Chemistry of Magic: Unexpected Magic Book Five (Unexpected Magic #5)(8)
Lord Theo Ives emerged from the crowd of well-wishers to pound Dare on the back. “Welcome to the exotic world of Malcolm marriage, old boy. You’ll never be bored again.”
Lady Aster, Lord Theo’s wife, released her husband’s arm to take Emilia’s. “Come along, I need to speak with the dowager Lady Dare about the details of your husband’s birth so I may draw his astrological chart.”
Emilia sent him a pleading look, but Dare figured it would be a very short conversation and a very short chart given his fate, so he let her go. Besides, he needed to discuss investments with Theo.
“Did you talk with the rest of the railroad committee?” Dare asked, leading Theo toward a grove of trees, away from the wedding party. “Has the Crown agreed to sell that final stretch of land that we need to finish the tracks?”
Theo rubbed his nose, and Dare experienced a sinking feeling. Theo wasn’t much of a talker, but his rubbing his nose meant he didn’t want to talk.
“You won’t like this.” Theo finally found his words. “In an amazing piece of bad luck, my uncle and his new wife now own the entire property. Rather than sell the single strip we need, the Crown bestowed all of Alder Abbey on Pascoe. We’ve missed our opportunity.”
“How is that bad luck?” Dare asked. “We’ve not been able to pry the plot out of the Crown’s hands, but your uncle has somehow managed to put it back in circulation. We just need to pay him instead of the king. Or we could make him an investor. He should be happy to be rid of that worthless stretch.”
Theo shoved his hand in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “One would think that would be the easiest solution, but you haven’t had time to grasp the intricacies of being married to a Malcolm. They look so fragile and lovely, don’t they?” He glanced at the sea of frilly hats and delicate fabrics blowing gracefully in a breeze as the women gathered around the bride.
Women were supposed to be fragile and lovely. Dare noticed his bride stood taller than all the rest, but that didn’t make her any stronger. She was already sending him another pleading look. He swelled with pride that she turned to him. He nodded to her, then regarded Theo without understanding. “What do our wives have to do with anything?”
Theo held up his fingers and began counting them off. “One, Malcolms probably own half of England. Two, the women are all married to some of the most powerful men in the kingdom. Three, they control as much of the wealth as their husbands. Four, they are the most intransigent, whimsical, irrational flight of moon-touched pigeons as you can imagine. You have no notion of what you’ve let yourself in for.”
Whimsical women, he understood. Powerful ones—that was a rather quelling notion, but even if such a creature existed, Dare didn’t see how it applied. “What does this have to do with your uncle and his land?”
“Pascoe is married to another Malcolm, the same cousin who has invited Emilia to build her laboratory and clinic in Alder Abbey. It is the reason your bride is finally eager to marry and take over her grandfather’s estate. Do you really think they will give up that land for a railroad?”
Dare refused to believe two reasonable men couldn’t sit down and negotiate a contract. “If we don’t connect the properties on either side of the abbey land, the railroad can’t go through. We’ll lose everything. I’ll talk with him.”
Theo nodded, not looking optimistic. “I don’t have much invested, but the rest of you. . .” He made a helpless gesture. “You may be our only hope.”
“I’ll talk to your uncle,” was all Dare said, saving his breath to fight the urge to cough. “Men are rational, and the land is his.”
“Probably not now,” Theo said with a sigh. “He would have put part of it up as a dower for his bride and offspring. Looks like my brother’s berlin has arrived to haul you to your fate. Sorry to set you off on your wedding journey on a sour note. Maybe once you’re there, you can find alternatives.”
Dare hoped so. His marriage settlement provided the wherewithal to see his family properly housed, but his investments must pay for their future. He didn’t want to leave his mother in penury, as his father had. He’d worked hard and long to be better than that.
Recently tailored, Lord Dare’s wedding clothes fit his manly shoulders and narrow hips to perfection. Emilia had scarcely been able to pry her gaze from her new husband all morning. Now that she clutched his coat sleeve in preparation for departing, she was relieved to confirm that the layers of fabric prevented her from sensing whatever pain he suffered. Or her nervousness did.
She was about to leave behind her family and embark on a journey to her new future. She had a right to be nervous.
Dare led her toward the grandiose coach the marquess of Ashford had generously sent down for their use. Here was their first test of disorder at the way things ought to be. Men were supposed to hand ladies in, but she stepped aside. “You will have to climb in first,” she nervously informed him.
He shot her a look of surprise, then intelligently, peered inside. His eyebrows rose. “Where are our legs supposed to go?”
“It’s a mattress, so you may rest,” she said, clasping and unclasping her gloved hands. “But it needed to go on the far side so we can climb in and out. The plank can be removed and the mattress rolled up, if you prefer, but we’ve stored your valise and a box beneath it. I have rather a lot of. . . books. I was trying to think of what you might need,” she whispered. “I am not very good at it.”