nearby. “I do think this must be the largest ball Grandpapa has given. At least since I’ve been old enough to attend. I don’t recall seeing so many of my cousins in attendance at one time.”
“Are your brother and sister here?”
“Miriam is in Bath with Papa’s sister. I heard Lee has arrived at the castle—and with a wife! Mama is beside herself with that news. I am so excited to meet her, my new sister. I had not heard he’d formed an attachment.”
Morley leaned close to her ear. “Perhaps he also discovered a stowaway?”
She gasped and threw him a brief glance. “We mustn’t speak of that. What would people think?”
“The same thing your father and cousin did, as you are all too well aware.”
Harriet pulled on his sleeve and led him behind a column. “Will you ever forgive me, Archie? It was ill-conceived of me to—”
He pressed his fingers to her lips. “Speak no more of it. As improper and unconventional as our meeting might have been, I don’t regret having met you. Nor anything else that has happened since.”
Rubbing a hand along his jaw, he grinned. “Although I might have preferred informing Nicholas in a more congenial manner.”
Her fingers traced the tender area, making him turn to press a kiss into her palm. Her sharp breath tightened his groin. Without thinking, he leaned down and captured her mouth, letting his tongue trace the seam of her lips. She leaned closer, her palms flat on his chest.
Heat coursed through him, and he longed to explore her curves, but realization of where they were broke through the passionate fog. He took a step back. “We mustn’t do that here.”
“Then where?”
His laugh was rough with his need. “Your parents would notice if we were missing for too long. I wonder if your grandfather could be convinced to alter the names on one of those licenses he is said to have obtained.”
“Oh, but Mama is looking forward to a large wedding celebration. I am the first of her children to marry. Or the first child whose wedding she might attend, since Lee ran off to Gretna Green. Perhaps in London at the beginning of the Season?”
“Too long.”
Her gaze locked on his, her smile softening. Her voice was a small margin deeper. “A winter wedding, then?”
“As soon as the banns can be read. And my family told, of course.” What was he thinking? He was planning his wedding and his parents had yet to hear of his engagement.
“I can’t wait to speak to Ellie. We’ll be sisters!”
He groaned, closing his eyes. “I hadn’t thought of that. Another female giggling through the halls of Wrenthorpe.”
“But I shall be a married woman. I’ll be much more composed.”
“Marriage hasn’t helped my elder sisters in that manner. I won’t hold out much hope.”
She pouted. For some odd reason, his heart skipped a beat in fear he’d hurt her. “It is my wish that you never change. I pray you shall always be filled with laughter and joy as on the night we first met.”
That turned the trick and her face brightened. “How can I be anything else, as long as you are at my side? Oh, dear Archie, this is entirely the best dream.”
As he kissed her once more, he prayed it was a dream from which they’d never wake.
~*~
The next two months passed quickly, with the need to tell his parents of his betrothal and arrange for his father’s solicitor to meet with Alderford’s solicitor. The Marquess of Boxworth had backed off his demands when confronted with statements from six men who agreed Morley hadn’t gone to bed when Lady Susan insisted he had.
Now, on the second Tuesday in March, he’d donned his finest coat and whitest cravat to stand beside Harriet at the altar of the church near the Alderford estate.
Morley waited beside his friend Edmund, Lord Snowley, watching for his bride to enter. The small chapel was rather full for a wedding, but his sisters and their husbands accounted for a good number of the filled pews. He and Harriet
“Are your brother and sister here?”
“Miriam is in Bath with Papa’s sister. I heard Lee has arrived at the castle—and with a wife! Mama is beside herself with that news. I am so excited to meet her, my new sister. I had not heard he’d formed an attachment.”
Morley leaned close to her ear. “Perhaps he also discovered a stowaway?”
She gasped and threw him a brief glance. “We mustn’t speak of that. What would people think?”
“The same thing your father and cousin did, as you are all too well aware.”
Harriet pulled on his sleeve and led him behind a column. “Will you ever forgive me, Archie? It was ill-conceived of me to—”
He pressed his fingers to her lips. “Speak no more of it. As improper and unconventional as our meeting might have been, I don’t regret having met you. Nor anything else that has happened since.”
Rubbing a hand along his jaw, he grinned. “Although I might have preferred informing Nicholas in a more congenial manner.”
Her fingers traced the tender area, making him turn to press a kiss into her palm. Her sharp breath tightened his groin. Without thinking, he leaned down and captured her mouth, letting his tongue trace the seam of her lips. She leaned closer, her palms flat on his chest.
Heat coursed through him, and he longed to explore her curves, but realization of where they were broke through the passionate fog. He took a step back. “We mustn’t do that here.”
“Then where?”
His laugh was rough with his need. “Your parents would notice if we were missing for too long. I wonder if your grandfather could be convinced to alter the names on one of those licenses he is said to have obtained.”
“Oh, but Mama is looking forward to a large wedding celebration. I am the first of her children to marry. Or the first child whose wedding she might attend, since Lee ran off to Gretna Green. Perhaps in London at the beginning of the Season?”
“Too long.”
Her gaze locked on his, her smile softening. Her voice was a small margin deeper. “A winter wedding, then?”
“As soon as the banns can be read. And my family told, of course.” What was he thinking? He was planning his wedding and his parents had yet to hear of his engagement.
“I can’t wait to speak to Ellie. We’ll be sisters!”
He groaned, closing his eyes. “I hadn’t thought of that. Another female giggling through the halls of Wrenthorpe.”
“But I shall be a married woman. I’ll be much more composed.”
“Marriage hasn’t helped my elder sisters in that manner. I won’t hold out much hope.”
She pouted. For some odd reason, his heart skipped a beat in fear he’d hurt her. “It is my wish that you never change. I pray you shall always be filled with laughter and joy as on the night we first met.”
That turned the trick and her face brightened. “How can I be anything else, as long as you are at my side? Oh, dear Archie, this is entirely the best dream.”
As he kissed her once more, he prayed it was a dream from which they’d never wake.
~*~
The next two months passed quickly, with the need to tell his parents of his betrothal and arrange for his father’s solicitor to meet with Alderford’s solicitor. The Marquess of Boxworth had backed off his demands when confronted with statements from six men who agreed Morley hadn’t gone to bed when Lady Susan insisted he had.
Now, on the second Tuesday in March, he’d donned his finest coat and whitest cravat to stand beside Harriet at the altar of the church near the Alderford estate.
Morley waited beside his friend Edmund, Lord Snowley, watching for his bride to enter. The small chapel was rather full for a wedding, but his sisters and their husbands accounted for a good number of the filled pews. He and Harriet
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