“If you care for her at all—even a little—don’t say or do anything,” Keith urged. “Why ruin her life? You cannot go back and change things, or undo the marriage. Why would you expose her in front of your family? They hardly approve of the captain’s choice of bride as it is. If you were to cast doubt on her character, as well as her situation in life, that would be cruel. And avail nothing but heartache for her. You cannot be that selfish. At least I hope you are not.”
Wesley stared at the man, taken aback. He’d been prepared to overcome his parents’ objections to Sophie’s family and station in life but was stunned to hear Keith defend her so earnestly.
“What’s got into you, CK?” he asked. “You were my ‘live and let live’ good-time companion. Now you sound like a moralist. Or like Captain Black himself. You’re taking his side.”
Mr. Keith shrugged, but his eyes glinted. “I am not taking anyone’s side. I’m on my own side—and that’s whichever one is enjoying themselves more.”
Wesley didn’t believe his bravado. He studied him through narrowed eyes. “Did you know ahead of time? Did she say anything to you?”
“She never mentioned she was thinking ofmarryingthe man, only wondered what I could tell her of his character. Like you, I was stunned to learn they were engaged to marry.”
Wesley slumped into an armchair, shaking his head. He wondered if she had married his brother to spite him. More likely Marsh had done so, getting his revenge at last.
An hour later, anxiety needled Sophie’s stomach as the seven of them took their seats in the dining room. Wesley’s parents sat at head and foot as usual. The colonel at Mr. Overtree’s right. Kate beside Wesley. His friend Mr. Keith beside her. There Sophie sat in the middle as Stephen Overtree’s wife—with her lover directly across from her. How unreal. How unsettling. When she lifted her glass, her hands were not quite steady.
They began the first course of ox-tail soup. Sophie took three sips she barely tasted before she found the courage to look up from her bowl. Wesley was even more handsome than she remembered. The portrait in the corridor did not do him justice.
His golden brown eyes held hers over the table, even as his voice was intentionally casual. “And how long have you been in residence,Mrs.Overtree?”
She licked dry lips. “We arrived in March.”
“You came here directly after your... marriage? No wedding trip?”
“We visited my family in Bath, of course, and then came here. Captain Overtree did not have much time before he needed to rejoin his regiment.”
“Or so he thought,” Kate interrupted, a sparkle in her eyes. “But Grandfather arranged for Stephen to have another fortnight of leave so they could spend more time together.”
“Did he?” Wesley looked at his grandfather, irony in his voice. “How good of you, Colonel. But then you always had a soft spot for Stephen. The star in your eyes—and among your collection of medals.”
Colonel Horton gave him a knowing look. “I care equally for all my grandchildren, Wesley. But yes, I take great satisfaction in the fact that one of them followed me into the army.”
“Destroying one’s fellow man is more estimable in your view than creating something of lasting beauty. I know. You needn’t remind me.”
The colonel frowned. “No honorable man likes the inevitable bloodshed. It’s about serving and protecting one’s country.”
“We shall never agree, Grandfather. So perhaps we ought to let the matter drop.”
“Hear, hear,” echoed Mr. Overtree.
“Come, Lieutenant Keith,” the colonel said. “You agree with me, surely?”
Keith shook his head. “Oh no. You’ll not draw me into this debate, Colonel. How do you think I survived this long? It’s knowing when to duck and when to retreat.” He lifted his glass of water in salute.
Sophie noticed Wesley narrow his eyes at Keith’s glass. He’d probably never seen the man drink water in his life.
Wesley directed his gaze and his next question to her. “And where were you married?”
Sophie felt her face heat, knowing the subject embarrassed her in-laws. “We hadn’t time to post the banns. Or rather, we didn’t think we did—not knowing the colonel would so kindly arrange additional leave. So we married on the Island of Guernsey, in a lovely church there. Mrs. Thrupton chaperoned our trip.”
“Did she indeed?” Wesley murmured in surprise.
“How considerate of her to concern herself,” Mr. Keith said, “I don’t recall her being so fastidious before.”
Sophie felt her mouth droop open and her eyes sting.
Awhacksounded from beneath the table, and Mr. Keith’s face contorted in pain.
“Devil take it!” He glared at Wesley. “You needn’t have kicked me.”
