Page 24 of The Earl and the Vixen
Their hosts’ jaws dropped, and Nick fought his laughter.
“But,” Lady Ockham started, “you said she had married someone else. I am not aware that Lady Eliza has ever been married.”
“A cruel lie from my father,” Nick said. “It seems both of our fathers wished to keep us apart. They hated each other, and we were manipulated by both of them.”
Ockham patted his friend on the back. “I’m happy for you that you’ve worked it out. You are far happier than I’ve seen you in a long time.”
“Thank you,” Nick replied. “We wish to wed right away, so we hope you won’t be upset with us that we wish to depart today. We have lost far too much time together already.”
Lady Ockham stepped close to Eliza and gave her a tight hug and then patted Nick’s arm. “Of course not. Hopefully, we shall see you both after you have settled into married life.”
Ockham caught his wife’s attention. “I guess this means we both lose.”
Nick and Eliza eyed him curiously.
“What are you on about, Ockham?” Nick asked.
“We attempted to guess who had captured your heart, but we were only considering married ladies of theton,” the man said, shrugging his shoulders.
“Actually, I believe I still win. I did have Lady Eliza at the top of my list of prospects for you,” she said to Nick before focusing her attention on her husband. “So that is a win for me, my love.”
Ockham rolled his eyes, but his smile was one of mirth.
“Well,” Nick started, “we might not have found our way to each other again had it not been for your house party, so we are eternally grateful.” Nick held out his hand to his friend for a shake.
Ockham shook his hand and then wrapped his arm around his wife.
Nick and Eliza said their goodbyes to their hosts, as well as the sleeping babe, and then departed. On their way to the staircase, they passed by Eliza’s chamber and then the door next to hers opened. Eliza’s friend, Juliet, exited the room.
“Oh,” she said, startled by the two of them. Then a confused expression formed. “What happened here?”
Interesting she should ask that, given that Nick very clearly heard a man’s voice coming from her room, but that was of no matter to him.
Eliza reached for her friend’s hand. “Nick and I are to marry. We are departing now to do so and take up residence at our country estate.”
“What?” Juliet asked, shocked. “How did this come to be?”
Nick could tell from the lady’s reaction that she wasn’t certain if she trusted him with Eliza.
“Things weren’t as they seemed. We were both tricked,” Eliza quickly explained. “I shall share all the details soon, but we must depart. I hope you won’t hate me for leaving you to enjoy the party without me. I hope you shan’t be bored once I am gone.”
“I am sure I shall manage,” Juliet said, smiling at her friend.
I’m sure she will, Nick thought to himself.
“I am so happy for you, truly,” Juliet exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Eliza. Juliet shifted her focus to Nick. “I look forward to getting to know you, too, my lord.”
“Nick, please,” he said. “I’m sure we will see you often.”
“But not for at least a few weeks,” Eliza said, staring at her friend pointedly. “We won’t be accepting callers for a while.”
The ladies laughed and hugged each other again. Nick and Eliza escaped the house and requested their carriages without being stopped by any of the other guests. Theydidn’t wish to explain their situation to anyone else just then.
Their trunks were being brought and loaded onto one of Nick’s carriages. They requested that Eliza’s carriage be sent back to her father with only a message that she wouldn’t return. He could stew for a while and wonder what had occurred. The man deserved far worse.
A quarter hour later, they found themselves seated beside each other in their carriage. Once they started their journey, Nick released the ties that held the curtains so they could shut out the rest of the world and focus on each other.
“You certainly don’t intend to waste any time, do you?” Eliza asked, giggling.
