She was trying to undo the clasp of her necklace, but her hands were shaking so badly she didn’t appear to Matthew as if she would manage it anytime soon. He was about to turn and leave, with a witty comment, when another tantalising idea entered his head. It was absolute madness, but there it was.
Could he? Maybe not. He decided to give her another couple of moments, just to be able to look at her for a moment or two longer. John would be getting edgy and they really shouldn’t tarry for too long. “Take your time, Ma’am. I have all day.” He said, a hint of humour in his tone.
She looked up at him. “I’m so sorry. I cannot.” She whispered.
He grinned lazily at her, trying to look confident, while his insides writhed with anxiety. “Then please – allow me.” He said.
Climbing into the carriage, he was certain he heard John let out a groan of displeasure. He sat himself down next to her; he was so close he could see that her blue eyes weren’t quite the same as each other. The right one had a small brown stripe right through from the top to bottom of the iris. She wasn’t quite perfect and he found that he liked that about her. He slid his hands around her slender neck, and undid the clasp easily. It was only once he had her necklace in his hand that he realised he was holding his breath. He let it go slowly and then grinned at her again. She seemed to be leaning closer to him as he pocketed the necklace.
Another thought popped into his head. Just what was wrong with him today? “What is your name?” He asked.
“What’s yours?” She demanded immediately.
Slightly surprised by her reaction to him he recovered himself quickly. “Ahh, now that would be telling.” He said with a lazy smile. Goodness, she’d almost got him there!
“Yes, I suppose it would be.” She replied. “Well, I don’t suppose we shall ever meet again now that you have my most prized possession.” She sniffed rather indignantly. “My name is Maisie Bywater.”
Matthew nearly fell off the carriage seat with shock. “Lord Bywater’s daughter?” He turned round and got a good look at the sleeping man. Jesus Christ it was too! He turned back to Maisie. “Surely you’re not the Duchess of Chittenden?” He peered closer at her. Surely not – she was far too young to be married!
She let out a rather unladylike snort of amusement. “Ahh, no. I am her younger sister.” She replied firmly.
“So, you’re not a widow?” Relief poured through his veins. Thank God! He thought.
“No.” She smiled demurely. “I am not even old enough to attend the balls yet. My season starts later on this year.”
“Really?” He asked. “Then I shall have to make certain we do meet again. I shall meet you by the stairs at your debut ball – where will it be? Chittenden?”
Just what on Earth was he saying? This was utter madness! John would kill him for dallying for so long! And Maisie Bywater seemed to think he was half-crazed too. She was staring at him.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” She spluttered. “You will be caught and hanged!”
He tried to laugh it off. “Well, I very much doubt that.” He said, managing to sound more confident than he really felt. “But if you do not wish to meet me, I shall be sad, but I am sure I will live.” He sighed, and put his hand on his heart in mock dismay.
Maisie let out a giggle, which he found utterly delightful. In fact, he found her so delightful, he found himself doing something that he had never in his life done before; he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, his lips met hers and he kissed her with all the passion he was feeling for her. It was magical, it was wonderful… It was madness...
Pulling away from her, he felt certain he said something utterly ridiculous like, “Until the next time we meet my lady.” and he got the hell out of there.
John looked at him in exasperation as he half fell out; half jumped from the carriage and tore back to him.
Giving his brother an apologetic grin, he mounted his horse in seconds and they galloped off as fast as they could into the cover of the woods. He held up the necklace to show John that it hadn’t been a complete waste of time.
“Excellent work!” Grinned John. “But what the hell took you so long? You were ages!” He eyed him suspiciously. Matt seemed to be sporting a bit of a love-sick expression. John recognised the look – not that he had seen it on Matt’s face before today. It was usually their cousin Henry from the blacksmiths – he was in and out of love every week!
“Aye,” he agreed, “excellent indeed – that young woman was a beauty.”
“They always are.” John replied, rolling his eyes with amusement. “They always are.”
“Not like this one.” Argued Matthew, slowing his horse down. “She was something else.”
John pulled his horse to a trot and fell into step beside his brother. “I noticed you took your time with her,” he commented, “So, what happened?”
“Nothing,” Matthew lied.
John wasn’t fooled, “Your ears are going red, brother,” he grinned, “what happened?”
Matthew grimaced. Damn his bloody ears! And why, with his dark hair and olive skin was he the one who always seemed to blush? John was blonde with light green eyes and pale skin – and as far as Matthew could recall, he had never blushed!
