How to Entice an Earl (26 page)

The wedding itself was a small affair, with only Maddie’s cousins, their husbands, her parents, and Christian’s mother, whom she’d met just yesterday, in attendance. She’d been in St. George’s Hanover Square countless times for countless weddings, but when she arrived there for her own, it seemed wholly new. As if the edifice itself had been reborn just for the occasion.

She spied Christian at the front of the church as soon as she stepped into the sanctuary. She’d recognize those broad shoulders and his slightly messy light brown locks anywhere. And when he turned and met her gaze, she felt a chord of harmony thrum through her, as if she were a tuning fork suddenly striking the perfect note. His slightly crooked smile, and the warmth in his eyes, spoke to her more eloquently than a library full of poetry would have done.

“Hello there,” he whispered, as she stepped up beside him, and took her hand in his. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“You are absurd,” she said with a smile that softened the tartness of her words. “Utterly so.”

“You are beautiful,” he said, his eyes catching hers and holding her gaze until Maddie felt the tickle of incipient tears.

“My lord,” the archbishop said with a benevolent smile—he was Christian’s uncle, so he was a bit more lenient than he might have been with someone who wasn’t family. “Might we get started?”

“Absolutely,” Christian told the clergyman. And just like that, Maddie’s playful companion was replaced with a businesslike bridegroom.

The ceremony itself was all too brief. Maddie and Christian spoke their vows clearly and evenly. And despite another moment of near tearfulness, Maddie made it through the rite with her sensibilities intact.

“What God has joined together,” the archbishop intoned, “let no man put asunder.”

And with that, Lady Madeline Essex and Christian Gerard Monteith, Lord Gresham, became the Earl and Countess of Gresham.

*   *   *

“Dearest, I am so deliciously pleased for you,” Cecily said, gathering Maddie into a fierce embrace. “And for you as well, Gresham,” she said, moving on to embrace the bridegroom while Winterson kissed the bride.

“Welcome to the club, old fellow,” Winterson said, cuffing his friend on the shoulder.

“I wish so much happiness for you, Maddie,” said Juliet, her tight hug nearly robbing Maddie of breath. “I just know you are going to be blissful. I can feel it.”

Thinking back to their conversation at the betrothal ball, Maddie hoped that her cousin’s feeling was right. If they did not find happiness together, she vowed silently that it would not be because she hadn’t tried her best to make it so.

“Just let us know if this fellow gives you any trouble, Maddie,” Deveril said with a wink. “I’m more than happy to keep him in line for you.”

“So you say,” Christian retorted. “I think if it meant risking your lace cuffs or your cravat you’d turn craven and hie off in the other direction.”

“Mock all you wish, Gresham,” Deveril responded, “but at least I can tell the difference between the two.”

“Gentlemen, really,” Juliet scolded, “now is not the time or the place for your brangling.”

“No, the time and place is at Essex House during the wedding breakfast,” Maddie said with a laugh. “Come, husband, let’s be on our way.”

“Married five minutes and already you’re ordering me about,” Christian complained, as they led the others down the main aisle of the church and to the waiting carriage.

Her senses heightened by the proximity of her new husband, Maddie felt her heart beat faster as she hurried up the carriage steps. As soon as the door shut behind them and Maddie was seated, Christian leaned forward and plucked her neatly from her perch and onto his lap.

“There, that’s better,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “You have no notion of how difficult it was for me to maintain my composure during the ceremony. It was all I could do to keep from mauling you right there in front of all those people.”

“That would have been embarrassing for them,” Maddie said with a smothered laugh as she offered her neck for his delectation. “I can only imagine what your uncle’s response would have been.”

“Uncle Cedric was quite the ladies’ man before he married,” her new husband informed her, dragging his teeth over her earlobe. “I suspect he’s seen much worse in his day.”

Ignoring the flash of just how much worse the archbishop could have seen, Maddie tried to push back a little. The drive from the church to her parents’ house was hardly long enough to facilitate the sort of dallying Christian seemed intent upon.

