Chapter Twenty
Verina was eager to return to Matthew. She could not believe that on the first night of her come-out, she had become betrothed. All her worries about Matthew’s feelings changing for her had melted away, replaced by an incredible warmth inside her.
Lady Hampton played with her hair in a hand mirror one of the maids had given to her. Impatient, Verina said, “You look fine. We should be getting back.”
Her friend patted her hair and returned the mirror to the servant. “Oh, all right. I suppose all of this is new and exciting to you. I did my Season last spring. Or at least part of it.”
She saw the gloomy look fall on Lady Hampton’s face. Linking her arm through hers, she guided her from the retiring room, saying, “That is water under the bridge. Be happy! You have wed a lovely man. You are at the Season once again. And I hope we will get to spend all kinds of time together.”
“I am sorry,” her friend apologized. “You always look on the bright side of things. I have a tendency to do the opposite. That is why Hampton appeals to me so much. He is eternally optimistic about everything.”
“Well, you have every reason to be enjoying your life now.” Verina paused. “And the life within you. I am so happy for you.”
“I have no siblings. Only a cousin who will inherit Papa’s title. You will have to be a kind of aunt to our child. Maybe you can be his godmother.”
“Or hers,” she said. “And yes, I would be happy to hold that honor. If that is the case, you simply must call me Verina.”
“And I am—”
“What the bloody blazes are you doing here, Agatha?”
They glanced up, and she saw a man before them, his face scarlet. Instantly, she knew this was the dreaded Lord Ayles.
“You locked me away,” her friend accused. “You put me in that horrible place, Papa.”
“And you were supposed to remain there, not flitting about a ball!” He grabbed his daughter’s forearm.
“Release her, my lord,” Verina commanded, fear filling her but knowing she had to do something.
“And who might you be?” the viscount asked, keeping his grip on his daughter.
“Lady Verina helped save me,” Agatha said. “And you cannot send me back, Papa. I am no longer under your thumb. I wed Lord Hampton.”
“It is true, my lord,” she said. “I would release your daughter now before bruises spring up, and Lord Hampton chases you down and beats you for hurting his wife.”
The viscount looked at them, his eyes hard. Though frightened, Verina coolly stared at him. Finally, he said, “You will regret this,” and he released Agatha, briskly walking away.
Relief filled her as she saw Matthew approaching. He took her hands in his, and she felt her body quaking.
“Who was that?” he asked.
When Agatha did not respond, Verina said, “That was Viscount Ayles. Lady Hampton’s father.”
Matthew’s eyes widened. “What happened?” He glanced at Agatha. “Are you all right, my lady?”
“No,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “He is a vile man. I am afraid he will try to take me back. Back to . . .” Her voice broke, and she began weeping.
Verina placed an arm about her. “It will be fine. Your Grace, go and find Lord Hampton. He needs to take his wife home.”
She could see he was torn, and she assured him, “He will not be coming back. Go.”
Reluctantly, the duke left them.
Other ladies were starting to pass, staring as Agatha continued sobbing. Verina led her to a chair in a nearby alcove and nudged her to sit, kneeling beside her and holding her hand. She removed a handkerchief from her reticule and passed it to her friend.
“Everything I said from before is still true. Under the law, you have the protection of your husband. Your father has no rights over you. Please, try to stop crying, Agatha. It is not good for the babe.”
“You are right.” Agatha wiped her eyes dry.
“And I am not crying because I have lost my father’s love.
I never had it. I was a disappointment to him from birth since I was a girl.
I think that is part of the reason I became a bluestocking.
I thought if I could show him how intelligent I was, he might like me a little. Perhaps even respect me.”
“Men like that only think of themselves,” she said. “No matter what you did or how wonderfully you did it, he would not have cared.” Verina took her hand. “But you have wed a man who adores you. You carry his babe. You do not need the love or approval of your father.”
“What if he tries to put me back there? I cannot go back, Verina. I simply cannot!” Her voice was rising with hysteria, and Verina tried to calm her again.
Thankfully, Matthew appeared with Lord Hampton. Agatha leapt to her feet, falling into her husband’s arms.
“I will take her home now,” the earl told them. “I have spoken to my solicitor about all of this. He assures me the viscount has no legal standing in the matter.”
“Viscount Ayles will know this,” Matthew assured Lord Hampton. “He will not bother you anymore.”
“Perhaps we should retreat to the country,” Agatha said, sniffing.
“No,” Verina said. “That would be a victory you do not wish to give him. He is the one who wronged you. Do not tuck your tail and run away. And do not worry about him besmirching your name. If he did so, his role in placing you in the asylum would come out.”
“Why don’t we visit Lord Ayles tomorrow morning, Hampton?” Matthew suggested. “Clarify the situation for him so he readily understands he has no power.”
Relief appeared on Lord Hampton’s face. “That would be wonderful, Your Grace. From what I know of Lord Ayles and his gambling debts, he is a weak man. He would never go against us if we have the support of a duke.”
“Then meet me at White’s at ten o’clock tomorrow morning. We will go to Lord Ayles’ residence and speak to him together.” Matthew paused. “And if we have to knock some sense into him, so be it.”
They bade the Hamptons goodnight, and Matthew escorted her back to the ballroom.
“I am afraid you have missed a couple of dances,” he said. “Your partners will wonder where you have been.”
She smiled up at him. “It does not really matter. None of this does. It took me being here to realize that. I’ve looked forward to the Season for years, only to see it does not have the significance I have placed upon it.”
