Page 31 of Bedding the Marquess
Gideon chuckled and caught Oliver’s eye across the table. Was it his imagination, or did they share a moment of—not necessarily brotherly affection—a warm kinship? The seedling of a bond?
Gideon fervently hoped that night was the grafting of yet another branch onto his woefully slim family tree. His heart felt fuller than it had in recent memory.
Two long tableshad been set up in the dining room, laid with pristine white cloths, the fine china usually kept in the storeroom at Bray Castle, and silverware so polished that it glittered in the glow of the shining chandeliers and candelabras. Everything about it was perfection.
Gideon looked over to Caro on his right; she was busy chatting animatedly with Kempton. He couldn’t help but stare at her, his amazing, beautiful, brilliant wife. The smiling faces, all the joyful chatter…it was all thanks to her.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Gideon stood and tapped on his wine glass with a spoon until the room quieted and he had their attention. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. There was a soft brush on the smallest finger of his right hand. He looked down to see Caro’s hand had inched close enough to graze his—to provide him strength and support. This was everything he needed.
“I wanted to thank everyone for being complicit in this plot to celebrate my birthday—a lost cause, if ever there was one,” he began, earning a hearty chuckle from the assemblage. “Walking into this party and having all of you here to partake in this night’s entertainment will forever be one of the highlights of my life.” His eyes tracked around the tables, finally locating Oliver and Emily, seated opposite one another a little way down. “And thank you for welcoming my brother, Mr. Oliver Black, and his lovely wife,” he added, lifting his glass in Oliver’s direction. Heads whipped around and there were murmurs as people’s suspicions were confirmed. “He has not received the recognition he deserved in life, and I am determined to change that. Beginning tonight, they are acknowledged parts of the Brayfamily.” Emily made a surreptitious swipe at her eyes and Oliver offered him a slight inclination of his head.
“Most of all,” Gideon continued more loudly over the smattering of chatter in the wake of his revelation, “thank you to my wife, Caroline.” He looked down at her again and saw tears glittering in her verdant eyes, a soft smile playing upon her shapely mouth. “Nearly two months of marriage and she’s made me happier than I ever deserved.” He took her hand in his and guided her to stand. “I love you,” he said. Her lips parted in surprise and he took immediate advantage, leaning in and kissing her soundly, passionately, before the entire party. Dimly, he could hear his friends cheering and whistling above a few scandalized murmurs.
Caroline’s face was bright red when he finally broke the kiss. “May I?” he whispered, his eyes flicking down to her abdomen and back up. After Caro’s distress following the revelation that the staff were likely aware of the baby, they’d discussed announcing the pregnancy upon their return to London. However, Gideon did not care about London; he cared about Caro and the people in that dining room. He wanted to add to the joy of the evening.
She nibbled the corner of her lip and gave a little nod.
Grinning wide as a fool, Gideon held his glass even higher and turned back to the party. “Tonight, we drink to friends, family, reckless behavior, overindulgence, and…to a soon-to-be-born addition to the Swanleigh line. Thus far, my third decade is shaping up to be an interesting one.”
The room erupted into cheers and well-wishes, the clinking of glasses and excited chatter. Gideon sipped his drink before placing a quick peck upon Caro’s lips and relinquishing her back to her chair, where she was immediately accosted with Kempton’s congratulations. Gideon reclaimed his seat and the meal began.
Chapter Fifteen
Following supper, themen broke off for smoking and more cards; Caroline led the women outside to enjoy the warm night in the courtyard gardens lit by romantic torchlight. Chairs had been set in alcoves of fragrant blooms growing around the tinkling three-tiered fountain. Contrary to convention, after-dinner drinks were served to the women as well. Some sipped claret as they walked the perimeter, while others examined the variety of flowers. After spending time making her rounds of the guests, Caroline discovered Emily sitting on one of the benches, watching the torchlight sparkle in the fountain’s rivulets.
“May I join you?” Caroline asked her.
“Oh, yes!” she replied animatedly. A brilliant smile lit up her angelic face and she slipped her gloved hand into Caroline’s. “Congratulations are in order for you as well!” she said with a grin. “How wonderful about the baby.”
“Thank you!” Caroline nearly rested her hands on her belly and then remembered herself. The gown helped to hide how far along she was, but to do so would make it obvious. She’d been doing it more and more often lately, loving the idea of cradling the babe whose tiny movements she was feeling with increasing frequency.
Emily leaned in conspiratorially and cast her eyes about as if watching for eavesdroppers. “I have something to confess.” Caroline adopted a similar position and nodded for her to continue. “I am expecting as well.”
“Oh, that is wonderful!” Caroline pulled Emily into a hug. It mattered not that they’d only met twice and corresponded as many times, but she felt a kinship there. Neither Caroline nor Gideon had family; she wanted to embrace these people with both arms wide open and welcome them into their lives. The fact that she and Emily would be navigating pregnancy and all four of them would be learning parenthood at the same time felt like a fated bond.
“I have not told Oliver yet, so…” Emily made a motion of buttoning her lips.
Caroline nodded in agreement. “Of course! I will say nothing.”
“Our pregnancies must be close in terms,” Emily added excitedly. Caro did not correct the assumption. “Won’t it be wonderful for our husbands? Give them something over which they can bond?”
“I hope so. Speaking of which, I am ever so grateful that you were able to attend tonight. I hope it was not inconvenient for you to leave London and travel all this way.”
“I have been out of the city only once before, so I was excited to visit Kent. My world has been expanding a bit since I met my husband, but there is still so much to see.”
“Did he say you lured him under the pretense of visiting a cottage for purchase?” Caroline asked, recalling their earlier conversation.
“It is something we have discussed, and I think he will be even more supportive of it once he learns of my delicate condition.”
“Will you be vacating London entirely, then?” Caroline hoped not; she’d liked the thought of being able to visit with them regularly.
“No. At least not right away. I still help from time to time with my mother’s business, and there is no one to replace me at the moment.”
“May I ask what it is you do there?” Her curiosity won out with that question. Caroline hadn’t met any prostitutes, but her mind’s image was not this composed, educated woman before her.
“The books,” Emily replied, smiling kindly as if she’d anticipated the question. “I balance the accounts and manage the orders.”
“Fascinating,” she said, not a hint of sarcasm in her tone. “And your husband? Is he also employed there?”
