“I told you,” Colin gritted out, “We didn’t—I didn’t—”
“Now that you’ve thoroughly embarrassed Colin’s bride,” Jason interrupted, facing Kendra, “are you quite finished?”
“Yes,” Kendra muttered. “Sorry, Amy.”
“Colin, you seem to have forgotten one large obstacle to this hasty wedding.” The good-natured bantering tone had disappeared from Jason’s voice, and he looked toward Colin with all seriousness.
“What could that be?” Colin held up a hand and ticked off imaginary impediments on his fingers. “Apparently there’s a gown waiting for Amy, and we’ve established my need to shave and change my shirt…what? What is it?”
“The simple matter that you’re betrothed to someone else?”
“Oh. There is that.”
Amy’s heart skipped in her chest.
“Yes, there is,” Jason said.
“You don’t suppose I could just write her a letter afterwards?”
“No, I don’t think that would quite satisfy my sense of propriety.”
“I didn’t think so.” Colin paused, staring at his boots for a moment, while Amy held her breath. “Well, there’s nothing for it,” he said at last. “I shall ride to Priscilla’s house straightaway and explain myself. I don’t expect they can force me to the altar.”
“Let us hope Lord Hobbs agrees. There’s the matter of the dowr—”
“Shh.” With a furtive glance at Amy, Colin held up a hand. “He has no choice. He’s a cold, calculating buzzard, but he won’t get the best of me.” Amy began breathing again when Colin suddenly smiled. “Can you imagine anyone voluntarily becoming his son-in-law?” he asked playfully. “Or, even more unbelievable, taking his daughter to wife, when she’s such a—”
“Snob?” Kendra supplied helpfully.
“Exactly.”
Jason clapped Colin on the shoulder. “Are you still determined to accomplish all of this today?”
Colin ignored his brother, smiling at Amy instead. “Absolutely.”
Meeting his gaze, she melted a little inside.
“Shall I come along with you?” Jason offered.
“No.” Colin’s smile widened, his eyes crinkled at the corners, and she melted a little bit more. “I do believe I’m actually looking forward to clipping this buzzard’s wings.”
“Very well, then. Kendra and I will fetch Amy’s clothes and meet you at the town house. We’ll all return together.”
Frowning, Colin tore his gaze from Amy’s. “Wait a minute—we cannot leave Amy alone. That scoundrel Stanley is still walking the earth—an error I’m regretting more with each passing moment.”
“I’ll send up one of the footmen to guard the door.”
“Make that two,” Colin said. “And Amy will need breakfast sent up as well.”
Jason nodded. “Done.” He swiped Colin’s swordbelt off the table and tossed it to him. “I’ll have to cancel a couple of appointments, but I suppose this takes precedence.”
Colin caught the sword and buckled it on, grinning mischievously. “Are you sure, now? I wouldn’t want my wedding day to upset your schedule.”
“I’m sure.” The brothers’ eyes met, sparkling leaf-green to glittering emerald. Jason moved to embrace Colin, slapping him on the back. “I thought this day would never come. A Chase, married.”
“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” Colin said, his voice a bit choked. “Shall we?”
He accepted the surcoat that Kendra held out, flinging it over one shoulder, then went to Amy and leaned to brush a kiss across her forehead. Her heart pounding at his nearness and the realization that he would be hers—all hers—from now on, she risked releasing her blanket to reach up her arms and wind them around his neck, pulling his mouth down to hers.
Their lips met and clung for a long, sweet moment, until Jason cleared his throat.
“Get some rest, love.” Colin pulled away reluctantly.
Amy snuggled down in the bed, listening to all of their hurried footsteps as they left to prepare for the wedding. Her family—almost. And her husband.
Her husband.
And tonight they would…she felt a shiver run down her spine, of nerves or anticipation, she didn’t know which.
Likely both.
Though the door had closed behind them, she heard Kendra’s exclamation through the walls. “Od’s fish—we forgot Ford!”
SIXTY-ONE
COLIN LEANED against the mantel in the Hobbs’s massive drawing room, twisting his ring and steeling himself to face Priscilla.
Breaking the betrothal had seemed such a simple matter at the Rose & Crown. But now that he was here, he suspected it might be harder than he’d thought.
Priscilla would be unhappy, though mostly out of humiliation, if he didn’t miss his guess. He was well aware she harbored little genuine affection for him.
Her father would be furious. Lord Hobbs had searched high and low for a son-in-law with Colin’s connections, thrusting his daughter at every likely candidate. He wouldn’t take lightly to having his careful plans thwarted.
Hearing heavy footsteps on the parquet floor outside the room, Colin stood up straight and tugged his surcoat tighter around his middle, hoping to conceal the rip in his shirt. His jaw tensed when Lord Hobbs entered alone. A tall, pale man, he was most definitely his daughter’s father, though he did have a more animated personality—one that had always rubbed Colin the wrong way.
“Lord Hobbs. I had asked to speak with Priscilla.”
“My daughter isn’t home at the moment. I was thinking we might share a drink while you waited. King Charles—” Hobbs broke off and looked critically at Colin, sizing up his rumpled form. “Egad, Greystone, you look positively disreputable. Have you fought a duel, or what?”
“Something like that,” Colin muttered, rubbing his stubbled jaw. “When will Priscilla be returning?”
“Lord knows. She’s off shopping with a few friends—spending my money like there’s no tomorrow, no doubt.” He poured Madeira into two goblets and handed one to Colin with a jovial slap on the back. “Glad that will be your problem soon.”
Colin couldn’t dally until Priscilla returned. Amy was waiting. “That’s what I wanted to discuss, sir. I’m sorry Priscilla isn’t here, but perhaps it’s best I talk to you, in any case.”
“About Priscilla’s spending habits? I suppose you can put her on an allowance, but she won’t take kindly—”
“No, sir. About our marriage.” Colin took a
