Goodrich/ Sordid Secrets/ Chapter 61/ Page 1
Chapter Sixty One
The house was glowing. Not because of the glittering and decadent dinner Camilla had put together, but because of the love overwhelming the house. Not everyone at Stonefield was happy with the events the night before, especially since the rumors of Sir Avenry abandoning his fiancé and family to join the traitorous Nobles quickly swept from Kenton Park and were most likely already circling London. Nicolette’s Aunt Elladora was still in shock over the whole ordeal. Upon returning to Stonefield with Colin in tow, Simon missing, and Asher acting like a conquering hero, Nicolette had been wholly honest with her Aunt Dora, godparents – Camilla and Phillip – and cousin, Kitty. She explained to them about her and Colin’s long affair, Gretchen’s true parentage, Simon’s disloyalty and the final contest between the Avenrys and Noble.
Elladora had been in fits. The first thing she was most worried about was the fact that Asher still had the Earl strung up in the stables—something no one else in the house seemed eager to remedy just yet. Camilla and Phillip were overjoyed by the news of Nicolette and Colin, since this was the merging of their beloved goddaughter and nephew. Camilla then began to spout that she had known all along that there was something between them—though most of the house knew that she was exaggerating since being upset that she had not seen it. Kitty passed over the entire scandal of the affair and immediately began pestering Nicolette with questions on when she knew Colin was her real love versus the marital love she had had with Simon. The girl was obviously too obsessed with the idea of love.
Now with a day passed, the whole house began to settle in with the idea of Colin and Nicolette having been secret lovers and would now spend the rest of their lives together no matter what anyone else thought. Alex and Ash seemed to still be trading looks with each other every time the Avenry son touched Nicolette, but she assumed her brothers would eventually have to get use to it.
Just before dinner the Noble brothers had pulled the couple into the billiards room in order to discuss the one lingering matter no one wanted to discuss – Simon. Alex had at first reiterated the brothers’ willingness to dispose of him. Nicolette was not use to Alex being the bloodthirsty brother. Nicolette knew that her brothers had spent many hours during the night and again this morning in the barn with Simon. She did not want to know what they had done to him— then again it was what he deserved.
Asher finally put forward the agreement he had struck with Nicolette’s husband. Nicolette and Simon had been quietly married at Shavoness with no formal announcement yet – that was to be done this next month. So the marriage between Simon and Nicolette was only known by a small circle including those at Shavoness, Stonefield and a few at Kenton Park—including the Avenrys. Therefore the marriage would be annulled without anyone in society even knowing the marriage took place. But this still left the question of Gretchen’s parentage. It was going to be very strange for Nicolette to return to society after a year’s absence with a daughter. Most of society would at first assume the child to be the Earl’s. Though with a sudden marriage to Sir Avenry, the child’s true parentage would most likely be yet another scandal as most of society would be unable to understand what really was going on. Simon swore he would not lay claim to Gretchen, but this did not mean society would not assign him to the child as her father. Other than that, Simon would simply remove himself from Nicolette’s life.
The rest of the impending scandal of Nicolette marrying a man who was of a rival family would be something the Nobles would have to weather. But Alex assured them all that this family had weathered larger and deeper scandals, so what did one more matter. It was a concession on Alex’s part. It was also something both Nicolette and Colin could be happy with. All that mattered to them was starting their lives together with Gretchen. Society’s gossip on that issue was now inconsequential.
Following dinner, the three Garrison heirs—Dane, Marc and Sara – arrived to Stonefield accompanying some of Colin’s belongings that had been left at Kenton Park. Marc and Sara reported that most of the Avenry party had departed back to London—Oliver had been the first to flee the area. Tessa and her family had decided to go to Scotland to escape the scandal. Even still, Kenton Park was still full of commotion. All of Stonefield seemed intent on listening to the updates as if it were conflicting estates strategizing against the other.Alex, Camilla, Phillip, Elladora, Kitty, Marc, Dane, Sara, Nicolette and Colin all sat around the sofas in the parlor—a large fire lighting their faces as they all discussed the situation. Gretchen was fast asleep in Camilla’s arms, something Colin was loathe to allow since he wanted to keep his child as close as possible at all times. Asher was absent upon the Garrison’s arrival—most likely tying up the loose ends of Simon’s departure from Stonefield.
Dane kept a steady eye on Colin and Nicolette, seemingly confused by the entire ordeal. Nicolette assumed that his younger siblings had filled the soon-to-be Viscount in on the backstory and scandal by now. But he still seemed upset about something. Though the subject was still on Kenton Park, Dane interrupted with a question about Nicolette and Colin’s affair as if this were the matter at hand. “Did this… trystbegin, Colin,because you askedMiss Noble to dance that night?”
Nicolette fell into laughter, for she had forgotten that Kitty’s ball here at Stonefield was the last time she had seen Dane. Leaning forward enough to allow her long dark hair to fall like a veil between her and Colin, Nicolette slyly admitted. “Lord Garrison, if I may be so bold, you were cheated in your wager with Colin.”
“Cheated? No such thing!” Colin sputtered, grabbing Nicolette’s arms to pull her back against him on the couch.
Dane’s dark eyes widened as he charged, “Wait, you knew of the wager?”
“Of course I knew.” She flashed him a dazzling smile.
Shaking his head in disbelief, Dane took a long drink from his brandy glass before continuing. “So were you already in love with Colin by the time of the ball?”
“Yes.” Nicolette softly confessed as she leaned back against Colin and rested her hand in his with trust.
Dane slapped his knee before getting up from the couch. “I want my thoroughbred back, Avenry!”
