Page 53 of To Tame the Wild Rake
Aldridge finally fulfilled his errand at Doctor’s Commons late in the afternoon, and stopped in at the Winshire mansion on his way home to report his success.
Many of the others were already there, returned from afternoon calls on those they could count as allies. The agreed strategy had been to refuse to comment on any of the scandalous lies and half-truths, but to simply to ignore them, and to carry on as if Society had no option but to do likewise.
It was, as Aldridge had pointed out, mostly ancient history, anyway, and no one would care about it in a day or two, when new scandals came along to amuse theton. The accusations that he was killing his father would annoy the committee from the House of Lords, who had sat as judges at the duke’s competency hearing a year ago. They would not like their probity to be called into question, and would back Aldridge as a result. As for the claims that Cherry was his mistress, making her his wife would sink those without a trace.
Still, it was good to hear that he was right. He was greeted with the news that the tide of opinion had already shifted. No surprises there. Given the number of titles and the level of influence they could summon to their side, the result had been a foregone conclusion.
Not one to leave things to chance, Aldridge’s mother had sent to Windsor, seeking an audience with Queen Charlotte, and the Duke of Winshire and Mama had called on Carlton House this afternoon. “His Royal Highness says he will be pleased to attend your wedding here at eleven tomorrow morning, and hopes to kiss the bride,” the duke reported.
Aldridge frowned. “Tomorrow? But I thought this evening…” He had beguiled the long wait watching the slow turning of the wheels of ecclesiastical law by imagining in detail what he and Charlotte could explore together tonight, and he was in no mind to give up the reality for the Fat Adonis.
“A great honour, do you not think?” his mother said. “I have sent an invitation to Her Majesty and to the Princess Royal, too. I do not expect the queen to join us, but I have hopes for the Princess Royal. With such signs of favour, none will dare to snub us.”
He wanted to respond to the note of anxiety in her voice, to her lowered eyes that would not meet his, but he was still angry with her, and his voice was cold when he replied, “Should any dare to serve the future Duchess of Haverford with a cold shoulder, I shall know how to respond.”
“Of course.” Charlotte’s beloved voice, accompanied by the touch of her hand as she slid it inside his upper arm, soothed his irritation. “But it would be foolish to refuse royal favour for the sake of a few hours, would it not, Anthony?”
He looked down into her lovely eyes, and his lips curled at the corners without his volition. “If it pleases you, my love, I am content.” He could not resist adding, “Even if it does mean I must wait until tomorrow to have you to myself.”
She blushed, and the Duke of Winshire turned away, covering his mouth and coughing, but not before Aldridge had seen the twinkle in his eye.
“I will need to let Alex Basingstoke know the change of time,” Aldridge added.Oops. A decision made without consulting her, and just hours after asking her to be his partner in all things. “Unless you have someone else that you would prefer to perform the ceremony?”
“Alex would be perfect, and please tell him that his wife and their children will be welcome, Anthony.”
He loved the way she called him by his own personal name. His heart overflowing, he kissed her on the nose, right there in the crowded drawing room, then blushed when he looked around at the smiling audience.I’m in serious danger of losing my reputation for being incapable of love.
“Join us for dinner, Aldridge,” the duke suggested.
“I had better go home and get changed, then. Will you see me out, Cherry?”
After a very pleasant, if incomplete, interlude in the small parlour on the way to the door, Aldridge went out to his curricle, which was being walked around the mews courtyard by pair of boys dressed as gentlemen, with the groom who had been asked to walk them watching on.
The heavy eyebrows, dark hair, and hawk profiles hinted at their origin. “You are the Duke of Winshire’s youngest sons,” Aldridge guessed.
The taller of the two bowed, while the other held the pair of horses, murmuring to them as one of them attempted to lip his ear.
“I am Thomas Winderfield,” said the tall one, “and this is my friend Jamir ibn Yousef. You are the Marquis of Aldridge, and you are going to marry my cousin Charlotte.”
“I am,” Aldridge agreed. “So, we shall be cousins, Lord Thomas. Thank you for walking my horses.”
“They are superb, Lord Aldridge,” Jamir enthused. “A different breed to our Turkmen horses, but you can see that they have noble ancestors.”
Thomas grinned at his friend and told Aldridge, “Jamir hopes you have time to show us their paces, but is too polite to ask.” Jamir nudged Thomas in the ribs, none too gently, then had to soothe one of the horses, who took offence at losing his attention.
Aldridge was amused. “And do you wish to see their paces too, Lord Thomas?”
“It is a wonder beyond imagination, Lord Aldridge, but Thomas prefers machines,” Jamir reported.
“I like horses, too,” young Thomas protested.
Aldridge could do with some company, to take his mind from the unexpected delay in his nuptials. “I am going home to change and then will return here for dinner. If the two of you have the permission of your fathers, you can come with me,” he offered.
The two boys shot each other delighted looks. “Thank you, sir. We’d love to,” Thomas said, with another elegant bow, as Jamir passed the lead rein to the groom. With Jamir at his heels, Thomas took the steps back into the house three at a time, and disappeared through the door.
They were back in less than five minutes, with the duke’s lieutenant Yousef, Jamir’s father, to give the required permission.
London streets were no place to give a pair of high-bloods their heads, but Aldridge let them stretch their paces as the busy traffic gave way to the quieter roads leading towards Richmond. Both boys were ecstatic, and Jamir expressed the earnest desire to one day have a pair just like them, and just such a curricle. Thomas—when asked—admitted that the height of his ambition was to drive a railway engine. “But your curricle is very nice, Lord Aldridge.”
