Page 53

As always, when she looked at Grant and then at his huge home, she expected to feel out of place, inadequate. Strangely, she did not. Instead, especially after her aunt’s revelations, she felt more than adequate to be there. Not that she held herself in higher regard than the people inside, but that she now knew they were not better than she was.

“Shall we?” Grant said, offering his arm. “My sister is inside and insists on speaking to you before allowing us privacy to talk.” He guided her up the stairs to the front door where the footman had already escorted her aunt.

It was sweet the way her aunt’s eyes sparked with curiosity at seeing the inside of such a grand home. It was smaller than Lady Roberts’, however, it was more elegant.

Once inside, they stepped into the marble-floored foyer where her aunt took a moment to admire the sweeping staircases, one to each side of the corridor between them, the polished floors gleaming.

“They await in the sitting room,” Grant said, leading them there.

Wren was surprised to see not only Grant’s sister, and her husband, but three other people there who she didn’t recognize.

Felicity stood and held her hands out in greeting. When Wren grasped her hands, she pulled her forward into the room. “I wish to introduce you to our little group.”

First, she motioned to her husband. “This is my husband, Evan McLeod.” The attractive tall man bowed in acknowledgement. Felicity continued, motioning to a couple consisting of a beautiful brunette and a light-haired man, with plush lips, heavily lashed eyes, and eyebrows that seemed to be painted by an artist. He had to be the most beautiful person she’d ever seen. “I present Henry and Hannah Campbell. Henry is a lifelong friend of Grant and Evan.”

A dark-toned man sat leisurely in a chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He was elegant and seemed the most reserved of the group. He studied her with half-closed eyes, seeming to not find any fault by the arching of one brow, as if in approval. When Felicity came to him, he stood. Felicity introduced him by saying, “This handsome creature is Lord Miles Johnstone. Also, a lifelong friend of my husband and brother.”

His Lordship’s movements were graceful as he took Wren’s right hand and brought it up to his lips. The light kiss felt intimate, especially when his chocolate brown eyes lifted to hers. “I am very pleased to meet you.” His voice was silky like velvet and Wren considered that no woman could possibly be immune to it. A moment later, however, he was once again in the same chair with the distracted expression of someone who preferred to be anywhere but there.

“Please sit,” Felicity said after Grant introduced her flushed aunt to the group. He led Wren to a settee and then stood behind her, while Felicity showed her aunt to a chair.

There was a beat of silence before Felicity, obviously the group’s spokesperson, said anything. She started by smiling at Wren. “Hannah and I wished to speak to you. I asked the men to join us just for a moment so that you can know who Grant’s closest friends are.”

Henry met her gaze. “He is a reformed scoundrel, I assure you. My friend is loyal and steadfast.”

Behind her, Grant groaned. “This is not an inquest. No need to say all that.” When she turned to look up at him, his cheeks were pink.

“I second what Henry said,” Lord Johnstone said, standing again. “However, I expect—as his friends—we would say something like that. Therefore, I will allow the ladies to reassure you.”

Evan motioned to the men, and they filed out, Grant last after giving her shoulder a light pat.

“Goodness. They seem to take the air out of the room,” Hannah spoke for the first time, fanning herself. She looked to Wren and then away, obviously a shy person by the way she seemed to regret her outburst.

“I agree,” Wren said, and the woman smiled brightly.

A maid walked in with a tray of small goblets of amber liquid. They each took one, her aunt eyeing hers with suspicion. “Now, let us have some honeyed mead. My mother purchased some and sent it over. I suppose she expected we’d need it after I told her about you and Grant,” Felicity explained.

They drank it slowly, and Wren had to admit the sweet liquid did relax her. Or perhaps it was that Grant had left the room, and she could breathe easier.

“How are you feeling?” Hannah asked. “I hope you do not feel ambushed. That was not our intention.”

Wren placed her empty goblet on the tray the maid had left on a center table. “I understand why you all came. You care for Grant and wish for him to be happy, but in all honesty, I am not sure how I feel.”

“We do want Grant to be happy,” Felicity affirmed. “We wish to speak on Grant’s behalf before you decide whether to marry him or not. Not to make excuses for him because no justification can be made for his actions in the recent past. But to talk to you about the man he is now, and we expect to be in the future.”

Her aunt sighed, holding up the empty goblet. “Is there more?”

Hannah giggled. “I will have another with you.” She lifted the glass decanter from the tray and refilled their glasses. Both Felicity and Wren declined another serving.

It was best to speak frankly, so Wren let out a breath. “I worry that I will not be able to get past the thought of him with other women. The fact that they will be about and part of social events and that they will know who I am, but I will not be aware of who they are.”

Felicity nodded with understanding. “The both of us can relate. We both married rogues with a rather checkered past. Being that I’ve known Evan, Henry, and Miles for so long, I’ve seen them all with different women. I am sure there are women with whom Evan has had interludes that I am not aware of, and I choose not to give them importance or allow them to interfere in our marriage by thinking about them.”

The words made sense, but Wren wasn’t sure to be strong enough.

“When I fell in love with Henry,” Hannah began, “One of the things I had to know was if he was going to change and become a good husband. I needed to trust that he would, and so far, he has.”

Felicity nodded. “They are worthy men, with noble hearts. Unfortunately, they have lived the carefree bachelor’s life that men often do. My parents and I have been praying that Grant finally settles down and we despaired of it ever happening.”