A Shadowed Charade (The Lockwood Family #4)

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Melody was deliriously happy as she descended the grand staircase of Brockhall Manor. Every step felt lighter, almost as if she were floating. The reality of her engagement to Wesley still seemed too wonderful to be true. She could hardly believe she would be marrying the man she couldn’t imagine living without. He was everything she had ever dreamed of and more.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, there he was—the object of her affection—waiting for her. Wesley stood dressed in a finely tailored blue jacket and buff trousers, looking devilishly handsome.

Wesley stepped forward as she reached the marble floor, a smile tugging at his lips. “Good evening, Melody.”

“Good evening,” she replied, her voice soft, though the joy she felt bubbled beneath the surface.

Without hesitation, Wesley reached for her hand and raised it to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles. The simple gesture sent a rush of warmth through her, and she felt her cheeks flush. The memory of their earlier kiss, so full of promise, flickered in her mind. It was a kiss she wouldn’t mind repeating—a thousand times over.

In a low voice, Wesley said, “I managed to convince Jasper to join us for dinner this evening. He wasn’t exactly keen on the idea.”

“I had the same reaction from Aunt Sarah,” Melody shared.

As they talked, Melody was aware that Wesley still held her hand. She didn’t mind in the least. She rather liked being engaged to him. The mere thought of being near him, of spending her life with him, filled her with a sense of peace she had never known. She couldn’t imagine ever tiring of his presence.

From behind them came a booming voice filled with exasperation. “Good gads, please say that we were not this obnoxious.”

Melody turned to see Bennett entering the hall with his wife, Delphine, on his arm. Delphine glanced at her husband, her lips curving into a knowing smile. “Oh, we were worse,” she revealed.

Melody grinned as she greeted them. “Welcome home, Delphine.”

Delphine’s eyes roamed the entry hall. “I suppose that Brockhall Manor will do as a home,” she quipped.

At that moment, Elodie stepped into the room. “I would be careful with your food, especially your bread. Bennett has a habit of stealing off other people’s plates.”

“I do not mind,” Delphine replied with a loving glance at her husband.

“You will when you have spent loads of time creating the perfect ratio of bread and butter,” Elodie said.

Bennett chuckled. “Only you, dear sister, would spend so much time on something as trivial as buttering bread.”

Elodie shrugged. “It is a skill.”

“A useless one,” Bennett retorted.

“Says the man that steals my perfectly buttered bread,” Elodie countered.

A knock came at the main door and White crossed the entry hall to open it, revealing Jasper standing awkwardly on the threshold. Despite his discomfort in formal attire, he looked the height of fashion.

“Good evening,” Jasper muttered, stepping inside, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape.

Melody approached Jasper and offered him a private smile. “I never properly thanked you for what you did for Elodie and me. We owe you so much.”

Jasper returned her smile. “I am just glad that you both are safe.”

Elodie came to stand next to Melody and lowered her voice. “Are you a spy, too?”

Jasper exchanged a look with Melody before replying, “I am not. I am just a Bow Street Runner.”

“Pity,” Elodie muttered.

Melody shook her head. “You can’t just ask everyone if they are a spy.”

“Perhaps not, but one might conclude that Jasper would make a good spy,” Elodie said.

Just then, their mother entered the room, accompanied by Aunt Sarah. “White just informed me that dinner is ready to be served,” she announced. “Shall we all adjourn to the dining room?”

Wesley stepped forward and offered his arm to Melody. “May I escort you to the dining room?”

Melody accepted his arm. “Thank you, kind sir.”

“Kind sir?” he repeated with a grin. “I do remember a time when you were not as complimentary of me.”

She laughed. “Times have changed. I find you to be quite tolerable.”

“Only tolerable?” he teased.

Before she could reply, they entered the dining room and Wesley moved to pull out her chair. He claimed the seat next to her.

Lady Dallington spoke up as the rest of the family settled around the table. “It was a shame that our other guests left when Melody went missing, but I do think it was for the best.”

Elodie added, “If I had known all it would take to rid ourselves of Anthony was for me to be abducted, I would have arranged it much sooner.”

Wesley met Elodie’s gaze with a knowing look. “Lord Belview was far more concerned for you than you give him credit for,” he said. “Had we not found you, I suspect he would have sent his men to search every door in the village.”

“I doubt that,” Elodie said, though her tone faltered slightly. “He was probably more relieved we couldn’t finish our argument about pickles.”

A soft chuckle rippled through the room, but it was clear to Melody that her sister’s usual wit was masking something deeper. Perhaps a hint of uncertainty. She may brush it off as if it did not matter, but Melody knew better.

Jasper, who sat beside Sarah, cleared his throat, breaking the brief silence that followed. “Thank you for inviting me this evening.”

