“No plans to marry?What a shame,” Rowan said in his obnoxious flirtatious tone.
Jewel’s teeth ground together.She wanted to wipe the smile off his face.
Looking between her mother’s crestfallen face and Rowan’s genial one, something came over her.Something rather mad—or perhaps mulled.“I was only jesting,” she found herself saying.“Iwasmeant to get this ring.The Viscount Copthorne has asked me to marry him, and I’ve decided to accept.”
Excited gasps filled the air.
“He proposed before asking your father?”Mama burst out.But in opposition to her mood a moment ago, she looked thrilled.
“Well, he didn’t propose, exactly.He asked if I would object to him asking Papa.”Feeling lighter than she had in days, Jewel looked to her father.“Please don’t tell him I told you that.Allow him to ask you properly, I beg you.”
“There’s no need to beg, poppet.I’m happy to keep your secret.My little girl is to be wed!”
And with that, both of her parents jumped up and rounded the table to embrace her, and a hubbub of chatter and congratulations broke out once more.
A baby and a betrothal—what a momentous night this was turning out to be!
“Henry Breckenridge?”
One voice stood out among the commotion.Rowan’s.Jewel disentangled herself from her parents to find him staring at her.
Far from looking flirtatious, he crossed his arms.“You’re marryingHenry Breckenridge?”
The chamber went silent.
“Aren’t the two of you friends?”Baffled, Jewel blinked.“Didn’t you attend Oxford together?I’m nearly certain he told me that.”
“Yes, Oxford.And Eton.Yes, we are friends.Good friends.”
She shot a puzzled glance to her parents before looking back to him.“Why shouldn’t I marry Henry?What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing.He’s just…not right for you.”
“How would you know what’s right for me, Rowan?I’m not the same girl I was at age ten.”
And Rowan sure wasn’t the same boy.
“I don’t know how I would know,” he mumbled, strikingly out of character with the smooth Rowan she’d seen earlier.“I just think…he’s just…” He cleared his throat.“He’s Catholic.”
“He comes from a Catholic family, yes.”She looked again to her parents and felt relieved when they both nodded, indicating they didn’t find that a concern.“But he’s willing to wed in the Church of England.”
Rowan glanced around, as though he were searching the walls for another objection.“The Breckenridges don’t support William and Mary taking the throne.”
“Unfortunately for them, King James isn’t fighting to keep it.”Pleased to see how off-balanced she’d made him, she smiled and cocked her head.“Anything else?”
“Yes.No.I mean, never mind.”He shifted uncomfortably.“Marry whomever you want.”
Jewel couldn’t help rolling her eyes.“I wasn’t aware I needed your permission.”
“Now thatthat’ssettled,” Aunty Violet put in quickly, “and the last token has been found, shall we all fetch our gifts?”
“And that’s my cue to leave,” Rowan told her, rising from the table.
She turned to him, looking perplexed.“Why on earth would you leave?”
“I don’t have gifts for everyone.And I suspect I’m not wanted here,” he added, his gaze darting to Jewel and back.
She felt a flash of triumph.It wasn’t complete revenge—he wasn’t in love with her, after all, so she couldn’t very well hurt him as badly as he’d hurt her.
