As Sebastian made the ride to Lambeth Palace, he couldn’t get the picture of Rebecca flush with sleep out of his mind. He could still smell the lavender that clung to her skin and his seat in the saddle grew decidedly uncomfortable. His ten-minute ride slowed as he reached the palace grounds, intuition hitting him solidly in the chest. Lady Rebecca was fiercely independent. For whatever reason, she did not want this wedding. It was not only honor forcing Sebastian’s hand.
What if…
What if, indeed! The stench of the river effectively knocked the lavender and her heated skin from his mind. His mission did not change. He was to secure a special license, marry Rebecca as quickly and as quietly as possible, then get Gabriella settled. Not necessarily in that order. Without his sister taken care of, he was fairly certain Rebecca wouldn’t otherwise leave her side.
Thus was the Amazonian way.
And… for the moment, bought him time.
Twenty-Two
Finch Cromwell shivered in the early morning dew, waking to the sound of a horse’s clipped hooves on the stone street. He cut his gaze to number 15 Berkley Square. His eyes burned from lack of sleep. Eight days he’d been watching. Waiting. Since the day he’d been stymied by the jade who’d innerfeered in his business. The one who’d claimed that street urchin as her own. He’d had plans for that one. The loss had cost him. His luck looked to finally be turnin’. She’d arrived late the night before. But the nob with ’er, hadn’t seen fit to leave.
He paced the length of the iron fence, stepping behind a tree long enough to keep the gentleman on ’orseback from seein’ ’im. He needed a stratagem to draw ’er out.
He took up his vigil, settlin’ back down under a tree, yankin’ ’is ’at ov’r ’is eyes, and waited.
Twenty-Three
Unsurprisingly, Rebecca had not fallen back asleep once Sebastian had vacated her chamber that morning. But she felt much less tense. She put it down to being relieved of his disturbing presence. Since the moment her carriage had broken down less than a week ago, she hadn’t had a moment to relax her guard. The man was too potent, too observant, and too dictatorial. Once the latch on the door clicked, she found she could breathe for the first time in days. She’d closed her eyes, but sleep alluded her and she sent for Serena.
A scented bath did wonders for her humor. Within an hour she was strolling up the portico to the Huntley mansion.
Gabriella took one look at her, screamed, came running into the foyer, and threw her arms around Rebecca. “I can’t believe it! You and Sebastian. Married.”
Rebecca, cognizant of the butler, hugged her friend. “Coffee would be excellent. Breakfast even better,” she said pointedly.
Gabby’s eyes followed Rebecca’s, reading the situation immediately. “Of course.The morning room,” shetold the butler. “Bring me yesterday’sTimes,” she snapped at the footman. “Today’s too,” she added.
“What the devil has gotten into you?” Rebecca said softly. “Behaving waspishly to the servants isn’t like you at all.”
“I don’t trust them. It’s as if they memorize my every word and move.”
Rebecca stopped and took her friend’s arm, turned her about, forcing her to look at Rebecca. “Gabby, we don’t know what is going on with Huntley. You don’t wish to burn your bridges, do you?”
She folded in on herself and her eyes filled with tears. “No, of course not.” She brought her hands up and covered her eyes. “Oh, Rebecca, I’m so frightened.”
Instantly, Rebecca enfolded her in a tight embrace. “We’ll get through this, darling. You’ll get through this.”
Gabby nodded against her shoulder. “As always you’re right. Come along. I’m suddenly famished.” She led Rebecca down the hall to a morning room that was more reminiscent of twilight than of sunrise. There was a sideboard with two silver pots. “There is coffee and tea already prepared,” she said. “I want to know everything. You and Sebastian together has been my fondest wish. Almost since you and I met at Miss Greensley’s.”
“Heavens, Gabs. I was a child,” she said on an exasperated breath.
In true Gabby fashion, she ignored Rebecca. “When I left Ryleigh Hall, my brother was spouting curses on your timely exits.” Gabby passed her a cup, grinning. “Not that your exits aren’t pretty spectacular.”
Rebecca glanced at the door, then seeing no one lurked, she leaned in. “If you must know, we’re not exactly married,” she whispered.
Rarely had Rebecca ever said anything that left Gabriella speechless, yet there her friend sat with her mouth agape. “What?”
The butler tapped and entered with the periodicals and presented them to Gabby on a silver tray as he would an invitation to the ball of the season. She snatched them off the tray and waved him away. “Leave us.” She started to hand one to Rebecca but stopped. “Diggs, wait.”
“Yes, madam?”
“Please accept my apologies for how I’ve been behaving. I-I haven’t been myself lately.”
Rebecca spotted the pink infusing her friend’s face, but the real surprise was the deep red in the butler’s face.
“Not at all, my lady.” He bowed himself out of the room.
