Page 46 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

“Wait until you hear it, Val.”

“It is a perfectly viable plan, Lord Westbury,” Jamie’s aunt bit out as she turned her head toward her nephew. Even blind, he knew the woman’s glare had to be daunting because his friend lifted his hands in surrender. But Valeran knew from the shake of Jamie’s head the other man was highly skeptical as to his aunt’s scheme.

“And precisely what strategy do you and your sisters intend to execute?”

“We are telling everyone it is a love match.”

“A—”

With a shout of genuine amusement, Valeran threw back his head and laughed without restraint. A second later, Jamie sniggered with laughter, before a loud snort echoed out of him, followed by another. His friend’s snorts of laughter made Valeran laugh even harder. Unable to stop, he pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead as the construct of the plot hit him full on. If the scheme had been designed around one of Amalie’s cousins, then it might have held merit.

But this was Amalie they were talking about, a woman who was as stubborn as a mule. There wasn’t a chance in hell his countess-to-be would fall in line with such a plan. His side beginning to hurt from the strength of his laughter, Valeran waved a hand in Lady Patience’s direction.

“Forgive…forgive me, Lady Patience,” he gasped out between snorts of laughter. “I’m certain…I’m certain you think this plan is feasible—”

“It is perfectly feasible,” his future mother-in-law snapped.

Valeran fought to control his laughter. He didn’t mean to insult the woman, but the plan was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. With a shake of his head, he pressed his hand to his heart in a gesture of apology and offered the woman a slight bow from his chair.

“I am sincere in my apology, Lady Patience. If it were another woman, it might actually work. But we’re not talking about any other woman. This is Amalie we’re discussing.”

Jamie snorted with laughter again, which set off another wave of mirth rolling out of Valeran. A moment later, a loud crack split the air. Startled, Valeran jumped at the sound, his laughter silenced, and while his best friend choked back another laugh, Jamie grew quiet as well.

It was rare for a sound to make him jump, but Valeran had failed to see Lady Patience pick up the only book he could read then slam it down on the table to capture their attention. The book was special to him, and he frowned darkly at the woman.

“I apologize, Val,” Lady Patience’s voice softened as she appeared to study the book still in her hand. “This apparently has a special meaning for you.”

“It does, Miss Helen Keller sent it to me. It’s the one book I can read without anyone’s help.” It was difficult not to sound harsh, when the woman had used it simply to snap him and Jamie into a somber state.

“Then I am deeply sorry for its misuse,” Lady Patience said with soft regret. “However, my daughter’s reputation is important to me, and that anyone, especially the two of you, finds it amusing is unacceptable.”

“Apology accepted, and I offer mine as well, my lady,” Valeran nodded, all laughter gone from his voice. “I meant no disrespect. But your plan is doomed to fail. Amalie will never agree to it.”

“My daughter has agreed. She’s agreed to comply with everything the family has arranged,” the Mistress of Crianlarich said firmly.

“She what?” Jamie exclaimed in amazement, while Valeran was left speechless at the woman’s statement.

“It has been made clear to Amalie that as a Rockwood, she will play the role of a young woman whose engagement and wedding were precipitated sooner than planned for propriety’s sake. We have been explaining to others for more than a week that a missing puppy and mistaking your room as the one belonging to her cousins is the reason for what happened.”

Lady Patience’s crisp voice once again reflected the Rockwood family’s steely backbone. He wasn’t sure what he found the most surprising, the credible story Amalie’s mother and aunts had fabricated, or that Amalie had actually agreed to the plan. Stunned, he struggled to absorb Lady Patience’s words. She quickly leaned forward to touch his hand resting on the arm of his chair.

“Surprising as it may be, my daughter is a pragmatist. Amalie knows the gossip will not end when she marries you, Val. All we did was point out to her, and with great emphasis, that her current humiliation will be much shorter lived if everyone thinks the two of you had already planned to announce your plans to be married.”

Stunned, Valeran stared at Lady Patience’s dark shadow seated directly opposite him. That the woman had actually managed to acquire Amalie’s agreement shot a bolt of misgiving through him. Amalie was made of the same Rockwood steel as her mother. God help him, if his future wife ever decided to inflict her will on him.

“And how to you propose to deal with Val’s association with Lady Chattfield?” Jamie asked with a great deal of skepticism.

“Lady Chattfield was merely a means to an end. Amalie and Val had an argument, and he used the woman to make my daughter jealous. But in typical Rockwood fashion, you meddled in their romance and brought the two of them to their senses.”

“Bloody hell, Val. This might actually work to still the gossip, something Amalie abhors.”

His friend’s quiet admiration for the plan the Rockwood women had skillfully crafted earned equal appreciation from Valeran. The thought and consideration the female members of Amalie’s family had used in creating their plan was remarkable. Even more so because they’d secured his bride’s agreement to participate, not a small feat knowing what Amalie thought of him.

“And exactly how do you intend to make this plan fall into place?”

“We have sent out invitations for four small dinner parties where we’ll announce and celebrate your engagement to Amalie. An announcement has already been placed in the Times. The dinners will allow everyone to see the two of you are devoted to one another.”

Valeran choked out a sound of disbelief. While playing the role of a besotted man was well within his ability, Amalie would find it impossible to hide her antipathy where he was concerned.