by Abigail Agar
Percy looked at Frederick. “No, do you think it will be a problem?”
Frederick gave a short laugh. “Actually, I don’t. She could divert herself, and her mother for that matter, with wedding mish-mosh and you can get what you need done and sidestep the mish-mosh to boot. Brilliant.”
Percy leaned back in his chair. “May I ask her today?”
Frederick looked back at him. “Did you come prepared?”
Percy pulled out an emerald ring with a diamond on each side. He knew Frederick would approve of it. It was large, and it was beautiful. Percy took time and care choosing it, and he was pleased with it.
Hobart strained his neck, “Let me see that?” He held it up to the light and turned it around in his hand.
“It will do.”
Percy plucked it out of Hobart’s hand and handed it to Frederick. Frederick nodded.
“It will do.”
Hobart turned to Frederick. “Now that our happy talk is over, we have real things to discuss.
“Harold. You remember the one who wanted Percy on a ship to America. Harold Newton is marrying Inez Rayburn, most likely within the fortnight.
“That leaves Barton with no marriage prospect, once again. Percy and I both think it’s time to eliminate the problem that is Barton St John.
“You once mentioned going to see old man Tattersall and exposing Victor and Barton. Are you still interested in having a conversation with him?”
Frederick nodded. “Yes, I’ll do it as soon as I can arrange the meeting. I would like the man to have alternatives so he doesn’t have to shut the place down.”
“We do too. I’m going to visit Donny. You remember him?”
Frederick said, “I do. I liked Donny.”
Hobart smiled. “Me too. I’m going to visit him to see if he’s interested or if he knows anyone else interested in running Tattersall’s. I’m not sure Donny has auction experience, but he could figure out the details later.
“So, Victor would be gone; Barton would be barred from the property, and Donny would run the place. I’d say that would be a big improvement.”
“I agree. I’ll send him a missive today. Percy, by the time you return from Gordon, the season will be over?”
Percy grinned. “Yes. Isn’t it wonderful?”
Frederick laughed. “It is. Amelia won’t be completely healed before the season is over. What a shame. We will be unable to attend another ton event.”
“Ah, but you forget, Frederick. She may want a lavish wedding, and she may invite every member of the ton.”
“That’s different. She can have anything she wants.”
Percy tilted his head again. “May I say that I will miss the wedding preparation discussions during my time in Gordon? Gentlemen at the club have told me it is a painful part of the experience. Apparently, brides think there is no detail too small to share with their betrothed.”
Hobart turned to Percy. “I’ll come over and listen. She’ll be excited. She should be able to bore us all. It’s her right as a bride.”
“Thank you, Hobart. I think I’ll see if Louisa can see me. Do you want to chaperone, Frederick? Hobart?”
“No, Percy. You’re on your own. Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mess up.”
Percy shook his head, “I’ll try not to, Hobart.”
Chapter 31
Louisa looked much better when she appeared in the parlour. She looked around. “Am I to find a maid?”
Percy moved toward her and took both of her hands in his. “No, your father knows I am here with you alone, and he has no objection.”
“Really? Why not?”
Percy got on one knee and fished out the ring he had spent so much time designing.
“Louisa, I love you, and I want us to spend every day together for the rest of our lives. Please, please make me the luckiest man on earth and say you will marry me.”
Louisa tugged on his hands so he would stand. He held out the ring to her, an expectant look in his eyes.
Her eyes filled with tears. Percy’s smile faltered. He thought for sure she would say yes this time. Bloody hell.
“Yes, Percy. I love you.” Louisa threw her arms around Percy’s neck. He hugged her to him and closed his eyes. She felt so good, so perfect in his arms.
Louisa backed up. “I’m ready,” she beamed.
“Ready?” Percy asked.
“For the ring.” She put out her left hand, palm down, so he could slip on the ring.
The ring wasn’t in Percy’s hand. “I must have dropped it in the excitement.
“Sit down, I’ll find it.”
Louisa giggled while Percy searched on all fours for the ring. Did the carpet have to be a green oriental? He would never find it by eyesight; he had to run his hands over the rug until he felt it.
“Louisa, look in the seat cushions, would you?”
Louisa stood up and began to take the settee apart, throwing every cushion on the floor.
“I didn’t imagine it, Percy. There was a ring.”
“Yes, and it isn’t so tiny that we wouldn’t find it.”
“Look in your pockets again. You sometimes put things away without even knowing you did it.”
Percy groaned and sat down on his heels, ring in his palm.
“This is the beginning of you being right every day for the rest of my life. Here, put it on. We will go to the jewellers tomorrow if it needs to be sized.”