They might be as different to look at as chalk and cheese, but you would be hard pushed to find closer brothers. Matt absolutely adored his younger brother – and John felt exactly the same way about him.
“Well, she told me her name for one thing.”
“What? Why did you ask?” John looked at him aghast.
Matthew shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said in wonder, “there was just something about her. I had to know!”
John rolled his eyes. “Go on then,” he pressed, “who was she?”
“Her name was Maisie.”
“Maisie? Maisie what?” John was looking uncomfortable. He’d only ever heard of one Maisie around these parts and she was the daughter of a Lord...
“Bywater.” Matthew mumbled.
“Bywater?” John spluttered, his eyes wide. “As in Lord and Lady Bywater’s daughter? The one with the massive…?”
Matt shot him a dirty look for thinking such things about the beautiful young woman, “Aye,” he said shortly, “I suppose it could have been her.”
John had the good grace to look a little ashamed of the way he was about to describe her, but that aside – she was totally out of their league. “She’s like, a proper lady, Matt.” He hedged.
Matt nodded, feeling more and more uncomfortable. He’d never liked being told off, and by his younger brother it really didn’t sit well with him.
John was staring at him as if he had completely lost his mind. “Are you quite mad?”
“Aye. I am.” He said stoutly, “I have to be, because I want to see her again and by God I’ll make sure I do – and you are going to help me!”
John rolled his eyes heavenward and uttered the words he usually did when Matt got him into a situation. “God help us all!”
Matt grinned. “Race you home!” He shouted and urged his horse forward. John laughed and followed him.
Reuben was feeling more nervous than he had felt in years; ever since, in fact, he was waiting for his graduation results from university. He had, thankfully passed, but only just and his nerves had been in tatters wondering how on Earth he would explain himself to his rather austere father... Reuben Wolseley I, Earl of Ramsden.
Humphries cleared his throat and decided to brave his master’s wrath by asking the most impertinent question ever, “Have you, ah, feelings for the duke’s wife, sir?”
“I beg your pardon, Humphries?” Reuben blustered, clearly shaken by the question.
Humphries wrinkled his brow and pressed on. “The duchess, Emilia. Have you met her before?”
“I have never met her, no.” Reuben was speaking in clipped tones and sending a clear message to Humphries that the conversation was over. Humphries however was not finished. Like a dog with a bone, his imagination had been piqued and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. He shifted in his seat and fixed Reuben with a look of utter disbelief.
Reuben sighed and held up his hands, “Fine, fine. I have, very briefly, met her before. It was the most memorable night of my life and we only spoke a handful of words to each other. She is a compelling creature. She is quite possibly – no, most definitely – the most desirable woman I have ever met and am ever likely to meet. So, in answer to your question, not to put too fine a point on it, yes – I am in love with the duchess, and to think that she actually went ahead and married that, that, that popinjay, makes me sick!”
Reuben had never admitted this before and Humphries regarded him in some surprise, “So, what exactly happened, then?” he pressed, “when you briefly met?”
Reuben let out a sigh and shrugged helplessly. “Oh, I don’t know,” he shook his head, “there was a moment, it was fleeting, but it happened... we shared a...” He trailed off, unable to find the right words, for there may not have been a moment after all. He couldn’t even begin to describe their meeting. What? Reuben thought to himself. What exactly did we share? Absolutely nothing. It’s all in your head, you foolish man. Pull yourself together, you’re getting fanciful!
Humphries was eyeing him sympathetically and didn’t press him for more detail. “So, what are your plans?”
Turning tortured eyes on his butler, and closest confidante, Reuben answered honestly. “I really don’t know!”
Humphries stroked his chin. “It’s all beginning to make sense, now.” He mused.
“What is?” asked Reuben, feeling ever-so-slightly indignant at Humphries tone.
Humphries eyed him, looking, to Reuben, far too amused at his terrible predicament, “Well, I’ve been wondering why you’ve been behaving rather like an adolescent in love for the first time...” he trailed off before frowning at Reuben and opening his mouth to continue, “and having known you my whole life, I have never, in living memory, known you to behave like an adolescent in love – because you never have been – well, not until now...”
Reuben shifted uncomfortably in his seat, “Yes, well.” He muttered, going red. “no one wants to admit to unrequited love...”
Humphries suppressed a smile, clearly not believing a word. “Well. Maybe not. Who’s to say it was a love match, with Isaac? She might be remembering you in the same way as you are remembering her. She might be glad to see the back of him. This could be your way back into her life, her heart...”
