Her expression softened, and even though she wasn’t sitting beside him, she tried to show him her affection when she smiled at him. “I am going to make certain the pair of us, and our lads, have the most comfortable, most fun family.”
“Fun!” piped up Callan, his mouth full.
He’d already more than halfway decimated the trifle, and she still hadn’t had any!
As she reached for the spoon, Cash sent Matthew a mock-stern look. “Look at this boisterous lad. At leastoneof our sons is serious and studious enough to temper his impulsiveness.”
Athena kept herself from moaning as the pudding and crème passed her lips, but she must’ve made some noise, because Cash’s eyes flew to hers, and the heat burning in them left her no doubt what he was thinking about when his gaze dropped to her lips.
Hopefully, she’d be able to take a room at Dumpkins Manor that very evening!
“Father…” Matthew cleared his throat as he reached nonchalantly for one of the spoons. “I hate to tell you this, but I suspect I’m not having quite the effect on Callan as you and—andMamahope.”
The name was said with a bit of relish, and she and Cash shared a smile as the lad dipped his spoon into the trifle.
Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to become so distracted, because Matthew straightened up, his spoon full of trifle. “You see, rather than me making Callan more serious, he’s taught me how to havefun.”
With that, Matthew flicked his spoon, sending the blob of trifle across the intervening distance to splat across his sire’s cheek and chin.
Cash froze, Athena gasped, and Callan burst into peals of laughter. A heartbeat later, with Cash still blinking in shock, she had to press her lips together to hold in her own chuckles. In a flash, she’d turned back to the trifle, dipping her own spoon into the gooey mess.
As Callan doubled over with laughter, clutching his middle, Athena turned back to Matthew. “Lad, I love yer father, and as such, am loyal to him. I love ye as well, but I must defend him.”
With that, she flicked her spoon, sending the blob of trifle to splat against his chest. Matthew gasped, Callan’s laughter redoubled, and Cash growled, “Hand me that spoon.”
The four of them froze, then burst into motion. In a moment, trifle was flying this way and that, until they wereall gooey messes, and the fort wasn’t much better. More than a little managed to land in Athena’s mouth—it was delicious—and she herself landed in Cash’s lap.
He was delicious as well.
And through it all…there was much laughter. She was surrounded by the people she loved, who loved her, and she knew, no matter what the future might bring, she’d ensure it also brought even more laughter.
CHAPTER 11
They didn’t marry until the autumn; until after the Dumpkins house party was officially over.
Well, of course they couldn’t; when Lady Dumpkins announced her betrothal to Laird Oliphant, the rest of the summer was focused onthem. Cash was pleased for his brand-new father-in-law, of course, but would have liked the chance to start his ownHappily Ever Aftera little sooner.
But it turned out that a duke couldn’t be married quickly.
At least, that was what Mother claimed.
So Cash and Matthew had returned to Cashard—irritated at the loss of Athena and Callan—to allow the dowager to plan the most pompous wedding Society had ever seen. During Athena’s frequent visits—both to Cashard and to his bedroom—she let him know exactly how little she liked this plan.
And just as stubbornly, Cash remained firm.
“They rejected you, love,” he whispered against her hair in the wee hours of the morning, her naked body pressed against his. “And I will burn them all if they try it again. You will be the grand dame of Society, and they will all kneel at your feet.”
She’d chuckled at the image—perhaps the fantasyhadgone a little medieval—but then sighed and ceased her objections. He knew she’d been hurt by Society’s rejection when Callan had been born, but in the subsequent years, she’d come to see how easy it was to dismiss the ignorant opinions and focus on her own happiness.
But, as he told himself, her triumph was forhim.
And a triumph it had been: Athena had lookedmagnificentwhen she’d stepped into the church on her father’s arm. The laird had insisted on escorting her, with Callan and Matthew marching down the aisle in matching Oliphant kilts. The older lad looked uncomfortable, with his knees flopping about for everyone to see, and Cash couldn’t blame him.
After all, he himself wore the Oliphant colors as he waited at the altar.
It had been worth the discomfort, to see the way Athena’s eyes shone with love when she saw his concession. This was his way of showing that he was joining her family, just as surely as she was joining his.
He was finding that his new wife’s ability to reject Society’s dictates had rubbed off on him as well. As a duke, he was expected to marry for power and influence…not love.
