As Brett entered the room, there was a noticeable intake of breath, by Stephen and his grandfather. She was indeed beautiful, and her dress looked amazing. Stephen blinked hard and then went to her, taking her hands in his. His warm smile matched hers.
“You look stunning, Miss Butler.” He managed to swallow the lump in his throat and gave her a wink.
“You are looking very handsome yourself, Lord Brandon.” Her gaze shone into his, and for Stephen the world became a bubble encircling Brett and he alone.
Ambassador Butler quietly cleared his throat. Brett turned away from Stephen.
“Duke Brandon, Lady Brandon, I’d like to introduce you to my father, Ambassador Jonathan Butler.”
Chapter Ten
Jonathan bowed to the duke. “I’m so very pleased to meet you both. Stephen has told me about you, sir, and it’s an honor to meet you.” The duke gave a small nod of his head.
Jonathan stepped to Lady Diane and took her hand, bowing over it. “Lady Diane, I believe we met very briefly at the reception, but without introduction. I am sorry to say the circumstances were not the most favorable. I hope you’ll give us a chance to rectify it.” He smiled at Lady Diane, who looked a little taken aback as she nodded at him slowly.
The duke offered drinks, and by the time he poured them, the butler entered and announced dinner. Duke Brandon led them to the dining room, with Brett on Stephen’s arm. Jonathan extended his arm to Lady Diane. She took it, somewhat reluctantly, and they followed.
Everyone was seated and the first course served when conversation started in earnest. The duke sat at the head of the table, with Brett on his left and Stephen on his right, Lady Diane next to her son, and Jonathan across from her, next to Brett.
“I won’t beat about the bush,” the duke began, “we all know why we are here. These two young people seem to have found each other, and we now must agree on what is to be done about it.” He sat back, put his hands on the arms of his chair, and looked at both of the parents.
Brett and Stephen looked at each other.
Jonathan cleared his throat. “Since I’ve done this once before, I guess I should start. Lord Brandon, what are your intentions toward my daughter?”
Stephen looked at him, intent burning in his eyes. “I would ask her hand in marriage, sir.” Brett smiled softly and looked down at her own hands clasped together on her lap.
Jonathan nodded. “I have spoken to your cousin Lord Stuart about you.” Stephen looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Nothing he said made me think you would not be a good match for my daughter.”
At this, Lady Diane gave a small soft snort. Jonathan slowly brought his gaze to her and spoke softly. “Do you have something to say, Lady Diane?”
She raised her chin and glared at him. “Indeed I do, Ambassador. You may be sure my son is a match for your daughter, but I’m not sure the opposite is true. I hoped Stephen would find a more…traditional woman to marry.”
“When you say ‘traditional,’ you mean, from here on New Commonwealth?”
“Yes. He may be swayed by your daughter’s exotic ways, but in the long run, I wonder if she will fit in here on New Commonwealth.” She smiled, but her blue eyes were steely.
Brett frowned and looked at Stephen. He stared open-mouthed at his mother.
The duke still sat back, his chin now resting on his fist, taking in the scene.
“If I know my daughter, fitting in will be the least of your worries. Brett doesn’t ‘fit in’, she leads, madam.” Jonathan leaned back in his seat.
“She may lead on Old Earth, but here, the women follow what society dictates. Miss Butler may find herself fighting a battle she can never win.” Jonathan locked his eyes on Lady Diane and exhaled. Her eyes were so blue. He didn’t noticed before. He blinked and then leaned forward to make a point.
“Lady Brandon, let us concede it will be something Brett will have to deal with herself. Hopefully, with your guidance, she will find it an easier time than you suppose?”
“There was also the hope Stephen would find someone with impeccable bloodlines.” Diane again stared at Jonathan. Her gaze never went to Brett.
“Madam, if you are implying Brett’s bloodline is less than any woman on New Commonwealth, you are very much mistaken.” Jonathan's voice dropped as he sat up straight and placed both hands on the table.
