In his most authoritative, patriarchal voice, he commanded them to approach. “Cassandra, Elinor, I wish to speak with you both.”
Anne’s twin nieces scampered past. Indira stopped momentarilyto say, “I’m sorry. But not really.” Then she giggled and ran inside with her sister.
“Is it true then?” Ellie asked, her eyes so like her mother’s.
Before him, his daughters prepared for what they had grown to expect: a feigned harsh setdown followed by their empty promises to never, ever repeat the infraction again.
Try as he might to be a harsh disciplinarian, he would inevitably fail, and the girls knew it. However, for the sake of the appearance of parental control in front of Anne, he began his admonishment.
“I will ask the questions here. Cassandra, did you or did you not conspire with Miss Indira to lock me and Miss Weatherby in that service closet?” Colin glared down at them.
A slight twitch of Ellie’s lips gave her away.
Yet, Cassie played along admirably. She twisted her hands in the material of her frock, her eyes focused on her shoes. “Well ...”
“You will look at me when you speak.” He barked the words, and his daughter jumped.
Anne squeezed his arm. Hard. “Really, Colin. Is that any way to treat your daughter?”
It shouldn’t have surprised him that Anne championed Cassie. But somehow, it did. She truly cared about the girls, and that alone warmed his heart. This was a woman who would never raise her voice in anger. Well, other than to him.
He could barely contain the smile tugging at his mouth. In fact...
Anne jerked away from him as if she couldn’t put enough distance between them. “Are you smiling? Do you find humor or pleasure in mistreating your daughters? Perhaps I should reconsider my agreement to marry you.”
Aware of the crack in his armor, Cassie and Ellie threw themselves at him, their arms wrapping around his waist.
But it was Ellie who voiced their happiness. “Oh, Papa! It is true! I didn’t want to believe it when Indira said you were going to offer for Anne!”
In one fluid motion, he dropped to his knees and pulled them both into an embrace. “Yes. It is true.” He peeredup at Anne, who watched him with slack-jawed stupor. “Unless she changes her mind. Now, Miss Weatherby, would you truly disappoint two such lovely girls?”
“Oh, you!” She batted his shoulder. “I shall never understand you!”
He laughed. “Then that makes two of us.”
CHAPTER 15
At supper that evening, Anne’s mind whirled in stunned silence. She stared into her syllabub. What in heaven’s name had she agreed to? Madness! It was the only explanation.
She’d officially lost her mind.
After Cassie and Ellie wholeheartedly accepted Anne into their family, Colin had led them all back inside to inform the rest of the household. All had offered their felicitations, none more enthusiastically than Miranda and Mr. Grey. Honoria had embraced her and whispered, “Now we shall truly be sisters.”
No one raised questions as to the rapid nature of their betrothal, and she, Colin, and Andrew all remained silent on the matter. Alice simply offered that one does not count the time when it comes to matters of the heart.
Charlotte, however, continued to side-eye her the entire time at supper, and the hair on the back of Anne’s neck itched in cautionary warning. Anne suspected everyone was well aware of what had precipitated her unexpected betrothal.
As they finished their supper, Honoria said, “Why don’t you request a special license, Colin? You could be married here in aweek or less. Just think, Anne, all our friends are already present. What could be more perfect?”
The spoonful of syllabub Anne had managed to get into her mouth lodged in her throat.A week!She forced it down. “What about my mother?”
“I can send for Mother as well as Arthur and Lavinia,” Andrew said as if it were no problem at all.
At Colin’s quizzical gaze, Anne explained. “Arthur is our brother, and Lavinia is his wife.”
Burwood chuckled. “I remember having a conversation with your mother about all those A names. It will be good to see her again. She’s a charming woman, Colin. You will like her.”
Rude though it was, Anne ignored him. “But a week! Why must we rush? What about a gown?”
