“I would be happier were I allowed some privacy with my betrothed, but thank you,” Alexander said. “How long have you all been standing there?”
“Only a few seconds,” the duke replied.
“Yes, I believe they were behind the hedge before that,” Emily said, very tongue-in-cheek.
Lady Smithfield felt the wisest course would be to change the subject, and ran to embrace her daughter. “Emily, I could not be happier for you,” she said, pulling her up from the bench. Alexander rose as well, and found himself being clapped on the back by Sedgewick.
“Congratulations, old man. It appears we’re going to be brothers.”
There was an excited jabber of congratulations, and questions about who would be married first and where, while Alexander and Emily exchanged a look of disbelief. It appeared no one was going to offer an explanation for the family’s presence behind the hedge.
“Excuse me,” Alexander said, cutting into all the babble. “While Emily and I are overjoyed that we have everyone’s approval of our engagement, we feel that an explanation is in order.”
There was a long silence, while all in the group stared guiltily at the ground, and then the duke spoke. “I know I promised not to interfere, but, dash it all, you were sniffing around that yellow-haired chit like a dog in heat. Didn’t want you making a mull of everything.”
“And Lady Abernathy implied that your engagement to Lady Cynthia was imminent. If that had occurred, I would never have been able to hold my head up again,” Lady Smithfield chimed in.
“Don’t see what you have to complain about,” Sedgewick said, huffily. “You and Emily meddled in
“We only wanted to see you happy,” Lydia added.
“Well I, for one, am quite pleased at your interference,” Emily announced into the slight pause that had occurred after the rush of excuses.
“You are?” Alexander asked.
“I am. Knowing your propensity for assuming false identities and leading innocent females on to expect marriage, I am quite relieved that there were witnesses to your proposal. There will be no weaseling out of this engagement, my lord,” Emily said sternly.
Oblivious of his audience, Alexander caught Emily up in his arms and kissed her soundly. “The same holds true for you, my girl. No throwing me over for Mr. Watkins, or some other young puppy.”
Emily sighed, and attempted to look sorrowful. “But he tells the most amusing stories about horses,” she said, and began giggling.
While the engagement had not yet been formally announced, it was pretty well acknowledged when Emily and Alexander returned to the ballroom and danced every dance together. It was also impossible for Lady Smithfield to keep the news to herself, and Lady Abernathy was among the first to know. Lady Cynthia realized Alexander was a lost cause, and, as Sir Marcus was the second wealthiest man in the room, began flirting outrageously with him. Sir Marcus was able to palm her off on Mr. Watkins for a dance, and tracked down Alexander and Emily in the refreshment room.
“Alex, there you are. You’ve got to help me, old boy. Lady Cynthia won’t leave me alone,” Sir Marcus said plaintively, running his finger around his cravat in his anxiety. It was obvious he was laboring under a strong emotion, as he had ruined the perfection of its folds with that unconscious gesture.
“I wish I could help you, Marcus, but I do not see what I can do. You are clearly irresistible.”
“You could pay a little attention to her yourself,” Marcus suggested.
“I am sorry, but I am already engaged,” Alexander replied, gesturing at Emily, who stood a little to one side, to allow the gentlemen their privacy. However, she could still hear everything that was being said.
“I thought I heard a rumor to that effect,” Marcus said. “Are you sure you know what you’re about?” he whispered quite audibly. “She looks demure enough, but I have reason to know she can be the very devil when she wants to be.”
Alexander struggled with a reply, and Emily gave up pretending not to listen. “I am sorry, Sir Marcus, but you are too late,” she told him, moving to take Alexander’s arm.
“What’s that?”
“I have witnesses, you see. He cannot renege on his proposal.”
Sir Marcus looked with pity at Alexander, who was attempting to control his mirth. “I see. I thought it was Lady Cynthia you were after, or I would have warned you.” He returned to the ballroom, leaving Emily and Alexander by themselves.
“I still do not understand whatever prompted Sir Marcus to propose to me in the first place,” Emily said in wonder, when she had stopped laughing.
“After further thought on the matter, I believe that is my fault. I suggested to Marcus that you preferred him to me. Which you yourself said, if you recall.”
“I do not remember saying anything of the sort,” Emily replied.
“Emily! You most definitely said it. When I proposed to you in the drawing room of your mother’s house. You said if you had to choose between him and me, you would choose him.”
“I believe I said he would be the
“No, that would not have been wise, had I in fact been a penniless curate. Neither was it wise on my part to fall in love with a devilish, headstrong girl who will torment me all of our lives.”
Emily, although she did not have the benefit of Lady Cynthia’s experience in front of the mirror, was able to pout quite enchantingly, which she proceeded to do. Alexander was unable to resist the temptation of those puckered lips, and, looking around the refreshment room to ensure they had no audience, dropped a quick kiss on them. When Emily reached up and pulled him closer, Alexander realized his lifetime of torment had already begun.
