Page 16 of Until I’m Safe in Your Arms

The nearest servant scurried forward, pouring champagne into the glass until it neared the rim. Grandfather sipped, nodded, and the footman darted away. “I’ll wager 500 guineas on the matter. Who’ll take it?”

“I’m not wagering on this, Grandfather.” A sharpness in Francis’s tone quelled the rising voices. “You have my word on it. I…It may take me some time to bring the lady I’ve chosen around to the idea of marrying me.”

“Oh, but that is wonderful. Side bet!” Tom piped up and came forward to jostle Francis’s elbow. “I say Francis can’t bring her up to snuff until after Christmas.”

If looks were arrows, Tom would have been dead on the spot. Francis glared at him. “No bets on me, if you please. I cannot have the wager come to the lady’s ears. All hope would be lost.”

“What hope is lost?”

Alex spun around, his stomach brushing his boots. He’d been so engrossed in the wagering he’d forgotten to look out for Emma. “Hello, my dear.” He kissed her temple and snuck his arm around her waist. “What have you been up to?”

“Aunt Lucinda,” Emma blushed and dropped her head. “She asked me to call her that. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. What did she do with you?”

“She and Augusta took me out to the garden and made me tell them how the bower swing broke.”

Alex choked, coughed, and finally caught his breath. Thank goodness he and Emma were now married, but neither lady should have heard about that scandalous rendezvous. “What did you tell them, my love?”

“Only what happened, my dear. I was sitting on the swing, and you proposed, and I was so overcome I swooned back on the swing.” She put the back of her hand to her forehead and leaned back against Alex’s arm. “You sat down on it to try and fan me, and our combined weight proved too much for the old rope.”

“And was that the truth, Mrs. Bancroft?” Sandy had been watching Emma keenly as she told her tale.

Grinning at his cousin, Emma smoothed out her gown with several light touches. “As much of the truth as they needed to know, my lord.”

“I see you chose wisely, Alex.” Sandy bowed to Emma. “I’d wager you have a perfect poker face, Mrs. Bancroft, wouldn’t you, Tom? As the newest member of the family, we’d all love to include you in our family wagers.”

Alex stiffened. This was getting all too close to disclosing the marriage wager for his comfort. He had to change the subject or simply take Emma away before his relatives made his life miserable—on his wedding day, no less. “Didn’t Aunt Lucinda say we needed to cut the cakes just before we leave, sweetheart?” He pulled out his pocket watch, hoping against hope it was close to time for them to go. “Almost time, my dear.” He grasped her hand and pulled it through his arm. “Mustn’t keep everyone waiting.”

“Nonsense, Alex. It’s just after half-past one.” The fiendish Tom spoke up brightly. “You’ve got plenty of time. Allow your bride to partake in her first wager as a Quartermain.”

Alex held his breath. Tom could be wild, but he wouldn’t knowingly do something to hurt a lady. Clenching his fist, Alex’s stare bored into Tom’s amused face. He shook his head once. A shot across the bow. “I think it’s time for us to go now.”

Tom raised a brow, then shook his head as well. “I’m sorry, I misspoke, Mrs. Bancroft. I’d forgotten you’ve already been part of one of our wagers, hasn’t she, Alex?”

As though a red veil had descended over his eyes, Alex couldn’t see anything save Tom’s grinning face. Didn’t want to see anything but his fist putting his cousin’s lights out.

“What does he mean, Alex?” Emma had turned to him, her brows in a deep V. “What wager have I been party to?”

“Our family wager, young lady.” To Alex’s horror, his grandfather strode forward. “I began it not long ago, wagering my six grandsons of marriageable age couldn’t all get married within one year. If they do, I will give them lands and money enough to set them up well to begin their married lives. If even one of them does not marry within the prescribed time, none of them will see a single penny.” To Alex’s astonishment, Grandfather took Emma’s arm and patted her hand. “So you see, my dear, you have done your duty and set an example for the rest of these rascals as to why they should find good wives.”

The smile on Emma’s face seemed plastered there, for Grandfather’s benefit most likely. Alex swallowed convulsively. His wedding day was now a shambles and they had yet to even board the train to London.

“Your Grace.” Emma’s voice was steady, respectful. Her gaze at Alex, however, seethed with anger. “Was there a stipulation that the prospective brides could not know about the wager?”

Every gaze turned toward Grandfather. Would the man tell a lie to save his grandson’s marriage?

“No, my dear.” He shook his head gently and Alex’s hopes sank. “There was no such stipulation.” He shot a stern look at Alex. “You mean he didn’t tell you about the wager?”

“He did not.” Emma rounded on Alex, her face pinched, and he braced himself to have a public drubbing such as he’d never had before. “I only wish he had.”

Alex’s jaw dropped open and remained that way for quite some moments. Finally, he pulled himself together. “Wh…what do you mean, my dear?”

“I mean I wouldn’t have fretted so much about whether or not you were planning to propose to me had I known there was a wager working on my behalf.” The stern façade melted bit by bit until his wife stood before him, smiling and somehow triumphant. “Take my advice, gentlemen, and let your ladies know what’s afoot. Honesty will always stand you in good stead.”

As stunned as Alex, his cousins merely nodded while his grandfather chuckled and sipped his champagne.

“And now, my dear, I believe we are called to cut the cakes.” She took Alex’s arm and nodded to his family. “Be sure you come to get your slices, gentlemen. Mrs. Pierce and the kitchen maids have been working day and night to produce these lovely cakes for our wedding. You mustn’t miss them.” She leaned toward the nearest cousin, who happened to be Sandy. “I wager they’ll prove good luck for your endeavors.” With a twitch of her hooped skirts, Emma led them away from his stunned cousins.