Authors: Nichole Matthews
Hawksley
leaned against the wall, crossing one
dust covered boot
over the other with his arms crossed over his muscled chest. “You are a natural.”
“I suppose that is good,” Seymour added. “Since you are acquiring a ready-made family.”
Parker’s eyes
rose
to catch Persephone
staring at him and he smiled as she turned away, a blush rising to her cheeks.
Seymour glanced first at
Hawksley
, who was grinning at him, and then to Parker who looked smug. Then he rolled his eyes, holding up his hands. “No.”
Parker handed the baby to Seymour and watched as he awkwardly settled the infant in his arms.
“Are you sure you want me to hold your heir?” Seymour’s voice held a hint of fear and beads of sweat popped out on his forehead.
“It is good to see you so
discomposed
, Seymour.” Parker laughed.
Seymour’s
brow furrowed even more and he lifted to baby up, holding him under the arms as far away from his body as his arms would reach. “Bloody hell, Hawk.” Seymour cursed. “Your baby leaked on my new coat.”
Hawksley
shot him a rueful glance as he nodded towards the nu
rse. He removed the baby from Seymour’s
outstretched
hands
.
Hawksley
placed a kiss on Gabriel’s forehead before handing
him over to his nurse
.
Parker blew out his breath and bent over at the waist laughing until tears ran down his face
in rivulets
.
Hawksley
flicked a non-existent speck of dust from his shoulder. “I
’ll
have you know, Seymour, Lord
Foxworth
does not leak.”
Seymour chuckled
, falling back against the wall
.
Persephone watched the
back-and-forth
jesting
of
the men. It was a pleasant scene. No fighting. Just teasing and laughter, it warmed her heart.
“Parker looks delightful with a baby in his arms,” Poppy said.
Persephone returned her attention back to the ladies.
“He does appear to be a natural,” Adele added.
Persephone nodded and stood to remove her now sleeping baby from Poppy’s arm. She turn
ed to hand her over to Mrs. Collins
, then sat back down.
“I do hope Lord Seymour is not too upset.”
Chloé
rolled her eyes
. “It’
s just a coat.”
Piper chimed in, “He has hundreds, if not thousands. He will survive.” She smiled.” His valet may not.”
Poppy l
ooked around. “Did Peyton not accompany you
?”
Persephone frowned. “He said he would be
only a few hours behind us
, but he never made it to
Rosebriar
, perhaps he had business to attend to before following
.” She glanced towards Parker. “I’m su
re he’ll arrive sometime this evening
.”
At that precise moment
Hawkley’s
butler,
Archi
bald
entered. “Dinner, Your Grace.”
“Oh,” Persephone cried out. “We’ve not even changed
from
our travel attire.
”
Poppy waved her hand. “I believe our easy camaraderie calls for an informal affair.”
She paused. “Unless
you would prefer to change
?
”
“I cannot bare to be away from you for a single second. Not this soon,” Piper cried.
Relief made Persephone
smile
as Parker reached out his hand a
nd lifted her to her feet.
“If you can stand us in our dust, then I believe we can stand to dine that way.”
Persephone looked up into Parker’s eyes
with a pleased
grin on her face. She nodded in assent.
Persephone was once again surprise
d
to find there
was no particular order to the seating
arrangements,
exce
pt that
Hawksley
sat at the head of the table with his wife beside him like a king ruling over his kingdom.
Persephone couldn’t seem to remove the smile from her face as she listened to the teasing that flew back and forth between the friends.
“
Hawksley
,” Rockwell chimed in. “You’ve outdone yourself, my friend.”
The conversation faded
as a long line of footman carried in several trays of food.
“We are eating family style this evening; I hope you do not mind?”
Hawksley
smiled
as a fat goose,
a
tureen of
creamy
soup
,
and silver trays of
cheese and sugared fruits were laid out in the center of the table
.
“We are in fact, all family at this table, are we
not?
”
Persephone glowed as he
included her in his observation
.
“It all looks so delici
ous, Your Grace.” Persephone in
haled the heave
nly s
c
ent of the roasted goose, roasted potatoes, mashed carrots
and turnips
,
and finally warm chestnut soup
“
Hawksley
,” he reiterated, turning to Parker. “I believe your betrothed has not grown used to our informality.”
Parker shook his head. “She is learning.” He winked at her and she blushed prettily.
Rockwell sighed as he lifted a spoon of chestnut soup. “Hearty fare, Hawk.”
“I believe fitting after rescuing damsels in distress.”
“I don’t believe I was in distress,
Hawksley
,” Persephone cut in.
Poppy and Piper chuckled.
