That did relieve his mind somewhat. “Is your wife as interested in such knowledge?”
The duke grinned. “My wife is interested inallknowledge.”
“And I’m grateful for that. If not for Lady Northwick, Anthony would not be alive today.” He raised his own glass of lemon water in a silent toast.
“And you do not mind that he is looking into something for me?”
At the duke’s question, he stifled his protective instincts over his friend. Anthony was a grown man to do as he wished. He knew best whether he had healed enough to aid the duke. “I do not mind. He is a good friend, but he is his own man.”
Sommerset chuckled, quickly taking another sip of his drink.
“What do you find so humorous, Sommerset?” The duke sounded as if he regularly asked that question of the man.
“At Blackmore’s remark about his friend, I couldn’t help thinking the same could be said for our wives.”
He found himself nodding his head, yet the duke grinned. “They are definitely our wives, but their own women. It’s a wonder we were able to bring them around.”
At that, he almost choked on his water. “Bring them around? You jest.”
He and Sommerset stared at the duke as if he’d turned into a statue before their very eyes.
“Very well. I withdraw my statement.” The duke’s blue eyes grew shrewd. “Do you have a better one?”
Sommerset nodded. “I would say it’s a wonder they allowed us into their lives.”
“No.” He shook his head. “It’s a wonder they found something in us to love.”
“Here. Here.” The duke raised his glass.
As the other two men finished their drinks, he glanced at the clock. Though he enjoyed a drink with his wife’s brothers-in-law, he’d much rather be with Mariel. They had barely been married a month and he still wished to spend every moment making up for the years they lost. He idly wondered if it would always be that way.
“Northwick, I think we best join the ladies in the parlor or our newly married host is going to fall over watching that clock.” Sommerset threw back the rest of his drink and set it on the fireplace to emphasize his statement.
He laughed, not at all embarrassed that his motives were so easily ascertained. “And you both would rather be here talking about our wives than in there with them?”
At the sheepish looks on both men’s faces, he laughed again.
The duke rose and spoke to Sommerset, but pointed at him. “And that, my friend, is the result of marrying a Mabry.”
Sommerset nodded enthusiastically. “Damned, if it isn’t true. Why are we still standing here?”
Marcus opened his arm toward the door and they filed out. As they walked toward the parlor, laughter could be heard in there as well. How long had it been since Blackmore House had had such happiness? He was sure it was too long.
“There you are, Andrew. You must hear about this lad Tiernan.” Lady Sommerset held her hand out to her husband. “Mariel says he’s excellent with training horses. Didn’t you just say the other evening that we needed a new stableman now that your last one has gone to live with his daughter?”
Tiernan as a stable master? He moved to where Mariel sat on the settee and joined her. “I don’t know if he’ll want to leave his father’s business.”
She wore her second wedding gown made of the same bright green material as her first. It made her eyes seem more expressive, and she looked radiant. “A young man who is currently beneath his father’s and uncle’s thumb might well be excited by the prospect of being in charge of his own stables. He does have Mr. Clancy’s blood in him after all.”
He hadn’t thought of it that way, but she was right. She had a skill for understanding people very well, specifically, himself. “Then we should ask him, if Sommerset is interested.” He turned to look at the man, who was nodding his head as he took the chair next to his wife.
The duchess addressed her younger sister. “I received the oddest letter from Teddy this week.”
“You did?” Lady Sommerset looked to him. “I don’t know if you remember, but we have a cousin.”
Before he could answer, the duke frowned. “How could anyone fail to remember Lord Mabry.”
The duchess ignored her husband. “As I was about to explain, I received a letter from Teddy and in it he apologized to me for his cruel words before he left.”
