“Can you imagine men and women having the right to choose whom they go to bed with? You could marry whomever you wanted to without fear of being cast out by your family or by society. You could decide not to marry if you don’t want to, or decide not to have children.”
“You could marry for love.”
“Yes. And I appreciate that you are doing just that. I fear I will not have that luxury.”
Hugh nodded and was silent for a long moment. “Do you love Beresford?”
Did he? Lark was fond of Anthony and he was surprised by the depths of Beresford’s character, but love? “I do not know.”
“Beresford himself said you’d have a moment where you’d just know. I haven’t had a moment like that with Adele, but I can see where what we have may grow to that. In some ways, I feel like we barely know each other. And yet I cannot imagine marrying anyone else.”
“That is a luxury. It’s not like I can marry Beresford. And you, by the way, are giving my parents ideas. Isn’t it timeIsettleddown, my mother keeps asking. In truth, I do not wish to marry at all. I can bequeath the title on my nephew, perhaps.”
“It is of no consequence to me, as long as you are happy.”
“Yes, and I think that is at the crux of our lives right now. You and I are both wealthy men. We can afford to be happy, or we should be able to. Why shouldn’t you marry your Adele? Why does it matter what anyone thinks of it?”
“Is that how you think people will view it? You seemed pretty dead set against our marriage just a couple of weeks ago.”
Lark shrugged. “Perhaps I have grown. And anyway, scandal is fleeting. At the end of the day, you’re marrying an earl’s daughter, and there’s not much objectionable about that when you take the public regard of Canbury out of the mix. Maybe a few people will object, but they’ll forget in a week when the next scandal occurs.”
“So why were you and Owen and Fletcher working so hard to talk me out of it?”
Lark sighed. Why had he? He liked Adele. It was clear Hugh cared for her. “I can’t speak for Owen or Fletcher, but the old Hugh had not been ready for marriage, so I merely wanted to make sure you were not rushing into something you would regret later. And I do like Adele. I’ve never met a woman with a more practical head on her shoulders. The fact that you are buying emeralds for a woman who I am certain would find emeralds too ostentatious is just evidence that you are confident in your decision, and so I will support it.”
“Thank you, I think.” Hugh tilted his head. “I appreciate your support.”
Lark laughed. “Yes, well. You’d better go home to her now before your mother does her in. Here comes Beresford anyway.”
Hugh turned around in time to see Anthony heading their way. Today, Beresford looked like Beau Brummel had dressed him in the very height of dandy attire, in an ornate jacket withgold trim, the correct shade of yellow on his waistcoat, and his long hair was tied away from his face in queue at the base of his neck. He grinned when he and Lark made eye contact.
“Hello, Your Grace,” Anthony said to Hugh.
“He was just leaving,” said Lark.
“What have you got there?” Anthony asked, pointing to the jewelry box in Hugh’s hand.
Hugh opened the box and showed it to Anthony. Anthony gasped. “That is gorgeous. I take it you bought it for your future wife and not this oaf.” He gestured toward Lark.
“Yes. A wedding gift for Lady Adele.”
“Beautiful. The color of that emerald is something else. It will look lovely on her.”
“Tell me, Beresford,” said Lark. “You have your finger on the pulse of gossip among our peers. Has anyone said anything about Swynford’s impending nuptials?”
“No, not really. Well, a lot of surprise, but no one seems especially bothered that Lady Adele is Canbury’s daughter, not the extent you all seemed to fear at any rate. Mostly they’re not over the shock that Swynford finally picked someone, and basically the last woman they expected. And Eugenia Sackville is spitting mad, but that seems poetic justice.”
“Fair enough,” said Hugh. He stood. “This will all be fine, right?”
Beresford smiled. “I do believe that everything will work out as it should.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Adele was stillnot in her gown when there was a rap at the door.
“Daisy, will you see to that?” she asked her maid.
Adele was beginning to feel anxious because everything was taking a long time to accomplish, but all she wanted to do was get to the church and Hugh so that they could have this wedding over with. Standing in front of a church with a hundred eyes on her sounded like her idea of hell, and although she very much wanted to be married to Hugh, she now regretted asking for this big wedding.
