Chapter FIFTY-FIVE
It was the day of their wedding. With the prince’s help, they’d got a special license from the archbishop. Derek jested that it seemed being a duke was good for something after all. And while the ceremony had been short and fast, Cass, Garrett, and Jane had all been there. Along with Derek’s mother, who was perfectly lovely, and Aunt Mary and Mrs. and Mr. Lowndes. Derek’s brothers came, too. They were both as handsome as their older brother. But even though they’d been invited for Cass’s sake, the Monroes had decided not to attend. Duchess or no, Lucy would be persona non grata with Cass’s parents for quite a while to come. That much was clear. Apparently, they couldn’t bring themselves to watch as a duke slipped through their fingers, especially since Cass had no other impending offers of marriage. “Mother said if I end up an unmarried spinster, it will not be her fault,” Cass reported.
Lucy had even invited—
“There’s my daughter, the Duchess of Claringdon!”
Lucy glanced up. Her mother stood in the foyer of Derek’s town house.
As soon as they’d received Lucy’s hastily written letter, her parents had rushed to town to wish the new couple well. Their blessing was more than granted. In fact, they were absolutely delighted with the prospect of their daughter, the duchess. They’d stood in the church this morning and beamed at Lucy.
Lucy’s mother held out both gloved hands to her. Lucy made her way over and allowed her to pull her into a hug but not without a sharp pulling together of her brows.
“Mother?” Was this truly the same woman who’d essentially washed her hands of Lucy? Now she was here, in London, dressed as if she were about to take dinner with the queen, and acting as if they’d always had the best of relationships.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new husband?” her mother asked.
Lucy nodded. “Where’s Father?”
“He’s out dealing with the man who’s taking care of the coach. I’m not entirely certain what he’s up to.”
Derek strolled over to them.
“Mother, I’d like you to meet Derek Hunt, the Duke of Claringdon.”
Her mother executed a perfect curtsy. “Your Grace.”
Derek bowed over his mother-in-law’s hand. “Lady Upbridge, a pleasure to meet you.”
“Believe me, the pleasure is entirely mine, Your Grace,” her mother replied.
Lucy’s father came bustling in just then, the same uncharacteristically happy look on his face. “My darling,” he said, hurrying up to Lucy and hugging her as if they’d ever been the hugging sorts.
“Good morning, Father,” Lucy said, still baffled by her parents’ new demeanors.
Garrett strolled up. “Uncle Theodore. Aunt Frederica.” The two gave him blank stares as if he didn’t exist. But, Lucy noted, when they realized that the duke was narrowing his eyes on them for their behavior, they both reluctantly greeted their detested nephew. “Garrett. Uh, g … good to see you,” her father managed to choke out.
Her mother merely said, “Garrett,” in her most perfectly condescending tone.
Garrett was obviously attempting to hide his smile. “Always a pleasure,” he said in a voice that implied it was, in fact, never a pleasure.
Garrett shook Derek’s hand then turned to Lucy while Derek spoke with Lucy’s parents. “The ceremony was lovely,” Garrett said.
Lucy had tears in her eyes. She hugged her cousin. “Thank you, Garrett.”
“For what?”
“For being willing to take care of me even when you thought I would be an old spinster.”
Garrett threw back his head and laughed. “How do you know I didn’t just pay Claringdon here to take you off my hands?” He bowed to Lucy. “Well, Your Grace, you truly are a duchess now. The first Duchess of Claringdon. Berkeley’s heartbroken of course, but I’m certain he’ll survive. He’s already back in Northumbria.”
“I wish Lord Berkeley the very best.” Then Lucy leaned up and whispered, “And you, my cousin, may very well have your chance with Cass now.”
Garrett’s forehead wrinkled into a frown and he opened his mouth to speak, but just then Jane and Cass came up to them. Derek and Lucy’s parents went over to speak with Derek’s mother and the Lowndeses.
Jane hugged Lucy. “I cannot say I envy you being leg-shackled, but for a wedding it wasn’t half bad.”
Cass had tears in her eyes. “Oh, Lucy, it was so pretty. I’m so happy for you. You’re a duchess. A real and true duchess.”
Lucy laughed. “Yes, an unexpected duchess to be sure, but a duchess nonetheless.”
“A duchess with a formidable tongue and penchant for bluntness,” Garrett added.
“Guilty,” Lucy agreed.
“When you wear a turban in your old age and stare at younger folk through your quizzing glass you’ll be positively frightening, Lucy,” Jane said. “I should know because I intend to be there with you, doing the exact same thing. With great aplomb, I might add.”
