Alyssia all but felt it ripple through Giles. Perhaps to avoid discomfort, no one had called him that title yet, not even his friends, and she could see the impact of that single reference on his face. Her heart wrenched for him.
“Ashdown,” Giles returned. “Or should I say, father-in-law? Annulment is not an option.”
Alyssia closed her eyes before opening them again.Lawd.Did thisman ever think of anything else? But she could sense the perturbation beneath, most likely born of years spent believing everything could be taken away without even a moment’s notice.
Her father’s brows shot up. “Did I mention annulment?”
“I am merely being preemptive.”
No, he was being obsessive over single words and single events!
Her mother gave Giles a long, evaluating look. “Protective,” she murmured, “just like your father.”
Giles blinked, caught off guard. “Always,” he vowed. “Your daughter is too precious to me for it to be otherwise.”
Her father laughed. “Good, good. Welcome to the family.”
Alyssia blinked at her father. “You aren’t angry?”
“Angry? I am furious,” he paused, glancing at Giles. “But I’m also relieved. Your affairs are in order?”
“They are being taken care of.”
“Good. I’ll write a letter to support your claim.”
Giles inclined his head. “Much obliged.”
Alyssia glanced at her mother. “Where are Arabella and Benedict?”
“Home,” her mother murmured. “We weren’t sure what we would find, so we came over first.”
Thank heaven! It seemed her parents hadn’t learned of what had happened here last night yet. They probably wouldn’t be able to keep it from them forever, but for now, she’d take the reprieve.
Giles’s fingers brushed hers, quiet, steady, promising. And suddenly, the chaos behind them felt like another life.
“Very well,” her father said, motioning to the sofas. “Now that you’re family, tell me everything.”
Alyssia groaned.
Perhaps she’d spoken too soon.
Winterbourne.
Family.
The words almost felt foreign to him.
For all his years with Crane, nothing had compared to hearing his rightful title spoken by the father of the woman he loved. He did not smile, but something unguarded flickered behind his eyes. Recognition. Validation. Home. He’d spent so long carrying the weight of exile in his bones, he’d nearly forgotten what this feeling felt like.
They’d just seen Liss’s parents off, and Bishop could finally exhale a breath of relief. This had been the last hurdle for him. And he had to admit, he hadn’t expected to be accepted so fast, so thoroughly.
They walked arm in arm back into the house.
“I never would have believed it,” Bishop said. “But something good came from the Lyon’s Den.”
Alyssia chuckled. “True enough. What should we conquer next?”
He grinned at her. “The identity of your mysterious husband?”
