But not a single person in that church could doubt he loved Athena and she loved him; not the way they weregrinning when they joined hands. Not the way their sons whooped in enthusiasm when the priest declared them wed.
Not the way they kissed.
Per his instructions, Mother had outdone herself with the wedding celebrations, and Cash was beginning to regret his campaign to make Athena the most sought-after matron of Society; he hadn’t spent more than a few minutes alone with her all day! His mother had trotted her around to meeteveryone who is anyone, and left Cash to nurse his whisky and watch protectively.
“You know, if you keep glaring like that, your guests will think you are not happily married.”
Cash startled at the interruption, then turned to smile at his younger sister Carlotta.
She reared back in surprise. “Good Heavens, you aresmiling? You must be more in love than I thought.”
“I am.” He nodded firmly, then went back to watching his wife. “I had not expected it, you know. But Athena is remarkable.”
“She is,” Carlotta agreed, her skirts swaying in time to the music. “Her family is rather magnificent, as well. I heard the whispers terming them theOutrageous Oliphants.”
Cash’s lips twitched again. “Fitting. Athena’s father and brothers are quite outrageous.”
Lysander was the only one currently celebrating, sweeping his new wife about the dance floor. Phineas and his wife were in the Levant—Cash had met the man briefly at the beginning of the summer, but hadn’t known his connectionto Athena, of course—and Lyon…well, Lyon had shaken Cash’s hand with a crushing grip, growled a warning about hurting his sister, and retreated to his damp medieval castle with his bastard brothers.
An intriguing family, to be certain.
His little sister hummed and knocked her hip against his. “And you are now a part of the outrage. Wearing akilt? Really, Dolphy?”
“Do not call me that,” he murmured, lifting his glass for a sip as the revelry continued around them. “You know I hate it.”
“That is why I do it.” He couldhearthe flippant grin in her tone. “But I think you look quite fine in a kilt, brother. Perhaps I ought to spend more time in the Highlands; such delightful specimens of manhood, and the dress to show it off.”
Whisky forgotten, Cash turned an incredulous gaze to his much younger sister. Carlotta was spoiled, aye, and didn’t see any need to bow to Society’s dictates, knowing her official coming out would be a success, due only to her beauty and her title. But surely evenshewouldn’t do something as shocking as pursue a Scotsman solely because of hisknees?
Then he saw her mischievous grin, and knew she was teasing him.
Cash scowled. “Minx.”
She knocked her hip against his again. “I am happy for you, big brother.”
His expression softened. “Thank you. Hopefully my nuptials took Mother’s attention off you for a bit.”
“Oh, yes, I managed to get into all sorts of mischief this summer. I am not excited about having to return to Society’s bosom?—”
“Carlotta, I am certain well-bred young ladies do not speak aboutbosoms.”
“And I am certain we are not supposed to know what the wordbredmeans either, although it is literally our only purpose in life.”
Before he could think of a way to respond—or even how a brother wassupposedto respond to such a claim—Carlotta reached up and plucked the whisky from his fingers. He blinked in surprise.
“Go rescue your wife, Cash,” she said teasingly. “You should not spend your wedding night with your little sister, not when Athena is looking over at you so longingly.”
Cash’s gaze slammed back across the room, where his new wife was indeed looking a little desperate to escape his mother’s clutches. Without a backward glance—even knowing his hellion of a sister was likely using his inattention to sample the whisky—he crossed the room.
Athena’s expression turned grateful as he slid his arm around her. “Pardon me, Mother,” he interrupted, “but I find myself desperate to spend some time with my wife.” He gave a brief bow to his mother’s friend, who’d been in the middle of some story. “Privileges of rank, and all that.”
Ignoring the giggles, Cash whisked Athena to the dancefloor, where they settled into each other’s arms and she smiled up at him.
“Thank ye for that. It was getting exhausting, remembering how to be a duchess.”
“Love, you do not have to be aduchess. You just have to be my wife.”
“That is all I want, Cash.” She sighed. “I wish the boys had been allowed to attend tonight.”
