Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Hunt walked through March House with a disgruntled Reg by his side. He’d risen early to retrieve his closest friend in order to join his mother and sister for breakfast. Everyone in his family needed to be present for his monumental announcement.
The first order of business was sending missives to the Duke of Cliffbury and the archbishop.
He kept his words to the duke quick and brief, informing him that he would be marrying Delia in a sennight at the latest. If Hunt had his way, he’d marry her that afternoon, but he understood it took at least two days for a special license to be issued.
He walked through the massive mansion, seeing it differently for the first time.
It wasn’t the place his father had kept him from.
No, when Hunt looked around, he saw a home.
A place where he and Delia’s children would be loved and cared for.
A refuge from the outside world, where his mother would feed them biscuits from the cook and they could hide from Helen, their protective but overbearing aunt.
It was all right in front of his eyes, because Delia was in his heart, and she made everything brighter. From the moment she had crashed into him, Hunt was a changed man, and he was better because of her.
“Are you going to tell me what’s so important that you came and dragged me out of my bed, insisting that I come for breakfast?
” Reg asked, as they rounded the corner toward the conservatory.
“Also, why the devil are you smiling so damn much?” Reg stopped in front of the conservatory, gaping at Hunt.
Ignoring his friend, Hunt pushed past him, walking into the conservatory to find both his mother and sister sitting around the table breaking their fast.
“Good morning, Mother, Helen,” he greeted cheerily, walking to place a kiss on his mother’s cheek.
“Reeds said you had returned, but I figured you went back to Sinners.” Helen took a bite of her toast. “Why is Reginald with you?” Her eyes squinted with suspicion. “And you’re smiling. Is Augustus dead?”
“Really, Helen, Hunt would never kill anyone, not even Augustus.” His mother patted his cheek before leaning back and looking at him. “You look different.”
“I am different,” he said, smiling as he stood in front of his small family. “Reg, do sit down. I have an announcement.”
“What sort of announcement?” Helen folded her arms and glared at him. “Why are you still smiling? I can’t take all this cheer this early in the morning—”
“Helen, I love you, but be quiet for one glorious moment.” He pinched his fingers together.
“Be quiet?” She reared back. “Well, it must be important—”
“Helen!” Hunt, his mother, and Reg all said at the same time.
Reg sat down beside Helen. Suddenly, all eyes turned expectedly to Hunt.
He took a deep breath and said, “I’m going to be married.”
They all stared at him with various degrees of shock on their faces. Helen blinked several times. Reg had a complete blank stare on his face, as if Hunt had spoken another language. His mother was smiling.
“What?” Helen asked.
“Married!” Reg said, standing abruptly.
“To Miss Adelia St. George?” his mother asked, shocking him with a knowing look.
“Yes, Miss St. George has agreed to be my wife,” he said, puffing his chest out a little more than usual. “I have written both the Duke of Cliffbury and the archbishop. Mother, please prepare the staff for a small wedding, just us, Lady Margaret, Walter and Sampson, of course.”
“You met her barely a sennight ago. Have you gone mad?” Helen asked.
“The length of time you know someone doesn’t matter.” It was a fact, especially in his and Delia’s case. He’d known from the moment he’d met her, but Hunt had ignored the pull, mostly because she was rude to him.
“You said you would never marry?” Reg reminded Hunt of the pledge he’d made years ago as a young man.
“That was before I met Delia.” His cheeks hurt from all the smiling he was doing, and it was only the morning.
His mother stood, using her cane for support. Hunt assisted her up, staring down into her hazel eyes. He was shocked to find tears running down her smooth cheeks.
“I’m happy for you, Hunt. You deserve happiness.”
“Thank you, Mother. I am happy.” The words were the truest he’d ever spoken in his life. “Delia makes me happy. She makes me feel worthy of her—”
“You are worthy. You’ve always been worthy. It’s those who mistreated you who weren’t worthy.” She shook her head, her hair pinned back in a loose bun. “I’m sorry that I did not protect you from your father.”
“No. It is not your fault. Father believed he was right,” he said, knowing that he owed her and Helen the truth.
But he would tell them another day, with Delia by his side.
Hunt wouldn’t allow his father or Augustus to sully the news of his impending marriage.
They had ruled his life for far too long, but that ended the day he met Adelia St. George.
“I guess I have a new sister,” Helen said, standing and walking over to Hunt and their mother. “If you mess this up, I’m going to kill you.” She gave him a rare hug.
