“Have you finished your business?” Mrs. Whitby asked once the women noticed them.
“Yes.” James took the chair beside Kitty and breathed out heavily.
Tristan sat on the sofa beside his mother, across from Caroline, placing a paper-wrapped parcel on his lap. They shared a look, and he imagined she wanted to have the room to themselves quite as much as he did.
“Lovely. We’ve been meaning to discuss the weddings, but we keep finding ourselves distracted.”
“Where is Father?” James asked.
Mrs. Whitby gestured toward the door vaguely. “With Mr. Shepherd in the study.”
“Is there anything you would like our help with?” Tristan asked.
Kitty nodded. “The two of you may plan the honeymoons.”
“Leave the weddings to our mothers,” Caroline agreed.
“You will know best how to move forward, Deborah,” Mrs. Whitby said. “You’ve only just had a wedding in the family.”
“Charles and Marie’s event was a…a rather fast affair.” Mother glanced at Tristan, then away. “We shall do things a little differently this time.”
“Not too differently, I hope,” he argued. “I wouldn’t wish to wait too long.”
Caroline nodded. “Nor I.”
James and Kitty agreed.
“Double wedding in three weeks’ time?” James suggested.
“Make it six weeks, and we will have enough time to have the banns read and send out the notice in the papers.” Mother wrinkled her forehead in consideration. “Perhaps five.”
“Five it is,” Tristan said. Once he had Caroline’s attention, he lifted his eyebrows. “May I speak to you for a moment, Caro?”
“Certainly.” She stood, smoothing her hands down the front of her gown.
He ignored the heavy stares from both of their mothers. They crossed the room and sat together on the window seat on the far side of the parlor. The drapes fell over his arm, so he pushed them further aside and turned to face Caroline. She was perched primly on the edge of the cushion, herhands clasped lightly in her lap. Her chin pointed up slightly, and he wanted to pinch it lightly between his fingers and lay his lips against hers, but there was a task that needed to be accomplished first.
Besides, they had an audience. One quick flick of his gaze toward the seating area proved their mothers were watching them closely, wide smiles adorning their faces. They were enormously pleased by this union.
“I should not ask,” Caroline said quietly, “but you would tell me if I’ve anything to worry about, yes? Your errand did not yield any meetings at dawn, I hope.”
“Nothing of the sort,” he assured her, ignoring his sore knuckles. “James wanted to see things resolved, and I think we can confidently believe matters to be firmly settled on that score.”
Her shoulders relaxed the slightest bit. Had he known the anxiety she was feeling, he would have put her at ease immediately upon entering the room. Her blue eyes shone in the light filtering through the window, and her lips were especially pink. Tristan dragged his fingers along her cheekbone, moving a strand of hair back where it belonged.
Caroline gave a slight shudder, making his mouth go dry.
Stay focused, man. He inhaled. “I have something for you. I found it in a shop outside of London when I went to meet a friend some time ago.”
Caroline accepted the wrapped parcel, taking it from his hands. She set it in her lap and untied the twine, her brows drawing together. The paper crinkled as she peeled it back and took in the brown leather cover. Shifting the book to read the title on the spine, she drew in a sharp breath. “Tristan.”
“Yes?”
“Pride and Prejudiceby A Lady.” She glanced at him. “This must have cost you a small fortune.Threevolumes!”
“Do you like it?”
She lifted the first volume, holding it against her chest. “Iloveit. Thank you.”