“Am I, Ambassador? Just because you were rewarded for your military deeds I can’t assume your bloodlines are of the right quality.” She placed her chin on her hand, elbow on the table, and waited for his rebuttal, as if enjoying sparring with him. Her lips curved up in a slight smile.
Jonathan took a deep breath, held it, and then slowly let it out. God, the woman is infuriating. She needs to be either spanked or…kissed. Maybe both.
He spoke slowly, and his voice was very soft. “Madam, Brett can trace her lineage back to Colonial America, to the 1700s. She is a registered member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a Daughter of the Texas Republic. Her forbearers fought in the Spanish American War, in World War I, lived through the attack on Pearl Harbor, and died on the beach at Normandy in World War II. They fought in Korea, Vietnam, and in the Gulf Wars. She has great-grandfathers on both sides who fought in the First Interstellar War. Her bloodlines are without question, madam.” He finished with a sharp nod to Lady Brandon.
Softly, Brett added, “And her father led the Old Earth space fleet to victory and was injured in the line of duty ten years ago against the Ottoman jihad.” She smiled at Jonathan lovingly. He reached out and touched her hand where it lay on the table next to his.
“And Brett served for six years with honor, earning the rank of major.” He finished with a squeeze of her hand. “Look where you will, Lady Brandon, you will find no one better.” His gaze fell back on Lady Diane. Hopefully, she’d listened to the litany of Brett’s bloodline and realized as much as Lady Diane was of royal blood here on New Commonwealth, bought and paid for by her forefathers’ money several hundred years ago, Brett was a type of royal blood on Old Earth bought and paid for by her ancestors’ lives.
“Ambassador Butler, in the old days, a young woman came with a dowry. It was expected she would bring certain assets to the marriage. Nowadays, we don’t practice it anymore, I’m afraid. However, I wonder just what Brett will bring to this marriage?” Lady Diane sat back and waited for his reaction.
“Dowry, eh?” Jonathan rubbed his chin. “Well, there’s the ranch in the hill country, around twenty-five thousand acres, her mother’s homestead, and four thousand head of prime Black Angus cattle. Also all her mother’s jewels, which she is already in possession of, although she rarely wears them. The income from the ranch, of course, is yours also, Brett. Last time the accountants ran the estimates of fair market value, it was,” he paused, closed his eyes, and tallied it up in his head, “just over fifteen and a half million North American dollars. Is that dowry enough?” He tilted his head at Lady Diane and frowned.
Brett lowered her head as if embarrassed by the litany of her personal wealth. Stephen’s eyes widened as Jonathan gave the total, and then swallowed. Duke Brandon sat back and softly blew out a whistle when he heard the amount.
•●•
Lady Diane closely regarded the man across from her. He was slightly older than her, of good build, with dark hair shot through with gray and piercing green eyes. Right now, his green gaze bored into her, challenging her to deny his daughter the respect she rightfully deserved.
“I concede, sir. If they are in love and wish to marry, I will not stand in their way.” She made a small bow of her head.
Everyone smiled around the table, except Brett. She looked troubled, and Stephen noticed it.
“Brett, is something wrong?”
“Yes, I think I need to say something. Everyone is talking about marriage. But as far as I recollect, I haven’t been asked.” She glanced over at Stephen. “And you are all acting as if I have been and I agreed.”
Stephen gr
oaned. “My grandfather has rushed this a bit in his eagerness.”
“Don’t apologize. I understand how he feels.”
She paused and took a breath, and then looked at Lady Diane. “I’m glad you won’t stand in our way, if Stephen asks and I agree. But I hoped you’d welcome me as a daughter. Please tell me it’s what you meant to say.” Her voice was so earnest Lady Diane couldn’t help but smile at her.
“Yes, of course, it's what I meant to say, my dear.”
Brett smiled at her and then at Stephen. Everyone relaxed and started to eat as the first course was cleared, and the next course was brought to the table. In between bites of food, Diane caught Butler stealing a few glances at her.
