As with any gathering that included the Brighton siblings, this one felt like a large party. One could say that it was a celebration of the end of the Penwike-Hawksford feud as the final gavel had been sounded on Lord Penwike’s fate. Then again, Brightons did not always need a reason to gather.
Tonight, Victoria was excited to perform with her husband in the audience. He had never seen her like this before. Earlier, she said. “The Duke has proven himself to be a man of the theater. Therefore, he deserves a front seat to a commanding performance.”
Everyone cheered in the drawing room. Victoria and other actors in the play slipped away to dress for their performance. When they returned, the rest roared with laughter. She was dressed in men’s clothing this time, choosing a waistcoat and linen shirt, both belonging to Richard once, but Miss Ewing, the seamstress, had made adjustments to make them fit her feminine frame. She matched them with her riding breeches.
“Halt!” Victoria commanded, pointing her wooden sword at her nieces. They were huddled behind a sofa. Lace veils covered their faces, even as they wore their party gowns. “Report to me now, spies! What do you know of the King of Serpents? Do you believe he has hidden the Star of the East, and where?”
“Great Captain,” Clara squeaked. “Yes, the King of Serpents has been known to hide the star beneath the Mountain of Cushions.”
“Be careful!” Diane cried. “He has many guards.”
It was Victoria’s nephew’s cue to lunge forward. “None shall pass!” Henry bellowed, sounding very cute even as he tried to be intimidating. “By order of the—the Ion Cow!”
“Iron Scowl,” Hector whispered to his side.
“Ion Cow!”
His brother shrugged, as if to say, “Oh, well.”
Victoria stood with her feet wide apart, crossing her arms over her chest. Again, she was taking her male role quite seriously. She frowned and made a grimace. It was meant to be a parody of Richard’s grim look.
In his chair, her husband, who had been calmly sipping a glass of whiskey, suddenly coughed uncontrollably. Victoria tried not to react to that, but it was difficult. He was choking and clutching his side at the sight of her mimicking his intimidating stance.
“That scowl is quite familiar,” Jonathan teased.
“Aw, hush,” Richard chided far too gently, making his friend holler.
“Surrender, rogues. I am saving Hawksford and taking the treasure!” Victoria yelled, comically transitioning her scowl to a big grin.
“Brava!” Wilhelmina yelled, clapping hard. “Finally, you get to show your husband what you were up to that one year he was away.”
After the cheers and applause, the guests settled into their seats with the drinks of their choice. The conversation shifted to Penwike and the feud that had somehow been resolved.
“So, is it official?” Daniel asked. “Your paperwork has been cleared?”
“Yes.” Richard nodded. He reached for Victoria’s hand and continued, “We’ve fully adopted Melody. So, she is now Melody Weston, officially. She is our daughter through and through, with the house’s protection and name. She is the most sought-after heiress in England before she even turns twenty, which is not a pleasant thought, I must admit.”
Victoria chuckled.
“What about Penwike?” Wilhelmina asked.
“The magistrate has declared that he will be in prison for decades,” Richard shared, his face hardening when mentioning his enemy’s name. “He has to pay for a number of sins, including attempted murder and embezzlement. I know some of his other sins, but I believe the charges will suffice for now.”
Victoria knew why Richard didn’t want to pursue Penwike’s other sins. He didn’t want people to know Melody’s unfortunate origins. Right now, she was just Melody Weston.
Theirs.
Not Penwike’s.
“I believe every time I see Daniel, I have one thing in my mind,” Jonathan interrupted, grinning widely as if he had something humorous in mind.
Daniel backed away, knowing what was to come.
“I’ve already asked this question before. Your sisters are now married, and Victoria is finally settled after being married for more than a year. Marianne dominates the country whenever she feels like it. Elizabeth is sweet as ever. Wilhelmina and Daphne are ready to give you more nieces and nephews. What about you? There is a word that you are currently the most eligible bachelor among your peers. Are you not interested in a wife? I could probably help. I would be there if it means we’ll have another party.”
“Have they run out of dukes yet?” Daniel drawled. “Must be if I’m now the most eligible bachelor.”
“It’s our time, Grisham,” Jonathan declared, puffing his chest comically.