Louisa put the ring on and looked down at it on her finger. She looked up at Percy with a heart-stopping smile.
“Thank you,” she whispered, and then she pulled him up by the hands and placed him on the settee with no pillows, and hugged him. She kissed his lips gently.
“I wanted to do that since I was fifteen years old.”
Louisa grinned. “Do you want to do it again?”
She leaned over and kissed him again.
She was so beautiful. He could tell she was still tired from being ill, and she still looked pale, but even so, Louisa was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Her smile made him happy. He could tell it was genuine, and it told of the love she had in her heart for him.
“Shall we celebrate with champagne?” She nodded. He rose and called for Mendon.
“Could you arrange for champagne for us?”
He bowed, “Your Grace,” then turned.
“Don’t you want to ask me why we want champagne?”
Mendon looked at Percy then at Louisa and smiled. He cleared his throat.
“Your private affairs should not be my concern.”
“That’s right, Mendon. Never mind.”
Louisa beckoned Percy over. She whispered, “I saw him smile while he left the room.”
Percy put the pillows back and sat next to Louisa. “How are you feeling?”
She smiled up at him. “Better now.”
“It is very important you don’t have a relapse. Can we go over a plan? I have other obligations, so I want your thoughts on the plan.”
Mendon came back with the champagne and hummed while he opened the bottle and poured some in each glass.
“May I get you anything else?”
Percy smiled. “No, thank you, Mendon. Louisa has yet to tell her mother of her great news, so we’ll want to keep our celebration to ourselves for now.”
Mendon bowed, “Yes, Your Grace. Of course.”
Percy and Louisa clinked classes and took a long sip.
“Is it me, or does this champagne taste extra delicious?”
“It tastes extra delicious. Let me taste you again. You tasted extra delicious when we first kissed.”
Louisa laughed. Percy could not ever remember being happier in his life. Sitting on the settee in Louisa’s parlour, drinking champagne, watching Louisa’s ring catch the light of the candles.
“We have to talk about wedding plans. Let me tell you a few things before you jump in. I want to hear every idea you have on h
ow you want to get married, but I need to explain a few things first.”
Louisa liked the plan Percy had developed. She didn’t like that he would be gone so long and that they could only communicate by letter, but it was otherwise a good plan. Louisa was sure her mother would be fully recovered in two months.
She couldn’t believe her good luck. She had total say over the wedding. Percy wanted to keep informed, and if he really hated something, he wanted her to consider his opinion, but Louisa knew Percy wouldn’t. She knew where he had strong opinions, and none of them had anything to do with wedding ideas.
Louisa knew her father would pay for anything she wanted. She only cared that she married Percy and that she and her mother looked beautiful. The rest was window dressing to her.
“We should probably agree on a wedding date before you leave,” Louisa said, practicality kicking in out of nowhere.
Percy thought. “Shall we get out a calendar with Frederick and Amelia? Count out around two months and choose a day?”
“Yes,” she said to him readily. Louisa couldn’t believe herself. She had known this man longer and more deeply than any other. Yet she still couldn’t breathe regularly.
Percy called for Mendon.
“Could you please find out if Amelia is awake?”
He came back a short time later. “She is, and if you would like, she can see you for a short time.”
Louisa sprang from the couch and started for the door before she forgot to wait for Percy. They climbed the stairs together and softly entered her sick room.
Percy was surprised to see how ordinary the room looked. If it weren’t for Amelia on her back, face pale, Percy wouldn’t know anything was amiss.
There were no medicines lying around; no extra blankets piled high on the bed, no drawn window shades keeping out the sun and fresh air.
Louisa walked toward the bed, beckoning Percy behind her.
“Good evening, Percy; it’s so nice to see you.”
He bowed. “Duchess. I hope you are feeling better.”
“Thank you, dear. What have you said to my daughter? She looks radiant.”
Percy started to speak, but Louisa thrust her engagement ring under Amelia’s eyes before he could.
“Oh, how beautiful. You are engaged?”
“Yes, Duchess. I hope you approve?”
Amelia smiled. “Of course I do. Do you know when you will marry?”
“In two months. Percy wants you and me to pick the date and just let him know. Actually, he wants you and me to do everything and just let him know.”
Percy jumped in, “Of course, Amelia; I don’t want you to overtax yourself. If it’s too much, we’ll find another way to make it work.”
Amelia coughed but recovered. “Percy, you still don’t know much about women. When it comes to planning a wedding, it’s impossible to get overtaxed. I’ll be just fine, won’t I, Louisa?”
