And then there was the problem of Celia. How could he spend the rest of his life with Katherine when Celia was the woman he loved? Regardless, there was nothing to be done about it. He would dance with her once and that would be that. A voice in the back of his head noted the lie. He ignored it.

“There you are.” Ned strode into the garden. “I was looking for you.”

“Were you?” Henry said absently.

“I met Miss Bromley, Celia, on the way here.” Ned settled on the bench beside him. “Lovely woman.”

“Yes, she is.” It was oddly fortunate that Katherine was not fond of her youngest sister.

“Clever, too.”

“She does seem clever, yes.” Why, after their marriage he and Katherine would probably rarely see Celia at all.

“I’ve quite grown to like her in these past weeks.”

“There’s nothing not to like.” Yes, that would be best for all concerned, really. Besides, he and Katherine would live most of the time in London and Celia would be at Bromwick Abbey.

“No.” Ned chuckled. “Not one little thing, at least so far as I can tell. She’s intelligent, and not afraid to show it. It’s unusual and I like that. She’s witty and amusing, and really quite pretty.” He paused. “Although, Katherine is the true beauty of the family.”

“Katherine is beautiful.” Henry nodded. He would have one dance with Celia and that would be the end of it.

“But Celia, well, there’s something about Celia,” Ned mused. “That fair hair and those blue eyes. A fetching figure on her, as well. I find her very nearly irresistible.”

What an idiot he was. One dance would never be enough.

“I believe I shall have to do something about that. I’ve only hesitated thus far because I wasn’t sure what the rules were about pursuing the sister of one’s future sister-in-law. Although I’ve never been fond of rules.” Ned paused. “The ball will be the perfect setting to begin my efforts. Yes, indeed, a beautiful summer night with romance in the air. I always look especially dashing in formal attire. It will be perfect.” He chuckled. “We’ll share a dance or two. She will have my undivided attention—no woman can resist that. I’ll murmur a few compliments in her ear. Something about how she looks like a goddess descended to earth to enchant unsuspecting mortals. Women adore that sort of thing. I’ll suggest a turn on the terrace and perhaps a walk in the gardens, under the moon or the stars, whichever is appropriate. And then, when she is very nearly swooning with the romance of it all, I’ll take her in my arms and—”

“What?” Henry’s attention jerked to his brother. “What are you talking about?”

“I knew you were off somewhere.” Ned smirked. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

“No, I have other things on my mind.” Henry narrowed his eyes. “You were talking about seducing some...” He sucked in a hard breath. “You were talking about seducing Celia!”

“I was not.” Ned scoffed. “I was talking about charming and enchanting her.” He grinned. “Seduction would come later.”

“Absolutely not!” Henry glared. “I won’t have it. I don’t want you going near her.”

“I don’t see why not.” Ned shrugged. “She’s not a child. She’s certainly available. And she is quite, oh, what is the word? Delicious? Oh, yes, that’s good.”

Henry gasped.

“Delectable, really.” Ned cast his brother a wicked grin. “A truly tasty morsel and I do believe—”

“That’s enough, Ned. I will not have you leering over Celia in that manner. You will leave her alone. Do you understand?”

“Why should I?”

“Because...”

“If you don’t have a better reason than that—”

“Because...”

“Because she deserves better than me?”

“Yes!”

“Because she deserves someone who will love and cherish her?”

“Yes!”

“Because you already love her?”

“I...”

“Come now, Henry, I have been in love often enough to know the signs.”

“Yes!” Henry huffed. “Yes, Ned, damn it all, I love her.”

“Ah-ha!” Ned jumped to his feet and aimed an accusing finger at his brother. “I knew it. I’ve known it from the beginning. That first night, when we met the rest of Katherine’s family, I knew you had met Celia before.”

Henry sighed. “We met at a bookstore. Only once but...”

“But it was enough?”

“Yes.” Henry shook his head. “I haven’t been able to think of anything but her since then.”

“This was before you met Katherine?” Ned sat back down on the bench.

“Yes, but—” he struggled to find the right words “—I didn’t have her name. I went back in hopes of seeing her again but I didn’t. So I decided it was foolish to continue to pine over a woman I spent no more than a few hours with. And then I met Katherine and you know the rest.”

“I’ve been watching the two of you—you and Celia, that is. There’s a tense sort of longing between you when you look at each other. I can’t believe no one else has noticed, although you have both been discreet, I’ll give you that.”

