Epilogue
“Iknew the Prince Regentwould like her,” Jasper said to his new sister-in-law in the Worthington dining room over a dinner for four. “My wife charmed him until he was practically ready to imprison anyone who so much as looked at her crossly. Bow Street will bother her no more.”
Sarah smiled but sent a wary glance toward Lord Denbigh. “I’m both relieved and grateful that awful misunderstanding was sorted out.”
Jasper supposed that was as good a way to put it as any. Regardless, he gave Denbigh a particularly hard stare, as he knew the man had ties to the bloodhounds working for the Bow Street magistrate’s office, as well as to Prinny.
“His Highness wore three rings and had a gold necklace over his cravat, as well as a massive bejeweled cravat pin,” Julia commented while idly stirring her pottage with her spoon and staring into the middle distance.
The rest of them fell absolutely silent until she looked up to find three pairs of eyes staring at her.
“Whatever is the matter?” his minx of a wife asked. “I was merely commenting.”
Jasper thought of the fun he would have searching her later, every inch of her, to make sure she hadn’t snaffled anything belonging to the Prince of Wales.
“And your financial difficulties are all sorted out?” This quip from Denbigh snagged his attention and nearly got his dander up, but he knew it for what it was, a test to determine his sense of humor. Julia had already disclosed the viscount offered to put Jasper’s “gingambobs in a twist” if he ever hurt her.
Absurd!He could certainly beat the man in a fair fight, and barring that, he could probably outwit him in an unfair one.
“The house of Marshfield is as secure and solid as that of the house of Denbigh,” Jasper retorted.
“Touché,” said the viscount.
“I adore the idea of turning this house into a home for waifs,” Lady Worthington said. “I bet the new Lady Marshfield will fill it with posies.” She winked at her sister.
Jasper watched Julia’s eyes light up at the mere mention. He knew she could hardly wait for her sister to get married and move out. They needed only to turn some of the public rooms into extra bedrooms and hire staff.
“It will be perfect,” Julia said.
Jasper wished he could reach his wife to give her a kiss at that moment, or at least to squeeze her hand. To do so, however, he would have to lean through the stewed beef-steaks and the salmon pie, as the serving style wasà la française, with all the courses laid out in the middle of the table.
“Lord Marshfield believes members of thetonwill donate to our cause,” Julia continued.
“Most assuredly, they will,” Jasper promised. “If they don’t do so willingly, we’ll shame them into it by publicly putting out a list of each month’s sponsors. If the gossip rags can wield power, so can we. Why, we’ll have them vying to be listed weekly as the most generous benefactor of the Sudbury Home for the Poor and Indigent.”
“Sudbury Home,” Julia repeated, glancing at her sister. “Isn’t that a lovely name?”
Even Denbigh, soon to be Jasper’s brother-in-law, seemed impressed by their plans.
“I believe Marshfield is correct,” the viscount said. “Nothing gets the upper class moving off their arses like the notion of taking credit or being praised for doing nothing.”
If anyone else had said it but a fellow peer, Jasper might have had to call him out. Instead, they could all chuckle. Denbigh seemed a decent enough fellow, as it turned out.
