“Your soon-to-be wife.”Henley accepted the brandy and took a long sip.
Hawthorne couldn’t help the wide grin that bent his lips at the mention of the wordwife.
“Your smile alone is sickening.Was I ever like that?”Henley took a seat, but his expression was amused and relaxed.
“You were worse,” Hawthorne replied, teasing his friend.“And you still are.Don’t think you’re any different, my friend.”
Henley gave a dismissive wave of his hand.“How go the arrangements on your end?”
Hawthorne took a sip of brandy.“Good, nearly finished.I have a few final details to see to, and my solicitor sent this over yesterday.”Hawthorne set his glass down and lifted up a leather binding of papers.“The settlement, if you wish to review it once more.I was intending to show this copy to Lady Peregrine.”
Henley nodded.“I trust all is in order, but it’s a good idea to show Pere.It’s not usually done that way but… she’s not the usual woman.She’ll want to know, if for no other reason than to be assured that Edwin and I did things properly.”He gave a chuckle and raised his glass.“She’s soon to be managing your life, no longer mine.”
Hawthorne raised his glass.“It’s about time.”
“It is indeed.”Henley leaned his head back.“Hawthorne, if I have to hear about one more fitting, dress, or something of that sort, I might lose all reason.I had no idea that picking a wedding dress could be so… impossible.”He sighed.“Anna is just as tenacious regarding the whole situation, and I left for my own safety.But you’ll be pleased to know that she will be radiantly beautiful, as my wife has assured me.Not that I even once thought anything to the contrary.”
Hawthorne listened, and he gave a low laugh at the picture it painted.“At least you have two days of this, not five or six weeks.”
“I’ve never been more thankful for a special license than now,” Henley replied with a grave tone.
“Indeed.And to think I had to convince you—”
“Edwin, not I.I want you married quickly so I don’t have to worry about Pere kidnapping you and taking you both to Gretna Green.It was a contingency plan.Don’t ask.”
Hawthorne couldn’t hinder the wide grin Henley’s words incited.“She was threatening to kidnap me?Tell me, how does one kidnap a willing conspirator?”
“Thank you for making my point.Nether of you can be trusted.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant as a compliment, simply a fact.And you two deserve each other and the mayhem you will create,” Henley joked.
“I will accept all hazards associated with Lady Peregrine.”
“They are many.”Henley chuckled.“But you’ll also have the most fiercely loyal heart ever created.So, respect that, and you’ll live.Trespass on that, and not only will your wife potentially murder you in your sleep, I will be present if she doesn’t finish the job.”Henley eyed Hawthorne.
“I’ll sharpen the knife myself,” Hawthorne answered, his tone ringing with truth.
“Good, now that I’ve properly threatened you, tell me about your sister, the one coming to town.”Henley sat up and drank the final drops of brandy from his glass and set it on Hawthorne’s desk.
Hawthorne took a sip and then stood.“We’ll need more brandy for that conversation.Not because I know so much, but because of all the unknowns, which, I think, are worse,” he answered and then poured two more fingers of brandy into Henley’s cup, and one more finger in his.
“More ambiguity, delightful,” Henley responded.
Hawthorne shrugged.“She’ll arrive next week, or so, and as far as her lodgings, arrangements have been made for her to stay with another cousin, one that she’s acquainted with from where she was raised.It’s a modest place, just outside of Mayfair, but I’m assuming I’ll be prevailed upon for access to the London ton.”
“Why is she coming halfway through the season?It’s rather odd,” Henley remarked.
“It is, but I think that was the timing that worked for all those involved.I assume her intention is that of every other lady during their season, to find a husband, but halfway through the marriage mart could prove a difficult task, given shortened timing.I will introduce her to society as my cousin, since that is where she’s been raised, hopefully alleviating any suspicions that could make life difficult.”
“A wise choice, and any family resemblance will be easily explained.”
“Yes, however, I do not know if Lord Carver is aware that his daughter will be in society, which could be interesting or problematic.”
“Ah, yes, that could prove interesting.”
“Unfortunately, we won’t find out, till we find out.”Hawthorne gave a dry laugh.“Though I’d imagine Lord Carver isn’t exactly wanting society to discover his indiscretion.That is to our benefit.And I believe it will be in my sister’s, and my new family’s, best interest to find her a suitable husband quickly.”
