Gawain did not mind, for Fellstone was a decent chap and in need of an heiress. Lady Eugenie surely was that, and would bring quite a fortune to their marriage, assuming Fellstone married her. She was still a peahen with not a brain cell to be found between her ears.
Margaret was different, he was coming to realize. The girl was not dim-witted at all, just held back by her family when it came to education. What the girl lacked in knowledge, she made up for in enthusiasm. She might come around and turn out to be quite clever once Cherish and Fiona tutored her.
Lady Yvonne had also been placed on his team once more. She was another one with not much brain matter between her ears, so he knew their team would finish last in every game.
Fiona had fixed her team with the best players, so it came as no surprise when hers won every round. She had selected Cherish, Reggie, and Durham. They were easily the smartest competitors.
Charades was a disaster. This time, Gawain did not mind. Margaret was giving the clues for his team.
Gawain could not make heads or tails of what she was trying to convey. “Dear heaven,” he muttered, “is it even an English word?”
Cherish was seated beside him and trying her best not to laugh. He loved her smile, and loved how kindly she treated Margaret, who really was still a little peahen and clueless, but had a good heart.
Margaret was spinning in a circle and patting her back.
“Time’s up,” Fiona said. “What was your phrase, Margaret?”
“Shark fin soup.”
Huh?
“I was pointing to a fin on my back,” she explained proudly. “A shark fin.”
“Ah, well done,” Reggie said, casting her a besotted smile. “That was very clever of you.”
She sparkled like a little star. “Thank you, Lord Burton. That is very kind of you to say. But I think it wasn’t really very clever, because no one on my team guessed it.”
“They were not paying close enough attention. I would have guessed it,” Reggie assured her.
Gawain sighed.
He was getting married tomorrow, but would wager his estate that it would be Reggie’s turn before the year was out. He would approve, of course. Cherish liked the girl and thought she was a good influence on Reggie. He agreed, for Margaret was never going to manipulate or take advantage of his nephew. The girl did not know the meaning of malice. She probably couldn’t spell it either, but the point was that she would make a happy home for Reggie. There would be no one like Lady Albin stepping in to ruin his nephew’s life.
While the others remained in the parlor to continue the games, Gawain excused himself and Cherish. After all, Cherish had been run down by Lady Albin’s horse this morning. Even though she appeared to be fine, she did have some bruising on her hip and wrist, not to mention the scraped elbow and the small bump on her head, which was hidden by her hair but could be felt.
He held out his arm to her. “Ready, love?”
She nodded.
Margaret heard the endearment and cooed.
“The day started miserably for you,” Gawain said as they climbed the stairs together, his arm protectively around her waist.
Cherish paused in front of her bedroom door and leaned lightly against it as she regarded him. “I am not complaining.”
“You never do, I am discovering.”
“I have no reason for it.” She cast him a weary smile. “I look forward to living underyourroof instead of my toad of an uncle’s roof. Although I will miss Northam Hall itself. It is such a lovely home, and I was always happy there until the new earl and his wife moved in.”
Music drifted toward them from downstairs, where the other guests were now moving on to dancing. Well, those like Pershing would head to the study to drink themselves into a stupor. A few others would settle in for games of cards. Others for billiards. Some would disappear into the garden for a quick tryst behind some shrubbery. Such were the activities at these ever-popular house parties. No one needed a reason to drink, gamble, dance, or dally.
Often the dalliances were continued in the wee hours of the morning with gentlemen sneaking into ladies’ bedchambers. He contemplated doing the same with Cherish, for her luscious body had him in a roil. But he decided against it.
Tomorrow night, once they were husband and wife, would do.
Fiona’s guests had been present when he proposed to Cherish this morning. It was a coup for them to be present to witness the fall of a Silver Duke. They were going to relate their firsthand account to theirtonfriends and the gossip rags. He did not want it also said that he had taken Lady Cherish Northam to his bed before exchanging vows of marriage.
“I am sorry your friends, Lynton and Camborne, will not be here to see us married. Well, I suppose they would not approve.”
