Then Teddy would return to London to resume her life. No, she amended that thought. To start her new life. Already she was going over a list in her head of upcoming events and a second list of how to increase and expand business. If she was going to be an independent woman of business she was going to be a brilliantly successful one.
The ball had wound down in the wee hours of the morning with Teddy on hand to make certain the additional staff she had hired began the task of cleaning up. She hadn’t stayed long. Clement had insisted she retire for the night and assured her he would oversee the work. As the butler’s nose was more than a bit out of joint that Teddy had seen fit to hire outsiders in the first place, she graciously and gratefully accepted his assistance and turned this last task over to him. She did plan to surreptitiously check on the ballroom after breakfast to make sure all was in order although she had no intention of allowing the butler to know she did so.
Hopefully she would see Dee at breakfast. She’d only spoken to her in passing last night. Her friend had said she had a great deal to tell Teddy, most of it quite astonishing, but it was best to speak in private so they wouldn’t be overheard. Teddy suspected it had to do with Sam. Yesterday morning, Dee wasn’t certain he would even appear at the wedding given the discord between them, although he and Grayson were good friends. Obviously, he had come around and just as obviously, given her observation of her friend dancing in the arms of the American at the ball, he and Dee had resolved their differences. Teddy wasn’t sure she’d term that astonishing. In truth, she would have been quite shocked if they hadn’t worked things out between them as Dee was so clearly in love with the man. And he was so obviously in love with her.
Teddy didn’t catch sight of her mysterious American again, which was something of a pity. He had been most intriguing and there had been something . . . It scarcely mattered really. She had no wish to be distracted by a man in her life right now. Even if he was handsome and charming with an endearing smile and compelling blue eyes. It was probably for the best that she didn’t know his name and would more than likely never see him again. Her heart twisted slightly at the thought. She ignored it.
Teddy reached the foot of the stairs, avoided the large gathering of departing guests at the front entry, and headed toward the dining room.
“There you are.” Dee appeared from the front parlor. “I was wondering when you were finally going to make an appearance.”
Teddy nodded toward the entry. “I was trying to avoid the crush of departing guests. Have they all gone now?”
“Most of the relatives have left, I believe. Frankly, we were glad to see them go. The last thing we need at the moment is distant relatives hanging about. And I think those American friends of Grayson’s that were staying here have all headed toward London. Business and that sort of thing. One or two might be lingering though.”
“Is there anyone still at breakfast?”
“I don’t know, I’m just headed to the dining room myself. I do know Mother is making Father help her bid good-bye to the departing guests. He wasn’t especially pleased about it but she said it was the least he could do. I suspect Father understood exactly what she meant by that. Lord knows, the rest of us did. I was just about to go and find you. You never sleep this late.” Dee’s assessing gaze swept over her friend. “But you do look tired.”
“So good to know, thank you, Dee,” Teddy said wryly. “But I usually sleep a little later on the morning after a successful event.” She cast her friend a satisfied smile. “And it was successful, wasn’t it?”
“Oh my, yes.” Dee nodded. “It was everything Camille wanted. Why, it was practically perfect.” She lowered her voice in a confidential manner. “In fact, I think it was even more perfect than Camille’s first wedding although I would never say that in front of Mother. Believe me, Mother certainly made that a grand affair.”
“More perfect because of the festivities?” Teddy smiled. “Or because of the groom?”
“Both.” Dee grinned, then drew a deep breath. “You will plan mine as well, won’t you?”
Teddy widened her eyes as if she had no idea what Dee was talking about. “Your what?”
“My wedding.”
“To . . .”
“To Sam, of course.”
“Mr. Russell?” Teddy adopted an innocent tone. “Why, the last I heard you were sending him home to America to live his life—”
“That was the day before the wedding.” Dee smiled in a slow, wicked sort of way. “The day after the wedding is another matter entirely.”
Teddy arched a brow. “Then you and he . . .”
“We have a contract.”
“A what?”
“A contract, you know. The sort of thing where he agrees to certain terms and I agree to various conditions.” Dee thought for a moment. “One might call it, oh, a compromise I suppose.”
“A compromise?” Teddy stared. “You?”
“I know.” Dee sighed. “I find it hard to believe myself.” She grinned. “But quite, quite wonderful.” She hooked her arm through her friend’s and they started for the dining room.
“It is wonderful and I’m very happy for you,” Teddy said. “Although I’m not sure I would call it astonishing. Quite honestly, I would be astonished if you and Sam had not reconciled.”
“As would I. Both of us can be quite stubborn and—” She pulled up short and stared at her friend. “Oh, but this isn’t what is so astonishing although I suppose one could say—”
Teddy laughed. “Goodness, Dee, what are you talking about now?”
“We agreed we wouldn’t mention this, at least not yet, but you are practically a member of the family.”
“Now, I am curious.” Teddy studied the other woman. “Well?”
“Well . . .” Dee glanced from side to side as if to assure herself they would not be overheard. She leaned close and lowered her voice. “Uncle Basil is married.”