“You are always welcome in our home, especially after what you did for my daughters,” Lord Dallington said from his seat at the head of the table.

“It was the least I could do,” Jasper said, brushing off the praise.

Lord Dallington wasn’t finished, however. “My daughters have been rather tight-lipped about the whole ordeal, but I must say, I am most grateful to both you and Lord Emberly for your efforts,” he said, raising his glass in a toast.

The footmen stepped forward and placed bowls of soup in front of them. Melody decided it was time to implement her plan.

“Jasper,” she began, “what are your plans for when Winston returns from his wedding tour?”

He looked momentarily startled by the question and glanced at Sarah before replying. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Well, I think you should remain here,” Melody said. “Father is always looking for good men to help run the estate.”

Lord Dallington nodded. “That is true. Bennett and I could use your help, especially since you have proved yourself loyal to this family.”

Jasper furrowed his brow. “I know nothing of land management.”

“Neither does Bennett,” Elodie quipped, earning a laugh from around the table, “but that hasn’t stopped him.”

Bennett shook his head, grinning. “I have missed you, too, Sister.”

Elodie pulled out the bent nail from the folds of her gown. “I have a new weapon,” she informed her brother.

Bennett glanced at the nail with mild amusement. “It is a nail.”

“Yes, but it can scratch you,” Elodie declared.

Their mother sighed, waving her hand. “Elodie, put the nail away.”

Elodie slipped the nail back into the folds of her gown, her gaze still fixed on Bennett with a playful challenge.

Lord Dallington cleared his throat. “In any case, Jasper, it would be an honor to work alongside you. What say you?”

Jasper opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Sarah. “I think it is a wonderful idea.”

He looked surprised. “You do?”

“Yes, I do not want you to leave,” Sarah admitted in a quiet voice. “But I understand if you need to.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, the silence thick with unspoken emotions before Jasper finally spoke. “In that case, I think I will stay.”

Melody clapped her hands together, her smile bright. “Wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Now that Jasper is staying, we thought a double wedding might be a brilliant idea.”

Aunt Sarah stiffened slightly. “I do not think that is a good idea?—”

Jasper cut her off. “I do.”

Sarah turned to him, her eyes questioning. “Are you sure?”

Jasper met her gaze with a steady resolve. “Sarah, I have wanted to marry you since the day I first met you. I may not be a rich man, but I would marry you today, tomorrow, or after the banns are posted. It does not matter to me.”

Sarah’s eyes grew downcast. “I have never cared if you were rich or titled. I left that life behind me a long time ago.”

“Then marry me,” Jasper urged, his hand reaching for hers.

“It is not that easy,” Sarah said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I have a son.”

Jasper’s grip tightened around her hand. “And I will love him as if he were my own.”

Elodie interjected, “Everyone in favor of Aunt Sarah marrying Jasper, raise your hand!”

Laughter ripped through the room as all hands went up in unison. Jasper chuckled. “I do believe your family approves.”

Sarah slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting Jasper’s. “You need to be sure,” she said. “You know my past, the mistakes I have made.”

Jasper’s eyes crinkled at the corners, his smile warm and reassuring. “Every little detail of your life is what made you into the person you are today. And I happen to love the person you have become.”

“But you would have to give up being a Bow Street Runner. How could I ask that of you? How could I take away something so integral to who you are?”

Jasper leaned closer. “You aren’t asking anything of me, Sarah. Because being married to you will be my greatest adventure yet. What we build together will be worth more than any case I could ever take on.”

Tears welled in Sarah’s eyes. “Then, yes. I will marry you.”

A collective cheer erupted from the dining hall as Jasper, beaming, leaned forward to press a soft, tender kiss to Sarah’s lips.

Wesley leaned in closer to Melody. “Well done, my dear.”

“It was obvious that those two belonged together. Just as we do,” Melody replied, turning to face him. “They just needed a little push.”

Wesley’s smile deepened, his gaze never leaving hers. “And you have no objections to sharing your wedding day?”

Melody glanced at Jasper and Sarah, who were still basking in the glow of their newfound joy. They were laughing quietly, their love radiating from every glance and touch. She smiled. “Not at all. It feels right, does it not? Like everything is falling into place.”

Wesley kissed her cheek, his lips lingering as if he didn’t want the moment to end. “Have I told you how happy I am that you have agreed to marry me?”

“You could stand to do it more often,” she teased.

He leaned back slightly. “I love you.”

Melody’s heart swelled with happiness. She glanced around the room, taking in the joyous scene—her family, Wesley, and the sheer joy that now filled the space. Despite everything that had happened, she realized that life had brought her exactly where she was meant to be.

And it was perfect.