Rakes Vow

you've discovered a liking for town life?'

'No-of course not.' Patience blinked. 'Kent sounds wonderful.'

'Good-did I mention there's a deal of redecorating to do?' Vane grinned at her. 'Infinitely better you than me. Most of the house needs attention-especially the nurseries.'

Patience mouthed an 'Oh.'

'Of course,' Vane continued, deftly steering his cattle through the main street, 'before we get to the nurseries, I suppose we should consider the main bedchamber.' His expression impossibly innocent, he caught Patience's eye. 'I daresay you'll need to make changes there, too.'

Patience narrowed her eyes at him. 'Before we get to the main bedchamber, don't you think we should get to a church?'

Vane's lips twitched; he looked ahead. 'Ah, well. Now that poses some problems.'

'Problems?'

'Hmm-like which church.'

Patience frowned. 'Is there some tradition in your family?'

'Not really. Nothing we need concern ourselves with. It really comes down to personal preference.' With the town behind then, Vane set the greys pacing. And turned his attention to Patience. 'Do you want a big wedding?'

She frowned. 'I hadn't given it much thought.'

'Well, do. And you might like to ponder the fact that there are approximately three hundred friends and connections who will have to be invited from the Cynster side alone, should you elect to go that route.'

'Three hundred!'

'That's just the close ones.'

It didn't take Patience long to shake her head. 'I really don't think a big wedding is called for. It sounds like it'll take forever to organize.'

'Very likely.'

'So-what's the alternative?'

'There are a few,' Vane admitted. 'But the fastest method would be to marry by special license. That can be done at virtually anytime, and would take next to no time to organize.'

'Beyond obtaining the license.'

'Hmm.' Vane looked ahead. 'So, the question is, when would you like to marry?'

Patience considered. She looked at Vane, at his profile, puzzled when he kept his eyes forward and refused to meet her gaze. 'I don't know,' she said. 'You pick a date.'

He looked at her then. 'You're sure? You won't mind what I decide?'

Patience shrugged. 'Why should I? The sooner the better, if we're to go on as we are.'

Vane let out a breath, and whipped up his horses. 'This afternoon.'

'This after…' Patience swiveled on the seat to stare at him. Then she snapped her mouth shut. 'You've already got a license.'

'In my pocket.' Vane grinned-wolfishly. 'That was where I was yesterday, while Sligo was hunting high and low.'

Patience slumped back against the seat. Then their pace, Gerrard's wide grin, and the distance they'd already traveled, registered. 'Where are we going?'

'To get married. In Somersham.' Vane smiled. 'There's a church in the village by the ducal estate, which you could say I've a connection with. Of all the churches in this land, I'd like to be married there. And the vicar, Mr. Postlethwaite, will fall over himself to do the honors.'

Feeling slightly dizzy, Patience drew in a deep breath-then let it out. 'Well, then-let's be married in Somersham village.'

Vane glanced her way. 'You're sure?'

Meeting his eyes, reading the uncertainty, the question, in the grey, Patience smiled, and slid closer. 'I'm overwhelmed.' She let her smile deepen, let her joy show. 'But I'm sure.'

Tucking one hand in Vane's arm, she gestured grandly. 'Drive on!'

Vane grinned, and complied. Patience clung close, and listened to the wheels' steady clatter. Their journey together had already begun. Their dream was waiting-just beyond the next bend.

Epilogue

Their wedding was small, select, intensely personal; their wedding breakfast, held one month after the initiating event, was enormous.

Honoria and the other Cynster ladies organized it. It was held at Somersham Place.

'You took your time!' Lady Osbaldestone poked Vane with a skeletal finger, then wagged the same finger at Patience. 'Make sure you keep him in line-there've been too many Cynsters loose for too long.'

She stumped off to speak to Minnie. Vane breathed again-Patience caught his eye. 'She's a terror,' he said defensively. 'Ask anyone.'

Patience laughed. Gowned in silk the color of old gold, she tightened her hold on Vane's arm. 'Come do the pretty.'

Vane smiled, and let her lead him into the throng, to chat with the guests gathered to wish them well. She was all he could ask for, all he needed. And she was his.

He was perfectly willing to listen to congratulations on that fact until the sky fell.

Circulating through the guests, they eventually came up with Honoria and Devil, doing the same.

Patience hugged Honoria. 'You've done us proud.'

A pleased and proud matriarch, Honoria glowed. 'I think the cake was the highlight-Mrs. Hull surpassed herself.' The many-tiered marzipan-covered fruit cake had been topped by a weather vane, delicately executed in spun sugar.

'Very inventive,' Vane commented dryly.

Honoria humphed. 'You men never appreciate such things as you ought.' She glanced at Patience. 'At least there'll be no wagers for you to contend with.'

'Wagers?' A great many cheers, and ribald and raucous suggestions, had flown when they'd cut the cake. But wagers? Then she remembered. Oh.

Honoria smiled tightly, and flicked Vane a darkling glance. 'Hardly surprising your husband has a fondness for the church in Somersham. He, after all, helped pay for its roof.'

Patience glanced at Vane-his expression all innocence, he looked at Devil.

'Where's Richard?'

'Gone north.' Deftly snagging Honoria in one arm, Devil anchored her to his side, preventing her from embroiling them in further social conversations. 'He got a letter from some Scottish clerk regarding an inheritance from his mother. For some reason, he had to be present in the flesh to collect.'

Vane frowned. 'But she's been dead for-how long? Nearly thirty years?'

'Almost.' Devil looked down as Honoria tugged. 'It was a ghostly whisper from the past-a past he'd thought long buried. He went, of course-out of curiosity if nothing else.' Looking up, Devil shot Vane a pointed glance. 'Town life, I fear, has begun to pall for our Scandal.'

Vane met Devil's gaze. 'Did you warn him?'

Devil grinned. 'Of what? To beware storms and unattached ladies?'

Vane grinned. 'Put like that, it does sound a mite farfetched.'

'No doubt Scandal will return, hale and whole, safe and sound, with nothing more than a few battle scars and several new notches on his-'

'That's the duchess of Leicester to your right!' Honoria hissed. She glared at Devil. 'Behave!'

The soul of injured innocence, he put his hand to his heart. 'I thought I was.'

Honoria made a distinctly rude sound. Winning free of his hold, she whirled and pushed him toward the