Chapter Twenty-Six
In the final hours of the ball, as the news of their engagement quickly spread, many guests came to offer their best wishes. It was Nicholas’s hope that his flamboyant and unconventional behavior would diminish any gossip stirred up by the likes of Miss Carswell. The ton was usually forgiving of a love match.
It was almost dawn when he said a lingering and loving goodbye to Carrie and retired to his bed at Pennington Court. But he found sleep elusive, his mind filled with thoughts of their future together.
It was late in the morning when he went down to breakfast. Bella and Jeremy sat at the table, looking expectant of another outing. He wanted to tell them, but he and Carrie decided to do it together.
“Can I see Carrie today?” Bella asked.
“Your sister will be here after luncheon.”
Observing Jeremy, Nicholas picked up his coffee cup and took a reviving sip. “Jeremy, I fear you are about to throw questions at my head,” he said. “Allow me to speak before you do. You and I will leave tomorrow for Great Witcombe to visit the ruins of a Roman villa.” He smiled at Jeremy’s big grin. “I received an answer to my letter from Sir William Hicks. He has agreed to our viewing the site.”
“Is it a long way, Nicholas?”
“A lengthy coach journey, but well worth it, I suspect. They uncovered the ruins earlier this year when the gardeners dug up the roots of an ash tree from Sir William’s field. He describes in his letter an exceptional mosaic depicting many exotic sea creatures has been found.”
After breakfast, Nicholas sat at his desk to open the mail Warren put before him. “I shall need you to write invitations to our wedding, Michael. Carrie accepted my proposal of marriage at the ball last night.”
Warren grinned. “Congratulations, milord. That is excellent news. Please convey my best wishes to Miss Leeming.”
“You can do so yourself. She will be here this afternoon and will furnish you with the guest list. Say nothing to Bella and Jeremy, though. We want to surprise them.”
Warren placed a letter before him. “This arrived from the magistrate, Sir Henry Markham.”
Nicholas picked it up and perused it.
An inquest will not be held, Sir Henry wrote. After Bettencourt attacked Leeming in his cell and almost beat him to death, they transferred the men to Newgate Prison to await trial.
Apparently, Sir Henry’s opinion was unchanged. Both would face the hangman’s noose.
Nicholas put the letter aside, debating whether to tell Carrie. He decided against it. Nothing was going to spoil their happiness on this day.
After he and Jeremy returned from Hyde Park, Nicholas changed before driving to his sister- and brother-in-law’s townhouse.
Carrie came to greet him in the entry hall, wearing a fetching bonnet lined with pink silk and decorated with cherries.
“I like you in that color,” he said, kissing her cheek while aware of the interested eye of a footman.
“Gray?” she asked as he helped her into her pelisse.
“Your pink bonnet.”
“It is rose pink,” she amended with a smile.
“Ah. I must remember that. Where are Gwen and Winston?”
“Still abed. They send their regards.”
In the street, he helped Carrie into his curricle. Nicholas pulled a jeweler’s box from his pocket and turned to her. He took her hand and drew off her glove.
The diamond ring sparkled in the sunlight as he slipped it on her finger.
Carrie gasped. “Oh Nicholas, it’s beautiful!”
Nicholas kissed her. “It was my mother’s.”
He took up the reins and drove the short distance to his house while explaining his plans for the next few days.
She wrinkled her nose. “Then I shan’t see you. But it gives Gwen and me time to get things done. We have consulted her dressmaker. As my maid of honor, Gwen plans to have a new gown made.”
“Might your wedding gown be rose pink?”
She smiled. “I shan’t tell you.”
He shook his head. “Keeping secrets from me, already.”
She laughed.
After he’d taken Carrie on a tour of the house, they sat in the drawing room with the tea tray. Bella rushed in. “Oh good, scones!”
Jeremy wandered in soon after her. Spilling cake crumbs, he described his first ride in Rotten Row. “I shall gallop my magnificent stallion down the Row, one day. He will be a far superior animal to anything the ton has seen.”
“That, I look forward to witnessing,” Nicholas said wryly. “Especially when the park guards catch up with you.”
He looked questioningly at Carrie.
“We have something important to tell you both,” Carrie said, smiling at them. “Nicholas and I are to marry.”
“Oh!” With a sob, Bella left her chair to hug Carrie. She eyed Nicholas speculatively before throwing her arms around his neck with a heavy sigh. “Does this mean Jeremy and I can live at Elm Park?”
Nicholas gently untangled himself. “Indeed, it does.”
“I’ll spend my holidays there. We can ride every day, Nicholas,” Jeremy said thoughtfully, “And maybe…”
“We’ll discuss this later,” Nicholas said hurriedly, noting the speculation in the boy’s eyes.
“Can I see your ring?” Bella asked. “Come and see how brightly it flashes, Jeremy.”
Jeremy shrugged. “Gentlemen have no interest in such fripperies.”
As Carrie held out her hand for Bella, her smiling eyes met his.
“I intend to appeal to His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury, for a special license,” Nicholas said. “It will remove the necessity to call the
