Page 47 of Lady, Behave
Addy caught a view of Laurel in the reflection in her mirror. “Yesterday, he was helpful to Gyles.”
“Good of him. They are friends.” Laurel rolled a shoulder. “Of course, Hadley would help rescue his friend’s fiancée.”
“You still think of him so dearly that you call him Hadley.”Grey’s first name fits him, Addy thought. Easy to say. Easy to be with. Still, he had cruelly left her sister to pine for him and hate him and regret him.
They fell into a silence as Addy finished dressing.
When she twirled once more before the long glass, Laurel stood and came behind her to give her a hug and kiss her on the cheek. “Always remember Imogen and I were your first friends, your closest confidants, and—”
“My finest trouble makers!”
They laughed, and when they parted, each wiped a tear from their lashes.
“I will write to Imogen tonight with all the details. Come now, let’s see you married to this very handsome man.”
“My marquess who does not care that I come from that Irish family with the shady name.”
“Or that your sisters are…” Laurel waved a hand without words to describe their slightly indiscreet notoriety.
“Talented in very odd ways?” Addy looped her arm through Laurel’s as they headed toward the hall and stairs. “A little light-fingered?”
Laurel waggled hers. “Yes. We play piano well.”
Addy nodded. “Or sing on key?”
“Only when we wish to impress a beau.”
Addy snickered. “Or when we need to imitate someone’s signature?”
Laurel stopped in her tracks, boring a hole in Addy’s gaze. “We’re not good at that at all.”
Addy searched her sister’s expression. Whatever did she mean? Was there a technicality Addy had missed? Or was she just wrong about Laurel’s unique skill? Addy patted her hand. “All right then. Forget that.”
“We’re going to a wedding,” Laurel said. “And the only thing that matters is that we are all happy.”
“Very happy.” Addy squeezed her sister’s arm and marched down the stairs to her new tomorrow.
*
The rector wasnervous. The groom was jubilant. The bride was deliriously happy.
Addy looked about at those who stood toasting Gyles and her, and she rejoiced in the excitement of her wedding day. Cousin Cass had not only managed to invite twenty-five friends, but she had, with Gyles’s approval, sent over a special invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Stonegage. Both attended and appeared not only regal but resigned to accepting their new daughter-in-law.
Addy was gracious and correct in polite conversation with them. Gyles was watchful and protective, his hand at her waist, his words to his parents polite if not quite cordial. He had left her yesterday and told her he would see his father and mother that evening and take Cass’s invitation. If they chose to come was their decision.
Colonel Lord Welles was in attendance and spent the morning reception mostly at Cass’s side. Lord Grey spoke a few times with Laurel, but their conversation appeared to Addy to be brief and congenial. But when Captain Fitzroy took up the conversation with Laurel for most of the breakfast, Grey appeared envious.
Addy took all that as a very good sign.
“Time for us to go, my darling,” Gyles reminded her for the second time.
Off they went in a flurry of everyone applauding and laughing.
*
“Here we are,Marchioness. Home for a few weeks.” He climbed down from his coach and offered Addy his hand. Expecting he would need days or weeks to propose properly to Addy and set their wedding date, he had asked her if she wished to go elsewhere for their honeymoon. But she’d said anywhere with him alone would be perfect.
“Exactly my thought,” he’d replied.
