Chapter FIFTY-THREE
It took more than a bit of cajoling on Lucy’s part to convince Hughes to inform her of his master’s whereabouts that evening. Apparently, Derek had been at the club all afternoon and had only returned home briefly to change his clothing and leave again for a dinner party.
The prince regent’s dinner party.
Lucy sighed. Two royal visits in one day. What she wouldn’t do for that man.
When Garrett’s coach pulled up in front of Carlton House, Lucy was shaking with nerves.
“Are you quite certain you don’t want me to come with you?” Garrett asked. Her cousin was such a dear. He’d insisted upon accompanying her.
“I must do this myself.”
“Very well, but I shall wait here for you.”
Lucy nodded. A backup plan. Yes. Good.
The royal butler eyed her up and down but appeared to take her word for the fact that she was indeed named Lady Lucy Upton and had urgent business to discuss with the Duke of Claringdon. She was soon ushered into the dinner party.
Lucy had heard tales of the prince regent’s infamous dinner parties, but of course she’d never been invited to one. The reality was beyond her imagination.
An enormous table had been set with the finest of china, linens, and crystals. The table was lined with huge platters of meats and cheeses, sweets and puddings, vegetables and birds, and roasts, and gravies. All sorts of wines and chocolates. Everywhere she looked there was something more delectable than the last. The prince himself was perched in the center of the ostentatious display; two gorgeous ladies sat on either side of him. Next to one of them was Derek.
Without taking her eyes from him, Lucy slowly made her way into the center of the room. She knew the moment Derek spotted her. His gaze focused on her and he stopped talking to his dinner companions.
Lucy continued on trembling legs. She stopped on the other side of the table from Derek and called out in a clear, sure voice, “Your Grace?”
All conversation ceased. The clatter of utensils, the laughing, the music. Complete silence descended upon the room as all eyes riveted on her.
“And who might you be?” the prince regent asked, guzzling a cup of wine.
Lucy answered him without taking her eyes from Derek. “I’m Lady Lucy Upton,” she said. “And I’ve come to see the Duke of Claringdon.”
The prince set down his cup and wiped his bulbous lips with his napkin. “Ah, your future wife, eh, Claringdon?”
Derek’s jaw was tight, but his eyes remained locked with hers. “I’m not certain, Your Majesty. She said no the last time I asked.”
“Does anyone have a pack of cards?” Lucy called out.
The prince regent scoffed. “Do I have a pack of cards? Surely you are jesting.” He clapped his hands and a footman materialized with the cards within seconds. The servant handed them to Lucy.
Derek watched her carefully. “Lucy, what are you doing?”
She stepped forward until she stood in front of Derek. She held out the cards to him. “Pick a card, Your Grace. Just one.”
He swallowed. “What for?”
“As you said, you asked me to marry you once and I said no. But I’m here tonight to change that, to fix it.”
“What do you mean?” Derek’s eyes were hooded.
“The number on the card shall represent the number of better responses than ‘No’ to the question ‘Will you marry me?’”
“Lucy, you don’t have to—”
“Pick,” she murmured achingly.
Derek’s gaze dropped to the cards. He pulled out one and flipped it over.
“Ten of clubs,” the prince announced, rubbing his chubby little hands together with glee.
Lucy raised her voice loud enough to be heard by the entire room. If she was going to humiliate herself in front of the ton today, she might as well make a real show of it.
“‘Yes, because you lived through the war,’” she said.
Derek held up a hand to stop her. “Don’t—”
She spoke even louder the next time. “‘Yes, because of the beautiful letters you wrote to me.’”
His eyes never left hers.
“‘Yes, because you never backed down to me.’”
Derek’s face softened.
“‘Yes, because you punched a tree.’”
The prince regent nearly spit out his wine. “Punched a tree, Claringdon?”
“Don’t ask,” Derek growled.
Tears tumbled down Lucy’s cheeks. “‘Yes, because you chose the puppy.’”
“I won’t even ask,” the prince said, one royal eyebrow raised.
“‘Yes, because you once challenged me to a word duel and won.’”
Derek’s mouth quirked up in the barest hint of a smile.
“‘Yes, because you hate to drink tea.’”
“So do I.” The prince guzzled more wine.
“‘Yes, because you’re loyal to your friends.’”
“That’s eight!” someone called from the far end of the table.
Lucy swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “‘Yes, because you learned to change your decisions.’”
“Nine!” another voice called.
“‘Yes, because I love you desperately and cannot live my life without you.’”
Derek dropped his napkin onto the table, pushed back his chair, and stood. “Lucy, wait.”
“No. You got to do all the talking last time we had a wager. It’s my turn.”
He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “You don’t need to say any more. You had me at ‘Your Grace.’”
She couldn’t help but smile at that.
“I meant what I said,” Derek continued. “I don’t care if the queen doesn’t approve of you. Or the prince here, either. I’ll renounce my title if I must.”
The prince’s eyes went wide, but he happily slurped more wine.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Lucy gave Derek a sidewise smile. “Completely unnecessary, Your Grace.”
Derek furrowed his brow. “What?”
“The queen gave us her blessing.”
“And I do, too, for what it’s apparently worth,” the prince regent added on a hiccup. “This is downright bloody romantic.”
Derek leaped over the table, scooped Lucy into his arms, and spun her around. “Really?”
“Really.” Lucy laughed through her tears.
“Really,” the prince added.
Derek fell to one knee. “You’ll marry me?”
Lucy fell to her knees, too, and hugged him. “Yes. Yes. Yes!”
The prince regent leaned back and elbowed the Marquis of Colton. “Well, if that wasn’t The Taming of the Shrew in the flesh. I daresay this is one of the most diverting dinner parties I’ve held in an age, eh?”
Derek stood and pulled Lucy up into his embrace. “Now, my love, let’s see about getting a special license. For I cannot wait to make you my bride.”