An Earl Like No Other (26 page)

P
lans for the wedding proceeded apace. Prior to the magistrate's hearing, Madame Aubert had delivered the first of the dresses Kate had ordered, along with suitable accessories. Now, having finished that order, she and her assistants set to work on a wedding gown for the woman who would be the wife of the most important man for miles around. What the new Countess of Kenrick wore at any time, but especially on her wedding day, would reflect mightily on her dressmaker. The gown, a pale green silk concoction trimmed with Belgian lace, brought out the flecks of green in Kate's hazel eyes.

“Think of it as supporting a local business,” Jeremy said when Kate voiced a mild complaint about the expense and the time needed for fittings.

Kate sat through the second reading of her wedding banns alone, for Jeremy had accompanied Phillips and Lawrence back to London with a vague explanation about having items of business to take care of in the city. Kate thought that among these he might intend to screen possible candidates for two new positions in the hall—housekeeper and governess—though he had promised her a voice in the final selections.

When she made this observation in idle chatter with Lady Elinor, Jeremy's aunt offered another idea. “He may also be searching for the perfect wedding gift for you, my dear. As a boy, Jeremy delighted in surprising people.”

Kate shrugged off wondering what Jeremy was up to. She was far too busy making preparations for the wedding itself. These included not only fittings for the wedding gown, but making other selections for a modest bridal wardrobe. In addition, she supervised plans and menus for the wedding breakfast and, together with Lady Elinor and Mr. Wilkins, arranged for an elaborate garden party to be held for servants, tenants, and locals having connections to the Kenrick holdings. She and Mr. Wilkins saw to the opening of the heretofore closed wing of the Hall, for Jeremy had sent word that extra rooms would be required. This meant hiring extra maids and footmen, but she left that largely up to Mr. Wilkins. She looked forward to seeing many of the guests. Mr. Phillips would be returning with his wife; Jeremy's sister Margaret would arrive along with her husband and children, and Kate looked forward to becoming acquainted with her. And there would be others, Robert warned; after all, the 46th Rifle Regiment would want to celebrate the nuptial of its angel.

“This is getting out of hand,” Kate complained to Jeremy when he returned ten days after leaving.

He had arrived in mid-afternoon, disheveled and with a two-day growth of beard. Nevertheless, she threw herself into his arms, kissed him very soundly, and reveled in just having him close, road dust, scratchy whiskers, and all. After bathing and shaving, he pronounced himself fit for company again and grateful that he needn't sit in a saddle again for a day or two. Kate found herself feasting her eyes on him and manufacturing reasons to touch him throughout the evening.

Immediately on his arrival he had popped in to tell the children hello and give them little gifts he had for them—a gold locket on a chain for Cassie and handcrafted spurs for Ned's riding boots. He and Kate had joined them later for the nightly ritual of stories and prayers, but before that, they sat the children down on the couch in the schoolroom and themselves occupied cushioned chairs facing the two youngsters. Cassie and Ned looked curious, but not alarmed.

“My Lord Spenland,” Jeremy said, sounding very serious and very formal, “I should like to ask your blessing and approval for me to marry your mother.”

Ned smiled. “Really? Really and truly?” He looked at his mother. “That means we never have to leave here?”

She smiled back at him and nodded.

Ned then sat straighter and said very formally, “Then, yes; I give you my permission. But you must treat her nicely.”

“Oh, I will. I promise,” Jeremy said.

Cassie poked Ned in the arm. “See? I told you this would happen.”

“No, you didn't. You just said you'd like it to happen. You never said it
would
.”

“Same thing,” she said.

“No, it isn't.”

Kate interrupted this squabble. “Cassie, does that mean that you will be happy to have me as your mama?”

“Oh, yes.” Cassie jumped from the couch to throw her arms around Kate. “Can I call you ‘Mama' instead of ‘Lady A'?”

Kate hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. “Yes, of course. I shall have a lovely daughter and Ned will have a sister.”

“I'd rather have a brother,” Ned said, “but I guess this is all right.”