Verina took a deep breath. “Ariadne has started a new tradition in our family. She has declared the Season more about family than social affairs. She has had all the cousins make a pact. We are to bring our babes to town each year when the Season arrives. While we can go to as few or as many events as we please, the bulk of our time is to be spent visiting with family and allowing the next generation of cousins to play together and become friends. I have not discussed this with you. Would you allow this? Have us bring our children to town with us? Spend time with my family?”
Matthew tossed back his head and laughed, a deep, rich laugh that drew her in.
“I would be delighted to do so. And there is no allowing to it, Verina. We are equal partners within this marriage. We should always talk things through—and together, we will make our decision. I am all in favor of limiting the number of ton events we attend, and I already think quite highly of your family. In fact, we should go to them now and share our good news with them.”
They decided to meet at Tray’s townhouse. Matthew would collect his mother and stop by to bring Lady Adams. In the meantime, she would tell her family members to come to Tray’s townhouse at once.
“If Justina is not awake, then I shall rouse her,” Verina declared. “I do not want my sister missing out on such an important announcement.”
She caught Lia and Rupert about to slip out, and they told her Lucy and Judson had just left with Dru and Perry.
“Can you catch up with them?” she pleaded. “Have them come to Tray’s now? It is important.”
“Of course,” Rupert said.
Inside the ballroom, she found Con and Rowena talking with Ariadne and Julian and asked them to leave now and head to Tray’s. Ariadne gave Verina a knowing look.
“We shall see you shortly,” her cousin said.
Con promised to find his mother, and Verina knew Aunt Charlotte would be glad to be included in this family meeting.
Val and Eden were relieved when she told them she was ready to leave. Eden went to where the dowagers sat watching the dancing and found Mama and Aunt Alice, while Val went to bring Tray from the card room. Soon, they were on their way home.
“I am surprised you wanted to leave so early,” Aunt Alice said. “After all, tonight was the first night of your come-out.”
Mama slipped her hand about Verina’s. “Oh, Alice, I do believe there is a very good reason we are abandoning the ball.”
By the time they arrived at Tray’s townhouse, two other carriages already stood outside, cousins spilling from them. They went up to the drawing room, and more of her family arrived.
Finally, the butler announced they had visitors. “His Grace, the Duke of Reddington, Her Grace, the Duchess of Reddington, and Lady Adams.”
“I have not seen Lady Adams since her husband passed,” Mama said.
The three entered the drawing room, and Verina rose, her footsteps taking her straight to Matthew. He captured her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing them reverently.
“Oh!” Aunt Alice exclaimed. “Is this what I think it is?”
Matthew led her back to the large group gathered, his mother and Lady Adams following them.
“Verina has already agreed to do me the great honor of becoming my duchess, but we wished for our families to hear the good news all together.”
A cheer broke out, and tears stung her eyes as she went from one cousin to the next, receiving their congratulations. Mama hugged her tightly, telling her how alike they were.
“You knew the man you were meant to spend your lifetime with, dearest Verina. I am so happy for you.”
Justina, wearing her dressing gown over her night rail, said, “I am so very pleased, Verina. His Grace will make a perfect husband for you.”
Tray sent for champagne, along with food and tea, and they talked until dawn. Slowly, the couples began leaving, and Verina walked out to the carriage with Matthew. He handed up Lady Adams and his mother, and then turned to her.
“Time with your family will be something I will always cherish,” he told her. “I was forever envious of those with large families, but now I find myself a part of one.”
“They all adore you, Matthew. Especially me.”
His lowered his lips to hers for a lingering kiss.
“And you are satisfied with wedding by special license?”
They had debated tonight whether she should have the banns called and be wed at St. George’s or wed by special license in a more private ceremony.
“I like the idea of it just being us—and our family gathered. Of course, I would like for Lord and Lady Hampton to attend, as well.”
“I will take care of this business with Viscount Ayles this morning and share our good news with Lord Hampton afterward. It was kind of Lord and Lady Aldridge to offer to hold the wedding and breakfast at their residence.”
“I only wish Tia and Hugo could come, but I understand why they remain at Merrifield.”
“If you would like, we could go see them once we have wed. You know we do not live all that far from them.”
“I would like that.”
“How about the Season itself?” he asked.
She thought a moment. “Might we stay for the first six weeks? We could leave when Con and Rowena and Lia and Rupert do. Others might also at that time. That way, I could still have the experience of attending a Season, but we could then go home. Home to Redfield.”
“Home to Redfield,” he agreed.
Matthew kissed her again. “I will purchase the special license in Doctors’ Commons tomorrow. And Mama and I will stop here and take you to tomorrow night’s ball. By then, perhaps you and Lady Traywick will have decided what day we are to wed.”
She laughed, happiness bubbling from her. “I will let you know tonight.”
“I love you, Verina. I look forward to saying that—and showing you I do—every day of our lives.”
Matthew climbed into the carriage, and she waved goodbye, heading back inside the townhouse and up to her bedchamber.
Justina waited in her room. She came and hugged Verina tightly.
“You look happy,” her sister said.
“I am deliriously happy,” she shared. “I never thought I would wed for love, but I am so much in love with Matthew.”
She explained how they would only stay for a portion of the Season before returning to Redfield.
“And you are not upset doing so?” Justina asked, frowning.
“Not a bit. I built the Season up in my head to be something so grand. It is. But my love for Matthew and starting my life with him is so much more important. We will come to the Season, but as Ariadne has asked, we will keep family at the center of all we do.”
They returned to their shared room, and Justina helped Verina from her ballgown and into her night rail. The sisters got into bed, holding hands, and Verina drifted off, thinking this had been the best day—and night—of her life.