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“Through Rory, yes,” Graydon said. “I would have done it years ago if I’d had any idea that Daire was displeased with his family’s choice of bride. But he never complained to me.”
“And Lorcan has never talked to me about her feelings for Daire, even though I’ve tried to get her to.” She looked up at him.
“I am sorry,” he said. “These last few days have been …”
She put her fingertips to his lips. “Tonight we are Tabitha and Garrett and we have no differences in country policies.”
“I like that,” he said and put his arm out for her to take. “And tomorrow be damned.”
When they got near the bottom of the front stairs, everyone suddenly stopped and stared—but Victoria reacted the most strongly. She looked at Toby as though she’d never seen such a sight in her life. Her expression seemed to be of shock, but also, there was … Was it recognition? Toby couldn’t help wondering.
The other three stepped back and let Victoria absorb the sight of the two young people standing on the stairs. They certainly made a handsome couple! Graydon’s black jacket showed his broad shoulders and trim waist; the trousers clung to thighs thickly muscled from years atop unruly horses.
As for Toby, she was breathtaking. The white, gossamer-thin gown suited her perfectly. The low-cut neckline, the way the fabric skimmed over her hips, the hint of transparency, all of it seemed to have been created just for her.
They all stood still, transfixed, as everyone waited to hear what Victoria was going to say. After several long moments, she turned to Caleb. “This is what I will wear when I marry you,” she said softly. Victoria’s eyes were so full of love that everyone felt they were seeing something very private.
Caleb gave a bit of a smile, then he bowed—as a man from Jane Austen’s time might do. In return, Victoria performed an absolutely perfect curtsy.
After that pretty little vignette, everyone began talking, mainly about how great Toby and Graydon looked. Victoria took Toby’s arm and led her to a corner of the living room.
“I knew you would come up with the perfect theme. But, darling,” Victoria said as she lowered her voice, “next time, leave the slip off. Show what you have while you still have it.” She looked up. “Caleb, dearest, have we run out of champagne already?”
The four older adults gathered around the cabinet where that afternoon Ken had set up a drinks bar.
“Did Victoria thank you for all your work?” Graydon asked from behind Toby.
“Yes. Sort of. And she told me I should have on fewer undergarments.”
“Victoria is a very wise woman.”
“Not going to happen,” Toby said as she joined the others.
The dinner was a great success. As was the eighteenth-century custom, all the dishes had been put on the table, with desserts on the sideboard. As soon as the soup—pea with cucumber and mint—was finished, Ken took away the tureen. They helped themselves to meatballs with anchovies and cayenne pepper, sole in wine with mushrooms, vermouth-enhanced scallops, oysters on vol-au-vent pastries under a cream sauce, and little stuffed game birds that were crisp and tender. There were several vegetables, each with its own sauce.
Everyone ate ravenously, filling and refilling their plates.
“Now, this is food!” Caleb said, then began a diatribe against pizza, burgers, and even sandwiches.
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sp; Toby expected everyone to protest, but instead they all agreed with him. In fact, the four of them seemed to agree about everything. There was no sniping between the formerly married Victoria and Ken, no disagreements at all. Everyone spoke of what they’d been doing over the last weeks, but it was Dr. Huntley who stole the spotlight. He entertained them with the story of how Captain Caleb and Valentina met in 1806. The captain had returned early from a lucrative voyage to China and found his new house being used by the builder for his own wedding. “The captain was so annoyed he took a keg of rum and went up to the attic to … to meditate.”
“Sounds like he wanted to get drunk and sulk,” Ken said.
“It depends on how you look at it,” Dr. Huntley replied, but he was smiling. “The captain had been up there just a short time when the very beautiful”—he looked at Victoria—“Valentina came upstairs. She had on a dress that …” He motioned with his hands to mean that it was very low cut. “Since the captain had been places that weren’t as prudish as America, he thought she wasn’t a respectable woman—which was quite understandable. He … Well, he …”
“He made a pass at her?” Jilly said.
“With a bit of, shall we say, ‘passion’ attached to it. And she agreed.”
“Really?” Victoria, who had never heard the story, said. “Just like that, she said yes?”
“At least the captain thought she did,” Dr. Huntley said with a funny little smile. “But it wasn’t so. However, she was convincing enough that she persuaded the captain to remove all his clothing.”
“Oh, my!” Jilly said.
“Then what did she do?” Victoria asked, leaning forward, her eyes alight.
