The Widow Wager by Jess Michaels

a wide smile on his face, Crispin forced his own. “Congratulations.” He looked past his brother. “Hello, Rivers.”
    Rafe stepped back. “Did Mama tell you about the baby?”
    Crispin blinked. “Latham didn’t tell you?”
    There was confusion on Rafe’s face. “Tell me what? Latham just said you were here and wished to see me.”
    Shifting, Crispin said, “I didn’t know about the child until I arrived this afternoon.”
    Rafe’s smile fell. “No? Then why—” He cut himself off as his gaze shifted toward Gemma, who remained at the sideboard, allowing the scene between the brothers play out. She stiffened as the duke’s exalted gaze swept over her, then back to his brother. “Crispin?”
    “I’m in a bit of trouble, Rafe.”
    His brother’s chin dropped and his eyes shut, but Crispin still saw his annoyance, his pain, his anger on his face. Those emotions stabbed Crispin through the heart and made him feel like the disappointment he was all the keener.
    “Must we do this today, Crispin?” Rafe said, his tone soft. “My son was just born twelve hours ago.”
    “A son.” Crispin shook his head.
    “God help us,” Marcus piped up from the door, tone dry as a brushfire wind.
    Rafe ignored them both. “I must think of him now and Serafina, so I can’t—”
    “Your Grace, allow me to introduce myself.”
    They all turned at the interrupted and Crispin watched as Gemma stepped forward, hand outstretched to his brother. She had a steady, cool look in her eyes as she reached him, and Rafe took her offering with a side glance toward Crispin. They shook, and as she released him, Gemma continued.
    “I’m—” The veneer of her confidence slipped a little as she hesitated. “Up until recently, I was the Countess of Laurelcross. But last night, due to a set of unfortunate situations, I became Mrs. Flynn.”
    The statement had a consequence, though Crispin wasn’t certain it was one Gemma had intended. Marcus and Rafe both straightened up, mouths dropped open and stunned into silence.
    It took his brother a moment of opening and shutting his mouth before Rafe managed to squeak out, “Mrs. Flynn?”
    “Yes.” That fetching blush pinkened her cheeks again. “But as I said, this all happened under very bad circumstances, Your Grace. And we desperately need your help.”
    Rafe blinked. He just kept blinking, staring first at Gemma for a very long time, then slowly to Crispin. “Married?”
    Crispin knew he was asking him, not her. Slowly, he nodded and managed to push one word past his suddenly very dry throat. “Yes.”
    Rafe nodded, then returned his attention to Gemma. He stepped closer and Crispin saw her tense, even though she didn’t step back.
    “Mrs. Flynn, may I present Marcus Rivers. He is our very old friend and recently married to our sister, Annabelle.”
    “Charmed,” Marcus said, the word heavy as he looked Gemma up and down.
    Of course, the humiliation of the moment would not have been complete until the door opened again and Annabelle and their mother came in, their faces tired but filled with joy at the news of Rafe’s baby.
    “His cheeks!” his mother was finishing, but she didn’t say anything more as her eyes fell on him. “Crispin, my love.”
    He found himself enveloped in hugs from both her and Annabelle as Gemma stood by, watching with interest and he could see, a great deal of discomfort. It was rather overwhelming, he knew, all these Flynns in one room.
    “Hello, hello,” he said as the two women backed away.
    “What is going on?” Annabelle asked as she stepped into the waiting arm of her new husband. Crispin flinched at the two of them standing there. Annabelle had fallen into disgrace while trying to help him, but he had to admit, she looked blissfully happy now.
    “Your brother somehow ended up married to this lovely lady last night,” Marcus explained. “Apparently it was under terrible circumstances.”
    “Rivers!” Crispin and Rafe burst out