Marco chose to prevent gossip immediately, despite undoubtedly further annoying the Duchess of Elkington. He lifted his voice, causing the room to instantly fall silent.
“If I might have your attention… I would ask you to join me in celebrating the fact that Lady Eugenia Calthorpe has just done me the honour of agreeing to become my wife.”
The silence lasted a moment longer, then shocked whispers rolled around the room as some people came to congratulate them. The glare they got from the Duchess of Elkington made Marco wince, and he instantly felt badly for Lady Catherine, so much so that he searched the crowd for her face. When he spotted her, Marco’s steps almost faltered in surprise. Was she smiling? Was that truly an expression of relief on her face? The orchestra began to play, and Marco frowned, suddenly curious, and leaned over to whisper to Eugenia as they — a newly betrothed couple — took to the dance floor.
“Does Lady Catherine truly look relieved, or am I mistaken?”
Eugenia and Marco turned their gazes towards Lady Catherine together, and she met their gazes unflinchingly. A small smile played at the corners of her lips, and she nodded to them both before melting into the crowd.
“She does look quite a lot happier than I expected, under the circumstances.” Eugenia bit her lip, lost in thought for a moment. When the dance brought them close enough to speak again. “I think, perhaps, that Lady Catherine must have a secret of which even her mother is not aware, to look so utterly pleased with you proposing to me, rather than her.”
Marco nodded and blew out a sigh.
“I am just glad that she is not wounded. Although I did not love her, could never have loved her, I would not have wished her pain.”
“Nor I.”
Eugenia beamed at her betrothed, her love and respect for him growing exponentially as they danced into their future.
EPILOGUE
EPILOGUE
The wedding was beautiful.Eugenia and Marco had married as soon as the banns were read. While some whispered about them still, they chose never to hear the whispers. Let people talk if they would. They were far too absorbed in their love for each other to care.
Now, everyone who mattered to them — save Eugenia’s youngest brother, who was away at Eton — had gathered in Thistlewayte Hall’s drawing room after the wedding breakfast.
The young married couples all stood, conversing together. Lord and Lady Billington, Lord and Lady Seabury, and now Lord and Lady D’Asti, all chattered animatedly.
“Did you ever find the clue to begin Matilda’s part of the Calthorpe family treasure hunt?”
Edward cocked his head, studying Eugenia closely.
Her cheeks flamed bright red.
“Yes, as a matter of fact I did. Grandfather apparently had a bit of a twisted sense of humour because it was in an oilskin pouch on the back of the most scandalous painting in the entire collection.”
Her face was downright crimson by the end of her explanation, and Marco let out a mischievous chuckle, which Lord Billington and Lord Seabury shared.
“Have you given the clue to Matilda yet?”
Eugenia shook her head.
“I’ve been waiting for an opportune moment, but things have been such a whirlwind since the Elkington Ball that I’ve hardly had time to think on it. Should I give it to her now?”
Marco looked at Matilda, one of his many new sisters-in-law, hovering slightly apart from everyone else in the room, save for Susan and Georgiana’s sister Eliza. The two of them both looked as if they found the gathering utterly dull, and would far rather be elsewhere.
“Yes.”
Edward nodded.
Marco pressed a kiss against Eugenia’s temple with an indulgent chuckle.
“It looks as though Matilda will die of ennui without something to occupy her mind, and it looks as if the youngest Miss Wingfield shares her situation.”
Eugenia smiled.
“I hope that they become fast friends, just as Susan and I did.”
