Marblestone Mansion, Book 10 Read online

  Not long after the duchess went outside, church bells began to ring all over Kilkenny. Daphne opened the front door and stepped out. Several others on the street had done the same, and no one seemed to know what was going on. When she looked, the duchess was walking toward her. Daphne pulled the door closed and together they walked toward town.

  Earlier that day, notice of the sad news had been sent from the shores of Scotland to the ships in the Irish Sea, and then to the Irish coastline in Dublin. From there, the news spread by telephone to every monastery, chapel, church, and cathedral in Ireland.

  “War,” the duchess breathed, “surely not…not now that I am finally happy.”

  Daphne did not respond as they followed others down the street to the nearest church. For a long time, the people waited in silence for the news and the longer it took, the more serious they deemed the news to be. At last, a Catholic Priest opened a second floor window and leaned out.

  “England’s King Edward VII is dead,” he shouted.

  Both the duchess and Daphne drew in a rapid breath.

  “Come with me, Victoria, it is time for tea.” Daphne was extremely upset, though she did not let it show. She had waited too long, and now her beloved Edward was dead. Her family needed her to come home and therefore, today had to be the day.

  Tangled in her own selfish thoughts, the duchess didn’t notice how upset Daphne was. With genuine tears in her eyes, the duchess let Daphne put an arm around her and take her home. Her tears were genuine. It was not that she loved the king, for she hardly knew him, but she truly loved what he stood for, and now…now the world of glorious balls and London season outings was slipping through her fingers once again.

  “Why all the tears,” Daphne asked as she watched the duchess go to the davenport and sit down.

  “I always cry when someone dies,” the duchess lied.

  “I see.” Daphne went to the table, turned her back to the duchess and then poured her a cup of tea. “I thought perhaps you knew him.”

  “Knew him? No, I did not know the king, although I would have liked knowing him.”

  The pretend Baroness carefully put her hand in her pocket, withdrew a small, thick piece of cloth and unfolded it. “At times, it seems you have not been completely honest with me.”

  “What do you mean?” the duchess asked as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

  “It is just that in Liverpool, you did not want a ship’s captain to see you. How is it you know him? I am familiar with that ship and it sails to India, not to America.” Just as carefully, Daphne let a tiny poison Hemlock seed fall into the teacup. With malice and forethought, she carried the cup and saucer to Gormelia and handed it to her.

  “Oh that. Did I not tell you I sailed to Scotland years ago?”

  “No, you failed to mention that. By the way, I have been meaning to ask you.”

  “What?” the duchess asked, taking just a tiny sip of the tea. It was bitter and she quickly handed the cup back.

  “I wondered if you remembered what you did to my brother.”

  “Your brother?” the duchess felt just a little dizzy.

  “Ranford. You remember him, surely. You promised to marry him and then…” Daphne didn’t bother to finish her sentence.

  For a split second, the duchess knew she had been had. A fierce trembling began to consume her body, and her eyes started to dilate.

  Daphne carefully set the teacup down, and when she put her hand on the duchess’ chest, she could feel her heartbeat slowing. “Do not die, Gormelia,” she commanded. “That would spoil everything.” She waited a few more moments, decided the duchess was not going to die, and then picked the cup back up and tossed the contents out an open window. Next, she threw the cup hard on the floor in front of the duchess and watched it shatter into a dozen pieces. When she looked again, the duchess was slumped over.

  She checked Gormilia’s heartbeat one more time, and then – pretending to be alarmed, Daphne shouted for the maid. “Quickly! Fetch the doctor and tell him to come this instant!”

  The maid took one look at the duchess, and fled out the door.

  CHAPTER 11

  Each day was exactly the same. The stout nurse put the duchess in her wooden wheelchair, pushed it out the door of the house, and then a little ways further down the hill so she could have her share of fresh air.

  “‘Tis a lovely place, is it not?” the duchess asked.

  “Aye,” the Irish nurse answered. She wondered why the American now had a Scottish accent, but the Baroness was long gone and she had no one to ask.

  “I lived in a castle once, but I know not where.”

  “So you said…many times before.”

  “I had a husband too. What was his name?”

  “Mr. Ballin.”

  “Yes, Frederick I believe it was. Where do you suppose he has got off to?”

  “No tellin’, miss, no tellin’ at all.” The nurse came around in front of her and tucked the blanket around legs that no longer worked properly. The duchess was still becoming for a woman her age, save for the way the corner of her mouth and her eye sagged a little on her left side. Her hair had turned completely white. That was typical of a massive stroke, the doctor had said. Sadly, the light of life in the duchess’ eyes had not returned.

  It was sad…very sad indeed.

  *

  Prescot was back to manning the front door again, Leesil’s injuries had also healed, and Justin not only volunteered to be with Blair when she left the house, he encouraged it. Cameron threatened to be even more protective of his daughter, until she reminded him she had her own money, and was old enough to go to London without his permission. Taking it to heart, he bought her a dog instead that he hoped would be far more protective than Traitor.

