An Inadvisable Wager (The Curse of the Weatherby Ball Book 2) by Eliza Lloyd (the best novels to read txt) 📕

I could not wiggle out of. Decisions had to be made to protect my three partners in crime. I think you can guess who they are. They had more to lose than I.

Think no ill of your mother. She freely made her choice. She was charmed by that wicked and deceitful Exeter. She gave him all, but I would not allow her to give my properties back to him, because she would have done it and then he would have fed her to the dogs. He may well do that anyway when he finds out what I have done to protect the earldom.

I had to protect the title even more than the properties. I bribed certain government officials to ensure the title would pass to Timothy. I hope that this has happened, or I will have done everything in vain. I bribed the guards too—my last days should be comfortable. You are not to worry about my end.

A good father would give you the best advice. All I have for you is to be circumspect in your behavior; be cautious in your choice of friends; be faithful to those who are faithful to you.

What is in the trunk is all that remains of what was good in my life, and I should confess, enjoyable. I think you will appreciate it more now than when you were eight, or eighteen.

My lovely, sweet girl. You are so full of life. I hope this has not and will not defeat you. I pray James and Hester care for you as I would have had I not been such a wastrel. I had to choose someone I could trust, and that person wasn’t your mother. Ask her to forgive me, won’t you?

Tell the three I expect them to keep their word. You need only show them this letter to tell them I remember, will remember in death, and I hold them to their sacred vow.

I wish I could see your face one last time. I wish I could change the past just for you and Timothy. I wish I could see your future and know that I did something right in my life.

Your loving Papa

Nora sat in a daze. Tears trickled over her cheeks from the weight of sadness but there was joy too. This unexpected gift. They each sat quietly, letting the gravity of the moment sink in. Carlow politely waited.

“Timothy? Shall we open the trunk?” Nora finally asked.

He got to his feet slowly and tucked his letter in the inside pocket of his jacket. “Yes. Now is as good a time as any.”

“Let me, dear,” Carlow said, and plucked up the keys, matched the marks and opened each quickly. He lifted the lid and stepped back.

Nora’s gaze was transfixed by the beauty of the famous Davenport pink diamonds, laid on a beautiful velvet bed. And then she glanced at the shining gold, the tarnished silver, more shining gold, the diamond bracelets, more shining gold, silver chains, rubies, sapphires and…

“Oh my God!” Nora said.

Timothy and Nora stared down. Silence filled the room and made Nora’s ears ache. Carlow whistled.

“I think I’m going to faint,” Timothy said.

“Blasington’s Hoard,” she said.

* * * * *

Carlow locked the lid to the trunk a few hours earlier. He’d pocketed the keys, holding them until they could decide what they were going to do. Carlow suggested taking the trunk directly back to Child and Company for safe keeping.

They hadn’t touched anything inside, only stared at it until Nora had gently lowered the lid. “This can wait for another day.”

She was stretched out on the bed with her shoes off and her stays loosened, staring at the bed canopy.

“Are you ready to talk?” Carlow asked.

“I still can’t breathe. I might be suffering delirium or a permanent stupor. Or some unnamed mental fatigue. Is it all a dream?”

“Should I call a physician?”

“If I don’t move in the next five minutes, yes. One would think nothing could faze Nora the Avenger.”

“I suppose you really do want a dissolution of our marriage now,” he said.

She glanced quickly. “Carlow, don’t jest with me at such a time.”

“I’m very happy I already declared my love for you then. I’m not sure you would believe me if I confessed now,” he said. “You might have more wealth than I do.”

“Only half of it is mine.”

“Half of a fortune is still a fortune.”

“How am I going to sleep? I wonder if Timothy is.”

“He has a new wife, and I would guess he knows what to do with her in such a circumstance.”

“I think Timothy grew three inches tonight, knowing he could provide for his family. Knowing he wouldn’t have to rely on you for the rest of his life.”

“Millicent was going to provide well enough for them.”

“You know what I mean. It’s not the same thing when your own labor, your own worth isn’t enough to put a meal on the hearth. I should tell Lord and Lady Fortenay. They’ll be happy to know the end of this story.”

“My advice is that you tell no one. I think I should tell Timothy the same thing.”

“Why? It is some sort of vindication, isn’t it? That we aren’t the paupers everyone believed.”

“A vindication, but also a very serious revelation. I think we all know who the three coconspirators were. It is only a small step to understand the four of them were involved in some treasonous plot together and your father took the entire punishment.”

“Why would he do that?”

“He must have been more loyal and more clever than any of us gave him credit for. I would actually lay money that because Blasington knew his reputation was the one already tarnished, it would have been easy to say he was the guilty one. No one would have