“Leave it for the maids, Clare,” said Giles, smiling down at her.
“Oh, Giles, whatever will they think of us?”
“They will think that Lord and Lady Whitton have a true marriage at last,” declared Giles, pulling his wife up and over to the bed. They were still partly wet when they crawled under the covers, and Giles pulled his wife to him.
“Despite all that has happened, we are at last truly married.”
“Perhaps it is because of all that happened, Giles,” Clare replied, cuddling against him.
They lay back to front, and Giles’s chin rested on the top of her head and his arms were around her waist. They fell asleep that way and never heard Martha’s knock or saw her grin as she took in the puddled floor, before closing the door behind her, leaving them to their next sweet awakening.
For my daughter, Caledonia Kearns,
“my girl that I’m proud of”
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my agent, Ruth Cohen, for her efforts on behalf of this book, and her moral support. I am also grateful to Hilary Ross, my editor, for letting me take this subject on.
Lenore Walker’s work on battered women who kill was a great resource.
Susan Amussen gave me historical perspective on domestic violence.
Mary Jo Putney gave me generous support and help in the revision of the manuscript.
In The Fatal effects of Gambling exemplified in the Murder of Mr. Weare and the Trial and Fate of John Thurtell I found the historical incident of the suit against Oldfield et al.
And to all battered women, I salute your courage. A percentage of the royalties from this book will be donated to the Jane Doe Fund.
Copyright © 1995 by Marjorie Farrell
Originally published by Topaz (ISBN 0451404920)
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