Chapter Fifteen
They dropped Reddington at his townhouse, and Hugo had his driver go to his townhouse afterward.
“I hope you do not mind that we are not trying to see your mother after our long journey today, Verina.”
“No, Hugo, I am perfectly happy with the decision to wait and see Mama and Mrs. Walters tomorrow afternoon. His Grace has said he would take me to the modiste Tia has recommended after my friend’s wedding, and we can send word for Mama to meet me there.
I can then spend the rest of the afternoon with her and her cousin. ”
She paused and then added, “It is very kind of His Grace to offer to escort me to the wedding since you are otherwise engaged.”
“I have more than a meeting with my solicitor,” he said. “You must keep this in confidence, Verina.”
“Of course. What do you wish to share with me?”
“I have decided that with each child Tia bears, I am going to gift her . . .with a piece of jewelry. First, I will begin with a pair of earrings. I have already written to the jeweler whom I purchased her wedding band from. He has. . . a few pairs for me to see tomorrow morning.”
“That is a wonderful idea, Hugo! Tia will be so pleased at the thought you have put into this.”
“I thought . . . that she might wear each piece until . . . each child is ready to wed. Our daughters could then inherit the piece from their mother. Our sons could take the jeweled piece … and give to their wife on their wedding day.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “You are a most thoughtful man, Hugo. I just may allow you to pick out my husband for me. That is a lovely tradition to begin. I might even steal the idea from you.”
He laughed heartily. “You are welcome to do so, Verina. I do . . . want to keep it a secret, though. At least until Tia has given birth.”
“Do you know what kind of gem you wish to purchase this first time?”
“I may go with a sapphire. To match her azure eyes. Then again, it will depend upon . . . what the jeweler has.”
After they arrived at the townhouse, Verina asked for a tray to be sent to her bedchamber.
The day had been long, and she wanted to eat a bite and then retire.
Reddington had told her that they would make an early start of it tomorrow morning.
He would be at Hugo’s townhouse by half-past eight.
When she had asked him why so early, he told her that with no lady’s maid to help prepare her, Miss Baird might need Verina’s assistance.
She would be happy to do whatever she could to make certain her new friend looked lovely for her wedding to Lord Hampton.
Awakening refreshed, she again asked for a tray in her room and ate breakfast while servants brought hot water up for her bath. Hugo’s housekeeper helped bathe and dress Verina, and she wound her hair into a simple chignon since she had left Sarie behind at Redfield.
Going downstairs, she found the Duke of Reddington waiting in the foyer for her. He looked quite handsome in his wedding finery, and once more, she wondered if she should allow herself to develop feelings for him or if she should merely remain friendly with him.
“I hope you have not been waiting long, Your Grace.”
“Not at all, my lady. You are right on time. I, on the other hand, have a tendency to be early to everything. There have been many times I have either sat in my carriage for several minutes or gotten out and taken a walk around the block before I attended some ton event.”
She liked his refreshing honesty. And Verina could not help but think that she liked him. Not the Duke of Reddington, but Matthew Keaton, champion of downtrodden women.
And a man who kissed extremely well.
They went out to his carriage, and he told her, “I do not live far from Hugo.”
“Then we should have walked, Your Grace,” she gently chided. “There was no need to have your team readied just to drive me a few blocks.”
He looked at her as if she had sprung an extra nose. “Walk? You would have walked?”
Verina laughed. “I am a country girl, Your Grace. I walk everywhere when I am at Traywick Manor, and I have done my fair share of walking while visiting at Merrifield. Why, you must recall when we went to Dove Hall that we walked from the cottages to the hall itself, and that was a fair distance.”
“I suppose we did. I should have asked if you wanted to walk that far. I suppose I had other things on my mind that day.”
“If I had not wanted to walk that far, I would have spoken up, Your Grace.”
A few minutes later, they arrived at a beautiful square.
It contained only three houses. Two sat opposite one another, with a park between them, while the last one sat opposite the entry to the square.
Verina had been too tired to notice anything about the duke’s residence when they had dropped him off late yesterday.
They got out of the carriage, and Verina could not help but be taken aback by the sheer size of the townhouse.
