London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series

by Theresa Troutman

  Penelope was breathtaking. She wore a strapless white dress with a fitted ruched bodice and a long skirt with a tulle overlay. Her hair was pulled up to show off her long, slender neck and the diamond and sapphire necklace Maxwell had given her as a wedding gift. A short silk veil was attached to her head with his grandmother’s Cartier diamond diadem. She carried a bouquet of peonies and white roses. Penny walked down the aisle, self-assured and beaming with happiness.

  Maxwell waited at the end of the aisle for his bride to arrive. He was so riveted with her beauty, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was elegant, poised, warm, and loving—everything he could ever want in a mate.

  When she arrived next to Maxwell, she handed her bouquet to Sigourney. The bridesmaids and groomsmen took their seats in the front row and the minister began the ceremony. Sebastian held Tess’ hand as the officiant talked about love, respect, and friendship. He was so happy for his brother and best friend. Even though he had been skeptical of their relationship at first, he had come to realize they truly loved one another. After all, love knows no timelines, and the speed at which one person could capture the heart of another could not be metered. They really were a perfect match, just like Tess and he were perfect together. The couple recited their vows, opting to go the traditional route and exchange platinum wedding bands. Twenty minutes later, the couple were pronounced husband and wife.

  The crowd politely applauded as the couple made their way down the aisle to form a receiving line. As people passed by offering their congratulations and best wishes, Penny and Max smiled, happy and in love.

  The guests adjourned in the ballroom for dinner. The room was transformed by round tables, flower arrangements, garlands, and candles. Sebastian had never seen the room so alive and festive—not even at Christmastime when he was a child.

  The tables were dressed in ivory linen, fine Royal Dalton china, and Arthur Price silver. An elegant floral arrangement sat at the center of each table, while calligraphy place cards announced each guest’s seat.

  “This is spectacular. Even in my wildest dreams I couldn’t have imagined how beautiful and extravagant this day would be,” Kate announced as they took their seats at the table.

  “This is understated. If Mother were in charge, it would truly be over the top,” Victoria explained.

  “Yes, well, thank God she’s not here and Max had to good sense to marry Penny even when she disapproved,” Sebastian said.

  “Penny’s from a perfectly respectable family,” Victoria agreed. “I can’t understand why Mummy wouldn’t approve.”

  Kate leaned in and whispered to Tess, “So this is how the other half lives.”

  Tess nodded her head. “It takes some getting used to.”

  The uniformed waiters began dinner service. Everything was perfect and timed to the minute. “Mattie’s so well behaved,” Kate said, astonished.

  “I know she can be a ball of energy, but she’s taken to this lifestyle like a fish to water. I guess it’s in her blood.”

  “She’s young—it’s easy for children to adapt.”

  “She better not get too used to it. Bas and I can’t afford to buy a castle—let alone hire a staff to run it,” Tess laughed.

  “It’s a good thing Max and Penny adore her. It takes the heat off of you and Sebastian.”

  “Just what do you two have your heads together about over here?” Sebastian leaned in and whispered.

  “Your daughter’s good manners and ease of living in all this opulence,” Kate replied.

  “She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

  After dinner was consumed, dancing began. “Ladies and gentleman, may I introduce the Earl and Countess of Sutton,” the liveried butler announced as Max and Penny took the floor for their first dance. The orchestra began to play “The Best Is Yet To Come.” Max took Penny in his arms and together they moved with elegant grace on the dance floor like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

  As the evening wore on, copious amounts of champagne were consumed, toasts were made, and the lavish six-tiered wedding cake was cut and served. The party began to slow down around eleven o’clock. Sebastian and Tess were some of the last guests to retire for the evening.

  “What a lovely day,” Tess said, sitting down to remove her shoes back in the comfort of their guest room.

  “It was, wasn’t it?” Sebastian agreed as he took off his jacket and loosened his bow tie.

  “I feel a little tipsy,” she admitted. “Will you unzip me?”

