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Lenora bit her lip. “I wanted to tell you from the beginning, when Asquith first agreed to meet me in secret, but Asquith swore me to secrecy.”

“Asquith,” Millie scoffed.

“Then,” Lenora went on, “when you interrupted us in the stables, Asquith wanted to tell you that he was with me, but I stopped him.”

“Why?”

Lenora lifted her shoulders. “I could tell by your voice you were in trouble. I know you. And I knew you’d need your concentration.”

“I did,” Millie conceded.

“Then, we had to keep quiet until he had the Lord Chancellor’s permission and could apply for a special license.”

Millie folded her arms over her chest. “Well, you’re both better at keeping secrets than I ever understood!”

Lenora laughed. “I’m only thankful I don’t have to keep them any longer.”

Across the room, Asquith joined Preston, Neville, Adrian and Eliza. Millie stood, then offered Lenora her hand. Together they crossed the room and reunited with their husbands.

“How is Calder?” Lenora asked.

“Spirited as always,” he replied. “I’ve already had several inquiries about Asquith Park Stud.”

“Of course you did.” She smiled warmly. “Sir Brenton and Lady Asquith are looking insufferably pleased with themselves.”

The group turned toward Lord Hampton, who was in conversation with the Lord Chancellor, Sir Brenton, and her mother-in-law.

Simon chuckled. “Entirely warranted, I believe.”

Lenora’s gaze moved beyond the group of older guests to the settee, where Harbury was bending solicitously over Cassie.

“Does Harbury always fuss over his wife?” Preston asked.

“Always,” Lenora replied.

During the meal, Harbury had offered to cut her food, asked if he could bring her a pillow, and repeatedly inquired if she needed rest.

Lenora briefly glanced at her husband. Simon was... not fussing. But his hand had strayed to the back of her chair throughout the breakfast, and, occasionally, he caught her eye, as he did now.

She didn’t need him to fuss. She knew he would be ready to help if needed.

“Asquith cares for me without ostentation,” Lenora said. “We don’t always need to use words.”

Adrian nudged Eliza. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Eliza whacked his arm. She leaned toward Lenora. “Speaking of not talking”—Eliza spoke under her breath—“you two need to slip away and do...what the newly wedded do.”

“Oh, we intend to,” Asquith said.

To everyone else present, he appeared to be absently fingering the ribbons on her sleeve. Lenora knew what he was thinking, and she warmed.

***

“We did that,” Nettie said to Emily, with considerable satisfaction.

“We absolutely did.” Emily's eyes sparkled. “Although, in the end, Lady Asquith helped.”

Millie, standing nearby, turned on them both with an expression that combined outrage and reluctant amusement in roughly equal measure.