As they entered it, she was enthralled with its grand foyer.
Several large paintings were on display, and the magnificent staircase was a thing of beauty in itself.
She could picture future guests lining up along that staircase in a receiving line, waiting to meet the Duke and Duchess of Reddington.
A woman appeared, and he introduced Verina to his housekeeper, saying, “Please take Lady Verina upstairs to Miss Baird’s bedchamber. She is going to help the bride prepare for her wedding.”
“Of course, Your Grace,” the housekeeper said, leading Verina upstairs.
The woman tapped lightly on a door and then opened it, ushering Verina inside. “Let me know if you have need of anything, my lady.”
“Thank you,” she said, closing the door and crossing the large bedchamber.
Miss Baird sat at a dressing table, while a trim woman fussed over a gown lying across the bed.
“Lady Verina!” Miss Baird cried, leaping to her feet and rushing to Verina, throwing her arms about her. “I had no idea you would be attending my wedding.”
“I found that I was going to be in town for a day or two, and His Grace told me of your plans. He did not think you would mind if I came to witness the ceremony.”
“Mind? I am thrilled you are here. I have told Hampton all about you and how brave you were.”
Miss Baird bit her lip, and Verina knew she did so to keep from giving away anything about her past predicament. Turning, Miss Baird indicated the woman. “This is Madame Laurent. She is a modiste Her Grace sent to me.”
“A pleasure to meet you my lady,” the modiste said. “I believe this is a happy coincidence. Are you the Lady Verina which Lady Tia wrote to me of? That is, Lady Merriman?”
“Yes, Madame Laurent. Tia told me she would write to you and ask for an appointment for this afternoon. I planned to leave the wedding breakfast and meet my mama at your dress shop.”
“What are you interested in, my lady?”
“I will be making my come-out in a few months’ time. I thought as long as I was in town, I might have you—or one of your assistants—take my measurements. Even put in an order for a few gowns before the Season begins.”
“You are wise to do so, my lady. I create the gowns for several women in your family. They are all such a pleasure to work with. I was about to help Miss Baird into her wedding gown,” Madame Laurent said.
“Let me know how I might assist you, Madame.”
They lifted the gown over Miss Baird’s head, and it fell like a waterfall about her. Madame Laurent smoothed it here and there and then stepped back, looking pleased.
“Yes, Miss Baird. This suits you quite well.”
Miss Baird went to the full-length mirror in the corner and smiled. “Oh, Madame, it is like a dream. But what am I to do with my hair?” Then she looked at Verina. “I like the simplicity of the style you are wearing, my good friend. Would you mind terribly if I copied it?”
“I do not mind in the least,” she replied. “In fact, I will do your hair for you.” She looked at the modiste. “I believe your work is done here, Madame Laurent. I will see you in a few hours.”
“I already have a few ideas for your gowns, Lady Verina. I will sketch them and also choose some bolts of fabric for you and your mother to look over.” The modiste smiled. “I think we will have a marvelous time working together.”
After the modiste left, Verina brushed Miss Baird’s locks until they shone. Then she twisted her friend’s hair up, pinning it carefully.
Admiring herself in the mirror, Miss Baird said, “Oh, I am so very happy. To be here. With you. Marrying the man I adore. When I think of—”
“Do not,” Verina commanded. “That episode in your life is over. Do not waste another precious moment thinking about it or the cruelty of your father.”
“He was so certain he could control me,” Miss Baird said. “But how could I wed another man when my heart belonged to Hampton?”
Miss Baird’s words struck Verina. Suddenly, she could not see spending the rest of her life with anyone but the Duke of Reddington. Should she tell him this? Encourage him? He said he would ask for no more kisses from her. That she would need to be the one who asked for one from him.
Nerves flitted through her now. She was not ready to declare anything to him. She might only be thinking of him favorably because he was the first man outside her family that she had truly gotten to know. She told herself that she deserved a Season before she made up her mind.
They talked of the Season then, with Miss Baird telling Verina little details that Mama had not mentioned.
“It is so good to have you as my friend,” she told Miss Baird. “I am so comfortable in your company.”
“Since you are to make your debut come the spring, Lady Verina, know that my husband and I will do everything we can to help introduce you to eligible bachelors.”