The duke looked smug and pleased with both himself and the outcome of the first round of discussions. He rubbed his hands together and grinned.
“So Brett, it is spring now, and allowing for time to plan the wedding, are you thinking of a fall, winter, or summer wedding?”
“Since we aren’t engaged yet, we haven’t really discussed it, Duke Brandon. Do we have to decide tonight?”
“No, of course not, but it would be nice if we could get an idea of the time of year, no?” Leave it to him to try to force them into decisions before they were ready. All fine and good for the old man but Diane wasn’t ready to move so fast.
“I haven’t seen all the seasons here, but if we do become engaged, I’d like to not wait too long.” Brett looked shyly across the table at Stephen and he grinned in agreement.
“I like the idea, also. The sooner the better,” he added.
Lady Diane sat back. “Well, putting a wedding of this magnitude together in a short time frame will take some doing. There are flowers, the venue, the catering, not to mention navigating the social requirements necessary.”
“Yes, and putting together a wedding was not exactly in my plans as ambassador,” Butler conceded. Then he addressed Lady Diane. “I’m sure your considerable skills would be up to the task, Lady Diane.”
Brett leaned forward. “Oh, yes, Lady Diane, would you do the planning? I wouldn’t know where to start.”
Stephen leaned over to his mother. “You really don’t want someone else doing this, do you?”
Lady Diane sighed and finally nodded. “All right, I’ll do it. But it means working closely with you, Brett.”
“I don’t think it will be a problem. I’ve never been a girl who dwelled endlessly on her wedding, imagining the dress, the flowers, those sorts of things. In fact, I never really thought much about it when I was younger.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll get through it all. There is always the obvious to be managed, yes, but it’s the whispered that is hard to nail down.” She raised her eyebrows. These two may have traveled to many worlds, but they didn’t understand her world’s ways as well as she.
“What do you mean ‘the whispered’?” Butler asked, frowning.
“A rushed wedding can lead to certain speculations, of which I’m sure neither my son nor your daughter wish to have made of them.”
“Those speculations are…” Butler made a hand motion to her to hurry her point along.
“Whether or not the reason for a rushed wedding will surface in nine months, sir.”
Brett and Stephen gasped, and Ambassador Butler’s hands hit the table.
“Outrageous! Who would dare say such a thing?” he sputtered.
“Anyone, everyone. Talk is inevitable, sir. I propose we push the wedding off for at least six months in order to quell any such talk.”
Brett looked at Stephen, then at her father and slowly nodded her head. They looked pained at the thought of waiting so long. With a slow nod, Stephen agreed to the delay.
“And it will give us more time to plan the wedding and to all get to know each other better.” Lady Diane felt quite pleased with herself, and why not? She’d gotten most of her concessions and not given much away. She would plan the wedding, so it would be up to the highest standards, and it would be in six months, plenty of time for everyone to get to know each other better Perhaps even call it off the pair realized they’d realized they’d rushed into this. Duke Brandon sat back, content his plan had succeeded.
Butler glanced at Lady Diane. Butler must have realized by now he’dunderestimated her. She was a clever strategist in her own right. She also knew from the furrowed brow and thin set of his mouth, Butler knew he’d just been had.
Chapter Eleven
They retired to the library for after-dinner drinks and talk. Brett and Stephen sat off on a small loveseat away from the others and held hands.
“I want to kiss you, Brett, it’s driving me mad,” Stephen whispered. She found it hard to resist him and she leaned closer.
“Yes, I understand. But how can we…” Her voice faded.
“Should I take you for a walk in the gardens behind the house?” His breath tickled her ear as he spoke.
“Do you think it would be too obvious?”
“Yes, but I don’t care. We need to speak. Alone. Do you think your father will mind?” Brett glanced at her father, now speaking with the duke and the Lady Diane.
“Not if we didn’t take too long, I think.” Stephen nodded and stood. “Miss Butler, my grandfather’s garden is quite beautiful. Would you care to see it?” He spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I’d love to.” Brett glanced over to the others, and they barely acknowledged the couple. Brett and Stephen slipped out of the room, and he led her to the garden.