  “Is that all you want?” he asked in a low, seductive tone. He kissed her neck and slowly pulled the zipper down to reveal her soft skin.

  “I think I can be persuaded to have a little fun.”

  “A little fun,” Sebastian teased.

  Tess giggled. “There’s nothing little about it.”

  “That’s better,” he agreed, slipping the dress off his wife.

  As they lay in bed after making love, Tess traced the plane of Sebastian’s bare chest with her fingers. “Gosh, it’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks. I feel like I need a vacation to recuperate from everything.”

  “I feel the same way,” he agreed, gently stroking Tess’ long brown hair. “I have an idea: let’s go away for Christmas—back to New Jersey. No castle or fancy parties, just the three of us, your mom, and Henry and Alice.”

  “I like the idea. I miss Henry and Alice,” Tess said. “Doesn’t it seem like we’re always on the go? I don’t think we were ever this busy back in New York.”

  “I think you’re right,” Sebastian conceded. “I miss Henry and Alice, too.”

  “Maybe things will fall into a nice calm pattern now that we found your father and the wedding is over.”

  “We can only hope.”

  Chapter 22 - Not Enough Time

  It was a crisp, cool, Saturday morning in November. Sebastian pulled Penny’s car up to the front door of the castle and turned off the ignition. Mattie was already unbuckling her seat belt and opening the back door. Max and Penny walked down the stone steps to greet them. It was a bank holiday weekend, so Sebastian took his family out to the country to visit the newlyweds.

  “Uncle Max!” Mattie bellowed, running up the steps toward her uncle.

  Max scooped her up in his arms and gave her a hug. “Hello, Mattie!”

  “Did you have a nice honeymoon?”

  “Yes, it was marvelous.”

  “Do you have any pictures?”

  “Martha, we just got here,” Sebastian chided. “Take a breath. Give Uncle Max some space.”

  “Come inside, we’ll have some tea,” Penny said, ushering everyone into the house while the servants unloaded the bags from the car.

  Mattie took the lead, followed closely by Sebastian and Maxwell, while Penny and Tess lagged behind. “You are glowing,” Tess complimented. “Did you have a wonderful time?”

  Penny took Tess’ hand and gave a broad smile. “It was magical. I so hope I’m pregnant. I can’t wait to have little ones running about the place.”

  “Mattie would love that.”

  “Don’t you and Sebastian ever think about having another child?”

  “Maybe in a few years. There’s still a lot I have to accomplish in my career before I go thinking about it.”

  “But you’re so good with Mattie,”

  Tess chuckled. If Penny only knew the struggles with depression she’d encountered throughout the pregnancy and after Mattie’s birth. Tess didn’t always feel like the perfect mother—in fact, she thought she was adequate, but that was all. It was the one thing she wasn’t perfect at, and it always nagged at her. Fortunately, Sebastian made up for her shortcomings in the parenting department. “Sebastian gets all the credit. Everything I’ve learned has been from him.”

  Victoria and Sigourney joined them for dinner in the formal dining room later that evening. “I don’t understand how Max manages to keep Lily away, but I’m grateful,” Sebastian muttered to Sigourney, who sat next to him.

  “That�
��s easy,” Sigourney responded, sipping her wine. “He’s given her the Mayfair house and tells her when he’ll be here so she doesn’t show up unexpectedly. It’s something similar to a shared visitation arrangement.”

  “And she’s fine with this?”

  “I doubt it, but she doesn’t speak of it.”

  “So Max and Penny stay at her townhouse in Kensington when they’re in London?”

  “Yes, it works out nicely for all parties involved,” Sigourney replied. “Honestly, I don’t understand why everyone can’t get along.”

  “She kicked me out of the family. Maxwell invited her to the wedding and she choose not to attend. If you ask me, she’s the one with the problem.”

  “She is stubborn, I’ll grant you that.”

  “I’ve had enough drama to last me a lifetime. I’m better off without her in my life.”