“I greatly appreciate that, Miss Baird.”
A light tap sounded on the door, and Verina answered it. It was the housekeeper.
“The vicar and Lord Hampton have arrived, Miss Baird. If you are ready, you may come to the drawing room with me.”
Miss Baird clasped Verina’s hands in hers. “If this is a dream, promise you will not wake me from it, my lady.”
They went arm in arm to the drawing room. The vicar stood with a gentleman who beamed the moment he saw Miss Baird. The duke stood by the man’s side, and she knew this must be Lord Hampton. No one else was present.
She and Miss Baird crossed the room and went to stand in front of the vicar. Miss Baird slipped her arm from Verina’s and allowed her groom to take her hands in his.
“Are we ready to begin?” asked the vicar cheerfully.
Verina had been to a couple of weddings in Kidsgrove, their local village, but she had been more caught up in what the bride wore and how the church was decorated. This time, she carefully listened to the vows the couple spoke to one another.
And imagined saying those same words to the duke . . .
She had been watching the bride and groom throughout the entire ceremony, but now she looked over the groom’s shoulder, her gaze meeting that of His Grace’s.
He gave her an enigmatic smile, causing an odd sensation to wind its way through her.
Once more, she fastened her gaze upon her new friend and the groom, listening as the vicar completed the ceremony with a prayer.
Then the clergyman announced the couple were now as one, and Lord Hampton lightly brushed his lips against his bride’s.
For a moment, Verina closed her eyes and recalled what it was like when the duke kissed her. She opened them, only to see him staring at her, a knowing smile on his sensual lips, as if he read her mind and knew what her thoughts were. Her cheeks heated.
Lord Hampton thanked the vicar, who said he was not able to stay for the wedding breakfast.
As he left, Lord Hampton turned his attention to Verina and said, “I have already profusely thanked His Grace for his role in saving my one true love. I knew not where she had been taken and was despondent, afraid I would never see my beloved again. My wife tells me that you, too, played a large role in the recovery effort, Lady Verina.”
“You must not forget Lady Adams’ role in this,” she reminded the couple.
“We had come for her. We knew nothing of Miss Baird and her situation. It was Lady Adams who insisted we locate Miss Baird within the asylum and bring her with us. In fact, she even said that if we could only take one with us, she was willing to remain behind.”
Tears welled in Lady Hampton’s eyes. “I did not know that,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. “Lady Adams was so good to me. That place was a chamber of horrors. Lady Adams was the one bright spot within it.”
“What has happened to Lady Adams?” Lord Hampton asked. “If she has nowhere to go, she is welcome to remain in our household.”
That one statement alone told Verina that Miss Baird had chosen very wisely, falling in love with a man of remarkable character.
The duke spoke up. “My mother and Lady Adams were friends when Lady Adams’ husband was alive. I believe she is going to remain at Redfield as a companion to Mama.”
“Then you will be able to meet her, Hampton,” the new Lady Hampton declared.
“Yes, I am certain Mama would like to have the both of you to tea when we return to town for the Season. Lady Adams would appreciate that, as well. She will not be mixing in Polite Society again. We do not want her nephew, who claimed her husband’s title and had her locked away, to know that she has been liberated from the madhouse. ”
The duke cleared his throat. “Might you like to go into your wedding breakfast? I asked for it to be laid out in the actual breakfast room. It is the most pleasant room in the household, and we are a small party.”
Lord Hampton turned to his bride. Offering his arm, he said, “My dear Lady Hampton, might I escort you to the breakfast given in our honor?”
The former Miss Baird’s smile was blinding as she gazed upon her groom. “Lead the way, my lord.”
Reddington gave Verina his arm, and he took them to the breakfast room. As they ate several courses, they all complimented the duke on his cook. At the end, a small cake was brought out, along with flutes of champagne.
His Grace stood, holding the flute high. “To Lord and Lady Hampton. I hope that you have many good years together and that the four of us remain steadfast friends.”
Verina lifted her own champagne flute and smiled at the newlyweds. Sipping from it, she couldn’t help but wonder if she might one day be the hostess of this grand house.