“Yes, Fiona is prone to exaggeration.”
Cherish laughed. “No, you were all that and more. I am certain she contrived this house party to lure you here specifically to meet me. I also expect she embellished her concerns about Reggie to ensure you would accept the invitation. So you never had a chance. She had no intention of allowing your scheme for Reggie to succeed.”
“I’m not sure I like the way she manipulated me.”
Cherish cast him a mild look of reproof. “You were trying to do the same to Reggie, so you must not be angry with her. As for Reggie, did you notice how he and Margaret behave around each other? She adores him. I think they are a good fit for each other. Well, I hope he comes around and marries her. Will you take issue with him if he chooses her?”
“No, I will give my consent.”
“Thank you.” She sighed. “That is a relief.”
“Why do you think I would give him a hard time if he chose her? I may be dense for myself, but I am fairly clear sighted when it comes to others. Yes, I would prefer if she were a bit more clever. But her heart is good. In her own peahen way, Margaret makes him feel like a hero and brings out his noblest instincts. Just as you do for me.”
He bent his head to kiss her again, covering her mouth with a soft but possessive kiss. “I had better leave you now, or I will not have the strength to leave you at all.”
She looked up at him in that starry-eyed way he was getting to like immensely. It felt good to have a woman look at him in this way instead of with cold calculation. “Nor shall I encourage you to go.”
“I’ll come in with you, but only to make certain nothing is amiss. Your uncle is now a desperate man, and I dare not leave you unprotected for a single moment.”
“You have posted two footmen beneath my window and another who will be patrolling along the hallway overnight. Ithink I shall be safe enough.” But her smile faded a little. “I am going to miss being in your arms tonight.”
Most betrothed couples would not think twice about taking liberties, but he could not do this to Cherish. It had all been so rushed. It had all been so surprising. “I think there will be more pleasure in it for you in coming to me for your first time as my wife. However, there is something more we must take care of as soon as we are married.”
She eyed him quizzically. “What is that?”
“A marriage contract drawn up between us.”
“To protect your interests?” She nodded. “I understand.”
“No, it is quite the opposite. I mean to protect you. We will attend to the formality immediately upon our return to London. I need to make certain you are never left vulnerable to anyone’s greed.”
“Do you mean your nephew? Reggie is as honorable as you are. He would never treat me as my uncle has.”
“I was not thinking of Reggie, for I trust him too,” he said, musing aloud as he led her into her bedchamber. “But there are no guarantees about what may happen in life, and I need to be certain you are left secure.”
“Especially since my father saw fit to leave me with almost nothing,” she said with a grunt. “You are kinder to me than he was.”
“Cherish, I don’t think your father overlooked you. In fact, I think you have an inheritance, perhaps a sizeable one, that your uncle has been hiding from you. You already sensed something was wrong but did not know where to turn for help, since every one of your father’s people were in collusion with him.”
She nodded. “Now I have you to help me reclaim it.”
“And it shall remain yours, whatever there is. I do not want any of it, but will do whatever I can to make certain no one ever steals it from you again. In fact, I have already sent off a messageto my man of affairs in London. I have instructed him to pay a call on your father’s solicitor and demand to see documents, for I want all involved to know we are watching them closely and will be coming for them next.”
“His solicitor is a horrid little man,” she muttered, giving a nod of approval. “That ought to scare him into compliance. But what if it does not?”
Gawain arched an eyebrow. “It will. This is the beauty of the slightly terrifying aura surrounding Lynton, Camborne, and myself. No one dares to cross a Silver Duke.”
Her eyes shimmered with mirth. “Ah, this is the bit of ruthless determination you were hoping to instill in Reggie. Good thing you like me.”
“It is scary how much I like you,” he said with a laughing groan. “Well, being an old man and having experienced probably too much of life has also given me the confidence to know the right thing when it comes along.”
“This spinster has seen almost nothing of the world, but I also know what feels right, and everything about you felt right from the moment I set eyes on you, too.”
He turned serious for a moment. Despite how confident both of them were of this decision to marry, there were important issues still to be discussed. He was always thorough in his dealings, and during his years in military service had always gone over battle plans in careful detail. With their marriage ceremony mere hours away, should they not have some discussion on the terms?
She seemed to know his thoughts and put a finger to his lips. “We are both sensible.”
He shook his head. “Quite the opposite. We’ve led with our hearts since meeting each other.”
