It’s still difficult for me to believe that only weeks ago we had no notion of who you really were and you hadn’t even met the Duke of Langham yet,” said Caro from where she’d tucked herself into one of the chairs surrounding the tea table in the Duchess of Langham’s private sitting room.
“How do you think I feel?” the duchess asked, passing a plate of lemon biscuits to Kate, who sat on Caro’s other side.
It had been two weeks since Poppy’s wedding by special license to the Duke of Langham. In the storied St. George’s, Hanover Square, no less. But, as Langham had agreed, to marry quietly as they both would have preferred would have given the gossips far too much to speculate over. Much better to do the thing out in the open, sending invitations to every last member of the ton, the idea being that the more transparently they behaved, the more the public would believe they had nothing to hide.
And, in truth, thought Poppy, the gossips already knew the worst there was to know about her.
Once Stannings was taken into custody for kidnapping Poppy, murdering Lovell, and the various other crimes he’d perpetrated with Lord Short, Eversham had managed to get the disgraced magistrate to disclose everything he knew about Lord Short’s misdeeds. He’d even told the detective inspector about the murders Lovell had committed on Lord Short’s behalf, including those of Henry Riggle of the Foreign Office and Lord Twombley, whom Lovell killed because Twombley had become suspicious about Short and Lovell’s South American railroad scheme in the Amazon.
As a result, Lord Short was also taken into custody. But before he could be questioned, he’d hanged himself in his jail cell, robbing his victims of the chance to see him brought to justice.
“How are your mama and sister?” Kate asked Poppy, returning the plate to the table.
Poppy sobered. Though her mother had long ago lost any affection she might have felt for her husband, the sudden change in her circumstances and the shame of having his crimes known publicly had taken a toll on her. But to Poppy’s relief, she’d agreed to make her home in London at Langham House. In truth, the house was so large that Lady Short could have hidden herself away in her suite of rooms and never had to see another person again for an entire year if she didn’t wish it.
“Mama is doing a bit better,” Poppy told her friends. “I think she’s finally coming to realize that she can make her own decisions about what she wishes to do with her life. And I must admit, for me, it’s been a relief to have both her and Violet near me after we were separated for so long.”
Taking another biscuit—really she had to tell Mrs. Phipps, the cook, just how delicious they were—Poppy considered Violet’s situation. “My sister will be going back to the abbey at the end of the week. She’s been far too lonely for her dear Mr. Jarvis, and given how unhappy her marriage to Lovell was, I can hardly blame her.”
“Nor can I,” Caro said with a frown. “She deserves every bit of happiness that life has to offer her.”
“I’m just delighted that Ned is a good man,” Poppy said, grinning. “And he clearly adores my sister. That she’ll be near enough that our children can grow up together is merely an added bonus.”
Caro raised a brow. “Is there something you’d like to tell us, Your Grace?” she asked with a pointed look in the direction of Poppy’s midsection.
Blushing, Poppy turned an aggrieved look toward Kate. “Can you not stop her from teasing me like this every time we are together?”
To Caro she said with a lift of her chin, “I have nothing to tell you, Lady Wrackham. Just as I did not the last four times you asked.”
But Caro was unrepentant. “It’s just that I know what it’s like to be a newlywed. Why, there was hardly a day that went by that Val and I weren’t f—”
“Caro!” Kate gasped, raising a hand to her bosom in mock horror. “Poor Poppy will stop inviting us to take tea with her.”
“You didn’t let me finish,” Caro said with a pointed look. Turning to Poppy she said, “There was hardly a day that went by that Val and I weren’t finding some way to be alone together.”
“Yes, I’m sure that’s what you were going to say,” Poppy said with exasperation. “I hope you aren’t so plainspoken in the presence of my darling feline nephew. Poor Ludwig is far too young for such earthy language.”
Caro was spared from reply by the sound of a brisk knock on the door and the sight of the Duke of Langham’s head poking around the corner. “I do not mean to disturb you ladies, but I wondered if I might borrow Poppy for a minute.”
Once again Poppy felt her cheeks heat, only this time it was from the way his blue eyes caressed her.
Kate, perhaps seeing just how the newlyweds were gazing at one another, rose. “Never fear, Duke. Caro and I were just leaving. Weren’t we, Lady Wrackham?” she asked before pulling her friend to her feet.
“We were?” Caro asked, grabbing up another biscuit from the tea table. Then, glancing over at Poppy, she must have seen the wisdom of Kate’s decision. “We were,” she agreed.
Before Kate could lead her away, however, Caro leaned down and kissed Poppy on the cheek. “I’m so pleased for you. Truly.”
And then Kate and Caro were gone.
Once the door into the hallway was closed behind them, Langham leaned back against it and surveyed her lazily. “Did you enjoy the visit with your friends?” he asked, pushing off from the door.
“I did,” Poppy said, removing the pins from her hair as she watched him approach. “But we can talk about them later.”
“Can we?” he asked, unbuttoning his coat. “What shall we talk about instead?”
“I don’t know.” Her hair streaming over her shoulders, Poppy rose and met her husband on the far side of the room, where he stood in just his shirtsleeves. Running her arms up his chest and around his neck, she said thoughtfully, “I’ll let you know if I think of something.”
Slipping his arm beneath her knees, Joshua lifted her into his arms and walked toward the door leading into her bedchamber. “I have a better idea,” he said.
“Don’t keep me in suspense,” Poppy said as he kicked the door shut behind them. “Do tell.”
Without a word, he turned and let her slide down his body, then pressed her back against the door.
“You make a good point,” she said as he took her mouth.
And it was quite a long while before they spoke again.
