No Marriage Of Convenience - No Marriage Of Convenience Part 50
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No Marriage Of Convenience Part 50

tray. "I don't know how this has happened, but this is all that has been found of them."

Riley and Mason exchanged worried glances, and then Mason picked up the first note. He turned it over, where the familiar Delander crest was emblazoned in the wax seal.

"It's from Del," Mason told her, as he broke it open and unfolded the page. "I can't imagine what-"

Mason stopped in mid-sentence. "I don't believe this!"

"What?" Riley rose up on the tips of her toes and read the note.

Ashlin, Sorry to have to break it to you this way, but I have no other choice than to leave a note. Cowardly, this,

but 'tis the best I can do right now. Promise me you won't call me out, for I hate arising before dawn, and I'd rather be abed with my wife than facing you over a cold lawn. Yes, my friend, my wife. Or soon to be. I have absconded with your niece Beatrice. We're off to Scotland to avoid Mother's hullabaloo. Don't know why I didn't think of it before, but Bea's a right smart girl and a good hand at piquet, so that will keep Mother happy. But most of all, I love her. Suppose I have for years. Should have done this long ago, but I've never been one to come up with the right answer the first time around.

The note was signed with one scrawled word: Del.

Riley and Mason just stared at each other.

"Did you know about this?" Mason asked.

Riley blinked and glanced over the note again, trying to let the shock of it wear off. "I knew Bea was in

love with the Viscount, but I never thought this would happen."First Louisa and her nobleman, and now Bea and Del."Oh, there's more, my lord," Belton said, shaking his head in dismay.Mason picked up the second note.Riley looked down at the seal. "Who is it from?""Captain Hardy," Mason told her, as he opened the second missive. "Now, why would he leave a-"This time, Riley didn't wait for Mason to finish; she leaned over his arm and read along.Ashlin, You know me to be a practical, stable man, but that was before I fell in love with your niece Margaret.

Love, I suspect you will soon find out, will drive a man to do things he never thought possible, and so I

find myself composing this note to inform you that I have carried your niece off to Scotland to be wed. I would have made the proper addresses and asked for her hand in a more honorable fashion, but my ship is sailing at the end of the week, so I am marrying Margaret in this hasty fashion so she may accompany me on my new command, the India. This is her desire as much as mine, and I regret any hardship this may bring between us. But rest assured I will spend every day of my life honoring and protecting and loving your niece with all my heart.

Captain Hardy "I don't believe this!" Mason said. "I mean, I don't have any objection to his marrying Maggie, but when did she ever meet Hardy?"

Riley shrugged. For a moment they both considered the possible circumstances, until Riley started to put a few pieces together.

"Oh, dear heavens," Riley said. "The Everton ball. They met on the steps outside. I thought the man's uniform was just a costume, not that he was truly in the Navy!"

"And don't think Del didn't help Hardy along," Mason said. "Those two were always thick as thieves when we were schoolmates, though I'd thought Hardy had grown out of such antics."

Riley started to giggle.

"What is so funny?" Mason asked.

"Well, if the Captain's ship is ever in trouble, they can send Maggie over to the other side. She could sink an entire fleet with just one misstep."

Mason laughed, glancing down at the note again. "I can't begrudge him or Del. If each has found the woman he loves, I understand not wanting to wait even a day to be with her."

Riley put her hand on his arm and smiled up at him.

"There is one more note, my lord," Belton said.

"And so there is," Mason said. "Perhaps it is from Northard, apologizing for his actions."

But the note, they soon discovered, was not from Louisa's beau, but from Lord Chilton.

"What the devil would he want?" Mason asked as he pried open the seal.

Ashlin, It has come to my attention that your cousin, my ever dearest Felicity, is in grave danger. So I have taken the most drastic measure possible to ensure her future safety from that fortune-hunting charlatan Pettibone. As you know, Felicity and I have for some time been engaged in a consideration, which I thought in a few years would result in our union. I have had to change that understanding, by taking your cousin to Gretna Green this night and marrying her forthwith. I would not undertake such a rash course if it were not absolutely necessary, so I hope I have your tolerance in this matter. Felicity's fortune and happiness must be assured, and I know I am the best man to carry out this deed.

Chilton The note dropped from Mason's hand, fluttering to the floor. He stared at Riley obviously in as much shock as she.

"He carried her off? Lord Chilton?" Riley started to giggle anew. "Because he feared Aggie was going to abscond with her fortune? Oh, what is he going to say when he finds out Cousin Felicity has no money?" "I have no idea, but it will be better that Chilton finds out than if Felicity had gone and married Mr. Pettibone," Mason said.

"More than you can know," Riley muttered under her breath.

But it was Belton who spoke up and surprised them both. "What would make you think, my lord, that Lady Felicity is without means?" "Well, of course she doesn't have any means, Belton. She's lived with the family for as long as I can remember.""She's lived here only because she didn't want to live alone in her own house.""Her own house?" Mason asked."Yes, sir," Belton told him. "The one she inherited from her husband.""Cousin Felicity was married?" Riley and Mason both asked at once.Belton stared at them. "Of course, to Lord Blanden, your mother's cousin. When he died, his will placed Lord Chilton as the trustee of her dower estates and annual income because Lord Blanden didn't trustyour father to watch over Felicity's interests. Besides, I doubt Lady Felicity knows the extent of herwealth-which is probably better, given her rather...spendthrift nature." Belton studied him for amoment. "I thought you knew."

Mason shook his head. "Obviously not. All this time, and Cousin Felicity chose to live with us in

poverty."

"This is her home, milord," Belton said. "I won't be surprised if she tries to convince Lord Chilton to move in."

"It's not as if we don't have the space now," he laughed, settling down on the steps. "Well, I guess I won't have to write my second book-I can get Cousin Felicity to repay me for her clothing bills."Laughing, Riley couldn't help asking, "And what is your second book going to be?""Another bestseller. The Unabridged Diaries of Freddie St. Clair."

"Freddie kept diaries?"

Mason nodded. "Found them when I was looking for some paper to write on. They will probably sell better than the sequel about you I've already drafted."

Riley sat down beside him. It was truly too much to take in all at once. After a few moments she asked, "So what does happen next in my installment?"

Mason grinned at her. "Perhaps you should read it."

"I'd rather you enlightened me."

With that, he rose and swept her up into his arms. "Belton, order my carriage sent around."

"Yes, milord," Belton said. "And the destination?"

"Gretna Green," Mason said, gazing down at Riley with eyes filled with love. "I have a scandal to complete."

About the Author.

ELIZABETH BOYLE has loved three things all her life: collecting souvenir spoons, finding "aggies" on the beach, and reading any story that included a good romance. Luckily for Elizabeth she has enough wall space to proudly display her ever growing collection of kitschy spoons, lives by Puget Sound so she can indulge in her love of saltwater nearly daily, and writes romance novels full time.

No Marriage of Convenience is her fourth historical romance and her first for Avon Books. In between searching for new low-fat recipes to test on her unsuspecting husband and chasing after her young son (or as he calls him, "a hero in training"), she continues to write new and exciting romances for Avon Books.

Readers can write Elizabeth Boyle at P.O. Box 47252, Seattle, WA 98146 or visit her website at http://www.elizabethboyle.com.

Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

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