Bethany closed her eyes, feeling sleepy while Tabetha fussed with her hair. It was something her sister had done for as long as she could remember… when she was bored, anxious, or nervous.
Replaying moments from the night before, Bethany bit back a secret smile.
“Mother got word from Westerley. He’s cut their travels short and plans to be in London before week’s end.” Tabetha’s announcement ought to have been a happy one. Bethany had missed her brother and she’d even missed Charley, his new wife. But he’d no doubt feel it his duty to weigh in on the entire spanking incident.
“You don’t think he’s going to make a fuss about…” Bethany met Tabitha’s stare in the mirror. “Not now that we’re married.”
Tabetha shrugged. “When Mother sent word to him, she was outraged. We can only hope someone explains the situation to him first thing when he arrives.” Her eyes widened. “You don’t think he’d call Chaswick out, do you?”
Bethany hated that she wasn’t the only person who considered this a valid possibility. “I asked Chaswick to promise me that if Westerly does, he’ll refuse.”
“What did he say?”
“He said…” Bethany lowered her brows. He had promised he wouldn’t, hadn’t he? Bethany’s heart skipped a beat. “He told me not to worry.”
Tabetha huffed. “It’s not as though any man could agree to such a request. No matter how much he enjoys… spanking you.” Tabetha grinned but at Bethany’s scowl became serious again. “It wasn’t a fair thing to ask, Beth. No gentleman of honor could refuse a challenge—not if he intends to hold his head up amongst his peers.”
Bethany had realized this but the two would-be combatants were her brother and her husband. Surely, that ought to nullify some of that gentlemanly honor business. “But they are good friends,” she insisted weakly, perhaps more to reassure herself than to convince Tabetha.
“Which, in Westerley’s eyes, possibly renders the spanking incident even worse.”
S-p-a-n-k-i-n-g. Eight. D-u-e-l. Four. Dead brother. Ten. Dead husband. Eleven. Darkness encroached on her vision, and her stays suddenly felt as though they were crushing her ribs.
“What’s the matter?” Tabetha’s voice sounded far away.
“Can’t,” she gasped. “Breathe.” She reached for the back of her gown but Tabetha pushed her hands away, and within moments, she was untied and unbuttoned. Gasping for air, Bethany dropped her head between her knees, drawing in gulping breaths, vaguely aware of Tabetha kneeling beside her.
“It’ll be all right. Beth. Westerley would never do anything that would make you unhappy.” A cool, wet, lavender-smelling cloth was placed in Bethany’s hands. “I’m fairly certain, anyhow. He does have issues with the whole dueling business. Ever since Papa…”
“But that wasn’t his fault!”
“Of course, it wasn’t his fault. You and I both know that. But he doesn’t.”
“This isn’t helping.” But Bethany was sitting up again. She’d broken into a cold sweat.
Her best course of action was to get to her brother before her brother got to Chase. Having married, surely, Westerley would understand that she was happy and in love. Chase hadn’t spoken the words back to her, but she felt… something from him. Tenderness. Affection.
She could almost embrace hope.
With that decided, Bethany straightened her spine. Without fail, she would get to Westerley first.
“Well, seeing as big brother won’t be back for a few days yet, it doesn’t do any good to worry over it now.” Tabetha crossed the room and crouched down. “Especially when I have far other, much more important matters to consider.”
“Such as?”
“Which shoes I ought to wear tonight! Should I wear the satin or the soft leather?”
“We missed you yesterday, Chase.”Collette served his morning hot chocolate as graceful as any titled lady and then lowered herself onto the wooden chair across from where he sat with Sarah curled up beside him.
“Don’t listen to her, we know you have a life apart from us.” Diana wasn’t one to hold her tongue. “A rather glamorous life, if I say so myself. No doubt you’ll be taking your wife to her sister’s debut tonight?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.” Sharing breakfast together had become something of a ritual for all of them. The only times he’d failed to join them in the past had been when he was out of town or had been ill. Which, aside from the occasional hunting trip or house party, had been far and few between.
“Where were you yesterday, Chase?” Sarah asked in a small voice, squeezing his arm and staring straight ahead.
“You remember I married a few days ago, don’t you?” he teased. “My wife and I are getting to know one another.”
“Do we get to meet her? Or are we going to have to hide from her too?”