  In the month of June, Abigail and Claymore signed the adoption papers, buried poor Mr. McBride, and took his granddaughter home to live with them. Meanwhile, the judge and McKenna started preparations to move to Scotland, where they could see to the rebuilding of the castle, and make a new home. The title of duke could not be passed on to the judge, but it could go to McKenna’s son someday. Besides, Blair would now have family on that side of the world if ever Cameron allowed her to sail any farther than across a Colorado lake.

  In Marblestone’s ballroom after everyone had gone to bed, Hannish put Blair’s newest Victrola recording on the machine, and gently applied the needle. Dressed in his best suit with a matching vest, he took his beloved wife in his arms and began to dance with her. Leesil wore her favorite blue satin ball gown. The light from the center chandelier made her loving eyes sparkle and caught the red highlights in her waist length auburn hair.

  “Why have we never done this before?” she asked.

  “Because, ‘tis too hard to keep a secret these days. I had to bribe Justin just to get him to go to bed.”

  “He has truly grown up since…”

  “He has learned to cherish the ones he loves, and I am happy to see it. He shall be laird someday, and a good laird must also be a lovin’ man.”

  “The clan shall live on, even in these modern times?”

  “A Scottish clan shall never die so long as the blood of a Scot runs in the veins of their sons.”

  “And not their daughters?” she asked.

  “Aye, but…”

  Leesil pulled back and looked in his eyes. “Husband, I was wrong.”

  “About what?”

  “I should not have forbid you to go to Scotland.”

  “Nay, you were right. Too much can happen when we are apart. I know that now.”

  “But…”

  “When Ben asked for my advice before he married, I told him to listen to his wife. I must learn to follow my own advice. By the way, Alistair wishes to go to Scotland with McKenna.”

  “Truly?”

  “Alistair has always preferred McKenna, and he and Sarah were happy when they lived there before.”

  “Then I am happy for them all.” When the record ended,
he lovingly kissed her and when he finished, she said, “How you still take my breath away. I wonder…”

  “What do you wonder, my love?”

  “Would you mind terribly if the cooks dinna fry bacon for a few months?”

  “Potato soup?” When she nodded, Hannish’s eyes instantly lit up and this time, he kissed her with all the love and passion he felt for the mother of his children.

  *

  After receiving a letter, he was expecting a private late call from London on that specific night, and sat alone in one of Marblestone’s sitting rooms waiting for it. When the telephone rang, he quickly picked it up. “Hello.”

  “‘Tis me,” the woman said.

  He heard a click and said, “I have it, Alistair.”

  “Very good, sir,” Alistair said just before he hung up.

  “Lady Taunton, are you well?”

  “Quite well, and so shall you be when I tell you the news. The duchess suffered a stroke the very day King Edward died.”

  “Is the stroke serious?”

  The pretend baroness set her infirm hand in her lap. “Serious enough to confine her to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life. I am also happy to report she truly remembers very little of her past. I questioned her extensively. I even mentioned Blair a time or two, but the light of recognition was not in her eyes.”

  “Where is she?”

  “In Kilkenny, Ireland. She dinna believe for a moment I was a baroness, but she put up with me.”

  “Does she need funds?”

  “How gallant of you to ask, but no. She has ample funds, no doubt gained from yet another husband she deceived. I have hired a nurse to care for her, and the bank shall provide a monthly sum to cover her expenses.”

  “Does the nurse know who she truly is?”

  “Not that I am aware of. The duchess goes by the name Victoria Ballin. I like the nurse and I am certain you would approve. She shall take very good care of Gormelia.”

  “How shall I ever thank you?”

  “The pleasure is mine,” she said. “Now my brother can rest in peace. It is over finally.”

  “Aye…finally.” Cameron gently hung up the telephone, drew in a forgotten breath and exhaled. “Finally.”

  ~ the end ~

  Next Marti Talbott book – Book three in the Viking series.

  MORE MARTI TALBOTT BOOKS

  Marti Talbott’s Highlander Series: books 1 – 5 are short stories that follow the MacGreagor clan through two generations. They are followed by:

  Betrothed, Book 6

  The Golden Sword, Book 7

  Abducted, Book 8

  A Time of Madness, Book 9

  Triplets, Book 10

  Secrets, Book 11

  Choices, Book 12

  Ill-Fated Love Book 13

  The Other Side of the River, Book 14

  The Viking Series:

  The Viking, Book 1 explains how the clan came into being.

  The Viking’s Daughter, Book 2

  Book 3 is coming soon.

  Marblestone Mansion (Scandalous Duchess Series) follows the MacGreagor clan into Colorado’s early 20th century. There are currently 10 books in this series.

  The Jackie Harlan Mysteries

  Seattle Quake 9.2, Book 1

  The Billionaire’s Will, Book 2

  Greed and a Mistress, Book 3

  The Carson Series

  The Promise, Book 1

  Broken Pledge, Book 2

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