Deceived

mourning for my wife's sister.' Then with a smile in Lady Elsie's direction he escorted his bride from the church to the coach.

'You may not gossip about this until Sunday,' the dowager told Lady Elsie sternly. 'Not even to your girls. Especially not to your girls or your servants. St. John must be told first, you understand.'

'Yes, your g-grace' came the nervous reply.

'If I hear so much as a whisper, I shall know where it came from, m'dear, and then I shall not introduce your Isabelle to that nice young baronet I have in mind for her. Such a handsome man, and two thousand a year plus a manor house and a hundred acres.' She smiled toothily at Lady Bowen. 'Good day, m'dear.' Then she hurried off to get into the coach.

They returned to Hawkes Hill, Martha wiping her eyes all the way. The dowager sat with a pleased smile upon her face. Aurora and Valerian were silent for a time, and then he spoke.

'I have asked St. John to come after lunch,' he said.

'I would be there,' she answered.

'I do not think it wise,' he replied.

'Nonetheless I will be there, else he obtain some foolish idea about this matter,' Aurora responded firmly. 'Please understand, Valerian, that you may be my husband now, but you are not my master. I will not be treated like a child, nor will I be dictated to by you. You wanted me, and so you must accept me for what I am. St. John is entitled to face both of us under the circumstances, and he will.'

Mary Rose Hawkesworth could not help herself. She burst out laughing at the surprised look upon her grandson's face. 'Well, my boy,' she chortled, 'you wanted her, you took her, and now you have gotten exactly what you deserved. Oh, my dears, I could not be happier! You are a perfect match!'

And Martha, in her corner next to the dowager, chuckled right along with the old lady.

Chapter 12

The ducal coach drew up before Hawkes Hill and the servants hurried to help its occupants out and escort them into the house. There, the entire household staff was lined up in the foyer.

'The staff wishes to offer you and her grace their congratulations, my lord,' Peters said solemnly.

'God bless the duke and duchess,' the servants dutifully chorused, and then they exited the foyer to return to their duties.

'Please convey to the staff our thanks, Peters,' the duke said. 'Is the luncheon ready? We will be expecting Mr. St. John about two this afternoon. Will you see he is shown into the main drawing room?'

'Of course, my lord,' the butler replied. 'Luncheon is served.'

A footman came forward to take the ladies' cloaks. Martha had already gone upstairs to fill Sally and Molly in on the wedding.

'If it please your grace,' Peters said as they entered the dining room, 'I have had the table set en famille with her grace on your right and Lady Mary Rose on your left hand.'

They were seated, the duke at the head of the long, mahogany table, the ladies on either side of him. The places were set upon heavy linen mats with beautiful silver and fine crystal. The service plates were snow white with a wide gold band edging them. Soup plates were brought, and the hot clear consomme served, a thin, round wedge of lemon floated upon the surface of the soup. Aurora lay her nosegay upon the table to her right, noting that the flowers upon the table matched them.

'What a lovely day for a wedding!' the dowager said, attempting to break the ice and bring a sense of normalcy to their gathering.

'I had not noticed,' Aurora said. The soup was wonderful, and took the chill from her extremities. A footman poured wine into her goblet, and she sipped it for contrast.

'It's unusual for us to have so bright and sunny a day in November, and not a cloud in the sky,' the dowager continued.

'I don't even know what day it is,' Aurora replied, sipping a bit more wine as she finished up her soup.

'Why it is the fourth of November, my dear,' the dowager said. 'Certainly you will always want to remember this date.'

Aurora couldn't resist a small chuckle. 'Certainly the entire county will remember it, so I may have no need to, for there will be plenty of people to remind me. It will be recalled as the day that dreadful Duke of Farminster married his second wife, and his first not even cold in her grave a week! And, of course, the duchess is no better than she ought to be, y'know. Tossed over that fine Mr. St. John for a title, she did, the ambitious jade!' She looked directly at her husband as she spoke, her manner mocking and bold.

But the duke was not in the least intimidated. He equaled her rhetoric with a bit of his own. 'And, my precious, should you deliver a child in less than ten months' time, nay, a year, I think, we will be accused of carrying on a passionate affair even while poor Calandra yet lived. I believe I should like that, wouldn't you?'

'Valerian!' his grandmother said. 'You go too far.'

'Do I, my precious?' he demanded of Aurora.

'Perhaps,' she considered, and turned her attention to the meaty prawns that had been placed upon her fresh plate. They had been broiled in lemon butter and wine, and served upon a small patch of cress.

'The aquamarines suit you,' he said softly, pleased to see her cheeks grow pink.

The trio now turned their full attention to the meal at hand. The fish course was followed by beef with small roasted potatoes, turnip, peas, a fat capon, a marrow pudding, and bread and butter. Aurora ate with her customary good appetite. When the plates had been cleared away, Peters brought a small bride's cake iced in white and topped with a fully blown white rose. He set it before Aurora and handed her a silver cake knife. 'Will your grace do the honors?' he asked.

'Now, how on earth did Cook manage that?' the dowager said.

'A small, uncut fruitcake was found in the pantry, your ladyship,' the butler replied. 'It was quite fortunate, as it is the last of Cook's supply, and time to make them again for the year.'

'Please thank Cook,' Aurora said, 'and tell her the meal was superb, especially given the short notice.'

'I shall tell her, your grace,' Peters replied. Now, this was a duchess. Not like the other lady, who never had a kind word for any of them, or ever said thank-you. And it had not been just his disapproving notice. His granddaughter, Molly, had had much to say to him on her late mistress. Moving sedately about the table, he poured champagne into the glasses provided.

The dowager raised her glass to her grandson and his bride. 'To you both,' she said. 'Long life, happiness, and healthy children.'

They drank, and then Valerian Hawkesworth raised his glass to Aurora. 'To you, my precious, and to the truth, which you will always tell me from now on,' he said, a twinkle in his eye.