“Mr. Hartwell, the investigator, had no pre-conceived ideas about the employees since I told him nothing about any of them, so he was able to quickly check the stream of money and with careful observation and counting himself, he discovered where the problem was.”
Driscoll shook his head. “Why would John do such a thing? He was well-paid and I always thought of him as a friend.”
“A woman, why else? He got himself tied up with a woman who demanded things beyond his reach, so he did what many men do to make fools of themselves,” Dante said with a sneer.
Hunt, who had been watching the play between his brothers smiled. “Ah, Dante, I’m not saying either myself or Driscoll are not enamored of our women, but I can understand the playing a fool part.”
Dante stared at the two of them and shook his head. “You two are pathetic. I would never have a woman lead me around by a nose ring.”
Hunt burst out laughing. “I would not concede that they are leading us around with a nose ring, but one day you will meet your match, brother. Mark my words.”
“Never.” Dante stood and pushed in his chair. “While the two of you bore each other to death with tales of your love life, I shall visit with my tailor and then spend a few hours at my gentleman’s club before opening The Rose Room later.” He offered a slight salute and made a quick exit.
“Poor bloke. He has no idea how easy it is to succumb to cupid’s bow.” Hunt withdrew a folded paper from his jacket pocket. “I have your special license here. I think the ladies are out today gathering what they need to turn your lady into a perfect bride.”
“Thank you, brother. I shall contact the vicar today and make the arrangements. Is it acceptable if we hold the ceremony here?”
“Of course. Diana has been happier planning this wedding breakfast than she’s been since our daughter was born. It gives her something else to focus on besides how fragile a babe’s life is and wondering if every hiccup or cry announces the arrival of a disastrous ailment.”
“I’m sure it will pass. As an impartial observer, your daughter looks quite robust to me, and I don’t know anything about babies.” Driscoll took the paper from Hunt’s hand and stood. “Thank you for breakfast. In my optimism for women to quickly put together a stunning outfit for my bride, I shall advise the vicar that the wedding will take place two days hence.”
“I will relate that to our ladies when they arrive from their shopping trip.”
Driscoll left feeling quite happy. In two days’ time he would be a married man, with the woman he would never want to live without by his side. Her despicable stepbrother will shortly depart these shores.
He and Amelia would have a fine wedding trip, followed by settling into their new home. Yes, he had much to look forward to. Who knew a woman, sopping wet and dressed as a man, falling through his window, would end up bringing him such peace and happiness?
* * *
Amelia held her hands up in the air as her wedding dress slithered down her body, the white satin fabric sliding against her skin like a brush of the gossamer wings of a butterfly.
“Oh, this is a beautiful gown, my lady.” Amelia’s newly hired lady’s maid whispered with reverence as she adjusted the shoulders of the dress and moved behind her to fasten it closed.
Amelia had to agree. She glanced at herself in the mirror over her dressing table and smiled. Diana was certainly a force to be reckoned with. They had arrived at Madame Moreau’s shop two days before and walked out with a promise for the beautiful gown she now wore. Diana had finagled, charmed and flat-out bribed the modiste to give them a gown she had finished for another woman whose wedding was still a month off.
“Surely you and your seamstresses are talented enough to make another one in plenty of time for—who did you say the gown was for?”
“Miss Frances Richards. A lovely young lady,” Madame Moreau said.
Diana, having patronized the woman’s shop for years had the upper hand in the negotiations. She also mentioned that the new Lady Amelia Rose would be in dire need of an entirely new wardrobe and, of course, they would consider no one else except the talented Madame Moreau to supply it.
With less reluctance than when they started, Madame Moreau had Amelia try the gown on, and declared with minor adjustments it would be ready in time for her wedding.
“Come and sit here, Miss and I will fix your hair.” Emily pulled out the chair in front of the dressing table. Amelia sat and studied her face. In a few hours she would be Lady Amelia Rose. As the daughter of a marquess she would keep her honorific.
Her life would be everything she had thought it would be as a young girl growing up, but very different from what she had expected only a couple of months ago.
Driscoll.
She loved her soon to be husband with all her heart. She’d been holding back from him because of her secrets and the fear of what Driscoll would do if she confessed all. She should have known that her soon-to-be husband was not the sort of man who would see her used in such an indecent manner by her stepbrother, regardless of Randolph’s status as her guardian. Because of her lack of trust in Driscoll, she almost ended up exactly where she had fled from.
“Oh, my goodness, you look beautiful!” Diana swept into the room, dressed in a lovely rose satin gown. She extended her hand to Amelia and helped her rise. “You have a very nervous groom downstairs, checking his timepiece every two minutes.”
“Am I late?” Amelia
