“Lady Johanna from the Blackstone house party?”Though Zachary had not attended the actual party, he’d come out for Nathanial and Kalina’s impromptu wedding and heard all about it.That he recognized Lady Johanna’s name, though he had not met her, was a testament to his good memory.
“Yes.”Matthew grinned.He did enjoy flummoxing his friends.“I picked up the special license this morning.”
He patted the pocket it was in, hearing the faint crinkle of paper.The sound made him smile.Everything had fallen into place rather nicely, and now he could use his news to distract Zachary from his self-imposed misery.It was a good day.
Well, other than the crying at breakfast, but they’d made it through that well enough, and hopefully, once his bride’s family joined them, there would not be a repeat.
“How did this happen?”Zachary was practically sputtering.“When?Why so quickly?”
Matthew did not need to flip his coin to know that discussing the manner in which he’d acquired his bride was not something he should brute about in public.But should he tell Zachary at all?
He flipped the coin.
Used to his ways, Zachary waited, albeit impatiently.He looked much more alert now.
Lifting his head, Matthew grinned.
“Come over, and I will tell you all about it.”He was relieved the coin had gone that way.Keeping such a secret from his friends did not feel right, and Drake and Christian already knew.
“This, I cannot wait to hear,” Zachary muttered as they angled their horses to the path out of the park.
Chances were, it was far too early for Grandmama and Lady Johanna to be back from shopping, but this way he could catch Zachary up… and question him to see if he knew anything about Drake’s secretive activities.
ChapterSix
Johanna
The carriage taking her and Lady Stark to Bruton Street was spacious and well sprung.The seats were soft, well-cushioned, and felt like luxury.It was a duke’s carriage after all, which was why she felt so out of place in it.
I will have to get used to it if I am to be a duchess.
A prospect that sounded quite daunting now that she was actually betrothed.Though she’d attended the Blackstone house party, she had not realized until this moment that she had not had any real hope of a gentleman offering for her.She had never pictured herself as an actual bride to a duke.She’d been desperate and willing, but there had been a part of her that was sure it would be for naught.
Otherwise, she would have been as panicked then as she was now.
Somehow, selling her body for one night seemed an easier act than being a duchess for the rest of her life.Obviously, the latter was better than the former, but… she had no idea how to be a duchess.What if she did something horribly wrong?What if she shamed her new husband after all he had done for her?
Lady Stark did not seem concerned, and that was the only reason Johanna was not in a complete panic.
“I think violet,” Lady Stark said suddenly, as if they had been having a conversation rather than sitting in complete silence.
“Violet?”
“Yes.To match your eyes.”Lady Stark nodded, as if that explained everything.
Johanna could only blink said eyes in response, still uncertain what Lady Stark was speaking of.
Should she ask what would match her eyes?
Or would asking make her appear a ninny?
Was she supposed to understand what Lady Stark was speaking of?
Yet how could she do the right thing when she had no idea what her ladyship meant?
She had to ask.Even if it did make her look like a pinhead.
“What will match my eyes?”She kept her voice soft, low.After all, she did not want to anger her ladyship, who had already been far kinder than many women in her position might have been.Johanna did not want to take such kindness and generosity for granted.
