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He’d like to see Lady Wilton be rude to her.
They walked across the ballroom. Lady Wilton waited for them, leaning on her cane. “Hello, Grandmama,” said the duke when they reached her. “What an unexpected pleasure.”
“I didn’t see your name on the guest list,” said Jack.
The old lady raked them all with her gaze. “Winstead invited me. Told me about the engagement as well, which none of you bothered to do.” Her bilious look settled on Jack. “If you think this match excuses your treatment of me, you are quite wrong.”
“His treatment ofyou?” murmured the duchess.
Jack waited for the fury Lady Wilton had roused in him before. It did not come. He remembered Harriet’s distinction. Lady Wilton was a relation but not his family. And he needn’t care what she thought.
“You might have done better if you’d waited for me to take a hand,” the old lady continued. “But the girl’s not bad, and a great deal of money washes off the stink of trade.”
Here was the anger. “Neverspeak of Harriet in that way again,” Jack replied, in the cut-glass accent of his father’s haughtiest moments.
“She is my friend, Lady Wilton,” said the duchess. “A splendid person.”
“Petty spite becomes no one, Grandmama,” added the duke.
A startled Lady Wilton faced their united front. “I only meant…”
“I don’t care,” Jack interrupted. “If you talk of Harriet with anything but respect and admiration, we shall never have anything to do with you. And I’ll do my best to make you regret it.”
The old lady snorted. “I don’t know what you think you could do.”
“No, you don’t. I have the manners of a barbarian, remember?” He gave her glare for glare, and after a long moment, Lady Wilton’s eyes dropped.
The duchess leaned closer to the small, wizened figure. “It seems foolish to deride one’s own family,” she murmured. “Malice is likely to reflect back on the speaker.”
“Will you allow them to speak to me this way, Tereford?” Lady Wilton asked the duke.
“I think you rather deserve it, Grandmama.”
“Well!”
Some of his relations qualified as family after all, Jack thought with warm gratitude. The Terefords, certainly.
He turned to find many in the crowd watching them, waiting for an opportunity to meet the most illustrious guests. Everyone seemed to have arrived. Or if they hadn’t, too bad. He didn’t care. This felt like the moment. “If I may have your attention,” he called. He had to repeat this before all the chatter died and everyone was looking at him. “Since you are all here, in your finery, we decided to make this ball even more momentous.”
As they’d planned, Harriet had come to stand at his side. Charlotte and Sarah had taken their cues and were approaching from the left with a particular guest.
“And be married here and now before you,” Jack added.
“What?” exclaimed Lady Wilton and Mr. Winstead in chorus.
Charlotte and Sarah pulled the vicar into place. He looked nervous, but he’d examined and approved the license two days ago and was primed for his role.
“Just one minute,” Mr. Winstead began. The duke went to take his arm and quell his objections. Only a duke could have, Jack thought.
“This is outrageous,” said Lady Wilton. “Out of the question.”
The duchess herded the old lady away from the central couple and metaphorically sat on her.
And so Jack and his love were married in a most unconventional way, which heralded the sort of life they intended to lead. People in the crowd were appalled, charmed, outraged, or amused according to their natures. Most agreed, however, that this ball would be unforgettable and that the celebrations following the ceremony were the liveliest the neighborhood had ever seen. The food was certainly splendid.
As the guests were tucking into the grand spread, Mr. Winstead and Lady Wilton came face-to-face over the lobster patties. “I hope you know I had nothing to do with this wedding,” he said.
“Most improper,” she declared.