“We have been more than discreet—we’ve avoided each other.” He paused. “Until today.”

“You mean just now?” Caution sounded in Ned’s voice. “What happened?”

“I thought if I could talk to her, perhaps...” Henry ran his hand through his hair.

“Perhaps it would be enough?”

Henry nodded.

“But it wasn’t?”

“No, and it doesn’t matter. I am to marry Katherine and there’s nothing to be done about it.” Henry blew a long breath. “The worst part about all of this is that I don’t especially like Katherine.”

“That’s the worst part?”

“Well, yes. If I liked her, I could imagine the rest of our lives together. And it would be easier to put Celia out of my head.”

“I doubt that.”

“Oh, I was infatuated with Katherine in the beginning but the more I’m with her, the more I know her—”

“Exactly.” Ned shuddered. “She’s rather frightening.”

“Isn’t she, though?” Henry heaved a resigned sigh. “First I meet the woman who may well be the love of my life and I lose her—or rather I can’t find her again. Then I fancy myself in love with a beautiful creature who now appears to want me more for my fortune than anything else.” He glanced at his brother. “I don’t think Katherine is all that fond of me, either.”

“I don’t think she’s fond of anyone.”

“I’ve been something of an idiot, haven’t I?”

“In the scheme of things, it’s probably your turn.” Ned grinned then sobered. “You’ll have to call off your wedding, you know.”

“I can’t.” Resignation swept through him. “I gave my word.”

“You will be a cad but that’s far better than marrying the wrong woman.”

“No, it’s not.” He distinctly remembered Father telling him that doing what was easy didn’t make a man but rather it was doing what was right, no matter how difficult it might be. Owning up to one’s mistakes was what gave a man strength and fortitude and character. And made a father proud. “I can’t go back on my word. It would be wrong and I could never forgive myself.”

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the only sounds the tinkling of water from the annoyingly joyous nymphs and dolphins on the other side of the hedge.

“It’s hard to be the good brother, isn’t it?” Ned said with a wry smile.

Henry scoffed. “You have no idea.”

“Never fear, old man.” Ned patted his brother’s back. “I’ll come up with something.”

“Will you?” It was an interesting thought but Henry doubted even Ned—who had vast experience in extricating himself from all kinds of awkward situations through the years—could save him from this.

“Of course I will. I don’t have any ideas yet, but there are still four days until the wedding. Plenty of time.”

“There’s nothing you can do.”

“Come now, Henry. I’ll think of something. I always do. Besides—” Ned grinned “—what’s the good of being the earl if you can’t save your twin brother from ruining his life?”






Day Three


CHAPTER EIGHT


“THANK YOU FOR joining me, Mrs. Blodgett.” The Earl of Danby shifted in his chair, obviously a bit ill at ease. Gwen suspected his discomfort had nothing to do with the chair.

“Well, when an earl, and one’s host, invites you to join him privately in his library for tea, one does not turn down the invitation as it obviously means one of two things.” Gwen smiled pleasantly.

“Oh?”

“Either he has a matter of importance to discuss or he is interested in something of a more personal nature, in which case he should be set straight immediately.” She paused. “As I am old enough to be your mother, I am assuming the former.”

“Regardless of age, you are an extremely attractive woman, Mrs. Blodgett.”

“I am an extremely married woman, my lord.”

“And I would never...” He grinned. “Well, I would and I have but I won’t.”

She laughed. “Imagine my relief, my lord.”

“Edward, please.”

“Guinevere, or my friends call me Gwen if you prefer.”

“Gwen it is, then.” He considered her for a moment. “I shall be blunt. I think this marriage between my brother and Katherine Bromley is a dreadful mistake.”

“Do you?” She calmly sipped her tea.

“Don’t you?”

Gwen chose her words with care. “I fear the reasons Katherine wishes to marry Henry are more of a mercenary nature than anything having to do with true affection.”

“You see it, too, then.”

“It’s painfully obvious to me.”

He nodded. “For that reason alone I would want to stop this wedding.” He thought for a moment. “You must understand, for all that Henry seems the more sensible and intelligent of the two of us, he is not as—Oh, what’s the word? Wise, I suppose, as I am when it comes to the more unscrupulous tendencies of the fairer sex. I have been pursued by women seeking my title and fortune from the time I was old enough to be considered of marriageable age.” He grinned. “It has not been entirely unpleasant.”