by Megan Bryce
Jameson tipped his head at her. “Ouch, my dear. Two blighters with one stone. Well done.”
Robin ignored both of them and continued to talk to his hat. “Mother knows. She thinks very highly of the girl.”
“That’s a relief. She must come from a good family, then. Still, I can not believe you didn’t at least hint...” Recognition dawned in her eyes and her mouth fell open. She stared at her brother.
Jameson looked at his wife’s expression. “I didn’t catch the name. Someone shocking, I suppose?”
Amelia shut her mouth and cleared her throat. “Well, this will be a pretty story. Still, I can not fault the girl, only the timing.”
“Let me in on the joke, will you? The only girl I’d known you’d been spending any time with was Miss Underwood... Never!”
“I swear men should not be in charge of these things.”
“Did she accept, old chap?”
Robin nodded. “We’ll be married as soon as the banns have been read.”
Amelia frowned. “Is that enough time? A normal wedding takes some planning.”
“She didn’t want a long engagement,” he said, studiously avoiding his friend’s eyes.
Amelia had no such qualms. “I wonder why ever not.”
Jameson refused to be baited and toasted his friend. “Congratulations are in order, I believe. Many felicities to the both of you.”
“I wanted to be sure there were no hard feelings.”
“Why should there be? I was the fop who let a nice decent girl get away and married that instead.”
His wife gave him an arch look and said, “It is really too bad that you deserve exactly what you got.”
He looked at her through lidded eyes and gave her a heated smile. “Do I deserve you indeed, my dear? How did I ever get so fortunate.”
Robin cleared his throat, hoping to bring their attention back to himself. After a moment, he quietly left the room, shaking his head. He had never expected to see the sight of his sister flustered and distracted by the smile of any man, let alone one she’d been bossing around since she was six.
He smiled slightly and hoped his friend could continue to keep this one advantage over her. With Amelia, one needed all the help one could get.
Amelia invited her mother, her brother, and Clarice for dinner in celebration. Jameson’s leg kept him at home so events had to be brought to him.
“I appreciate that I will get to dress up, my dear. But did you have to invite her here?”
“Still afraid of her, hmm?”
He looked at her as if she was dim. “Of course I am still afraid of her. If you have any hope of continuing our marital relations in the next week I propose you stand in front to protect me.”
“If you have any hope of continuing our marital relations in the next week, you will make nice with her. We will be family soon and I’d just as well not have a feud.”
“That was a low blow.”
“I’d watch for hers.”
He huffed out a breath and hobbled down the stairs, waving off her help. He gripped his new cane and thought he could probably use it as a sort of shield if worse came to worst. He caressed it lovingly, pricking his finger lightly on the sharp teeth just to remind himself that though Miss Underwood might be the more imminent danger, the woman walking beside him would always be the more dangerous of the two. One had to keep her happy, no matter what the physical price might be.
They greeted their guests warmly and Jameson approached Miss Underwood when Amelia led Robin away.
“Miss Underwood.”
Crow was not a dish Jameson was familiar with, but he saw it in her eyes. He sighed.
“I hope that you truly care for Robin. He is a better man than I and does not deserve a punishment meant for me.”
“Is that what you believe, Lord Nighting? That I’d marry him to get even with you? Lady Amelia was right. A large head, an even larger ego. I can only assume that you somehow tricked her into marrying you, since she seems to be so brilliant.
“But let me put your mind at ease. I am not marrying Robin because of you. I am marrying him because he is the kindest, most gracious, and most sincere gentleman I’ve ever met. My only regret is that I will now be related to his opposite in every way.”
“I am glad that his relations have not hindered such an harmonious match. My felicitations, Miss Underwood. Lord Beckham is one of the best men I know. Excuse me.”
He headed back toward Amelia, hurt and knowing he deserved it. He only hoped Miss Underwood was truthful with herself. Robin was the best friend a man could have and Jameson hoped they would be happy. He would perhaps warn Robin to watch for her right knee if they ever argued.
“Family dinners will be rousing. Are you happy now that I’ve been insulted, Amelia?”
She slid her hand around his arm and hugged him to her side. She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Yes. Yes, I’m very happy. I hope they will be, too. I think they just might be.” Amelia watched as Robin approached Clarice and she turned to him, completely dismissing Jameson and Amelia. “She did all that with a smile on her face, too. Just think what an excellent countess she will make.”
“Oh, yes. There are not enough countesses in the world who can give a man a good set-down.”
A laugh escaped her. “Not with a smile.”
Amelia waited with her mother as the carriage was brought around. Clarice stood close to Robin a little ways off and they talked quietly as newly-engaged people did.
“Well, I for one am glad that is over.”
Lady Beckham nodded, watching the couple with a small smile. “I would not trouble yourself too much over Clarice and Jameson. A year from now none will remember they were engaged.”
“One can only hope. But will they remember? I like Clarice. I couldn’t hope for a better sister, it’s just she’s not quite forgiven us yet, has she?”
