Page 73 of Snowbound with the Scoundrel
Naturally, this made Rupert and Claire burst out laughing.Once Rupert managed to recover himself, he reassured Eleanor, “She hasn’t hit her head.Believe me, I’d be fussing over her like a mother hen if she had.I’m absolutely chuffed to meet you and so pleased that you made it in time for the wedding!Claire’s told me so much about you three that I feel like I know you already.”
Claire’s sisters were peering at him disbelievingly as if he were a monkey at the Tower menagerie who had suddenly started to speak.
“Jasper!”Eleanor hissed, waving her husband over.
The Duke of Norwood hastened to his wife’s side.“Yes, my dove?”
“Is that man really Rupert Dupree?”the duchess stage-whispered.
“He is,” Norwood said solemnly.
Eleanor looked Rupert up and down, skepticism bald on her face.“Thatis Rotten Rupert?The most wretched villain in all of England?”
Norwood patted his wife’s hand.“He is quite possibly the least-rotten, least-villainous man I have ever met.”
Rupert decided to jump in.“I know it’s difficult to believe, after that whole mess in the papers.But I swear, I didn’t write any of those despicable things.I didn’t even know a letter had been printed in my name, on account of me spending a few years traveling around the Continent.”He shook his head.“I can’t tell you how awful I felt once I learned what had happened.I think I know who’s responsible, though, and I’m determined to set things right.My good friend, Lawrence de Roos, is helping me.He’s a solicitor and a dashed good one, too.Capital fellow.Absolutely capital.If anyone can fix this mess, it’s him.I’ll tell you what we’ve got planned, but why don’t we step inside first?I’m sure you’d like a seat by the fire and a hot drink after your journey.”
Pippa nudged Kate in the ribs.Her face was creased with confusion.“He isn’t what I was expecting,” she whispered.
“Nor I,” Kate murmured.
Clarissa gave him a friendly push forward, so Rupert offered one arm to Pippa and the other to Kate.“So, Miss Philippa.Claire has told me about your new kittens.How are they settling in at Askwith Hall?”
It took him all of three minutes to win Pippa over.Eleanor and Kate were more cautious, even after Lady Helmsley, who came bustling in to greet her new guests, assured them that “Our Rupert wouldneverhave written such a letter!”
But after Claire told the story of what had happened in the hedge maze, including the part where he had thrown himself in front of a bullet for her—which was pretty good as far as grand gestures went, now that he thought about it—they decided he must be all right.Next thing you knew, Norwood was pressing his handkerchief into his sniffling wife’s hands, and Kate was offering to paint a new eye miniature of Auntie Imogen, assuring him that she could create one based on a portrait of her that hung in the sitting room at Drayford House.
Claire snagged Lady Helmsley before she could slip from the room.“It’s probably too much trouble, but as my sisters are all here, is there any chance we could have the wedding today?”
Lady H.clapped her hands.“A Christmas Eve wedding!”A faraway look came over her face.She nodded, resolute.“We simplymusthave it today.I’ll send a footman to fetch the vicar at once.”
The vicar was happy to oblige.And so it was that two hours later, Rupert, Claire, the Weatherby sisters, and the entire house party trooped over to the little chapel on the castle grounds.Laurence de Roos and the Duke of Norwood stood up with Rupert.In addition to her sisters, Claire had Lady Emily serve as a bridesmaid, which pleased Lady Emily to no end.
Not that Rupert could see anyone but Claire, pledging to be his for all eternity.
Clarissa Dupree.Sometimes, dreams really do come true.
After the ceremony, the wedding party hung back so Kate could make a quick sketch of Claire and Rupert at the altar, as they’d looked when they were saying their vows.She said she would add some watercolors to it later.It was such a thoughtful wedding present, and Rupert thanked her very sincerely.
Afterward, they strolled back to the castle.Rupert was eagerly anticipating the wedding night, in which he would get to share a bed with Claire—and by a bed, he meant an actual bed, as opposed to a sofa—when a black lacquered carriage drew to a halt in front of the castle and out climbed his brother, Francis.
Honestly, Rupert wasn’t particularly pleased to see his brother, as Francis had always made his disdain as clear as cut crystal.But it had been a few years.Maybe old Francis had turned over a new leaf.And besides, it was Christmas!
So, he smiled as best he could and said, “Francis!What a surprise.This is my brother, Francis, everyone.Or Viscount Riddington, as he’s properly called.”
On his arm, Claire had gone all stiff, and she was giving him a flared nostrils sort of look as he’d told her enough stories about Francis that she wasn’t precisely excited to make his acquaintance.
But Pippa had no idea that their relationship was somewhat less than fraternal.“Oh, dear,” she cried, “I’m so sorry you missed the wedding!We would have waited for you if we’d had any idea you were coming.”
Francis scowled as he flicked a speck of lint off his sleeve.“Wedding?Do you mean to tell me my idiot brother has actually tricked some woman into marrying him?”
Pippa gasped and clutched her heart as if unable to believe anyone could be so horrible.
Alas, Rupert was used to it.“Merry Christmas to you, too, brother,” he said dryly.“Since it seems you didn’t come all this way to congratulate me on my nuptials, why don’t you go ahead and tell me what you’re doing here?”
Francis strode up to Rupert and dropped his voice low.“You’ve caused a lot of trouble for William Ellison with this nonsense about suing for defamation.”
Claire’s eyes were shooting sparks.“Maybe he caused himself trouble by writing down a bunch of lies!”
