Page 71 of Dare to be Wicked

“Well, for the same reason I know there are no such things as unicorns, or fairies,” Elspeth said, throwing up her hands.

“Oh, girls, do stop bickering,” their mother reproached them. “Elspeth, if it makes your sister happy to catch the bouquet then don’t spoil it. Must you always be so sensible?”

“I’m not being sensible, Mother, it just stands to reason….”

Cassius and Lottie slipped away with Florence in hot pursuit before things could get heated.

Ashton groaned as he saw them approach.

“Viv,” he said in a plaintive whine. “Make them stop.”

Vivien only snorted. “They haven’t yet begun, Ashton, dear. And, really, what did you expect? You really ought to have remembered to bring a handkerchief. You knew you would weep, surely. I certainly did. I never knew anyone so tender-hearted.”

Ash scowled.

“It was moving, seeing two of my closest friends speak those vows—forsaking all others.” He sighed putting his hand over his heart. “I could not help but think—you poor fools.”

Lottie smacked him with her fan, and he grinned at her.

“Just funning, Lottie. You know I thought nothing of the sort. I’m so pleased for you both. You’ll be idyllically happy, if I’m any judge. It’s just now the rest of us know what’s possible we’ll never be satisfied. You’ve set an impossibly high standard.”

“Oh,” Lottie said with a huff. “I was so looking forward to tormenting you for being a watering pot and now I can’t because that was such a nice thing to say.”

“I know,” Ash said smugly.

“Where’s Eliza?” Cassius asked, scanning the room.

“She’s gone outside for some air,” Lottie said, leaning into him. “She’ll come back for the wedding breakfast. The poor thing was finding all the noise too much.”

“She’s still very weak,” he said, frowning.

Lottie nodded, her heart squeezing a little as she remembered how fit and healthy Eliza had been when they had first come to Holbrook. So much had changed in such a short time. Before her accident they had planned to travel for their honeymoon, but neither of them felt happy leaving until Eliza was fully recovered.

“Yes, but she is determined to be well again, so she shall be,” Lottie said, reminding herself of that fact. “She may be quiet, but she’s single-minded when something matters to her.”

Cassius laughed. “That’s true. No doubt she’ll set her sights on a duke or a marquess now, like she always said she would. I’m sure she was always disappointed I was a mere viscount. A duke would be much more the thing. All the better to enforce her plans to make the world a better place.”

“If anyone can do it, she can,” Lottie said, smiling up at him with such adoration that he did as she had hoped he would, and leaned down to kiss her.

They broke apart at the sound of a discreet cough as a footman approached them.

“Begging your pardon, my lord,” he said to Cassius. “But the Comte de Villen is here. He is waiting in the yellow saloon. Should I tell him the family is not receiving today?”

“Oh, no,” Lottie said. “We’ll go and see him, won’t we, Cass?”

Cassius nodded his thanks to the footman and dismissed him. “He can’t have known we were marrying today. It’s not been announced yet. Only the family and a few of our closest friends knew.”

Lottie followed him out of the room. “That’s true. I wonder what he wants,” she said. “Papa won’t be pleased.”

“Neither will mine, but they need not know. Come along, let’s go and find out before we’re missed. They can’t have a wedding breakfast without the bride and groom, after all.”

Chapter 21

Dear Aunt Minerva,

Thank you for your kind letter. I am indeed faring much better and am determined to be well again by next season. Pray do not listen to Mama and Papa, who are fussing far too much. It is true I get tired, but they exaggerate the matter, Papa especially, and they get all worked up over nothing. Mama at least has an excuse, for it is her condition that makes her fret so. I shall be glad when my newest brother or sister arrives, and their attention is diverted.

We shall be so sorry not to see you at the wedding, but we all understand how important Uncle Inigo’s work is. I do hope you enjoy your time in Scotland. It is very beautiful at this time of year.