Neither of them answered the duke, as before she knew it, her bonnet was off and pins were coming out of her hair. “Lady Viola’s beautiful hair,” Lord Baderston said, twisting a ringlet round his finger.
“It is your own hair that first struck me,” Viola said, touching it.
All this time, she’d been admiring its charming copper color, now she could touch it. She could touch it whenever she liked. The head that housed it belonged to her now.
The carriage rattled to a stop and Viola had no idea how they’d got there so fast. In Lord Baderston’s arms, time seemed to fly ahead faster than it ought.
Suddenly, from across the carriage, Conbatten said, “For the love of heaven. Miss Mayton, do pin up Lady Viola’s hair before we go in.”
“I do not even know how that happened,” Lord Baderston said.
“Nor I,” Viola said laughing and picking up pins from the seat.
Miss Mayton pinned up her hair as best she could. Viola thought she and Lord Baderston must look very original just at that moment—she with her hair disheveled, and he with two black eyes.
Sandren opened the carriage door, his expression communicating that he did not at all approve of the morning’s activities.
“Come,” she said, taking Lord Baderston’s hand.
They raced up the steps and found Tattleton at the door. He did not look any more approving than the coachman.
“Where is my father?” Viola asked.
“In the library,” Tattleton said. Looking over Viola’s shoulder, he said, “I am certain he will be grateful for news on your cousin’s illness, Miss Mayton, as he has mentioned having that lady to dine when she is fully recovered.”
Viola did not stop to hear what Miss Mayton would say tothatidea. She held Lord Baderston’s hand and pulled him down the corridor to the library doors. Viola threw them open.
“Papa!” she said.
“My dear,” the earl said, “how did you get on with Miss Mayton’s cousin? I pray she is in recovery from whatever ails her.”
The earl then took on a look of confusion to see Lord Baderston by her side.
“Oh, Papa,” Viola said, “I am sorry, but that was only a ruse. I had to rush off to make sure Lord Baderston did not kill himself on my account.”
Lord Westmont stood. “Lord Baderston, were you considering doing a violence to yourself? Really, that is never the answer.”
“No, Lord Westmont,” Lord Baderston said, “Well, what I mean is, I met three fellows on a green this morning. You see, I challenged all three of them to defend Lady Viola’s honor.”
The earl sank back down to his chair. “Three gentlemen challenged? Over the story of the tinker’s boy?”
“Just so,” Lord Baderston said.
“Then…as I see you are still standing, I must presume at least one other is not. Will you make a run to the continent to avoid a prosecution?”
“Goodness, no,” Viola said. “They all gave it up and fired into the air. How could they go forward when I had come to steal Lord Baderston away to Gretna Green?”
“Gretna Green!” the earl said.
“The fact is, Earl,” Lord Baderston said, “I am hopelessly in love with Lady Viola and have been since last year. With your permission, we will wed. I can assure you I am from a respectable family and have the means to support her in a fashion befitting her.”
The earl waved his hands. “As to that, Darden has already marked you as respectable. A Trewellian, I believe. Viola, is this the fellow you want? Truly?”
“A thousand times over,” Viola said.
“Well, I can have nothing against it. I am not certain I understand what occurred this morning, though I can hardly fault a gentleman for risking his life in defense of my daughter. But what’s this about Gretna Green?”
“Papa, we really do wish to run off to Gretna Green. Just think, to plan a wedding takes so long, even with a special license, and who would we even invite to a wedding breakfast? It would be a rather small affair, at least until the rumors about me are cleared up.”