Brett stepped through the door, down the steps, and onto the garden path, her heart pounding. As soon as she reached level ground, Stephen grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Their lips met and fused together.
He pulled away and dropped to one knee. “Will you marry me, Brett?”
“I must be out of my mind. I barely know you and you don’t know me, but the other night was so wonderful.” Brett laughed, unable to fight the joy bubbling up inside her. This was so wild. So not like her.
“I know I want to spend my life with you.” He surged up off his knees to kiss her again and her knees wobbled. She put her arms around his neck and held on. “Marry me.”
She gazed into his eyes. Every part of her body screamed yes! Especially the parts he’d kissed and stroked and… Could she trust herself?
“I’m not sure… This is so crazy.”
“What does your heart say?”
Brett bit her bottom lip. “My heart? It’s racing. I think it might explode.” She placed her hand over it, but it didn’t calm down. Brett closed her eyes and leaped.
“Yes. I’ll marry you.”
Stephen swept her up in his arms and twirled her around. “Yes!” He shouted.
“Put me down, Stephen!” He did, but didn’t let go of her hands.
“You’ve made me the happiest man on this world.” He brought her hands to his lips and kissed the palms.
“Besides, we have six months to get to know each other. If it doesn’t work out…we call it off, right?”
“Right. But don’t count on it. I mean to keep you for my own.” He gazed deep into her eyes and Brett saw and felt the heat burning there. He pulled her into his arms again, and she snuggled into his hold.
“Six months? I’m not sure I can stand it. I was hoping for sooner. Much sooner,” Stephen murmured into her ear, then kissed her face and worked his way to her lips.
“We could just elope,” she suggested between kisses.
“Eloping would be good.” He kissed her again.
“Both our parents would kill us, you realize.”
He stepped away from her and sighed. “And if it’s one thing we both know, it’s our duty.”
“Six months it is, then. Besides, we owe it to our families. They’ve both waited too long for us to marry to cheat them out of a big wedding now.” She sighed, took his arm, and they continued back to the house. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t be together often. Despite your mother’s worries, there is no risk of pregnan
cy for me.”
Stephen halted and looked at her. “Are you teasing me, Brett?”
“Look, we’re both adults, despite being in this situation, in this prim and proper world. Stephen, you know I want you. And I know your society looks down on having sex before marriage.” She shrugged. “My world holds no such ideals. We’re much more…realistic.”
He cleared his throat. “Well, one thing you must learn about my society is we have a double standard. Most of my class, men and women, married or single, take lovers. And many couples who marry are intimate prior to their wedding day.”
“You’re just saying that to have your way with me again.” Brett leaned in and pressed her body against his.
He groaned as he pulled her closer. “Not at all, but, is it working?” His erection pressed against her belly and her pussy clenched. She shifted enough to run her hand over the long, hard bulge in his pants. He moaned again.
“What do you think?”
“I think I need you. When?” he whispered into her hair as he stroked his hand over her back and around to cup her breast. Her nipple hardened at his touch. He pinched it through her clothing and she gasped, arching into him.
“Not tonight. Soon.” She gasped. With a long, lingering kiss, she sealed her vow to him. Now she just needed to figure out his place or hers again? Overnight or not? “We’ll talk of it later.”
He nodded, released her and they continued inside.
Maybe she should have a talk with her father…
•●•
“Ambassador, Stephen seems very impressed by you.” Lady Diane raised her glass to her lips and sipped. “Why do you think it is?”
Jonathan regarded her carefully and wondered if she was just trying to rile him again, or was she teasing? He couldn’t read the look on her face. He glanced briefly at the duke, trying to get a sense from him. The duke’s eyes shone with amusement, so Jonathan proceeded with the assumption she teased.
“It must be my boyish charm and good looks.” His voice was flat, and his face deadpan. Duke Brandon chortled, and Lady Diane’s lips slowly spread in a soft smile.
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