  “Sad but true.”

  Max spoke up from the other end of the table. “I thought we could all go fox hunting tomorrow. What do you say?”

  “I want to go!” Mattie said, squirming in her seat with excitement.

  “Martha, you aren’t big enough to hunt yet. How many times to I need to explain this to you?” Sebastian questioned.

  She turned her head to pout at her father and then looked at Tess. “Mummy?”

  “Mattie, you are still learning to ride the pony. How about you and I go out for a ride tomorrow morning instead?”

  The child shrugged her shoulders, resigned to her fate.

  “When you are a little older and taller, I promise to teach you how to hunt,” Max chimed in to cheer up the little girl.

  After dinner, everyone retired to the drawing room for drinks and a game of cards. It wasn’t bridge they played, however; somehow, Mattie conned everyone into a game of Go Fish. Sebastian sat back with Tess and watched as his brother and sisters played with his daughter.

  “Of all the twist and turns that life could take, who would have thunk we’d end up here?” he said to Tess.

  “With Mattie teaching a group of aristocrats how to play cards?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Our baby girl is pretty spectacular,” Tess agreed. “I know the first couple of years were bumpy. I could certainly have handled it better. We’re so blessed we have her, Bas.”

  Sebastian kissed the top of her head. “I love you.”

  “Okay,” she grinned, leaning her head against his shoulder.

  The next day, the group was dressed in their riding attire and took off for a morning of sport. Tess and Mattie stayed behind for a leisurely ride around the grounds. The fog was just lifting off the dewy, verdant land as the hunting dogs raced forward and the riders followed behind at a gallop.

  Sebastian enjoyed pushing the horse to its limits, jumping fences and feeling the sinewy muscles of the animal move under him. The fast pace of the horse and the adrenaline coursing through his veins warded off the chill in the air. He was racing alongside Maxwell, who gave him a sideways glance and grinned before kicking his horse to proceed faster, inching ahead of Sebastian.

  Laughing, Sebastian wasn’t about to give up the challenge and forged ahead in an attempt to beat Max, leaving his sisters far behind. As the animal gained speed and he was catching up to his brother, Max’s horse reared tall with a loud whinny. Max was thrown backwards off the horse, who dropped to the ground next to Max. The horse writhed in pain.

  Sebastian pulled on the reins hard to stop his horse. He jumped off the saddle and ran toward his fallen brother. “Max!” he yelled, falling to his knees and touching Max’s chest. Maxwell’s neck was twisted in an unnatural position, his blue eyes open wide, staring at Sebastian.

  It was in that moment that he heard Penny scream. “No!”

  Sebastian checked his wrist for a pulse and placed his hand in front of Max’s mouth for any signs of breathing. Nothing. “Fuck! Max, don’t do this!” he shouted.

  When Penny reached them, she dropped to her knees and took Max’s hand, staring at him in shock. Sigourney and Victoria rode in on their horses.

  “Get an ambulance,” Sebastian instructed.

  His sisters took off without a word, racing back to the house for help.

  It took an interminable twenty minutes for the medic to arrive. During that time Penny remained still, on her knees and holding Max’s hand. There were no words spoken, no tears, just a shocked silence between Sebastian and Penny.

  The stable hands had come to look at the horse. “Snake bite,” one said aloud. “Let’s get him back to the stable.”

  Maxwell wasn’t that lucky: his neck had snapped in the fall, killing him instantly. It was certainly no comfort to any of his family. Sebastian pulled Penny away from her husband so the medics could do their work. They solemnly lifted Maxwell’s body off the ground and placed him on a stretcher. Penny buried her head in Sebastian’s chest to hide from the gruesome sight of her dead husband being driven away in an ambulance. Sebastian held onto her for dear life, as much for her sake as for his.

  “Let’s go back to the house,” he gently urged.

  “I’m not getting back on that horse,” Penny whispered.

  “We’ll ride back with the stable hand,” he said, guiding her to the waiting truck.