Adele reached over and patted her hand. “Do let the men parade around like peacocks, my dear.” She grinned. “It makes them ever so much more
entertaining
.”
The meal was topped off by a
rich
Christmas pudding and mulled wine
before they all retired before the fire in the parlor
.
The door flew open and in walked Peyton
,
a wide smile plastered across his face. “Wher
e’s
my nephew?
” he called
,
striding
swiftly towards the settee
to buss
Poppy
’s forehead with a loud
kiss
.
Poppy rolled her eyes. “He is sleeping, Peyton.” She glanced at the clock on the mantle. “It is well past ten.”
“The night is still young.” He chuckled as he plopped down in one of the empty chairs.
“No, my son is young, you unrepentant
reprobate.” Poppy’s eyes twinkled.
Peyton
’s laugh didn’t quite reach his eyes so he looked down at his hands
only looking
up
when
a tu
mbler of amber liquid appeared in his line of sight
. He looked up into
Hawksley’s
green eyes
and said very quietly
. “Thank you.”
“I believe you deserve a stiff drink.”
Parker lifted his glass in the air. “Top off mine while y
ou’re in servant mode, Duke
.”
Peyton turned haunted eyes towards Parker, stopping when his gaz
e caught on Persephone’s understanding
green gaze
. She mouthed the words,
thank you
.
He was surprised to feel a blush steal across his cheeks.
Piper and Poppy looked at each other, then turned in time to witness a single tear slide down the side of Peyton’s face and the surreptitious swipe of his hand to eliminate the evidence.
***
Soon after dinner,
Parker and Persephone
strolled through the winter garden alone
at an unhurried pace
until
t
he
y
found the castle ruin
s
Hawksley
had erected in the back of his garden for Poppy.
Parker tugged Persephone’s
hand from her side and let it rest over his palm
and pulled her to sit on the wrought iron bench
. He covered hers with his other hand and rubbed his thumb
idly across the back
.
“I
still feel so full of fear
,” she admitted.
He pulled her into the crook
of his arm and brushed a kiss on the top of her head.
“I promise you that you will never have
need
to be afraid again.”
She laid her head on his shoulder and absorbed his warmth and strength.
He leaned in close, touched her cheek, then nuzzled through her hair to her ear.
“I love you, Persephone
, marry me tomorrow
.”
Her mouth fell open in shock. “Tomorrow?”
He smiled
gently;
reaching into his pocket he pulled out a hammered gold ring wi
th a large ruby in the center and placed it on the ring finger of her left hand.
“This ring belonged to my
grand
mother.”
Persephone gasped. “It’s beautiful.” She l
ifted her hand and the moonlight
glinted off the gold.
“We cannot just marry
at the drop of a hat, Parker.”
“Why not?”
He pulled
the special license from the top inside pocket of his coat
and waved it in front of her face
.
“How
ever did you manage that so quickly
?”
He cocked his head and lifted his right eyebrow.
A thrill ran through her
as she recalled his strength and bravery
.
“Of course, I forgot.” She smirked. “You
, my lord,
co
me from a very powerful family,” she spoke in a deep voice, mocking his previous statement.
“Yes I do.”
He gripped her nape
and leaned closer
. “And do
not
forget it.”
His voice sent spirals of pleasure through her.
“And with the reputation my family
h
as obtained for hasty marriages, I felt it necessary to keep one on hand.”
“Of course.” Persephone rolled her eyes.
“Quit stalling.”
He was greedy for the taste of her. Then he pulled her close and kissed her, because he couldn’t take it anymore.
Soft nibbling kisses that left her breathless. “A
nswer my question, Persephone,” he whispered against her lips.
“I have something that must be said before we can proceed.” She worried her bottom lip with her teeth.
Parke
r’s brow furrowed in concern
.
She winced when his brows drew together.
“I’m far from poor.”
A small worry line appeared between her brows.
“Good to know.”
Parker let a slow, easy smile cross his face.
She
gave him a deadpan stare s
urprised at his calm response.
“I do have one question, though.” Parker turned inquisitive eyes on her. “Why were you nearly starved to death when I found you?”
“I wasn’t certain I could contact my solicitor without alerting my uncle.”
“
Intelligent
and beautiful.”
He laughed and shook his head. He played with her hair, letting his fingers sift through the softness of it. He tugged at one of the ends.
“You’re not upset that I didn’t inform you of my money?”
“Why should I be upset?”
he questioned with a chuckle.
“I have no need for your money.”
“Some men would not be so understanding.”
“I believe we’
ve established that
I’m not cut from the same cloth as other men.”