Page 138 of Four Promises to Love

“I would like to end by proposing a toast.” He raised his flute. “To the health and happiness of Lord and Lady Owen Harrington.”

“Hear, hear,” everyone chanted.

“And to the promise of love,” Wally said. “The most important promise we make to one another.”

They all drank to that.

Later that afternoon, Finn found Caleb in the garden gazebo.

His face had healed. Every strand of his pale blond hair was pomaded in place, and he wore a plum-colored frock coat. Seeing where his gaze had been fixed before she arrived, Finn thought the uncommon care he’d taken with his appearance wasn’t just for the wedding. She went to stand beside him at the railing.

After a beat of silence, Caleb said awkwardly, “You look nice.”

“So do you,” she said. “Though it’s a pity your shiner’s gone. It would have matched your coat.”

As she’d hoped, her teasing broke the tension.

“I buy a proper coat for your fancy wedding, and that’s the thanks I get.”

He gave her a crooked smile.

She smiled back.

He dropped his eyes, then raised them. “Look, Finn, I never apologized⁠—”

“It’s all right. I understand why you did what you did.”

“Being a stupid, reckless sod doesn’t excuse⁠—”

“I am not saying you aren’t a stupid, reckless sod,” she said. “But that isn’t why you went to Carver.”

His brow furrowed. “If you say so.”

“I understand, you know.”

She tipped her head at the lone figure in the distance. Standing by the roses, Iris looked lost and alone. She had no idea that Caleb had been staring at her from afar, his expression one of stark longing.

“Understand what?” he asked uneasily.

“Love makes us do mad things,” Finn said.

Epilogue

“I have made a terrible mistake.”

Owen stared at the curtained stage of Chuddums’s brand-new theatre. It was the opening night of Grantley’s latest venture, which Rose’s emeralds had helped build, and from Owen’s vantage point in the prized second-floor box, the place was sold out. People had traveled from near and far to attend the inaugural event.

“I should put a stop to this,” he said. “Ethan is going to hate what I’ve done⁠—”

“Don’t be silly.” Finn squeezed his hand. “Your brother will love his surprise.”

“No, he won’t. He hates surprises. What possessed me to think that this was a good idea? He will think I went behind his back. This time, he won’t forgive me. Bloody hell, I should get on that stage and send everyone home⁠—”

“Stop panicking,” Finn ordered. “It is too late to change anything. And you don’t need to: the concert will be perfect.”

“I shall be the judge of that.”

Owen’s throat closed when Ethan entered the box. He had Xenia on his arm. Since Owen had needed Xenia’s help to set up the surprise, she knew what was about to happen. For some reason, she didn’t look worried. In fact, she gave him a conspiratorial wink. Perhaps her advancing pregnancy had muddled her brain, and she didn’t realize the disaster he was about to cause.