  Sebastian was relieved that Tess and Mattie were nowhere in sight when the truck pulled up to the back entrance of the castle. He didn’t want them to witness any of this. Penny clung to Sebastian as he walked her into the castle. Sigourney and Victoria were already back and had tea waiting in the sitting room. His sisters walked over to Penny, “Sit down, have some tea,” Victoria instructed.

  “I don’t want any tea,” she muttered.

  Sebastian walked over to the sideboard and poured two glasses of scotch. He handed one to Penny and kept the other for himself. They glanced at each other, feeling sad and deflated, and swallowed the scotch in one gulp together.

  “We should call Mother,” Sigourney said to her siblings.

  “You should do it,” Victoria agreed.

  Sigourney nodded and quietly left the room.

  Sebastian noticed Tess and Mattie standing in the doorway. Tess was holding Mattie back by the shoulder, a sad and confused look on her face. Penny looked up, too; then she burst into tears. Sebastian shook his head, a nonverbal plea for Tess to leave the room and take Mattie with her.

  “Mummy, what’s wrong with Aunt Penny?” they heard her ask as Tess ushered her down the hallway.

  Victoria handed Penny a tissue. Penny leaned her elbows on her thighs and placed her sobbing head in the palms of her hands. Victoria looked at Sebastian, unsure what to do next.

  “Go find Sigourney. Give us some time alone,” he said.

  Victoria agreed, and with that she walked out of the room and closed the heavy double doors behind her.

  Tess and Mattie were sitting on the staircase, their expressions full of worry. Victoria walked over to them. “What’s happening?” Tess needed to know.

  “Where’s Uncle Max?” Mattie repeated.

  “I think Mattie should go back to the nursery. We need to talk.”

  “I don’t like the sound of this, Victoria.”

  “Please?”

  “Mattie, please go to your room. Why don’t you read a book while I find out what’s happening, and I promise as soon as I know something, I’ll come upstairs and fill you in.”

  “Okay, Mummy.” Mattie whispered, and slowly climbed the stairs to her room.

  “You said Max fell off his horse when you came up to call the ambulance. Why didn’t Penny go with them to the hospital?”

  Victoria winced at Tess’ question. The reaction provided the answer to her inquiry.

  Tess closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “No, not now. How could this have happened?”

  “The horse suffered a snake bite and reared. Max was thrown from the horse. He snapped his neck,” Victoria explained in a short burst of sentences.

  Sigourney joined the two women. “Mother’s been notif
ied. She’s getting the next flight out of Paris. She insists on making the funeral arrangements.”

  “Shouldn’t that be Penny’s job?” Tess asked.

  “I don’t know that she’s in any frame of mind to do that right now,” Victoria conceded.

  “We should go see how she’s doing,” Sigourney said.

  “No, Sebastian wanted some time alone with her. Leave them be for now.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Penny was sobbing so hard, her entire body shook under Sebastian’s protective hold on her. He tried rubbing her back in slow circles to calm her. Either it was beginning to work or she was just running out of tears. A dozen wet tissues were scattered on the floor at her feet.

  Penny took a deep breath and slowly blew it out, trying to regulate her breathing. Finally she said, “What do I do now?”

  It was a very big question and Sebastian wasn’t sure how to respond. He took another tissue and gently dabbed the running mascara from her eyes, stalling to find the right words to comfort her.

  Then she said, “What if I’m pregnant, Sebastian?”

  “Then you’ll always have a piece of Maxwell here with you.”

  “How can I raise a child alone?” she asked, her eyes brimming with tears once again.

  “You aren’t alone. Tess and I will help you. If he can’t have his biological father, he can have me.”

  The tears spilled over again. “It’s not fair. Why did this have to happen? Why now?”

  “I don’t know, Pen,” he helplessly replied. “Do you want me to call the doctor? Maybe he can prescribe a sedative.”

  Penny nodded in agreement. “Anything to not think. I want to sleep.”