“Whew!” Jeremy with a laugh. “I'm glad that worked out as it did.”

“Now can we have the story?” Cassie asked.

 

Finally, Kate and Jeremy were alone in his bedchamber, enjoying a nightcap of port and each other. They sat on the couch laughing indulgently over that scene with the children.

Then their discussion turned to some of the details of wedding plans.

“This is getting out of hand,” Kate said again.

“We cannot fault people for wanting to share our happiness,” Jeremy said, pulling her close and kissing her yet again. “Besides, we have much to celebrate. Ned's future is secure. Our children are happy. The Chilton family once again has exclusive and unfettered control of all of Kenrick.”

“And we have each other,” she said softly, sliding her hands up his chest and around his neck.

“Yes.” He paused for another long, deep kiss that threatened—promised—to reduce her to quivering desire. “Yes. The best part. We have each other. How lucky can two people get?”

For a long moment they simply sat quietly, savoring their closeness. Then Jeremy disentangled himself from her and stood to get a small box from the top of his dresser. “I brought you a present from London too.” He opened the box to reveal a beautiful emerald ring flanked by two diamonds. He slipped it onto her finger.

“Oh, Jeremy,” she whispered. “It's lovely.” She felt tears well as she kissed him.

He laughed and kissed away her tears. “It's nothing to cry about.”

“I've never owned anything so beautiful, so precious.”

“Well, now you do.” He hugged her again and whispered, “All the way home I imagined you wearing nothing but my ring.”

“Mmm. I think we can arrange that, though the lady of the manor definitely needs more help with her clothing than the housekeeper did.”

“Always happy to be of service,” he quipped and fumbled only slightly with the tapes and pins on her dress.

Both were eager as they moved to the bed and wasted no time in engaging in the give-and-take of achieving mutual satisfaction. Afterwards, he continued to hold her close.

“I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too.”

“By the way . . .” He still nibbled at her neck and ear and lazily stroked her body, but she sensed slight tension in him. “I stopped in at Finley's inn.”

“And?”

“And I got a full helping of local gossip.”

“I know you have a point here somewhere.”

“I heard that Aunt Elinor gave Charlotte Mortimer a very proper set down.”

Kate laughed. “Yes, it was. Classic.”

“I heard the whole of it, I think.” He sounded more serious now, but rushed on. “Aunt Elinor had it right on the mark, you know.”

“About . . . ?”

“About me, at least. I
am
very much in love with you, Kate. I could never have been so happy with anyone else.”

“Oh, Jeremy.” She turned her head slightly to kiss him fiercely as she felt tears welling again.

“I gather that means she was right about you too,” he said with a triumphant laugh.

“Of course she was.”

“Then say it. I want to hear you say it.”

“I love you, Jeremy. I love you, my Lord Kenrick. I think I have loved you since . . . since that interview in Grillon's Hotel. I love you. How many times should I say it?”

“At least once a day for the rest of our lives might suffice.”

She held his gaze and said solemnly, “I promise to tell you I love you at least once a day for the rest of our lives.”

“And show me too?”

“Oh, yes. We must show as well as tell, mustn't we?” She could feel that he was well on the way to being ready for another demonstration.

 

The next day was Sunday and marked the third reading of the banns. With the wedding set for the following Saturday, Kate was determined that nothing would spoil, or even taint her happiness. Truth to tell, there were so many visitors at the Hall now, she scarcely had time to dwell on the fact that she would marry again with none of her family present. Margaret Talbot breezed into the Hall with her husband William and their three children on Monday and immediately began to take her brothers to task, chastising Jeremy for not telling her sooner of this happy event and offering names of her female friends or their daughters or their sisters for Robert's consideration in achieving a similar degree of happiness.

The next day everyone had gathered in the larger, more formal drawing room for coffee or tea after the midday meal. Though Lady Elinor was clearly the hostess of this house party, Kate, as usual, assumed many of the actual duties of hostess. Margaret accepted her cup of tea and resumed teasing her younger brother.