“Of course she hasn’t. She sees you and Jameson happy together and only knows that it was at her expense. She’ll realize one day that her happiness is better than your misery.”
“Do you think she’s marrying Robin to get even with us? I wouldn’t want him hurt.”
“A woman marries for many reasons, as you well know. Whether she truly loves him yet doesn’t matter. She will in time. Robin is very hard not to love.”
Robin helped Clarice and then his mother into the carriage and they departed. Amelia found her husband in bed already, his leg bothering him from so much movement. He held a drink in his hand and shook off her offer of laudanum.
“A fine port will do me for tonight. Come and snuggle with me.”
She laughed and joined him on the bed. “It did not go so horribly, did it?”
“I am as alive and whole as I started the evening. I consider that a success.”
“Me, too.”
He kissed her. “Do I get my reward now?”
“Perhaps tomorrow. I can tell your leg is hurting you.”
“You are too observant by half.”
She yawned. “It is a curse you must bear.”
“Only one of many.”
She snuggled down next to him, smiling. “Indeed.”
The wedding of Clarice Underwood to Robin Delaney, Earl of Beckham was the event of the season, trumping even Lord Nighting’s rather rushed ceremony. It had been timed to occur after most had departed London to minimize the scandal, but nearly everyone had stayed to watch and whisper. Even the highest ranking members of the ton were turned away at the door and forced to wait outside.
Clarice’s brothers kept rushing in announcing yet another name that had been rejected at the door, giddy with delight.
“Lord and Lady Montague!”
“Never!”
“I would have sold my sister for one of their invites!”
“And here we are rejecting them!”
And then they would giggle.
Clarice herself felt ill. She sat in a little room with her parents beaming and her brothers gigglin
g and thought she just might faint. Today was her wedding day. To a man who was brother to the woman who had saved Clarice’s reputation yet stolen her original fiancé who was best friend of the man she was marrying. It gave her a headache thinking of it.
Amelia had planned the wedding—neither Clarice nor Robin had been able to stop her—and she sat front row. With him.
Whether Clarice’s nervous stomach came from all the people attending her wedding, or from one person in particular, she couldn’t quite decide.
And now she would be related to him!
The rector appeared flushed and agitated at so many people come to see a wedding, of all things.
Clarice took a deep breath, following her brothers to the front of the church. Robin stood at her arrival and Clarice’s nervous stomach calmed. He smiled at her and she smiled back.
Not once did she even think to look at the couple sitting in the pews behind her.
After the ceremony Amelia kissed her on the cheek and Jameson bowed to her, then quickly kissed her cheek before stepping back out of kicking distance.
Clarice looked between Lord Nighting and her husband. She smiled at the man who had very nearly ruined her life and reputation, then turned to cling to her new husband’s arm.
Her grandmother had been right. Sometimes things do happen for the best.
Epilogue
“Lady Beckham, your granddaughter is the splitting image of Amelia, isn’t she?”
Lady Beckham turned to take in the sight of Charlotte carrying a large bucket, one could only hope it contained water, towards her younger brother.
“In looks. However her temperament and tendency towards mischief comes from her father.”
“And none could mistake that blonde, curly hair on Rodger.”
Lady Beckham sighed. “He looks like an angel, and a more stubborn child I’ve not met since his mother.”
Lady Beckham and her companion smiled at each other. “Isn’t it a comfort to know that children grow up and get their comeuppance?” They chuckled.
Jameson rounded the corner of the barn carrying a large bucket in each hand and Lady Beckham sighed at the mischievous grin that matched the one on his daughter’s face.
“Then again, some comeuppances aren’t as readily grasped as others.”
Amelia rounded the barn with a squealing, kicking baby in her arms. “That’s far enough, Charlotte. Right there by Rodger. Jameson, you’re sloshing yours all over.”
Lady Beckham called, “Let me take the baby, Amelia. Whatever your brood has planned won’t be good for him.”
Amelia changed course to kiss her mother’s cheek, but shook her head. “He’ll never forgive us if he’s the only one not soaked at the end of the day.”
Lady Beckham looked to her companion and they nodded in agreement.
“I believe I’ll watch from the observatory.”
“A fine idea. I’ll help you in.”
Amelia laughed and headed for Jameson. He scowled at her, nodding at the retreating ladies. “I had plans for an accidental dousing. Lady Beckham’s companion told me I was starting to gain weight in my middle.”
“My dear, you are still quite dashing despite the spread.”
He gasped, then shot her a look. “Charlotte, your mother is in dire need of a splashing.”
Amelia eyed her daughter, then glanced at her son. “Rodger, attack!”
Lady Beckham smiled through the window as she watched her grandchildren flinging water everywhere, and when Jameson grabbed his wife and bent her backwards to kiss her, Lady Beckham distracted her companion with a game of piquet.
Copyright
To Tame A Dragon
The Reluctant Bride Collection, Book Two
Copyright © 2012 by Megan Bryce
[email protected]
To my husband-
because a silent partner
deserves credit somewhere