“The colonel?” Teddy gasped. “Why, he’s always struck me as a confirmed bachelor as well as an outrageous flirt.” Teddy shook her head in disbelief although admittedly Colonel Channing was still a fine figure of a man. He and his brother had passed their fiftieth year and yet Lord Briston looked every bit his age whereas the colonel appeared somewhat younger. Apparently, abandoning your responsibilities for a life of freedom took a greater toll on a man than choosing a life of adventure with no encumbrances. She did hope the colonel hadn’t married an extremely young woman. While Dee and her sisters had married older men, and indeed, it was not at all uncommon, Teddy had always thought it vaguely unseemly and rather a shame for the young woman. Although, in the colonel’s case, Teddy could well understand the attraction for a woman of any age. “When did he marry and, I suppose more to the point, whom?”
“The answer to whom is an American woman although I daresay we’ll never meet her.” Dee wrinkled her nose. “Nor do any of us particularly care to, I suspect.”
Teddy stared in confusion. “Why on earth wouldn’t you want to meet her?”
“Because there’s much, much more. Although Uncle Basil didn’t say it outright, it’s apparent she broke his heart. As to the when . . .” Dee paused in the manner of an expert storyteller.
“Don’t stop now. When did he marry?”
“Thirty years ago.” A smug note sounded in Dee’s voice.
“Good Lord! And he’s just now getting around to mentioning it to his family?” Teddy drew her brows together. “Rather inconsiderate of him I would think.”
“Not at all. You see, he didn’t know. He just recently discovered this.”
“How could he not know he was married? That sort of thing is usually hard to miss.”
“Don’t be absurd.” Dee scoffed. “He knew he had been married. What he didn’t know is that he was still married. His wife never told him.”
Teddy shook her head. “As usual with your family, this makes no sense at all.”
“Uncle Basil thought his wife, Elizabeth, I think,
had returned to America to have the marriage annulled a bare week after they were wed. Her parents were completely against the marriage. But she didn’t.”
“Didn’t return to America? Or didn’t have the marriage annulled?”
“Oh she returned to America but she didn’t have the marriage annulled.”
Obviously, Dee was enjoying telling her story far too much to get to the point.
“Why not?”
“This is where it becomes really interesting.”
“I thought it was interesting enough already although I do wish I didn’t have to drag every detail out of you.” Teddy huffed an impatient sigh. “Go on.”
“Well, she didn’t pursue an annulment because . . .” Dee paused in an overly dramatic manner. She had obviously missed her calling, the woman could have gone on the stage. Still, it was most effective. And annoying.
“Out with it, Dee.”
“Because she was going to have a child,” Dee said with a flourish.
It was all Teddy could do to keep her mouth from dropping open. “Colonel Channing has a child?”
“Uncle Basil has a son.” Dee smirked.
“And this was thirty years ago?”
Dee nodded.
“Then the son . . .”
“The son is just turned thirty . . .” Again Dee paused for effect. “And he is my father’s heir. An American is the next Earl of Briston.”
Teddy stared at her friend. “You’re right, this is astonishing.”
“Isn’t it though? No one had any idea. Uncle Basil had never mentioned his marriage to anyone, not even my father. We’re all quite shocked about it.” She thought for a moment. “But pleased for the most part. Father is ecstatic. A nephew is the next best thing to having a son of his own. He had no desire to have his title go to a distant relative.”
“I can certainly understand that.” Teddy understood better than most.
It was the nature of the world they lived in and, as such, had to be expected despite the appalling unfairness of it all. Upon the death of Teddy’s father, his title and their family’s ancestral estate had gone to Simon Winslow, her father’s second cousin’s son. Fortunately, her mother had managed to retain ownership of a house in London she had inherited from a great-aunt so Teddy and her mother were not left completely homeless. Still, it was harder than she had expected to see her heritage go to someone she barely knew even if Simon was a decent enough sort. She studied her friend closely. “And you’re not bothered by all this?”
“It has never seemed fair that we had to forfeit our home because we were born female but there was nothing anyone could do about it. I long ago accepted that, because Father had no sons, Millworth would end up in the hands of Cousin Wilfred’s son. It would have been quite distressing and very sad but it’s a fact of life.” She paused. “I will admit the idea of an American being the next earl was disconcerting at first but Sam pointed out that, as his father is English, he really would be considered more English than American. I thought that was an excellent way to look at it.”
Teddy raised a brow. “Another compromise?”
“So it would appear.”
“What has happened to you?”
“Apparently I have been quite thoroughly corrupted by yet another American.” Dee grinned, linked her arm with Teddy’s, and once again they started for the dining room. “Uncle Basil gathered us all together during the ball to announce, well, the birth of his son. But, as we were in the middle of Camille’s wedding celebration, we didn’t have a chance to do little more than meet the man and welcome—”
Teddy stopped short outside the door to the dining room and stared at her friend. “He’s here?”
“Oh my, yes.” Dee’s eyes widened. “Didn’t I tell you that part?”
“No, you failed to mention that rather important point.”