His sister had never been overly affectionate.
“If I do anything untoward, you have my permission to murder me.” He squeezed her back.
There was nothing that he would do that would make him lose Delia. He’d fight heaven and earth to stay by her side.
“No one is murdering any child of mine,” his mother interjected lightly before sitting down.
“I guess congratulations are in order,” Reg said, giving Hunt a one-arm hug. “I’m still in shock.”
“Of course, you are. Who will you drink and gamble with now?” Helen said coldly.
“I’m sure I’ll find someone. Don’t you worry, pretty girl—”
“Don’t call me that.” Helen walked to the open door. “I’ll go inform the servants that we shall have a new countess.”
“Yes, we will,” his mother said, looking much younger than she had in years. “I never thought that one of my children would ever marry, but now I find myself giddy with the prospect of grandchildren.”
“Mother!” Hunt said, not believing she’d said those words out loud.
Grandchildren.
Dear God, did want beautiful children with Delia. They would have her skin, her fire, perhaps his brains.
“That is my signal to leave.” Reg pulled down his coat. “Will you give me a ride back home? I need to get some sleep.”
His friend seemed a bit out of sorts as he stood in front of Hunt and his mother.
“No, you take the carriage. I’m going to ride my horse to see Delia. Nearly a sennight in a carriage has me longing for horseback.”
“Very well. I suppose I’ll see you later—”
“We will see you for dinner tonight, Reginald.” His mother pointed her cane at his friend. “We must celebrate Hunt and Adelia as a family, and like it or not, you are a part of this family.”
“Of course, Mother Wakefield.” Reg bowed before leaving the conservatory.
His mother let out a sigh of disappointment, her eyes still on the door that his friend had exited. “Please invite Miss St. George for dinner tonight.”
“I will.” He kissed her cheek before rushing to catch his friend.
Reg had reached the end of the long hall, and Hunt had to do a light trot in order to catch the other man. They were of similar height, but his friend, with his lithe build, was much faster than Hunt.
“I thought you were going to ride a horse?” Reg asked, his dark eyes grave.
“I wanted to check on you, you seemed out of sorts.” Hunt placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I won’t abandon you if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“No, it’s not that. I’m happy for you. I’m just a bit envious. Out of the two of us, I was the one who always wanted a wife and a family.” His friend hung his head.
“You can still have those things, Reg,” Hunt reminded him.
Reg shook his head. “No, I’ve only ever wanted to marry one person, and she doesn’t want me.” He lifted his head, and Hunt couldn’t ignore the mist in his gaze. “Go to your betrothed. Don’t waste your time on me.”
His friend strolled away in a melancholy blur. Sighing, Hunt went to the mews, passing happy servants, who were now bidding him congratulations.
His sister had wasted no time in alerting them.
The exceptionally warm March morning greeted him, and he couldn’t help but bounce all the way down to the stables. Walter and Sampson were in their usual spots, Sampson in his chair, Walter leaning against Molly’s stall.
“There he is! Back from being a hero,” Walter said, standing up straighter.
“There’s something different about you, mi’lord,” Sampson said, sitting forward.
Hunt shook his head, laughing at the two of them. “I’m getting married.”
“Left a bachelor and returned engaged!” Walter came to him, patting his back in congratulations. “Who is the lady?”
“I’ll bet my wages, it’s the chit that didn’t give him a proper introduction,” Sampson said, pointing an old finger at Hunt.
“Yes, it is the same lady that refused me.” He couldn’t help but think back on their first meeting. He could admit that he was arrogant then, but she had captivated him from the start.
“I knew it! Any woman that would have a man working to forget her is worth being caught by the parson’s mousetrap!” Sampson slapped his thigh.
“Prepare Molly for me. I want to test her out,” Hunt called to a stable hand.
“Right away, my lord,” the boy replied, running to place Hunt’s saddle on Molly.
They had retrieved the horse from Birmingham after paying extra to ensure that she wasn’t exchanged or sold while he was chasing Augustus.
“With you getting married, I suspect we will not see you in The Rake Review again.” Walter looked at him pointedly as the stable boy saddled the horse.
Hunt laughed. He had cursed the Belle and The Rake Review, but now he wanted to find her and offer his sincere gratitude, for if it wasn’t for that blasted gossip, he would’ve never found Adelia St. George.