“You're the only one of us left out now, Robert. We simply must do something about your single status.”

He threw up his hands and cried, “Enough already. Stop. I'll marry the next female who enters this room just to make you quit nagging me.”

Everyone laughed when the next female to enter the room was his own mother, who had just arrived at the Hall along with a male friend, whom she introduced as Baron Herbert Gordon-Smythe, a tall, handsome man with a large nose, white hair, and a courtly manner.

Margaret quickly said, “Oh, no, we'll have none of that Greek tragedy sort of thing. The next unattached woman who is
eligible
.”

Everyone laughed again and the arriving countess said, ”What? Don't tell me I am already missing out on the fun.”

Kate thought Amelia, Countess of Kenrick and her prospective stepmother-in-law, seemed a bit hard around the edges, but gave her credit for fighting the good fight against the onslaught of time.

Introduced to Kate, Amelia said, “Ah, you are the one who is forcing me to take on the title
Dowager
Countess of Kenrick. I cannot like that, but, alas, what is one to do?”

The baron took her elbow and said, “Now, now, Amelia, my dear. I keep telling you that if you dislike the word
dowager
so very much, you may always take on the unadorned title of baroness.”

“But, darling,” she trilled, “then I would have to give up wearing the Kenrick diamond tiara.”

“You will anyway, come Saturday,” Lady Elinor said tartly.

Amelia affected a flirty moue at this and waltzed herself into the center of the room to choose a seat that Kate suspected was deliberately calculated to focus attention on her.

Jeremy, who had been standing next to Kate, bent down to whisper, “She's a bit overwhelming, but it's only for a few days.”

Kate smiled up at him and happened to see a look of understanding pass between Robert and Margaret. Robert nodded, Margaret grinned, and Kate knew she had passed muster with her new sister, at least.

Phillips had returned with his wife, and Major Lawrence had come with them, along with another major, Templeton, and Templeton's wife Anne, who had also followed the drum in Peninsula. Kate was sure Jeremy had arranged with Robert for these old friends of hers to be here to make up for her own lack of family on this occasion—and she loved him even more for doing so.

Kate found Mrs. Phillips as unassuming and comfortable to be with here as she had found her in London. She was glad to see a blossoming friendship between Rosemary Phillips and Anne Templeton. She was also glad to find herself warming to the cheerful merriment that seemed at the core of Margaret's character.

“A penny for your thoughts, my lady,” Robert said, plopping himself onto the chair next to hers.

“At the risk of turning your head with flattery, I was thinking I am going to enjoy very much becoming a part of your family.”

Robert clasped her hand. “Margaret says we are lucky to have you—and she's right.”

Jeremy approached and emitted a mock snarl. “Unhand my bride there, you—you—Don Juan.”

Kate and Robert laughed, but before either of them could deliver a clever rejoinder, Mr. Wilkins approached with visitors' cards on a silver salver. Jeremy read the names, smiled, and extended his hand to Kate.

“Come, my dear, you will want to greet these guests with me.”

Mystified, Kate accompanied him across the room toward the entrance hall.

“Who?” she murmured, but then she heard voices she thought lost to her forever.

“Are you quite sure this is the right place?”

“Yes, Mama, I'm sure.”

Kate cast Jeremy a momentary look of surprise and wonder and dashed into the entrance hall to behold five members of her family: her mother and father, two sisters and a brother. A man and woman of the siblings' ages, both strangers to Kate, accompanied them.

“Mama! Papa! I cannot believe you are here.” Kate could not restrain her tears. “Beatrice! Suzanne! Gerald! Oh, oh, my goodness! Oh, what a wonderful surprise.” She hugged each of them briefly, then started over again, needing, rejoicing in their sheer physical presence. Her mother and sisters and brother kissed her and hugged her tightly.

Her father was rather stiff and, for the first time in Kate's memory, seemed unsure of himself. “Lord Kenrick assured us we would be welcome,” he said rather gruffly.

“But of course you are,” Kate said. She looked at Jeremy. “So
this
is why you insisted we prepare so many bedchambers!”