Lucy laughed again. “Ooh, I’m quite looking forward to that, actually.”
Lucy heard Derek speaking to her parents. “You know Lucy is an excellent rider.” He addressed that comment to her father. “And being demure is highly overrated,” he told her mother. She could just picture her mother’s reaction to that statement. When he was done talking to her parents, Derek strolled over to their little group and put his hand around his wife’s waist. He dropped his head and kissed her shoulder. Jane and Cass sighed.
“The only thing that would make this day more perfect would be if Swift were back to see it,” Derek said to Lucy. He’d also mentioned something about how two of their other friends were apparently still missing on the Continent, but he hadn’t wanted to spoil the day by explaining the details.
Lucy smiled and patted Derek’s hand. “He’ll be here soon, my love.” She glanced over at Cass. Her friend wasn’t speaking; she had turned away from the group and was tellingly tugging on the end of her glove. “Cass, are you all right?”
Cass nodded, wiping away a tear with a handkerchief.
“Dear, what is it?”
“It’s nothing, I’m just … I’m so happy for you, Lucy. Truly I am. You’ve fallen in love and got married. A dream come true.”
Lucy hugged Cass’s shoulder and pulled her tight. “Don’t worry, dear. You deserve the very same. And I’ve every confidence that you’ll find it.”
Cass nodded.
Jane came up to the two of them, and the three friends separated themselves from the others. “Well, Lucy. We started out trying to help Cass, and so we did.”
“And in the meantime, Cass helped me, too. She helped me find love, just like you promised, Cass.”
Cass smiled at Lucy. “Oh, Lucy, it was so obvious that you and the duke belonged together.”
Jane nodded. She put her arms around her friends’ shoulders. “So, what shall we turn our considerable talents to next, ladies?”
“Next is you, Janie,” Cass said with a bright smile. “Lucy’s going to help convince your mother to leave you alone when it comes to getting married.”
They all glanced over to where Lucy’s and Jane’s parents were conversing. “Perfect,” Jane said. “You’d better stop them from talking to Lucy’s parents then. Their daughter just unexpectedly married a duke. They’re never going to let me forget it. Up till now, I’ve been able to point at Luce and say, ‘See, she’s a wallflower, too.’”
Lucy laughed. “Don’t worry, Janie. I’ll make certain you’re all right. I’ll rescue you.”
“I like the idea of a lady rescuing me instead of a man. As it should be.” Jane gave a resolute nod. “Mary Wollstonecraft would be proud.”
Cass laughed. “We must think of a way to keep Janie away from the marriage mart for good.”
Lucy nodded. “Agreed.”
“I agree, too,” said Jane. “But for some reason, I think that you, my dear Cass, may be the next recipient of our collective help.”
Cass blinked. “What do you mean? Lately I’ve been considering the convent.”
“I do envy the nuns their simple clothing,” Jane continued. “But what do you think I mean? Julian is on his way home.”
“Oh, no, no, no. I’ve given up that hope. I intend to do nothing more than wish Julian and Penelope well.”
“And hopelessly pine for him?” Jane asked.
Cass shrugged. “That part, I may well be unable to help.”
Lucy and Jane patted Cass’s shoulders.
Derek strolled up then and pulled his wife away from the little group and into a corner. He slipped a giant ring on her finger. Lucy looked down. The ring had three stones: a large square diamond in the center with a small, square sapphire on one side and a matching emerald on the other.
Lucy gasped. “What’s this?”
“It’s your ring. I picked it out this morning especially for you. It reminds me of your beautiful eyes.”
Lucy reached up, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. “Oh, Derek, I love you so much. Thank you.” She held out her hand and stared at the ring contentedly.
“You’re welcome, my love. And I’m hoping it will make you more forgiving when I tell you that I must leave soon on a trip to the Continent.”
Lucy furrowed her brow. “The Continent?”
“Yes. A bit of unfinished business from the war.”
Fear gripped her heart. “Will you be safe, Derek?”
“I promise.”
Her shoulders relaxed a bit. “Then I suppose I can spare you for a bit. I’ll be busy learning how to be a duchess, no doubt.”
He pulled her against him and whispered in her ear. “Do you want to know a secret?”
She turned her face to look up at him. “Yes. What?”
“This is what I wished for, when I threw that coin in the pool at the bathhouses.”
She smiled wide but slapped playfully at his shoulder. “You’re not supposed to tell what you wished for.”
He pulled up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “It already came true.”