“Well, there were so many other important points.” Dee shrugged. “But yes, he was one of the Americans at the wedding and at the ball afterward. Although I don’t think he returned to the ballroom after Uncle Basil’s announcement. He and Uncle Basil and, oh, and they invited Sam as well, escaped to the billiards room and Father joined them after the festivities ended. Father is very eager to know his new nephew better and they stayed well into the night.” She sighed. “Entirely too long.”
“And Sam discussed all this with you this morning?” Teddy asked with feigned innocence.
Dee grinned. “Yes, let’s say that, shall we?” Dee shook her head. “It’s amazing how quickly things change. Barely a day ago I was quite miserable and now . . .”
“Now, my dear friend.” Teddy took the other woman’s hands. “Now you have reconciled with the man you want to spend the rest of your life with.”
“I know.” Wonder shone in Dee’s blue eyes. “And I’m happy, Teddy. Truly, truly happy.” She grinned. “I suppose it is astonishing at that.”
“Not at all,” Teddy said staunchly. “It’s no more than you deserve.”
“You’re absolutely right. I do deserve it.” Dee laughed and the women stepped into the dining room.
The room was nearly empty. Colonel Channing and Sam sat at the table finishing their breakfast and engaging in quite an animated discussion about something. Probably Sam’s horseless carriage—or rather motorwagon—as that did seem to be the one thing that created such enthusiasm with nearly every gentleman who came near it. Although admittedly it was quite remarkable. As the colonel hadn’t arrived at the manor until the day before the wedding, he hadn’t seen the vehicle before Sam had had it transported to London.
One of the American guests greeted them in the doorway, then continued on his way. Another man stood with his back to the door, filling his plate at the sideboard still brimming with breakfast offerings. Obviously the cook wanted to make certain the departing guests had no reason to complain as to the manor’s hospitality.
“Mrs. Dooley has outdone herself yet again.” Dee’s gaze shifted between the sideboard and her new fiancé as if she couldn’t decide which to head for first. “I must say, I’m starving,” she murmured but adopted a pleasant smile and moved to greet Sam.
Dee usually was hungry when she was happy. Teddy stifled a laugh and stepped to the sideboard.
The gentleman filling his plate glanced at her and his gaze met hers.
Her breath caught. “You!”
“Good day,” he said with a smile. “I was hoping to see you again.”
Teddy stared and at once realized the truth. She was shocked she hadn’t noticed last night but then last night she never would have suspected the truth. The man looked vaguely familiar because he looked very much like the colonel—his father. He had the same boyish good looks and infectious grin and his eyes were very nearly the same shade of blue as Dee’s and her sisters. He’d said he had come with his father and said as well his story was a convoluted one. That was certainly an understatement. Nothing the man said had been a lie, as far as she knew, yet the most unreasonable sense of having been deceived swept through her.
“Good morning, Jack,” Dee said, returning to the sideboard and perusing the offerings, much like a general planning a campaign. “Have the two of you met?”
“No,” Teddy snapped.
“Yes,” he said at the same time.
Dee’s eyes narrowed and her gaze shifted between Teddy and the American.
“Not really.” Teddy shrugged.
“In a manner of speaking,” he said, again at the same time.
“I see,” Dee said slowly. Teddy refused to hazard a guess as to what exactly the other woman was thinking but whatever it was, Dee was wrong. “Well then, just to make certain as neither of you seem entirely sure, Teddy, may I present my cousin, Mr. Jackson Channing. Jack, this is my dearest friend in the world, Lady Theodosia Winslow.”
Without thinking Teddy held out her hand. Mr. Channing looked for a place on the sideboard to put his plate. Good Lord, what was she doing? The man had her, well, flustered. She pulled back her
hand but he passed his plate to Dee, then took Teddy’s hand.
“A pleasure to meet you, Lady Theodosia.” He frowned. “Or is it Lady Winslow?”
“Oh, you can call her Teddy. She’s practically a member of the family,” Dee said absently, her gaze fixed on Mr. Channing’s plate. “This looks wonderful.”
“You’d best reclaim your breakfast from Dee before she claims it for herself.” Teddy pulled her hand free from his.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I would never . . .” Dee handed him back his plate and grinned. “But I am famished.” She stepped around Mr. Channing and took a plate of her own.
Mr. Channing leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Do you mind? My calling you by your first name, that is? Is it acceptable?” Doubt shown in his blue eyes. At once she recalled his comments about being a fish out of water.
“It’s quite all right.” Teddy smiled up at him. It probably wasn’t fair for her to feel any indignation about their conversation last night. He hadn’t misled her, indeed, he hadn’t really said much of significance at all. Still, the feeling lingered. “Dee and I have been close since our school days together so I’ve known her family for a long time. And you are a member of the family after all.”
“Good.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “I don’t mind telling you it’s going to take some time to understand the rules of your titles. When it’s Lady Firstname and when it’s Lady Lastname.”
Teddy nodded. “I imagine it is most confusing for someone new to it all.”
“Maybe . . . “A casual note sounded in his voice. “You could give me some pointers, if you’re willing, that is,” he added quickly.
“Oh, I’m certain anyone in the family would be happy to help you with that.”
“Of course.” Disappointment flashed in his eyes.
The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding (Millworth Manor) Page 8