Once all her friends had taken a turn congratulating her, she begged to be excused. The hour was not so late by ton standards, but it had been a day filled with turmoil that had left her feeling weary. Warmth curled in her belly as she hurried upstairs to the bedchamber she had taken over from Julius. She would have the lawful right to share it with him by this time tomorrow.
Would all truly go as planned?
Adela followed her up to assist her out of her gown, but Gory knew it was really a pretext to assure herself Gory was fine. “Only someone as stubborn as you would be hopping out of bed and running around town after being so badly injured,” Adela gently chided, noting the fatigue in Gory’s eyes. “You really ought to have let Julius handle matters while you recovered. And do not dare pretend you are in the pink of health when we can all see how each excursion drains you.”
“Would you have done anything differently if it was your life at stake?” Gory asked, slipping out of her gown as they spoke. “I trust Julius, of course. I know I am in the best of hands with him. I also know that Mr. Havers and Mr. Barrow are on the task and very capable. But it is still my life and my reputation poised to be destroyed, not to mention the damage I might do to the Thorne family merely because you are all standing in support of me.”
Adela sighed. “I understand. I suppose I would have been just as determined.”
Gory laughed. “Would have been? You behaved exactly as I did, or have you conveniently forgotten flattening Ambrose while chasing after that thief who purloined the valuable book from the Huntsford Academy library?”
“Poor Ambrose,” she muttered with a mirthful giggle, handing Gory a nightgown and then staring at it for a long moment. “You are still borrowing my clothes. Not that I mind in the least, but is there a reason you have not brought yours over yet?”
Gory released a heavy breath. “Most were ruined the night my uncle was murdered. A few were not, but I cannot bring myself to wear them ever again. The thought of holding any of my gowns or undergarments against my skin sends shivers through me. Those fiends put their hands on everything, purposely putting their blood taint on all I own.”
“Oh, Gory. I am so sorry.”
She nodded. “It makes me ill just thinking of it.”
“How awful!” Adela hugged her fiercely. “And how stupid of me not to realize the reason. Yes, give all your clothes away or burn them. Julius will provide you with whatever you need. In the meanwhile, take anything of mine that you want.”
Gory hugged her back. “I promise to stop scavenging your wardrobe soon, but give me a few more days. I need to get through the funeral first, and then I will impose on Julius to take me to my modiste for new gowns.”
“Impose? He’s a Thorne and will give you the moon if you asked it of him. Honestly, Gory. Did you ever believe this happy outcome was possible? All four of us making love matches…and now you, Syd, and I can call each other sisters. Having married the Thorne brothers, this is what we shall be in actuality and not merely in friendship.”
Gory nodded. “It is all wonderful. However, I am not married yet. I’ll be holding my breath until we exchange vows. The morning cannot come soon enough for me. I love him so much, Adela.”
“I wonder if our dowager godmothers knew it all along. Do you think Lady Withnall and Lady Dayne understood this would happen for all of us?”
Gory nodded. “Quite likely, for they are all-knowing, aren’t they? I only wish they had bound and gagged me before I accepted Allendale’s proposal. Lady Withnall might have done it had she caught me in time.”
“Oh, yes,” Adela said with a light laugh. “That little termagant can be quite daunting when she wants to be.”
“Well, this betrothal mess has righted itself now. All that is left to do is bring the villains to justice. I don’t know that Julius and I can ever move forward until that happens.”
“It will happen, Gory. Havers is quite a clever fellow and has managed to stay a step ahead of everyone, even you and Julius. That is quite impressive, isn’t it? I don’t know anyone smarter than the pair of you…and do not tell Ambrose I just said that,” she added with a light gasp and chuckled.
Gory climbed under the covers once Adela left.
She did not know whether Julius would join her in this bed tonight, but hoped he would consider it. She longed to be held in his arms and feel the heat of his body beside her. What was the point in waiting for tomorrow night when she already felt bonded to him?
Perhaps it was only a bond of stitches, for they both had been injured due to her uncle’s murder.
Did these incidents not stitch their hearts together, as well?
She was about to drift off to sleep when she heard him enter the bedchamber. “Julius?”
“Right here, love,” he said with a deep resonance to his voice that she found so familiar and comforting.
How deeply she had ached for him from the moment they’d met.
She heard the quiet click of the door as he closed it.
“Ambrose showed me the marriage license. Is it really happening?” She sat up, smiling as she watched him approach the bed, a golden aura settling about him as he stood strong and proud, illuminated by firelight.
“Without a doubt, love. Marriage. Tomorrow.” He gave her a soft kiss on the lips that was nevertheless filled with heat and yearning, and then moved away to sit on one of the big chairs by the hearth while he took off his jacket and boots.
He did not appear to be having difficulty moving his arm, which was a good thing. He had shielded her and taken the bullet meant for her. Her heart would have been forever in torment had he been seriously hurt.