“This is highly improper,” she reminded him. “I sincerely doubt that this is the sort of thing one is supposed to get up to in a carriage.”

Christian pulled back to stare into her face. “I had thought that being a writer would mean that you were possessed of an advanced imagination,” he said. “Obviously I shall be forced to teach you the error of your thoughts on this matter.”

“But not just now, I hope,” Maddie said, stopping his hand as it began to lift her skirt and bringing it to her lips. “I would die of embarrassment if anyone were to guess what we’d been up to in here.”

With a sigh of mock dejection, Christian settled back into the squabs and contented himself with lacing their fingers together. “I would not like to see you embarrassed, my dear,” he told her, tucking her head under his chin. “I will attempt to leash my ravening beast within until we are alone in a proper bedroom.

“But,” he added, “I will make no promises as to what will happen then. I may have to punish you with kisses for forcing me to curb myself.”

Maddie suppressed a shiver at the notion, but agreed. Changing the subject to one that would spare her blushes, she said, “Have you contacted Lord Tretham or my brother about the possible threats against them?”

Linton had not been able to make it back to London in time for the wedding, and though Maddie had been disappointed, she had been more than willing to have him remain away if it kept him from danger.

At the mention of the mystery, Christian heaved a great sigh, which Maddie felt in the rise and fall of his chest. “I had hoped that we might save talk of the investigation until tomorrow at least, my dear. After all, even the Lord took a day to rest.”

Maddie felt her face flood with color and tried to pull away from him to remove herself to the opposite side of the carriage.

“I am sorry if it bothers you, my lord,” she said stiffly, “that I am concerned for my brother’s safety, but I have just gone through the marriage ceremony without having him there to witness it. I can hardly be expected to forget about the potential danger he finds himself in simply because of a church ritual.”

Christian, however, clamped his arms more firmly around her and would not let her go.

“Don’t get your back up, madam wife,” he said in a soothing tone. “I did not think of the fact that you might be missing Viscount Linton today. I apologize for my thoughtlessness.”

Somewhat mollified, Maddie relaxed a bit, but the easy camaraderie they’d shared before she mentioned her brother and Tretham seemed to have dissipated.

“To answer your question,” Christian continued, “I have sent a special messenger to Scotland to warn your brother to stay put until he hears from me again.”

Maddie breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “Ever since I spoke with Lady Emily I’ve been worried that Linton might try to return, putting himself in more danger.”

“Of course,” he said simply, though Maddie knew that there was no “of course” about it. He could easily have left Linton to fend for himself. “As for Tretham,” he continued, “I did try to call on him, but he appears to have left town as well. I even attempted to get his servants to tell me where he’s gone but they were unpersuadable.”

Maddie shrugged. “Tretham can take care of himself,” she said, leaning back. “I do not mind telling you that knowing my brother knows to remain hidden relieves my mind greatly.”

He stilled. “I know that,” he said finally. Maddie sensed that he was not thinking about Linton at all. Attempting to change the subject to something more cheerful, she said, “I was pleased that your mother was able to come. I thought she would have to miss it, since she was so lately in Scotland with your sisters.”

There was a question there, and Christian did Maddie the courtesy of answering it. “Yes, she was here for another reason and so was able to attend. I doubt, however, that we will see her at the breakfast.”

“I hadn’t realized that you were estranged from your family,” she said with a gentle smile. “It is sometimes difficult for me to remember that you have a family at all,” she admitted. “You seem so self-sufficient.”

“You think I sprang from the head of my father like Athena?” Christian asked, stroking her arm. “Much as I enjoy the comparison to a god, I am a mere mortal.”

“Does it have something to do with your sister?” she asked, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb, not meeting his eyes. “Your estrangement, I mean.”

Christian sighed. Maddie had been so open with him about her relationship with Linton. Had bared her soul about how she felt about her parents’ attitude toward her. He owed her the same kind of honesty. But how could he mar the joy of this day, of all days, with the melancholy of his sister’s death?