Louisa looked up at Percy, “She will. She’ll be fine.”
“I’ll rely on you, Louisa, to make certain,” Percy said.
“I will. I promise.”
“All right, I’m going to leave you two, and I will be back tomorrow. Do we need to go to the jeweller’s tomorrow?”
Louisa looked sheepish. “Yes.”
“Good. We’ll go for a nice carriage ride. Tomorrow,” Percy said and bowed to both Louisa and Amelia.
“Good day, Percy,” Amelia said.
Louisa whispered, “Mother, I’ll be right back.”
Louisa followed Percy to the hall. He turned to her and shook his head. “She looks tired, Louisa.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t overdo it.” Louisa walked up to Percy and put her arm around his neck. She whispered in his ear, “Thank you, Percy. You’ve made me so happy. And I’m going to make you happy. I promise you that.”
Percy bent down and kissed her once more on the lips. “I have no doubt of that,” he said then left her standing in the hall with an enchanting smile on her face.
“There were times when I didn’t think I’d ever be able to say it Frederick, but your daughter is engaged.”
Hobart yelled, “I don’t believe it,” while Frederick stood and put his hand out to Percy.
Frederick asked, “What did she say about your timetable, about Gordon.”
Percy shrugged. “She was fine. Honestly? I don’t think she heard anything after ‘and plan the whole thing.’
“We told Amelia. She was excited. I think planning a wedding is going to be too much for her.”
Frederick nodded. “I understand. I’ll sit them both down and go through some ground rules. Those two could easily get carried away without noticing it.”
Hobart turned to Percy. “Which one is it going to be? The Hare and the Hound, the Steeplechase on Foot or The Paper Chase?”
“I told you, Hobart. I’m not running any of those races.”
Hobart looked into his eyes, “And I told you it would make your family proud. Now you have a family. Pick a race.”
“I’m not going to race.” He shook his head while he spoke.
“None of these men run as many miles a week as you do. You would beat them all.”
Percy looked at Frederick. “Your brother belongs in Bedlam. I told Louisa to get out a calendar and count out two months then pick a date. She will include you and Amelia in coming up with a date.”
Chapter 32
Percy prepared to leave for Gordon Castle and only waited for correspondence from Winters, his steward, on supplies he must order from London.
He picked up Louisa and asked Frederick for permission to take her to the jeweller’s unchaperoned. Frederick looked at Louisa who eyed him expectantly. He said yes.
They climbed into Percy’s carriage and headed out. “Percy, have you a date when you will leave for Gordon? Harold and Inez are to be married Friday, and we have been asked to attend.
“It would be a small gathering, twenty guests I should think. Cecil and Emma will be there, as well as Kent and Gertie.”
“You want me to go to Harold’s wedding?” he asked.
“No. But I want you to go to Inez’s wedding.”
“I see. I have no objection about going. If my steward sends me notice of what he needs, I was hoping to leave on Friday. The sooner I go, the sooner I return.” Percy sighed. “But I will go to the wedding. It will be more enjoyable for me with Cecil and Kent in attendance.”
Louisa smiled that beaming smile she had shown him so many times since becoming engaged. “Thank you. It will be fun.”
“I don’t know about that. You remember Harold wanted me to get on the next ship to America?”
“I know. That’s all behind us, and it’s important to Inez that I attend.
“I’m having Emma, Gertie, and Inez over for tea tomorrow to spread our good news. I’ll tell her then. She’ll be pleased.
“Speaking of telling Emma and Gertie our good news, will you be telling Cecil and Kent tonight over dinner?”
Percy grinned. “Yes, I’m afraid I will steal your thunder.”
Louisa sighed. “Well, there’s nothing to be done for it. Tea will be fun anyway.”
The jeweller needed to keep the ring for a day to size it to Louisa’s finger. She was disappointed, but he promised her it would be ready the next day before tea.
Percy surprised her with a matching emerald bracelet. She tried to refuse the extravagant gift, but Percy would hear nothing of it. The bracelet had to be sized as well. “I never knew you had such scrawny wrists, Louisa. I never would have proposed to you if I knew it ahead of time. I don’t suppose I can cry off?”
Louisa laughed. “No. Too late.”
Percy sighed dramatically. He made plans with the jeweller to pick up the piece the next day, and then Percy and Louisa went back to the carriage.
“Would you mind if we visited the bookstore? I’m going to be lonely at night without you and Cecil and Kent.
Louisa smiled. “Not at all.”
; “I plan to purchase a book on the continent. You are planning the wedding, but I am planning the honeymoon. You will have to tell your modiste that you will be visiting warm climes.”
