Silence fell upon the room, followed by a collective, “What?” from Lady Oakland and her daughters.
Richard cleared his throat. “Three weeks seems like an eternity, Mama, so I have taken it upon myself to request a special license. We plan to marry as soon as it arrives, which will likely be long before any gown you plan on ordering for Mary could be ready.”
“But...” Lady Oakland looked from Richard to Mary and then back again.
Eventually Fiona made her opinion on the matter known by saying, “First Chloe and now you, Richard. How utterly disappointing.”
“I apologize,” he said, “but one day you will understand.”
“And when exactlywereyou planning on sharing this decision with us?” Emily inquired, crossing her arms in protest.
“As soon as the special license was in hand,” Richard said, glancing at Mary with some disapproval.
She responded with a shrug.
“Well,” Rachel said, speaking up for the first time, “One cannot fault you for your efficiency.”
Biting their lips, Laura, Chloe and Emily dropped their gazes to the floor. If Mary wasn’t mistaken, the sisters were doing their best to refrain from laughing. Lady Oakland, however, looked quite appalled, but rather than comment on Rachel’s indelicate remark, she asked Mary, “Is your aunt aware of this decision of yours?”
“Not yet,” Mary admitted, “but I do believe that her eagerness to see me settled will offset any misgivings that she may have about a hasty marriage.”
“I see,” Lady Oakland said. She studied Mary and Richard for a long, almost awkward moment, before finally slumping back against her seat with a sigh. “Well, I suppose it is your decision.” She punctuated her statement with an elaborate wave of her hand. “Shall we ring for some more tea?”
Mary blinked. This conversation had certainly gone a lot better than she had expected and with far less resistance.
“I think I would prefer a glass of brandy,” Richard said. Rising, he went to ring for a maid before making his way over to the sideboard. The order for a fresh pot of tea was placed moments later, arriving shortly after that.
“You ought to be relieved, Mama,” Richard’s sister, the Duchess of Stonegate, said as she reached for a sweetmeat. “To arrange one wedding is a task, but to arrange three? If you ask me, you are fortunate to have a daughter and a son who are willing to forego such planning not to mention the expense.”
Lady Oakland barely had time to respond to that remark before a knock sounded at the door. The Thorncliff butler, Mr.Caine, entered the room. “Please excuse the intrusion,” he said, “but a gentleman has just arrived.” He looked toward Mary. “He claims to be your brother, Lady Mary. Shall I show him in?”
“Oh, by all means, please do,” she said with unhindered excitement. As foolish as Andrew could be, he was still her brother after all. They had grown up together and she loved him with all her heart—even if it was clear that he had taken advantage of her kindness over the years. But all of that would change now the moment she got married. Richard would help Andrew become a better man and all would be well.
She reached for Richard’s hand as she rose to her feet. He got up as well, standing solidly by her side as the door opened again and Andrew entered the room.
The moment he saw Mary, a broad smile lit up his face, his eyes sparkling with mischief just as she remembered. Releasing Richard’s hand, she hurried over to her brother. “I cannot tell you how happy I am that you have come.”
Taking her hands in his, he bowed his head to kiss her knuckles. “How can I stay away when you intend to wed? I cannot possibly allow you to do such a thing without making the acquaintance of the lucky man who has won your heart.”
Stepping back from Andrew, Mary turned to face the Heartlys, their expressions warm and welcoming—all except for Richard’s. His features were set in rigid lines, his mouth drawn tight and his eyes like two angry storm clouds bearing down on Andrew. “You,” was all he said.
Looking toward Richard, Andrew dropped Mary’s hands, his face as pale as new fallen snow. He shook his head. “No,” he said, his eyes going wide. “You cannot be here. It is not possible.”
“And why is that?” Richard asked, moving toward him like a panther out on the prowl. “Because I am supposed to be dead?”
Andrew shook his head, his mouth opening as if he meant to say something, but not a single word escaped him.
Halting his progress, Richard glared at him. “Because, if I am alive, then you can no longer claim to have acted as heroically as you allegedly did?” With cold detachment, he slowly asked, “Because I know the truth about you, Lord Carthright?”
An icy shiver trickled down Mary’s spine. “What are you talking about?” It wasn’t a question she wished to know the answer to, but one that had to be asked.
Richard’s jaw clenched, tightening the rippling skin that marred the left side of his face. Sharply, he turned his head in her direction, the warmth with which he’d looked at her a short while earlier completely gone. Instead, incomprehension and deep anguish filled his eyes. “I would never have considered a friendship with you, let alone something more than that, if I had known that you were related tohim.” The words cut deep, as they were no doubt meant to do.
Lady Oakland took a step forward. “Heartly—”
“How could I not have discovered this?” He shook his head. “I do not understand. You do not have the same surname!”
Swallowing the painful knot in her throat, Mary said, “My brother and I do not share the same father.”
