“Kate, marrying you was the best decision I have ever made.” She pressed a warm kiss to my lips.
Pulling away, she seems poised to offer some equally sentimental declaration. “I agree, it absolutely was.”
I could not nor did I desire to hold back my laughter. Her’s joined mine and our own little melody played into the night.
Epilogue
JAMES PLACE, LONDON - JULY 1, 1815
HUGH
“What, exactly, are we doing here?”Tom grumbled, glaring at the refreshment table as though it had personally offended him. It was a rather more dismal selection than I found two years past.
“Following instructions,” Michael answered. His glare was directed to the entirety of the ton, observing him with interest.
“Ah yes, the mysterious instructions. ‘Go to the ball. No, we will not join you. Do not ask questions.’”
“The instructions were not directed to you, Tom.” I tossed in his direction. I had a suspicion I knew what was to happen and his whinging was dampening my anticipation.
“Yes, but quite honestly, I was hoping to watch at least one of you get tossed out by a footman. How did you even manage to receive an invitation from Lady James?”
“He is titled, and I am vastly wealthy. And I think it is Lady Chanterelle,” Michael answered.
“Charlotte, chanterelle is a mushroom,” Tom corrected. “And yes, but your wife did ruin her last ball. And the year before, Hugh was caught fondling his wife in the closet.”
“Tom…” I warned.
“Well, you were.”
“She was not my wife yet. And take care how you speak of my viscountess.” I ignored the eye roll in favor of watching the entry. There was something like magic in the air tonight, humming through my veins.
Michael returned to my side, glass of lemonade in his grasp, as he propped himself next to me against the wall. The first thing I noticed was his stiffening, straightening. The woman alone in the archway at the top of the stairs was not my wife, so she held little interest to me.
On second glance, I recognized Juliet. He shoved his lemonade into Tom’s hand, clapping him on the back distractedly. “Gentlemen, I believe that is my cue.”
He dipped easily through the crowd, eyes never leaving his wife’s. She was draped in a periwinkle dress and could not hide the smile that brightened her face when my brother whispered something in her ear.
He escorted her easily down the stairs onto the dance floor. It was a quadrille this set, nothing like a waltz. Nonetheless he pulled her into his arms, moving in perfect formation to the entirely wrong music. Juliet just laughed at his antics.
That was enough distraction. I was now even more certain that I would enjoy Kate’s surprise.
“Oh, lord. This is some sort of romantic couple liaison isn’t it,” Tom muttered into his drink.
“Most likely, yes.”
“Enjoy. I am off in search of something stronger than Michael’s half-drunk lemonade.”
“Study is through there and to the left.” I nodded my head in the direction of the back door, my eyes still fixed on the main entry. “If this is what I think it is, I will join you shortly.”
He finished Michael’s lemonade with a grumble before following my instructions, muttering about besotted brothers under his breath all the while.
The doors opened once again, and my breath caught with anticipation. I was not disappointed.
Framed in the archway was my wife. And her eyes were on mine. She was clad in that same red silk gown, the one of my dreams. The two years since I had seen it last had dimmed my memory. She was even more magnificent than I recalled. Or perhaps that was the change wrought by the barely visible bump low on her stomach. She insisted it was my imagination. She maintained it was entirely possible that she was not—but the evidence in this gown was too strong. Glowing skin, even shinier silky curls, an increase in the already generous curves I called home…
The ballroom had gone quiet once again. Or I thought it had, it may have been the blood rushing past my ears. Two years ago, the room had fallen silent before insults had floated through the hall. Somehow, tonight, the entirety of the ton seemed disinterested. Or less interested.
While I was appreciative that I did not have a list of gentlemen to meet at dawn, I was baffled. How could anyone see this vision before them and still retain the power of speech, the ability to feign disinterest?
