“I, um…I have…well, yousee…I work in the vineyards with my husband, gathering grapes,stomping them for wine…”
Danby glared at her. “Enough,Elizabeth. Are you sure you haven’t been on the stage all this timeand not in Tuileries?”
Her mouth fell over in shock. How didhe know?
“And do sit down. Though Iam rather impressed how well you are getting around, having beenshot not quite two weeks ago.”
Nicholas turned on her. “You wereshot?” He glared over at John. “You never mentioned that bit inyour story.”
John shrugged. He probably thought itbest to keep quiet at the moment. She didn’t blame him.
Danby settled into the chair in frontof the fireplace. “Somebody build that up and get the chill out ofthis room.”
Nicholas moved to do hisbidding.
“John, sit.” With his cane,Grandfather pointed to one of the chairs at the table by the windowbefore he turned back to Elizabeth. “From the moment you got thecrazy idea into your head to be a spy like your uncle, I have beenkept abreast of your activities…and health.”
“How?” John began to ask,but Danby cut him off.
“That is none of yourconcern. Elizabeth knows well enough, or should have known, that Iknow everything, and she was a fool to think she could keep thetruth from me.”
Her grandfather was correct. It wasfoolish of her to think she could keep this secret.
“Nobody would ever tell mewho Jean Pierre was, though I suspected he was English. I learnedenough that such a man worked in the stables before I decidedElizabeth hadn’t made him up, though I highly doubt your familyowns a vineyard in the south of France.”
“If you know all of this,Your Grace,” John interrupted, “why did you send for her? Surelyyou knew the danger.”
“I knew my granddaughtercould find a way out of there and back. And it was high time shecame home.”
“But why send for me if youknew the truth?”
“Because I wanted to knowwho you were.” He glared at John.
Nicholas stood. “You made them share achamber last night knowing they were not married?”
Danby dismissed him. “Why not? Theyare soon to be married, and we can’t have the entire housewondering why the two are separated.”
“We aren’t going to bemarried,” Elizabeth insisted. Either her grandfather had gotten awild idea in his head or he’d forced the compromise to force themarriage.
“Oh, yes, you are.” Danbybanged his cane on the floor. “You were compromised by that manlong before you got to England, and I demand he do the rightthing.” He turned a snide look to Nicholas. “It is much better thanan uncivilized dawn appointment.”
“Were you listening at thedoor?” Nicholas demanded.
“I will not let you forceJohn into marrying me,” Elizabeth said, ignoringNicholas.
“Yes, I was,” Danbyanswered and turned to Elizabeth. “I wasn’t going to until headmitted to thoroughly compromising you.”
“It was my choice, and heshould not be forced to marry me.”
“As long as you are mygranddaughter, you have no choice.” He banged his cane on theground once again.
She turned to John and pleaded,“Please, make him see sense. This would never work.”
John stood and took both of her handsin his. “He is right.”
“No, he isn’t.”
“Elizabeth, do be quiet.”John gently ordered her.
Affronted she took a step back. Howdare he condescend to her.
John held tight to her hands. “I’vebeen contemplating marriage since we were on that first boat. Iwould have broached it then, but I could tell you were adamantagainst the idea.”
“I would lose myfreedom.”
“Are you so sure?” A halfsmile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
“Enough!” Danby barked.“Here is what you are going to do. Elizabeth is going to announcethat Jean Pierre died over a year ago but she was afraid to tellanyone for fear I would make her come home. She met John in Franceand begged him to play the part of her husband until afterChristmas. John didn’t take into account that he would be known byher cousins, and the truth came out. Nevertheless, he wishes tomarry her, which he will do in three weeks after the banns havebeen read.”
Though she shouldn’t be, Elizabeth wasrather impressed how her grandfather had so simply solved all theidentity problems. She just needed to make him understand marriagewas not under any consideration.
He turned on her before she couldprotest. “You will marry John whether you like it or not, and Isuspect you would like to very much.”
Elizabeth opened her mouth to denyhim, but he held up his cane and she sealed her lips.
“John, be honest, am Iforcing you to marry my granddaughter?” There was a twinkle in hergrandfather’s eye she had never seen before. He was enjoyinghimself, but for the life of her she couldn’t understandwhy.
Elizabeth looked up and into John’seyes. No matter what he said, she would know the truth. She knewJohn well enough by now to know his eyes darkened just slightlywhen he lied.
“In truth, it would be mypleasure and honor to make her my bride. I only wish we had aspecial license so we didn’t have to wait.”
He meant it. John meant every wordhe’d just uttered.
“I have a stack of them,I’m just not going to let you have one,” Grandfatherannounced.
John’s eyes narrowed in questiontoward Grandfather. “Why?”
“Punishment foranticipating your vows with mygranddaughter.” Grandfather actuallylaughed.
“But…”
“Oh Elizabeth, do bequiet,” Danby interrupted. “I know you are worried about yourfuture, and if it were up to me I would lock you up in the housewhere I know you can’t get into any danger, but it will be up toJohn what to do with you from now on.”
John grinned down at her. “We willmake it work with Home Office. I promise.”
“What if they don’t allowit?” Would he hate her if he had to find a new position, a newcareer? How soon before the resentment?
“Elizabeth, all thatmatters is that you become my wife, and I hope it is because youwant to and not because your grandfather is forcingyou.”
Her heart slowly began to melt. He didwant to marry her.
“I love you.”
Those three simple words, and herheart burst. “Oh, John, I love you, too.” She flung
