Chapter Ten #3
“It is, rather. I’m glad, for Vivian planned this event for months, even when the baby had colic, which wasn’t a happy period in our lives.” He bounced his gaze between her and Bright. “Have you enjoyed yourselves this week?”
Heat went through Mary’s cheeks. “More or less.” Her brother-in-law didn’t need to know everything about them.
Gabriel nodded. “Good days and bad ones. You know. Also, it was difficult to leave the children as well as my business.”
“Which is exactly why I wanted the two of you to visit.” Francis had the look of a cat who’d caught the canary. “To that end, I should probably confess something to you.”
“What the hell did you do?” Bright crossed his arms at his chest.
Ruddy color rose on Francis’ neck above his collar. “Uh, regarding all the flowers Mary received this week… I was the one who orchestrated those deliveries.”
“What?” Red mottled her husband’s face. “The devil you say.” Though his voice was low, a warning rumble had set up in the tone.
“Well, I did with Vivian’s help. She wrote the notes.”
“Why?” Then before anyone could speak again, Bright flew into the boughs. He took a step toward his brother with a fist raised, but Mary stopped him from throwing a punch with a hand on his arm.
“I second the question, Francis. Why would you do something like that? We were at each other’s throats this week thinking our union was falling apart.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” The viscount shook his head as he retreated a couple of steps away from his brother.
“Vivian and I thought up this scheme because the two of you needed to see that you are good as a couple even if you felt distant from each other.” When Bright growled, he continued quickly, “You both needed to pay more attention and make the time to be together. Trust me. I know this because those very things nearly destroyed my own marriage, and I didn’t want that to happen to you; the signs were evident. ”
Again, Bright clenched his right hand into a fist. “I should land you a facer.”
“Hush, Inspector.” Feeling a hundred times lighter from the admission, Mary again laid a hand on her husband’s arm then rested her gaze on his brother.
“Thank you, Francis. We truly needed that tension to bring everything out in the open, air it out, and realize we’ve both been lazy and hiding behind fear.
” Thank goodness it wasn’t anything more serious than a May Day prank.
Then she closed the distance between them and bussed his cheek while ignoring Bright’s bluster.
“You are a good man, Francis. Your wife is lucky to have you.” It was a testament to how much he’d grown as a person since she’d been involved with him.
His grin was a touch goofy. “And Gabriel is quite fortunate to have you. I wish you both nothing but happiness in your union and pray that when you’ve been married for as long as I have, you will still prove madly in love.”
She glanced at Bright with a slight grin. “I had no doubt that we will.”
Francis nodded. He clapped a good-natured hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Now, I need to bring champagne back for my wife. Enjoy the remainder of the ball.”
Once he left, Mary held her husband’s gaze with her own. “I suppose we’ve solved that May Day mystery.”
He snorted. “Not much of a challenge, that, but I am glad it’s been concluded all the same.”
“Without you making a cake of yourself.” One of her eyebrows rose in jest. “What now?”
“I am going to lead you out for the next set.” His eyes were inscrutable, but he did exactly what he told her. “That was quite… something.”
“It was, and unexpected, but I’m glad everything happened how it did. I feel we’re stronger together now.”
“As do I, but in the event you wondered, I wouldn’t have let you go without a fight. You are mine, Mary, now and always. Nothing in this world can tear us asunder.”
Unshed tears rose into her throat. “I appreciate that and feel the same about you.” If he could still manage to charm her after a week of tension, then their future would remain brilliant.
“God, I feel almost giddy.” He led her to an open spot on the dance floor where another waltz was being set up. “By the by, I have had a thought, darling.”
“Oh? I hope it’s not that you’d like to throttle your brother.”
“Not at all. After everything, his heart was in a good place.” The grin he bestowed on her had the power to weaken her knees. “What if I invited Major Kourier to be a co-investigator in the private detecting agency? That way we can divide cases and still have time to spend with our loved ones.”
It was a thought she’d not considered before, and she warmed to it rather quickly.
“It’s very feasible and you are good friends.
If we brought Adelaide in as your secretary and had Henry take care of all the legal paperwork, it would take the strain off both of us.
” She slowly nodded as she thought over the ramifications while more couples filled the dance floor.
“Also, in that way, you and the major won’t compete against each other for clients. ”
“Exactly.” A gleam reflected in his hazel eyes. “If we do this, we shall definitely need to move house, though.”
It had been a worry, but now it was becoming a necessity. “I don’t mind if the end result is removing some of the stress and tension between us and will take responsibility from our shoulders.” Though it would be a proper chore.
His grin had widened, which meant he was serious about putting things into motion. “Would you be receptive to this? It will prove a huge change, and as we both discovered this week, that was one of our issues.”
“I know.” She dropped her attention to the knot of his cravat. “It will, but at times, change is exactly what we need to keep us moving forward. I want it all with you, Gabriel, all the accolades as well as the challenges.” It was the truth.
“Good, for I welcome it all with you by my side. Together, we are a force.”
“What a lovely sentiment.” Not able to hold back a smile of her own, Mary uttered the chuckle bubbling up in her throat. It felt an age since she felt like laughing. “Adelaide will be free in September.”
“Right, and Kourier marries next month, with his honeymoon to follow. It might take us a handful of months to find a new townhouse and then move…”
As the first notes of the music burst upon the air, she nodded. “If all goes well, by autumn we should settle into a new home and have a new business ahead of us.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I am venturing to guess that our future is going to go very well indeed.”
He led her into the first steps of the waltz with that charming grin she adored so much. “I can’t wait to see what new adventures await us.”
“Neither can I.”
Change needn’t be feared or avoided, for it had the power to usher in things far more wonderful than one could ever consider, even new adventures. And after all, wasn’t that the point of living? How very dull things would be if everything stayed the same.