Page 105 of The Pleasures of Passion
Fittingly, his sister Clarissa received the piece of cake containing the pea, thus making her queen for the night. Many jokes about the reign of the Lindsey siblings ensued, all in good fun, and Brilliana smiled at the sight of her husband marching about the ballroom, paper scepter in hand.
Wearing her own paper crown, Clarissa came up to stand next to Brilliana. “You have no idea how pleased I am to finally be at a party. I thought I would go mad, cooped up in the country for three months.”
“I can well imagine,” Brilliana said with a smile. “And howislittle Horatio?”
Clarissa beamed at her. “He’s adorable! I know every mother says the same, but he is the cleverest lad. At only two weeks, he smiles!”
“Of course he does.” Brilliana wouldn’t tell her that many infants appeared to smile at that age. “I do hope we can see him soon.”
“You shall, as soon as I can convince Edwin that it’s safe.” Clarissa rolled her eyes. “I love my husband, but he must be the most overprotective man in all Christendom.”
“I think it’s rather sweet,” Brilliana said.
“Sweet, yes. And sometimes very trying.” Clarissa turned serious. “I . . . um . . . understand that my brother told you why he had to go into exile.”
“Yes.” Brilliana reached over to squeeze her friend’s hand. “And it made me admire you even more. You are incredibly strong to have survived that so well.”
“Thank you. In truth, I hadn’t survived it nearly as well as I thought. Then Edwin came along, and he showed me that . . .” She smiled. “Anyway, I wanted to speak to you about it because Edwin finally told me how keeping my secret was the cause of your separation from Niall. I amsovery sorry that—”
“Please, don’t be concerned. You couldn’t stop what was done to you, any more than we could have stopped how we reacted. Niall and I have found each other again, and that’s what’s important.”
“Very true, and I’m delighted for you both.” Clarissa hugged her. “I amsovery glad to have you as a sister.”
Brilliana’s eyes welled with tears. “Me too.”
Then her other sister-in-law, Delia, appeared. “What’s this? Clarissa, are you making my sister cry?”
“She’smysister now, too,” Clarissa said blithely. “So you must share her.”
Delia chuckled. “Happily. One can never have too many sisters.”
The three of them hugged and laughed, and were well on their way to having a jolly good cry, when Niall appeared. “By God, what is going on? Is my queen consorting with my wife?” He frowned. “That sounds odd, doesn’t it?”
Clarissa laughed. “Yes, but it’s all right. You’re king tonight. You can say anything you please.”
“Then I will say that I wish to have my wife to myself for a while, ladies.”
“I understand entirely.” With a knowing smile, Clarissa drew Delia off with her.
Niall grinned. “There are some advantages to being the Bean King.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Brilliana teased. “You are only king for the evening.”
“That’s long enough to suit me—I don’t wish to rulethislot. They are completely unmanageable.”
With a laugh, Brilliana glanced about. Warren was sneaking brandy into the punch bowl. Jeremy, another member of St. George’s, was trying to convince a portly old gentleman to pose for one of his outrageous paintings. Aunt Agatha was whirling Silas about the room in her arms as he laughingly trailed ribbons through the air. And Papa—
“Good Lord,” Brilliana said. “My father just brought a glass of punch to your mother.”
Niall followed her gaze, then groaned. “Can you imagine those two together?”
“We mustn’t allow it to go beyond this party. God forbid they were to marry. Why, they would always be in arrears.”
“Between my mother’s spending and your father’s gambling . . .”
They watched the couple talk for a few minutes. They did seem rather animated. Brilliana rarely saw her grouchy father laugh, but the dowager Lady Margrave caused him to do so several times.
“Hehasbecome a bit better with his gambling,” Brilliana pointed out. “I think that Uncle Toby’s downfall frightened him into reconsidering his way of life. A bit. I don’t know if it will last.”
