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He caught her around the waist and pulled her to him. “I believe you can do better than that, Lady Pip. You slew a dragon, after all.”

Her breath caught, and she stared at him.

Was he making a mistake? Would she push him away?

He held her for a moment, giving her a chance to flee, but to his relief, she closed the distance and placed her lips on his.

Heat shot through his body, and he pulled her tighter to him. Her lips were softer than he’d imagined. Indeed, all of her was. She molded to him as if she’d been sculpted just for him.

“That’s more like it,” he heard Lady Dalmeer croon.

Pippy must have heard it too, because she pulled away, her cheeks stained a dark pink. She held her fingertips to her lips.

Had he hurt her?

She dropped her hand and curtsied. “Congratulations on your win, Galahad.” Then she dashed out into the field.

Freddie could only assume she was collecting his winning cheese, but the cheese could wait, could it not?

“You’ve obviously adapted to married life well, Fred.”

“You think?” Freddie looked over at Fin standing beside him.

“Indeed. That kiss almost looked as if you love each other.”

Freddie chuckled. “An exaggeration, to be sure.” He sighed. “I can’t vouch for Lady Weymouth, but I find marriage is not as objectionable as I thought it to be.”

“Then it is objectionable. Just not as objectionable?” There was doubt in Fin’s voice.

Freddie shook his head, his gaze still on Pippy as she bent to pick up her cheese. “No. It’s not objectionable in the least. Most times, I find I even enjoy it.” He turned to look at his friend. “Perhaps you should give it a chance.”

A shadow of a smile passed over Fin’s face. “Ah, but no. I believe you were lucky in your choice of wife. And that kind of luck is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

Hadn’t Freddie thought that of Miles? “But surely everyone has such a chance?” he asked. He did not mean to refute Fin’s assertions. Freddie knew his marriage could have been a disastrous mistake. The fates must have been smiling on him for once.

Fin shook his head. “I must disagree with you there, my friend.” He patted Freddie on the shoulder. “Make sure you don’t make a muddle of things…as you are wont to do.” He turned and walked toward a group of people standing at the booth selling mince pies.

“Was Lord Finsbury offering his congratulations on your win?” Pippy asked as she handed him the cheese wheel.

He nodded thoughtfully. Did their kiss look like that of a couple in love? Surely not. It’s not as if Fin had any experience in such things. “Yes, it was something akin to that.”

Fifteen

Freddie carried the kite as they walked out to the grassy park in front of the house. A stiff wind blew, and Pippy wondered if it might be too strong for the kites. But after Ari’s disappointments with the ring toss the day before, she was determined to try her hand at it.

Pippy had fond memories of flying kites as a child. What could it hurt to try it again?

“Hold on to your kite, Arabella, else the wind will carry it away before you have a chance to fly it.” Lord Kentwood walked on Freddie’s other side while the girls walked in front of them. He shook his head. “That girl needs to learn patience.”

Freddie chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re only realizing that now, Father.”

“No. She’s been headstrong since the day she was born.” Lord Kentwood shook his head, but the look he gave Ari was adoring.

Pippy’s brow creased.

“I’d hoped she’d grow out of it. But I see that might have been in vain.” Lord Kentwood turn back to them.

“Most girls her age are impatient,” Pippy said before she thought better of it. “And there’s still time for her to grow out of it, I suspect.”