by Brianna York
“Hello,” she said fuzzily.
“Hello,” he returned. He propped himself up on the bedposts with both hands and regarded her with amusement. “Need I remind you that unmarried women do not stay in the same room with a bachelor such as myself?”
She giggled. “Silly. Come to bed.” And then she rolled over and drew the sheets up to her chin. He stared at her for another long moment, smiling gently, then bowed to the inevitable and slipped off his boots before climbing into the bed and curling up with her. As he drifted off to sleep, he decided that he would be happy simply to lead a boring and fulfilling life as a country Baron. He doubted that even a city girl like Alex would argue with him after the events of the past few weeks.
Epilogue
I
n the end it seemed simpler to combine the two weddings, which meant that Rob became best man two times over and that Rosalind was required to be the maid of honor for the two most beautiful women in London. Tess, Rosy and Alex got ready all at the same time in Alex’s room amidst much giggling and one brief pillow fight. Forrest and Matthew dressed and then played a companionable game of billiards while Rob leaned on his cane making suggestions to them both that were largely erroneous and suitably distracting.
Most of London’s elite looked on with subdued displeasure as the richest man in England married a penniless chit from who knew where and the reigning Incomparable surrendered her crown for an undistinguished and rather unworldly Baron. They all would have been outright furious if not for the generous breakfast feast awaiting them once the ceremony was completed.
At the breakfast, Emmeline Hargreve took all the credit for the two matches, and everyone allowed her to do so, despite the fact that it cast a rather terrible pall over her credibility as a hostess. Everyone ate and drank and forgot their resentment in time for the dancing to begin. Forrest, Alex, Matthew and Tess led off the first country dance with broad smiles.
Rob, whose ankle was going to be of no use to him for quite some time, hobbled on his cane over to chairs placed by the windows and sat down to admire the dancing. He watched Forrest whisper something to Alex as they passed near his seat by the windows. She laughed aloud and Rob smiled. He knew that the happiness of his friends was secure now once and for all.
“It is a shame that you cannot dance, Lord Coulthurst.” Her cheery voice proceeding her, Rosy joined him by plunking down in the chair next to him. “I should have asked you to dance with me.”
Rob glanced at her sparkling eyes and laughed aloud. “You never stand on decorum do you, Rosalind?”
She shook her head, making the little curls around her face dance. “Never ever. Decorum is dull.”
“Here, here,” he agreed, accentuating his words with two thumps of his cane.
“Speaking of decorum...” Rosy said calculatingly. She let her voice trail off as she eyed the man next to her thoughtfully.
When she did not finish her sentence, Rob turned to look at her, only to find her face mere inches from his. He jumped, then cleared his throat. “You were saying something about decorum,” he reminded her, her proximity making him nervous.
She cocked her head to one side as she tried to remember what she had been saying, then she smiled brightly at him. “Ah yes, decorum be damned,” she announced before kissing him full on the lips. She drew back, laughed at the shocked look on his face and then scampered away across the room.
Alex, who had seen Rosy kiss Rob, passed by him and dropped him a wink before laughing and being drawn back into the pattern of the dance. Rob shook his head to clear it and chuckled. Wonders never ceased.
“Did Rosy just kiss Rob?” Tess asked Alex as they passed each other.
Alex waited until they were reunited in the figures of the dance and said on a laugh, “She did indeed.”
When Tess passed her again, she gave Alex a sly wink. “Do you hear wedding bells?” Alex laughed and Tess joined her.
“Dare I ask what they are laughing at?” Forrest asked Matthew as they passed each other.
Matthew shrugged as he crossed to his next partner. “I should think that we are better off not knowing that, my friend,” he called over his shoulder.
“He’s right, you know,” Alex informed her husband as he partnered her again.
“Aren’t you two always right?” Forrest wanted to know, with a fond smile.
Alex grinned at him. “Always.”