Page 24 of The Baron Takes a Bet
“What do you mean?” Mrs. Payne asked, eyes wide.
“I mean the baroness is actuallymywife.”
The shock that appeared on both their faces was gratifying enough, but what surprised him was his deep satisfaction from saying it out loud.
Holly washiswife.
“Your wife?” Mr. Payne said.
“Yes. Proxy marriage, as it was, since I was overseas.”
“A proxy marriage?” Mrs. Payne repeated, eyes wide. “Why, aren’t those for soldiers during war time?”
Gavin shrugged.
“I always found them to be rather romantic myself actually,” he lied. “I insisted on it, because I couldn’t bear to be unwedded from her the day I decided I wanted her as my wife.”
“Oh, my,” Mrs. Payne replied, falling back. “Well, that is quite romantic.”
Just then Holly entered the parlor, only to hesitate suddenly when she saw Gavin seated across from her guests. Gavin stood, unsure how she would take the next thing he would say, but then he couldn’t let these people pity his wife.
“Ah, darling,” he said, causing her to give him a startled stare. “I’ve just met your dear friends. It seems they were under the impression that you had married my uncle.” He chuckled, looking back at the Paynes as if they had just told him the skywas orange instead of blue. “But have no fear. I corrected their mistake.”
For several moments Holly just stared at him.
“W-what?” she asked as he held out his hand to her.
Thankfully, she took it. He frowned as he noticed the slightly blue tint to her skin, but drew her close as Mrs. Payne spoke.
“Holly, you never told us that you were engaged,” she said, suddenly beaming after the shock had to warn off. “I had heard rumors that you and John were married, but this makes far more sense.”
Holly’s eyes went wide.
“Does it?”
“Of course, my love,” Gavin said, guiding her to the settee beside him. “How could it not?”
She turned to him, her lips parted slightly as her teeth clenched and hissed below her breath.
“What are you doing?”
But Gavin only winked before turning back to the couple.
“Yes, Holly and I have been able to keep our correspondence a secret these past six months. She is a most proficient letter writer.” He held up her hand, inspecting it. “Ink?”
She nodded, blushing slightly. Gavin chuckled and held her hand up to their guests.
“You see? But I’m sure you are aware of my wife’s writing skills. Aren’t you, Mrs. Payne?”
“Oh yes, of course,” Mrs. Payne spoke, though her expression said otherwise.
“Yes. It was during my time abroad, reading her letters, that I realized what a prize of a woman she was, and how fortunate I was to know her,” Gavin continued, ignoring the growing ferocity in Holly’s glare. “I believe I proposed around January, though I had half a mind to do so before sending that Christmas letter. Do you remember, darling?”
Holly’s face was perfectly blank, but the unchecked fury in her blue eyes only served to amuse Gavin. She was furious, and he didn’t doubt that he was in for a tongue-lashing once their guests left, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted her friends to see that she wasn’t some unfortunate thing. In fact, she was a baroness, wealthy and beautiful, with a voice that seemed to wrap around his shoulders whenever she spoke.
“I… I don’t remember,” she said after a moment.
“Ah, no need to be shy, my love,” Gavin said, turning back to face the Paynes. “These are close friends, after all.”
