He would have to think of something. The marquis did not look favorably upon disappointment and Damiano had two younger brothers. He was replaceable.
*
Weston supposed hewas not too surprised that the palace hushed up di Compressio’s actions on the night of the fête. He might have been much more aggravated about it than he was, had he not been engaged to Lady Valor. As he spent most of his time in her company, there was not much time to seethe over it.
He did not speak about it much to his fiancée, as he did not wish for her to have any nightmares about it. When it did come up, he just pointed out how brave she’d been. She admitted that it was the first really brave thing she’d ever done. Her rescuing of Sir Galahad had been a little brave, but then Lord Thorpe had been there all along and she’d begun to think the whole thing had been set up by him.
He encouraged her not to care too much about that, as she had not known it was set up when it happened. In any case, it had ended with her having a tremendous dog.
Weston was not certain how tremendous he actually viewed the dog, but he was always rewarded with a lovely smile, so tremendous Sir Galahad would remain.
He sensed that his lady was a bit on edge about the future, which he thought was understandable. A lady gave over her life to a lord who proceeded to decide how things would be.
He decided she would do better with detailed information and he had a long talk with the duke about it. They would split their time between Cornwall and the Dales. Weston pressed the idea that Lord Ledderbey must be brought with them, as he was getting of an age when he ought not be left to bang around his house by himself.
The duke had agreed to it, though he’d laughed that he worked for years to clear his house of daughters and somehow ended inheriting an old man into the bargain.
Just now, Weston hurried down the stairs to find Lord Ledderbey waiting for him and the carriage outside.
Just now, he was getting married.
*
Valor peered outthe windows of the drawing room. She’d been dressed in good time, putting on her favorite of the dresses Madame LaFray had composed. It was an elegant lilac silk, cut simply with no embellishments but for tiny little lilacs around the cuffs of the sleeves. Her ideas that it was lovely were confirmed when Serenity arrived and wept over it. Then of course, she wore the sapphire necklace that Tramondeley had gifted her. She very much doubted she’d ever wear anything else.
Tramondeley’s carriage was outside his house. He would be here soon. He was such a dear to take Lord Ledderbey in the carriage though it was just around the square.
Lady Marchfield was deeply sighing behind her and muttering, “There is no accounting for it.”
“Oh aunt, do cheer up,” Valor said. “I know you have always feared for us—”
“And somehow I still do.”
“But we are all settled creditably. You must admit that.”
Lady Marchfield did not look inclined to admit anything.
“And just think, Papa says we will not get rid of Mr. Huberville because Mrs. Right has explained to him that he’s so incompetent that he would starve on the road.”
“I probably would, too,” Mr. Huberville said cheerfully as he passed by.
“I suppose that’s something.”
“Look how kind he is,” Valor said, leaning forward and watching Lord Tramondeley help Lord Ledderbey to the carriage.
“He is a fine young man and your father’s heir. I can have nothing against it.”
Valor had nothing against it either. She would wed a glorious man and would never really leave her home in the Dales. She could notwait to show it to him. They would go there for their wedding trip with her father and Lord Ledderbey joining them in a month. After the summer, they would take Lord Ledderbey home to Cornwall, but she had been assured there would be no nighttime forays in the sloop and any danger to Lord Tramondeley was long gone from England.
The carriage had come round the square. “He’s here!” she said, leaping up from the sofa. She ran into the great hall and out the doors while her aunt scolded her from behind.
Her lord jumped out of the carriage and she jumped straight into his arms.
They were getting married.
As always happenedto Valor when she was in a new and stressful situation, she was nearly blind with fear during the wedding service. She reminded herself that she was in her own home, as they wed with a special license, and she was surrounded by all her sisters, her father, and Mrs. Right. Nevertheless, she was in a fog of fear. Tramondeley seemed to sense it though and held her up by the arm and whispered to her when she forgot the words.
At one point, the curate from the Grosvenor Church stopped the service and asked Valor if she wed of her own volition, apparently so discombobulated had she seemed. That, of anything, went a long way to calm her.
