Lord Sebastian's Secret (The Duke's Sons #3)(90)

“Sebastian told me why he often feels dull-witted,” Georgina replied carefully. “We…discussed the fact that it is not a good reason.”

The duchess’s face was tight with curiosity and concern. She started to speak, then pressed her lips together.

“I also told him that he must never call himself stupid again. If he does, I shall shake him. You may count on that.”

Tears suddenly pooled in the older woman’s eyes, just the blue of Sebastian’s. “It is not necessary that I know the whole,” she replied, her voice a little choked. “I’m just very happy that he told you.”

Georgina struggled with tears herself. She saw Violet and Ariel glance in their direction and politely look away. They seemed interested, but not worried, which said a lot about the Gresham family.

Hilda started over from the pianoforte. Violet intercepted her with a question.

“That’s the secret of a long and happy marriage, you know,” the duchess said. She sat straighter, rapidly regaining control. “Speaking to each other. Not holding things back and letting them grow all out of proportion.”

Georgina nodded her respect for the advice. It occurred to her that her parents did that, in their own slightly peculiar way.

Sebastian’s mother took her hand. “You are so welcome in our family,” she said.

A laugh escaped Georgina.

“What is it?”

“We welcomed Sebastian into ours, officially, last night.”

“Officially? I’m intrigued.”

“I can tell you all about that,” Georgina replied. Her worries about shocking the Greshams had somehow evaporated. She proceeded to describe the ritual, in detail. “Randolph was frightened by the candle,” she finished. “I don’t blame him, you understand. It was rather…unnerving.”

“And Sebastian read out a long passage,” the duchess said.

Meeting her speculative gaze, Georgina recognized that here was an extremely sharp, observant woman. She’d seized on that crucial detail like the aforementioned snake striking. It would be a dreadful mistake to get on the duchess’s bad side, or try to deceive her. Not that Georgina intended to, ever. Why would she want to? “I hope Randolph has enjoyed his visit,” she answered, warmly evasive. “It’s been somewhat unusual for a clergyman.”

The older woman smiled, at the same time acknowledging the change of topic and allowing it. “He is a rather unusual clergyman.”

Their joint laughter rang through the room.

“There’s one of the prettiest sights I’ve ever seen,” said Sebastian, glimpsing them.

Georgina turned. The men had come into the drawing room. It was a picture to take one’s breath away—six tall, handsome Greshams grouped together. Poor Papa was quite overshadowed. From his peevish expression, he was well aware of it, too. On the other hand, Edgar, planted next to Alan like an acolyte, seemed oblivious.

“Why are you blocking the way?” demanded a lighter voice. Georgina’s mother pushed through the masculine crowd, a small, plump figure among giants. “All’s well with Nuala,” she informed her uninterested house party as she strode over to the hearth. “Are you going to play something, Emma?”

The two women Sebastian loved most in the world gazed up at him. Telling himself there was no reason to worry if Mama chose to have a little chat with Georgina, he walked over to their chairs.

“I’m so proud of you,” said his mother.

“So am I,” said his beloved almost wife.

He didn’t have the first idea why they should say so, at this particular moment, but he smiled down at them anyway. It didn’t matter a whit whether he understood. If he needed to, he had perfect confidence that his wife would explain it to him in due course. The point was: he’d never been so happy in his life.





Twenty-one


Later that night, when the young ladies and a weary Edgar and the older Stanes had gone to bed, the Greshams gathered in the library, catching up on the details of their lives. The brothers planned to sit up for some hours as a send-off for Sebastian on the eve of his wedding. “We should go up and leave the boys to their roistering,” said the duchess to her husband after a while.

“That’s a terribly old-fashioned expression, Mama,” said Robert.

“Well, I am an ancient, about to be a grandmamma,” she answered.

“A young and beautiful grandmamma,” put in the duke.

They exchanged the kind of look that made a man squirm when it was his parents, Sebastian thought. And yet he liked seeing it, too, because it was such a good omen for his own future. They said their good nights and went out.

“Now we can pour liquor down your throat and befuddle you,” said Nathaniel as the door closed behind them. “Any wolf skins about the castle? Robert?”

“No, there are not,” said Sebastian. He didn’t think there were. He’d been here for weeks and hadn’t seen any. “Or any other sorts either. We’ll have no pranks tonight.”

“You didn’t hesitate to pull one on me,” Nathaniel pointed out.

“I’m sorry,” said Sebastian.

“You are now, when it’s your turn.”

“That’s it,” he agreed.

“We’d need a fresh idea anyway,” said Robert, looking about the room as if for inspiration. “Mustn’t repeat ourselves.”