‘Home Farm?’ All her worried and doubts vanished in a surge of relieved anger. ‘You should not be from your bed, let alone riding in this cold to the risk of your very life! What message could be worth that?’
He held up both hands to fend off her attack. ‘Peace, Henrietta. I had not taken you for a nagging wife.’ There were dark shadows of fatigue under his eyes, but his face was softened by laughter.
‘Nagging? Matthew, I believed you had left me, that you had thought again on what Cobham had told you.’
‘My poor darling.’ He touched her cheek, catching a tear as it escaped from the corner of her eye. ‘I was wrong to tease you, and thoughtless to leave without letting you know. In truth, I am weaker than I knew. I had hoped to be back before you woke.’
‘But why did you go?’
‘Letty had told Alice of Cobham's accusations. She is still confined, but she was determined I should know the truth. As she told me, she was bound by no oath as you were and has revealed all she knew of the casket and the messenger and your promise to your brother.’
‘She dared do so?’ Henrietta knew the risk Alice and Robert had taken. One word from Matthew in the right quarter and their lives would have been forfeit.
‘They dared because of their loyalty to your family and their love for you. And, like me, Robert wants to put the past aside and build a new future for our children. Forgive me, my love, for ever having doubted you.’ He took her hands in both of his.
‘There is nothing to forgive. And I was breaking my marriage vows in deceiving you.’ She met his eyes and found such warmth in their green depths that she was shaken to her heart.
‘You have had so much to bear. How could you stay so strong when you stood to lose everything – our love, Winterbourne, your people?’
‘I had no choice. I love you, I could not lie to you, so I chose silence. I thought once the papers were safe away and I was quit of my bond I could find a way to explain to you without involving Robert, Alice and the others.’
‘Loyalty must be in the air at Winterbourne. I will try and be worthy of it. Only say you forgive me, my love.’
‘Of course I forgive you,’ Henrietta stammered, unable to believe it was all coming right at last. ‘But you will not be angry with Robert and Alice for helping me?’
‘Never, for such loyalty. We all want the same thing, my love – peace and a future for our children.’ He stretched out an arm and caught her to him, holding her so fiercely that she wondered where he had found the strength.
She drew back so that she could look into his face. ‘I am at peace with you, Matthew. And you, my love, are you at peace with me?’
Matthew's eyes smiled into hers. ‘Now and for always. Nothing will ever part me from you, Henrietta, my own true love. I have come home here to you and Winterbourne and it will take greater powers than Kings and Parliaments to part us again.’