He felt Maddie withdraw a little. It was only a slight shift of her body away from him, but he noticed it. “I’m sorry,” she said with diffidence. “I shouldn’t pry. Mama always did say that an overabundance of curiosity would be my downfall.”

She was nervous, he guessed. Pulling her back to sit flush against him, he murmured, “Don’t apologize. You should know. About this, and the whole sordid mess.” He leaned his head back against the squabs of the carriage. “I just don’t want to dwell on so much unhappiness today. Do you understand?”

Maddie relaxed against him. “I do understand,” she said, “but I am your wife now, and a part of your family. You can tell me anything.”

His heart constricted. How the devil had he been so lucky to find a woman like her? How could he possibly have missed seeing this generosity of hers for the past weeks of their friendship?

“You are,” he said, leaning down to kiss her properly. “And I will tell you. I promise. Just not right now.”

The slowing of the carriage punctuated his words.

“Very well,” Maddie said, “but do not try to protect me from the truth. I am strong enough to accept it no matter how melancholy it might be.”

“I know,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Believe me. I do.”

*   *   *

While Maddie was almost immediately swept away into a group of women that included her cousins and aunts—doubtless to be interrogated about her plans for the redecoration of Gresham House or some such female occupation—Christian found himself alone in the entryway of Essex House with his new papa-in-law.

Since Maddie’s father had made his displeasure about the match known on the day Christian had asked for her hand, there had been little opportunity for the two men to exchange more than a few polite words. Though if he weren’t bound by propriety and a desire to keep Maddie from becoming upset, he would have told the older man exactly what he thought of him.

Perhaps also remembering their previous altercation, Essex cleared his throat. “It was wrong of me,” Lord Essex said curtly. “What I said before about Madeline’s behavior. I was overset by the situation but that is really no excuse.”

Christian, who had been carefully studying the watch fob at his waist, looked up in surprise. He had expected this meeting to be awkward, of course, but he hadn’t expected this.

“I have a problem,” Essex continued, not able to meet Christian’s eyes. “Always have had the devil of a temper, you see. And when Linton and Madeline were children I stopped mixing it with drink. But, while I no longer rail drunkenly, I still have a tendency to rail. And this business with Linton has overset me, I don’t mind telling you.”

“It is hardly surprising,” Christian offered diplomatically. He wasn’t sure that the stress of Linton’s situation was enough of an excuse for what Lord Essex had said to Maddie, but he was making an effort. That was beyond most men with similar temperament issues. “Having your son and heir under suspicion for murder must be quite oversetting.”

Finally looking up, Lord Essex nodded. “It is. But what I said to Madeline. Accusing her of being no better than a common sl—” He stopped, clearly unable to say the words. “Well, it was wrong of me. I know she’s headstrong, but she’s never been one to behave in a wanton matter. I overreacted to the situation, and I insulted you both.”

He went on, “I hope you’ll find it in yourself to forgive me.”

The older man’s eyes were intent as he waited to hear what Christian would say. Christian knew it must have taken a great deal of courage for a man who was accustomed to giving orders and commanding attention to humble himself before a man he had insulted.

Nodding briskly, Christian said, “I will forgive you, but I’m afraid it’s a conditional forgiveness.”

Essex’s graying brows furrowed. “And what is that condition?”

“That you apologize to Madeline,” Christian said firmly. “With all due respect, I don’t give a hang about your insult to me. My anger that day was about the way you treated your daughter, my lord.”

Lord Essex pursed his lips, but did not disagree.

“Make things right with your daughter,” Christian told him, “and that will right things between us.”

Of course, he had no idea what Maddie’s response would be to her father’s apology. But there would be no amity between them if Lord Essex didn’t make the effort. For both their sakes, Christian hoped that they were able to reconcile in the event that something untoward happened to Lord Linton. Because if something occurred to harm the heir to the Essex earldom, the entire family would need to pull together.

*   *   *

Maddie was on her way upstairs to her bedchamber to ensure she’d left nothing behind, when a feminine cough from a little-used parlor door drew her attention. To her surprise she saw Miss Amelia Snowe hovering there.