“Plenty of other fish and all that,” Edmund said, moving away from Nathaniel. “I suppose you can’t win at every game. It’s hard to be a champion of love.” He smirked.
“I am happy to wear that crown for the time being,” Alfred beamed. The three of them were spending time in the side room, sharing some port to celebrate the upcoming wedding. Alfred’s cheeks were rosy, and he had barely stopped smiling since Nathaniel’s blessing.
Edmund clapped his hands and approached Alfred.
“Oh yes! You have won a great prize, certainly, but that does not mean that your game is at an end. Are you going to miss the thrill of the hunt? That excitement when you first see a sparkle in the eyes of an admirer?”
“The only sparkle I need to see is from Mary. There’s something satisfying about knowing I am going to rise to greet the same face every day for the rest of my life. It is the greatest compliment a man can receive to have a woman pledge her time, her heart, and her very future to him. I am proud that Mary has chosen me for such a thing.”
“Hear, hear!” Edmund cried out.
“And when are you going to settle down, Your Grace?” Alfred used Edmund’s title with gentle affection. “I’m sure there is a special woman out there waiting to become the Duchess of Stonewood.”
“Perhaps there is, but if so, I have yet to meet her,” Edmund chortled. “I am having too much fun as I am. Why would I want anyone to ruin my fun? It’s all so serious, this marriage lark. I prefer a certain amount of liberty in my life.”
“You’d be surprised at the amount of freedom there is when you trust someone beyond measure. You can share things with them that nobody else knows. They see the true version of you with no secrets at all.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that. My secrets are my own,” Edmund said with an exaggerated wink and a loud laugh.
Nathaniel listened to their conversation, but he did not add anything of his own. He was still thinking about Charlotte. Alfred’s words brought her to his mind. She knew more about him than most people. She had seen a different side of him. He still wasn’t quite sure how she had coaxed it out of him, but he could not deny it had happened.
And yet, he still could not shake his duty. There was openness between them, but trust… he was still seeking that.
“And what about you? Are there any other women lined up to become your duchess now that Lady Honoria has departed the scene?” Edmund asked, turning to Nathaniel.
Nathaniel inhaled deeply.
“No, I don’t believe so. It took an extensive search to find Lady Honoria in the first place. I’m not sure I want to put Mother through that again. It was difficult to see her so affected by the results. She was beside herself.”
“One can’t give up at the first hurdle,” Edmund objected.
“I believe I’ll leave marriage to those for whom it’s suited. For the time being at least, there’s only one wedding we should concern ourselves with.” Nathaniel nodded to Alfred.
Alfred smiled widely.
“I must thank you again for the kind words. I know I expressed my disappointment with you too harshly before. I apologize for my impatience. I should have had faith that you would come good. My brother will never let me down.”
Nathaniel wore a thin smile.
“You make a good pair. You deserve to be happy. I shall be delighted to make Mary and Clara permanent residents of the estate.”
“And it gives us a good reason to visit. There are still many more games to be played,” Edmund chortled.
Nathaniel shuddered, but he did see a silver lining in the cloud of Edmund’s company.
“We will be delighted to host you, your grandmother, and your sisters,” Nathaniel said.
Edmund nodded along.
“I’m sure Lydia would love to come. She particularly enjoyed the ride through the countryside. I’m sure she would like to do that more often. As for my other sister, well, she might be busy with other things.”
Nathaniel’s ears pricked up at this.
“Such as Lord Winstanley?” he asked, masking the uncertainty in his voice, although Alfred did shoot him a meaningful look.
Edmund barked a laugh.
“Perhaps, perhaps, although that is a long shot. Still, there’s no harm in trying. If I don’t attempt to marry her off, it’s never going to happen. I’m only trying for her own good, but will she thank me? Not likely,” he grumbled, shaking his head.
