Page 8 of Duke in Darkness

“Yes, my dear,” she replied, with a less-than-convincing pat to his arm. “Lady Lilian will make a fine wife and duchess, so this is…this is a happy day. We’d better leave at once though, one never knows how crowded the streets will be on any given morning.”

An unfortunate truth. London had been difficult to get used to again after being away for so long, especially the frantic pace of carts, young imbeciles in phaetons and curricles, even town carriages. And the smell. Not in a thousand years would he be immune to that. Even though they were infinitely more fortunate living within Grosvenor Square located in the West End of the capital, sometimes the cloying mix of waste, rot and damp would waft on the wind, and the scent could only be described as foul. How people living in places like Whitechapel or Wapping by the London Docks managed without being violently ill, he couldn’t fathom.

But they did have to go. Already he wouldn’t be presenting his best self to Lady Lilian after the endless silent night, there was no need to compound the crime with tardiness. She appeared to be someone who might value punctuality.

“Very well,” Gabriel said, assisting his aunt into the ducal carriage. “To Langton’s Chapel. Without delay.”

“THERE IS STILL time to call this whole thing off, you know.”

Stunned, Lilian turned and glanced at Xavier who sat on the other side of the comfortably furnished antechamber just two doors down from Langton’s Chapel proper. “Beg pardon?”

“You don’t have to do this,” he said forcefully. “Not for me. I’ll find an heiress.”

Pippa looked up from the small book of Latin phrases she’d been reading to pass the time until the ceremony began, and pushed her spectacles further up her pert nose. Her defiance of Grandmother was to be the bluest of bluestockings, purposefully dissuading gentlemen from courting her. “We’ve had this conversation twenty times already, Xav. Each time Lilian has bested you with age and logic. And you said yourself that the wealthiest heiresses expect a duke or marquess in return for their chests of guineas.”

“Stuff bloody logic,” said Georgiana, hands on hips as she paced, forever unable to sit quietly. Their youngest sister was by far the most beautiful, but also headstrong, blunt, and happiest when surrounded by a bevy or admirers or riding her horse astride at a hell for leather pace. Even Grandmother had almost given up on her. “This is marriage. This is forever. You can’t wed him, even if he is a duke. He’s mad!”

Lilian’s gaze slid down to the beautiful Brussels lace embroidered on her pale blue silk wedding gown. “I don’t believe so.”

“And how would you know? You’ve had one bloody conversation with the man.”

“Which is precisely one more than you,” she replied, glaring at her sister.

Georgiana blinked in surprise. “Well I never. A little of the spice we knew does remain under the proper lady shell!”

“Shut it, Gigi,” said Xavier. “I don’t think you are helping to convince her.”

“I’m going to marry Exton,” said Lilian firmly. “I will do my duty—”

“Oh, here we go,” muttered Georgiana. “Duty, duty…ouch! Damnation, Xav. Keep those oversized feet away from my toes.”

Pippa’s lips twitched at Xavier’s innocent expression, one he had perfected as a toddler, and used to advantage ever since. “You were saying, Lilian?”

Taking a deep breath, she looked at her siblings. “I will do my duty, but I think it might well be an agreeable match. Exton is strong and honorable. He served king and country in an exemplary fashion, overcame great adversity with his injuries, and has a very loyal valet by all accounts.”

“I’ve heard Wellington holds Exton in the highest regard,” said Xavier grudgingly, as he smoothed his elaborate cravat. “And we all know what a stiff-rump Old Nosey is.”

“Such disrespect! But you are correct. And Exton doesn’t gamble, has no debts…and isn’t sixty-five with rotting teeth and gout. I’m certainly more fortunate than some young ladies in London.”

Pippa shuddered and hugged her book close. “I’m never getting married. I’ll just be an eccentric but doting aunt to all my nieces and nephews.”

“Oh yes you bloody well will marry,” said Georgiana. “Otherwise they won’t let me wed, and I’ve already a man in mind. No, I’m not saying who.”

“You will. Just a few thumbscrews is all it would take,” said Xavier, twirling an imaginary monocle, then smoothly ducking as Georgiana threw a cushion at him.

Rolling her eyes at their antics, Lilian again checked her appearance in the oval-shaped looking glass in the corner of the antechamber. Her opinion changed by the minute now, running the gauntlet between fetching and ghastly. Would Exton be pleased with her wedding attire? Think her too fussy? Too formal?

Botheration. Ten o’clock mere minutes away, and yet it felt like an eternity.

“Lilian?”

She glanced back at Georgiana. “Mmmm?”

“I meant to say, you don’t have to worry about any by-blows appearing at the front door, either.”

Pippa groaned. “Gigi! Can you not?”

“Oh hush up. It’s true. I overheard Father talking to his lawyer. And it is a good thing. Not at all gentlemanly to go around behaving like a barn cat in heat. Take note, Xav.”