“A bet is a bet, Dane.” Colin triumphantly replied. “I can’t help that I knew the entire time that she loved me.”
“You knew no such thing, Avenry.” Nicolette squeezed his hand.
The room then broke ranks with Dane, Marc, Alex and Phillipdeparting for the billiards room. Nicolette suspected that Alex was already strategizing how he was going to use Colin’s break with the Avenry family as a way for the Nobles to ally with some of the Garrisons. As Alex had earlier put it “there has to be some benefits for us allowing an Avenry to join our family.” Nicolette had then replied that shouldn’t her happiness be the main benefit?In which Alex rolled his eyes.
Sara had departed with Camilla to take Gretchen to the nursery; and Elladora was forcing Kitty to finally go to bed since it was nearing midnight.
Nicolette and Colin had remained behind on the sofa in front of the fire, just the two of them. Staring into her eyes, Colin’s fingertips swept her hair back from her face. His eyes were full of warmth, trust and devotion. Softly he said, “There’s something different about you now.”
“Really? What?”
“You’re finally mine.” He proudly exclaimed before kissing her. Despite everything that he had just lost the night before – his family, fortune and station – he seemed happy. He seemed comfortable. Neither of them had to worry anymore about the lies, or deceit or scandal. Whatever the rest of society thought, they were finally together.
As Colin’s mouth moved from her lips to trace down her jaw, Nicolette breathlessly asked, “how can you still love me after all that happened?”
Between kisses he explained, “how could I have ever stopped?”
Nicolette’s silence broke his concentration on his descending kisses.
Colin raised his head and again locked her eyes with his. Taking her face in his hands, he further explained, “Look at me, darling. When I say that I love you, there is no agenda. Nor do I expect you to say it back. I know you love me—I’ve always known. I trust this. But this isn’t about me. It is about who you are. I love who you are. Nicolette, you are an infuriating, passionate and exciting woman. I have seen your strength and kindness. I’ve seen your loyalty to those that you love and how you fight for what you believe in. I’ve seen the best and worst of you. You’re one hell of a woman, Nicolette Noble. You’re the woman, Nicolette. I cannot ask for anymore. I’m not sure my heart could take any more.”
They both lightly laughed and she pushed forward off the couch to crush him with her body while exuberantly kissing him. Colin was the first person who ever really saw her. Of course he was currently concentrating only on her good traits. But he was uninterested in her last name, family, money or mistakes. It was solely about her. It always had been since that first day in Lisbon. He wanted her then no matter who she was.
With her lips pressed to his, her small fingers wove their way up his chest, pushing at his coat. Suddenly she felt a small familiar package inside his vest pocket, halting her intended advance. Colin felt her arrest and hand over the package in his vest. Smiling under her lips, he opened his eyes to see her wide grey eyes looking back at him. “Ah, so you remember what I have my pocket.”
Nicolette sat slightly back from him, confused by realization. “But I saw the engagement ring on Tessa’s finger last night – the beautiful diamond and sapphire ring.”
“No, that was a ring I bought for her. I could never give her this one.” Colin began pulling the familiar pouch from his pocket and unwinding the cords that kept the ring inside.
“Why?”
Pulling the ring from the pouch, it sparkled in the firelight. The ring was a clear light blue aquamarine, cushion cut into a large oval and surrounded by diamonds. It was breathtaking. Colin stared at the ring for a moment, quietly confessing as he reflected. “Because this ring belonged to my mother.”
“Oh Colin, it’s beautiful!” Nicolette loudly exhaled while staring at the sparkling ring. She then turned her eyes up to Colin, tears threatening to fall. “The color reminds me of your mother’s eyes, just like your eyes and now our daughter’s eyes.”
His smile grew wide with the comparison of Gretchen senior, him and Gretchen junior.
Wiping away the tears that fell when his dazzling smile widened, Nicolette tried to keep her happiness contained. “But wait, you’ve been carrying it around with you even to your own engagement party?”
“No, I continued to keep it with my things, but had ceased carrying it with me after I thought I had lost you.” His voice was sad in his admission, as Nicolette tightened her hold on his arm in response.
“Then the Garrisons’ brought it over?”
“No, Elliot brought it over this morning.”
Nicolette shot back from him in confusion. She was sure that if Elliot Avenry had come to Stonefield then she would have heard about it, for her brothers would have made all sorts of noise over the visit.
Colin’s face remained calm as he reached out and took her small hand, not allowing the fact that Elliot came to Stonefield phase his intentions. He moved the ring towards her fourth finger and slowly began to slide the heavy band up. “He said that he knew I always wanted to place mother’s ring on the hand of the one I truly loved.”
She could not say anything in response, but instead pushed forward again to kiss him. He kept his large hand over her now bejeweled hand as she pressed against his cheek. Though she knew not to harp on the issue, Nicolette said as they each took a breath between kisses. “Elliot’s gesture could be the first step to mending your family.”
“Perhaps.” Colin thoughtfully said as his lips traced up her cheeks to her eyes. “But I have all the family I need right here under this roof. I still can’t understand how I deserved all of this.”
Feeling the warmth of his lips all over her face, Nicolette coyly smiled. “You’re just lucky I suppose.”
Colin laughed, his warm breath rushing over her cheeks. “Lucky? Lucky that you jumped into my carriage out of all those carriages in Lisbon.”
Her eyes flew open as they caught his intense blue stare. Raising a dark eyebrow, she baited. “You presume that I didn’t know you were in that carriage.”
“Wait, what?” Colin immediately leaned back from her in panic.
Devilishly grinning at him, Nicolette taunted, “That is a secret I will continue to keep.”